The Strongest Curse Master-Chapter 291 : Matthew’s Justification

"What do you know?" Matthews suddenly grabbed Ace by the collar, her grip tight and desperate.

"I don't know anything," Ace said quickly, prying her hands off him. The smugness drained from his face as he watched her expression turn ghostly pale at the mere mention of her secrets and husband together.

Matthews muttered under her breath, her voice shaky, "No… there's no way you know about that. We left no paper trail…"

Her face twisted into something dark, something dangerous. Ace instinctively took a step back. Everyone had skeletons buried in their backyard—but the real question was: how far would they go to keep them buried?

"Okay, now I'm really curious," Ace said, tilting his head. "What exactly do you think I know? Must be pretty bad if it's got you looking like that."

He was trying to play it down. He was praying she wouldn't do anything reckless. A few sentences, spoken in double entendre, sent her spiraling—he hadn't expected that. He'd only meant to warn her that he could ruin the career that she neglected her only child for, but now? Now, he realized there was way more to Matthews than even Dame Wasp had uncovered in the local C.I.B. servers.

And he wanted to know exactly what it was. Something told him it would be the perfect leverage over her. If used correctly, it might even become a rein to tame her.

Matthews suddenly straightened, her gaze locking onto his with a deadly sharpness. "You do realize I could kill you right now and get away with it, don't you?" she murmured, her tone low and ice-cold.

Ace didn't hesitate. He threw his hands up in mock surrender, and taking another step back, he smirked, "Yes, ma'am! Backing off right now."

Matthews was capable of what she said. And it wouldn't be her first time. Dame Wasp had plenty of data to prove it.

Sonia had been right about one thing—C.I.B. agents were truly untouchable within the country. They could get away with all kinds of shit, especially if they were in the good graces of the acting President.

But Ace wasn't helpless either.

Before coming here, he had placed multiple substitution talismans on objects within his weight range, as walking in unprepared would've been beyond stupid.

Matthews smirked, eyes glinting with something almost… excited. "That right there is why I haven't broken you yet," she said, her voice filled with an unsettling amusement—like she'd found a new toy worth investing time in.

Though it was too soon to call Ace her rival, she did see him as a potential legacy for the C.I.B.

She had already hit a ceiling—both in her curse-tier and in her career. As for her tier, she could only let nature take its course. But when it came to her career? She needed a break—something that would finally get the higher-ups to call her to the capital where the real power and authority laid.

She wasn't the type to sit around, waiting for fate to hand her an opportunity. She believed in making opportunities. And Ace? She wanted him to be part of the one of the many seeds she had planted. As long as one of them grew tall enough to help her climb to the capital, it would all be worth it.

Ace rolled his eyes, unimpressed. "Yeah, yeah, whatever," he muttered, then turned his gaze to the Apaches hovering in the air.

"So tell me," he said, raising a brow. "Why all this fanfare? You're more than capable of breaking in and dragging Lilith out yourself."

"Kid, never underestimate a Curse Crafter just because of their tier," Matthews warned Ace with a sharp tone. "Especially someone with Aurelian Eyes' reputation."

She crossed her arms, eyes narrowing as she continued, "With Delores and Evil Eyes covering her, she won't be easy to take down. And then there's Lilith—if that little girl and Aurelian Eyes join forces, all hell will break loose."

She exhaled, shaking her head. "And let's not forget Elinor. She's willing to risk her job for that kid—even though it was Lilith who killed her colleagues."

Matthews let that sink in for a second before adding, "Normally, I wouldn't take her seriously. But after last night?" She scoffed. "Yeah… I learned my lesson about underestimating the McSuile bloodline."

She glanced up at the Apaches hovering above them. "So, as you can see, they left me no choice but to mobilize the Apaches." She let out a dry chuckle. "Honestly, I asked for a dozen, but they only sent three. And now? We're stuck in a standoff. If they had just sent nine more, I'd be walking out of here with Lilith before daybreak. You wouldn't even have realised I had been here."

Ace listened carefully, arms crossed, expression unreadable. He disagreed with her reasons—but he understood her reaction.

Among the curse users holed up in that house, Lilith and Elinor were both capable of taking down a Void-tier under the right conditions. And with proper preparation, Janice wasn't any less of a threat either—especially with Delores and Evil Eyes buying them the time they needed.

Yeah… Matthews had every reason to be cautious.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

"And what's your plan here?" Ace asked, folding his arms. "Lock up an eight-year-old in one of your fancy glass holding cells for the rest of her life? Or test different ways to control and manipulate her?" He scoffed. "That's literally how supervillains are made. You do know that, right?"

He wasn't saying Lilith was safe with the McSuile family—hell no. They were worse than the C.I.B. But Elinor? She had already stepped into the role of Lilith's guardian, willing to completely fall out with the C.I.B. for the kid. She was clumsy but had the big heart needed for this task.

Matthews' expression remained impassive. "She's already a supervillain," she countered with a calm but firm voice. "That eight-year-old you're so worried about? She has the power to start the next big plague and zero empathy for human life." She locked eyes with Ace, unflinching. "She's killed countless people in cold blood—without hesitation or remorse. She's got all the makings of a budding genocidal maniac."

Matthews exhaled, shaking her head. "The only thing standing between her and that grim future is me—the C.I.B." She took a step closer, voice lowering. "So, back off, kid."

Ace let out a deep sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. There was no way this was getting resolved peacefully—unless Janice and Elinor involved the McSuile family. But then? They'd just have to save Lilith from the McSuiles instead. Either way… her future wasn't looking good.