Chapter 428
Alex stood at the edge of it all, staring at the wreckage left behind-the blood, the chaos, Charles’s and Josephine’s bodies lying still.
His pulse hammered in his ears, but then something changed. The air around him shifted. The world slowed.
And then, everything rewound.
The noise faded.
He was back-five minutes ago.
Not time travel. Not a dream. Something deeper.
Ever since he’d reached that new level of connection with the universe, he could feel it-the current running through everything.
He could communicate with it. See the threads of what might happen before they unfolded.
It wasn’t imagination. It was as real as breath, as sharp as pain.
The universe whispered, and he saw possibilities like scenes layered over one another—some leading to life, others to death.
Now he stood once again where it all began.
Charles walked toward him.
“Alex,” he said quietly. “I know I’ve done you wrong. I’ve been thinking about things—about my parents, about the mess I made. I want to make it right. Can you forgive me p>
He extended his hand.
“Sure,” Alex took a slow breath and reached out.
Their hands met.
Then-silver flashed.
The knife came out of nowhere, slamming into Alex’s chest.
“Die!” Charles roared, his face twisting with madness. “I’ll inherit the Guise fortune! The Paris estate-it’s all mine p>
The blade hit, but didn’t sink.
Alex didn’t flinch.
He looked down at the trembling knife, then back up at Charles.
“Stop this,” he said coldly. “You can’t hurt me p>
Charles’s breath caught. The knife hadn’t even scratched him.
“No-no, that’s impossible!” he screamed and stabbed again, harder, faster. Each
strike bounced off like metal on stone.
“Just stop,” Alex said, his voice low, calm, unshakable.
But then Charles’s eyes flicked past him-toward the approaching figure. Josephine.
In a heartbeat, he turned the blade on himself. The steel plunged into his own stomach. He gasped, then screamed loud enough to split the air.
“Alex!” he shouted in agony. “You tried to kill me p>
The cry drew every head in the courtyard. People turned, frozen in shock.
Josephine ran toward them. “Charles! What happened p>
He collapsed into her arms, blood spreading across his shirt. He clutched the knife and pointed a shaking hand at Alex. “He stabbed me! He wanted me dead p>
Josephine’s face twisted from horror to fury. She turned to Alex, eyes burning.
“Alex! How could you?” she cried. “How could you do this to him? You’re a monster p>
“I didn’t stab him,” Alex said.
Josephine’s eyes burned red with tears.
“You didn’t stab him? Don’t you dare lie to my face, Alex!” she shouted, voice shaking.
“Look what you’ve done! If something happens to Charles, I swear I’ll hate you for the rest of my life p>
She turned in a panic. “You’re the doctor, fix him now! I’m getting the bandages p>
She ran toward the room, her hands trembling.
Alex knelt beside Charles. The man groaned, clutching his stomach, his face twisted in fake agony.
But the moment Josephine disappeared from sight, his expression changed. The pain vanished—replaced by a cold, cruel smile.
Charles’s voice dropped to a whisper. “If you don’t kill yourself in the next twenty- four hours,” he hissed, “I’ll kill Josephine. And Ruth. And every damn child in this orphanage p>
Alex’s jaw tightened. “You don’t dare p>
“I stabbed myself, didn’t I?” Charles snarled. “You think I wouldn’t stab someone else p>
His eyes burned with wild hatred. “I will poison the drinking water. Everyone in this place will be dead by tomorrow. No mercy. Unless you do what I said p>
Alex froze, staring at him. Then fury took over. He grabbed Charles by the throat, fingers digging in hard.
“You bastard,” Alex growled. “Do you want to die p>
Charles laughed through his choking. “You think I’m scared to die? I’ve got nothing left to lose p>
His grin was deranged. “The only thing that matters now is making you die. If you want to save them, you’ll do it my way p>
Alex’s grip tightened until Charles’s face flushed red. “You think I won’t kill you p>
Charles spat blood and laughed harder, shaking. “You won’t. Because you’re soft. Because you care too damn much. You’ll hesitate, just like always.” He coughed, then sneered, eyes blazing.
“You could’ve killed me a hundred times,” Charles sneered.
“But you didn’t. You’re afraid-afraid Jasmine will hate you, afraid Josephine will break if I’m gone. I matter to them. You’re the coward. I’m holding your weakness in my hand, and I’m holding these kids’ lives over you p>
Alex didn’t move. His hands trembled-not from fear, but from rage barely held in check.
He could crush Charles’s windpipe in a heartbeat.
End it right there.
Yet, he stayed frozen-between fury and restraint-as Charles smiled up at him,
like the devil who knew he’d already won.
“Alex! What the hell are you doing?” Josephine shouted, rushing forward.
