Chapter Thirty-Three: Seeing Yulenka Again, David’s Decision

Not long after the monster arrived, the screech of brakes echoed, and a burly man with a scar on his face walked in.

Seeing Louis, he immediately strode over and pulled him into an enthusiastic embrace. "Great, little Louis, I knew you’d be fine."

Andre, like Anderson, was an adopted son of their grandfather Karl and one of Louis's uncles. Like the others, Andre was a force to be reckoned with, though he was more of a jack-of-all-trades: he could build bombs, handle tanks, and pilot helicopters. He was also the one who doted on Louis the most, often taking him out for high-speed joyrides.

Yes, literal joyrides.

"Cough, cough! Let go, let go!"

Louis patted the man’s massive, horse-like arm, his eyes beginning to roll back. This guy was as reckless as ever!

Afterward, Louis chatted with Andre for a while. The information he gathered matched what Anderson had said, and a weight lifted from his heart.

"Here, I told you before—even a kid needs a gun to protect himself." With that, Andre handed Louis a small, clearly custom-modified pistol, along with a few magazines.

Louis didn't refuse; a gun was undeniably useful.

Just as he was leaving, Andre slapped his forehead. "Damn, I almost forgot someone."

He hurried to the back door of his vehicle, dragged two people out, and shoved them in front of Louis. "These two are the ones who spent the most time with you. I heard she’s that David’s lover, so I brought them both along. And listen, little Louis, you have to be more careful. Either keep them by your side where you can watch them, or leave no witnesses. That’s the only way to keep a secret."

Andre’s tone was filled with hidden meaning.

Louis felt a shiver run down his spine. After a moment of silence, he nodded. "I understand. You should head back now."

"You got it, little Louis! See you next time! Hahaha!"

With a roar of raw power, the vehicle sped off, its thunderous engine fading into the distance. It left behind only a group of bodyguards who quietly dispersed, and the terrified mother and daughter, Yulinka and Jenny.

Yulinka locked eyes with Louis.

Louis’s lip twitched. What was this? He had already let her go, yet here she was, delivered right back to him. It was fate!

Yulinka, for her part, felt even worse. She felt that running into David in the first place had been a mistake—a colossal mistake!

"Come on, let’s go see David."

Yulinka nodded, following obediently behind.

Moments later, in the living room, David sat with his chin in his hands, listening to Louis and deep in thought.

Gangsters... hiding... and...

He looked at the card on the table and then at Yulinka and her daughter.

The room was filled with silence. Emma and Angela were also present, looking at each other in confusion.

However, Emma felt a sudden surge of excitement.

This was perfect! The opportunity had arrived!

Now, she just had to tell her father how scared she was. He wouldn't hesitate anymore. After all, she was his favorite daughter. Even if he had feelings for Louis, he would choose her safety and reluctantly let Louis go. That way, Louis would have to leave this home, and her original plan would succeed!

A slight, wicked smile tugged at the corner of Emma’s mouth. She glanced at Louis, her eyes filled with malice. But Louis didn't even look at her; his expression remained calm.

In truth, whether he stayed or left didn't make much of a difference to him. With the support of his family, he could survive on his own. He felt a lingering attachment to this home, but that was all.

As for the authority, he would leave that to David.

Faced with the dilemma, David, being an adult, thought it through clearly. Gangsters meant danger. Unlike the romanticized versions in movies, real-life gangsters were synonymous with evil—murder, arson, and shootouts were common occurrences.

But... David sighed.

He looked at Louis. "It seems I won't get the chance to hear you call me 'Dad'."

!!!

Emma’s heart leaped. It seemed her father had made his decision. But—

"Dad, I think—"

Angela immediately covered Emma’s mouth.

"Just keep calling me 'Uncle' for now. Also, regardless of whether you're part of a criminal family or not, you must finish your education. Without knowledge, you won't last long, even in the underworld." David added, "I’ll talk to the school and have you skip a grade."

"Uncle David, I thought..." Louis said, surprised.

Angela looked on in disbelief. "Brother, do you know what you're doing? It's dangerous!"

David smiled. "I know, but it’s not as dangerous as you think. If it were that dangerous, it would have happened by now." He paused. "Besides, do you really think if a real enemy showed up, they’d spare those of us who took Louis in?"

Given the nature of the criminal underworld, they certainly wouldn't.

Godfather-style rules were the exception, not the rule. Violence, chaos, and evil were the true colors of the underworld. Especially in this capitalist country, money was the only rule—everything else was irrelevant.

At this moment, David’s mind was clear. He acted exactly like the successful man he was—a single father who had managed to run two small factories and provide a comfortable life for his daughters.

Angela sighed to herself. Everything David said was true, but she knew his attachment to Louis was a major factor. David was just too soft-hearted. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if things really went wrong.

Louis looked at David. Well, this man might be unlucky—adopting a psychopathic dwarf and getting involved in messy affairs that Louis had to clean up—but he had to admit, David played the role of a father very well.

Just as Louis was thinking this, David suddenly beamed. "And they even brought Jenny! This is fantastic!"

David looked at Jenny, and she smiled back at him—a smile that was both coy and innocently seductive. Yulinka watched this, her expression unreadable.

In the end, with a tacit understanding shared by the family, everything remained as it was. The only change was that David prepared to remarry, and following Esther’s death, the household quickly gained a new adopted daughter.

...

That night, Louis made a phone call. The line connected quickly. "Cough, cough. Is that little Louis?"

"Grandfather, it’s me."

The voice on the other end grew slightly agitated. "Good, good. As long as you're safe. How have you been these past few days..."

Louis pursed his lips and shared a few happy anecdotes. The voice on the other end softened.

"Andre and the others have already briefed me. Stay there for now; the enemies here are difficult to deal with. If you need anything, just tell Andre and his team."

"Yes, I understand, Grandfather. Take care of your health."

After hanging up, the old man, far away in Miami, looked flushed with vigor. He walked to his desk and opened the drawer beneath the one where he kept the monster's finger.

Inside lay a hairy palm with three curled fingers. The old man stroked it gently, his eyes filled with complex emotions, before putting it away and locking the drawer.

"Thank goodness. It’s not time to use this yet."