Ehtan stepped out of the room, holding his phone in one hand. A cool breeze drifted through the estate, causing the branches of the surrounding trees to sway gently. When he reached the shade of a large tree not far from the building, he stopped and dialed the number back.
Beezzz…
"Hello... Ehtan? It's Dad. Please don't hang up. Just listen to me for a minute."
"I called back because I was willing to listen. What's the matter?"
Ethan asked with a quiet sigh.
"What now? Did Mommy refuse to give you money again, so you're calling me instead? Are you at a casino right now? Or some nightclub?"
A trembling voice came from the other hand.
"N…No, my son. Well…I am at a casino. I came to the Ping Casino you mentioned before. But…Devil Iris people are there. They've caught me."
"What?"
Ethan's expression darkened instantly.
"At Pin Casino? What the hell are you doing there? You went gambling again?"
Before Richard could answer, another unfamiliar voice suddenly interrupted.
"Give it here, old man. You're taking too long."
The moment Ethan heard that voice, his brows furrowed. Resting one hand against the tree trunk, he lowered his gaze toward the ground.
"Who are you?"
"Hahaha…Kakamora, have you forgotten me already?"
The man chuckled.
"It's me. The Left Hand of Devil Iris. It's been a long time since I've seen my little brother's old friend. How have you been?"
His voice was playful, but the hidden hostility underneath was unmistakable.
"I simply told your father that I'd like to meet you after all this time. He misunderstood and keeps saying he's been captured. Isn't that right, Uncle?"
Richard's nervous voice immediately followed.
"Please come, Ethan, they said they'll let me go if you come. They said they have something important to discuss with you. You know them, don't you?"
Ethan rubbed his forehead in frustration.
"Damn it… You've done it again."
He closed his eyes briefly.
"Fine. I'll be there soon. Just wait."
Without another word, he ended the call. A second later, he kicked the tree trunk hard enough to shake several leaves loose. Then he turned and headed toward the garage and climbed into his black Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport. The vehicle's glossy black upper body contrasted sharply with its crimson lower frame and wheels.
The engine roared to life.
Like a streak of red lightning, the supercar shot out of the estate and disappeared down the private road. From the upper balcony of the mansion, Mr. Thorne watched the departing car. He shook his head before turning toward Isabella.
"Isabella, keep an eye on that younger son of yours."
His voice carried clear dissatisfaction.
"Something's wrong with him lately. He's not interested in the family business. He doesn't bother learning how to manage the motel we've already assigned to him. He doesn't focus on his studies either."
Mr. Thorne sighed heavily.
"Once he graduates, he'll be working for the family anyway. He should already be studying the motel operations properly by now. I don't know what's distracting him so much. We've given him everything he could ever want since he was a child. He's becoming impossible to talk to."
Another frustrated sigh escaped him.
"At this rate, he's going to give me high blood pressure. Talk some sense into him. Otherwise, sooner or later we're going to clash head-on."
Isabella offered a gentle smile.
"I'll talk to him, dear. But for now, calm down. Mr. and Mrs. Violet are waiting for us. We planned to visit the orange orchard together, remember?"
Mr. Thorne simply shook his head and walked away. Isabella watched him for a moment before following behind with a quiet sigh. Downstairs, Mr. and Mrs. Violet sat in the living room enjoying tea while waiting.
Meanwhile, Ethan's Bugatti raced down the highway. From a distance, it looked like a crimson beam of light tearing through traffic. After more than an hour of driving, he entered the city. The main roads were crowded with vehicles of every color and size. Turning off the boulevard, he entered a narrower side street. A short distance later, he spotted a brightly illuminated building on the left side of the road. A neon sign above the entrance read:
PING CASINO.
Ethan pulled into the parking lot and parked at the far edge. Stepping out of the car, he adjusted his jacket and looked up at the building for a moment. Then he released a quiet breath and headed inside. The guards stationed at the entrance immediately stepped aside.
"Please, come in, sir."
Their smiles carried traces of mockery. Ethan ignored them completely. Without offering a glance or a smile in return, he entered with a cold expression. Inside, the massive gambling hall buzzed with activity. Rows of gaming tables stretched across the floor. The atmosphere reeked of greed and desperation.
Ethan's gaze swept across the hall only briefly before he walked straight through the crowd.
Ahead stood a staircase, he climbed it calmly. He stopped before a particular room at the end of the corridor. One of the guards stepped forward and opened the door. Ethan entered; the door closed behind him.
The moment he stepped inside; his eyes landed on Richard. His biological father was kneeling in the middle of the room with his hands tied behind his back.
On a sofa nearby sat the Left Hand of Devil Iris. Leaning comfortably against the backrest, the man puffed on a cigar while casually watching something on a laptop. Two more men sat beside him. When he saw Ethan entering, the Left Hand crushed the cigar into an ashtray. He stood up with a grin and extended his hand.
"Well, well... Our old friend finally arrived. I honestly thought you weren't coming. But you showed up anyway."
He laughed.
"Just like the infamous Kakamora. I must admit, your courage is admirable."
Ethan completely ignored the offered handshake. Instead, he curled one corner of his lips upward and sat down calmly in a nearby chair. Crossing one leg over the other, he slowly surveyed the room.
"Why wouldn't I come? You invited me personally. It would've been rude not to."
"Hahaha! Fair enough."
The man laughed loudly.
"Oh, and thank you for the gift."
"What gift?"
"The Ping Casino."
His grin widened.
"You handed it over to us so generously. Business has been excellent."
Ethan simply smirked.
"Get to the point."
"I doubt you dragged me here just to let him go."
He nodded toward Richard.
"So, let's skip the nonsense. I don't have all day."
Throughout the exchange, Richard sat frozen in fear, staring at the two men. Ethan suddenly rose from his chair. Walking over to Richard, he untied the ropes binding his wrists.
"Sit down."
Richard obeyed immediately. Ethan then looked toward the Left Hand.
"I've untied him."
His tone was indifferent.
"You people don't strike me as the type who enjoys bullying helpless old men."
The Left Hand simply smiled. But hidden behind that smile was the unmistakable look of someone planning something far more dangerous than an unpaid debt. For a few moments, silence filled the room. The faint humming sound of the air conditioner mixed with the distant noise of the casino downstairs. Richard sat nervously in his chair. His hands trembled violently. Cold sweat rolled down the side of his face.
"What is?"
"You."
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"Me?"
"Most people don't walk into a Devil Iris territory without backup."
A faint smirk appeared on Ethan's lips.
"Most people aren't me."
The room fell silent again. One of the men sitting beside the Devil Iris executive chuckled. The Left Hand himself nodded slowly.
"Still as arrogant as ever. Still alive because of it."
That answer made several men in the room laugh. The Left Hand rested his elbows on the table.
"Do you know why I called you here?"
"I already told you."
Ethan crossed one leg over the other.
"Because you don't know how to mind your own business."
The man's smile widened.
"Wrong."
"Then enlighten me."
He opened the laptop and turned it toward Ethan. Several photographs appeared on the screen.
"Your former boss surrendered Ping Casino too easily."
"What do you want? You called me here to discuss something. So, discuss it."
Ethan's gaze became colder. The Left Hand slowly leaned forward.
"Mr. Brown is preparing something."