Karma Doesn’t Sleep: The Revenge Queen Rises novel Chapter 22

The sleazy guy spun around, only to find Ryan standing behind him—silent, cold, and almost ghostly in the dim light.

A wave of dread hit him so hard he actually flinched.

Ryan took a drag from his cigarette, smoke curling around his face and hiding his expression. But his eyes—dark and sharp—were full of something deadly.

“Didn’t you hear me?” Ryan’s voice was low and dangerous.

The man swallowed, his throat tight with fear. He tried to bolt, but as soon as he moved, two bodyguards in black appeared behind him. Each landed a solid kick to the backs of his knees.

He hit the ground with a sickening thud, pain shooting through his legs. He opened his mouth to scream, but someone slapped a hand over it before he could make a sound.

Ryan stepped closer, looking down at him with icy indifference, like he was already nothing.

“Pull out every single one of his teeth,” Ryan said, completely emotionless.

With that, he turned and walked to the balcony.

From there, he could see just a corner of the front gate.

He watched quietly as a thin woman, her steps careful, used a cane to feel her way to a waiting van.

“Amelia…” Ryan whispered, his frozen expression finally softening. He stared at the van as it disappeared down the road, and after a moment, murmured, “Long time no see.”

His words were so soft, the night wind scattered them.

…

When Amelia got back to the villa, Clive still wasn’t home.

The garden was filled with fresh yellow roses, their petals glowing in the moonlight.

She spotted Marian by the door. As soon as Marian saw her, she quickly snapped a few photos with her phone, pretending nothing happened as she walked over with a bright, fake smile.

“Mrs. Salmeron, you’re back.”

But now? It was her turn to live for herself.

Her gaze softened when she saw Timmy and Penny playing nearby.

She grabbed her cane and headed downstairs. Just as she reached the living room, Clive marched in, his stride tense and impatient.

Amelia greeted him, her voice as gentle as ever. “Clive, you’re home.”

Clive’s expression was stormy. He didn’t waste time. “Why did you rip out all the tulips in the garden? Couldn’t you at least talk to me first?”

Amelia almost laughed. He was only this upset because she’d gotten rid of the tulips—Ms. Watts’s favorite flowers.

She blinked, looking perfectly innocent. “I called you this morning, remember? I said I wanted to change up the garden. You told me to handle anything in the house however I wanted.”

Clive was left with nothing to say.

He really had said that on the phone. He just never imagined she’d replace every last tulip with yellow roses.