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Get Ready For Allvar Falck's Ruthless Return 270
270Mrs. Penrose’s lips parted in disbelief as she stared at Tobias, her hands trembling as they clutched the clock. Her voice came out in a whisper, barely audible over the murmurs in the room. “How… how could you?”The room fell eerily silent, all eyes fixed on Tobias. His face paled as he took a shaky step forward, palms raised in a desperate gesture. “Mrs. Penrose, I—I didn’t know!” he stammered. “I swear, I thought it was authentic!”A sharp voice broke the silence, cutting through the tension like a knife. “You thought it was authentic?” Lily stepped out of the shadows, her arms crossed and her brows raised. “That’s your excuse?”“That’s rich,” another guest chimed in with a sarcastic scoff. “What kind of collector doesn’t verify their gifts before handing them over? You’re not fooling anyone, Tobias.”“Exactly!” Lily added, her voice dripping with disdain as she stepped closer. “You’re not some amateur. You’re supposed to be the ‘expert’ around here, right? Or have you just bee
Get Ready For Allvar Falck's Ruthless Return 271
271The room buzzed with hushed voices, a chorus of disbelief and speculation, as Tobias’s footsteps faded into the night. The tension was suffocating, and the party that had once been lively and filled with laughter now felt like a courtroom. Glasses clinked uneasily, chairs scraped against the polished wooden floor, and furtive glances were exchanged.Mrs. Penrose, still clutching the ornate clock to her chest, stood at the center of it all. Her face was pale, her lips trembling as she tried to form words. Finally, her voice broke through the murmurs. “I can’t believe this. I trusted him… I trusted him.” Her tone wavered between disbelief and raw pain.“I don’t know how you didn’t see it coming,” Lily said, stepping closer to Mrs. Penrose. Her voice carried a smugness that only deepened the awkwardness in the room. “I’ve been saying it for years—Tobias is all charm and no substance. Always too smooth, too eager to please. I knew he’d slip up eventually.”“Not now, Lily,” Mrs. Penros
Get Ready For Allvar Falck's Ruthless Return 272
272Mrs. Penrose’s trembling fingers clutched the ornate clock as she drew a shaky breath. Her eyes darted between Allvar and the curious, restless guests, her voice sharp despite her evident unease. “And what about your clock, Allvar?” she asked, her gaze piercing. “What proof do we have that yours is authentic? Or are we simply expected to take your word for it?”The lively chatter of the room fell into an uneasy silence. Allvar’s jaw tightened, and he crossed his arms over his chest, his tone icy as he responded. “Mrs. Penrose, my clock has undergone extensive examination by the most reputable experts in the field. Its authenticity is indisputable.”“And yet,” Mrs. Penrose countered, her voice rising with indignation, “Tobias’s clock was also declared genuine at first. Until, of course, it wasn’t.” She gestured dramatically to the crowd. “Why should we blindly trust yours when tonight has already shown us that even the most ‘authentic’ can turn out to be lies?”A ripple of murmurs
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273“Authentic?” Mrs. Penrose repeated, her tone incredulous. Her sharp eyes flicked to the ornate clock resting on the velvet-draped table. “You’re sure?”Dr. Grayson, an older man with a calm, authoritative air, nodded firmly. “The craftsmanship, the materials, the markings—everything checks out. This clock is a genuine piece.”A wave of murmurs rippled through the room. Guests exchanged glances, their expressions ranging from shock to outright disbelief.“Wait a moment,” interrupted a young woman near the side, her brows furrowed in disbelief. “Are you saying this is the Taillefer Clock? The one from the Hawthorne collection?”“Yes, Miss Clement,” Dr. Grayson replied, his tone unflappable. “The very same. Its authenticity is indisputable.”“That’s preposterous!” another man exclaimed, his voice rising above the hum of murmurs. “It was stolen decades ago and presumed destroyed.”“I’m afraid the facts speak otherwise,” Dr. Grayson said, adjusting his glasses as he glanced at the cloc
Get Ready For Allvar Falck's Ruthless Return 274
