Chapter 575: She Hates Adeline
Joel took a deep breath and growled, "Just say what you want to say."
Catherine's eyes narrowed. "The real ones who killed Krauss are the Mendoza family and Harrison, aren't they? If the Mendoza family hadn't attacked our estate, if Harrison hadn't brought Memphis in, Krauss wouldn't be dead."
Of course, Catherine knew full well that it was they who kidnapped Gracie, setting off this entire chain of events.
But she couldn't bring herself to say that in front of Joel.
She had to divert his hatred away from Killer, for his sake.
"Of course, I know you're probably thinking that if the boss had given up on this mission earlier, none of this would have happened. But completing the mission is what our organization is all about. As members, we must stand by the boss. The Mendoza family and Harrison are the ones truly against us. And think about it, Krauss was one of the boss's best men. If anyone wanted him dead, it's the Mendoza family and
Harrison, not the boss."
Joel seemed to be swayed by her words.
Deep down, he knew Catherine was leaning toward Killer, trying to guide his anger towards the Mendoza family and Harrison.
But he needed revenge for Krauss, and right now, he desperately needed an outlet for his fury.
And Catherine's words gave him just that.
Yeah, he should hate the Mendoza family. He should hate Harrison.
They were the ones who killed his brother.
If he wanted to avenge Krauss, then he needed to take them all down.
Catherine saw the shift in his expression, the flicker of hatred in his eyes. She knew then that she had succeeded in changing his focus.
She let out a small, relieved breath, silently thanking Krauss for his affection for her.
If it weren't for that, Joel would never have listened.
As she thought of Krauss, her heart ached.
He had truly been a good man, treating her with kindness.
She had always sensed the sincerity of his feelings.
If she had been with him, maybe she would have been happy. But...
Once she met Killer, no other man stood a chance.
After falling for him, she couldn't even imagine being with anyone else.
She had turned Krauss down, and after that, he never pressed her, silently caring for her from a distance.
She knew she would never be with him, but deep down, she always hoped he would live a happy life.
She never imagined she'd be grieving for him like this now.
Tears fell silently down her face, and Joel's eyes widened as he watched her cry.
He blinked, then asked softly, "Are you crying for Krauss? Are you... sad for him, too?"
A bitter smile crossed his face. "If Krauss knew, he'd probably be happy that you're mourning him."
Seeing that Joel was showing some kindness toward her, Catherine wiped her eyes and said, "As long as you're willing to continue serving the boss, all the past mistakes can be forgiven. He doesn't plan to back down now; he'll keep going after the Mendoza family and Harrison. It's not just for himself; it's for Krauss's revenge."
Catherine added the last part herself.
She knew Killer didn't care about avenging
Krauss.
But hearing those words seemed to light a spark in Joel's eyes.
"Really?" he asked, his voice tinged with hope.
"Of course it's true." Catherine smiled slightly.
"But from now on, don't do anything reckless. Listen to the boss, and that's the only way you can truly avenge Krauss."
She paused, then added, "Honestly, I think the one you should hate the most is Adeline. She's the one who caused all of this."
Joel's eyes burned with fury at the mention of Adeline.
"Yeah, Adeline... I'll make sure to kill her. She'll pay for my brother's death."
Later that afternoon, Harrison had to step out for a while.
Adeline waited for him, but he didn't return until late into the night.
She felt uneasy and texted him, but he reassured her that everything was fine and told her to sleep first. But how could she sleep when he wasn't home?
It wasn't until after two in the morning that the bedroom door finally opened.
Adeline, who had been reading by the bed, immediately lifted her head.
There, standing before her, was the man she'd been so worried about.
Her heart sank, and a wave of relief washed over her.
Harrison closed the door behind him and said, "I told you to sleep earlier..."
Before he could finish, Adeline jumped out of bed and threw herself into his arms.
He hadn't been expecting it, and the sudden force caused him to stumble back a few steps, but he instinctively wrapped his arms around her.
"How come you're so late?" she asked, her voice muffled against his chest.
Harrison stroked her hair and smiled. "Had some things to deal with. Sorry to make you worry."
When he saw how worried she was, Harrison's heart ached.
He was happy that she cared for him so deeply, but it hurt him to see her so distressed.
"It's so late. I was really scared something happened to you," Adeline said, burying her face in his chest.
"I promised you I wouldn't get hurt," Harrison chuckled softly. "Don't cry."
"I didn't cry." Adeline looked up, glaring at him.
Though her eyes were red, there was a clear sign that she had been fighting to hold back her tears.
Harrison kissed her forehead gently. "I'm sorry. I should have taken care of things sooner."
Adeline shook her head. "You've been through so much lately. I should have been with you..."
"You silly thing," Harrison chuckled. "As long as you're safe, that's all that matters to me."
"Alright, now go take a shower," Adeline said, gently pushing him away.
Harrison sighed, stripping off his clothes and heading for the bathroom.
When he returned, they lay together in bed.
"So, what were you up to today?" Adeline asked, her curiosity piqued.
Harrison hadn't told her the details when he left.
"I was dealing with an overseas crime syndicate that's been in contact with Frankie and Marshall. They have a base in Yewhaina too," he explained.
Adeline furrowed her brow. "Those two really did an excellent job hiding their true identities. Anyone who saw Marshall would just think he's a sickly, poor kid."
"Yeah, Marshall's condition has actually improved quite a bit," Harrison said. "But he's been pretending for so long, acting the part of the fragile victim."
){kind=link}
0 Comments