How could they possibly plead with Thom? With their half brother whom they had always insulted and looked down on? “NO WAY!” Benny said. Deep down, both of them strongly rejected it. But reality was far crueler. They had no legal power. No protection. And most frightening of all, they had no one who could stand in front to protect them. They did not want to live in poverty. They did not want to be driven out of this house like strangers. They did not want everything to end here. The officer closed his document folder with a soft sound, as if signaling that this conversation had entered its final stage. “Alright. We will explain the situation very clearly.” He glanced at Frank and Benny in turn. “If the two of you decide to plead with Mr. Thom today, then our institution will suspend the seizure process of all Lanster family assets. We will leave immediately.” “However,” the man continued without hesitation, “if you refuse to plead with Mr. Thom, then we will proceed with

“What are you pleading for?” Mr. Edmund finally asked. He looked at Frank and Benny in turn, clearly confused. “You came all this way, bringing the entire family, even Madam Lena in that condition… what exactly are you pleading for?” Madam Yosie leaned forward as well. “Yes,” she said in confusion. “Pleading for what? You are making all of us wonder.” But none of the Lanster family answered. Frank lowered his head. Benny bit his lip. The other relatives stared at the floor, as if the wooden patterns there were far more interesting than the reality they had to face. “Well,” Thom said flatly, as if deciding something. “I will leave my daughter with Jasmine first.” Since returning from the military, Thom had always guarded his daughter’s mental state carefully. No shouting, no arguments in front of her. Shenina’s world had to remain clean. Adult problems were not for her to hear yet. Thom walked toward the kitchen. There, Jasmine stood by the kitchen counter, stirring matcha

At that moment, Thom remembered everything with perfect clarity. After his father died, there was no mercy left in the Lanster family home. Thom was still a teenager, Sarah was even younger than him. Without many words, they were cast out. Their belongings were thrown outside, and their names were erased from the family lineage as if they had never existed. Even more cruel, his mother, Hana Foccar, was immediately dismissed from her position as chief accountant at the Lanster company. Not because of a mistake, not because of incompetence, but because she was no longer “worthy” of being there. Thom remembered how his mother tried to stay strong, holding back her tears for the sake of her children. But the suffering did not end there. Madam Lena, with a thin smile and a voice that sounded polite, arranged everything. All the connections in this city. Every job opportunity, the name Hana Foccar was blocked everywhere. Since then, every time Thom’s mother applied for a job, the answer

Rachel did not have time to react further when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed. Madam Yosie and Mr. Edmund appeared, their faces a mix of confusion and irritation. “Why have they already left?” Madam Yosie asked immediately, her tone sharp. “I did not even get a chance to say anything.” She looked at the main door, which was still tightly closed, then turned a sharp gaze toward Thom. “What did you do to them, Thom? That is the Lanster family. You did not treat the guests well at all.” Mr. Edmund nodded in agreement. “That is right. They came in clearly not in good condition, especially Madam Lena. Why did they leave so quickly?”None of them knew what had actually happened in the living room earlier. To them, all they saw was the Lanster family arriving with tense expressions and leaving in an even worse state. And the only reasonable conclusion was that Thom had caused trouble again.Thom did not answer.Rachel also remained silent. Her chest still felt tight from Thom’s ear

Rachel trembled. Her face turned pale, her breathing uneven. “No,” she said softly but desperately. “I cannot be away from Shenina. I am her mother. I have to stay with her!" Thom slowly shook his head. “I think there is something wrong with your mental state,” he said flatly. “What you did earlier was not a normal reaction.” Rachel flinched. “Are you calling me crazy?” “I said there is something wrong,” Thom replied firmly. “Fix your mental and emotional state first. After that, you can live with my daughter.” Without waiting for further reaction, Thom stepped closer to Mr. Edmund and took Shenina from his arms. Thom immediately headed to the bedroom. He gently laid Shenina down, carefully covering her with a blanket,. Before leaving the room, he glanced at Jasmine, who was standing in the hallway. “Jasmine, pack your things. We are moving to the new house tonight.” Jasmine looked surprised for a moment, then nodded. “Alright.”*** That night, they were already at the new hou