From Nothing to Norton

Chapter 8 Mystery Lady

After giving Mr. Belson a day of rest, Sunday morning arrived.

Mr. Norton, Newton, and Drax made their way down to the cellar to visit their captive.

"...That Lee pig has had a day of rest. He'll need it to endure what he's about to face," Mr. Norton stated, his face devoid of emotion.

Following Mr. Norton, Newton and Drax entered the cellar, with Drax holding a black briefcase.

Approaching the entrance, Mr. Norton pressed his finger on the fingerprint scanner, causing the door to slide open.

Without wasting any time, Mr. Norton handed Newton a cane with a hawk's head, and then retrieved a pair of black leather gloves from his pockets.

Newton watched his father attentively, his curiosity piqued.

Drawing closer to Mr. Norton, Drax opened the black briefcase, revealing its contents to Newton. Inside, he saw a hammer, pliers, a thin wire, a combat knife, and electronic equipment he couldn't identify.

"I've been expecting you since yesterday. What took you so long?" Mr. Belson shouted at Mr. Norton, bursting into hysterical laughter.

"You pigs think you can scare Belson?" he continued in his manic laughter.

*Wham*

Mr. Norton brought the hammer down on Mr. Belson's knee.

Mr. Belson winced in pain, and Drax taunted him, reveling in such moments.

Unable to see Mr. Belson's face due to the black hood, Newton could sense the change in his demeanor as his laughter abruptly ceased.

*Wham*

Mr. Norton struck the second knee twice, eliciting screams of agony from Mr. Belson.

"...Tell me what you Lees have up your sleeve, kidnapping my boy!" Mr. Norton demanded.

"I wasn't the one who did it. I had no knowledge of it," Mr. Belson cried.

"You Lees plan everything. Even the smallest man taking a dump is meticulously orchestrated!" Mr. Norton yelled at the Lee, his anger seething.

*Wham*

Another blow landed on the same knee that had been struck twice before.

"Oh God... at this rate, you'll break my legs!" Mr. Belson pleaded.

"I swear I had nothing to do with this. I know nothing about any plans involving Mr. Newton," he shouted.

"Mr. Newton? How do you know his name?" Drax questioned, now convinced that Mr. Belson was lying.

"...Yes... how did you know my boy's name if you had nothing to do with it?" Mr. Norton interrogated Mr. Belson, hitting him on the leg with the hammer.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Mr. Belson began to weep.

"...Please... I'm begging you. Mr. Lee only used my boys because they were closest to Mr. Newton's location, I swear it..." He sobbed uncontrollably.

Drax spoke up, initiating a discussion on progress. "I thought you claimed to have no knowledge of it," he said.

A wave of discomfort washed over Newton, making him feel queasy. Sensing his unease, he quickly excused himself. "Uh, excuse me, I need to use the restroom. I'll be back shortly."

Apologizing to his son, Mr. Norton interjected, "I'm sorry, but you can't leave at the moment. The door can only be opened twice every twelve hours. We'll all go when it opens next." Unbeknownst to Newton, his father lied to keep him from witnessing further cruelty.

Drax winked and exchanged a knowing smile with Mr. Norton, acknowledging the success of their plan to keep Newton in the room.

Noticing that Mr. Belson's left leg was completely immobile, Newton realized it had gone numb.

Reluctantly, Mr. Belson decided to reveal the truth. "Okay, I'll tell you the truth. Mr. Lee had no knowledge that Mr. Newton was your son. It wasn't intentional. As soon as he found out, he released Mr. Newton," Mr. Belson confessed.

Another blow from the hammer landed on Mr. Belson's knee, eliciting cries of agony. "Oh, my God! My legs are ruined! Ask Mr. Newton if it's not true," he pleaded in pain.

Turning to Newton, Mr. Norton sought confirmation. "Is it true?"

Exhausted by the relentless interrogation, Newton responded, "Yes, it's true. Mr. Lee didn't know who I was. I don't believe he targeted me deliberately."

Drax interjected with skepticism, expressing his disbelief in Mr. Belson's account. "Oh, I'm certain that bastard knew exactly what he was doing, boss. You can't seriously trust the words of that barbarian, can you?"

Mr. Norton contemplated Drax's suggestion, acknowledging the nature of gangsters and their resistance to revealing the truth through mere knee injuries.

