After leaving the headquarters of the Apex, Darnell made a stop at the hospital.
He didn’t stay to offer strategic advice to the Apex. Besides worrying that Julie might kill him, he had already voiced his opinion-both sides must act together. If Julie insisted on demanding money and manpower and if things went south, the Seven Wolves would have to make amends to the Apex.
Regarding Kimberly’s escape and the traitor, Darnell decided to wait for the Apex’s investigation before making any judgments. He was aware that it was wise to know when to step back.
The leader of the Apex was Luca. If Darnell involved himself in everything, it would easily give the impression of overstepping his bounds.
Darnell served as a consultant for the Apex purely out of admiration for Callum and his friends, and to use their influence against the Axe, thereby reducing trouble for himself and Woodsea.
He wasn’t interested in power since it would make him a thorn in Luca’s side, so he left the final decisions to Luca.
Upon reaching the inpatient department, Darnell bought a fruit basket and prepared to take the elevator to the eighth floor.
Before he could press the elevator button, he noticed a commotion in the side corridor. People were gathered there, whispering among themselves.
Shouts and sounds of fighting came from that direction, followed by loud banging noises. Darnell squinted his eyes and spotted a familiar figure.
He walked over.
Pushing through the crowd, he saw three young men with dyed hair and unusual clothing kicking and punching a man crouched under a tree. They panted heavily as they hit him.
Household items were scattered on the ground. Next to them was Monica, who was watching with satisfaction as she taunted the man who dared not fight back.
“Don’t blame me for this. It’s your fault for not repaying my money.”
“You can afford a private ward now. It’s time to pay back the $30, 000 you owe me.”
Monica was aggressive. “I didn’t want to fuss over that money, but you messed with me.”
“Uriel dumped me, so naturally, I want to avenge my loss.”
“I’m telling you, loser, stop acting pitiful. If you don’t pay up what you owe today, I’ll beat you up and trash your grandma’s ward.”
A dangerous glint flashed in Weston’s eyes but quickly faded as he protected his head. “Take it out on me. I’m the one who owes you money. It has nothing to do with my grandma.”
Monica sneered, “Hurry up and give me the money, or I’ll break your legs too.”
She vented her anger and frustration. She was so close to marrying into wealth but was thwarted by Darnell and this man.
Uriel not only cut ties with her but also took back everything he had given her. Monica blamed it all on Weston and caused trouble with her entourage.
As he watched this farce unfold, Darnell’s expression darkened. He hadn’t expected this woman to dare cause trouble again. Clearly, last time’s lesson wasn’t harsh enough.
Seeing Weston huddled under blows, Darnell silently stepped forward and delivered three powerful kicks to the young men with dyed hair.
The three young men were sent flying, hitting hard against the wall before sliding down. They groaned in pain, trying to get up but collapsing halfway.
Darnell didn’t spare them a glance. He reached out, pulled up the beaten man, and asked in concern, “Are you okay, Weston?”
The man gave a bitter smile. “I’m fine.”
Monica was furious when she saw her men kicked away. She shouted at Darnell, “You meddlesome fool! It’s you again!”
Though she was wary of Darnell’s background and connections, her anger clouded her judgment. “Someone, teach him a lesson! Beat him!”
The three young men groaned but couldn’t get up no matter how hard they tried.
Monica couldn’t hold back anymore and cursed, “Useless! Useless!”
Then she turned to Darnell who was slowly approaching and yelled, “What are you going to do? If you dare hit me, I’ll call the police on you.”
Darnell looked at her intently. “Last time I spared you out of respect for Weston. I only had Uriel dump you without destroying you completely.”
“I didn’t expect you to show no remorse and even come here causing trouble again. You actually dare to have people beat Weston up and use his grandmother to threaten him. You’d better give me an explanation.”
“Otherwise, I’ll be calling the police and have you arrested.”
He smiled faintly. “I can tell you that once you’re locked up, I’ll make sure you never get out.”
