Chapter 366 Climbing Through the Window
The remaining guy saw things going south and his first instinct was to run. Finn took a few quick steps, rushed after him, and kicked the man hard in the back.
He grabbed his hair, pressed his head down, and slammed it against the ground with a bang.
The guy passed out cold.
Back in the day, when the Jimenez family was doing well, they had footholds everywhere. And Emerald City, this historic financial city, naturally had its share of the Jimenez family's investments.
Steven had been staying in Regal City lately, but it was pointless. In that unpredictable environment, he could no longer turn things around. Now, the most urgent thing for him was to bring William to Regal City to be their muscle, to fight his battles for him.
To help the Jimenez family stand up again.
At the Jimenez Villa, Steven sat on the sofa with a chessboard in front of him.
Michael sat across from him, the two engaged in a silent game.
When Steven placed his black piece, Michael knew exactly where the winning move was, but deliberately made a losing move instead.
"You lost."
"You're just too good, Grandpa."
Steven put down his chess piece and looked at Michael earnestly. "Michael, when you do things, you need to learn more from your older brother. A person can't spend their whole life trapped in a cage!"
Eileen walked over with water and handed it to Michael. "Why are you telling him all this? He doesn't understand anyway."
This kind of put-down must have been said often to come out so smoothly.
And years of such put-downs had made Michael used to it. In Eileen's eyes, there was only his older brother. Where did he fit in? His existence wasn't even as useful as a bird in the yard.
To Eileen, the birds chirping in the yard could please her, while Michael's existence just polluted the air.
"That's enough, say less. They're both Jimenez family children; neither is lacking."
"Sure, you're the only one who treats them equally. Take your medicine."
Steven took his medicine and looked at Michael. "Staying here tonight?"
"No," just polite words. He didn't need to think to know there wasn't even a room for him here.
They could dedicate a whole room for pets to play in, but definitely not a room for him.
"It's getting late, I'll head out."
"Drive carefully."
Michael left, and Eileen's disapproving complaints started up again. "Why do you care so much about him? What does he understand? The Jimenez family won't be handed to him anyway. Why waste the effort?"
"Stop saying these things in front of the kids. Have you forgotten our current situation? Back then, when that ungrateful daughter came back to Regal City holding William, kneeling and begging at our doorstep, we ignored them. But look at us now?"
"The people we need to watch out for most are those we look down on. If one day they wake up and strike back, that'll be our end."
Eileen said nothing, but her heart was aching.
If she had known it would come to this, on that snowy night years ago, no matter what, she wouldn't have let that mother and son walk out the door of the Jimenez Villa.
"Mr. Jimenez, Mr. Brown's people are here."
"William?"
"Yes!"
Steven was startled. "What are his people doing here? It's almost midnight."
Stefan shook his head. "They didn't say, just said they need to see you."
At the villa gate, Finn stood by the car looking at the main door. A black Volkswagen was parked at the villa entrance, its rear facing them. When Finn saw someone coming, he spoke directly. "Mr. Jimenez, Mr. Brown asked me to give you a message. He doesn't want to get involved in the Jimenez family's mess. This is the last chance. If there's a third time, he won't be polite."
With that, Finn opened the trunk, revealing the faces of the two people inside.
Finn gestured, and someone dragged the people out of the trunk and threw them down.
"These ones are in one piece. Next time might not be." Finn finished speaking and left with his people.
Eileen was so angry that she spoke without thinking in the yard. "That bastard, he only survived back then because the Jimenez family was merciful, and now..."
Stefan looked at Eileen with some surprise when he heard this.
Every family has dirty secrets that can't be shared with outsiders. This matter had been buried for so many years that it shouldn't be brought up, especially since the Jimenez family's eldest daughter was now a powerful man's wife. If someone with bad intentions overheard this, it would only harm the Jimenez family; no good would come of it.
"That's enough..." Steven cut her off, and only then did Eileen shut up.
At the Smith Villa, Thalia hugged a pillow and went to Grace's bedroom door.
She tilted her head and looked at her. "Mom, need someone to warm your bed?"
"No, get out."
"You do, I know it."
Grace glanced at Thalia. "Are you this shameless with William too?"
"He loves me like this." As Thalia spoke, she lifted the covers and crawled in.
Grace couldn't be bothered to argue with her. "The bedroom's yours, I'll sleep in the guest room."
Thalia said, "That's too much, I'm your own daughter."
"My own daughter who gropes her own mother."
"Can we not bring that up?"
Grace nodded. "Fine, you choose. Either you go back to your own room to sleep, or next time I run into William, I'll chat with him about how you groped me, thinking I was him."
Thalia was completely tamed, whimpering as she went back to her bedroom.
Late at night, Emerald City had a light drizzle, the first of early autumn.
The bedroom window was wide open, and when the cold air came in, Thalia scrunched up her neck, half-squinting as she reached for the blanket.
Just as she moved, she saw a figure standing by the bed and got so scared she almost screamed, but someone covered her mouth. "It's me."
William?
"Are you crazy? Standing here in the middle of the night."
William was wearing home clothes, his thin lips pressed tight, clearly in a bad mood.
He sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Thalia, his expression restrained.
"Cold?" William asked.
"Mm."
The man walked to the window and closed it. Only then did Thalia realize she had locked the door before going to sleep. "How did you get in?"
William didn't answer.
Thalia became more alert. "Don't tell me you climbed through the window?"
Thalia blinked at William, now fully awake. She sat up holding the blanket, her pink spaghetti strap nightgown hanging loose, revealing half her shoulder.
Incredibly tempting.
In the dim, hazy environment, every movement carried the scent of desire.
Thalia grabbed his collar and pulled him close, her breath warm against his earlobe. "Tell me, you climbed through the window, so if we don't do something, wouldn't that be a waste of this atmosphere?"