All Chapters of The tormented son-in-law's payback time: Chapter 181
- Chapter 190
211 chapters
CHAPTER 179
THE SEVEN FAMILIES The atmosphere inside Chairman Clair’s executive office became incomparably heavier after the mention of the Seven Families because unlike the others present who only looked confused or uneasy, the expressions on the faces of Chairman Clair, Ross, Alfred, and even Edward revealed something far more serious. It was not ordinary concern. It was the kind of reaction powerful people had whenever something capable of disrupting the foundation beneath their feet suddenly appeared before them.Samantha immediately noticed the shift.She looked toward Alfred carefully.“What exactly are the Seven Families?”Alfred slowly exhaled before answering, and even his usually calm voice sounded more solemn than before.“They are the families that truly control San Clemente behind the surface businesses and public influence everyone sees every day because although politicians change, corporations rise and fall, and underground groups kill each other constantly, the Seven Families ha
CHAPTER 180
Entering the Lion’s DenThe atmosphere inside Chairman Clair’s office remained unbearably tense after Brian declared his intention to attend the Seven Families meeting because everyone present understood exactly what that decision truly meant. This was no longer simply about reclaiming influence, protecting Samantha, or dealing with enemies like George and Edward. Walking into a council gathering attended by the most powerful families in San Clemente immediately after his public exposure was equivalent to stepping directly into the center of the storm itself.Chairman Clair slowly sat back down again while staring at Brian with obvious concern in his tired eyes.“You still have no idea how many people are going to be inside that meeting tonight because although the Seven Families rarely appear publicly together, each one of them controls enormous influence across different sectors of this city, and some of them have connections reaching far beyond San Clemente itself.”Brian remained
CHAPTER 181
The Council HallThe convoy of black vehicles moved swiftly through the midnight streets of San Clemente while the city itself remained unusually restless beneath the glow of neon lights and flashing media broadcasts because ever since the news of Brian Maxwell’s return exploded publicly earlier that night, rumors had already begun spreading across every level of society. Powerful businessmen were making emergency calls behind closed doors, underground figures were moving cautiously through hidden networks, and influential families were desperately trying to understand whether the return of the youngest Maxwell heir would become an opportunity or a disaster.Inside the lead vehicle, the atmosphere remained calm but heavy. Samantha sat beside Brian quietly while Ross occupied the front seat with Laura beside him, reviewing security updates continuously through her phone and communication device. Outside the tinted windows, police sirens occasionally echoed through distant intersections
CHAPTER 182
The Seat Reserved for the DeadThe enormous council chamber carried an atmosphere so heavy that even breathing inside it felt strangely difficult because unlike the luxurious elegance visible throughout the rest of the estate, the room itself had clearly been designed for authority rather than comfort. Massive stone pillars stretched upward toward the high ceiling, where crystal chandeliers illuminated the chamber with cold golden light while a long polished floor extended toward the elevated council platform positioned at the far end of the hall. The seven seats placed there overlooked the entire chamber almost like thrones reserved for rulers rather than businessmen.Every influential figure attending the gathering gradually entered behind the Seven Families representatives while security personnel quietly sealed the chamber doors shut from outside. Once those doors closed, the environment changed immediately because the people inside understood that whatever discussions occurred wi
CHAPTER 183
The Family That Refused to DieThe moment Victor Laurent revealed that the Maxwell family had never officially been removed from the Seven Families council, the atmosphere inside the chamber shifted once again because although the statement sounded simple on the surface, everyone present understood the enormous implications hidden behind it. For five years, the Maxwell family had been treated publicly as a fallen empire whose influence had vanished after internal destruction consumed it from within, yet the council itself had never formally erased their seat from among the ruling powers of San Clemente.Which meant something far more complicated had been happening behind the scenes all along.Samantha slowly turned toward the untouched seat again while trying to process what this revelation meant because unlike before, the empty chair no longer looked abandoned. It looked reserved.Waiting.Several of the representatives seated throughout the chamber quietly exchanged glances after Vi