“Who do you think you are? How dare you threaten me?!”
Monica’s heart skipped a beat, and fear gleamed in her eyes, but she still tried to sound intimidating. “I’m not here to cause trouble. I came to get back the thirty thousand Weston borrowed from me.”
“If you want me to leave them alone, then hand over thirty thousand right now, and I promise I won’t show up again. Do you have it?”
She called out to the onlookers, “Everyone, tell me, I broke up with this scumbag. Do I not have the right to demand back the thirty thousand he borrowed?”
As soon as she finished speaking, many women chimed in, “Pay her back, pay her back!”
Seeing support from the crowd and glancing at the awkward Weston, Monica felt triumphant. “Did you hear that? Everyone says you should pay me back, so hurry up!”
Darnell turned to Weston. “Do you owe her thirty thousand?”
Weston hesitated for a moment before sighing, “Yes, and no.”
Darnell looked puzzled, and Weston shot a glance at Monica before adding, “Yes, I owe her thirty thousand.”
Darnell could tell Weston was hiding something, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he made a phone call and headed straight to the ATM nearby.
He withdrew thirty thousand, then discreetly crushed a pill in his pocket and sprinkled a bit on the cash.
Returning to the center of the commotion, he slammed the money down in front of Monica, saying, “Here’s thirty thousand. Weston’s debt is paid off now.”
Monica was momentarily stunned, seemingly not expecting Darnell to actually give her the money. Once she snapped out of it, she gleefully picked it up and started counting the bills in front of everyone.
Weston moved forward to reclaim the thirty thousand, but Darnell held him back.
Darnell fixed his gaze on Weston. “You owe her thirty thousand, so I’ll pay it for you. It’ll give you and your grandmother some peace.”
“As for this money, you can pay me back when you’re making money in the future.”
Weston gradually calmed down. He wiped the blood from his face and nodded. “Mr. Halford, I’ll pay you back.”
Darnell glanced at Monica again. “She had someone beat you up. Should I take her to the police station?”
Weston shook his head gently. “She was just desperate. Considering our past, let’s give her a chance.”
Darnell nodded and then shouted at Monica, “Is the amount correct? If so, hurry up and leave!”
Monica finished counting the money and snorted, “Alright, I’ll leave. Just don’t provoke me again, or don’t blame me for being rude.”
Although thirty thousand wasn’t much compared to Uriel’s wealth, it was still a significant amount. Besides, she hadn’t planned on getting this money today.
This was a stroke of luck, and Monica felt a bit better as she strutted off.
The three dyed-haired youths quickly regrouped and gritted their teeth, chasing after her.
Just as Monica stepped out of the hospital, her expression suddenly changed, and she clutched her stomach, feeling very uncomfortable. In a panic, she rushed toward the restroom.
The three youths followed closely behind. Moments later, they ran off with Monica’s handbag, and screams echoed from the restroom.
At that moment, Darnell was helping Weston tend to his wounds, then pulled him over to sit on a bench outside. He didn’t ask about the money. Weston didn’t mention it, and he didn’t pry.
“You should be pretty capable, so why do you always let yourself get beaten without fighting back?”
Darnell spoke calmly, “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not encouraging you to fight. I just think you should know how to protect yourself. It’s about being responsible for yourself and your grandmother.”
“Otherwise, if you get beaten to death, your grandmother will starve, too.”
Weston hesitated for a moment before looking sincerely at Darnell and saying, “I promised my grandmother not to fight unless it’s a matter of life and death.”
Darnell’s gaze was steady. “Why?”
Weston’s lips twitched slightly. “I’m afraid I might kill someone again.”
“Again?”
Darnell asked curiously, “Have you killed before? How many?”
Weston nodded slowly, extending his mangled left hand to show three fingers.
Darnell’s mouth dropped open slightly. “Three?”
Weston shook his head.
Darnell was a little surprised. “Thirty?”
Weston’s expression remained calm. “Three hundred.”