Chapter 21 Sometimes You Have to Hit Them
Dan’s face was red with anger. “This is our family business. Leave this place. This has nothing to do with you.”
“Hah!” Sebastian sneered. “They’re my sons, and you say this has nothing to do with me? Do you think you have something to do with this? What a joke.”
Dan shut up. He had no retort for that, so he glared at Madeline. “What is happening, Madeline?” He raised his voice.
Buddy trembled in fear. He pushed Sebastian away and ran to his mother. He hugged her tightly, but he was still trembling.
It broke Madeline’s heart. She squatted down and hugged her son. “Calm down, Buddy,” she assured him. “I’m fine. Really, I am.”
Most kids could still hold it in when nobody was there for them, but once someone came to their aid, they would start to cry. Buddy was no exception, and he bawled. “We have to run, Mom! We have to go somewhere they can’t find us! Run!”
Madeline felt crushed seeing him cry. She teared up, and her voice broke, but she patted his back nonetheless. “We’ll leave right away, Buddy. Don’t cry. I’ll take you boys far, far away.” She stood up with Buddy in her arms, and she went to her bedroom. “Aldo, to the bedroom,” she called her other son. “Pack my things up.” She wanted to take them and go to a place where the Taylors could never find them.
Aldo glared at Dan and ran to the bedroom.
“Hold it!” Dan barked fiercely. “Did you forget that I saved you when you were dying? Is this how you’re going to repay me?”
Madeline stopped in her tracks and closed her eyes in agony. A moment later, she turned around. “So what do you want me to do this time? Marry your disabled cousin? Or do you want me to give Buddy away to your niece so he can be her son?”
“No, I don’t want to!” Buggy hugged her neck tightly. “I don’t want anyone else to be my mother! I don’t want to leave you, Mom! I don’t want to!” he cried with fear.
“It’s okay, Buddy.” Madeline kissed him. “Remember, Buddy. As long as I am here, nobody can take you or Aldo away from me. I’ll cut the hands of those who dare. As long as I am here, nobody can separate us,” she said adamantly.
“I’m not that kind of person, Madeline. Do you think of me as some common thug?” Dan asked angrily. “I won’t let Phoebe marry you off to my cousin, nor will I let her take Buddy. I just want you to drop the charges and let Phoebe and her bodyguards go.”
Dan got angry again when he was reminded of Phoebe’s pitiful circumstances. “You went too far this time, Madeline. No matter what, my father married her legally, and she’s my stepmother. She’s our elder. You can’t do that to her. Do you know how badly she’s hurt? And now she’s in the detention center, charged with abduction. If she’s found guilty, she’s going to be jailed for three to five years. If that happens, that means our family head’s wife is a convict. That’ll be humiliating for us.” He stared at Madeline. “Madeline, don’t make me regret my choice of saving you.”
“Don’t yell at my mom!” Aldo stood in front of Madeline, his gaze icy. “I did that to Phoebe, not Mom. And she’s no respectable elder. What else does she know how to do except bully me and Buddy? She’s jailed? Great. She almost abducted Buddy. Of course she needs to get jailed.”
“Where are your manners, Quincy?” Dan was angry. “Who said you can talk to me like that? And you actually attacked Madeline? She’s your great aunt! Do you want to get spanked? I think you do, or you’ll grow up with all your bad ways intact.”
Sebastian sneered. Did he just call my son a mannerless kid who needs to be taught a lesson? Well, then I guess a lesson is in order, but not for Aldo. He chuckled. “Quinton.”
“Sir!” Quinton, who had been waiting outside, came in.
Sebastian pointed at Dan with his chin. “This is my sons’ uncle. I need to talk to my boys, and I have no time for him. Why don’t you take him out and show him a bit of our hospitality? I’ll have a chat with him once I have time.”
“Yes, sir!” Quinton bowed at Sebastian and invited Dan out. “Come with me, please.”
Dan was white with fury. “Mr. Hart, you might be the president of Hart Corporation, but that doesn’t give you the right to interfere with my family affairs. You should be the one to leave, not me.”
Sebastian wouldn’t even talk to him. He simply shot Dan a scornful gaze and looked away.
Quinton put his hand on Dan’s shoulder and smiled warmly. “It’s a hot day, isn’t it, Mr. Taylor? All this heat must be getting to your head. We have some cool, refreshing drinks out there. It’ll help jog your mind. I’m sure you’ll feel much better if you have a few bottles of it.”
“What do you mean?” Dan flew into a rage and swung his arms. He tried to swing Quinton’s hand away, but instead of doing that, Quinton held his other arm and pinned it behind his back as well.
Quinton was smiling warmly. “Come with me, Mr. Taylor. We have enough refreshments for you. Don’t be shy.”
Dan tried to struggle free, but it was futile. He was dragged out, and a bodyguard closed the door behind him.
Dan was about to say something, but Quinton covered his mouth and slammed his fist against his belly. The pain shot up his head, and everything around started to spin. Quinton’s men then stuffed all kinds of items into Dan’s mouth. Before Dan could recover from the pain, Quinton punched him again, and Dan fell to the ground. The other bodyguards then surrounded him and kicked him.
Dan has his own bodyguards as well. When they realized what was happening, they tried to save him, but the Hart bodyguards pinned them down to the ground easily.
Dan was in a slightly better state compared to his lackeys, as Quinton didn’t pin him to the ground. After he made sure Dan’s face was as swollen as a balloon, he told his men to get a rope. Quinton tied Dan up and tossed him to a corner, grinning at him. “Wow, the heat must have really gotten to you, Mr. Taylor. Stay in the shade and calm yourself. You should be fine once Master Sebastian is done. You can talk to him then.”
