The Sovereign

Chapter 5

"You… who are you?" Sam was so terrified his legs trembled, and he could barely move his lips to speak. In that one instant, he had truly smelled the stench of death from this woman.

"Why did you come here?" Fugaku, however, frowned deeply. He said loudly, "Don't meddle in other people's business. Get out."

This reprimand sent a fresh wave of fear and unease through the room. Shanny even glared at Fugaku, making a ‘hush’ gesture with her hand. An assassin of unknown origin—what if Fugaku angered her? What if she decided to kill everyone?

But to everyone's utter astonishment, not only was Shilpy not angry, she bowed her head nervously. "Understood." After replying, she vanished without a trace.

Shilpy was gone, but the tense atmosphere in the Vegas household had not dissipated; instead, it deepened. The way Shanny, Putri, and all the other family members looked at Fugaku had changed. The hatred and disgust were gone, replaced by a kind of fear and awe.

Sam was trembling, sweat beading on his forehead. With a single word, Fugaku had dismissed that assassin-like woman. Could she be his subordinate?

"Fugaku, Mother is asking you, was that woman just now your subordinate?" A smile appeared on Putri's face as she asked with a hint of guilt.

Jane, Audie, and the others also looked nervous, afraid he would say yes. They had said so many terrible things to him and even tried to kick him out.

"Mother, did I frighten you all just now?" Fugaku quickly helped Putri and Shanny up, then said with a smile, "That woman is my protector. I am a witness in an important case."

"So that's how it is."

"I was wondering how Fugaku could be doing so well, having such a powerful woman as a subordinate."

Seeing Fugaku deny it, Putri and the others exchanged glances, smiled stiffly, and finally relaxed. This formidable woman was just his protector, and Fugaku must be involved in some important case. It was just like in the movies, right? To protect an important witness from being silenced, an expert is assigned to guard them.

"An important case?" Shanny was still suspicious. "Don't tell me you've been involved in dangerous cases all this time you were missing?"

"Hmm, something like that!"

"Oh…" Only then did Shanny feel relieved. This would explain why Fugaku had suddenly become a martial arts expert upon his return.

In truth, Fugaku wasn't lying. Shilpy was his shadow; a shadow and its body are inseparable. Neither can exist without the other, a bond that transcends that of a mere superior and subordinate. And Fugaku was indeed a witness in a major, unsolved international case. To track down a certain criminal, he had been discharged from active military service. He just didn't want to involve innocent people, that was all.

Seeing the Vegas family chatting intimately, Sam planned to slip away quietly to report back to his brother. But he had barely taken a step when a hand suddenly clapped down on his shoulder.

"Haha… Mr. Sam, where are you going?" Fugaku's fake laugh echoed.

In an instant, Sam was terrified. With a loud thud, he was knocked to the floor by Fugaku, his legs giving way beneath him.

"No, this is just a misunderstanding…" Sam forced a hideous smile, looking up at Fugaku.

"Oh? A misunderstanding? I don't think so." Fugaku crouched in front of him, his smile gentle but devoid of any warmth. "Isn't Vior your sister?"

"I don't know her! We're just cousins, not siblings."

"Didn't you come here to arrest me?"

"How could that be? I came to invite you for a drink. There's a new bar in the northern part of the Northern region."

"You still want me to kowtow to you?"

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Fugaku had barely finished speaking when Sam immediately dropped to his knees and kowtowed three times, the sound of his head hitting the floor so loud that his forehead started to bleed.

"Brother, please forgive me! I was wrong! Please let me go!" A foul smell emanated from Sam as he spoke. The Vegas family members unconsciously covered their noses. Sam had been so scared by Fugaku that he had wet himself.

Sam was one of the few in the Diningrat family who knew the inside story. Given the history between Fugaku and the Diningrats, falling into Fugaku's hands meant a miserable death.

Fugaku looked at Sam with suspicion, unconsciously stroking his chin. He wasn't that terrifying, was he? To scare someone into wetting their pants.

After that, he stopped intimidating him and changed the subject. "I'll ask you again, my father's serious illness, does it really have nothing to do with you?" As he asked, a terrifying murderous intent flashed in his eyes. Shanny, Putri, and all the members of the Vegas family were also stunned, looking at Sam in confusion. Beckham stood next to Shanny with an uneasy expression, a thin layer of cold sweat on his forehead.

"No," Sam said without hesitation.

Beckham suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is that so?" Fugaku smiled warmly, but in the next second, a cruel glint appeared in his eyes. He suddenly reached out, grabbed Sam's entire face, and lifted his whole body off the floor.

Then, before the terrified eyes of the Vegas family, Fugaku smashed Sam's head hard against the wall.

BAM!

With a sickening thud, Sam's face was severely battered, and fresh blood poured out.

"Does it have anything to do with you?" Fugaku's voice was as cold as ice.

Sam was dazed from the impact but said nothing.

BAM!

Fugaku smashed his head again, breaking the bridge of his nose.

"The next hit will be on iron," Fugaku said in a flat tone.

Sam trembled reflexively. Shanny and Putri were so scared their souls nearly left their bodies, but their eyes remained fixed on Sam. Sam glanced at Fugaku with terror-filled eyes, shakily raised a hand, and pointed at Beckham.

Everyone's gaze followed his finger to Beckham. In an instant, Beckham's face turned deathly pale. The Vegas family members paled in shock, all staring at Beckham. Shanny covered her mouth, her face ashen, and forced out the words, "Beckham, was it you?"