NovelUSAChapter 608 Citrine caught a glimpse of Talbot's movement out of the corner of her eye. She paused for a moment before turning away and speaking, her voice calm but cold.
"Talbot, I know you've given up on life. But I suggest you think about your son. If you lay a finger on anyone, your son will go down as your accomplice. He'll be executed right along with you." Talbot stiffened, his hands freezing mid-motion. Whatever fight he had left seemed to drain out of him in an instant; he looked as if he'd aged a decade in the span of a breath.
Just then, several members of the Vermillion Vanguard cdown from the sniper's perch, moving with crisp precision as they approached Citrine. They stopped before her and raised their hands in salute.
"Boss." "Well done." Citrine nodded, her voice warm yet authoritative.
Hastings Cooper stood nearby with the others, but unlike the rest-whose eyes shone with awe and respect-his gaze was fixed solely on Citrine, intense and burning.
The details of this mission had been kept tightly under wraps. The higher-ups had only said it was a rescue operation, with the Boss working in tandem from inside. Hastings hadn't realized the truth until he spotted Citrine's face from the sniper's nest and couldn't help but ask the seasoned veterans beside him. They, all loyal subordinates of the Boss, had told him everything.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtUntil that moment, Hastings had never imagined that Citrine was actually Boss C -the legendary, undefeated leader of the Vermillion Vanguard.
The Cooper family had always been in business, and as the only son, Hastings had faced no small amount of pressure when he insisted on enlisting. But his one driving goal in joining the Vermillion Vanguard had always been the Boss-this war hero, this living legend, was his role model. Because of her, he had persevered through every hardship.
Now, as he watched Citrine, his eyes brimmed with admiration and something close to reverence. So much so, he barely even registered his best friend Theo standing right beside him.
Citrine, meanwhile, grabbed Talbot by the collar and shoved him toward one of the Vanguard soldiers. "Keep him under close watch." The soldier caught Talbot and secured him.
Only then did Hastings snap back to the present, realizing that the ringleader in custody was Talbot himself. Citrine shot Hastings a look, a subtle signal. "That other old acquaintance of yours I'll leave him to you." Hastings spun around and found Theo staring at him, dazed.
Pain flickered across Hastings' face, his voice tight and pale with disbelief. "Theo? Why? Why did you and Mr. Glenwood do this?" Theo just hung his head, silent.
Hastings didn't press further. His face darkened as he dragged Theo forward, disappointment heavy in every line of his posture. The two stood side by side, both looking utterly defeated-neither better off than the other.
Citrine watched them quietly, her expression unreadable.
One had just arrested his closest friend; the other had just been arrested by his.
She wondered what must be going through their minds.
Before Citrine could dwell on it, Sherman appeared, leading a group of Vanguard soldiers over.
"Boss!" Sherman called out from a distance, his voice thick with emotion.
Others might not know, but everyone in the unit rookies and veterans alike-was well aware of St
story. He'd been rescued by the Boss herself from foreign mercenaries m after his parents were killed. She'd brought him into the Vermillion Vanguard and trained him personally.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmWhether it was leadership or combat, Sherman was top of his class.
It was an open secret that the Boss doted on Sherman. Despite him being several years older than Citrine, she had always looked after him like a younger brother. More than once, she'd saved his life in battle, even taking bullets for him.
To Sherman, the Boss wasn't just his savior and mentor, she was family. His only family. His sister. Since Citrine left the Vanguard, they hadn't seen each other in ages.
Now, seeing her again, Sherman's emotions overwhelmed him. His eyes reddened instantly.
"Boss!" Without thinking, Sherman rushed over and engulfed Citrine in a tight embrace.
"Raymond." Citrine's eyes filled with tears as she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him back.
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