CHAPTER 184
Fire at the EstateThe moment the guard announced that the Maxwell estate was under attack again, the entire council chamber erupted into immediate tension because, unlike the earlier discussions filled with political caution and hidden calculations, this news carried direct violence with it. Several representatives instantly stood from their seats while security personnel throughout the chamber moved toward communication devices and weapons almost simultaneously.Ross’s expression darkened instantly.“What happened?”The guard was visibly nervous beneath the pressure filling the room.“We lost contact with part of the outer security perimeter about seven minutes ago, and surveillance systems near the eastern section of the estate were disabled shortly afterward.”Laura immediately stepped forward.“How many hostiles?”“We don’t know yet.”Ross cursed quietly under his breath while already pulling out his phone to contact the estate directly. However, after several attempts, his expre
CHAPTER 185
The Black SerpentThe atmosphere inside the speeding convoy became incomparably heavier after Ross revealed the symbol left behind at the Maxwell estate, because unlike Samantha, Thomas, or even Gary who looked confused by the meaning of the black serpent, the expressions on Brian, Alfred, and Ross immediately darkened in a way that made it obvious this was not an ordinary message left behind by random enemies. The silence inside the vehicle afterward felt suffocating as the city lights continued rushing past outside the tinted windows.Samantha noticed it immediately.She turned toward Brian carefully.“You know what it means.”Brian’s eyes remained fixed ahead.“Yes.”Ross tightened his jaw slightly before speaking.“I thought they disappeared years ago.”Alfred slowly shook his head from the vehicle behind them through the communication line connected across the convoy.“Organizations like that never disappear completely.”Thomas frowned deeply.“What organization?”Ross finally an
CHAPTER 186
The Hunter in the ShadowsThe cold midnight wind swept quietly through the damaged Maxwell estate while the words spoken by the dying attacker continued lingering heavily in everyone’s minds because unlike ordinary threats or reckless intimidation, the statement carried something far more disturbing beneath it. The serpent finally found the lost heir. It sounded less like an attack and more like the continuation of something that had begun many years ago.Brian stood silently before the black serpent symbol painted across the estate wall while security personnel moved rapidly throughout the compound behind him, clearing damaged areas, securing injured guards, and restoring surveillance systems that had been disabled during the assault. Flashing emergency lights illuminated the estate grounds intermittently, causing the black serpent painted on the wall to appear almost alive beneath the shifting light.Ross finally broke the silence quietly.“That wording wasn’t random.”Brian’s gaze
CHAPTER 187
The Face From Five Years AgoThe security control room became completely silent after Brian revealed the identity of the man appearing on the damaged surveillance footage, because unlike the earlier uncertainty surrounding the attackers and their motives, this discovery connected the present directly to the darkest night of Brian’s past. Even the technicians working throughout the room unconsciously slowed their movements beneath the suffocating atmosphere while the blurry image of the man in the black coat remained frozen across the central monitor.Samantha slowly turned toward Brian again while trying to process everything she had just heard because, until this moment, the enemies surrounding Brian still felt distant and faceless despite the danger they represented. But now there was suddenly an actual person standing at the center of it all.Damien Vale.The man is connected to both the destruction of the Maxwell family and the disappearance of Brian’s mother.Ross’s expression re
CHAPTER 188
The First CounterattackThe atmosphere throughout the Maxwell estate had completely transformed by the time Brian stepped out of the security control room because earlier in the night, the estate still carried the feeling of a fortified residence reacting defensively to attacks, but now something colder had settled across the entire compound. Guards moved with sharper urgency while Ross’s men established additional security positions across the damaged perimeter, and communication teams continuously monitored underground networks for further Black Serpent activity throughout San Clemente.Yet despite all the movement around him, Brian walked through the estate grounds with calm, controlled steps while Samantha remained close beside him, watching the dangerous silence gradually building inside him. She could already feel that the appearance of Damien Vale had changed something permanently tonight.Before now, Brian was searching for answers.NowHe had finally found a trail leading dir