Forced Marriage: My Wife, My Redemption
Chapter 263: Be careful...

Chapter 263: Be careful...

Hearing her call his name, Marcus slowly retracted his gaze from Davis. It settled on Jessica for a moment, his lips curling into a faint, knowing smile.

"Never expected the great Allen grandson and his wife to visit me. What an honor," he said mockingly, his voice gravelly with age and regret.

Davis wheeled himself further into the cell, his eyes calmly scanning the dreary room.

"Seems like you’ve been expecting me," Davis replied coldly. "Well, I’m here now."

He studied Marcus’s features carefully—calculating, trying to decode the intent behind the man’s words. He’d interrogated four others before now, and a pattern had emerged: every trail, every whisper of conspiracy, pointed back to one central cause—an old feud with the Allen family. And if there was one truth Davis believed in, it was this: the enemy of an enemy is often a friend—or at least a useful pawn.

Regardless of how many answers he uncovered, he had one goal: to understand what his father died protecting, to identify the hands behind the act, and, if possible—make them pay.

Marcus exhaled deeply, a weariness shadowing his eyes. "I assume no one knows you’re here. But you should know it won’t be long before someone notices. So, tell me—what answers do you seek?"

"Why are you so eager to talk?" Davis asked, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Shouldn’t I be taking your life for your part in all of this?"

Marcus chuckled lightly. "Eager? Maybe I am," he said, his voice distant, lost in memory. "Some mistakes haunt you. I only want to amend the past... correct what I once helped destroy."

Jessica, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward. Her eyes narrowed as she studied the man’s hollow expression. "You sound like a man filled with regrets. Why?"

"Regrets?" Marcus echoed. "Yes. Many. But now... now I just want the truth to be known, even if it’s too late."

He turned to Davis.

"The answers you seek aren’t written in any report or buried in any public record. Your father’s death was orchestrated by a few elite men who wanted to control the power."

He paused, then continued, "Your father, Alex, discovered something. Something that could have taken the Allen Group to heights no one imagined. That discovery made him a threat."

Davis tensed. "Go on."

"At the time, your mother led the R&D division. Under her leadership, they made groundbreaking advancements. They were a force in the industry—formidable and envied."

Marcus’s voice dropped lower. "By sheer luck, your father encountered a dying psychic who entrusted him with a prototype of an advanced accumulation and sustainable energy system. Though revolutionary, it is dangerous, too."

He looked up, locking eyes with Davis. "When he began development, the Louis family caught wind of it. That’s when the real problems started."

"And I’m supposed to believe this?" Davis asked skeptically.

Marcus coughed, blood tinging his lips. He wiped it with the back of his hand, then chuckled dryly. "You don’t have to believe it. It’s the truth."

"The council approached your father, demanding he hand over the tech. He refused. The Louis family, driven by greed, aligned with them."

"What was their plan?" Davis asked sharply.

"Simple," Marcus said. "Take the tech. If he resists, eliminate him."

"Then why kidnap my sister and me?" Davis asked, his voice rising.

Marcus scoffed. "That was a plan gone wrong. The idea was to hold you as leverage to force Alex to surrender the prototype. But before any negotiation could happen, Desmond made his move."

Davis’s hands clenched at the name. "Desmond again..."

Marcus laughed bitterly, the sound echoing against the cell walls. "Desmond never accepted his younger brother’s authority. When the council failed to sway Alex, Desmond took matters into his own hands. After the ’accident,’ they monitored your parents, hoping they’d cooperate. A paralysis serum was used with the intention of keeping them quiet if they ever recovered. Unfortunately... they didn’t make it."

Jessica’s voice was tight. "Was anyone else caught in this?"

Marcus nodded. "Her best friend. She knew about the prototype and began asking questions after the accident. Her husband, driven by greed and an affair, was easy to manipulate. He sold her out."

He turned to Jessica. "You know how that story ends."

Silence fell over the trio. Anger, cold and controlled, simmered beneath their skin.

"So in the end, it was Desmond, George... and Louis," Davis said through gritted teeth.

Marcus sighed. "Louis always wanted a stake in the Allen empire. That’s why he forced his adopted daughter to marry Aaron. Desmond promised to deliver the prototype once he took control, but Louis grew tired of waiting."

He glanced away. "Recently, though... Desmond isn’t the only player. He’s become a pawn in a larger game."

