Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 268: Alice had changed

In the pitch-black darkness, the man’s screams and the relentless sound of blows had been going on for quite some time.

The man on the ground was gasping for breath, barely able to scream anymore. It wouldn’t be long before he was completely spent.

His face was so bruised and swollen that it was unrecognizable. Even the person delivering the blows couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity.

“Miss Alice, should we keep going? If this continues, he’s going to die.”

In the world of the mob, death wasn’t something to be feared. Especially for those who had climbed to the top—everyone had blood on their hands.

What they were really worried about was Miss Alice’s mood. They figured she’d vented enough by now and would call it off, as she usually did.

But this time, the girl was unusually resolute.

“Oh, keep going.”

Her response was cold and emotionless. Sitting on a nearby chair, she propped her face up with her hand.

The man on the ground kept begging, pleading for Alice to give him another chance. But this time, Alice was serious. There was no way she was letting him off easy.

When his screams became too much, they stuffed a rag in his mouth and kept beating him. The enforcer glanced down at the man, his eyes cold, as if he were looking at a corpse.

Just as he was about to strike again, a phone rang, cutting through the tension in the room. Everyone froze, including Alice, who frowned slightly at the sound.

Not many people had her number, and she’d set this specific ringtone for a reason. She knew exactly who it was.

The out-of-place ringtone silenced everything. The enforcers stopped mid-swing, and even the barely conscious victim held his breath, all eyes turning to the girl sitting elegantly to the side.

The victim still had a sliver of hope. He knew that if he wanted to survive, it all depended on Alice’s reaction.

The phone rang a few more times, likely a series of texts. Alice didn’t move, her gaze still fixed on the two men on the ground. One of her men, sensing the moment, leaned in and whispered in her ear.

“Miss Alice, you’ve got other things to take care of. We can handle this.”

Alice’s face was beautiful but icy, her legs crossed neatly, her pale, slender hands resting on her knees.

The warehouse was filthy, dust hanging in the air, but Alice remained spotless, as if untouched by the violence around her. A girl like her seemed out of place in such a brutal scene, yet no one dared to question her presence.

Fortunately, Alice’s cold gaze didn’t linger. Her graceful neck, like that of a proud swan, tilted slightly as she glanced down at her phone, reading the messages in silence.

It was Ryan. Of course, it had to be Ryan.

[Miss Alice, we caught the guy who stole from us.]

[Mia’s interrogating him now. Shouldn’t take long to get something useful… How’s it going on your end?]

How’s it going on her end? Alice’s eyes flicked over to the two men on the ground. It was only then that she seemed to snap out of her trance.

Three hours ago, these two reporters who had framed Ryan had already spilled everything they knew. The last three hours had just been pure torture.

There was nothing more to extract. There was really no reason to stay here anymore.

“It’s about done.”

Alice turned off her phone. Even though Ryan’s message brought a small flicker of warmth to her heart, her voice remained unchanged.

With that single sentence, she closed the chapter on this ordeal. She brushed off her clothes, though there wasn’t a speck of dust on her, and stood up, ready to leave.

Her men exchanged curious glances, unsure of what her words meant.

Did she mean they could stop? Since Alice had taken over as the boss, she’d been reforming the way the organization handled things. She clearly didn’t want unnecessary deaths on her watch.

The enforcers gave each other a look and began to wind down.

It wasn’t just the victim who was suffering—they were exhausted too. They hadn’t even had lunch, and beating someone for hours was hard work.

But to everyone’s surprise, Alice frowned as she watched them prepare to stop. She added, almost as an afterthought:

“Keep asking. If they don’t have anything else to say, throw them in the river. Let the fish have them.”

Keep asking? Everyone knew these guys had nothing left to give. Was there any point in continuing?

What Alice really meant was clear: once the information was out, they were no longer needed.

The subordinates were visibly shocked, though they dared not show it too much. They could only nod in agreement.

With a sigh, they resigned themselves to the fact that they’d be working overtime tonight.

Alice had changed—that much was clear to them. Lately, whenever she handled things personally, her methods had become noticeably more ruthless.

If you don’t want others to be cruel to you, being cruel to others is the best way to protect yourself.

In theory, this should’ve been a good thing. But the people under her couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to Alice’s behavior, as if she were deliberately venting some kind of emotion.

“What’s the holdup? Waiting for me to do it myself?”

Seeing her men frozen in place, Alice snapped at them, her voice sharp with irritation. Startled, they quickly shook off their hesitation and rolled up their sleeves again.

Miss Alice was definitely not herself, but they were just the ones carrying out orders. Whatever the boss wanted, they simply had to follow.

Alice left swiftly, peeling off the white gloves that had been stained with blood. The sound of her leather shoes echoed on the floor as the warehouse door creaked open, clearing a path for her.

The man on the ground no longer called out. His face was as pale as a sheet, as if he had already accepted his fate. His eyes, however, remained locked on Alice, filled with a hatred that would follow her even in death.

But really, they couldn’t blame Alice for this. If anyone was to blame, it was themselves—for choosing money over journalistic integrity.

As soon as she stepped outside, one of her men approached. The car was already waiting, but Alice waved him off. She wasn’t ready to leave just yet.

Without realizing it, she had spent nearly the entire day here. Interrogations were never easy, nor were they pleasant. And this time, the reporters who had deliberately caused trouble had been especially stubborn. It had taken breaking a few teeth before they finally started talking.

She had almost lost control earlier. Facing those people who dared to slander Ryan without knowing a thing, she had been on the verge of breaking their bones herself.

It had been a long time since she’d felt like this. Ever since Ryan had entered her life, she had been spiraling out of control—whether it was the two emotional outbursts she’d had in front of him or the irrational anger she felt now, it was all because of Ryan.

She couldn’t quite figure out if this change was good or bad. Was it possible that having someone to rely on had made her weaker?

Alice shook her head, trying to push the ridiculous thought out of her mind. Yet, she couldn’t help but pull out her phone and glance again at the message Ryan had sent.

The text left her with mixed feelings. On one hand, it was good news that Ryan’s side was making progress. But on the other hand, the mention of Mia’s name grated on her nerves.

If she had her way, Mia wouldn’t be anywhere near Ryan. Mia was clearly interested in him, and while Alice didn’t see her as a real threat, having her constantly hanging around Ryan was infuriating.

Ryan was genuinely a good person—trusting, helpful, and never expecting anything in return. At first, Alice found this baffling, but now she had come to accept it.

However, accepting Ryan’s kindness and being able to calmly share that kindness with others were two very different things. And Alice knew she could never do the latter.

Ryan trusted her deeply, and she didn’t want anything—or anyone—standing in the way of them getting closer. Even the smallest spark of competition was unacceptable.

Mia was still under surveillance, and her movements were being tracked, so Alice could keep her in check for now. But now that she had a moment, it was time to deal with another potential problem.

“Mr. Smith, take me to Capitol City University.”

“And get me a more detailed report on Anna. I want it before we arrive.”

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