Just then, the door to the fast food joint mmed open. A delivery guy in a yellow jacket stormed in and punched Quinton straight in the head.


    "Quinton, you bastard! How dare you hit Christie? I''ll die before I let you get away with that!"


    Quinton, trained in martial arts, was no ordinary fighter. He easily dodged the hit, spun around, and mmed his fist into the guy''s chest.


    With a loud gasp, the delivery guy coughed up a mouthful of blood and copsed.


    Christina screamed and ran to him. "Leroy! Leroy, are you okay?"


    It was her younger brother, Leroy, who had charged in to defend her.


    Now, one sibling worked the counter, and the other delivered food. After their family went bankrupt, Irene had been bedridden and too sick to help.


    "Christie... run! Even if I die today, I won''t let this psycho hurt you. Just go!" Leroy''s voice shook with pain, blood dripping from his mouth as he struggled to stand again.


    Quinton''s eyes gleamed with malice. "Well, well, look who delivered himself right to my feet. Christina, you didn''t want to y along? Fine. You won''t trick Andrew''s women? Then, I''ll start with Leroy instead. Let''s see how long youst while watching this weakling with one kidney get beaten to death."


    Cackling, Quinton stepped forward and kicked Leroy back to the ground. Then, he stomped on him again.


    And again.


    Leroy coughed up blood, his eyes rolling back, his body twitching violently as life drained out of him.


    Christina sobbed, "Quinton, you monster! Let him go-let Leroy go!"


    Quinton''s rage burned hotter, his voice rising into a scream. "Are you going to help me or not? Will you lure out Andrew''s women or not? Because if you won''t, I''ll leave Leroy dead on the pavement right now!"


    That helplessness, that crushing despair-it all came flooding over Christina like a tidal wave. She regretted not listening to Andrew in the first ce.


    She had truly believed Blumedale would be the Stevens family''s rebirth. She never imagined it would be their graveyard, turning their lives into a nightmare.


    And Quinton—the man who once acted like a savior-was now their executioner.


    Leroy''s vision was going dark. He choked out, "Christie... don''t... don''t give in... I''d rather die... than drag you and Mom down with me. If you betray Andrew again... I know you''ll never have the strength or dignity to live with yourself."


    His voice cracked, thick with blood, and his eyes slowly closed.


    Christina''s mind went nk-something in her snapped.


    Why?


    Why did she and her family keep getting crushed?


    Why did life keep kicking them while they were down?


    What had she done to deserve this cruel punishment?


    "Leroy! Leroy! Quinton! I swear to God—I''ll kill you!" Fueled by desperation,


    Christina threw herself at Quinton with everything she had.


    She knew she did not stand a chance, but she could not sit and watch her brother die.


    She could not live with that kind of guilt.


    So, if Quinton wanted blood, he could just take hers too.


    ''Andrew... maybe this is what you wanted all along. Maybe this is what I deserve,'' Christina thought.


    With a bitter smile, she charged in, her heart already broken.


    Quinton snarled. "Rx, slut. I''m not gonna kill you... not until I''ve had my fun."


    Then, he backhanded her so hard she flew across the floor.


    Grinning like a demon, he added, "But your dumbass brother? I''ll send him to hell right now!"


    He lifted his foot, ready to crush Leroy''s skull.


    "Stop right there!"


    A thunderous voice rang out from the back of the store. The owner of the fast food joint stormed out, his face red with fury.


    Quinton froze and looked over, sneering. "And who the hell do you think you are? You think you''ve got the guts to get in my way?"


    The man stood tall, his voice low and dangerous. "I don''t care that you''re Quinton Wright, and yeah,


    normally what you do wouldn''thet


    my business. But not in my


    v


    restaurant. If someone dies here, bes my problem."


    Quinton''s eyes narrowed. He scoffed. "So is that a threat, or just a warning?"


    The store owner clenched his jaw.


    "The Wrights may be powerful int


    Blumedale. ? know better than to pick a fight with your kind. But our regional manager just arrived.


    The moment he said it, a man in a suit and sses burst through the door.


    re


    "Quinton!" the suited man yelled, his badge reading ''Regional Manager as it swung from his chest What the hell do you think you''re