The price of betrayal (Jack and Ashley) novel Chapter 551

When Nolan said he'd continue, he meant it—no lies and no hesitation.

After setting down the pliers, Nolan picked up a small hammer and gestured toward Preston's mouth.

"Stuff his mouth. I'm not worried about him screaming—just about him biting his tongue to end it," he said lightly.

Preston was already scared out of his wits, but hearing those words while staring at the hammer in Nolan's hand broke him completely. Tears immediately streamed down his face.

"I'm begging you, please stop torturing me! I was wrong! I know I was wrong! Please, I'll do anything you ask—anything, I swear! Please, just stop. No, please, no!"

In the end, Preston's mouth was stuffed with a towel. He kept saying he'd do anything, but the truth was, Nolan wasn't going to let him do anything at all.

Holding the hammer, Nolan gestured casually in front of Preston and, with a smile, he said, "Since your fingernails are all gone, there's really no point in keeping the fingers, is there? No rush, we'll take our time. I'll make sure you enjoy every moment of this."

As he spoke, a chair was brought over, and Preston's hands were put on top of it. Despite his frantic struggles and desperate attempts to break free, there was no escaping for him.

Nolan slowly raised the hammer, then brought it down with a heavy, resounding strike. In that moment, everyone heard the sickening sound of bones shattering. And when they looked at Preston's fingers, they found them to be completely flattened, with shards of bone piercing through the skin.

Some of the onlookers, the more timid ones, actually fainted on the spot. None of them dared to take another look. Even though they didn't hear Preston's screams, they could already imagine how gut-wrenching and horrifying it must have been.

As he finished speaking, Nolan brought the hammer down hard on Preston's head. That single blow ended his life on the spot. It was a message of intimidation for Owen—a warning wrapped in the cruelest form of psychological torment.

From start to finish, Nolan never raised his voice. He remained calm, so composed it was as if he'd never been angry at all. Yet, it was precisely this eerie calm that made him all the more terrifying.

"Send the video to Mr. Norberg. I want him to live every waking moment from now in absolute fear," Nolan said calmly.

With that, he turned and headed to the bathroom to wash up, and by the time he came back, the video had already been sent to Owen.

Scarlet looked at Nolan and said softly, "Mr. Greene, should these people be dealt with as well?"