The Damned Demon

Chapter 659  Will You Betray Me?

Rachel fell to her knees, her face pallid and eyes wide with a mixture of shock and disbelief. The revelation had hit her with the force of a sledgehammer, shattering the illusions she had clung to.

Asher stood above her, his gaze a storm of unbridled, cold fury. His eyes quivered with a blend of anger and betrayal, "It turns out your mom isn't really an angel, is she?" His voice was sharp, each word dripping with disdain.

Rachel's hands trembled as she stared at the floor, her world spinning uncontrollably. The device they'd planted to overhear Cecilia's conversation had revealed a truth she had never imagined. The realization that her mother was behind the murder of Cedric's friends struck like a thunderbolt, sending shockwaves through her entire being.

Asher's rage simmered beneath the surface, barely contained. He had always suspected something was amiss, especially when his friends were no pushovers and yet died like flies one after the other.

But a part of him never expected Cecilia—a figure of unassailable virtue—to be the one responsible for such heinous acts.

The friends who had once been his comrades, their lives ended so suddenly, had trusted Cecilia because they believed she would act justly. That must have been the only reason they tried to confide in her due to the years of bond and trust. After all, Cecilia was a famous professor at the WHA Academy even in those days, and she was known for her fair and moral personality.

Asher knew he can't trust anyone, including Cecilia but he still held some hope that Cecilia wouldn't disappoint him, especially after knowing her for many years.

Rachel's chin quivered, her tears forming a pool on the cold floor. She had overheard enough to know that her mother had indeed allowed Cedric's friends to be slaughtered. Her mind fought against the bitter reality, a part of her still clinging to the hope that it couldn't be true.

Asher's control snapped. With a sudden, fierce motion, he grabbed Rachel by the collar and slammed her back against the wall, his face mere inches from hers. The sheer force of his action reverberated through the room, "Why are you crying when you might end up doing the same?" His voice was a low, threatening growl, "Maybe if Cedric's friends had come to you, you would have done the same, just like how you didn't even hesitate to besmirch his legacy. Maybe now you're planning to betray me and my people to protect your parents. You are the daughter of the world's most righteous couple after all."

Rachel's breath hitched as tears streamed down her face. Her body shook with the effort to suppress her sobs, her voice barely a whisper as she spoke through the anguish, "I...I wouldn't...I never thought she would do something like that...."

She couldn't imagine herself doing something like that, even when she felt betrayed by Cedric at that time. Some of Cedric's friends were her friends as well.

Asher's eyes narrowed with a cold, harsh scoff, "And yet here we are. I know you idolized your mom as much as you used to look up to your dad. So, are you really willing to go up against your mom now? Will you help me? Or are you planning to backstab me? If you lie, I'll hunt you down to the very ends of hell. Trust me when I say I don't die easily."

Asher's harsh words cut through her, laying bare the ruthless choices she now faced. But she couldn't understand why he would think that she would betray him or why he suddenly got so angry. Even when he learned the dark things her father did, he remained calm as if he already knew it.

But now...Just what was his connection to Cedric…No…Now wasn't the time to think about all this.

Her voice, strained and desperate, cut through the silence, "I-I will never betray you. I have already given up so much to fulfill your plans and also because I believe in your cause. Otherwise... Do you think I would do all these things to stop my dad? There is no turning back for me from this... You know that..."

Asher's fierce gaze softened momentarily as he absorbed her words. The anger that had fueled his actions began to ebb away as he realized he might have gone a bit overboard due to the shock of learning what Cecilia did.

He released his grip on Rachel's collar and then reached up to gently wipe away her tears, "I know... That's why I want to believe in you and trust you with all my heart. Maybe one day... I might be able to do that."

Rachel's eyes flickered with surprise and a trace of hope as she felt his warm touch on her face, never expecting such words from him.

The sincerity in Asher's eyes was deep and intense, making her heart ache with the weight of his trust and the fear of disappointing him.

