Chapter 1014

A sudden glimpse of Daniela's smile made Jules' heart.skip a beat.

He told himself listening to a story wouldn't do any harm.

And he now understood Cedric's fascination with Daniela. There was no denying her striking beauty.

Still holding the skewer, Daniela began,′′Acertain fool tried to use someone else to do his dirty work.After that, he tried to silence the pawn for good, only to discover later that both his target and his pawn were still alive."

A sly grin lit her face as she glanced at Josh, whose complexion had gone a shade paler.

"What do you think the pawn would do? Deal with the original target, or go after the person who tried to silence hím?"

Any trace of a smile faded from Josh's lips. His eyes darted to Daniela, voice turning cold. "What are you getting at?"

Turning away from Josh, Daniela flashed a knowing look at Jules. "You seem pretty determined to shield Josh. Let me tell you something. Brad didn't die in a car accident. Josh set it all up-he made Brad kill Ethan. The room you stepped in earlier belonged to Brad. Ethan's blood was everywhere, and the housekeeper spent a long time cleaning it. The suitcase that had Brad's body in? It wasn't waterproof.Brad dragged it straight across the floor and out onto the lawn-the same patch you crossed today. I had people cleaning for hours to get rid of the blood.Later, Brad crammed Ethan's body into the trunk, only to discover a bomb rigged inside the car. If I hadn't intervened, Brad would have been blasted to pieces,just like Ethan."

Shock froze Jules in place, his jaw hanging as he struggled to process Daniela's words.

A low chuckle escaped Daniela. "Brad slipped out of the hospital last night. Do you think he'll hunt me down to finish the job, or will he seek out you and Josh for payback? Josh was the one he trusted most,yet as soon as Brad outlived his usefulness, Josh tossed him aside. And you? When will you be cast aside?"

That unsettling smile on Daniela's face sent a cold shiver up Jules' spine. "You must be making this up." Turning her gaze to Josh's twisted expression, Daniela let out another laugh. "Why not let Josh confirm it?Or maybe he doesn't need to say anything. Brad's next move will make everything clear."

Josh's face went ashen, and a visible tremor ran through him. In that instant, Jules finally accepted that Daniela's tale wasn't just a bluff.

Horror crept into his features as he stared at Josh,feeling as if reality had warped into a nightmare.

Everything around him suddenly seemed as terrifying as a scene from a suspense film.

Daniela set her skewer aside and flashed a sly smile."I'll pass on this one. I'd rather watch and see exactly how Brad pays his respects to his so-called big brother."

A shadow crept into Josh's eyes. "So you were aware the whole time, weren't you?"

With a nod, Daniela accepted the shrimp Cedric passed her. "Of course. I watched the lot of you scheme and blunder like children, though I never thought Brad would go so far as to stab Ethan."

Her words came out light, almost as if she were recounting a humorous story.

"You know, I was onto your plan with the car bomb.1Let Brad get right up to the edge,let him taste fear until the last second before I stepped in. The guy was so terrified he actually wet himself." Daniela shot a sly smile at Josh, watching his stunned reaction. "You'll get your turn with that kind of terror soon enough."

Josh fixed his gaze on her unwavering expression,his tone cold. "This is all about vengeance for your

mother. I have to hand it to you,Daniela-your cruelty knows no bounds!"

A response never left her lips; silence was answer enough.

Unsteady steps carried Josh out of the villa, his legs.barely holding him upright.

As he reached the gate, he couldn't help glancing back over his shoulder.

Daniela, having already tossed the tainted barbecue,turned and flashed a slow, enigmatic smile.

Her expression was a perfect mirror of her mother's -a memory that unsettled Josh deeply.

Startled, he wrenched his gaze away and hurried into the darkness.

Getting in his car, Jules slammed his foot on the accelerator.

He couldn't shake the sound of Daniela's words-they seemed to echo through his thoughts. "When will you be cast aside?"

A wave of fear swept over him. Looking at Josh now,Jules realized he barely recognized the man he'd called brother all his life.

Their car rolled to a halt in front of Josh's villa.

Without hesitation, Josh reached for the door, eager to escape. Jules' voice stopped him in his tracks "Josh, tell me the truth. Was it really Brad who killed Ethan? Were you the one who set that bomb? Was this all your doing?"

The facade shattered right then. Josh turned with a glacial stare, his eyes locking with Jules' under the cold night sky.

In the end, Josh turned back and went home.

His silence spoke volumes