Chapter 14 All of you should step back

“Get away from him!”

Christy rushed forward and grabbed Edison’s arm, trying with all her strength to pull him away from her father.

Edison slowly turned his head toward her.

“...Seriously?”

With one rough shove, he threw her aside.

Christy hit the ground hard and her backpack slipped off her shoulder.

“Christy!” Herrick shouted.

Before she could stand again, two men moved quickly and caught her by the arms, dragging her upright.

“Let me go!” Christy struggled. “Take your hands off me!”

Herrick immediately dropped to his knees.

“No, please!” he begged. “Leave her out of this! She has nothing to do with my debt! If you want someone, take me! Beat me! Do whatever you want, just leave my daughter alone!”

The men did not answer at once.

They looked at Christy, then at each other.

One of them gave a low laugh.

“Well... this old man has been hiding something valuable.”

Another smirked.

“Boss Stephen might be interested.”

Christy stopped struggling for a second.

“...Stephen?” Herrick said quietly.

That name alone was enough to make people in Boron lower their voices. Everybody knew stories about Stephen Stones, the reckless son of the Stones family, a man protected by money, influence, and people too powerful to challenge easily.

Edison smiled when he saw Herrick’s face.

“Looks like you know exactly who I mean.”

He stepped closer.

“You owe money you can't repay, old man. Lucky for you, some people accept different kinds of payment.”

Herrick’s expression changed instantly.

“No.”

“Yes,” Edison replied. “You should stop acting shocked. This city has always worked this way.”

Christy pulled against the men holding her.

“Dad!”

Herrick tried to rush forward, but a kick slammed into him and knocked him back down.

“Please!” he shouted. “Don’t do this! I’m begging you!”

The men laughed.

Edison crouched in front of him.

“Funny thing about people,” he said. “When they think they still have choices, they talk big. The moment something precious is on the line, they suddenly remember how to beg.”

Herrick raised his head slowly.

His hands tightened against the ground.

“Listen carefully,” he said through clenched teeth. “You are not taking my daughter anywhere.”

Edison stared at him for a moment, then smiled coldly.

“Still acting brave?”

Herrick pushed himself up despite the shaking in his legs.

“Over my dead body.”

Herrick grabbed the nearest chair without thinking and swung it with all his strength. The wood cracked hard against one of the men’s ribs and sent him stumbling back, struggling to breathe.

He did not stop there.

He picked up anything he could reach, throwing and swinging without control, pushing forward with pure desperation.

“For my daughter!” he shouted as he swung again.

Edison’s expression changed immediately.

“Old man, you’ve lost your mind.”

He moved in fast and hit Herrick with a heavy punch straight to the face.

The impact sent Herrick to the ground, blood spilling from his mouth. Before he could even push himself up, the rest of the men surrounded him and began hitting him repeatedly with their batons.

“Stop!” Christy screamed from the side, struggling against the men holding her. “Please stop! He’s going to die!”

None of them cared.

Some of them even laughed.

Edison walked over to her again and lifted her face by the chin so she was forced to look at him.

“This is done,” he said. “You’re coming with us.”

Christy’s hands were shaking, but her fear slowly turned into anger.

She suddenly leaned forward and spat in his face.

“Touch me and you’ll regret it,” she said through her teeth.

The courtyard went silent for a second.

Edison slowly wiped his face.

When he spoke again, his voice was low.

“You really should have stayed quiet.”

He raised his hand.

But it never came down.

A hand grabbed his wrist midair.

Edison froze.

“What…?”

He turned his head.

Justin stood there, holding his wrist firmly.

Edison tried to pull away, but his arm would not move.

“Who let you—”

CRACK.

The sound cut through the courtyard as Justin twisted his wrist and broke it instantly.

Edison screamed and fell back, clutching his arm.

Before anyone could react, Justin stepped forward and hit him once across the chest. The force sent Edison sliding across the ground.

The men behind him finally backed away.

Justin turned his head slowly toward them.

“No more talking,” he said. “All of you step back.”