The Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 401: [ Volume 1] Chaper 400- quite open-minded

The last time? They had made her kneel on pebbles for hours. And now?

She didn’t even want to know.

Kai let out a low chuckle, his golden eyes glinting with something dangerous. "Spooky, isn’t it?" he murmured, voice deceptively soft. "If you had already planned everything so well, you should’ve just told us. Right?"

Ray sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "You could’ve made our lives so much easier. But nooo, you had to keep secrets. Now look where we are."

Esme swallowed hard, resisting the urge to step back. Their anger wasn’t loud. It wasn’t explosive. No, it was calm—which made it so much worse.

Then, almost as if searching for a lifeline, Esme turned to the woman. "Listen, let me tell you a story—"

"Make it quick," Ray cut her off, his voice sharp. "We don’t have time."

Esme flinched. Damn it.

She barely got a word out before Kai stepped forward and slapped her shoulder, making her jolt. "Esmeralda," he said her full name in a slow, measured tone, "we understand."

Then, with a smile that made her heart sink, he continued, "After all, we need to find another candidate to marry."

Those words.

Esme felt like they weren’t speaking but shooting bullets straight at her.

She panicked, rushing forward, hands reaching out. "Honey, it’s not that—!"

Kai and Ray turned to her in sync, their smiles widening. "You’re already dead, Miss Esme."

Esme froze.

"And dead people don’t speak," Ray finished, his voice laced with chilling amusement. "So stay silent. Before we really make you dead—right here, right now."

Esme immediately shut her mouth, lowering her head slightly. She knew better than to argue at this moment.

Seeing Esme like this, a soft chuckle slipped from the woman’s lips. She was slightly dumbfounded, but for some reason, she also felt like laughing.

As she looked at Esme—tense, obedient, and clearly cornered—an old memory surfaced. Sama.

She had been in the exact same position once, silencing herself when her husband gave her that look. The memory made her lips twitch, and before she could stop herself, laughter bubbled up from her throat.

The woman shook her head, pressing her palm against the wall for support as she took a deep breath. Then, with a smirk, she said, "Fine. I give it to you."

Esme’s head snapped up, eyes narrowing. Excuse me?

She stared at the woman, completely dumbfounded.

"Excused," the woman replied casually, her expression unreadable.

Esme nearly choked. What the hell?

This woman—who she had threatened with a gun, who she had used her child against, who she had pushed into a corner—was giving up just like that?

Just because of one word from her husbands?

Esme felt something twist in her gut. Wait... is she bewitched by them?

Before she could even begin to process her frustration, a sharp pinch landed on her ear.

"Ow—!"

Kai had moved behind her in a blink, his grip on her ear tight. His voice, dangerously low, brushed against her skin.

"Don’t you dare think about or mess anything up."

Esme swallowed hard. Oh, she was so screwed.

Half an hour later, as they stepped out of the building, Esme trailed behind her husbands, her expression conflicted. She could feel the tension crackling between them like a storm about to break.

They walked in silence until they turned into a narrow alley, the dim light casting long shadows against the walls. Suddenly, without warning, Ray and Kai grabbed her.

Before she could react, her back was slammed against the rough brick wall. A sharp gasp left her lips, but it was quickly swallowed by the cold edge of a knife pressed against her throat.

Kai’s golden eyes gleamed dangerously as he leaned in, his voice low and dripping with quiet fury.

"So... don’t you think you have anything to say?"

Esme’s breath hitched. She could see the barely restrained anger in his gaze, the way his grip on the knife was steady—too steady.

Slowly, she raised her hands in surrender. "What are you guys doing here?" she asked, her voice firm despite the unease curling in her stomach. "Do you have any idea how dangerous this is? Why are you here? You should have stayed at home. Why can’t you just—"

Her words were cut off by Ray’s sharp, bitter laugh.

His hand came up to grip her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"Is that all you have to say?"

His voice was cold. Not just angry—hurt.

And that, more than the knife against her skin, sent a shiver down her spine.

Esme looked at him, her brows furrowing slightly in confusion. "Um... I’m sorry?" she said hesitantly, unsure of what else to say.

Ray let out a deep, exhausted sigh, rubbing his face with his hand. His eyes, usually filled with warmth, were now dark with frustration and something deeper—something raw.

"You really don’t know what you’ve done wrong, do you?" His voice was quiet, but there was an undeniable weight behind it.

Esme opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Kai’s fist landed against her arm—not hard enough to bruise, but just enough to sting.

"What are you sorry for?" Kai’s tone was sharp, demanding.

Esme winced slightly but met his gaze. "I’m sorry."

Another hit—this time on her shoulder.

"I asked—why are you sorry?"

She swallowed, but instead of answering, she simply repeated, "I’m sorry."

Kai’s patience snapped. He grabbed her collar, shaking her slightly, his frustration boiling over.

"Are you crazy? I’m asking you—why are you sorry?"

Esme’s lips trembled slightly before she finally whispered, "I made you guys scared."

Silence.

Ray’s eyes widened, his expression shifting into something almost disbelieving. His voice was hoarse as he spoke.

"So you know you made us scared, huh? Yet you still left. Without a word, you left the house again. Just like you did three years ago."

Esme flinched at his words, guilt washing over her like a wave. "Yeah... it’s my fault. I’m sorry." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

That was the last straw.