The price of betrayal (Jack and Ashley) novel Chapter 545

Soon, the car arrived at Malcolm's villa.

As Megan and Jeanne stepped out, they immediately noticed the large number of people standing around the villa. A single glance was enough to tell that none of them were to be trifled with.

What filled them with an overwhelming sense of dread, leaving them too afraid to speak, was the scene outside the villa—nearly the entire area was packed with people kneeling, each one looking utterly miserable.

The moment Nolan got out of the car, everyone standing bowed deeply and said, "Greetings, Mr. Greene."

Nolan nodded slightly but didn't acknowledge them further. He then walked straight into the villa.

Inside, more than a dozen people were kneeling. Unlike those outside, their attire and demeanor clearly marked them as wealthy and influential figures.

Megan even recognized a few of them by name.

"M-Mr. Harvey Holcomb? M-Mr. Karl Snider? And Mr. Joey Cowan too?"

Megan was completely stunned.

If she hadn't known who these people were, it might have been easier to process. But precisely because she knew their identities, she understood how shocking it was to see them kneeling here.

It wasn't just the sight of so many people kneeling together—capturing even one of them would have been enough to spell enormous trouble.

"Nolan, if you want to die, don't drag me down with you! Do you even know who these people are? You're insane, completely insane! You're making enemies with the entire Eastern State—no, with the whole world!"

Megan felt her scalp tingling with fear. She even wanted to flee the place immediately, as if staying here even a second longer would put her in grave danger.

In that moment, Nolan could only blame himself—for not being famous enough, for not being strong enough. If he were terrifying enough, so much so that just hearing his name would crush any thought of resistance, would things have turned out differently?

If he were powerful and ruthless enough, so ruthless that his enemies would rather take their own lives than oppose him, perhaps none of this would have happened! For a brief moment, Nolan felt a pang of self-reproach.

At that moment, Fang dropped to his knees in front of Nolan and said guiltily, "Mr. Green, it's all my fault. I failed to protect Lense. I deserve to die. Please, punish me."

Nolan didn't respond, nor did he tell Fang to rise. He simply sat silently in the chair where Malcolm had once sat, his gaze fixed on the bloodstained computer and keyboard, lost in thought.

After a long while, Nolan finally spoke, " When I first met Malcolm, it was in prison. That's where I met you too. I still remember, back when I was new to the place, I was bullied, and it was you and Malcolm who protected me. Especially Malcolm—he looked like a scholar, but he fought tooth and nail for me.

"To this day, he still bears scars on his body that never healed. I truly saw you as friends, not subordinates. I genuinely wanted to give you wealth and glory and to help you fulfill your dreams."