Chapter 4

The atmosphere became tense once again.

"I know that you're strong and can take care of yourself. But you should be mindful of what you say if you do not want to get Chloe and I into trouble." Claire who had been silent the whole time, suddenly butted in.

"Stay out of this, Claire." Chloe warned, glancing at her briefly.

Claire had a lot of reasons to hate Ethan. And for the past six years, she had spent every night cursing him for ruining the blissful life she and Chloe had.

Just like everyone, she believed he was dead, but she also harbored the thought that he might be alive somewhere and would probably return someday to take his family out of their misery.

However, the Ethan she was looking at looked no different from the Ethan of six years ago. Except that he was more confident now. She should've prayed for him to wind up dead instead.

Chloe's warning made her grit her teeth in anger, but she agreed and went silent again.

"Why should she when she's saying the truth? You may not care about anyone or yourself, but I hope you know your daughter's reputation will be ruined if she's kicked out of the William family because of your actions?" Lewis scoffed.

Ethan paid no heed to Lewis as he had his eyes pinned on Jonas.

There was something dark and menacing in his gaze that Jonas couldn't shake off. He almost took a step backward before he recalled everyone was looking at him to teach Ethan a lesson.

"Are you sure you want to offend the Kendrick family, Mr. Black?"

"Offend? You say it like it's something I should take seriously." Ethan chuckled darkly and this time, a chill ran down Jonas' spine causing him to subconsciously take a step backward.

Realizing what he did, a deep frown slowly formed on his face and he took out his phone determined to end the farce between him and Ethan.

"I'm willing to overlook everything you've done this afternoon, Mr. Black, including how you tore up my cheque which I gifted to you if only you bend a knee in apology." He said and began dialing a number. "Otherwise don't blame me for being rude."

The Kendrick family was a known family in Springdale. They were known for importing and exporting goods in and out of Springdale. To have their goods arrive and leave safely, it was compulsory to be involved in the underworld.

So it was safe to say they had a few people they could call on to ensure the safe passage of their goods whilst greasing their palms. And if anyone was caught trying to steal from them, those people wouldn't hesitate to get rid of them.

In addition to that, those people also served as protection for the Kendrick family. One they could always call on at any time of the day.

Jonas was the heir of the Kendrick family which meant he had access to those people.

Chloe didn't know how strong Ethan was, and even if she was yet to forgive him for leaving six years ago, she didn't want the father of her daughter to die on his first day back at Springdale because he offended the wrong person.

"Mr. Kendrick, Ethan just returned to them. I'm sure he didn't mean to be rude to you. I ask that you please let him off. On my behalf." She apologized on his behalf.

"It's exactly because of you that I'm not asking for his head, Chloe. All I ask is that he bend a knee. I don't care how long he stays on his knees, as long as he gets on his knees and apologize to me for insulting me and my family."

Ethan felt a tickle in his heart seeing Chloe step forward for the nth time that afternoon. His mind briefly darted to six years ago when she'd defend him from the William family even though her life was ruined because of him.

"Just this one time, I beg that you let him off and he'll never step on your toes again." Chloe pleaded.

A look of satisfaction flashed past Jonas' eyes hearing her.

"Well, I suppose I can let him off this time. But that's if you sign the engagement agreement." He shrugged.

"I'm a married woman, Mr. Kendrick. The agreement will be null." Chloe stated matter-of-fact.

"It will be legal once you sign the divorce agreement. Trust me when I say being Mrs. Kendrick will be the best that would ever happen to you." Jonas retorted and extended the engagement agreement towards her.

Ethan didn't give Chloe any time to contemplate the offer as he placed a hand on her shoulder and gently assured. "I'll take care of this. You don't have to worry about me."

Chloe glanced at the veiny hand on her shoulder, then trailed it up to his face. "I'm not worried about you."

Ethan revealed a small smile recalling that Lewis did mention he had a daughter. He didn't want to think much about it until he had this situation handled. So he merely nodded at her.

"Stepping up to your role as a man. That's more like—Owww!" Lewis' mocking words immediately shifted to that of a painful scream as Ethan leisurely kicked his other leg, sending him tumbling to the floor.

"You're not apologizing, are you?" Jonas scoffed in realization.

"I didn't do anything, Mr. Kendrick. I don't apologize when I'm not wrong." Ethan replied blandly.

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that." Jonas tutted and quickly sent a message from his phone. "You still have five minutes to rethink your decision. Five minutes until you're not bound in a wheelchair."

Ethan's lips curved into an "Oh."

"A wheelchair. I take it you intend to cripple me."

"Yes, but you still have your legs for…four minutes. That's enough time to bend your knees and apologize to me." Jonas nodded, glancing at his time.