274The tension in the room lingered like a stubborn fog as the last of the guests began trickling out, their whispers barely audible beneath the rhythmic ticking of the Taillefer Clock. Lily stood beside her grandmother, her arms crossed, the frustration etched on her face making her irritation unmistakable. Mrs. Penrose, however, stood tall, her gaze fixed on the ornate clock, her expression unyielding.“Grandma,” Lily began, her tone heavy with restrained exasperation, “we need to talk.”Mrs. Penrose sighed but didn’t look away from the clock. “What is it now, Lily?”“You know exactly what this is about,” Lily said firmly, stepping closer. “You need to apologize to Allvar.”That caught Mrs. Penrose’s attention. Her head snapped toward her granddaughter, her brows knitting together in disbelief. “Apologize? To him? Absolutely not.”Lily rolled her eyes. “Why not? You humiliated him in front of everyone tonight. And now that it’s clear he was telling the truth, you can’t just let thi
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275Mrs. Penrose’s eyes widened in alarm. “You wouldn’t dare.”“Watch me,” Lily replied, lifting the clock with surprising ease.The guests who had lingered gasped audibly, their whispers growing louder as they watched the drama unfold.“Lily, put that down,” Mrs. Penrose hissed, her tone sharp with panic.“No,” Lily said firmly. “Not until you do the right thing.”Allvar crossed his arms, watching the exchange with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. “You’ve got a lot of spirit, I’ll give you that,” he said to Lily.“And she’s got a lot of nerve,” Mrs. Penrose muttered under her breath.“Grandma,” Lily said, her voice steady but tinged with frustration, “this isn’t about pride or appearances. It’s about respect. You accused Allvar of lying without any evidence, and now that he’s proven himself, you owe him an apology.”Mrs. Penrose hesitated, her gaze darting around the room. The weight of the guests’ stares bore down on her, and for the first time that evening, she seemed genuinel
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276Allvar strolled away from the Penrose estate, his polished shoes crunching lightly against the gravel driveway. The brisk night air nipped at his skin, but he welcomed the chill—it felt refreshing after the stifling tension of the evening. He tugged at his tie, loosening it with a sigh.“Well,” he muttered to himself, a faint smirk tugging at his lips, “at least Tobias won’t be pulling any more tricks for a while.”The memory of Tobias’s embarrassed face during the evening's confrontation amused him briefly, though his satisfaction was short-lived. The laughter and murmurs of the party still rang faintly in his ears, the weight of the evening pressing on him like an unwelcome companion.As he reached his sleek black car parked beneath a towering oak tree, he paused. The cool night air was refreshing, but the eerie quiet unsettled him. Even the crickets seemed to have gone silent.“Odd,” he murmured, glancing over his shoulder at the grand estate. The sprawling mansion loomed in th
Get Ready For Allvar Falck's Ruthless Return 277
277Allvar stirred, the pounding ache in the back of his head dragging him back to consciousness. His eyes fluttered open, and he squinted against the glaring light of a flashlight pointed directly at his face. Groaning, he tried to sit up, but his arms and legs were bound with thick zip ties. The rough gravel beneath him scraped against his palms as he shifted. A pair of heavy boots stepped into his line of sight.“Well, well, look who’s awake,” a deep, mocking voice said. The speaker crouched down, revealing a man with a scar running down the side of his face. His smirk was cruel, and his dark eyes gleamed with malicious amusement. “Did you sleep well, Mr. Allvar?”Allvar blinked, his vision clearing as he took in the scene around him. At least five men stood in a loose circle, all armed with knives, bats, and one with a gun slung casually over his shoulder. Their faces were hard and unfriendly, and their postures spoke of danger.“What is this?” Allvar demanded, his voice hoarse bu
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298Allvar didn’t answer right away. His mind was working, trying to come up with a way out, a plan, anything. But the truth was, he wasn’t sure he could escape. The pain from the slap still throbbed in his jaw, and the ropes around his wrists were too tight to slip free from. His muscles burned, his body heavy with fatigue from the earlier struggles.Tobias waited, watching him carefully. “Nothing to say? Interesting.”Allvar glared at him, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths. His thoughts raced, trying to formulate a plan. But Tobias’s mocking gaze made it hard to focus. He clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding together.“You’re not going to win,” Allvar said quietly, though he wasn’t entirely sure he believed it himself. “This will end. It always does.”Tobias chuckled darkly, his voice low and dripping with amusement. “We’ll see about that, won’t we?”Allvar couldn’t help but snap. The frustration, the anger, it all welled up inside of him. “Why don’t you just get it o
