“You’re going to help me?”
Mia paused, her hands stopping mid-motion as she picked through the vegetables. At the stove, Mabel Sweetwood was stirring a pot of fish stew. She froze as well, her stirring spoon suspended in midair.
Both mother and daughter turned to glance at Flynn, their expressions a mixture of doubt and concern.
They could see the determination in Flynn’s eyes. He wasn’t bluffing. But did he really have the capability to follow through?
Flynn had never been involved with Slatin. Did he have any connections in such a place?
Lawson Langford was the undisputed underground king of Slatin. For over eighty years, the Langford family had been the most dominant force in the city’s underworld.
Slatin wasn’t just any city; it was an international metropolis. The Langford family had maintained their power here for nearly a century, a feat far beyond the reach of the underground bosses from smaller cities.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the Eight Extremities, powerful as they were, paled in comparison to the Langford family.
If the Eight Extremities were truly so formidable, why had they, despite a decade of development, never dared set foot in Slatin, even though Shipmeda bordered it?
The reason was simple: while the Eight Extremities boasted over ten thousand members, fewer than half were actual practitioners of martial arts.
They had no more than fifty Grandmasters, and Great Grandmasters were even rarer.
And the Langford family?
They had over twenty thousand members, all of whom were trained practitioners.
More terrifying still, they had three Semi Greater Sovereigns.
Three years ago, Lawson Langford’s uncle had ventured overseas, where he spent half a year kneeling before a legendary master, begging for guidance.
With just a few pointers, the man returned six months later as a full-fledged Greater Sovereign. Since then, he had been in seclusion, continuing to cultivate his power.
Who would dare challenge such a family?
This was why, even with the Clark family’s near-absolute authority, the Langford family could still stand on equal footing with them. Even Paxton, the powerful patriarch of the Clark family, addressed Lawson Langford as a brother.
Flynn might have made a name for himself in Niarak with his exceptional medical skills, built connections, and amassed considerable wealth.
He was even a Grandmaster.
But in a place like Slatin, where powerful figures were as common as rain, none of that would matter.
Mabel and Mia didn’t say a word. James, however, impatiently called out from the living room, “Is dinner ready yet? I’m starving.”
He had had enough of Flynn’s “nonsense.”
The boy was making grand promises, likely out of guilt. He wanted the Duffy family to believe in his resolve, but in James’ eyes, it was nothing more than empty talk-comforting words with no real substance.
“It’s not ready yet! Be patient!” Mabel Sweetwood hurried to finish cooking.
James snorted dismissively but didn’t argue further.
Though annoyed at first, his irritation quickly faded. Watching his wife struggle to cook with just one hand, he couldn’t help but step into the kitchen.
“Enough already. Your back’s been hurting. Go sit on the couch. I’ll take over.”
James gruffly grabbed the spatula from Mabel’s hand, gently nudging her toward the kitchen door.
His tone was harsh, but Flynn could see through it. James genuinely loved Mabel.
If Flynn’s mother hadn’t been so naive, if Viola Brightmoon hadn’t been so treacherous, perhaps she too would have found a husband who treated her with such devotion and care.
Dinner was ready soon enough.
James poured himself a glass of cheap liquor and glanced at Flynn coldly. “Want a drink?”
Flynn smiled and declined. “James, do you always drink this kind of alcohol? It’s not made from pure grains. You should cut back.”
“Ha! I’m lucky to have anything to drink. What’s the point of being picky? If you’re so concerned, buy me a few bottles of the good stuff!” James downed half the glass in one gulp, still maintaining his stern demeanor.
“James! What’s wrong with you? Keep this up, and I’ll get mad!” Mabel scolded.
Flynn waved his hand, chuckling. “It’s fine, Aunt Mabel.” He turned to James with a smile.
“Alright, tomorrow we’ll go to the most expensive hotel in Slatin. I’ll get you some proper liquor!”
For the kindness the Duffy family had shown him in the past, Flynn would bear no resentment, even if James were to strike him.
He owed them too much.
After dinner, Flynn checked the pulses of all three family members.
Mia, who had undergone surgery for congenital heart disease, was recovering well.
James and Mabel, however, were a different story. Flynn carefully wrote down a prescription, determined to provide the best care for the two people who had once been his benefactors.
No room for error.
When everything was done, Mabel Sweetwood walked Flynn downstairs. “Flynn, please, don’t provoke the Clark family. Just live your life in peace.”
Flynn smiled faintly. “Don’t worry, Aunt Mabel. I’m here in Slatin for business.”
“Go back and rest early. Tomorrow morning, I’ll treat you to breakfast.”
Flynn drove off in his Porsche.
Mabel Sweetwood watched him leave, her heart finally at ease. “Flynn is doing well. I can rest easy now…”
For him to casually offer a million dollars, she knew he was living a life free of want.
Adrianna could rest in peace.
But as she turned to head upstairs, her phone rang.
Seeing the caller ID, her face went pale.
She hesitated, wanting to ignore it, but finally, with trembling hands, she answered.
“Brody Brightmoon, please, I’m begging you-leave the Duffy family alone. We’ve suffered enough…”
Laughter came from the other end of the line, cold and menacing. “Aunt Mabel, I told you before-I can spare Mia, but only if you agree to my terms.”
Mabel’s entire body went cold at his words, rage flashing in her tear-filled eyes. A violent tremor shook her frame.
“Mr. Brightmoon, you’re a billionaire. You could have any woman you want. I’m over forty. Why…” Mabel choked on her words, disgusted beyond measure.
Brody Brightmoon laughed, his tone laced with excitement. “I like experienced women. Women who’ve been… tested. And you, Aunt Mabel-you’ve kept yourself so well. You don’t look a day over thirty.”
“I wonder… is your skin as soft as your face?”
“You animal!” Mabel couldn’t hold back her fury any longer. She screamed into the phone.
“Adrianna shouldn’t have saved you! I begged her to save your miserable life back then, and this is how you repay us? You ungrateful beast!”
“The dead don’t matter.” Brody chuckled, his voice dripping with disdain. “Aunt Mabel, is it really appropriate to mention such an unlucky person on such a fine night?”
“And besides, I’m repaying you, Aunt Mabel. Your husband, James, was beaten so badly by Paxton twenty years ago that he’s probably… not functional anymore. You’ve been living as a widow in all but name. Let me make it up to you.”
“I’ll give you one more day. If you’re not at my hotel by tomorrow, I’ll make sure your daughter pays the price.”
The line went dead.
“Viola, you and your son are monsters. You deserve to burn in hell!”
Mabel Sweetwood collapsed to the ground, her face streaked with tears.
Meanwhile, Flynn had left the Duffy family’s home and driven straight to Lawson Langford’s estate-a luxurious mansion nestled by a valley.
In Slatin, where every inch of land was worth a fortune, owning a hundred-acre estate was a testament to the Langford family’s dominance.
As Flynn approached the grand gates of the Langford estate, the sound of roaring engines echoed behind him.
He turned to see several luxury sports cars pulling in. A group of young men, clearly drunk, stumbled out, their expensive watches glinting in the light. Their tailored Zegna suits screamed wealth and privilege.
Flynn frowned as he recognized one of them.
“Madeline?”
The woman turned, her eyes widening in shock. “Flynn? What are you doing in Slatin?”
She had just arrived that afternoon.
Wayne had brought her to an exclusive gathering, and while she had refrained from drinking, the others had indulged heavily.
Now, she was helping Chase Langford, Lawson Langford’s son, get back home.
She hadn’t expected to run into Flynn here.
“It’s so late. What are you doing here, Flynn?”