The Psychotic Girl’s Revenge

She wanted to know if the person who betrayed her was the same as the one she suspected.

Rafael stood there, surprised that this was her first question. She had figured out that someone had tipped him off.

Smart.

He shook his head. “No.”

“Seems like the Presidential Palace isn’t that efficient after all,” Paige sneered, her smile pale.

Rafael’s expression darkened at her mockery, just as he was about to respond, Paige began negotiating, “Don’t make trouble for my people at Peak Club. Don’t let the tycoons go after them.”

“Protecting them isn’t difficult, but you should know what I want in return,” Rafael replied.

“Let’s hear it,” Paige said casually, as if she were negotiating a business deal, not speaking from within a prison cell.

“First, you must reveal all your plans, including any allies you have besides Enrico; second, whether you have any evidence regarding the slums and if it’s been hidden abroad.” Rafael paused for a long time before finally stating the last demand. “Third, confess your crimes to the nation, admit that everything you’ve said is false, that all your actions were criminal, and submit to judgment.”

Jaden stood nearby, worriedly looking at Paige. She had a gunshot wound and had just fought off two vicious dogs; she was utterly exhausted.

Leaning her head against the cold steel bars, Paige weakly smiled, “Sorry, but aside from my life, I can’t fulfill any of those demands.”

Although she was from the slums, she had no crimes to confess.

“You just revealed your weakness to me,” Rafael calmly observed.

“The Peak Club kids? Yes, they’re my weakness,” Paige admitted without hesitation. “But I’ve already dragged them down with me; at least I won’t drag down even more people.”

She wasn’t stupid. Besides, the Peak Club kids knew nothing and were just ordinary citizens; their lives meant little to Rafael and the tycoons. By refusing to confess, Paige realized that forcing the Peak Club kids to accuse her would hold more value.

Rafael wasn’t ignorant of this.

Hearing this, Rafael frowned, “You really do have other allies. How much have you been plotting?”

Her life was no longer the main concern. He feared that even if she died, others would continue her work, and someone else might expose everything after her death.

“I told you, the only thing I can offer is my life to silence the rumors,” Paige said, her pale lips stained with blood.

“Your life is already in my hands,” Rafael said with a frown.

“No, I could still take my own life. You could say I committed suicide out of guilt, but if my allies see that, they might decide to take A Country down with them.” Paige knew what Rafael was afraid of, so she stabbed right where it hurt the most. “But if you kill me willingly, I can assure you there won’t be any retaliation for at least two years.”

“You-” Rafael was at a loss for words.

Even in a prison cell, she still managed to turn the tables and threaten him.

Rafael glanced at Jaden, “Is her only ally the Lautners, or are there more?”

Handling Enrico and the Lautners alone was difficult enough, but if there were more, it would be a major problem.

Jaden looked at Paige and shook his head. He truly didn’t know; all his investigations had come up empty. But saying so now would only harm her.

“Forget it. Talk to her, see if you can get through to her,” Rafael said, leaving with a headache.

Paige watched Rafael’s back and curled her lips into a cold smile.

Jaden frowned and approached the cell bars, looking at Paige’s pale face, “Miss…”

He opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say.

Paige leaned her head against the bars and calmly asked, “You were able to get in here. Does that mean Rafael has aligned with Enrico, or has he aligned with you?”

She saw through everything too clearly.

Jaden stood there, lowering his head in guilt, “Mr. Gustin is still abroad.”

So it wasn’t with Enrico.

Paige understood, nodding lightly. She weakly asked, “Rafael won’t harm him, will he?”

Initially, she thought her identity being exposed would drag Enrico down too. Now it seemed that wasn’t the case.

“We’ve known each other since childhood. I believe he won’t harm Mr. Gustin,” Jaden said.

If Rafael really wanted to harm Mr. Gustin, he would’ve immediately allied with the tycoons, not seek Jaden’s cooperation. Moreover, aside from their childhood friendship, Rafael and Mr. Gustin shared common interests in certain areas, leaving Rafael no reason to harm him.

That made sense.

“Good,” Paige nodded, relieved.

Enrico was, as always, hard to bring down, no matter the circumstances. That was good; she wouldn’t owe him anything when she died.

Paige, exhausted, leaned against the steel bars and slowly sat down on the cold floor. She wiped the blood from her lips with her hand.

Seeing this, Jaden couldn’t help but crouch down, gripping the bars. “Miss, there’s still a way to save yourself. If you just tell them everything you know and put Rafael at ease, I’ll immediately bring Mr. Gustin back to the country. With him vouching for you, you’ll be safe.”

Spending another day in Gangnam Hall was another day of living hell.

Paige bent her knees, resting her hands casually on them. She looked incredibly frail.

Hearing his words, she smiled faintly, “You want me to betray all my allies, hand over all my evidence, then quietly live as a caged bird in Rose Estate, never mentioning the slums again. If I do, even the slightest move would harm Enrico, right?”

Jaden was speechless.

Paige looked at him, continuing, “Jaden, you once told me that one day, I would have to choose between Enrico and the slums.”

Jaden stared at her intently.

“Now, I’ve made my decision. I choose not to have Enrico.” She smiled as she spoke each word calmly, though her eyes seemed to glisten with a faint red.

Jaden gripped the bars tightly. “Miss, why do this? Olivia’s been crying her heart out since she found out something happened to you. Can you really bear to see her like that?”

“Jaden, let me tell you the truth,” Paige said, her voice faint, “On the surface, it seems like I have the Lautners’ support, the Peak Club paving my way, and my aim to become a lawmaker and gradually reform the slums. It looks like this is my only path to success, but I haven’t left myself without a backup plan.”

Jaden looked at her, shocked.

“I secretly established another organization after coming to The Capital. You’ve never found out about it. That’s my way out,” Paige said softly. “What I just told Rafael is true. If I die by suicide, my organization will stop at nothing to expose the truth and evidence about the slums internationally. But I don’t want A Country to descend into chaos, so…”

Enrico once told her that he was giving her the knife to stab him.

He believed that one day, when her power was strong enough, she would seek justice for the slums and ruthlessly pursue the tycoons’ crimes.

Even though he had only been in power for less than two years, some things had nothing to do with him.Exclusive © material by Nô(/v)elDrama.Org.

But in truth, she had never intended to expose the secrets of the slums recklessly. She wanted to wait for the best moment. Being too reckless would harm too many people.

Saving people by harming more had never been her intention.

She paused for a long time before continuing, “Rafael just needs to say that I have no evidence, and killing one slum-dweller could temporarily calm things down outside, giving my organization more time to prepare. If, in the future, someone stands up to peacefully reform the slums, please ask Enrico not to stop them, to fulfill my dream.”

She desperately wanted to rebuild the slums.

She dreamed of it every night, but unfortunately, it wouldn’t be realized in her lifetime.

Jaden’s grip tightened as he stared at her. “Miss, this isn’t your way out. This is the slums’ way out.”