Chapter 63 Justice over Family


    A loud and derisive sounded in the dark.


    A secondter, Mr. Harris and Lizzie emerged from the woods. Lizzie seemed weary and a bit timid, but


    Mr. Harris was wearing a dark scowl on his face. "So now you remember that I''m your father?"


    A loud thud sounded as Shawn slumped to the ground, his eyes filled with shock and his limps felt


    sapped of their strength.


    "I- Impossible," Shawn muttered. "That''s impossible... Y- You... You were dying... You shouldn''t have


    been able to get out of bed... You..."


    Mr. Harris took several long strides towards Leo. "You''re right." Mr. Harris stopping beside Leo. "If Leo


    hadn''t cured me, I would still be bedridden."


    Shawn flinched. "Leo?"


    "How could you, brother?" Lizzie said, her toneced with hurt. "How could you do this to our father? I


    can''t believe you, Shawn."


    All of a sudden, Mr. Harris surged forward with his hand raised. "I''m going to beat you to death, you


    good-for-nothing son!"


    Old age had slowed Mr. Harris'' movement greatly, so Shawn managed to avoid the blow.


    Anger filled Mr. Harris'' eyes. "Hold still!" He raised his hand again. "Don''t you dare avoid me!"


    Shawn avoided the strike again.


    Before Shawn could move again, Leo''s cold voice sounded once again. "I''d stand still if I were you."


    Behind Shawn, Nadine raised her leg and delivered two swift kicks to the back of Shawn''s knees.


    Shawn screamed as his knees buckled. The next thing he knew, he was on his knees in front of his


    father.


    A loud p tore through the night.


    Shawn stumbled, holding on to his swollen cheek.


    Blood trickled down the corner of Shawn''s lips, evidence that Mr. Harris had struck his son with his full


    strength.


    "I heard everything, Shawn," Mr. Harris growled. "You told them to take the girl away and kill Leo." Mr.


    Harris'' fist trembled at his sides. "Is there a single ounce of humanity left in you? Our family might not


    be wealthy, but we''ve always lived our lives as good and honest people! But you..." Mr. Harris pointed a


    shaky finger at Shawn''s face. "You''re nothing but a disappointment! I should do society a favor tonight,


    by ridding it of vermin like you!"


    Mr. Harris turned on his heel and strode back towards the woods. Stopping in front of a tree, he


    reached up and broke off a thick branch.


    Shawn could only watch petrified as his father returned from the woods with the makeshift bludgeon in


    his hands. There wasn''t a single doubt in Shawn''s mind what his father was nning to do with that


    branch. No doubt at all. Shawn wanted to run, wanted to bolt out of there and never look back. But he


    couldn''t, thanks to Leo''s bodyguard.


    Secondster, the beating began.


    Shawn screamed and howl in pain as his father rained down blow after blow on his body.


    "Dad! Please, stop! I was wrong, okay? I won''t do it again! I swear to God I''ll never— Argh!!!"


    "I had no idea about the treatment, okay? Please, you have to believe me, dad! I was blinded by greed!


    That''s why I agreed to it in the first ce!" A few more blowsnded on Shawn''s torso, causing him to


    howl. "Fine! I don''t want the money! Please... just stop!"


    "You useless piece of trash!" Mr. Harris swung the branch like a baseball bat. "I''m going to keep hitting


    you as long as there''s a breath left in me! Stop begging! Nobody can stop me!"


    The beating continued.


    Shawn was bleeding in more than one ce on his body at this point. At some point, the branch broke


    in half, so Mr. Harris went into the woods and grabbed another branch before continuing his beating.


    Both Marie and Lizzie could only watch in shock as Shawn was beaten to the edge of


    unconsciousness. He wasn''t even screaming or shouting anymore; he justy there motionlessly as


    Mr. Harris continued to strike him with the branch. As much as they both despised Shawn and his


    detestable ways, this was difficult for both of them to watch, especially for Lizzie. Shawn was still her


    brother, after all.


    "Leo... Please..." Lizzie gave Leo a pleading look. "Please tell dad to stop."


    "Sorry, Lizzie." Leo''s eyes remained hard and stony. "I can''t help you. It''s up to your father now."


