Chapter 49: Even Beasts Are Just Like This
"Rhett, you jerk! How could you?"
Violette, usually so gentle and quiet, couldn't hold back anymore. She stormed over and slapped Rhett hard across the face, her eyes blazing with anger.
Rhett was stunned by the slap.
If he hadn't been on the phone, he would've yelled right back at her.
Rhett quickly apologized to the person on the other end, "Mr. Palmer, how about this? My wife and kids are here. You want to bring people..."
Emily suddenly reached out and snatched the phone from Rhett's hand. "Dean, right?"
Dean paused, taken aback by the soft and melodic voice of a young woman.
"Yeah, who’s this? Rhett's daughter?"
Her pleasant voice made him feel a bit weak.
A woman like this to settle the debt? Maybe.
His tone softened noticeably.
Emily spoke calmly, "No, but I can make decisions. How much does he owe you?"
"Five hundred thousand dollars! No, wait, it's been a day, so five hundred fifty thousand. Are you gonna help Rhett pay off his debt?"
Dean was genuinely curious about the woman on the other end of the call. Her tone was confident.
Could she really have the money?
He was intrigued.
But he didn't know that his words made Violette, Atticus, and Sofia go pale.
"You... you lied to me... you said it was a million dollars! I suggested selling the house, and you said it wouldn't be enough... How could you do this!"
Their house was only worth a few hundred thousand dollars. Violette thought they could sell it, and if it wasn’t enough, they could borrow more.
But Rhett had refused, saying it wouldn't be enough, and it was better to borrow money than end up homeless.
And now, he owed five hundred thousand but claimed it was a million. What was he planning to do with the extra five hundred thousand?
Rhett's eyes darted around nervously, but he tried to justify himself, "It's because of interest. I was afraid the money wouldn't be enough, and you’d waste time. See, it’s only been a day, and it's already gone up by fifty thousand dollars."
"You jerk! How dare you say that? Do you think you can handle loan sharks? What else are you hiding from me?"
Once, Violette had shared sweet times with Rhett.
She was beautiful, gentle, and had a wealthy brother.
But at some point, Rhett started to change. One day, after drinking, he couldn't hold back when she tried to care for him, and he hit her.
Emily had asked Rhett not to pay off his debt, but to reveal his true nature to Violette, to give her the courage to divorce him.
She continued speaking to Dean on the phone, "Please wait there. We'll be right over."
Dean raised an eyebrow, eager to meet the people on the other end.
"Alright, I'm in a good mood today. I'll wait for you." Dean said with a smile.
Emily hung up the phone and released Rhett's foot.
"Rhett, let's go to your house."
"No, Emily, we can't go. You... you shouldn't get involved. I'll go back with Rhett!" Violette hurriedly tried to persuade Emily.
"Stop talking nonsense!" Rhett got up from the ground, hesitating whether to run, but upon hearing Violette's words, he immediately snapped back.
He thought quickly.
He grabbed Sofia, "Come with me."
With Violette next to Emily, he was somewhat afraid of her.
But with Sofia in his grip, Violette would definitely follow him.
"Dad, let go of me!" Sofia had heard Rhett's plan to sell her, and she struggled.
Violette tried to save Sofia.
Rhett grabbed Sofia's neck, "If you don't come with me, I'll strangle her. If I don't pay the debt, I'm dead anyway. Might as well take everyone to meet the Grim Reaper!"
Violette's face turned pale, but she didn't dare take a step forward.
Emily looked at Rhett coldly.
"Let's go, Violette. Are you really going to bet on this madman's humanity?"
Violette wanted to say something but seeing Sofia's painful expression and Emily's confident nod, she finally followed.
The group left.
The property manager watched Emily leave and immediately called York.
He quickly reported the situation.
"Got it."
York hung up the phone and reported to Daniel.
"Mr. Smith, Ms. Johnson, a delicate young woman, is dealing with loan sharks. She might be in trouble. Should I go handle it?"
York reminded him with concern.
After all, Emily was Daniel's savior, and given Daniel's attitude toward her, he made the suggestion.
Delicate?
Daniel leaned back on the hospital bed, his eyes unreadable.
"Find out who this Dean is. Don't intervene immediately. Let's see how Emily handles it." Daniel said in a deep voice.
Though his emotions were hard to read.
York understood. If Emily couldn't handle it, they would step in.
But Daniel's words sounded like he knew Emily could handle it.
Emily didn't know her situation was being monitored by Daniel.
They had already caught a cab to Rhett's home.
Emily sat in the front.
Through the rearview mirror, she saw Rhett turn slightly and take out his phone, sneakily sending a message to someone.
Emily thought about the information she had seen.
His lover seemed to have connections with loan shark types.
She wondered if Dean was involved or if Dean was called by her.
She didn't expose his actions.
Instead, she smiled mysteriously.
If more people came, it would be more fun to deal with them all at once.
After sending the message, Rhett visibly relaxed, seemingly in a good mood.
The car arrived quickly.
The group got out and walked to Rhett's house.
The neighbors had lived there long enough to know each other.
The neighbors upstairs and downstairs had heard the commotion caused by loan sharks.
They peeked out occasionally but didn't dare approach.
Seeing Rhett and Violette return, they immediately poked their heads out.
Someone shouted, "Rhett, you're finally back! Go check on your mom. She was scared to death by those thugs. I heard they were loan sharks? Did you really owe money?"
"What business is it of yours? Even if I owe money, we can pay it back!"
Rhett had many faults, including a bad temper and a need to show off.
He immediately yelled at the neighbor who asked.
Then he looked at Violette with disdain, "Hurry up, no one's holding your legs."
Even though he sped up, he was still slower than Emily, clearly wanting her to shield him.
Emily's group reached the staircase.
They saw several young men with tattoos and sticks guarding the door.
Violette and Sofia shivered, but Emily remained calm.
She stepped forward first.
Rhett couldn't help but glance at her several times.
As they entered the house.
They saw Fallon sitting on the floor, crying and slapping her thigh.
Opposite her sat a man in his thirties with a scar on his face, wearing a jacket that couldn't hide his tattoos.
Hearing the noise, he looked at Emily.
His fierce face softened upon seeing Emily's increasingly beautiful face. He smiled, "You're here!"
He turned to the people behind Emily, "Rhett, what's the plan? Paying up or what?"