CHAPTER 158: CHAPTER 158: QĪ-JIE: SAVE IT FOR NEW YEAR’S, LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS

Capital City Airport.

Sebastian Winn lounged on the sofa in the VIP room, legs crossed, occasionally picking up and munching on fruit.

"Claire, are we just going back like this?"

The girl, who was resting with her eyes closed, heard his words. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly as she slowly opened her eyes and lazily said, "Otherwise, do you want to stay here and celebrate New Year?"

Not necessarily.

Sebastian awkwardly rubbed his nose, "It’s just that I didn’t have enough fun."

The main reason was that the Manor of River Hills was too large and had everything inside, making him a little reluctant to leave.

However, since the manor was now Claire’s, discussing with her about staying for ten days or half a month shouldn’t be a problem.

Thinking of this, he suddenly grinned and laughed out loud.

John Sinclair glanced at him acting foolish and rested a hand on his forehead, "Fatty, what are you giggling about?"

"Nothing, nothing." Hearing his voice, Sebastian immediately wiped the smile off his face and shook his head sharply.

Seeing this.

John’s suspicious gaze lingered on him for a few seconds before he looked away.

Planning to ’interrogate’ him strictly once they got back to Bayne City.

Seeing that John was no longer paying attention to him, Sebastian let out a sigh of relief. If John found out he planned to stay at the manor without inviting him, he would definitely blow up.

"Olivia, why isn’t Mr. Jing coming back to Bayne City with us?"

Isabella Xyler suddenly spoke, looking at the girl with questioning eyes.

Claire Green turned off her phone, not even lifting her eyes, and said effortlessly, "He has something to handle."

After her words settled.

The few of them exchanged a glance, suspecting that the ’something’ Mr. Jing mentioned was to confront the Ziegler family.

They had also learned about Claire’s background. They never expected that she would be discarded by her own grandmother, and it was her maternal uncle who hatched the plan.

The Ziegler family even had the heart to harm a newborn baby, proving that these high-society families concealed the most filth.

It seems this time the Zieglers won’t just go bankrupt; after all, with Mr. Jing in front and the Green Estate behind, none of those involved in that incident are likely to come out unscathed.

...

In the living room of the Green Estate, Caleb Green was giving instructions when suddenly, a middle-aged woman burst in anxiously, followed by a man.

"Caleb, where’s your sister?" The woman clutched Caleb’s clothes, her urgent words brimming with anticipation.

Upon seeing the two, Caleb’s brow furrowed.

The recent happenings in their circle weren’t a secret, so it wasn’t surprising that they knew. He just didn’t expect them to return so suddenly.

Seeing his silence, the woman shook his arm with force, her expression bordering on hysteria, "Tell me, where’s my daughter?"

The man behind her, seeing her state, immediately stepped forward to hug her and gently soothe her.

"Joanna, calm down, let Caleb explain slowly."

"Mom, she’s gone back to Bayne City." Caleb spoke calmly.

Upon hearing this, the woman’s emotions intensified, "Then why didn’t you stop her? No, I have to go to Bayne City."

Caleb looked at his mother, who became so unlike herself when it came to his sister, and rubbed his temples, looking at her with a hint of helplessness.

"Mom, she’s attending school in Bayne City; how could I stop her?" He paused, "You shouldn’t go looking for her; she holds some resentment against our family now."

After listening.

The man’s brow furrowed slowly, "Resentment? What’s going on?"

With a light sigh, Caleb recounted everything that had happened.

As expected.

Once he finished, even his always composed father couldn’t help but show a flicker of anger across his face.

"Where is that old woman now?" Joanna suppressed her emotions and asked coldly.

"At the hospital."

As soon as the words were out, Caleb and his father watched the woman storm out with great force.

"Dad, aren’t you going to follow her?" Caleb glanced at the man who stood rooted in place, smiling knowingly.

The man glared at him, "You know your mother’s temper. Once she gets going, I won’t be able to stop her."

Thinking of this, the man felt a trace of helplessness.

