Chapter 5
Every person in that room went white as death hearing that voice.[]
They wanted to turn around, but gun barrels pressed against their skulls kept them frozen.[]
Blake’s face crumpled as he snarled at me: “Harper! What the hell are you pulling?! Haven’t you caused enough trouble?!“]
I looked through the glass at the figure slowly entering behind him.[]
When I saw who it was, I broke down sobbing.]]
Blake followed my gaze, turning around slowly.[]
The moment their eyes met, Blake’s legs gave out and he collapsed.[]
With a shaking finger pointed at the approaching figure, he stammered: “Mr. Winston… you… you’re supposed to be DEAD! Six months ago!”
Hearing Blake call my father’s name, everyone else in the room lost it. The weaker ones literally melted into puddles of terror.]
Dad was a legend in our circles.[]
At thirteen, he’d inherited the crumbling Winston empire from my grandfather.[]
Business was war, and after grandfather’s death, rival families had carved up almost everything we owned.[]
The day thirteen–year–old Dad took control, the elite families celebrated for a week straight.[]
They say when a giant falls, everyone else gets to feed–the Winston empire crashing meant endless opportunities for everyone else.[]
Things went exactly as they’d predicted. Within a week of Dad’s takeover, the Winston family declared bankruptcy.
They thought we’d vanish from the playing field forever.[]
But two years later, at a crucial land auction in the city, a dark–skinned teenager bought EVERY single lot. Total value: over three hundred billion dollars.
Everyone mocked him as a delusional kid, expecting authorities to arrest him when payment came due.[]
Instead, three days later, the teenager paid in full.[]
Someone with sharp eyes recognized him: “That kid… doesn’t he look like the Winston boy… Marcus?“||
Yes. The fifteen–year–old was my father.
At thirteen, he’d left the city carrying the family’s crushing debt, disappearing into war–torn Morocco.
Nobody knew what that boy went through there.]
All they saw was his return two years later with hundreds of billions, rebuilding the Winston empire from scratch.]
People tried investigating Dad’s background, but anyone who dug too deep never came back.
In those early years, rival families attempted to sabotage him, but every attack backfired a thousandfold on the attackers.[]
Within three years, Dad had made the Winston name feared throughout the city again.[]
And since then, nobody had dared challenge our family’s position.]
So Blake’s lackeys were absolutely terrified of my father–especially Blake himself.]
His mediocre background meant everything he’d achieved came from Dad’s support. Years of working under Dad had left him completely intimidated.[]
Still Think My Daddy’s Dead? Try Explaining Your Ruined Empire Now, Ex!
2.7%
Chapter 5
Now, Dad directed his men to break open the freezer door while looking down at Blake’s collapsed form and saying slowly: “Disappointed I’m not dead?”
Though Dad’s voice was quiet, it carried soul–crushing authority.[]
Blake’s face went even paler as he crawled backward, shaking: “Never! Mr. Winston, I cried all night on the boat when I heard about your accident. You gave me everything I have. I pray for your long life every day…“[]
“Even thinking you were gone, I kept your teachings close to my heart…“]
Dad glanced at the newly broken freezer door, his expression turning arctic.[]
He grabbed Blake by the collar and roared: “Then WHY did you treat Harper like this?! Tell me WHY!“]
“Why couldn’t Harper run AC for thirty minutes in her own husband’s office?! Why did you throw my pregnant daughter in a freezer and torture her like this?! TELL ME WHY!“]]
I hadn’t seen Dad this furious in years.
The last time he’d exploded like this was the day Mom died–when he’d wept with rage at himself for failing to protect her.[]
Blake had obviously never witnessed Dad’s true wrath. His whole body shook even harder.[]
Seeing Dad wasn’t calming down, Blake dropped to his knees with a loud “thud” and started bowing repeatedly, smashing his forehead against the
floor.
“Mr. Winston, it’s not what it looks like! Harper’s princess attitude was just too much. I thought I’d use this chance to teach her a lesson–I wasn’t trying to torture her! Even if you hadn’t come, I was gonna let her out…“]
“My daughter isn’t yours to ‘teach‘! What kind of piece of SHIT do you think you are?!“]]
Dad cut him off mid–sentence.[]
His fist crashed into Blake’s face, his eyes turning bloodshot from holding back tears.[]
“You piece of SHIT! If Harper has even a scratch on her today, you’re NOT walking out of here alive!“]
Then Dad’s cold gaze swept over Blake’s cowering lackeys huddled in the corner.
“Same goes for ALL of you! If Harper so much as whimpers in pain, you’re ALL going straight to hell!“[]
Their mouths clamped shut like they’d been sewn closed. None of them dared breathe.
ut…“]
“Mr. Winston, we got Miss Winston out…”
I tried to reach for Dad’s hand, but the moment my freezing fingertips touched his warm palm, I couldn’t hold on anymore.[]
Everything went black…
Now, Dad directed his men to break open the freezer door while looking down at Blake’s collapsed form and saying slowly. “Disappointed I’m not dead?”
Though Dad’s voice was quiet, it carried soul crushing authority.[]
Blake’s face went even paler as he crawled backward, shaking: “Never! Mr. Winston, I cried all night on the boat when I heard about your accident. You gave me everything 1 have. I pray for your long life every day…“]]
“Even thinking you were gone, I kept your teachings close to my heart…“]]
Dad glanced at the newly broken freezer door, his expression turning arctic.
He grabbed Blake by the collar and roared: “Then WHY did you treat Harper like this?! Tell me WHY!“]]
“Why couldn’t Harper run AC for thirty minutes in her own husband’s office?! Why did you throw my pregnant daughter in a freezer and torture her like this?! TELL ME WHY!“]]
I hadn’t seen Dad this furious in years.]
The last time he’d exploded like this was the day Mom died–when he’d wept with rage at himself for failing to protect her.
Blake had obviously never witnessed Dad’s true wrath. His whole body shook even harder.[]
Seeing Dad wasn’t calming down, Blake dropped to his knees with a loud “thud” and started bowing repeatedly, smashing his forehead against the floor.
“Mr. Winston, it’s not what it looks like! Harper’s princess attitude was just too much. I thought I’d use this chance to teach her a lesson–I wasn’t trying to torture her! Even if you hadn’t come, I was gonna let her out…‘”
:“0
“My daughter isn’t yours to ‘teach‘! What kind of piece of SHIT do you think
you are?!”
Dad cut him off mid–sentence.]
His fist crashed into Blake’s face, his eyes turning bloodshot from holding back tears.
“You piece of SHIT! If Harper has even a scratch on her today, you’re NOT walking out of here alive!“]]
Then Dad’s cold gaze swept over Blake’s cowering lackeys huddled in the corner
her.
“Same goes for ALL of you! If Harper so much as whimpers in pain, you’re AL.L. going straight to hell!“]
Their mouths clamped shut like they’d been sewn closed. None of them dared breathe.[]
“Mr. Winston, we got Miss Winston out…“]
I tried to reach for Dad’s hand, but the moment my freezing fingertips touched his warm palm, I couldn’t hold on anymore.]
Everything went black…]
