UNDER HIS RULES

Meanwhile, Ute’s dizziness and the pain pounding her body were excruciating. She had experienced it before, so there should be no complaints, right? Most importantly, she couldn’t give up. Her goal was clear and had to be accomplished. Maybe she failed when trying to finish off Beatrice. But this time, she wouldn’t waste the opportunity.

“Ugh!” Ute gritted her teeth and grabbed her shoulder tightly. Her memory hadn’t forgotten the moment she realized someone had stopped her, causing her to collapse to the floor with blood starting to stain the ground. She couldn’t redirect her gun towards Beatrice. Jack kicked the gun away before she could react, followed by a punch that made her faint.

Her eyes darted around quickly. The stuffy, dark room was barely illuminated by a dim light coming from a gap in the door. Ute forced herself to move, stumbling slightly. She ignored the pain coursing through her body. Her determination to escape the unfamiliar room was strong.

Upon reaching the threshold of the door, she slowly turned the knob. She leaned in to make sure there was no surveillance around. Silence. There were no shadows moving through the light seeping in through the gap. It meant that the room where she was held captive had no special guarding.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

A sly grin appeared on Ute’s face. She pushed the door open quickly. Just as she suspected, there was no one there. Only a dimly lit hallway, a thick musty smell hanging in the air, and a slightly damp floor beneath her feet. Her vigilant eyes glanced around occasionally, fearing someone might suddenly appear and trap her in the same room again.

No. Waking up from the darkness had to have a purpose. Especially when it came to Alfred Quassano. Every time she remembered that name, the burning anger in her heart flared up strongly. She hadn’t forgotten the Quassano family’s involvement with her. Ever since she was abandoned by her parents at the age of six, one thing had stuck in her memory-Quassano.

Among all the Quassano properties, Uti was there. Placed in the Southern Division, working as a servant until she finished school and dared to work outside of Quassano. There were no initial issues.

Until disaster struck.

They ambushed her. Stripped her mercilessly. Violated her without mercy. Her cries went unanswered. In that moment of remaining consciousness, she clearly heard a familiar voice.

“Once you’re out of Quassano, this is what you’ll get. Women don’t know gratitude. The Boss will surely be pleased with this.”

It was Coky’s voice, one of the trusted servants in the Quassano household. In every Quassano property, there was one trusted person, including Coky. And what did he say? The Boss would be pleased with this situation? Oh God!

Fear crawled over her as footsteps approached. She didn’t dare make a sound. Choosing to pretend to be dead while praying for God to take her life now. She felt disgusted with herself.

“Poor you.” The man approached. He lifted Ute’s chin, her eyes still closed. “If you want revenge against Quassano, follow my instructions. There’s my business card slipped into your pocket. I’ll send help so you can have your revenge later.”

That’s why she had been under Sam’s protection for years. Help came from unknown sources. She understood that Sam kindly helped her. She should have had the self-awareness to repay Sam’s kindness, but her thirst for revenge against Quassano was too strong. Her trauma wasn’t easily erased. That included her search for what led Boss Quassano to do this to her.

When she met Alfred again while carrying out a mission with Anne, she had a strong desire to end the old man’s life. Truly. Unfortunately, if she acted rashly, her goal wouldn’t be achieved. Regardless of the other Quassanos’ desires, as long as she killed Alfred at the right moment with her own hands. Since she knew there was something valuable to Alfred, she would destroy it along with him. That was her intention.

The path she was following came to an end. A small staircase greeted her, and as she looked up, there was a small door on the other side. Ute smirked slightly. She immediately climbed each step. They were a bit slippery, so she had to be more careful. She used the wall as support. The coldness seeped into her palms. She quickened her pace, not wanting to be unaware of the situation she would face.

The door was locked. Resourceful as ever, Ute took out a small plate she had hidden in her underwear. Everything she carried was stripped, including the small knife concealed behind her sock. It was impossible for Sam’s men to allow her to have anything that could be used as a weapon. But one thing made her feel strange, whether it was luck or misfortune for her.

There was no guarding for her.