Joanna, usually gentle as water, was a force of nature when angry, like planets colliding.

"Is that so? Aren’t you afraid she might kill Madeline?" Caleb spoke nonchalantly, the jest in his eyes unmistakable.

Hearing this, the man suddenly realized the gravity of the situation, picked up his feet, and hurriedly chased after her.

Suddenly.

He stopped mid-stride, saying in a solemn tone, "You rascal, aren’t you going to catch up?"

...

Madeline Ziegler sat on her hospital bed, her fingers trembling as she opened the unexpected video on her phone.

As soon as it started, a familiar voice began to wail in agony.

A sudden foreboding rose in her heart, and the next second, she saw how Jonathan Ziegler confessed under duress, blood staining everything around him, stabbing her eyes.

But it didn’t end there.

The video suddenly shifted to Will Ziegler’s face, devoid of color, filled with terror. He seemed to perceive something terrifying and kept retreating until he hit the wall, nowhere to escape.

Madeline stared unblinking at the video, the bedsheet beneath her twisted beyond recognition from her grip.

Clatter—Clatter—Clatter—

The crisp sound of footsteps through the screen sent a shiver through Madeline’s heart as she watched the man appearing in the video, her mouth forming silent words, "Mr. Jing, don’t."

Yet, the next second, she saw Will Ziegler being grabbed by the jaw, the silver, sharp glint of the knife reflecting his fearful eyes.

"Mr. Jing, I beg you, I’ll never dare again."

Will Ziegler’s trembling voice reverberated in the hospital room.

The man chuckled ambiguously, icy intent swirling in his eyes, "Do you think you have a future?"

These five words sent chills down the spine of both those in the video and the pair watching it.

What did Mr. Jing mean?

Then she saw how Will Ziegler was tortured and whipped by the man, subjected to almost every inhumane method imaginable.

With every wound added to Will Ziegler’s body, her body would tremble.

In the end, Will Ziegler was so desperate for death, "Mr. Jing, I beg you, kill me."

Who would have thought.

Charles Jordan snickered, "General Ziegler, I’ve told you, we’re law-abiding citizens; we don’t commit murder."

Upon hearing these rogue-like words, Madeline gritted her teeth; no, she had to call the police.

But when she made the call, the police, upon hearing it was about Mr. Jing, immediately changed their attitude.

"Mr. Jing’s matters are not under our jurisdiction."

After hanging up the phone, an officer mocked, "Did Madeline Ziegler really think we would arrest Mr. Jing? She must be crazy."

Not to mention Mr. Jing’s backing from Sia Manor, his rank alone was beyond their reach.

The other officers at the station, hearing this, laughed collectively.

"I’d say Madeline Ziegler deserved it. From what my friend told me, she caused a scene at Mr. Jing’s girlfriend’s birthday party and was involved in the case of the Green Estate’s heiress disappearing seventeen years ago."

"Goodness, even wild beasts don’t harm their own; she’s quite ruthless."

Madeline was oblivious to the conversation at the station; right now, she was in a rage, having smashed everything on and around the bed to smithereens.

And just at that moment.

Joanna Frost, exuding a strong aura, walked into the hospital room in her high heels. Under Madeline Ziegler’s bewildered gaze, she slapped her hard across the face.

The burning pain immediately seared her face, and Madeline Ziegler, clutching her now-old face, snapped irritably, "Joanna, what kind of madness is this? You dare hit me? Be careful, I’ll have Froman divorce you."

As if hearing some kind of joke, Joanna mocked, "Divorce me? Do you think you’re worthy?"

"You..." Madeline attempted to retort, but another wave of pain surged from the other side of her face.

Seeing her face symmetrically bruised, Joanna smiled in satisfaction.

Then, in Madeline’s incredulous eyes, she grabbed her by the throat and executed a perfect over-the-shoulder throw.

Staring at the elder woman on the ground, Joanna quipped in amazement, "Why are you lying on the ground like that? If you’re paying respects, at least get on your knees."

Her seemingly joking words carried an endless chill.