James Stefflon The Gifted Heir

Chapter 03

Bang! Bang!

 Two loud knocks echoed, followed by a rough pitched voice.. 

 "Old lady! it is time to pay up your dues!!"

 When Stella heard this, her body trembled. James noticed this reaction, causing him to ask with a suspicious frown.

 "Mum? what is it?"

 "Ah. It's nothing. Just some old visitors. James why don't you go to your room and let me handle this?" Stella chuckled awkwardly.

 Giving her a suspicious look, James went deeper into the house. Although he had some suspicions, he decided to obey his mother's wishes.

 After leaving her for so long to bear his cross with nobody to complain to, James figured it was the least he could do.

 Only after confirming that James had left did Stella suck in a nervous breath as she opened the door, revealing seven hefty looking men in rugged clothing.

 "You old hag what took you so long huh?" the one who spoke was the thug at the lead.

 He had a green serpent tattoo on the right side of his neck and a fat blunt was trapped in between his black lips.

 "I'm sorry, I was just putting things in order" Stella replied in a shaky tone.

 "Hmpfh, if I find out you were hiding some money, I won't hold back even if you are an old hag" the lead Thug sneered as he directly waltzed in.

 "Where's my money old hag?" he demanded haughtily as he made himself comfortable on one of the wooden chairs.

 "Here " Stella nervously tossed a worn down purse towards his lap.

 Shaking the purse, the expression on the lead Thug went frosty when he saw a few coins rolling into his laps. He angrily slammed his palm on the arm rest, causing it to crack.

 "Are you messing with me? Those cent are not even enough for ten percent of the monthly cut!!" he said that icily.

 "I'm sorry but that's all I have. My vegetable farm ended up getting destroyed in last week flood. I was only able to sell a little bit in the market. Please you have to believe me!" Stella's knees kissed the tiles as she begged.

 The lips of the lead Thug upturned into a mocking sneer.

 "Oh. I believe you " he said while rising to his feet.

 "However so what if your farm was destroyed by the flood? the only reason you can't pay up is because you are a pathetic and lazy hag. For that, I am going to beat you till I am satisfied. So next time you try bringing up an excuse not to pay up next month, you'd think twice when you remember this beating " a devilish grin appeared on the lips of the lead Thug as he gave one of his subordinates a knowing look.

 "Hehe. I won't hold back even though you look like my great grandma" one of the six thugs stepped forward, while cracking his knuckles.

 Seeing this, despair flashed in Stella's eyes as she knew there was no escaping the punishment today. These hoodlums were known in the neighborhood as heartless monsters who could do anything as long as money was involved.

 Pah!

 Just then, a strong arm caught the incoming slap, stunning the Thug.

 "You!! who the hell are you? you better not cause any trouble or nobody would be able to save you!" the Thug felt a strong grip on his wrist, causing him to shoot out threats.

 "Heh. You come into my house and attempt to bully my mother, yet you tell me not to cause trouble? is your brain fried? or are you just an innate idiot?" James clicked his tongue as his arms shook a bit, causing the Thug to stagger three steps back.

 "Mum, are you okay?" ignoring the seven thugs, James turned towards Stella.

 Just now, he had been planning on obeying her wishes, however seeing the other party attempting to hit her, he could no longer hold back.

 However contrary to his expectations, a look of fright appeared on Stella's face as she suddenly stood in front of him like a protective mother bear.

 "Do anything you want to me but please don't hurt my son. He has no part in this"

 Seeing his mother still acting this protective towards him, James began to feel even greater remorse for abandoning her for so long. However this further strengthened his resolve to protect her.

 "What a pleasant surprise! so you must be the useless moocher named James right?" the lead Thug chuckled in amusement as he stepped forward.

 "You know me?" James frowned.

 "Are you joking? Who in the whole of Atlas City doesn't know the infamous former live in son-in-law of the Blue Family? although many people have yet to see your true appearance, they've heard a lot of your tales. Like how you and Fairy Becca have been in a secret marriage for three years and have yet to consummate your marriage" the lead Thug jeered in a mocking tone.

 "What does that have to do with you?" James frowned.

 "Hmpfh. As expected. You are as wimpy as they said you would be. Do you know that you are about to be cuckolded?" an evil grin suddenly appeared on the lips of the lead Thug.

 "Next week I heard that Fairy Becca is going to tie the knot with Diego Sebastian. As her former husband don't you think it is only right that you attend and give them your blessing? maybe they might be magnanimous to give you and your pathetic mother leftovers for lunch "

 Bam!

 James could no longer hold back as his right fist slammed into the face of the other party. The lead Thug screamed like a pig as James sudden punch dislocated his nose, causing him to stagger back.

 "You bastard! how dare you hit me!!" he roared in fury as blood dripped from his injured nose.

 "Speak, why are you targeting my mother for no reason" James demanded icily.

 "Screw you! How dare you--"

 Bam!

 James didn't hold back, kicking the stomach of the lead Thug. The kick was so swift and powerful that the Thug collapsed to the floor, clutching his stomach painfully.

 "Speak, why are you targeting my mother?" James repeated his earlier question, not bothering to conceal his growing impatience.

 "Bastard! although the rumors said you were not this strong. But so what? you are just one man!!'

 The other Thugs seemed to have sensed the implied meaning of their leader's words, causing them to all attack James at once.

 Bam! Bam! Bam!

 James was like a leaf as he swayed left and right. His strange foot work caused him to dodge the six attacks coming from all angle while calmly landing his own. In under the span of two minutes, the six Thugs were all rolling on the ground with dislocated limbs.

 Although James was confident in ending their lives, he decided to hold back. He was not ready to bear the criminal charges of a murderer. Not to mention that his mother was currently watching him!

 "You!!" witnessing James easily beating up his subordinates, the lead Thug finally became frightened.

 "Are you still not going to answer my question?" James slowly walked towards him.

 "Please don't hurt me! I was hired by Mr. Diego! yes! if you want to blame anyone then blame him!" he finally confessed.

 The power that James exhibited had successfully scared him witless.

 "Why would he hire you?" James frowned.

 He didn't recall having any enmity with anybody named Diego.

 "I don't know. Maybe it's because he's about to marry Becca so the Blue family wanted to wipe off the stain in their public image due to your old marriage with Becca. The plan was for me to torment your mother till she was sent packing out from the City!"