Chapter 7

Jasper now had three of his limbs broken—only his right hand could still move.

Leo didn't let him die, nor did he allow him to pass out. He had his own ways to keep Jasper fully conscious, forced to endure every second of pain.

"L-Let me go…" Jasper's mind was already slipping from the torment. His greatest regret now was coming here to provoke Leo.

If he had known Leo had become this terrifying, he would've spent more money to hire stronger fighters. He never would've come in person to face this monster.

Standing above him, Leo looked down coldly. "Do you know why I left you one hand? Call your brother—Bryan. Tell him to come save you. Anyone from your family can come. Bring as many as you like. I'll be right here waiting."

Jasper trembled as he fumbled for his phone. Leo didn't worry about him escaping. Instead, he walked to the side and suddenly kicked Jasper's car.

With a thunderous bang, the black sedan slid nearly two meters across the pavement, leaving a deep dent in its side.

Holy—

Was he even human? How could one kick carry that much force? If that had landed on a person, who could possibly survive it?

The group of thugs lying on the ground had originally planned to get up once the pain eased. With six of them together, they might have stood a chance. But after seeing that kick, all of them froze. Not one dared to move.

Leo walked back to the red Cayenne and said to Julia, "Aunt Julia, you and Sophia should leave first. I'll deal with this."

After crippling Jasper like this, Bryan would definitely arrive prepared. A real fight was coming, and having two women nearby would only tie him down.

Since Sophia had managed to protect his aunt for so many years, clearly the Kirk family still hesitated to touch the Cameron family. Staying away from him was the safest place for them.

Julia held his hand. "Leo, I know you're not the same as before. You can handle the Kirk family now. But you must remember—you're the Sterling family's last hope. No matter what happens, you cannot go back to prison. Keep your final bit of reason."

"I know." Leo squeezed her hand and gave her a reassuring look before turning toward Sophia. "Sophia, about what happened just now—"

"Hmph!" Before he could finish, Sophia slammed on the accelerator. The Cayenne roared and shot forward.

Sophia… was actually holding a grudge.

Leo didn't care. He watched the red Cayenne disappear out the gates of the funeral home, then turned back to Jasper. With a flick of his foot, he hooked Jasper's ankle, grabbed it, and dragged him to the battered sedan.

Jasper screamed in agony but couldn't break free. When Leo finally dropped him, he grit his teeth and cursed, "You bastard—you're dead! Kill me if you've got the guts! If you don't, even if you run to the ends of the earth, my family will never let you go!"

Leo tried to sit in the back seat, but the half-open door was in the way. Annoyed, he simply kicked the door clean off and sat down, planting his foot on Jasper's head.

"Who said I was going to run?"

Having his head crushed under a filthy shoe, the sole grinding into his face—Jasper had never been humiliated like this. The fury burning in his chest even dulled the pain a little.

Gritting his teeth, he spat, "A man may die, but he can't be humiliated! You bastard, kill me if you—"

His words cut off with a strangled sound as Leo stomped harder, smashing his lips against his teeth. He couldn't even scream.

Leo sneered. "'A man'? What the hell are you compared to that? Even if I humiliate you, what can you do? Your life is worth less than an ant to me. I'm not killing you because death would be too easy. Every Kirk family dog who took part in what happened will pay—fully."

Just then, the phone in Jasper's trembling hand began to ring.

He hurried to answer it and shoved it toward Leo. "D-Do you dare take his call?!"

Exactly what he'd been waiting for.

Leo's lips curled slightly. "Put it on speaker."

Jasper pressed the speakerphone button.

Leo said coldly, "Bryan, you're still not here? If you don't hurry up, Jasper won't even be able to move a single finger again."

A cold, venomous voice snapped through the phone.

"Leo, you've grown bold. Fresh out of prison and already picking fights with my family. You're lucky I'm not in Kingston right now—otherwise I'd have a hundred ways to kill you. Send Jasper to the hospital. Then kneel at the gates of the Kirk family estate for three days and three nights. When I return, I'll decide whether to spare you."

"Finished farting?" Leo crushed his heel harder into Jasper's skull. "When you get back, head straight to the hospital to visit him. And while you're there, book yourself a bed too."

Jasper's screams pierced through the phone. He tried pushing the foot off his head with his remaining hand, but it was like trying to move a mountain.

Bryan roared from the other end, "Leo! I'll kill you! Stop torturing Jasper! My men will be there soon—you're dead!"

Leo lifted his foot, glanced at Jasper's blood-smeared face, wiped his shoe on the ground, then crouched beside Jasper and grabbed his right hand.

"Bryan, I'll give you a chance to buy his life. I'll send you a bank account. Pay whatever you think he's worth. If I'm satisfied, he lives. If I'm not—he dies."

Bryan let out a humorless laugh. "You dare extort me? Did you forget who I—"

Crack.

"AH—MY FINGER!"

A crisp snapping sound echoed through the phone, followed by a blood-curdling scream.

Bryan froze. "Leo! Let go of Jasper! I'm going to kill you!"

But the screaming only grew louder, rawer—something beyond human.

"Fine! I'll pay!" Bryan finally yelled.

The screams subsided a little. Leo sent over a bank account number.

Bryan said through gritted teeth, "Show me his condition. Now."

Leo obliged. He snapped a photo and sent it.

The moment Bryan opened it, his breath nearly stopped.

He knew Jasper was suffering—he hadn't expected this. It looked like Jasper had been tortured into something barely resembling a person.

"LEO!" Bryan's roar tore through the speaker, filled with hatred—and fear. How had that foolish boy from years ago become someone so ruthless?

Forcing himself to steady his breathing, Bryan said, "I'll give you ten thousand. Let him go."

A mocking laugh came through the phone.

Then—

AAGGGHHHH—!

The scream that tore through the speaker was different. It wasn't just pain; it was the sound of something fundamental being violated, ripped away.

"STOP! FOR GOD'S SAKE, LET HIM GO!" Bryan shouted.

His phone vibrated. A new message.

With trembling fingers, Bryan opened the image.

It was a close-up of a severed finger. It wasn't a clean cut. The end was a ragged mess of torn tendons, shredded flesh, and splintered bone, as if it had been twisted and pulled until it gave way.