Chapter 190 The Wells Family Meets Retribution!

Chapter 190 The Wells Family Meets Retribution!

After Quinn was arrested, Wells Industrial's stock price hit the limit down right away.

Two police cars were parked outside the Wells family's villa.

Elsie stood by the window on the second floor, watching the police cars leave. Her legs gave out and she sank onto the carpet.

Her hands were shaking. Her lips trembled a few times before she forced out, "It's over... everything's over..."

Robert sat on the living room sofa downstairs, gripping his phone. The screen showed messages from his secretary.

All three of Wells Industrial's key projects had been halted by their partners. The bank had also called, demanding early repayment on part of the loans.

After reading the messages, he tossed the phone onto the coffee table with a dull thud.

"Dad, what do we do now?" Landon rushed downstairs, his face pale. "The creditors showed up at the company this morning. Legal says at least five firms sent demand letters at the same time. We don't have enough cash on hand to cover it."

Robert didn't answer. He just raised a hand to cover his face.

Landon paced the living room anxiously. After a while he stopped and turned to Robert. "I'll go find Adrian. He won't just stand by and do nothing. My sister was with him for years—even if they're done now, he can't cut off all ties."

Landon grabbed the car keys and ran out.

An hour later, Landon stood at the front desk in Hart Group's lobby.

The receptionist recognized him, but her smile was gone. She said coolly, "Mr. Wells, Mr. Hart has no appointment for you today. I can't let you up."

"I have an urgent matter. Just let him know I'm here," Landon said, keeping his temper in check.

"Mr. Hart is in a meeting. He can't see visitors."

Landon stood on the steps outside Hart Group and tried calling Adrian. Adrian had blocked him.

Soon after, security escorted Landon out.

He clenched his teeth, cursed under his breath, and walked back to his car.

At the same time, Robert went to the Reed family's old house.

Robert stood at Rachel's door and rang the bell three times.

The Reed family's butler opened it. His expression cooled when he saw Robert. "Mr. Wells, the lady is resting. She can't see visitors."

"I need to speak with her. It's important," Robert said, sounding worn out.

The butler was about to close the door when Rachel's voice came from inside. "Let him in."

Robert followed the butler into the living room.

Rachel sat on the sofa with a cup of warm tea in front of her. She looked calm and only glanced at him.

Robert stood in the middle of the room without sitting. After a few seconds of silence, he bent at the waist and gave a deep bow. "Rachel, I know I have no right to ask. But Wells Industrial really can't hold on this time. The bank is calling in loans, projects are stopped, and Quinn's in trouble... Can you help me? Just say something to Violet. Ask her to talk to Adrian. If Hart Group can give us a break—even just delay things..."

Rachel picked up her cup, took a small sip, and looked at him. "Robert, when you left the Reed family back then, you took half the family's money and left a mess. Twenty years and you never looked after Violet once or paid a cent in support. Now that you're desperate, you suddenly remember you have a daughter."

Robert didn't dare say anything.

"You can go," Rachel said, lifting her cup again and no longer looking at him. "The Reed family won't get involved in your problems, and neither will Violet. You made your own bed."

Robert stood there a long time before turning and walking out heavily.

By evening, Landon was still out trying to pull strings. He made over a dozen calls. Everyone said they couldn't help, and some didn't even pick up.

He slammed his phone onto the passenger seat and rested his forehead on the steering wheel.

Landon didn't notice a black van had been following him for three blocks.

When he stopped at a light, the van pulled up from the side. The door slid open and three men jumped out.

Before Landon could react, they smashed the window, reached in, and unlocked the door.

"Landon?" the leader said in a raspy voice, a scar on his face.

Landon's face went white. "Who are you?"

"You borrow money and run?" The scarred man jerked his chin at the others. "Five million, interest included. Today's the deadline. How are you paying?"

Landon shrank back and reached for his phone on the passenger seat.

One of the men snatched it fast and tossed it into the grass by the road.

"I'm not saying I won't pay. I just need some time..." Landon's voice shook. "Give me a few more days. I'll get the money. My dad's company—"

"Your dad's company is about to shut down. What are you going to pay with?" The scarred man sneered and signaled the others.

They dragged Landon out of the car and threw him to the ground. His knees hit the asphalt hard.

Before he could get up, a steel pipe slammed into his left shin with a sickening crack. Landon screamed.

The second blow hit his right leg.

His screams carried far down the street at dusk. Passersby kept their distance.

The men finished and the scarred one squatted down, patting Landon's pale face. "Three days to pay up. Next time it won't just be broken legs."

The van drove off. Landon lay on the ground, sweating, his legs bent at odd angles and blood seeping through his pants.

Someone called an ambulance. It arrived twenty minutes later.

Landon was barely conscious when they loaded him onto the stretcher.

Robert only found out late that night that Landon had been attacked.

When he reached the hospital, Landon had already had surgery. Both legs were in heavy casts and suspended in traction.

"Dad..." Landon's eyes were red. "Adrian wouldn't see me. He blocked my calls. Those creditors... they said if we don't pay in three days, we're dead."

Robert stood by the bed, looking at his son's pale face, and tears came.

"Dad, are we really finished?" Landon asked.

Robert was silent for a long time, then turned away. "Probably."

The next morning, Wells Industrial officially announced a trading halt.

News outlets ran the story with one sensational headline after another.

Landon's high-interest loan debt from a failed investment was also dug up and, together with Quinn's arrest, dominated trending searches.

Violet saw the news in VelocityTech's break room.

Her colleague, holding a coffee, muttered, "The Wells family is really done this time."

Violet didn't reply. She turned off her phone screen and took her coffee back to her office.

That afternoon, Adrian came to VelocityTech.

His left arm was still in a cast. He wore a dark coat and walked in slowly.

Violet was reading a document. She looked up, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Just passing by." Adrian sat on the sofa and looked at her.

Violet glanced at him but didn't call him out.

Hart Group was a forty-minute drive from VelocityTech. It wasn't exactly on the way.

Adrian stayed a while without mentioning the Wells family. He just asked about her work and whether she could pick up Theodore from school that evening.

Violet answered each question, her tone neither warm nor cold, but she didn't refuse.

As he left, Adrian paused at the door and looked back. "Violet, you don't have to worry about the Wells family. They won't bother you again."

Violet looked up and met his eyes, then gave a quiet "Mm."