What just happened? The speed was so unreal that it defied belief!
Tony had no idea what happened. Suddenly, one move put him on the ground, and everything happened very quickly.
None of this made any sense. Everyone on the scene was left utterly dumbfounded, their eyes wide with shock, as if they had just witnessed something out of a movie.
But the surprises were far from over. As if on cue, a convoy of luxury SUVs started rolling in.
There was a sleek, black, stretched Lincoln, its license plate strikingly clear, 88888.
Five eights. Anyone who knew the city knew exactly who that plate belonged to.
Fletcher.
“Oh my God!” Kyler gasped, snapping out of his daze. He was the first to leap into the car, his hand instinctively reaching for Nadia. “What are you standing there for? The Atkinsons are here! Can’t you tell that guy just messed with the wrong family?”
Without waiting for a reply, he yanked Nadia into the car and slammed the door behind her. The engine roared to life, and they were speeding away from the scene in one swift motion.
Kyler’s father had drilled one lesson into him, whenever you see the Atkinsons, make yourself scarce. It didn’t matter how rowdy or reckless he was elsewhere-when it came to this family, you kept your distance.
As they tore down the road, Nadia couldn’t help but glance back, her mind spinning. Kayden was fading into the distance, but her thoughts were entirely on him. Could it be true? Had he really crossed Fletcher?
No, actually, it was more likely that he’d angered Nathan.
After all, Nathan had made headlines just yesterday-someone tossed him out of a restaurant window, making quite the spectacle.
Everything was starting to make sense now. No wonder Fletcher had shown up in person.
Nadia wanted to believe it wasn’t true, but the evidence was right before her. The puzzle pieces were falling into place, and none of them looked good for Kayden.
The more she thought about it, the more it clicked. Kayden must have realized he was out of options the moment he saw those cars approaching. That was why he had acted so recklessly earlier!
Meanwhile, Tony quickly recovered and realized he needed to run. When the cars arrived, he took his chance. He broke free from the chaos and ran very fast, faster than anyone expected.
As he sprinted down the street, he couldn’t resist glancing back over his shoulder-and there he saw him. Fletcher, stepping out of the Lincoln. There was no doubt in Tony’s mind now. Fletcher had come for Kayden.
‘So Kayden had been crossed Nathan, and now Fletcher was personally stepping in. That meant Kayden was as good as dead. And once he’s out of the picture, Georgia will finally be mine.’
The thought lit up his face with a twisted smile, ‘From this moment onward, Kayden was as good as dead!
Kayden didn’t chase after Tony, who ran away in panic. He thought Tony was doomed anyway; a short delay wouldn’t change anything.
He turned back to Fletcher, his expression darkening with irritation. “What do you want now?”
Suddenly, to Kayden’s surprise, Fletcher dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face. “Defender! I have already brought Nathan to justice! Please, let me take the punishment I deserve!”
Kayden had no interest in playing along with Fletcher’s theatrics. His voice was cold and dismissive. “Enough. I have things to handle. Go do whatever you’re supposed to, and stop wasting my time.”
“Defender, if there’s anything-anything at all-you need, just command me! I’ll gladly make up for my mistakes with service!” Fletcher’s demeanor was always one of extreme caution. Whether on the battlefield or in moments like this, he was meticulous, terrified of offending Kayden in any way.
Kayden just shook his head. “There’s nothing. Leave.”
Fletcher hesitated for a few seconds, then reluctantly left.
It wasn’t that Kayden didn’t appreciate his loyalty, but sometimes Fletcher’s over-cautious nature could be a bit much.
Before long, Greedy Wolf returned from getting the car repaired.
By the afternoon, the two of them strolled through the quiet, cobbled streets of the old town’s antique district.
The once-bustling market was now eerily tranquil. After some asking around, they finally located Israel’s residence deep within one of the narrow alleyways.
Inside the shop, Lacey sat behind the counter, propping her chin on her hand, lost in thought. Her mind replayed the events that had unfolded in Hiphia not long ago.
That guy… the one who had tried to sneak a glance at her chest. Sure, she’d given him a good lesson, but who knew if he was just using that as an excuse to get close to her?
She prided herself on her undeniable charm, and being treated with such casual disregard had left her feeling insulted. Yet, the man had been undeniably handsome and, more importantly, capable. She still remembered how effortlessly he had taken down that hulking brute and whisked her away from the chaos.
These memories left Lacey both captivated and confused. On more than one occasion, she had even dreamed about that night. It frustrated her that they hadn’t exchanged contact details.
She had thought about returning to Hiphia but couldn’t find a reasonable excuse to go. Besides, she knew that Kayden had a family, and pursuing him felt inappropriate. Still, she couldn’t stop her thoughts from wandering.
Lacey had always been dismissive of men, believing most of them to be deceitful and unreliable, all talk and no substance. Yet, this one… he was different.
“Ugh, so annoying,” Lacey muttered to herself as she stood up from behind the counter.
Just then, two men walked into the shop. They looked like they had come from one of the nearby villages, their clothes simple and worn. One was rail-thin, while the other was noticeably overweight, the contrast between them almost comedic.
“Is the boss here?” The thin man asked, his eyes darting shamelessly to Lacey’s chest.
Instinctively, Lacey crossed her arms over her chest and asked, “What do you want?”
The skinny man grinned, revealing a set of crooked yellow teeth. “Not here for you. I’m looking for the boss of this place!”
Lacey gave him a cold glance before walking toward the back of the shop.
The moment she disappeared, the scrawny man leaned over to the fat one and whispered, “Damn, that chick is hot. Did you see those curves? Way better than your aunt’s. If you got her undressed, I bet she’d be a lot more fun to-”
The fat man blinked in surprise. “Hang on, you’ve touched my aunt’s chest?”
Realizing he’d slipped up, the skinny man quickly denied it, shaking his head frantically.
The fat man sighed, his eyes glazing over as he started rambling about his aunt and some strange story about a back-scratcher. The skinny man listened, completely bewildered, but nodded along just to keep the conversation going.
At that moment, a middle-aged man emerged from the back room. He was dressed in a black, traditional cotton robe that looked as worn as the shop itself.
He appeared to be in his fifties, with a rotund figure and a face that showed the signs of indulgence.
A red ring gleamed on his finger, and a crimson thread was wrapped around his wrist.