After what seemed like an eternity, Daphne''s face was swollen, her lips bleeding, and she had passed out!


    Juliet''s hands were swollen from hitting, and she was sobbing so hard she could barely breathe, her heart shattered into pieces!


    It was only then that Tarquin called a halt.


    Ignoring her own throbbing hands, Juliet wrapped her arms around her daughter, crying as if her soul was tearing apart.


    Red-eyed, ke asked, "Can we leave now?"


    Tarquin flicked his cigarette ash, barely ncing at him through lifted eyelids.


    Leave? Not a chance.


    What came next was designed to cut to the bone.


    Tarquin dered, "For insulting my son, you owe a million! For insulting my partner, another million!"


    ke was livid, "You''ve beaten my daughter to a pulp, and now you''re demanding money?!"


    "If you don''t want to pay, her tongue will suffice," Tarquin retorted coldly.


    ke gasped, the thought of forking over money he had just secured was like signing his own death warrant!


    Turning to the enforcers demanding debts, ke said, "He just said this ten million is mine, it''s my money! If he takes it, I won''t have anything to pay you with! Help me get the money out, and I''ll throw in an extra half-million for you!"


    ke hoped to enlist these debt collectors to stand up to Tarquin.


    But before they could act, Tarquin''s bodyguard had the lead collector in a chokehold!


    A single wrong move, and his neck could be snapped!


    Realizing they were outmatched, none dared to move.


    Swallowing hard, ke resignedly opened his suitcase, pulling out two million for Tarquin.


    As quickly as it had been packed, it was now painfully slow to withdraw.


    No sooner had ke taken out two million, Tarquin continued,


    "For Elysia''s broken arm at 8 years old, ming her without reason, deduct a million!"


    "When the Thorne family made her kneel in the rain all night at 10, another million!" "At 15 years old... deduct a million!"


    "...another million!"


    "...a million!"


    "...a million!"


    Before Tarquin could finish listing their crimes, the ten million was gone!


    Tarquin signaled his men to take all the money, while ke clung to the suitcase, his eyes wide with terror,


    "This is our money, you can''t just take it!"


    The bodyguard disregarded him, forcefully taking the suitcase full of money.


    Juliet sat on the ground, holding her unconscious daughter, wailing like a banshee, as if her heart had been ripped out.


    ke sat down too, feeling utterly hollow, his eyes the very picture of despair.


    The joy at seeing the money was now matched by their utter destion.


    Having and then losing was worse than never having at all; the pain was more excruciating than a slow cut.


    This was Tarquin''s intention all along!


    To lift them to the heights of joy, only to brutally drag them down again!


    Only now did ke realize the trap; Tarquin had never intended to give them the money.


    It was all for Elysia''s sake!


    Before ke could react, Tarquin added,


    "You think you''ve only lost ten million? The Thorne family has lost half its economic empire! I care for Elysia, what''s mine is hers. Had you truly cared for her, a hundred billion would have been nothing!"


    ke was staggered, "A hundred billion? Just who are you?"


    "Tarquin."


    ke''s eyes nearly popped out, "You''re the CEO of the Bradford Group? The richest man alive?"


    Tarquin nodded, delivering the final blow,


    "Congrattions, you were almost the father-inw to the wealthiest man. Sadly, you were just a bit short!"


    In that moment, ke felt as if he had gained and then abruptly lost something monumental.