The Hidden Overlord Halston

Chapter 8

Edmund was startled. "You mean… Mia wasn't the one who saved you?" He quickly bowed. "Forgive my incompetence, Sir! That means I gave you the wrong information two years ago!"

Halston raised his hand, stopping the apology. "You're not wrong. The woman who saved me was indeed from the Brown family. But it wasn't Mia, it was Kyra," he said, his eyes fixed on Kyra's photo, the same girl he had helped at the restaurant yesterday.

All this time, he had never met Kyra at any of the Brown family gatherings because she and her parents had been kicked out two years ago. According to information from William, Matteo had faked the details after learning the Overlord was searching for Kyra. He wanted Halston to marry Mia, his beloved granddaughter.

Halston handed the folder to Edmund. The pain of being betrayed by Mia slowly faded, replaced by a new purpose.

"This time, I'll repay the favor properly!"

In a modest house on the outskirts of Rivertone, shards of glass were scattered across the floor. A steel baton destroyed the coffee table in the living room, its fragments adding to the mess. A flower vase was cracked, chairs overturned, and family photos trampled, while a gang of thugs stormed in.

"I-I don't understand what you're talking about, sir!" Nick, Kyra's father, knelt before Tom. Sweat drenched his forehead, and he gasped under the pressure of the thugs surrounding him.

Tom's rage exploded as he touched the wound on his face, recalling the humiliating punch from Halston. "Don't act stupid! You must know who that damn courier is. If not, why would he go through the trouble of protecting your restaurant?"

The metal baton gleamed in the hands of a burly thug. "You better talk before we beat you to death, old man," he threatened.

Helen clung to Nick, trembling. "W-We really don't know! My husband was working at another restaurant branch when you came yesterday," she said honestly.

"You think I'm that easy to fool?" Tom roared. He stepped toward Helen and grabbed her chin roughly. "Look at me! Tell me where that damn courier is!"

Sweat poured from Helen's forehead. "I-I don't know. I've never seen him before," she replied, her voice barely a whisper amidst the fear.

"Lies!" Tom's shout echoed through the house. "If you don't know him, then why did he help your daughter yesterday?"

Julian, who had been kneeling, suddenly spoke. "Then just ask my sister! She must know who the courier is."

A cruel smile spread across Tom's face. "You're right," he said, walking toward Julian. "I almost forgot about that girl. Where is she?"

"S-She's working," Julian answered, trying to sound convincing. "Give me my phone. I'll call her to come now."

"You think I'm stupid? You're planning to call the police, aren't you?"

"No! I won't call the police!"

Tom raised his baton, ready to strike Julian. But suddenly, a loud voice shattered the tension.

"Stop it! Don't hit anyone!"

Kyra stood at the doorway, panting from rushing home after hearing her parents' house was under attack.

"Let them go!" she demanded, standing in the way of Tom's arm, which was inches away from hitting her younger brother.

"Don't act like a hero now!" Julian glared, his anger bursting. "Why did you just get here? Look at the mess you caused!"

Nick added his scorn. "Why are you always wandering around causing trouble?"

A loud cough from Helen cut through their shouting. "Why are you talking to Kyra like that? She's been working so hard to help us all this time," she said, her voice weak.

Worried, Kyra rushed to her mother's side. "Mom, are you okay? Have you taken your medicine?" she asked, gently holding Helen's shoulder.

"Where is the courier? You must know, right?" Tom grabbed Kyra's arm.

"I don't know him," Kyra lied. "Yesterday was the first time we met."

"I know you're lying! Tell me now, or your family's finished!"

Panic gripped Nick. "You useless girl!" he shouted. "Tell them where that courier is! Do you want us to die here?"

"Be useful for once. Bring that courier here!" Julian pushed.

When it came to putting Kyra down, Nick and Julian were always first in line. The patriarchal system made Nick spoil Julian and look down on Kyra.

"I really don't know who he is!" Kyra said firmly, unshaken, even though thugs surrounded her.

"Even if you don't know him, bring him to me in thirty minutes, or your father's loan interest goes up to twenty percent!" Tom threatened, tapping the baton on the floor.

Nick's face turned pale. "What are you waiting for, you ungrateful brat? Go find that courier! He's the one who caused this, but we're the ones suffering!"

"This happened because you borrowed money from thugs, not because of that courier!" Kyra snapped back, frustrated with her family's debt situation.

"How dare you talk like that to your father? I borrowed money to pay for your brother's expensive tuition! You'll also benefit when he graduates from a prestigious university!"

A bitter laugh escaped Kyra. "Tuition?" she rolled her eyes. "You really don't know? Julian used that money to gamble, not for school!"

The accusation sparked a roar. "How dare you accuse me!" Julian jumped up, his face red with anger.

Their shouting stopped as Tom let out an irritated sigh. "Hey, did you all forget I'm still here? I won't be this patient if you fail to bring me that courier."

"Kyra, bring the courier!" Nick begged, his voice trembling. "It's better to sacrifice one life to save the rest of us!"

Julian followed with more pressure. "Think about Mom. She hasn't taken her chemo medicine. If it's delayed, you know what could happen, right?"

Helen dropped to her knees before Tom. "Please let us go. My daughter already said she didn't know—cough!"

"Mom, are you okay?" Kyra cried, trying to get closer, but Tom held her back by her hair.

"Bring me the courier, or your family is finished!" he shouted, yanking her hair harder.

Halston's number was in Kyra's pocket, and she could call him right now. But seeing that there were twice as many thugs as yesterday, she hesitated.

"Go ahead and raise the interest. I'll work even harder to pay it. And you won't dare kill us, right? We're your source of money," Kyra said fearlessly.

Halston's heroic act yesterday gave her courage. If Halston could protect her without hesitation, then she could do the same.

"You damn woman!" Tom raised his hand to slap Kyra, but suddenly, the thugs behind him were thrown back one by one like leaves hit by a strong wind.

Bam! Bam!

Loud punches echoed, followed by screams of pain. Everyone was shocked and turned to look at the source of the commotion.

The sound of blows came with a clear path opening in the middle of the crowd. Slowly, a man in a suit walked through the group.

When one thug tried to attack him, the man punched him square in the chest without even looking. His eyes were fixed only on Tom's hand pulling Kyra's hair.

"Who are you?" Tom shouted, not recognizing Halston since he had worn a helmet yesterday. "How dare you meddle in my business?"

Halston ignored the question and grabbed Tom's shoulder with such force that it brought him to his knees.

A faint smile appeared on Halston's face as he said, "I came to deliver a package."

"What?" Tom frowned in confusion.

"This is the package."

Bugh!

Halston's punch landed right on Tom's chest, sending him flying into the wall. Cracks spread across it, a clear sign of how powerful Halston's strike was.