The Sturgeons seemed to give up on any pretense right then, with Wilk kicking Lauren away, pointing at him and snapping even as the man lay prone on the floor. "It's all your fault! You refused to die for two years, wasting everyone's time! Would my daughter have to keep suffering if you didn't hang on so stubbornly?! She'd be marrying again, and marrying rich!""Dad!"Kali had enough then and sobbed even as she rose to her feet. "This happened to Lauren because of us! Patek would be dead if he didn't donate his kidney! How could you do this to him?!""What did we do to him?!"Mrs. Sturgeon leapt up, grabbing Kali and slapping her twice as she screamed, "Did we ever mistreat him?! We had him marry you so that he could donate his kidney! And we paid his family 500 grand! Isn't that enough?! Why should we bother when his own family doesn't care?!"You, on the other hand, are a wastrel and a traitor! Did you think we don't know?! He survived this long because you sneaked him out to

"What…"Wilk looked on, finally coming to his senses.Both the brat and the man with her were martial artists, and the security guards he spent so much on did not even last a blow!"W-Who are you?!"Fear seizing him right then, Wilk kept his arms around his son as he stumbled backward."Who am I?"Frank sneered. "You don't deserve to know!"Projecting two strands of pure vigor at his fingertips, he launched both with a flick.Wilk lost his balance and dropped to his knees right then, as overwhelming agony erupted from his kneecaps.His son, still in his arms, grunted as they both collapsed.Wilk then looked up to see that he was kneeling in front of the unconscious Lauren. A sense of humiliation seized him, causing his insides to churn and his cheeks to flush."You bastard! Do you know who I am?!" he bellowed. "I'm the CEO of Wilktrade! The Jankos and the Sunblazers have my back! Now get down on your knees and beg, and I just might let you keep a pretty corpse—"Smack!Kat

"What?"Wilk and his wife simply could not understand what Frank was saying, but even as they zoned out, Frank thrusted his needles viciously into Patek's back."Argh!!!" Patek howled in agony right then. "Mom! Dad! Save me! It hurts!!!!"Wilk's eyes were wide and bloodshot at his son's cries, and he lunged maniacally at Frank. "Let go of my son, you animal!" "I'll kill you!" Mrs. Sturgeon followed suit.However, Kat kicked both of them to the floor, and Mrs. Sturgeon passed out from sheer agitation as she collapsed.Kat planted herself on top of Wilk in turn, grabbing him by the hair to lift his head, while shoving Frank's 500 grand check into his mouth."You think your son's life is precious, but Lauren's is expendable? Take your 500 grand and look closely! Your son will return what he stole from Lauren now!""Umph…" Wilk kept flailing but simply could not free himself—it was as if Kat was a thousand ton boulder, crushing him beneath her weight."Oh, don't worry." Kat chu

"What…"Wilk thought that Kat and Frank had already fled and was surprised they were sitting there, waiting.They could not have been more pompous—it was as if they had shat on Wilk's face and then demanded toilet paper from him!Wilk almost choked and fainted.Nearby, Mrs. Zeig was gingerly serving Kat and Frank tea while shooting Wilk looks, pleading for help."H-How dare you!"Even as Wilk pointed at Kat and Frank, he was shaking with rage and had to lean on the stairs handrail to keep himself standing. "You're sitting around, sipping tea after your… atrocity?!""It's none of your business," Kat pursed her lips, rolling her eyes at Wilk. "Also, atrocity? We're just buying back what you brought.""You little…"Wilk was speechless from frustration but soon laughed savagely. "Fine! Let's see how long you can strut now! My men are already here!"Then, turning toward Mrs. Zeig, he barked, "Go! Open the gates and let the Sunblazers in! Let's see if these wretches would strut whe

Wilk was left clutching his face and staring at Cid in disbelief. "What? Cid…? Why did you hit me?""Hit you?! I was planning to kill you!"Bang!Cid leapt up, seizing Wilk by the collar and slamming him into his oak dining table!It was such a terrible blow that Wilk was coughing blood, his vision blurring.Still, even as he pushed himself off the ground, he was left staring forward in shock before he could say a word.Cid was beckoning at the Sunblazers, and they were all soon kneeling in front of Frank."Greetings, Mr. Lawrence!"As they all greeted him deafeningly, Wilk, who just got to his feet, dropped limply to the floor again, all his strength drained."Mr. Lawrence? What…"He stared in shock at the scene before him—who on earth was that pompous bastard?!Why would the Sunblazers—who always carried themselves above the rest—be on their knees, greeting that man with pure reverence?!That was when Wilk remembered Frank looking at him with gleeful sympathy and reasoned