The small plate was tinkered with until the door opened. Ute wore a satisfied grin on her face. Without waiting any longer, she quickly ran along the corridor, which was much brighter than before. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, where paintings and vases with expensive flowers could be seen. And there, a portrait she recognized; Quassano.

“Ah, so here it is.” Despite clutching her still painful shoulder, her heart was suddenly filled with great joy. She hastened her steps to find the person she had been targeting for a long time; Alfred Quassano. But before that could happen, she needed a weapon to facilitate her actions.

Luckily, the corridor ended at one corner of the garden. The only thing she found there was an abandoned machete. It further lifted Ute’s spirits. She immediately picked it up and continued her search for Alfred. Ah… maybe torturing his granddaughter first could be done right in front of Alfred. After all, the man had no qualms about asking others to destroy her. But what was her crime? Choosing to work outside? No longer being with Quassano? The pain in her heart from what she had experienced years ago never subsided.

That damn old geezer!

“Alfred!” she shouted loudly.

Faintly, she heard commotion up ahead. She quickened her steps to assess the situation. Uti was certain that Joseph’s plan had encountered some obstacles. She needed to resolve it immediately. Her loyalty to Joseph had been etched in her since she discovered who caused her to experience the hellish world. She didn’t care if her life was endangered or if it ended up in Sam’s hands, as long as her goal was accomplished. In essence, she had been dead for a long time.

Consider Ute lucky. Once again, her eyes met the gaze of the black-haired girl she had almost wounded; Beatrice, ah… Leora Quassano.

Beatrice’s eyes widened in disbelief, filled with disappointment. Her fists clenched tightly, and her breath seethed with anger. Lightning flashed in her eyes, brimming with emotions towards the woman who had betrayed the Twin Dragons.

“How did you escape?” she exclaimed.

Ute spat as she looked at Beatrice cynically. “Did you forget that I’m skilled at escaping? I’m grateful to Sam and his teachings.”

“You truly have no sense of gratitude!” Beatrice scolded angrily.

Ute burst into laughter. She tightened her grip on the machete. “If you don’t know the meaning of gratitude, just stay quiet.” Ute’s steps turned into a half-run. She aimed a slash at the unyielding girl. She was certain that this time she would succeed in inflicting a wound on her. Her blood boiled with vengeance. To her, injuring Beatrice was not proportional to what Ute had endured.

Unfortunately, Jack quickly intercepted the attack. He used a long iron rod as a weapon to halt Ute’s machete swing, leaving the short-haired woman furious.

“You bastard, Jack!”

“The one who deserves to be called a bastard is you, Ute,” Jack calmly replied. Nonetheless, his eyes scrutinized Ute relentlessly. He was truly incensed by her actions. He never expected Ute to dare betray them, to collaborate with the person who caused all this chaos. There was not even a hint of regret in her gaze. Foolish Jack! What traitor feels remorse for their actions? What exists instead is that Ute would pay dearly for everything.

Ute snorted. She slightly loosened her body to resist the big man. Ever since she was at Sam’s house, she had learned almost all forms of martial arts, including the use of weapons.

No matter the type. Sam’s principle was clear: every one of his subordinates had to possess special skills, including Ute. That’s why she wouldn’t hesitate to fight against Jack. She adopted a wide-legged stance to prepare to attack or defend against Jack’s strikes.

Both of them engaged in a fierce fight. Beatrice took a few steps back, terrified by how Uti wielded her weapon without mercy. She spared no one. Jack, too, refused to hold back his counterattacks. Uti found herself in a tight spot a few times, but she always managed to escape. Sometimes she struck with punches and kicks that Beatrice felt were not to be taken lightly and were directed at Jack.

Both of them were panting heavily. Sweat poured around their foreheads. But Ute wasn’t easily defeated. Her stamina was still strong, despite her shoulder occasionally causing pain. She didn’t care about the fresh wound she had just received. Her goal was only to push Jack back and finish off Beatrice.

“You’re done for!” Ute’s clenched fist landed right on Jack’s jaw. Her knuckles stung a bit as she realized the significant physical difference between them. However, seeing Jack retreat a few steps brought her joy.

Just like now.