Chapter 1127:
The two sales associates, once smug, now huddled on the floor, too terrified to speak. Trembling, they crept out from behind the counter. “W-we don’t know why he’s so angry,” one muttered.
The bald man curled his lips in a mocking smile. “Mr. Owen is from Eshea,” he said slowly. “Want to take a guess who those two customers are to him?”
Someone nearby answered flatly, “One’s his sister. The other is his woman.”
The bald leader’s grin darkened as he raised a hand. “Clear the fitting room. Bring them here. We’ll make sure every ring is accounted for.”
He paused, his voice light but threatening. “And if they’re not in their clothes… we’ll search places people usually don’t want searched.”
The threat, meant to intimidate Rylie and Melany, now boomeranged. The associates finally understood they had offended someone far beyond their reach.
Shaking uncontrollably, one fumbled in her pocket and pulled out the ring. “I’m sorry! It was us! Please forgive us! We had no right to judge you. Please—tell Mr. Owen to let us go!”
Rylie looked down at the women without warmth, then glanced at the police officer who seemed desperate to vanish. She gave the bald man a small nod. “That’s enough. We’re leaving.”
At his signal, the chaos stopped instantly. He moved to open the car door for Rylie and Melany.
𝖠𝖼t𝘪𝗏𝗲 𝖼𝗼𝘮𝗆u𝘯𝘪𝘁𝘆 оո galոо𝘷е𝗅𝘀.соm
The black vehicles drove off as quickly as they had come, leaving shattered jewelry and two sales associates weeping on the floor, faces buried in their hands.
Here, the police knew better than to interfere with the Costa Syndicate. They simply put away their batons, offered the associates a helpless look, and hoped they’d survive what came next.
Melany dreaded seeing Deandre again. Fears she couldn’t voice swirled inside her, but for her child, she had to ask. “If he forces himself on me, could it hurt the baby?”
Rylie answered calmly, “If you’ve followed my instructions and taken your medication, there’s no risk. Honestly? If he tries anything, slap him and say no.”
As the man approached, Melany let out a quiet scoff. “If it were that easy to stand up to him, I wouldn’t be worried.”
Rylie raised an eyebrow as Deandre led Melany away, then turned to check on Brad.
Brad seemed more upbeat, well enough to join a video call with Sean and several senior conservative leaders back in Eshea, including the President.
The video Rylie released had exposed the Kingdom of East Islet’s scheme to the world. As tensions escalated, Eshea moved to assert full sovereignty, sending forces to secure the Emerald Strait. On the President’s direct order, and only after confirming no allied personnel remained, they launched airstrikes on the island that had nearly trapped Brad, destroying it along with any East Islet warships that failed to withdraw.
The damage to East Islet was devastating, but they had no allies willing to step in and no grounds to even protest Eshea’s actions.
Eshea framed its response as fully compliant with Security Council resolutions—lawful self-defense and threat elimination after an armed assault on its sovereignty, all within the bounds of the International Security Covenant.
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