The Heiress Spoiled by Four Brothers and One Devilish CEO-Chapter 157 Enemy? Or Love Rival?

Megan cupped Chloe’s tear-streaked face and gently smiled. "Hey, no matter what happens, I’m here with you."

Nova Tech buzzed as it scanned quickly. "Nova’s fast! Just a sec, analysis coming up!"

Meanwhile, the digits on the timer started ticking down from "Ten."

Chloe shook her head anxiously. "Megan, you’ve got to run!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

Suddenly, the countdown froze. Nova flared open its wings, zipping upward cheerfully. "Boom! Nailed it! Nova saved the day!"

Chloe threw her arms around Megan, eyes welling up. "Meg..."

Just then, Megan’s phone rang—it was that same creepy number again. She answered.

A woman on the line laughed coldly. "Feeling lucky?"

Megan’s grip on the phone tightened. "What do you want?"

"Oh, I’d love to take your life, but watching you suffer? Way more fun."

"What is it you really want?"

"Well, ask your sister what she drank."

Megan shot Chloe a tense look. "Think—what did you have?"

Chloe tried to recall. "Um... I got a call and waited by the roadside. Then a black van pulled up... I got knocked out. Next thing I knew, I was tied to a chair. A masked woman showed up, called you, strapped a bomb around my waist—and then made me drink some water."

The woman on the line chimed in, "That water? Had a little extra kick. Know anything about sorcery worms?"

"You’re disgusting," Megan spat through clenched teeth.

"I can fix it! Just drink the water sitting by your door, and I’ll cure her."

Megan scanned her surroundings, spotting a small, barely noticeable camera. "And how do I know you’re even telling the truth?"

"You seriously doubt me? One squeeze and that thing in my hand takes your sister down. Wanna take that risk?"

Megan gave Nova a stealthy look. Nova instantly scanned Chloe from head to toe.

It landed on Megan’s shoulder. "Damn it! She fed you lies!"

Megan nearly cracked up—this new version of Nova was way more savage.

She breathed in deep, masking a smirk with fake rage. "Fine. I’ll drink it."

She grabbed Chloe’s hand, walked to the doorway, picked up a tiny bottle on the ground, and peered inside. A nearly invisible little thing was slithering in the liquid.

She motioned for Chloe to go ahead with her. The two dashed out of the warehouse and climbed into the car.

Now with no cameras on them, the voice on the phone grew urgent. "No tricks! If you don’t drink it, she dies right now!"

Megan let out a light laugh. "Yeah? Come drink it yourself, psycho."

She hung up and hit the gas.

Back at Dreamscape Manor—safest place they could be, what with all the shadow guards—she set the bottle on her vanity and studied it.

"Nova, scan this thing."

Nova hovered. "Squishy bloodsucker, zero other data."

Megan twisted the cap. "Zap it."

Nova’s eyes shot out a jolt. The water bubbled and splashed, then went still.

It landed softly on the desk. "Yup, scared of electricity. Definitely dead now."Chloe swallowed hard. "Megan, I’m still freaking out. If that woman had really made me drink that stuff, would I be... gone?"

Megan gently patted her head. "It’s okay. Nova zapped it."

Seeing the girl still spaced out, Megan pulled her into a hug. "Don’t worry. I’ve got your back. And I’ll find out who’s behind all this."

Meanwhile, in a quiet room, Karl lounged in a leather chair, eyes focused on a bunch of jars filled with creepy little bugs.

Suddenly, in one jar, the insect surged and stirred the liquid, then stopped moving completely.

Karl narrowed his eyes and picked up his phone. "What’s the update on Amelia?"

"She staged that capture scene—probably trying to throw Tristan off or clear herself from that car crash mess."

Karl’s voice dropped, dangerously calm. "Bring her to me. Right now."

"Boss, one more thing. Chloe got kidnapped—someone strapped a bomb on her. Megan saved her. When she left, she took a small bottle with her."

Karl’s voice spiked in fury. "And you’re telling me now?"

"We figured if someone offed Chloe, it’d save us the trouble."

"Idiots! That bomb could’ve killed Megan!" His grip tightened on the phone. "What did that bottle look like?"

"Clear liquid in a little vial."

He ended the call, piecing things together in silence, fists clenched. Blue veins surfaced on his hands.

"Damn it. How dare they mess with my people."

An hour later, Amelia was dragged in blindfolded. The guards shoved her down with a hard kick behind the knee. She dropped like a rock, shaking all over.

Karl had a mask on now. He waved a hand.

A guard yanked off her blindfold. She squinted in fear at the masked man before her.

Terror crawled up from her gut. She tried inching back, but she was boxed in.

The man picked up a tiny bottle from the table, shook it, then crouched in front of her. "Know what this is?"

Amelia quickly shook her head. "No. I swear, I don’t know anything."

"It’s the mother bug."

Her heart skipped a beat. She looked down, avoiding his piercing gaze.

He stood up. "If the mother bug’s dead, how the hell are you still alive, huh?"

Amelia trembled. "I don’t know..."

Karl turned away, grabbed another jar—this one had a black squirmy bug. "Fine. You don’t like that one? Try this instead."

"No! Please! Don’t! I’m begging you!"

He tossed the jar to a guard. "Give her that one."

Amelia lunged forward on her knees. "I’ll do whatever you say, please! Just don’t kill me!"

The guard pried her off him, ready to force-feed her the bug.

She struggled against him, eyes locked on the masked man. "I’ll give it to Tristan. If it doesn’t work, you can punish me then."

That gave Karl pause. He signaled for the guards to stop.

Sensing a chance, Amelia crawled closer. "I won’t fail. Once he’s gone, you’ll have one less enemy."

The man suddenly let out a cold chuckle. "Enemy? Or are you talking about a love rival?"

She shut her mouth, not daring to say more.

His voice turned icy, cutting like a blade. "Next time, save the wit."