And true to form, when they caught up with Arya, Xavier, throwing caution to the wind, immediately pounced on her. But after a brief scuffle, he inexplicably turned on Devonte, who had just arrived to lend a hand.

“Have you lost your mind? Why did you hit me instead of her" Devonte dodged Xavier's attack and knocked him out cold with a well- placed slap.

He then swiftly produced a throwing knife and hurled it at the fleeing Arya, hitting her calf and ultimately incapacitating the cunning woman.

"Thinking of playing tricks, huh?" Devonte said with a mirthless chuckle. "Just wait and see what we have in store for you."

Arya was swiftly recaptured, and this time, no one showed mercy. She endured repeated lashes from a thorny vine, her cries of pain echoing through the air.

“Barth, you heartless man! I'm carrying your child, and you let them do this to me?" Arya's anger erupted as she confronted Barth, who was occupied with tending to Cyrus in the room.

Barth had fully regained his senses after Devonte gave him two heavy slaps. Even confronted with her shocking accusation, he remained unmoved.

"I didn't sleep with you that day; you set me up. Even if you're pregnant, the child isn't mine." Barth's voice carried a hollow sadness.

Xavier and Devonte exchanged glances, sensing the absurdity of the situation but finding no amusement in it.

“This is your final chance, Arya," Gerard declared coldly, tossing a handgun to Xavier.

Muttering under his breath, Xavier approached Arya. "Curse you, you deceitful woman, nearly making me harm Devonte. How can such a dangerous woman exist?"

Arya trembled, feeling trapped and desperate.

She glanced back one last time, hoping for salvation from the only person who could save her, but he never appeared.

Finally, she surrendered.

“I'll give you the antidote, but only if you release me. Otherwise, I'd rather die than reveal its location," Arya declared, her teeth clenched and her eyes seething with hatred.

She couldn't fathom how everything had gone awry.

Her plan had been straightforward: with Barth as the league Leader and herself as his partner, she could access capital and gradually seize control of the entire Fearless League.

Now, it had all unraveled, thanks to that wretched Lilah!

Without Lilah's interference, Barth wouldn't have faltered, and she wouldn't have been driven to such desperate measures. It was all Lilah's fault!

“Kyler, Devonte, think about it. I have only one daughter. Let her go. I promise she'll never return to Luna Island or practice martial arts again," Bartley pleaded, almost ready to kneel.

The group exchanged glances, turning to Gerard for a decision.

"Agreed," Gerard declared without hesitation.

Whether Arya would manage to escape remained uncertain.

"I've gathered a substantial cache of Winter Woods, all stashed in a secret compartment in my room. Follow me," Arya said, rising and limping out the door.