Grace Wan's face turned icy. She drew her sword and pointed it at Grace's throat, enunciating each word: "That's because I've set my sights on Minister Zhuo! Too bad he's bewitched—his heart is filled only with that wretched woman, your mother!"
Grace took a deep breath. "Grace Wan, the Imperial Advisor knows everything that happened today, and so does Bianca Whitefan. If you kill me, my father will know it was you! You'll be kicked out of the Zhuo family! My father will never forgive you!"
Grace Wan let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "Forgive me? Whether he forgives me or not—it doesn't matter at all!"
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is... if I can't have it, no one can!" Grace Wan slowly stood up and clapped her hands three times.
Suddenly, Leon Wan appeared from the side, entering Grace's field of vision.
Grace's expression changed instantly.
Her mother was actually in Leon Wan's hands!
"Mother!" Grace cried out in alarm, trying to sit up but couldn't. "Mother, how did you end up in Leon Wan's hands?"
"Grace, why are you bleeding so much? Grace Wan! What have you done to Grace?" Lena shouted.
Grace Wan looked pleased, admiring Lena's shocked expression. She said, "I didn't do anything to her! She tried to kill me, but my protective talisman backfired on her instead!"
"Grace, are you alright?" Seeing her daughter collapsed and bleeding, Lena was frantic with worry. "Were you hurt badly?"
"I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me," Grace replied.
"Grace Wan, why did you bring me here? If you have a grudge, take it out on me—let Grace go!" Lena shouted.
"Hahaha! You wretch, you're naive no matter the occasion!" Grace Wan laughed wildly. "Do you know why I brought you here today?"
"Why?" Lena asked.
Grace Wan swaggered over to Lena and grabbed her chin viciously. "I'm going to cut open your daughter right in front of you—rip out her heart and liver! I want you to watch her die with your own eyes!"
"What?" Lena's eyes widened in disbelief. "Why? Why would you do this?"
"Because I hate you!" Grace Wan spat out each word. "You stole my man, my status, my everything. I hate you!"
Seeing her so full of rage, Lena asked sadly, "Do you really hate me that much?"
"Of course! I wish I could drink your blood and gnaw your bones!"
"Then go ahead and cut me open—Grace is innocent!"
"If she's your spawn, how could she be innocent?" Grace Wan said with a sinister smile. "Besides, this way is much more fun, isn't it?"
With that, she let go of Lena, walked over to Grace, and traced her sword across Grace's abdomen.
"No! No!" Lena screamed. "Grace, run! What's wrong with you?"
Seeing Lena's breakdown only made Grace Wan more excited. "Oh, right, I almost forgot to tell you. Fifteen years ago, I already cut her open once!"
Lena was stunned. "What?"
"I dug out her spirit root and transplanted it into Gwen Walker!"
"Gwen Walker's celestial spirit root is actually your daughter's! Poor Grace has been called a waste for fifteen years—hahaha!" Grace Wan laughed maniacally. "And your poison? That was me, too! How does it taste? Not bad, right?"