Witnessing this side of Cassandra terrified Genevieve.

"Proceed!" Cassandra snapped, her voice sharp with impatience as the lead bodyguard hesitated.

Without delay, the lead bodyguard drew a knife, advancing toward Julian with deliberate steps.

Panic surged through Julian. He shook his head frantically, struggling against the crushing grip holding him down. There was no escape.

Terror choked him. His eyes remained fixed on the blade, every glint of metal a silent threat.

Meanwhile, Evelyn and Alexander watched the scene unfold on the monitor.

Evelyn's breath hitched. Disbelief clouded her features as she instinctively grabbed Alexander's hand. "She's not actually going to kill him... is she?"

Alexander's brow furrowed, equally surprised by Cassandra's cold resolve.

"Relax, she won't succeed," he murmured, squeezing her hand reassuringly. Irritation tightened his jaw—Cassandra's cruelty had shaken Evelyn, and he didn't like it.

Evelyn looked up, confused. Before she could ask, the sharp wail of police sirens pierced through the audio feed. "The police are here!" a shaky voice shouted.

The lead bodyguard jolted. Panic flashed across his face as the knife clattered to the floor.

Cassandra's fury twisted into something dangerous. Her eyes narrowed to icy slits as she glared at Julian. "So, you had the nerve to call the police, Julian? You never intended to cooperate," she sneered, her voice dripping with contempt.

Julian's heart hammered. Relief flooded him at the sirens, though confusion nagged at him.

How could he have called them?

It didn't matter. The police were here.

Seizing the chance, he broke free and sprinted for the door, desperation fueling his steps. "Help! They're trying to kill me!" he screamed, his voice raw.

Cassandra gasped. Rage surged. She barked an order, desperate to catch him before he escaped.

Julian bolted like lightning, vanishing before anyone could react.

Though he had escaped, Cassandra knew the real threat was the recording.

It had to be destroyed.

She lunged to smash the device in her hand.

But she was too late. A wall of police officers surrounded her.

"Cassandra Sterling, you need to come with us," an officer stated firmly. "We have matters to discuss."

Before she or Genevieve could protest, the officers seized them, dragging them away.

The device fell from Cassandra's grasp as it was confiscated. The laptop screen abruptly went black.

Evelyn froze, shock jolting through her.

She stared at the blank screen, mind reeling. Slowly, she turned to Alexander, realization dawning in her eyes.

"So, it was you?" she asked, her voice low with awe and disbelief.

No wonder he had been so confident—he had orchestrated everything from the start.

"Wasn't it obvious?" Alexander replied smoothly, his voice calm. His gaze softened as he looked at her, a gentle smile touching his lips. "I did some research on Julian Thorne. His history—like leaving someone in a vegetative state—doesn't exactly scream 'trustworthy'."

His words were measured. His arms remained around her waist, protective and possessive.

"I played along, letting him think I needed his help to expose the conspirators. I knew once he realized Cassandra and Genevieve planned to pin everything on him, he wouldn't take it lying down. He'd retaliate—and try to extort them."

Alexander's lips curled into a smirk, his eyes glinting with mockery.

"And knowing those two, they don't respond well to blackmail," he said, his voice low with quiet amusement. "A confrontation was inevitable."