Chapter 72

In a single, decisive move, Alexia seized the scarred man's wrist and sent him crashing to the floor with a judo toss. Swiftly following up, her elbow found its mark at his temple, leaving him dazed and reeling.

Shock widened his eyes as he sprawled on the floor,glancing back to spot the frayed ropes abandoned nearby.

"How did you get loose?" he asked.

Without a word, Alexia only traced her thumb along the delicate ring on her pinky.

Her secret weapon, a ring concealing a silver needle,had proven its worth once again.

The two henchmen lunged at her with iron rods. Alexia spun on her heel, sent a rusted gasoline drum tumbling across the floor, and the noise sent both attackers scattering for cover.

Taking advantage of the chaos, the scarred man whipped out a pistol, voice cracking as he yelped,"Somebody, stop her!"

Gunfire erupted, a bullet shrieking past Alexia's ear and striking the warehouse wall. Another round struck an oil tank in the far corner. Flames shot skyward,bathing the scene in wild, flickering light. Red bloomed across Alexia's shirt, mixing with sweat and smoke.

From behind a pile of crates, Brandon froze at the gunshot, panic flooding his face. On trembling hands and knees, he tried to slink away unnoticed.

His luck ran out. The two thugs spotted his escape attempt and grabbed him by the collar.

"Where do you think you're going?" one sneered,yanking him back.

Brandon immediately broke down, begging, "Your target is her. I have nothing to do with this. I swear,just let me go and I'll disappear! My cousin runs Gibson Group-we're loaded! Please, I'm not ready to die!"

Seizing the opportunity, Alexia made her move,knocking the scarred man to the floor, wrenching the gun from his grip, and pressing the muzzle to his forehead.

Seeing this, the two goons aimed their guns at Alexia."Let him go or you're dead!"

With measured calm, Alexia dragged the scarred man into a perfect defensive position. "Let's find out who's got the quickest trigger," she replied, pressing the barrel harder and forcing his head back at an awkward angle.

A bead of sweat slid down his face. "Don't mess around.What do you know about guns?"

A sudden smile flickered across Alexia's lips. Without uttering a word, she coolly flipped the safety off with her index finger. "Why not take a wild guess? Do l look like someone who doesn't know how to fire a gun?"

A crisp click echoed through the warehouse, the unmistakable sound of the weapon being cocked chilling every ear.

Panic twisted the scarred man's face, and he snapped at his men, "Drop your guns! Right now! Do it!"

Uncertainty flashed between the goons. After a moment's hesitation, both reluctantly set their pistols on the floor.

Alexia took charge, her voice steady. "Brandon,gather those weapons."

Breaking loose, Brandon jerked free and hurried forward, fumbling to scoop up the guns.

Just then, the skinny thug's eyes widened in recognition."Wait,Brandon? You're Brandon Gibson!The guy who owes our boss a billion from gambling?"

Brandon froze in his tracks, color draining from his face.

A spark of realization hit the second thug. "It's him,alright! We've been talking about staging a protest outside Gibson Group just to get our money back!"

Evil gleamed in the skinny thug's eyes. "Brandon, take the gun and shoot her!"

The scarred man let out a furious curse. "Have you lost your mind? Don't you care what happens to me?"

Shrugging, the skinny one grinned. "Boss, there's a three-hundred-million bounty on her head! That's serious money. If you end up as collateral damage maybe the big boss will give us a little bonus. Brandon,if you fire your shot and help us take her down, there is a good chance our big boss will turn a blind eye to what you owe him. There is room for us to sit down and discuss the possibility of settling what you owe from your gambling.

Greed flickered in Brandon's eyes, and Alexia caught the hesitation. "Think before you act, Brandon. They'll toss you aside the second they get what they want."

The skinny man's voice rose sharply as he argued,"This is not about taking advantage of anyone. It is about working together as a team! Brandon, you need to see it clearly. If you join us in bringing her down, we will have her completely at our mercy. We can hand you a copy of the recording, and she is worth more than you think. With that in your possession, you will have thepower to force her into submission, and you will be free to demand anything your heart desires!"