    Lizzie stared into Leo''s steely eyes and had to fight a shudder when she saw the sternness there.


    "I know what you want me to do, Lizzie," Leo continued. "But I can''t do it." Leo looked right into Lizzie''s


    eyes. "And I won''t." Leo jerked his chin towards Marie. "I wouldn''t be fair to that youngdy if I do."


    Marie and Lizzie shared a nce with each other.


    "I don''t really believe in gods and deities, or even karma," Leo went on. "But I do believe that bad


    people should be punished." Leo held Lizzie''s gaze again. "Have you considered what would''ve


    happened to Marie if I hadn''t been here tonight?" Lizzie''s silence was all Leo needed to continue his


    speech. "Those men would''ve taken her, Lizzie. They would''ve taken her and God forbid, they would’ve


    defiled her."


    Leo''s words drew a sharp gasp out of Lizzie while Marie hung her head in defeat. Marie herself was


    fully aware of what would happen if those guys had managed to take her.


    There wasn''t a single doubt in Marie''s mind that those guys would''ve gang raped her. They would''ve


    taken not just her virginity, but also her dignity. Her life would''ve been over.


    What surprised her was that her savior was her brother-inw, the man whom, just yesterday, she''d


    deemed unworthy of Lydia''s affections.


    "So, this is the man my sister fell for?" Marie thought. "Just what kind of a man is he?"


    The beating went on and on until Mr. Harris was too tired to continue. Tossing the bloody branch aside,


    Mr. Harris stepped to the side to catch his breath.


    "Wake him," Leo said coolly.


    At first, Lizzie thought "waking him" consisted of gently patting Shawn''s cheek or something. But what


    Leo''s bodyguard ended up doing was far worse. She grabbed a fistful of Shawn''s hair and dragged his


    unconscious body towards the edge of theke. When the bodyguard shoved Shawn''s head into the


    water, Lizzie nearly screamed.


    Shawn''s body began to twitch on the ground as bubbles formed in the surface of the water.


    A series of gurgles sounded as Shawn continued to struggle.


    Finally, Nadine yanked Shawn''s head above the water and dragged him back towards Leo. Shawn was


    still sputtering out water when Nadine dumped him at Leo''s feet.


    "I''ll give you one chance to make up for what you did." Leo''s cold gaze settled on Shawn''s fearful face.


    "Give me the name of the person who orchestrated the whole thing."


    Shawn lowered his gaze with his jaw clenched.


    Shawn''s behavior drew a chuckle out of Leo. “You''re pretty loyal, huh?" Leo snickered, a vicious look


    shing in his eyes. "You really think I''m just going to ask you nicely?"


    Shawn looked up instantly and saw the terrifying smirk on Leo''s lips. He shuddered. "W- What are...


    are you nning to do?"


    Instead of answering, Leo gave Nadine a quick nod. Shawn yelped when Nadine grabbed him by his


    cor and pulled him to his feet. Without another word, Nadine dragged Shawn towards the woods.


    An anxious Lizzie rushed forward. "What is she going to do to my brother, Leo?"


    Mr. Harris, too, was staring at him worriedly.


    "Don''t worry about it, both of you," Leo said with a smile. "She won''t touch a single hair on his head as


    long as he cooperates."


    Leo''s words caused both Mr. Harris and Lizzie to flinch. At that moment, they were both wondering the


    same thing: "What will happen if he doesn''t?"


    Mr. Harris opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, he changed in mind and decided to keep


    his thoughts to himself. Shawn had brought this upon himself.


    All of a sudden, a scream pierced through the night.


    "Alright! Alright! I''ll talk! I''ll talk!"


    Leo nced towards the woods, then chuckled. "Looks like he''s pretty cooperative to me."


    Leo had expected this. He knew it wouldn''t take much to break him. Even though Shawn was a


    scumbag, he was no soldier. He was just a normal civilian; there was no way he wouldn''t break after


    being subjected to a round of military interrogation.


    Nadine''s interrogation could break even the toughest soldiers, let alone someone like Shawn. It


    probably didn''t take more than a few threats of bodily harm before he yielded.


    Then again, Nadine''s interrogatory prowess might have something to do with what she did for a living


    before she was given a clean te.


    She emerged from the woods shortly, dragging a pale-faced Shawn with her.


