Chapter 323: The Growth Story of My Sister's Best Friend
"Your best friend is too much of a troublemaker."
Chuck reminded her after the sparring session.
"Don't worry, she knows what she's doing."
Hailey's whole body ached, but she was in good spirits and laughed. "You should know her better than I do, right?"
Chuck didn't deny his knowledge of Hailey's situation, and still reminded her, "You still need to communicate with her properly and keep her in line. And don't reveal family business to her."
"You mean our family's secrets?"
Hailey smiled slyly. "That's why you don't object to Lindsay and me being best friends, right? After all, if Mom and Dad knew the truth about Lindsay's family, they'd definitely have a problem with it."
"Any normal parents would have a problem with it."
Chuck said calmly. "Besides her, you haven't had a single real friend all these years, have you?"
"Can't help it—I'm your sister."
Hailey laughed. "The people around you all have issues. Compared to them, Lindsay is actually pure and normal.
She only seems a little off because of her father.
It's completely different from your associates who all have their own baggage."
Chuck didn't deny it.
Since Hailey had recently become close to, and even been influenced by, some of the girls in her circle, Chuck had naturally already thoroughly investigated Lindsay and her family situation.
This connected to Dr. Reid and his BAU team.
When two girls went missing, the BAU received a request for help from local police and quickly mobilized. Upon arrival, they discovered that one of the girls—Lindsay—and her father were anonymous witnesses under the federal Witness Protection Program.
Lindsay's father, in particular, was involved in a very serious and complicated case, thus receiving a high level of protection.
Before Dr. Reid and his team could shift their focus from the assumption that Lindsay's father was some pervert who'd abducted his daughter's friend, Lindsay's father—already in full vigilante mode—disregarded all rules and regulations and went after anyone involved, gun in hand.
A standard American-style interrogation quickly yielded valuable information that the police would've taken forever to obtain, identifying a thug at school and a blonde man who'd graduated with him.
Turns out Lindsay's friend had been targeted by the thug and the blonde man, invited to their party. Lindsay, unable to talk her friend out of it and fearing for her safety, went along. Ultimately, both were taken.
Lindsay's friend was killed.
Lindsay was kidnapped and brutally beaten. Even her thug classmates were terrified, but Lindsay showed no fear, constantly taunting them that they were screwed.
Lindsay's father didn't disappoint his daughter. Armed with a Texas-style rifle, he found them as quickly as possible.
He swiftly took down one of them, and then—in front of the arriving BAU agents, under Lindsay's loud command—decisively blew the blonde killer's head off.
That's right!
Actually, Lindsay's father hadn't intended to kill anyone after seeing his beloved daughter was unharmed. It was Lindsay who'd witnessed her friend's murder and insisted her father avenge her.
In her eyes, being arrested by the police and avenging her friend were completely different things.
Because her father never hid anything from her, she had a clear understanding of how cold society could be.
In America, the dead have no voice!
And that's the reality.
Even after such an incident, she and her father were simply escorted away by federal marshals, given new identities, and continued their lives without facing any legal troubles or imprisonment for intentional homicide.
If Lindsay hadn't insisted that her father kill the murderer—the blonde man—her friend's death would've been meaningless.
No one would remember her. Instead, the blonde man's so-called rights would've been amplified.
Now her father has killed the blonde man. He's dead, and they're alive. Because her father has immense value to law enforcement, nothing happened to them.
That's just how it works!
If possible, Chuck wouldn't want Hailey to become best friends with someone like Lindsay. It's not that Lindsay has problems, but rather that Lindsay's family has serious baggage.
Although Lindsay's father is like some kind of warrior, satisfyingly taking out the murderer, the guy wasn't a true warrior—he was the kind of traditional American family man who was extremely protective and loving toward his family, but had zero moral boundaries when it came to others.
Even now, as a federal witness, Chuck feels no affinity for someone like that.
But for Hailey, finding a friend or best confidante is incredibly difficult.
Relatively speaking, it makes sense that Lindsay could initially gain Hailey's approval, acceptance, and even influence.
So Chuck didn't stop it.
In their world, a red hoodie stands out, but a single red hoodie is far too vulnerable.
Even with Chuck's training and equipment, possessing superior combat capabilities, you can't make it alone—accidents happen too easily.
Every time they go out, they need a constantly complaining older brother acting like a babysitter. With a crew of red hoodies around, Hailey won't be lonely anymore, and her safety will be much more guaranteed.
In a way, it's natural for Lindsay and Hailey to become friends. They have many things in common, the most notable being their willingness to go to extreme lengths for each other.
Lindsay, needless to say, got into trouble protecting her friend, suffered for it without complaint, and insisted on avenging her friend afterward.
Hailey, while experiencing the butterfly effect of Chuck's influence, hasn't changed much in her core nature. Without Chuck's intervention, she would've already completed her revenge against the monster who wronged her.
Of course, the most crucial reason Chuck didn't stop the friendship is that Hailey is stronger than Lindsay in every aspect. She's the one influencing and shaping Lindsay, not the other way around.
The original Hailey already had the ability to independently find her friend's killer, plan the capture, and torture the vengeful monster both physically and mentally.
Chuck's training and enhancement amplified Hailey's abilities, multiplying them to the point where even Frank—the Punisher, the second son—wondered if he was actually the most normal one in the family.
Lindsay, of course, thought Hailey was awesome and imitated her in every way.
"Keep yourself in check!"
With Anna watching over her, Chuck knew his sister Hailey was sensible, so he gave her a brief instruction and didn't bring up the matter again, heading back inside with Hailey.
Hailey went into her room to apply medicine herself, and when she came out, she made sure Lindsay didn't notice anything wrong—didn't want Lindsay seeing the bruises and confronting Chuck about it.
Yeah.
This was also because Chuck had given Hailey a break, not hitting her in the face this time. Otherwise, while body bruises could be concealed, a swollen face wouldn't be so easy to explain away.
After dinner
Bran looked left and right at Susan, then left and right at Lisa, her expression a mixture of satisfaction and some hesitation.
"Where are you planning to sleep tonight?"
Hailey, without such concerns, asked Bran's unspoken question with a cheerful smile.
"Come to my place."
Susan said with a smile.
"Good idea—otherwise Mom would be upset again if Chuck's heard working out at night."
Hailey teased.
Bran playfully swatted her daughter, a complicated smile on her face. "Then do whatever you want."
Chuck's workouts were intense and brutal. Any mother would feel terrible hearing that.
Fortunately, he had so many warm embraces to offer him comfort and solace.
And honestly, the fact that her daughter Hailey got beat up by her son Chuck the moment they met—covered in bruises yet seemingly enjoying it—was the real reason she finally let it go.
(End of Chapter)
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