Then, catching a glimpse of the unshaken look in Finley’s eyes, Arthur instantly understood. Just as Finley had planned, Arthur loosened his grip once more. Finley gasped for air, a slow smirk forming at the corner of his lips. He had made the right call. Arthur was all talk. Did Arthur had the guts to kill me? His thoughts raced. He still had a knife hidden on him. All he needed was for Arthur to lose patience and lower his guard. The moment that happened, he would strike and turn the situation around. But just as Finley was smugly planning his counterattack, Arthur suddenly bent down and reached toward his ankle. A wave of dread washed over Finley. There was no time to move. Arthur was too fast. Before he could even react, Arthur had already yanked the small knife from his ankle. It was the same razor-sharp dagger Finley had brought just for this kidnapping. He had been trying to reach it ever since Arthur took control, but Arthur’s foot had been pressing against his ankle the entire time, making it impossible. No way!How could Arthur have known I had a knife there? Fear jolted through Finley, and he couldn’t stop himself from shouting, "How did you know?" Arthur’s smile had an unsettling friendliness to it. "Sometimes, I honestly wonder if you have a functioning brain." He paused briefly, then spoke bluntly. "My foot was pressing against your ankle the whole time. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice the knife?" Finley’s mind reeled, disbelief flooding through him. Arthur held the dagger firmly in one hand while keeping his grip on Finley with the other. His voice was sharp. "I’ll ask one more time. Where is the exit?" Finley’s eyes flicked to the gleaming blade, and a cold fear crawled up his spine. But deep down, he still believed Arthur wouldn’t dare kill him.So he simply shut his eyes. Just as he convinced himself Arthur was out of options, Arthur suddenly clenched the dagger tighter and drove it straight into his thigh. "Ah—!" Finley’s agonized scream merged with Taylor’s terrified shout. "Mr. Finley!" The bodyguards froze in shock. They had never imagined Arthur would actually stab Mr. Finley. They instinctively moved to intervene, but before they could take a step, Arthur had already pressed the blade to Finley’s throat. None of them dared to move now. Finley’s blood sprayed across Taylor, soaking him in warmth. Taylor had already been on edge when Arthur nearly strangled Finley moments ago. He had wanted to tell Arthur to stay calm, but he was afraid that saying anything would distract him and ruin everything. So he had swallowed his fear, forcing himself to stay silent. But the moment warm blood drenched him, his composure shattered. Arthur held Finley firmly in place but still turned his head slightly to say, "Taylor! Stay with me! Don’t be scared!" Taylor shivered, his hands shaking, but he still managed a frantic nod. "O-okay okay!" Finley pressed down on his wounded leg, but the blood kept pouring out. The unbearable pain contorted his face. His voice was strained, barely escaping through clenched teeth. "Ar... Arthur! How dare you?" Arthur didn’t react. His expression remained unreadable as his grip on the dagger tightened even more. Finley’s fury erupted. "Arthur! You dare lay a hand on me? Neither I nor the entire Tremo family will ever forgive you!"Taylor’s heart clenched at those words. The Tremo family was one of the most powerful and wealthy families in Evergrand City. Their status wasn’t just limited to the city—throughout Lioran, they held an influence Taylor couldn’t even begin to measure. Becoming enemies with them meant certain death. Taylor didn’t even want to imagine how it would happen. But Arthur only let out a cold, mocking laugh. "You kidnapped me first, and I’m supposed to be worried about whether you’ll let me go? Do you really think that if I spared you, you would’ve done the same for me?" The room fell into an awkward silence. He had a point. Arthur’s eyes darkened as he demanded once more, "Speak! Where is the exit?" This time, Finley was truly terified. He didn’t dare hesitate any longer and frantically pointed in a random direction. "It’s over there! Just keep going straight!" Arthur barely glanced at where he pointed before lifting the knife again and striking without warning. A sickening squelch filled the air. "Ah—!" Blood splattered as Finley’s agonized scream tore through the abandoned warehouse. Arthur had plunged the dagger deep into his other thigh. "Arthur!" Finley howled in pain, his rage almost enough to shake the rafters.