---- Chapter 13 As soon as the sounds from the bedroom faded, Jackson moved. The paralysis of shock gave way to a cold, razor-sharp fury. He slipped away from the door as silently as he had come, the image of Candida and Leo burned into his brain. He went to his study, the one room in the house that still felt like his own, and locked the door. He picked up the phone, his hand steady. "It's me," he said when his assistant answered. "I want you to investigate someone. My driver, Leo. | want to know everything about him. His real name, his history, his connections. Everything." He paused, his voice dropping to a low growl. "And | want you to find out everything you can about something called a 'love gu' . It' s from a region in Southeast Asia. | need to know what it is, what it does, and how to get rid of it. Spare no expense." His assistant, sensing the dangerous shift in his boss' s tone, simply said, "Yes, sir." Jackson hung up and sank into his leather chair. The conversation he had overheard played again and again in his mind, each word a fresh stab of betrayal. He had been living in a fog for five years, a puppet dancing on Candida' s strings. He had hurt Elena, belittled her, abused her... all while under ---- the influence of some poison. The regret was a physical thing, a crushing weight on his chest. The phone rang again. It was the assistant, his voice tight with urgency. "Sir, | have the information. It' s... it' s worse than you think." Jackson' s knuckles turned white as he gripped the phone. "Tell me." "Leo isn' t his real name. He' s Leo Camacho. Candida' s cousin. And five years ago, on your wedding day, he wasn' t the only one Candida brought with her. She brought a woman from the Miao region of China. A so-called 'saintess' ." Jackson' s blood ran cold. He remembered that day. Candida' s attack. But something else had happened, a detail lost in the chaos. A woman had brushed past him, a strange, veiled figure. He had thought she was a guest. "The 'saintess' specializes in poisons. In gu," the assistant continued, his voice grim. "According to our sources, she administered a dose of 'love gu' to you that day. It's a neurotoxin that induces a state of obsessive attachment to the first person you see after it takes effect." Candida. "But that' s not all, sir," the assistant said, his voice dropping ---- even lower. "She also gave a second dose of something to Elena." Jackson stopped breathing. "It was a slow-acting poison. Designed to attack her reproductive system. To make her infertile." The phone slipped from Jackson' s hand and clattered onto the desk. The world swam before his eyes. It wasn' t just the knife. It was them. They had deliberately, coldly, and methodically destroyed her ability to have children. His children. He remembered her tears when the doctor told her the news. He remembered holding her, telling her it didn't matter, that his love was enough. And all the while, he was the cause of her pain, a poisoned weapon in their hands. A guttural roar of pure, animal rage ripped from his throat. He swept his arm across the desk, sending papers, photos, and a crystal decanter crashing to the floor. He had to make them pay. He would burn their world to the ground. He stormed out of the study, his mind a red haze of fury. He would find them. He would kill them. He knew he shouldn' t. He knew he had to be smart, to dismantle their lives piece by piece, just as they had done to him. ---- But right now, all he wanted was blood. Title: A Princess? No! I'm the Female General! In "A Princess? No! I'm the Female General!" by CrushReel, Adela Taylor, a noble family's daughter, disguises herself as her brother to secure their Duke title by joining the army. Despite facing obstacles, she achieves remarkable success. However, upon her triumphant return, her brother betrays her, setting off a chain of events that will test her resolve and reveal hidden truths. This captivating novel delves into themes of secrets, reincarnation, revenge, murder, and drama. Adela's journey from deception to betrayal is filled with intrigue and suspense as she navigates through a world where power dynamics and family loyalties collide. What sets this story apart is its strong female lead who defies expectations and challenges societal norms in a quest for justice and redemption. Experience the riveting tale of Adela Taylor online at CrushReel and witness the transformation of a princess into a formidable female general.