Chapter 4

Jordan pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello. I want you to gather a few men to drop by the cardiology department in the municipal hospital. The woman you're looking for is in Ward 302. She's my aunt, Elise Cutterson. That's right. Bring her to the kitchens of the Grand Empire Hotel."

There was a loud buzzing noise in my ears.

They were actually going to the hospital to abduct Mom!

…

Half an hour later, a group of hooligans strode through the kitchen doors, pushing a woman in a wheelchair.

It was Mom. Her complexion was deathly pale, and she was still wearing an oxygen mask.

"Mom!" I shouted hoarsely.

Mom began panting heavily when she noticed the bloody state I was in. "What happened to you, Caleb?"

Aunt Valerie grabbed a fistful of Mom's hair and exclaimed, "Take a good look at your dear son! He got caught stealing 80,000 dollars from Mr. Langdon and was punished for it!"

"That's impossible! Caleb's not a thief!" Mom exclaimed while shaking her head wildly.

Uncle Steve shot an icy look at her. "Mr. Langdon wants Caleb to pay him 800,000 dollars as compensation, but Caleb refuses to sign the promissory note. If he still refuses to sign the note, we'll just have to take your life instead!"

Mom's eyes widened in fear. "800,000 dollars?"

She suddenly pressed a hand to her chest and began coughing violently.

"Mom!"

I wanted to rush over to her, but Kevin still had me trapped under his foot.

Meanwhile, Dominic was sitting nearby. He impatiently rapped his knuckles against the table and said, "Hurry up. I don't have time to watch you put on a pitiful act."

Uncle Steve grabbed the promissory note and screamed, "Sign it! I'll yank off her oxygen mask if you don't!"

"Don't you dare lay a single finger on Mom!" I shouted.

I struggled wildly, but I still couldn't free myself from beneath Kevin's foot.

"Your threats don't scare me!" Aunt Valerie exclaimed with a scoff.

She then ripped the oxygen mask clean off Mom's face. Not only that, but she also slipped her hand into Mom's pocket and pulled out her nitroglycerin pills.

"Give them back!" I roared.

Mom's face started to turn purple from lack of oxygen. She looked like she was in immense pain as she clutched her chest. She fell back against the wheelchair as her body spasmed uncontrollably.

Uncle Steve strode over to me and stepped on my face. He dangled the bottle of pills in front of me and asked with a wicked smile, "Are you going to keep being stubborn, Caleb? I'll return the pills to you if you sign the promissory note."

"Stop wasting your breath on him, Steve," Aunt Valerie said impatiently. "The old hag's not going to last another minute."

My heart felt as if it was tearing apart as I watched Mom's eyes roll into the back of her head, her breathing slowly turning weak.

My pride and reluctance was completely worthless when Mom's life was hanging in the balance.

"I-I'll sign it," I mumbled as I stared at Mom's deathly pale face, my heart aching terribly.

I bit my finger until I drew blood and left my bloody fingerprint on the note.

I scrambled over to Mom and stuffed the pills into her mouth with quivering hands. The tension drained out of my body as I watched her weak and labored breathing even out.

I thought I was going mad as humiliation, fury, and hatred raged within me. I held Mom tightly, digging my nails into my palms.

Meanwhile, Uncle Steve offered the promissory note to Dominic with a pleased expression. "Here you go, Mr. Langdon."

Dominic glanced at the note and flicked it. "That's enough. I'll be taking him away now. Throw him into the underground boxing ring, Kevin."

A sudden burst of strength surged through Mom at that moment. She threw herself off the wheelchair and grabbed Dominic's leg. "Please have mercy on my son, Mr. Langdon! We'll pay our debt to you! We can sell our house for the money!"

"Get out of my way!" Dominic exclaimed, kicking Mom aside.

Mom crashed to the ground and fainted on the spot.

"Mom!"

I struggled wildly against Kevin, managing to break free from his grasp as I rushed to Mom's side.

"Who's she trying to fool by playing dead?" Aunt Valerie asked mockingly. "Take them away!"

I turned to glare at Uncle Steve, Aunt Valerie, and Jordan, searing their faces into my mind.

"Steve Cutterson, Valerie Dane, and Jordan Cutterson. I'll make the three of you pay a thousandfold for what you did to Mom and me today."

Kevin grabbed me by the scruff and dragged me outside.

I didn't struggle. Instead, I made a vow to myself as I watched the paramedics haul Mom into the ambulance.

I was going to end Uncle Steve, Aunt Valerie, and Jordan in the near future.