The Sweetest Temptation
Chapter 302: Punishment

Chapter 302: Punishment

Matteo’s chauffeur parked the car in front of a weathered warehouse, positioned near a sprawling sea dock, a half-hour’s drive from the hospital.

As he stepped out of the vehicle, he was greeted by a pair of guards he recognized as Remo’s trusted sentinels. The guards led him through the dilapidated surrounding, ensuring he navigated the uneven terrain without stumbling.

His path led him to Remo, an imposing figure wreathed in the fragrant haze of a hefty cigar. The smoke curled around him like a shroud, casting an air of calculated nonchalance despite the gravity of the circumstance.

"Where is the bastard?" Matteo’s tone was icy as he addressed him, his anger and anticipation palpable in his voice. Remo exhaled a plume of smoke, his gaze assessing before acknowledging Matteo’s presence with a nod.

"I might’ve taken things too far with the torture. That bastard is weak as hell, definitely wasn’t worth my time," Remo admitted, his tone tinged with a trace of casual indifference.

A heavy pause lingered in the air.

"Very well then, prepare your mind..."

"What am I, a—" Matteo’s words were cut short as Remo’s deliberate movement revealed Nolan’s mangled form—what remained of him after their encounter. The sight struck him into a momentary silence.

Breaking the silence, Matteo managed to speak, albeit with a sigh of exasperation. "You seem to have a knack for this. Maybe assassination should be your next career move, given your... talent."

Remo chuckled in response, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. "You flatter me, big brother. Consider this my wedding gift to you."

Matteo threw in a teasing comment. "Just don’t let Stella hear you say that."

A sly grin tugged at Remo’s lips. "Oh, I believe she would be most delighted in knowing her nightmares have finally met their end."

Matteo’s brow furrowed as he absorbed the implications of his words. Remo seemed to anticipate his confusion and offered an explanation.

"I took the liberty of extracting information from him during the process. It’s fascinating, really. Never underestimate what people are capable of. Sometimes you think you’ll be disappointed, but then, when all’s said and done, you realize everyone has skeletons that they keep hidden in their closet, and they have a choice to let it known to whomever they please... especially when there’s an opportunity to exploit.

Matteo shifted his gaze back to the ghastly exhibition that hung before him. Nolan’s battered form was suspended by his wrists, bloodied and broken. It went far beyond what could be casually labelled as ’torment’.

It was a work of art painted with brutality. His fingers and a few toes had been nipped off, severed with sadistic intention, no doubt. The spatters of dried blood on the cold, damp floor beneath him bore witness to the suffering he had endured.

It was evident that Remo’s ruthlessness knew no bounds. The man must have experienced excruciating torment, with his face taking the brunt of the assault. The torture must have been focused on his face.

Although he wanted to observe him closely in this state, relish the sorry sight of the bastard that had been responsible for Stella’s pain, he could not afford to stay here longer than intended. He needed to go back to Stella—and with news that she will never ever come to harm again.

"That bastard literally brainwashed Stella of her entire existence, and got her to live for him. It’s either he’s truly amazing at the game of narcissism and manipulation, or Stella was just too easy to sway. I think the latter is the case, no offence, because I could never give this bastard a high rating. I mean, he has potential, but---"

"Hey," Matteo roused his attention once again, bringing him back to the present. "You’re going off topic."

"You’re right. Let me leave you to have your—moment."

Having said that, Remo made his way out of the warehouse, leaving Matteo and Nolan alone in the vast space, muffled in the spaces between cartons and goods.

Matteo closed what little distance was left between himself and Nolan, keeping his eyes fixed on his unmoving form.

"I see Remo has done much of the work already. Truth be told, there was really no need for me to be here. I could’ve allowed him to do me the favor of killing you. But I needed to come and see for myself, what the ’almighty’ Nolan looked like when he was about to kiss death." He poised his face close to his, slightly bowed, and continued. "And damn, I must say, I am most pleased with the sight before me."

As Matteo’s sentence hung in the air, Nolan jerked his head, causing the chain to shift and toss his body slightly. An anguished cry tore from his lips, bearing a cacophony of torment. His body swung with a sickening rhythm, each twist and turn causing his muscles to strain against the confines of his skin. He was in pain alright.

Matteo’s curiosity mingled with a visceral disgust as he drew nearer, the dim light casting eerie shadows over Nolan’s disfigured shape. "Did he get your tongue as well?" He quipped with a cruel edge to his voice.

"Eeuhh..." Nolan’s response came as a guttural, incoherent moan. Matteo’s lips curled into a cold smile.

"Oh, I guess he—"

"Ste—Stella... Stella, ple—please," Nolan’s voice quivered, punctuated by raspy breaths and faint sobs that carried the weight of desperation.

Matteo’s fury surged. His growl echoed through the air as he lashed out with a spinning kick that collided with Nolan’s side, sending a shockwave of pain through his body, followed by a torrent of punches to his abdomen. With measured restraint, Matteo stepped back, his chest heaving from the physical exertion.

His voice dripped with a potent blend of fury and contempt. "I got carried away because I heard her name come out of your lips," he spat out the words, his hand disappearing into his coat to retrieve a gleaming silencer. A cold smile played at the corners of his lips as he let the weapon glint in the dim light.

"But then I was reminded that you would not even live to think of her anymore."

Taking a deliberate pause, Matteo’s gaze bore into Nolan’s form one last time, capturing every nuance of his quivering body.

"Send a word of greeting to the devil for me, will you?" With that chilling prelude, he pulled the trigger several times in rapid succession, unleashing a hail of bullets that tore through Nolan’s skull with brutal force.

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