Chapter 3 Kneel And Apologize

• “You—” Python was about to speak, but an overwhelming force exerted on his wrist abruptly cut off his words, turning them into a shrill scream. “Let go of me. Let go of me, you little rascal!”
• He hastily struck Finnegan's arm with his other hand, but it was to no avail.
• “Remember this,” Finnegan said, “anyone who dares to cause trouble in the Larkin residence will be crawling out from now on.” With that, he landed a punch on Python's stomach with his left hand.
• Python felt as if he was hit by a truck.
• He, a hulking man who weighed nearly two hundred pounds, was astonishingly sent flying with a single punch.
• Python slowly propped himself up against the wall, his right hand still clutching his stricken belly. A ferocious look appeared on his face, yet his body couldn't help but shudder involuntarily.
• “Kid, where are you from? I work for Mr. Killian! You've ruined his plans today. I'll definitely report this back to him. You're as good as dead!” Python shouted, his neck stiff.
• The chill in Finnegan's eyes intensified. It was this very Mr. Killian who had forced him into leaving his home in the first place.
• “Kneel and apologize!” Finnegan commanded, staring into Python's eyes.
• “You—” Python wanted to say something else, but suddenly he saw a fruit knife pressed against his own throat, which scared him into swallowing his words immediately.
• “I said, kneel and apologize!”
• Python hesitated for a moment, but upon seeing Finnegan's icy gaze, he could only kneel on the ground.
• “I'm sorry...”
• “Get lost!” Finnegan waved his hand dismissively.
• Python gave Finnegan a malicious glance, then limped away.
• Finnegan dropped the fruit knife, turned to look at his mother, and said, “Mom, I'm back.”
• “You're finally back.” Tears welled up in Quiana's eyes. Seeing such a drastic change in her son, she had many questions. But no matter what happened, it's no longer important as long as my son is back.
• Even though their family was in dire straits, they believed that as long as they were together, they could overcome anything.
• “Right, you haven't met your dad yet. Hurry in.” Quiana quickly released Finnegan. “Desmond! Finny has returned.”
• Pulling his mother into the courtyard, Finnegan was just about to greet his father, Desmond Larkin, when a jolt went through his heart. He rushed over, crouching down. “Dad, what happened to you?”
• In his recollections, his father was a gentle and sophisticated schoolteacher, always thorough and organized. However, now his hair had whitened and his body had become frail and thin. He reclined on a lounge chair, his face bearing the signs of illness.
• “You're back!” Desmond was overcome with tears of joy, wanting to reach out and touch his son's face but he couldn't. “That's all that matters. Don't ask or worry about anything else. Let's live our lives well as a complete and happy family.”
• Finnegan grasped Desmond's hand and placed it on his own face. He wanted to understand the whole story.
• “Dad, tell me, how did you end up like this? And what's the deal with Python?”
• When he left home, his family was in good health and the house didn't exhibit the current signs of poverty and desolation.
• “Desmond, Finny will find out sooner or later. Just tell him,” Quiana said, wiping her tears.
• As it turned out, after Finnegan was forced to leave, Killian still refused to let things rest. He brought people to the Larkin residence, demanding that they pay one million for the medical expenses incurred from the injuries Finnegan had inflicted on him.
• Under the pressure of the Chomsky family's influence, the Larkin family had to sell their possessions and borrow money and managed to gather over four hundred thousand. For the remaining five hundred thousand, they could only beg Killian for an extension of the deadline.
• However, Killian later proclaimed that the outstanding debt could be settled by the father on behalf of his son. As a result, Desmond was assaulted to the point of incapacitation and remained paralyzed for the past five years.
• The Mr. Killian that Python mentioned was none other than Killian Chomsky, the very person who had forced Finnegan to leave his home and brought about the downfall of the Larkin family. The company developing this area was Tristan Properties, a subsidiary of the Chomsky family's Tristan Group.
• For this reason, while other families had fifteen thousand, their family only had four thousand.
• Finnegan did not expect Killian to not give up after his departure. In frustration, he slammed his fist onto the small table next to him, causing it to crack instantly.
• “He's trying to kill us. I won't let him get away!” Pausing for a moment, Finnegan added coldly, “And that girl is such an ingrate. If I had known, I wouldn't have saved her!”
• “You mean Bernice Zimmerman from Firebird Group?” Quiana, holding Finnegan's hand, explained, “You've misunderstood! She came looking for you, but you weren't home. She wanted to give fifty million as a token of gratitude, but you know how your father is. He doesn't want to force her to reciprocate your kindness. Apart from accepting her financial support for Rhia's education, he rejected everything else.”
• “She's the daughter of the Zimmerman family from Firebird Group?”
• Finnegan could only recall that the girl he had saved was very beautiful, but he was unaware of her identity.
• Quiana nodded. “She's a good girl. Seeing that we didn't want her money, she would come to visit us almost every month, helping us solve some troubles. She's far from being an ingrate!”
• Realizing that he had misunderstood, Finnegan said, “At least she has some conscience.”
• “But good people often don't get rewarded.”
• Over a month ago, Bernice suddenly fainted and had not awakened since.