Chapter 87

Chapter 87

When the car pulled through the gate, a crowd was already waiting at the entrance.

Jennifer stood at the front, back straight, face unreadable. But the row of people behind her were all tense, not daring to move or speak out of turn. Tonight had blown up too big. From Lena going missing to the Black Tiger Society being wiped out, everyone knew the south side had been turned upside down.

The car had barely stopped when someone pulled the back door open from outside.

Nia was the first one out.

She'd been holding onto Jennifer's words — don't run off, don't make things worse — but the moment she saw Lena slumped in the seat, pale and with her hair all over the place, whatever composure she'd been forcing herself to hold fell apart on the spot. Her eyes went red and her voice shook: "Lena."

Elysia and Ewan came running out after her.

Ewan slowed halfway there. He looked at Ethan first, then at Lena, like he needed to confirm they were both okay. His lips pressed tight together, and the panic in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Ethan got out first, walked around to the other side, and lifted Lena out of the car.

Gentle, but leaving no room for anyone else to step in.

Jennifer watched, and the tension in her brow eased just slightly. "Where's she hurt?"

"Nothing serious." Ethan's voice was steady. "She's shaken up and completely worn out. Let her get inside and rest first."

Lena had tried to stand on her own, but the moment her feet touched the ground her legs nearly gave out. She'd been holding herself together all night — from being taken, to the lake, to the long ride back. She hadn't let herself truly breathe through any of it. But now, seeing the kids all waiting at the door, that last bit of strength she'd been running on drained away even faster.

Nia grabbed her hand, and the tears came immediately. "Why did it take you so long to come back."

Lena looked down at her, lips moving, wanting to say something reassuring, but her throat felt tight. "I'm okay. I'm back."

Elysia moved closer and gently touched the edge of her sleeve, like she was afraid Lena might disappear again any second.

Ewan didn't say anything. He just stood beside Ethan and looked up at him.

It wasn't a complicated look. Just one direct question — did you bring her back?

Ethan glanced down and put a hand on his shoulder. "She's home. I'll handle everything else."

Ewan nodded and didn't ask anything more.

---

Jennifer stepped aside to clear the doorway. "Let's go in."

Ethan carried Lena inside, the kids close behind.

The villa had already been set up. Every light was on. Water, medicine, clean clothes, warm congee — all of it laid out between the living room and the side room. It was obvious that before they'd even arrived, everything had been taken care of.

When Lena was set down on the sofa, she glanced toward the door without thinking.

She knew this wasn't over.

But Ethan seemed to know exactly what was going through her head. He leaned down and pulled her jacket closed around her, his voice quiet but carrying enough weight to fill the room. "Stay with the kids. Tonight's debts — I'll settle every single one."

Lena grabbed his wrist.

Her grip wasn't strong, but her fingers held tight.

"Don't kill anyone else." She looked at him, voice barely above a whisper. "Ethan. This has already gone far enough."

The room went still.

Jennifer said nothing. Nia and the kids seemed to stop breathing.

Ethan looked down at her. His eyes were still cold, but when that coldness landed on her, most of it seemed to pull back. "I never said I'd let it go."

Lena's chest sank.

She understood. This was already the most he was willing to give.

He'd brought her back. He'd held himself in check in front of her. And that wasn't for anyone else's sake — it was because she was sitting right here. But the people who had sold her out tonight weren't going to walk away clean just because she asked.

Jennifer spoke then, her tone flat and almost cold. "Decker's seven minutes out."

Lena's head snapped up.

Jennifer looked at her steadily. "Vertex Holdings Group is locked down on all sides. If he wants to run, the only way out tonight is crawling."

The little warmth that had just started to settle back into the room dropped away again.

Nia shifted closer to Lena without thinking.

Elysia clenched her fist.

Ewan turned toward the door, his expression going dark.

Lena closed her eyes for a moment. "Was he actually involved?"

No one answered right away.

Because by the time she asked, she already knew.

If Decker hadn't given the nod, Lex would never have touched her.

---

She wasn't looking for an explanation. She just needed to hear it said out loud.

Ethan straightened up, his voice completely flat. "Lex admitted it before he died."

Lena's face went white for a moment.

She didn't feel sorry for Lex. She just felt sick.

All those days of Decker bowing his head in front of her, backing down, playing nice — it had all been an act. While she was pushing him into a corner, he was quietly arranging to hand her over to a place like the Black Tiger Society.

It wasn't a mistake. He wanted her destroyed.

He wanted to make sure she'd never be able to come back from it.

Jennifer checked the time. "Three minutes."

Ethan didn't say another word. He turned and walked toward the door.

Jennifer followed. Julian and Schumann were already outside. The courtyard behind them wasn't crowded. But no one standing there tonight had come to watch. They were all there to witness the end of something.

Two minutes later, tires crunched outside.

Then the gate swung open.

Decker walked in.

He hadn't come alone. Two of Vertex Holdings Group's people were behind him — both the kind who usually had something to say. Right now neither of them could keep the color in their faces, and they walked with their heads down.

Decker looked worse.

No jacket, collar open, forehead slick with sweat, face drawn. He stepped through the gate and took in the scene — the courtyard, the people, and Ethan standing at the door.

One look, and his legs nearly went out from under him.

On the way over, he'd been telling himself maybe it hadn't reached the worst point yet. Maybe Jennifer was just using this as leverage. Maybe he could still hold the line, deny everything, push it all onto Lex and the Black Tiger Society.

But standing here now, he understood how stupid that had been.

Because Ethan hadn't come to reason with him.

Hadn't come to hear him out.

He'd come to collect.