Chapter 6 Calling in Reinforcements

• Darius rubbed his flushed cheeks, chuckled self-deprecatingly, glanced at Freya, and then opened the front door to leave.
• Kael had intended to say a few more harsh words, but seeing Darius looking so lost and discouraged, he found himself at a loss for words. The recent exchange pushed their already strained sibling relationship further apart.
• Then, his eyes fell on the corner where the camera was installed. It was his idea to set up the camera to monitor the kids doing their homework and prevent theft. It operated 24 hours a day.
• Kael pulled up the surveillance footage from his phone of the recent incident. Soon, his expression darkened.
• "Babe, what's going on here?"
• "This isn't Darius trying to molest you at all. It's you framing him!"
• "I framed him!" Freya looked devastated. "Who do you think I did it for? Wasn't it for your good?"
• "You're the manager of the supermarket. How do you think people will talk about you if they find out your brother, a rapist, lives with you?"
• "Sigh, I finally understand. No matter how long I've been with you, I can't compare to your brother, your flesh and blood!"
• "Now that you know I framed Darius, do you want to defend him? Come on, hit me, and take revenge for your brother! Come on!"
• Freya's eyes were red, and she felt extremely aggrieved.
• "You ... "
• Kael was furious, feeling his scalp tingle.
• He reached out as if to strike!
• "Kael, don't blame Freya. It was my idea!"
• Aveline stood directly in front of Freya.
• "If you're going to hit someone, hit me!"
• Kael was furious to the point of exploding.
• "I was wondering what you two were up to today, sneaking around. So, you teamed up to plot against your older brother! Accusing him of stealing panties and molesting my wife. Unbelievable!"
• "You two need to apologise to Darius!"
• "Why should I apologise to a rapist?"
• Aveline was indignant. "If it weren't for him, would Mom and Dad have died? Would we be living like this? Should I apologise to him? Is he immune to karma?"
• Gabriel nodded vigorously. "Kael, don't blame Aveline and Freya. When it comes to people like that, no method is too extreme!"
• "You guys ... "
• Kael angrily turned and left the house.
• Soon, he found Darius sitting alone in the garden, smoking.
• "Darius, I'm sorry. I wrongly accused you. It was Aveline and Freya. They didn't understand."
• "Come on, let's go back. I'll make them apologise to you," Kael said.
• "Wait, wait, wait! Please don't do this!"
• Darius quickly refused, "They already hate me enough. Besides, I indeed caused our parents' deaths. No matter how they treat me, I deserve it."
• Kael stayed silent, silently acknowledging Darius's words.
• After a while, Kael said, "I got a bonus today, f7,500 dollars! I'll treat you to a spa as a way for Aveline and Freya to make it up to you."
• Darius smiled gratefully and nodded.
• Darius and Kael relaxed at Tranquil Essence Spa House, sipping coffee and chatting comfortably. It had been a long time since the two brothers had connected like this.
• Snap!
• Kael accidentally knocked over his cup, shattering it on the floor.
• "Oops, there goes the cup," he chuckled.
• He called over a waiter and said, "Hey, we accidentally broke a cup. How much do we owe?"
• "300 bucks," the waiter replied with a smile.
• "300? This cheap cup looks like it's worth two bucks at most! Can't we knock it down a bit?" Kael countered.
• Rather than backing down, the waiter seemed to enjoy the banter, replying, "Less? Okay, then, how about 3,000?"
• Darius instantly felt his blood boil. "Go get your manager!"
• The waiter smirked lazily, "Bringing the manager will cost you 15,000!"
• Darius suppressed his anger and said firmly, "Fine, go get them."
• When the waiter left, he brought two security guards to watch over Darius and Kael, afraid they might run off.
• Kael frowned slightly and said, "Darius, let's pay 300 bucks. I've heard about this place. A big shot in the local mafia owns it. They've got connections with the authorities."
• "Hmm." Darius nodded without committing, but his thoughts were rage-filled. How dare they pull this off under his nose, the revered Five-Star War God of Dragon Nation?
• Meanwhile, the waiter found the boss, Aiden Turner, a burly man standing 6 feet tall with a terrifying scar across his face.
• "Mr. Aiden, these two tough guys broke a cup and refused to pay. They're getting a bit rowdy," the waiter reported.
• Aiden was immediately furious. "How dare they disrespect me and stir up trouble on my ground?"
• The spa house operated in a legal grey zone, heavily connected with influential leaders from Noverian, hence wielding considerable power.
• Aiden had dealt with his fair share of troublemakers before, and he couldn't help but wonder: Were these fools asking for trouble and wishing death upon themselves?
• When he walked into Darius's room, Darius maintained his composure and said, "It appears we've accidentally broken a cup, and the waiter is asking for 300 bucks. Is there any chance we could discuss reducing that amount?"
• This could have all been settled if the other party had been reasonable and asked for less. Unfortunately, things didn't go as hoped.
• "300 bucks?" Aiden furrowed his brow and turned to scold. "Jack, what kind of job are you doing? How could this cup be worth 300 bucks?"
• Darius and Kael's faces brightened slightly.
• "It's 30 thousand dollars!" Aiden's words instantly dropped their hearts to the pit.
• "This is blackmail!" Darius exclaimed, his voice filled with anger.
• "So what if it is?" Aiden banged on the table.
• Crash!
• Dozens of people wielding machetes and baseball bats walked in aggressively. Kael's face turned pale with fear.
• Darius held his temper and said softly, "Alright, I'll give you the money. Come with me to get it. Kael, stay here and keep calm."
• They went downstairs.
• "Can I call my family to bring the money?" Darius asked.
• Aiden chuckled. "Sure, do as you like."
• Confident in his influence and backed by over a hundred friends, Aiden felt no fear, even if Darius brought reinforcements. He was prepared to demand more money if needed.
• Darius remained stoic as he stepped aside and placed a call. "Green Dragon, mobilise a reconnaissance battalion from the Noverian Garrison for me! Fully armed, and make it quick!"