295 Cleaning Zhao Manor Part 1

January 21, 20X2 (Wednesday)

Zhao Manor

Opening the doors to the torture chamber that have Father Chen in restrained, Yang ignored the insistent pleading that came from the man tied in a metal chair contraption and from the laptop in front that clearly showed the face of Chen Zhong on the video call. Yang somewhat pitied Chen Zhong as he watched his father being threatened and tortured with use of pain by rods or fists when Jerome's questions were not answered. In fact, Yang has somewhat pitied Father Chen as he was tortured before, but when they discovered the Arcadia tattoo in Father Chen's body, Yang could not find it in himself to find sympathy. Jerome Bonaparte's blood boiled when he had seen the tattoo. To think that Mei Lin was with the Chen family before horrified them.

"This is the last time I will ask you, Little Boy Chen." Jerome trailed while his hands gripped the hair of Father Chen's back, yanking the man to show the black and blue bruises on his face.

Yang's eyebrows rose up as Jerome continued to ignore Yang in favor of answers. Father Zhao's eyes had glanced at Yang when he entered, and he had even given Yang a firm nod. Jerome had just acted as if nobody had entered the room. Yang hated to be ignored, but he will let this pass since it was Jerome, his father-in-law. The fact that Jerome could probably make him on the same state as Father Chen just because Yang had touched his daughter also made Yang swallow his pride easily.

"If you want something with me, why involve my father?" Chen Zhong hissed like a snake ready to strike venom.

Jerome rolled his eyes and deadpanned, "Are you living the reality we are in? I think you built yourself a bubble. If I go with your logic... If you want something with the Zhao Family, why involve Arcadia?"

Yang snickered as Chen Zhong immediately shut his mouth in disbelief. Jerome had not only excelled in giving physical torture but also with emotional pain. Yang noted to never go against Jerome without Mei Lin at his back to cover him.

There was a tensed silence before Chen Zhong answered, "What can I do with the Zhao Family alone? That Zhao Yang had killed my mother!"

Because Yang was not seen in the video call, Chen Zhong had no idea of his presence. Yang's eyebrows rose again when Jerome banged Father Chen's head to the table where the laptop was placed. It caused the video of the camera to dance awkwardly as the device jumped with the large vibration the action had made.

Jerome said, "... and why would I care about that? What I wantto know is the names of the other spies that Fool has planted."

Chen Zhong's face was clearly seen on the laptop screen; horrified, disbelief, and anger all mixed into one complicated expression. Nobody in the room could anticipate the next actions of Jerome. Maybe that was why Jerome was excellent as a spy and an interrogator, he knew how to play in the field well without being guessed what he would do next.

"Release my father, and I will tell you," Chen Zhong said with gritted teeth.

Father Zhao was about to speak up when Jerome decided to bang Father Chen's head on the table again, and this time it was in a mother greater force. Both Father Zhao and Yang winced when it happened and flinched when Jerome's eyes flashed with malice and glinted with annoyance as he spoke with a sadistic grin, "I am afraid you don't understand."

The room grew quieter than before if that was even possible. All eyes were focused on Jerome, and all ears wanted to hear the continuation of his words.Yang could feel the goosebumps that fear had caused when he realized that Jerome was his father-in-law, and recognizing the ramification of knowing that Yang had touched his daughter to make her pregnant might make Jerome switch his sadistic glee to Yang.

Meanwhile, Chen Zhong was on his bed at his hidden apartment on the other side of the city. He gripped his phone in fear for his father. Chen Zhong should have never agreed when Fool had demanded his father to be one of the undercover spies. He had feared for the worse for his father, and now Chen Zhong's fears have come true.

"This is not a deal. This is a demand." Jerome continued with a grin, "Tell me who the spies are and I will leave your father alone. Be our spy, and we will allow your father free after all is taken care of with Arcadia."

Chen Zhong felt the small drop of water from his forehead running down the side of his face. Now he knew why Arcadia was so afraid of Jerome Bonaparte than any other man. Now that he has experienced his ruthlessness, Chen Zhong regretting being on the wrong side of this small war that was happening.

"Fine. I will do it." Chen Zhong said. He had tried to sound as if he was not affected, but the slight waver on his voice and the rawness of fear embedded into it was so easily distinguishable that Chen Zhong knew immediately that he had failed to sound unaffected.

If only Zhao Yang had not killed his mother, he would have never done all of these things. It was all Zhao Yang's fault, he had not only taken Mei Lin away from him but had also caused his family harm. Chen Zhong clenched his fist. He hated Zhao Yang the most, but he must cooperate with this Bonaparte in fear for his father's life.