"You still haven't answered my question, though. What would your family do if I sent you back to them all battered up and half-dead?" Ethan asked again, the corners of his lips spasming.

"I don't know where you get your confidence from, but you should know that nothing can save you from me right now." Jonas huffed, and glanced at his time again.

As soon as he finished speaking, they heard the sound of tires screeching outside.

"Your time is up. I'll be sure to get you a beautiful wheelchair. I'm that magnanimous." Jonas added with a light smile.

"I know you told me to let you handle the situation, but if you don't leave right now, you really are going to be bound in a wheelchair for the rest of your life once they come up here!" Chloe panicked, dragging him by the hand.

"You don't have to worry about them coming up, because they won't." Ethan turned to her and assured.

No sooner had he finished speaking did they hear someone climbing up the stairs.

Jonas immediately revealed a smug smile. "I did tell you your confidence won't save you from me, didn't I?"

"Comman—Ethan, I have some younglings outside. What do I do with them?" Kane asked as soon as he got up.

Kane had changed out of his military uniform and was dressed in a black shirt and matching khakis just like Ethan.

The first face he saw was Chloe's face. A face he had seen everyday for the past five years. He almost rushed up to her in excitement before something else caught his attention.

Once he got closer to Jonas, he swiftly threw out a leg against both of his.

Jonas was quickly brought to his knees before he knew what was going on. He was about to get back on his feet when a strong hand pressed him down by his shoulders.

"Are you tired of living? How dare you stand so close to Ethan Black?" Kane sneered angrily.

As someone who spent most of his time on the battlefield, Kane was exercising a lot of patient not slicing open Jonas' throat.

Ethan was aware of his love for violence and blood, so on their way to Stellar Corporation, he found it necessary to give this friend turned brother of his a pep talk with one permanent order; do not kill anyone, but you can have your fun beating them up.

That order was the reason Kane found himself climbing up the stairs to ask Ethan what to do with the people he had beaten up.

Furthermore, no one dared to say anything because unlike Ethan, he did nothing to restrain the ghastly aura around him. Hence, he struck fear in all of them.

"Tell your psychopath friend to let go of me!" Jonas hissed and groaned in pain.

Kane was applying an intense amount of pressure on his shoulder. Or so Jonas thought. In reality, Kane was only using 1 percent of his strength.

Ethan walked closer to Jonas and raised his foot to kick him. "Remember when I asked you what your family would do if you returned to them battered up and half-dead?"

A horrified look immediately appeared in Jonas' eyes. "Y-you won't dare!"

"At first, I didn't want to. But from the look of things, it appears you've been harassing my wife a lot. You've always been calling my daughter a bastard and most importantly, you're too haughty. I despise haughty people." Ethan listed out. Each reason he gave earned Jonas a gentle looking, but nerve wrecking hit on the body.

"The Kendrick family will never let you off if anything happens to me!" Jonas screamed, still managing to look up at Ethan.

"Stop giving me that look, I don't intend to—" Ethan paused realizing what he was about to say was too gory. The last thing he wanted was to give Chloe the impression he was now violent.

Ethan had both hands slipped into his pockets and was stomping down on Jonas like he was stomping down the floor.

He looked so casual and free with what he was doing that Jonas feared for his life.

Ethan didn't look like he'd be stopping anytime soon and Jonas was afraid he'd be dead by the time the man thought it was.

Jonas recalled the saying about a fox who lost his tail. If he continued threatening Ethan with his family's name, he feared he'd only be stomped to death or really end up half-dead.

The best thing to do was to act like the fox who lost his tail. Pretend to have learnt his lesson, then once Ethan let him off, he'd go back to the Kendrick family and plan a counter attack.

"Forgive me. Forgive me. It was bad for me to threaten your wife into divorcing you and talking down to your daughter. I also shouldn't have threatened to break your legs. Please forgive me." As he said his apology while feigning crocodile tears, Ethan stopped hitting him.

He assumed he was walking and immediately got on his knees. "Please, let me off this one time and I promise that you'd never have to deal with me ever again!"

His apology stunned everyone. But not even the blabbermouth Lewis could show his surprise as he was still writhing from the pain from his legs and Kane's oppressive aura.

"I know you won't, but you still haven't given me an answer for my question, Mr. Black. What will your family do to me if you end up battered and half-dead at their doorstep?" Ethan stuck to his question.

"But I already apologized to you!" Jonas gulped down in fear.

"Answer me truthfully, have you ever totally forgiven anyone you claimed to have forgiven without going back to finish them off?" Ethan raised a brow, but Jonas went silent.

"I believe everyone should answer for what they've done. You're no exception, Mr. Black. Which is why you're going to end up in the Kendrick family doorstep battered and half-dead."