Chapter 342

Viktor Petrov's eyes widened in shock as words tumbled from his lips.

"I—I can speak! I can talk again!"

The realization hit him like a tidal wave, drowning out the danger of their current predicament. Joy surged through him, wild and unchecked.

"Bro! Look at me! I'm not mute anymore!"

"Shut your mouth!"

Dominic Reeves' voice cut through the euphoria like a blade.

Viktor snapped his jaw shut, the command instinctive.

His body, however, remained frozen. No ropes bound him, yet his limbs refused to obey. A deep, unsettling numbness had taken root.

"Why can't I move?"

Dominic's mind raced. The woman before them—Evelyn Carter—had done this.

He had heard rumors of Eastern martial arts, techniques that could paralyze with a mere touch. But seeing it in action?

Unbelievable.

And terrifying.

Evelyn tilted her head, a slow smile curving her lips. "Now that you've seen my little secret, it's only fair you share one of yours."

She leaned in, her voice honeyed but edged with steel.

"Who sent you? What's your name? Why try to kidnap me?"

Silence.

Dominic clenched his teeth. The driver, Dmitri Sokolov, wisely kept quiet.

Evelyn sighed, shaking her head. "You're not common thugs, are you? Professionals, I'd guess."

"Damn right," Dmitri muttered, pride flickering.

Her smile sharpened. "Then you're not afraid of death."

Dominic scoffed. "If you're going to kill us, just do it. We won't talk."

Rules were rules. Betrayal wasn't an option.

Besides, he doubted this slip of a woman had the stomach for murder.

Evelyn finished the last bite of her bread, washed it down with milk, and let out a satisfied sigh.

Then her eyes gleamed.

"Let's play a game."

Dmitri blinked. "What kind of game?"

Dominic elbowed him. "We're not playing anything with her!"

A sharp pain exploded in his lip.

"Ah!"

Blood welled where Evelyn's knife had nicked him—fast as a viper's strike.

Dominic hadn't even seen her move.