Returning the hammer to Drax and removing his gloves, Mr. Norton retrieved his cane from Newton. "Let's leave now," Newton called out to both men, eager to end the torment.

Initially planning to release Mr. Belson upon confirming Mr. Lee's lack of intention, Mr. Norton had a change of heart after considering Drax's suggestion.

Addressing Mr. Belson as he turned away, Mr. Norton declared, "You'll remain here until I extract whatever plan that arrogant son of a bitch has up his sleeve against me."

As they departed, Drax discreetly dropped something onto Mr. Belson's lap before hastening his pace to join Newton and Mr. Norton outside.

Returning to the mansion, Newton and his father found themselves in an upstairs private living room, leisurely watching television.

Mr. Norton lit his cigar and placed his cane on the table, creating an atmosphere of relaxation.

Curiosity piqued, Mr. Norton inquired, "What was that all about, son?"

Confused, Newton responded, "What do you mean?"

"Listen, as a man and as the heir to this empire I've built with sweat and blood, you must discard such weaknesses," Mr. Norton asserted.

Understanding his father's intent, Newton fell silent, grasping the underlying message.

"If you can't endure a little violence, then you're not prepared to inherit this business when I'm gone. A Norton cannot afford to be weak. Our actions are essential for our business. You either possess strength or become trampled. You're either the predator or the prey. There's no room for neutrality. You must be the top dog or accept whatever meager scraps your enemies throw"

"...Do you think I built this fortress out of weakness? These are truly despicable individuals who have committed unspeakable acts. You shouldn't feel any sympathy for them, son," his father asserted.

Newton silently nodded, keeping his gaze lowered. His father was imparting a lecture on why they dealt with their enemies ruthlessly, emphasizing the dire consequences of weakness for both himself and the future of the Norton Corporation. Understanding his father's words, Newton was determined to earn his father's pride.

Leaving his father behind, Newton ascended to the top floor of the building. It was a spacious room adorned with swords displayed against a brick wall, with glass corners providing a view. From a distance, Newton spotted a figure standing at the far end of the hall. The figure appeared to be a woman.

Approaching the person positioned before the crossed swords on the wall, Newton found himself face-to-face with her. However, she didn't turn to acknowledge his presence. She was a tall woman with long, dark hair tied up in a ponytail. Wearing a gray tank top and tight black leggings, she possessed a mannequin-like figure.

"Hello," Newton called out, surprised to encounter a lady in his residence when he believed he had met everyone residing in the mansion. The woman slowly turned around, leaving Newton awestruck. He had never beheld such breathtaking beauty in his life. Her slender physique, accentuated by her gym attire, captivated him.

"I'm Mr. Norton the Second," Newton introduced himself, choosing not to use his real name. The lady remained silent, her gaze penetrating deep into Newton's eyes. After scrutinizing his face as if he were a specimen in a biology class, she extended her hand, and they shook hands.

"It seems you have a fondness for swords, am I correct? You were the only one here in this vast room when I arrived," Newton remarked, trying to initiate a conversation. However, she remained silent.

The lady moved closer to Newton, picked up two swords, and turned around, without warning, throwing one sword at Newton while swinging the other at him.

Caught off guard, Newton's reflexes kicked in, allowing him to grab the swords and block her attack. She launched another strike, which Newton successfully defended.

He noticed that her attacks were deliberate and came one at a time. Blocking her single strike once again, Newton couldn't help but boast, "...Is that all you've got? You appear to be a skilled swordswoman, while I just picked up a sword for the first time. Don't tell me I could defeat you."

The lady shrugged indifferently and immediately launched another assault. Swiftly spinning with the sword in hand, she bewildered Newton with attacks coming from various directions.

As Newton blocked a lighter blow, his jaw rattled from the impact of a solid kick. Realizing that the blocked attack was a decoy, he fell to the ground, his sword sliding away across the floor. From his position on the ground, Newton could see her figure looming over him, silently observing his face with great interest.

After a while, she stepped back and extended her hand. Newton took her hand and stood up. "Please, teach me how to wield a sword," he pleaded. The lady gazed into his eyes for a moment and then nodded in agreement. She started moving toward the window. Newton watched as she began to climb up.

"You didn't tell me your name, and get away from the window, you might fall! This is the fifth floor!" Newton exclaimed, concerned for her safety. She looked at him from the window, put on a face mask, and waved. Shocked by her actions, Newton witnessed the unthinkable—she jumped out of the window!