The Heiress Spoiled by Four Brothers and One Devilish CEO-Chapter 226 Trust Me or Kill Me

With the sun sinking low, the snow-covered ground was bathed in a soft orange hue.

A woman in a long black puffer coat stood at the entrance of a modest motel, scanning the area with alert eyes.

A black Volkswagen rolled to a quiet stop in front of her. The driver’s window lowered to reveal a face with sharp, strong features.

The driver stepped out with a small device, scanning her quickly for any hidden trackers.

After confirming she was clean, the man opened the rear door. "Miss Flynn, please get in."

Nicole Flynn curved her lips into a polite smile and slid into the backseat.

She leaned into the man beside her, speaking sweetly, "Boss, you’re picking me up in person?"

"Have you eaten?"

She shook her head. "Not yet. I was hoping we could have dinner together."

Nathaniel Cooper let out a low chuckle. "Pick anything you like."

Obviously, given their current situation, dining out wasn’t an option. Nathaniel had the driver grab takeout from a nearby restaurant.

The car pulled into an underground parking lot beneath a coastal apartment complex. They took the elevator to the 28th floor, unit 2801.

The driver placed the food onto the dining table and quietly left.

Nathaniel and Nicole sat facing each other, the man patiently peeling shrimp for her—a rare sight.

"You’ve been through a lot. I won’t send you on missions anymore," he said, placing shrimp into her bowl.

Nicole dropped her gaze, guilt flickering across her face. With a small smile, she spoke, "I’ll listen to whatever you say, just... can you let my family off the hook?"

Nathaniel acted as though he didn’t hear her, his voice calm. "Tell me, what kind of place would you like to live in? By the hills or the water?"

Underneath the table, Nicole’s hands clenched tightly. "By the sea."

He added more shrimp to her bowl. "Eat up. When you’re full, I’ll take you to check out some places."

Uneasy, Nicole asked gently, "Boss, are my family members really safe now?"

"They’re fine. Everything’s taken care of. Eat."

His tone left no room for argument. She didn’t dare push further, terrified that saying the wrong thing might put them in danger.

She picked up her chopsticks and took a bite of the shrimp—it was tasteless to her.

Nathaniel wiped his hands with a napkin and said quietly, "They died in agony. Blood from every orifice, bodies full of insects eating them alive."

The chopsticks slipped from Nicole’s fingers and clattered to the table. She bolted into the bathroom and vomited uncontrollably.

She clutched the toilet, sobbing. She knew it—Nathaniel was never going to believe her easily.

Suddenly, someone yanked her hair back hard, forcing her head up so her chin and neck aligned tightly.

She stared at Nathaniel’s twisted expression, panic overwhelming her. "Why? I did what you told me to—why kill them?"

"Did you? Really?" he growled through clenched teeth. "I don’t buy it. Tristan Reid wouldn’t go down that easy."

"I did! I killed him myself! Please, Boss, just trust me!"

Nathaniel showed no mercy. He dragged her out by her hair and drove his knee into her stomach.

Nicole gasped, her brows drawing into a painful knot as she doubled over.

Trembling, her fingers clutched at his trousers. "I’m being honest... I swear I’m loyal to you."

"Still lying through your teeth!"

His gaze was icy and murderous as he glared at her fallen form.

He threw on his coat and hauled her up, heading for the door with her in tow.

Her fear spiked. Blood at the corner of her mouth, she tried to grab his sleeve. "Please, believe me! I’m not lying!"

Nathaniel stayed silent, shoving her into the car’s backseat and sliding in next to her.He glanced at the driver and said, “To the beach.”

Nicole Flynn was trembling all over. “Boss, I swear I didn’t lie to you. If I had, how would I have made it back alive?”

Nathaniel Cooper chuckled coldly. “You could’ve switched sides to Tristan Reid.”

“I still have that parasite in me—my life’s in your hands! And if I really had betrayed you, wouldn’t they have grabbed you the moment they saw you?”

Nathaniel pulled a tiny bottle out of his pocket—it had a squirming queen parasite inside. “This? Don’t worry, you’ll be joining your family soon enough.”

Nicole felt her last bit of hope die out. If this was it, so be it. She gave a bitter smile. “All these years following you, and not once did you trust me.”

Turning her face away to stare out the window, she went quiet, waiting for the end like it was already decided.

The air inside the car was heavy. Nathaniel didn’t say another word.

Half an hour later, they reached the coast.

Winter nights by the sea didn’t have the slightest bit of warmth—just cold and endless emptiness.

The waves crashed angrily against the rocks, roaring like thunder.

Nathaniel yanked Nicole out of the car. She didn’t even resist.

“Trying to reunite with your family, are you?”

She glanced sideways at him, tears in her eyes. “Save your effort—I can do it myself.”

Step by step, she walked into the ocean. The icy water bit at her feet, but she didn’t falter.

Soon, it was up to her knees.

Despair crushed down on her chest. But there was no way back now.

Then suddenly, strong arms lifted her off the ground, and she found herself held tightly to Nathaniel’s chest.

He carried her back to the car silently and set her gently in the back seat.

Back at the apartment, he ran a bath. “Go on, it’s ready.”

Nicole quietly stepped into the bathroom. As she undressed, he spoke again, “Your family’s safe. I’ve arranged for them to stay in the unit downstairs.”

Tears instantly filled her eyes. She turned around and hugged him tightly. “Thank you, thank you for believing me.”

Nathaniel let out a low sigh and caressed her cheek. “Don’t blame me for being cautious. Tristan Reid isn’t that easy to take down. Go soak a bit—you’ve been out in the cold.”

She nodded, then sank into the bathtub.

Staring up at the ceiling, her mind went blank. Not long ago, she’d really thought this was the end.

Then, a faint voice came through her earpiece. “Nicole, just listen. Don’t talk.”

She gave a soft “Mm.”

“You’ve gained Nathaniel’s trust for now. But he won’t lift the parasite—not willingly. And your family isn’t getting out that easily either. The key for now is to keep him steady. A thorough national search will be launched soon. That’s when we’ll move your family out. But before that, we’ll need you to make some sacrifices. Here’s what you’ll need to do...”

After a few minutes, the voice asked, “Nicole, if you agree, hum once. If you don’t, stay silent.”

Nicole knew she had no real choice. Staying with Nathaniel only meant more threats and danger for her family. Her only shot at protecting them was to side with Tristan.

Without hesitation, she hummed.

The line went quiet.

She got up, wrapped herself in a towel, and stepped out of the bathroom.

Nathaniel reached out and began towel-drying her hair. “A lot of my trusted men are gone. Now, you’re the closest I’ve got. Don’t stab me in the back.”

Nicole nodded. “I wouldn’t dare.”

His hand moved to rest gently on her lower abdomen. “Still hurting?”

Nicole shook her head with a faint smile. “If you truly trust me, the pain won’t matter.”