Zoren initially didn’t want to drag these n into the turmoil that had been stirring within him. However, after thinking things through and seeing how Jonathan had been stabbed, Zoren knew these n needed the kind of push he was experiencing.
Besides... how could he just keep this to himself?
How could he not tell these n what kind of horror Penny had gone through?
His wife might’ve had a good reason for downplaying it and having Haines agree to it. But at the sa ti, they also had to know the high stakes.
"That’s Penny, and that’s... what she went through."
The silence that followed Zoren’s remarks was thicker than it had ever been. All of them, except Haines, stared at the photo as if they had just witnessed a traumatic and terrible accident. Charles’ chest even moved in and out heavily in quick bursts.
anwhile, Atlas didn’t move, didn’t speak, didn’t react. His hand, however, slowly balled into a tight fist until the vein underneath his skin protruded angrily.
Hugo’s face, on the other hand, darkened. His eyes almost seed to glow with the fire burning within them. He didn’t even blink after laying eyes on that photo.
"That’s... her?" After a while, Atlas managed to force out a breath.
He lifted his eyes to Zoren and then to Haines. "Uncle Haines, I don’t think you ntioned Penny getting beaten up like this."
Everyone slowly turned to Haines, his mouth drawn into a tight line.
"Penny begged not to say more," he whispered. "She thinks it’s not necessary and was worried about your father’s health."
Haines cast Charles a glance. "She’s worried that you might not be able to take it."
Charles felt his heart sink completely, his shoulders dropping as he fell back. If he weren’t seated, he would’ve fallen.
"Ugh —" He clasped his chest, snapping Hugo to his senses.
"Dad!" Hugo rushed to his side, his eyes shaking as he scanned his father. "Dad, are you okay?"
Charles kept clasping his chest, raising his other hand as a subtle way to tell his son he was fine. "Don’t worry about , I’m... I’m just..." he trailed off, his eyes falling on the photo of his little girl on the table.
The corner of his eyes reddened, but not out of sorrow, but rage.
How... how could soone do this to his daughter? And yet, he didn’t know about it. Rather, he knew about it but was oblivious to how huge it was.
"Haines... did you say that the n who did this were arrested?" he asked, his voice dropping. This ti, there was no hesitation as he turned to Haines. "Are they... still alive?"
If they were, then Charles would have to end their wretched lives, right?
The people who had done this had no right to live. Even if Charles ended up in jail himself, he couldn’t let this slide. This might’ve happened a decade ago, but even if it were a hundred years ago, he would still be just as enraged.
But before Haines could answer, Zoren’s voice interrupted.
"Dad, Uncle Haines," he called, then shifted his attention to his brothers-in-law. "First Brother, Second Brother, I didn’t bring this up just for a conscience check."
He paused, leaning forward until his arms were resting over his legs. "I showed this because I had so leads about the people who could be related to this. However, before I could get information, the person who had direct contact with them was stabbed to death."
"Hence, all of this was rely circumstantial for now," he continued. But before he could add more information, Atlas asked coldly.
"Circumstantial, but are you sure about it?"
"If you trust my gut feeling."
"Do you trust your gut feeling?"
"Never doubted it once, and it never failed . Not even once," Zoren’s quick and resolute tone was all they needed. "Now, before the person with direct contact, who was Jonathan, the person who claid to be my father’s bastard... ended up in critical condition, he ntioned one thing."
Zoren scanned everyone’s faces, making sure they were taking ntal notes. "He said, Delro... and if he dies, that word would be his last word. For context, he was about to direct to his contact before the incident. I believe whatever this Delro is connected to, the person I want to et."
"And my gut feeling told that the person Jonathan knew... might’ve been familiar with the two of you." He added, eyeing Charles and Haines, who had also seen Naylani’s face, but had a completely different narrative about the woman.
"I asked my n to look into what Delro is, but until now, we have no idea. It was not a place or anything," he explained. "And I needed help."
Another wave of silence fell in the room as everyone looked back at Zoren. The latter, on the other hand, didn’t falter and maintained his poise.
Even though Zoren’s connections were top-notch, he still wouldn’t overestimate himself. Compared to him, Charles and Haines also had a large network that wasn’t connected to the people in Zoren’s large circle. Not to ntion, Hugo and Atlas, who had their own set of networks.
"I was hoping with your help we could solve this riddle as soon as possible," Zoren spoke again solemnly. "Because I feel like the longer we stay clueless or piecing everything together, the wider the gap the enemy creates."
Whether they targeted the Bennet Family or had changed their minds was no longer the point here. At the end of the day, all of them were aware that they might not be targeted now, but there was no telling what might happen in the future.
Not when Charles and Haines had seen Naylani’s face on another person.
"I’ll ask so of my friends," Hugo was the first to break the silence. "I’ll ask so friends from the Central Intelligence about this Delro. I think I’ve heard of it."
" too." Atlas nodded. "I have a few acquaintances who could help out."
Charles slowly loosened his grip on his chest and rocked his head. "I have a few people who were eager to repay the debt they owe. They could also help."
"The friends I made back in Pri Group’s old base were also well-connected. They might know, and would willingly help figure out what or who this Delro is," Haines added.
With that, the n nodded to each other, their eyes still burning with that photo of Penny on the table. However, it simply ignited their desire to end this once and for all. Because they knew they couldn’t stay idle for long.
They had to face the ghosts of their past once and for all, so they could all move forward without these burdens.
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