“Lilah! That's enough!" Gerard shouted from behind Lilah just as Adaline was about to black out.

“Let's torture her using another method since she wouldn't spill. You need her alive at the moment, don't you?" he added.

Lilah considered his words and loosened her grip on Adaline, who gasped for breath.

“Deal with her. Teach her a lesson she'll never forget," Gerard instructed his men.

He carefully wrapped his arm around Lilah and pulled her closer as he said in a soothing voice, "Let's give it more time, okay? She'll speak."

"Alright." She nodded her head in agreement. After that, they both sat on a bench with their backs turned to Adaline. Gerard noticed Lilah's sweaty palm and held it without hesitation.

"She won't be able to withstand this," he assured her. He had full confidence in his unique methods of getting people to talk, and also punishing criminals, including traitors and spies.

ALL who had been subjected to his torture invariably broke down and ended up revealing everything they had kept from him.

Adaline wouldn't be an exception. She didn't seem resilient. Her aim had always been to exact revenge and not to cover up for anybody.

"I'll say it. I will tell you now."

The agony in Adaline's voice was very apparent.

It was then that Lilah stood up and slowly turned her head to look at Adaline. The woman's body was covered in blood, but she was still strong enough to talk. It seemed Gerard's men had taken measures to ensure that she got hurt, but not to the point of instant fatality.

This was the moment Lilah understood why Gerard said that no one could withstand his punishment. Instead of merely causing physical pain, they inflicted mental anguish and despair.

“Are you really willing to tell me now? If you lie to me, you know there'd be consequences," Lilah warned.

"Yes..."

However, as soon as Adaline opened her mouth again, the sound of gunshot pierced the air.

It didn't faze Lilah, though. Something like this was well within her expectations.

Gerard expected such a thing as well. So, he had arranged for people to take bullet-proof measures beforehand. As a result, although Adaline and Lilah were both in the line of fire, they remained unharmed as the bullet was promptly blocked.

"Catch whoever that was." As soon as Gerard gave out the order, several tall and strong men rushed out.

Lilah looked calm while Adaline's face had turned pale. Lilah said, "See? Whether you say it now or not, you won't be able to leave this place alive. As for how you want to die, well, I'll leave that up to you. I know you'd choose wisely. Clearly, someone hates you more than I do."

Finally, Adaline fully made up her mind. She suddenly realized that her blind loyalty was ridiculous and stupid.

It was unfair. She had tried her best to protect the person behind her from being discovered by Lilah. She thought that person would do his best to save her in return.

But, what did she get in return?

As it turned out, that person wanted her to die, so she wouldn't reveal anything. The truth was very clear now. That person had wanted her to die ever since her plan failed.

"He hates you so much. He tried his best to get me out of prison, so I could come to you for revenge. He made me get plastic surgery and killed Adelynn and Milly. I don't know what problem you two have, but... he absolutely hates your guts," Adaline said.

"What? Who is it?" Lilah asked.

Before Adaline could finish her words, her eyes suddenly widened and her body stiffened unnaturally.

Instantly, Lilah noticed that something was wrong. She pinched Adaline's chin, but her body was already cold. Unfortunately, Adaline wasn't breathing anymore and her heartbeat had stopped.

The words she had just spoken became the last she would ever say.

“What just happened?" Gerard asked.

"I don't know, but she's dead. Her wounds aren't fatal, so I suspect it's poison." Putting a hand on Adaline's neck, Lilah continued, "She could be faking it, though. Let's take her back and check if she's really gone."

"Okay."

Then, Gerard ordered his men to bring back Adaline's body. Looking back at the disturbed Lilah, he comfortingly said, "Hey, it may not be a bad thing."

“How can this be a good thing?"

"Before this, we had no idea someone harbored such intense hatred for you. At least now we know someone like that is out there and they have a connection with Adaline. If we investigate further, we have a lead, unlike before when we were searching aimlessly."

Although Lilah understood this logically, she still felt disappointed. She hadn't expected to gain nothing from Adaline this time.

The reason why they brought Adaline to this warehouse was that they didn't want her to be found by the people behind this mess. They ensured that any equipment that could transmit anything to the outside world was taken away from Adaline's body.

However, it seemed that they had been found. They were yet to figure out how this happened, though.

Who on earth could be spying on them?

"Go back and have a rest first." Gerard put his arm around Lilah's shoulder and said, "There's no use in thinking about it too much right now."

"I know. It's all just very unsettling. I don't know how this happened. It should've been a perfect plan.”

Far too many incidents affected the plan. Whether it was Matthew or Adaline's sudden death, Lilah wasn't able to anticipate or stop it at all.