Chapter 8 Deception

• The next morning, Finnian awoke at the crack of dawn, a habit ingrained in him during his time in Dragon Team. With disciplined determination, he dedicated his early hours to practicing and honing his skills, always striving for perfection.
• Opulence Residences, tucked away in the lively heart of Newcove, was a high-end neighborhood also known as a discreet place for housing mistresses. Here, many well-to-do folks kept their secret lovers and mistresses hidden away from prying eyes.
• In a room on the ninth floor of a certain building, Albert held a petite and captivating woman in his arms. They pressed up against each other intimately, engaged in a passionate moment.
• Bang! Bang! Bang!
• Abruptly, there came a series of knocks at the door.
• “Who is it? D*mn it, how annoying...” Albert grumbled irritably, dishing out a string of colorful curses.
• “I'm from property management. Here to inspect the gas pipeline for safety,” came the clear response from outside.
• After a long while, Albert begrudgingly threw on his sleeping robe, while the enchanting woman quickly dressed herself and opened the door.
• “Do what you need to do and leave,” Albert snapped impatiently, sinking into the couch. His morning indulgence had been abruptly interrupted, explaining his foul mood.
• With a cold smirk, Finnian stepped forward, delivering a swift kick to Albert, sending him tumbling off the couch.
• “Ouch!” Albert yelped in pain, struggling to rise from the couch, his movements unsteady from the effects of alcohol. “Who the h*ll do you think you are, hitting me like that? Are you looking for trouble?”
• “I'm going to hit you again. What can you do about it?” With a swift slap from Finnian, Albert was sent crashing into the coffee table. Blood sprayed in all directions, and two of his front teeth, stained crimson, were sent flying out of his mouth.
• “Who are you, and what do you want?” Albert asked in terror, his eyes wide with fear as he looked at Finnian, finally realizing that something was amiss.
• “My name is Finnian Lambert. Remember the person you hit with your car? She was my mother, and I'm here to seek justice for her,” Finnian declared, his voice trembling with anger as he spoke. He kicked Albert in the face until blood was all over it, making him look ghastly. The woman beside him screamed in terror before fainting from the shock.
• “Please, Mr. Lambert, I'm sorry! Spare me, I beg of you...” Albert pleaded, wailing in anguish.
• “Foolish people like you will never admit your mistakes until you're taught a lesson.” Finnian spat and kicked Albert one last time before finally stopping.
• “Yes, it's all my fault...” Albert whimpered, trembling as he curled into a fetal position, tears mixing with blood streaks on his face, too terrified to even breathe loudly.
• “Take some money to Sunshine Residences in the Northern District and offer a sincere apology to my mother. Then, we can put this behind us. But if you try anything funny, I swear I'll make your life a living hell,” Finnian stated icily. While Albert's actions were reprehensible, Finnian had already taught him a severe lesson. If Albert could acknowledge his wrongdoing and mend his ways, Finnian was prepared to forgive him and move on.
• “Yes, I will go apologize right away.” Albert shuddered and nodded fervently, appearing sincere. Satisfied with his response, Finnian strode away.
• On his way home, Finnian took a detour to pick up some traditional medicine.
• “Finn, what took you out so early?” Yvonne inquired with curiosity as Finnian returned.
• “I went to fetch some traditional medicine for Mom,” Finnian replied, gently shaking the medicine in his hand. Despite his mother's condition stabilizing, she remained quite frail. Finnian had procured a blood-nourishing medicine for her to take both in the morning and evening, hoping it would expedite her recovery.
• “Where's Dad? Is he not at home?” Finnian asked, looking around.
• “Dad is at work.”
• Yvonne was still a student, while Finnian had recently been discharged from the military and was currently without a job. Their mother, on the other hand, was still in the process of recuperating. The entire family's financial well-being relied heavily on Nathan. Without Nathan's steady income, their family of four would go hungry.
• “Finn, I've been thinking... I don't want to go to school anymore. I want to work and help Dad,” Yvonne expressed after a brief pause. Their family's situation, though not lavish, had been manageable until their mother's car accident. Since then, their father had resorted to borrowing money at exorbitant interest rates, increasing the family's financial strain. With summer vacation drawing to a close and the new school year on the horizon, the looming issue of Yvonne's tuition fees weighed heavily on her mind. She was determined not to add to her family's financial troubles.
• “Yvonne, don't worry too much,” Finnian reassured, giving his sister's shoulder a comforting pat. “Just concentrate on your studies. I'll take care of the financial side of things. I promise to ensure a comfortable life for you and our parents.”
• “Alright.” Yvonne nodded, feeling a weight lifted off her shoulders with Finnian's comforting words. They gave her renewed determination to continue with her studies.
• Later, Finnian administered the medicine to Jennifer.
• Bang! Bang! Bang!
• Three knocks sounded at the door, and Finnian went to open it. Standing before him were three policemen, with one of them being the leader. He had a long face and looked to be in his thirties, slightly older than the other two.
• “He's the one we're looking for. Take him away!” he ordered, taking a look at the photo on his phone. The other two officers behind him produced handcuffs.
• Finnian's muscles tensed as he regarded the policemen with a wary gaze. “Who are you?”
• “I'm Miguel, the squad leader of the Northern District Police Department's Public Safety Division,” the long-faced policeman introduced himself, holding out his credentials for Finnian to inspect. “Someone has accused you of intentional injury. We need you to come with us to the station for an investigation.”
• “Who accused me, Albert?” Finnian's expression changed. The sudden arrival of the police just as he returned home left little doubt in his mind that Albert was behind this.
• Well played, Albert.
• Finnian seethed with anger. He had been magnanimous, giving Albert a chance to turn over a new leaf. However, instead of coming to apologize as promised, Albert called the police on him. It was a despicable act.
• “Save your words for the station,” ordered one of the officers as they cuffed Finnian. It would've been easy for Finnian to overpower them with his combat skills, but now, stripped of his military status, he was just an ordinary citizen. Despite his frustration, he knew that he was obligated to abide by the law. Hence, he acquiesced, giving up on resisting.
• The commotion in the living room caught Yvonne and Jennifer's attention. They emerged from the room, with Yvonne supporting Jennifer.
• “Officer, what has my son done? Why are you taking him away?” Both Yvonne and Jennifer were taken aback when they saw Finnian apprehended.
• “He's suspected of intentional assault. We need to take him in for questioning,” Miguel stated firmly.
• “Mom, Yvonne, don't worry. This is all a misunderstanding. I'll be fine,” Finnian reassured them before he was escorted away by the police. Left behind were his anxious mother and sister, both at a loss for what to do.