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297The stocky man shrugged. “Told you. He’s—”Without warning, Tobias slapped Allvar across the face, the sharp crack echoing through the warehouse. Allvar’s head snapped to the side, and a groan escaped his lips. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, glassy and unfocused.“There he is,” Tobias said, his voice dripping with mock sweetness. He crouched down again, grabbing Allvar by the chin and forcing him to look up. “Welcome back, Allvar. Did you have a nice nap?”Allvar winced, his jaw throbbing from the slap. He tried to pull away, but Tobias’s grip tightened. “Go to hell,” he rasped, his voice hoarse.Tobias chuckled darkly. “Oh, you’ve got some fight left in you. Good. I’d hate for this to be too easy.”The tall man and the stocky one snickered behind him, but Tobias silenced them with a sharp look. “You two—stand back. I’ll handle this.”They nodded quickly, retreating a few steps but staying close enough to watch.Tobias turned his attention back to Allvar, his expression turning
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296The group moved quickly through the damp alley, their prisoner slumped between the tall man and the stocky one. Allvar’s body hung limply, his head drooping as though unconscious. His feet dragged against the ground, leaving faint streaks of blood in their wake. The men didn’t seem to care, their focus solely on bringing him to Tobias."Pick up the pace," the tall man growled, his voice sharp with irritation. His eyes darted ahead, scanning the darkened alley for any signs of danger. "Boss doesn’t like waiting."The stocky man grunted in annoyance. "What’s the rush? He’s not going anywhere. Look at him—barely breathing.""Yeah? And whose fault will it be if he dies before Tobias gets a word out of him?" the tall man snapped, shooting his partner a glare that could cut through steel. His grip tightened on Allvar’s arm as if to emphasize the point.The stocky man let out an exasperated sigh but said nothing. "Not my problem," he muttered under his breath, though his eyes flicked to
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295“Careful,” the tall man said mockingly, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Don’t want him bleeding out before Tobias sees him.”Weston chuckled, shaking Allvar’s limp arm. “Bleeding out?” he scoffed. “Look at him. He’s practically swimming in his own blood already. Tobias’ll think we hit a slaughterhouse on the way.”Allvar could barely make out their words through the haze of pain, his vision blurring in and out. His muscles trembled, but he held on, fighting against the darkness threatening to swallow him whole. He clenched his teeth and managed to grunt, though his words came out in a painful rasp. “You… won’t win,” he hissed, barely audible, but enough to taunt them.The tall man stopped in his tracks, turning to lean down toward Allvar. He moved slowly, his breath hot and foul against Allvar’s ear as he whispered. “Win?” The man’s voice was thick with amusement. “Oh, Allvar, we already have. You’re just too stubborn to admit it.”Weston snorted behind him, clearly enjoying the
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294The sound of heavy boots brought Allvar back from the brink of unconsciousness. His body felt like it was being torn apart, each movement sending fresh waves of agony through his limbs. His skin was slick with sweat, his breath ragged and shallow. He stirred slightly, barely able to move, and his surroundings swam in and out of focus.The storage closet was still cloaked in darkness, a suffocating void of silence and pain. Allvar tried to push himself up, but his strength failed him. His head was pounding, and his body was weak from the beating he had taken earlier. He could hear the footsteps now, their rhythm echoing through the narrow space. The voices outside were unmistakably closer, too close.“Check that door again,” barked one of the men, his voice sharp with authority.“All right, all right,” came the response, gruff and impatient. “You checked it five minutes ago, Holt. He’s not Houdini. He’s not gonna vanish into thin air.”“You checked it, but you didn’t check it right
