They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

Chapter 552: Before I Start the Killing...

Could... could this be what he had been waiting to hear for months??

And now it was slipping away before it could even take shape.

He turned to her quickly. "What did you mean when you said we could be something more?" he asked, his voice sharper, almost pleading.

"It doesn’t matter anymore." Nnenna shook her head, her eyes a storm of anger and hurt. "You’ve been lying to me for who knows how long. You know how much pain I’ve been through these past eleven years. You know it took me years to accept who I am. And still, you let me believe a lie, even when you knew the truth."

"I’m sorry," Somto said quietly, staring at his empty hand like it was proof of everything he had just lost.

"When did you find out?" Nnenna’s voice was steady, but her eyes burned. She didn’t even glance at his failed apology.

Arthur snapped out of his own spiraling thoughts at that question. His anger flared, but he forced himself to stay silent. This wasn’t about him. This was about Nnenna, her entire life hanging on the secret Somto had done keeping for... years.

"I... I’ve known for—" Somto stammered.

"Don’t you dare lie to me again," Nnenna cut in coldly.

He swallowed. "I’ve known for more than eleven years."

Her breath hitched. "You’ve known since the beginning?!" The disbelief in her tone carried a sharp, trembling edge.

it cost him to say it. "All those nights I poured my heart out to you... every time I told you how not knowing was killing me... you had the answer to a question that has

apart. We’re still kidnapped, remember?" He gestured toward Athena, who hadn’t said a word since Nnenna stepped away from

Arthur’s jaw set like

"Well, you finally have us

course not. You’re family. I would never try to kill

you, Athena?" Somto’s voice snapped

head jerked

her parents," he said, fury vibrating in every word. "Your own sister was family, yet you and your psycho husband murdered her and her husband

went pale, but he didn’t

You think your sins are buried, but they’re not.

faltered for the first time. How much does he know? How could he possibly know? He was just

thudded in her chest. "Wait—" her voice trembled, but her

Never seen their faces. But the rage came instinctively, roaring up like it had been waiting in her bones her whole

here to finish the job... go on. Finish what you started." She didn’t care whether Athena actually would

"Would you stop trying to drive a wedge between my niece and me, Somto?

for the past ten years? I’ll give you credit, you’re a chameleon. You hid well. But not

shifted. The polite mask cracked. "Well," she said at last, her tone flattening, "since it seems you already know far too much, I might as well stop pretending." The faint

intention for things to go this far. But...