“Dad, what took you so long?” Candace asked as she saw Linford walk downstairs, looking tired, “The dinner is gonna begin. We thought you didn’t want to eat.”
“What are you talking about, sweetie? How can I ever miss dinner?” Linford crouched down a bit and carried the little girl in his arms.
They went to the dining hall, and Linford looked up and saw Cristelle. She looked back at him confusingly. Her face was still as innocent and beautiful as before. Linford walked over and left a kiss on her cheek.
Candace laughed and shouted, “Lovebirds!”
“Candace! Where did you learn that?” Cody was not happy hearing his sister learn this kind of thing too early.
Drew whistled.
Fritzi, however, suddenly covered her mouth and ran toward the bathroom. The sound of retching her guts out followed the next moment.
Linford looked a bit awkward, “She didn’t have to act like that, did she?”
Cristelle slapped his arm gently, “Fritzi has been feeling sick since a while ago. This is not funny.”
And then, she walked over to the bathroom to check out on her best friend.
Drew looked a bit anxious. He knew it would make him look like a stalker if he went to check out on Fritzi, but he went to the bathroom anyway.
Cristelle was patting Fritzi’s back gently as she vomited. Drew just stood there, looking a bit clueless.
Cristelle didn’t notice Drew’s presence as she asked, “What’s wrong, hon? I thought you were feeling better lately. Do we need to go to the hospital?”
Fritzi shook her head, her face pale, “I always do this when I’m under stress. It’s been pretty busy lately. I don’t think I have the strength to enjoy the dinner… even if it is undoubtedly delicious. I need to get some meds at home.”
“What meds do you need? I brought my kit in my car.” Drew cleared his throat as he uttered that.
Fritzi turned around and saw Drew standing beside the door frame. She somehow went a bit embarrassed as she noticed the concerned look on Drew’s face, “You don’t have to, Doctor. I’m just a bit tired. And I really want to go back home and have some rest.”
After noticing her pale face, Cristelle didn’t know how to make Fritzi stay.
Stop it… You’re stepping across the line, stupid! Drew scolded himself in silence.
“Do you want me to drive you back then? I believe you’re a bit drunk,” Drew instead presented before he lost his chance to send Fritzi back home.
“Send me home when you’re as drunk as me? I don’t think so,” Fritzi stood up and walked past him, shoulder slightly brushing Drew’s as she walked toward the door, “Cristelle, could you tell Pop and the other guys that I left earlier? Sorry for leaving so soon, but I really need to go back and get some sleep.”
Cristelle can’t force Fritzi to stay, saying, “Of course,” she can only agree to Fritzi’s request as Fritzi hurried to leave the house as if some monster was chasing her.
Drew let out a bitter smile standing there speechless.
The air between Drew and Fritzi was quite weird, but Cristelle couldn’t change it. She can’t figure out a way to help them fix it.
“You know…” Cristelle cleared her throat as she approached Drew, “Linford’s company has gone through a lot lately. Fritzi’s leading her department, and she’s fairly stressed out, obviously. She didn’t mean to act like that. She’s just exhausted.”
Drew forced out a smile, “Thank you, Cristelle.”
****
After the dinner, Linford sent Enzo a call. He left the mansion the next morning, leaving the safety of Cristelle and the babies to Drew and Alfred, “Please make sure everyone’s safe when I’m away. I have something to deal with in another city.”
The memories unsealed last night were not entirely useless. Linford remembered that, except for his phone, he also left a USB drive behind the mirror of the room where he and Cristelle had shared the first night.
It was a piece of powerful evidence if no one had ever found it.
Linford went directly to Barnett’s hotel after getting to the city. The Barnett hotel was suspended from operating as the crimes Barnett family committed broke out. But Linford managed to get in using his connections.
Enzo didn’t wait in the city after the call. He hired a jet to pick Linford up from the hotel.
“Did you bring a laptop?” Linford asked the minute he got on the jet.
“Yep,” a child’s voice answered as Cody whipped out a mini laptop.
Linford was annoyed when he saw his son on the jet. He had been traumatized after Cody helped him to dodge the bullet when they saved Betty.
“What the heck is the boy doing here, Enzo?” Linford growled.
“Don’t talk to your older brother like that,” Cody frowned, “It was my decision. I don’t want you to be alone while doing these dangerous things.”
“Enzo!” Linford clenched his teeth.
Enzo laughed awkwardly, “Sorry. Cody’s too smart. I couldn’t persuade him.”
“You’re spoiling him!”
“You’re being too scared, bro,” Enzo frowned, “Your son is a genius. He will be fine.”
Linford didn’t know how to persuade them. He shook his head defeatedly and took the laptop away from Cody, inserting the drive.
Two people showed up on the screen. One of them was Mr. Johnson. The other was the person Enzo and Linford couldn’t be more familiar with.
“How…” Enzo’s mouth dropped open in surprise, “How could it be him?”
Cody had never seen this look on his uncle’s face before. Enzo was always composed and calm. He seldom showed his real emotions, no matter how shocked he was.
Linford also looked a bit pale.
“How could he be with Mr. Johnson, Linford? Where did you get this?” Enzo suppressed his anger.
Before Linford could say anything, however, a call suddenly came in. Linford swallowed and picked it up. A metallic voice was clear through the speaker.
“Destroy that drive. Or your family will burn in hellfire.”
Enzo and Linford exchanged a look. They had settled heavy guards around the mansion before they left.
But if this man wanted to do anything.
There was nothing they could do to stop him.
“Would you let us go if we destroy it, sir?” Enzo asked, clenching his teeth.
“You know me, Enzo. I’m a man of my word.”