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293Desperation coursed through him, pushing him forward once more, despite the pain, despite the blood dripping down his side. Every movement burned, but stopping wasn’t an option. His breaths came short and fast, his chest heaving with the effort.“It’s not… it’s not far…” Allvar rasped, though he knew he was lying to himself. His body was failing him, and he could feel it. He was slowing down, his legs refusing to carry him any further. Every step felt like an eternity, his boots dragging against the uneven pavement.A voice in his head screamed at him to stop, to rest, to let the pain win. But he shook his head violently, gritting his teeth. "No… not yet," he hissed, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart in his ears.The narrow alley stretched endlessly ahead of him, the shadows swallowing the dim light of the flickering streetlamps. The air smelled of damp concrete and rot, and the walls seemed to close in tighter with every step he took.“Where is it?” he mutte
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292Allvar’s legs screamed in agony as he forced himself to move, each step like a hot iron being driven into his muscles. The bleeding from the stab wound in his side had slowed to a steady trickle, but the pain was unbearable, gnawing at him with every breath. He could feel the blood soaking into his shirt, warm and sticky, as it ran down his torso.He had to keep going.“Move, damn it,” he muttered under his breath, gritting his teeth. “Just one more step. One more…”But his body wasn’t listening. Each movement felt heavier, slower. Tobias’s men were closing in, their footsteps echoing through the narrow alleyways like death’s march. He couldn’t afford to stop, couldn’t let them get close enough to see the blood. If they saw it, they’d know how weak he was.Allvar glanced over his shoulder, his eyes scanning the darkened streets. “Where the hell are they?” he whispered, his voice trembling. The night was too quiet. He could hear his own heart pounding, erratic and loud, in his ears
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291“They’re getting closer,” Allvar repeated, his voice laced with desperation as he stumbled forward, his gaze darting over his shoulder. The faint echo of footsteps reverberated in the cold night air, sending a shiver down his spine. His stomach churned as the realization hit him—Tobias’s men were closing in, and his options were running out.“This can’t be it,” he muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening. “I can’t let him win. Not like this.”The sound of footsteps grew louder, more distinct. Allvar’s eyes darted to the left, then the right, scanning the maze of narrow alleyways and shadowed buildings. Every pathway seemed to stretch into endless darkness, and every corner felt like a potential ambush. He forced himself to make a choice, lunging toward a dimly lit alley to his left.“You’re wasting time,” he hissed to himself. “Move, Allvar. Move!”His boots pounded against the uneven ground as he sprinted forward, his breaths ragged and sharp in the icy air. His heart hammer
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290The men scrambled to comply, their fear propelling them into action. But Tobias wasn’t finished. His eyes locked onto one of them, the closest to him, as he advanced slowly, his footsteps deliberate and menacing.“You,” Tobias spat, his voice like ice. “You were supposed to keep him contained. What the hell happened?”The man’s breath hitched as he swallowed hard, eyes darting nervously. “I—I’m sorry, Tobias,” he stammered, taking a hesitant step back, his body tense, as though he were anticipating the strike. “We didn’t—”Before the man could finish, Tobias’s hand shot out, the blade flashing in the low light. He didn’t hesitate. The knife buried itself deep into the man’s neck with a sickening sound, blood spraying across the floor. A gurgling sound escaped the man’s throat as he collapsed to the ground, his hands twitching desperately in his final moments.The remaining men froze, their eyes wide in horror. The air in the room thickened, filled with the scent of blood and terro