“Josephine please!” Charles
ет
gasped, his voice breaking with fake panic. He’s going to kill me! Please, Josephine, help me! Look-he’s choking me! He’s lost his mind p>
s
“Let him go!” she screamed, shoving Alex hard in the chest. Her eyes burned with rage and fear.
“Listen to me, Alex-if anything happens to Charles, I’ll die with him! I’ll never forgive you. Never p>
Charles’s lips curved into a smile-slow, deliberate, poisonous.
Pain hit Alex’s chest like a hammer.
He shut his eyes.
And when he opened them again-
The world shifted. Time rewound.
Charles was walking toward him once more.
Alex’s head throbbed. Blood trickled from his nose.
He’d pushed his gift too far-twice in one day. His mind felt like it was splitting
apart, but the vision was clear.
He understood now: this was the cost.
Seeing the future came with a price-his body, his strength, his very life being
drained every time he did it.
He could not do it anymore.
This time, he had to choose carefully. No hesitation. No mistakes.
Charles walked closer, just as before, that same eerie calm painted across his
face.
“Alex,” Charles said softly. “I know
I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I’ve been thinking these past few days. My parents… they made mistakes too. I want to make it right car you forgive me?” s
He extended his hand.
Alex stared at it, his breath steady but cold. He already knew what was coming.
Still, he reached out, eyes locked on Charles.
“Sure,” Alex said evenly. “Let’s end this p>
Charles’s grin twitched.
In a flash, his other hand came up-metal glinting in the light.
The knife slammed into Alex’s chest.
“Die!” Charles roared, his face twisting into madness. “I’ll inherit the Guise fortune
and the Paris estate! It’s all mine now p>
The same moment replayed-the same madness, the same betrayal-but this
time.
Alex knew this was his last chance. One mistake, and there’d be no coming back.
He took a slow breath, eyes steady on Charles. Then-without resistance—he let the knife pierce his chest.
The steel sank deep. Warm blood soaked through his shirt, spreading fast, turning white cotton into a dark, red bloom.
Josephine screamed. “Charles! What are you doing?!” Charles turned to her, eyes wild, mouth twisted with triumph.
“Shut up!” he shouted, striking her across the face. The slap echoed in the air. Get away from me. I finally didit killed Alex. Youre useless to me now.
s
Josephine staggered back, clutching her cheek, stunned. “What are you talking
about? You… used me p>
Charles sneered. “Yeah, you stupid woman. I never cared about your damn orphanage. I’m not one of you poor people. I’m Charles Kingston p>
He spat the name like a crown. Then he bolted, sprinting toward the gates. He didn’t look back. He believed Alex was dead-stabbed clean through the heart. Now all that mattered was finding Mike, claiming the Guise will, seizing the Paris’ state-and every secret fortune that came with it.
Josephine dropped to her knees beside Alex. He was sprawled on the ground,
staring up at the open sky, his blood glistening beneath him like a crimson shadow.
“Alex!” she cried, shaking his shoulders.
His vision blurred, but a faint smile curved his lips. The sky above him looked
endless, peaceful-like the storm inside him had finally gone quiet.
‘We are all in hell, but some of us are looking at the stars p>
He’d used his power twice now to read the future, and his body couldn’t take it
anymore. His strength was gone.
His heartbeat weak. He coughed, a gush of blood staining his lips.
“Stay with me, Alex!” Josephine begged. “Ruth-call the police! Now p>
Ruth’s voice faded somewhere behind her, but Josephine didn’t move. She cradled his head, her tears falling onto his bloodied face.
Alex lifted a trembling hand, brushing her cheek with his fingertips. His voice came weak, barely above a whisper.
“I’ve loved you since you were eight,” he said softly. “And I still love you… now.” His lips quivered into a faint, fragile smile. “Will you marry me p>
Josephine froze. Her breath caught in her throat. Shock, grief, and disbelief crashed through her all at once.
“Will I hold your hand… grow old together with you?” Alex whispered, his voice barely a breath.
His lips trembled as he spoke, eyes searching her face-soft, desperate, full of
fading light.
Before she could answer, his hand slipped from her arm and fell lifelessly to his
side.
“Alex?” she whispered, her voice trembling.
He didn’t answer. His chest rose once-shallow, weak-then stopped.
She watched as his eyes fluttered, the light inside them fading.
Slowly, they closed. Peace settled over his face, soft and final.
“Alex… no,” Josephine whispered, shaking her head as tears streamed down her cheeks.
She pressed her hands against his chest, searching for a heartbeat that wasn’t
there. Nothing.
“Alex!” she cried, voice breaking into a scream. “Don’t you leave me! Please-
wake up p>
But he didn’t move. His body lay still, his face calm-gone from the world, leaving
her in the silence that followed.
‘Till death do us part p>