Chapter 497

After a chaotic scramble, Damien managed to extract Teddy.

Joshua and Shermaine had completed their mission and made their exit, but Teddy’s injuries were far more severe than anyone had anticipated.

Baykeep Public Hospital was out of the question–going there would expose their location immediately. Instead, Damien had located a private hospital and staged a takeover, posing as bandits.

Once they’d secured the facility, he administered an emergency stabilizer to keep Teddy’s condition from deteriorating further.

The medical staff, working under duress, rushed the patient into surgery while Damien maintained his watch from inside the operating room.

As the hours dragged on, an unfamiliar tension settled in his chest.

Within Eagle Assassins, Teddy was his only real rival–and his only true friend.

Sure, this line of work came with high stakes and constant danger, but that didn’t mean he wanted to see Teddy die on this mission.

By the time Joshua and Shermaine arrived, the surgery was nearly complete. The good news was that they’d managed to save him.

When Simon regained consciousness, he found himself facing Bronx’s fury. Without warning, Bronx’s hand cracked across his face. “You’re nothing but a liability—useless at everything that matters.”

Simon’s face darkened with shame and anger. He couldn’t believe he’d been so stupid, walking straight into what was obviously a trap designed to lure him in. “Father, what happened to Boa and her lover?”

“They’re back at Rosa mansion.”

“Father, we’ve both been played.” For once, Simon’s brain had kicked into gear. “That wasn’t some lover at all–it was Cain.”

“What?” Bronx’s fury intensified.

Simon finally came clean. “Boa Hanks‘ man is Cain. Tonight’s so-called lover was him in disguise.”

He’d been keeping Boa and Cain’s connection from Bronx for two reasons. First, Cain’s status as a wanted fugitive would have made his father target her immediately.

Second, his own arrogance had convinced him he could eliminate Cain himself and win Boa’s heart. Reality had shown him just how foolish that thinking was.

Bronx had been completely in the dark, never suspecting the relationship between Cain and Boa. Simon had only himself to blame.

The regret consumed him. If Bronx had known about Boa and Cain’s connection, he wouldn’t have let his guard down around Boa Hanks today. The accident wouldn’t have happened, ruining everything they’d worked for.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Bronx asked.

“I thought I could handle them myself.”

“You’ve disappointed me beyond words.” Bronx’s voice carried sharp disapproval as he turned and walked out, unsure what else to say. He had urgent business now–reporting to Judy that the man they’d been searching for had finally surfaced.

As for that woman, his suspicions were growing stronger by the minute. She could very well be Boa Hanks.

In her luxurious office, Judy reviewed documents while two strikingly handsome men attended to her every need. One massaged her shoulders with practiced hands, while the other fed her fresh fruit with careful precision.

Growing frustrated with the paperwork, she swept the files aside with an irritated gesture.

‘It’s been almost a year now, and there is still no information on Shermaine and Joshua. They’re proving remarkably adept at staying hidden,’ Judy thought. It seemed they truly didn’t care about whatever was locked away in Sky Prison; they hadn’t shown up to mount any rescue attempt.

What worried her most now was the possibility that they’d thrown their lot in with her sister, Shirley.

Joshua and Shermaine weren’t pushovers–dealing with them would be a real headache.

Then there was a bigger problem. They’d figured out how to get Apocalypse up and running, but the cyborg piloting it was barely hanging on. His genes were close enough to the royal family’s bloodline to make it work, but not close enough to make it work well.

The cyborg’s lifespan was already shortened from the constant rejection episodes his body went through every time he tried to control the machine. The cyborg couldn’t even access the real power of Apocalypse–his bloodline just wasn’t pure enough.

The worst part was that they couldn’t crack the royal blood system the royal family had built into the thing. No matter what they tried, they kept hitting that same wall.

Judy’s heart raced just thinking about it all.

Harry stepped in from outside. “Your Highness, Bronx is on the line.”