She took a shuddering breath, gathering her resolve, "What... What are you planning to do with my mom now? Please don't... kill her... I'm not trying to justify what she did, but she didn't do it out of pure malice even if it was a cruel act. She can be a better person..."

Asher's lips curled into a cold, disdainful smile, "Not all tragedies happen out of pure malice. You should have realized that by now. Besides...Why would I kill her when she will receive her just punishment soon? But don't forget that you will have a hand in handing out that punishment to her. So if you have any second thoughts, you better tell me now."

Rachel shut her eyes tightly, struggling with the internal storm raging within her. The decision was excruciating, torn between her loyalty to Asher's cause and the lingering vestiges of love for her mother. After learning about the evil acts of her father, she unconsciously held her mother as a pillar of support and justice. If anything, she was motivated to protect her mother from her father's deeds. And yet...

The suffering of Cedric and countless innocents weighed heavily on her conscience, pushing her towards a painful truth, realizing what the right thing to do was.

Slowly, she opened her tear-filled eyes, her gaze resolute as she clenched her fists, "I will help you... I came this far to make this world a better place. I can't stop now... It wouldn't be fair to everyone who suffered because of my parents."

Asher's face brightened with a satisfied smile, and he patted her head gently, a rare gesture of warmth and approval, "If you truly mean that, then our worlds can be saved and everything would be worth it."

Rachel nodded, feeling a complex swirl of emotions but also a sense of purpose. —

Soon, in Russia,

Cecilia trudged into her suite, her steps heavy with the weight of recent revelations. The opulent room, designed to be a sanctuary, felt like a cage, closing in on her as she struggled to reconcile the truth with her reality. She sank into the plush sofa, her exhaustion and turmoil evident in the deep lines etched into her face.

*Ting!*

Just as she was about to let herself sink into the comfort of her surroundings, the insistent chime of the doorbell pierced through her thoughts.

Reluctantly, Cecilia rose and glanced through the front door camera. Her heart sank upon seeing Advisor Ash standing outside. Even though she wasn't in the mood for visitors, she recognized the importance of his presence and the potential need for urgent discussion. With a resigned sigh, she opened the door for him.

Asher stepped inside, his gaze immediately assessing her with a sharp look. He felt the urge to make her suffer already, but he knew he had to hold it in for the sake of those he had vowed to protect and were still alive.

He took in her weary appearance and the desolate aura surrounding her, "Mrs. Sterling...are you alright? You look a bit pale. Does this have something to do with what you set out to do?" Asher asked with a mock, concerned look.

Cecilia slumped onto the sofa, her shoulders sagging with the weight of her burden, "It's... all true."

Asher's eyes widened in mock shock as he settled next to her, the disbelief palpable in his tone, "What? That can't be... Why would your husband do such cruel things? As the president, it's the last thing he would do."

The shame and guilt that enveloped Cecilia were nearly tangible. She lowered her head, her voice barely a whisper, "Because he is doing it for the greater good. It seems that it is the only way to rid the world of demons forever, and that some sacrifices are necessary to achieve this."

Asher's expression turned to one of deep disappointment, "I can't believe it... I always respected him as the Bulwark of Justice. But sacrifices? Is peace won through the blood of innocents worth it, Mrs. Sterling? Would it make us any different than demons?"

Cecilia closed her eyes, the sting of his words adding to her already overwhelming sense of guilt. When she opened them again, they were filled with a mixture of resolve and sorrow, "I don't know. But he said once he is done with all this, none of our people would have to die, especially against demons. And that we can finally enjoy a new era of peace without any bloodshed. Our future generations wouldn't suffer or struggle at all."

Asher's eyes narrowed, skepticism etched deeply into his features, "But there is no guarantee that everything will proceed smoothly. What if many more people have to die to achieve this? And most importantly, how are we going to convince Vladimir now that this is all true?"