    It was just as Leo had promised: no harm hade to Shawn.


    "Did you get everything?"


    Nadine nodded. "Cedric Reyes. He''s the one behind all of this. He helped this guy"—Nadine jerked her


    chin towards Shawn—"Settled his gambling debts on the condition that he convinced his father to seek


    out Miss Henderson for treatment. The herbs used at the medical school were supplied by Julton


    Pharmaceutical. Miss Henderson''s herbs were the only ones that are past their expiry date. The herbs


    are harmful to the human body when consumed."


    "This is a set-up," Leo remarked. "It''s a trap to get his hands on Miss Henderson."


    "Indeed, sir. After that, Shawn went to the insurancepany and raised the sum insured on Mr.


    Harris'' insurance policy." Nadine red at Shawn. "Then he and a bunch of his thugs went to see Miss


    Henderson, to extort money from her. They nned to abduct her, regardless of whether or not she


    was able to give them the money." Nadine kicked Shawn with the side of her foot. "He confessed to


    everything. This was a deliberate scheme to kidnap Miss Henderson."


    Marie and Lizzie had sudden gone pale. Neither of them could fathom the kind of evil that could drive a


    man to such an abhorrent scheme.


    Cold anger spread across Leo''s features. "Julton Pharmaceutical, huh?" he thought. Those guys had


    messed with the wrong person, and Leo was going to make sure that they pay.


    "Oh my God!" Marie eximed. "I just thought of something."


    "What is it?" Leo asked.


    "Cedric Reyes. No wonder that name sounded so familiar." Marie held Leo''s gaze. "Cedric and I go to


    the same university. But we''re in different faculties." Anger shed in Marie''s eyes. "He''s been pursuing


    me for a long time. I kept turning him down, but he''s been relentless. But recently, I got so tired of his


    pestering that I threw coffee at his face in public. After that, he threatened me. Told me he''d make me


    pay."


    Silence stretched between them, whichsted a long while until Leo broke it.


    "This is a serious felony," Leo said. "We can''t just let this go."


    "Miss Henderson..." Mr. Harris stepped forward right then. No amount of darkness could cover the guilt


    on his face at that moment. "The Harris family owes you an apology. I don''t expect forgiveness from


    you. What my son did to you is unforgivable." Mr. Harris bowed deeply. "Please allow me to


    rpense you for suffering!"


    Marie took Mr. Harris'' arm and pulled him up. "Please, Mr. Harris. There''s really no need for that..."


    Mr. Harris waved her off and turned around to face Lizzie. "Call the police, Liz. Let the cops deal with


    him."


    "What?!" All of a sudden, Shawn found his voice again. "No, Dad! Please! Don''t call the cops! I''ve


    learned my lesson now!"


    "Shut the hell up, you unrepentant bastard!" Mr. Harris roared; his eyes red with unshed tears. He took


    in a shaky breath. "You belong in prison for what you did, Shawn. You''re a criminal." Mr. Harris shook


    his head. "I could only hope that your time in jail will help you repent for your sins."


    "Dad, please," Lizzie said. "Shawn... he''s..."


    "Don''t bother, Liz." Mr. Harris sighed, suddenly feeling as though he''d aged ten years. "My minds


    already made up."


    Shawn''s knees grew weak, and he slid to the ground, utterly defeated. Biting her lip, Lizzie turned


    around and pulled out her phone to call the police.


    It didn''t take long for the police to arrive. Stepping out of the patrol car was none other than Officer


    Sandra Johnson, the policewoman he''d metst time. Officer Johnson cuffed Shawn while reciting his


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    rights, then brought him to one of the patrol cars.


    Both Mr. Harris and Lizzie were taken to the police station as well to have their statements taken.


    Before she left, Officer Johnson spared Leo an inquisitive nce.


    Although he''d noticed the policewoman''s attention, Leo didn''t return them. At that moment, his mind


    was on Mr. Harris, and on what the old man must be going through right now.


    Gary Harris was a steadfast man who had just chosen justice over his own kin. But Leo knew how


    much he had to be hurting inside right now.


    Leo nced at Marie.


    "Let''s go," Leo said, walking towards the dark Rolls-Royce. "It''s time we paid Cedric Reyes a


    visit."