Jessica’s eyes narrowed. "A new player?"

Marcus hesitated. "A young man... out for vengeance. Ruthless."

Ethan, who had remained silent until now, frowned. "How do you even know all of this?"

Marcus gave a thin smile. "The Brotherhood of Daggers and Serpents isn’t just some criminal group. We deal in intelligence, too. Information flows freely in our world."

Davis stared at him, his voice now ice-cold. "So this is your attempt to exonerate yourself?"

Marcus met his gaze, unflinching. "Maybe. Or maybe I’m just giving you the only thing I can offer now—the truth."

"You could pay for your part in this," Davis said, his voice low and dangerous.

"I’ve been locked up for two years by the Council, and my end has already been decided. I won’t fight it if you choose to take my life—because whether it’s now or later, the result is the same. But ask yourself... is that the justice your father would have wanted? Or would he want you to finish what he started?"

Jessica’s grip tightened on Davis’s shoulder. Her ears picked up the rising noise—hurried footsteps, guards approaching.

"Someone’s coming. We need to go," she whispered. "Now."

Marcus nodded grimly. "Take this as your lead. Investigate what I’ve told you. Dig deeper. You’ll find what you need."

Davis lingered a moment, his gaze locked with Marcus’s. "You’d better pray this information is true. If not..."

Marcus gave a tired smile. "Then you’ll come back. And I won’t stop you."

"Then pray," Davis said coldly, "because I will definitely be back. No one involved in that matter should be allowed to go free."

Marcus’s lips curled lightly. "You call the shots. Just make sure you choose wisely—and protect the Allen family from the hands grappling for it," he said slowly, his gaze sincere.

Jessica’s ears perked at the echoing rush of footsteps outside the cell. It was faint at first—barely a murmur against the stone corridor—but it was growing louder and more urgent with each passing second.

She took a deep breath. She had expected their response earlier. She shot a glance at Davis, whose jaw clenched, his eyes still locked on Marcus Grant, the two men engaged in a silent battle as Davis absorbed Marcus’s final revelations.

"Davis, we have to leave now—before things get messy," she said.

Davis didn’t respond immediately. His gaze bore into Marcus, chest heaving with restrained fury. But Jessica tightened her grip on his shoulder and gave a light tug. "Davis. We can’t be caught here."

He gave a curt nod.

Jessica turned on her heel to take the lead while Ethan carefully maneuvered the wheelchair toward the entrance. She peeked through the slit. No one—yet.

But voices issued sharp, clipped instructions, followed by the rhythmic pounding of multiple footsteps echoing through the hallway.

She took another deep breath. "Here we go," she muttered, more command than statement.

Just as she reached for the door, Marcus’s voice floated over—gentle, quiet, and concise. "Take the left corridor. There are fewer cameras, and the hall isn’t well lit."

Jessica shot him a glance, trying to gauge the sincerity in his words. Even if there were cameras, her subordinates had long disabled them.

Slowly, she stepped out of the cell, and Ethan pushed Davis forward. They slipped out quietly, the sound of incoming guards drawing nearer with each step.

The dim hallway stretched ahead—narrow and uneven. Not ideal for a wheelchair when in a haste as it could attract unwanted attention.

Behind them, Marcus sat in silence, shrouded in shadow—yet strangely at peace. His gaze remained fixed on the door. "I’ve done the little I can," he murmured to himself.

One of her subordinates appeared at the end of the hallway. "Miss, this way," he said, scanning the surroundings.

Jessica nodded and turned to meet Ethan and Davis’s gaze.

Ethan didn’t need to be told—he knew Jessica was already coming up with another plan. But this time, Davis did the unexpected. He took a deep breath and slowly stood up. He flexed his legs lightly. "Let’s go," he said.

"Ethan, go ahead. No matter what happens, just leave and get the car ready," he instructed. He hadn’t used his legs forcefully in a long time but tonight, he had to.

The footsteps behind them grew clearer and closer. Shouts erupted, echoing down the corridor like alarms in a tunnel.

"We might’ve been spotted," Davis said tersely, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

"Been a long time since I did any exercise," Jessica muttered, flipping the wheelchair aside for easier movement. Ethan took it and disappeared down the corridor.

"Be careful. You’re pregnant," Davis said, his tone tinged with worry.