They Mocked the Homeless Veteran Until He Fought Back

Chapter 005

In Riverside City, an apartment like this would cost several million dollars before renovations were even considered.

For a woman to possess this kind of wealth on her own was genuinely impressive.

Andrew accepted the slippers Joan handed him and put them on, but he remained standing to one side instead of taking a seat.

“Why aren’t you sitting down?” Joan asked after carefully placing the urn in a proper spot and sitting beside Bonnie.

“My clothes are a little dirty. I’d rather not.”

Andrew answered honestly.

He had spent the entire day traveling and had not even had the chance to wash up. The last thing he wanted was to dirty someone else’s home.

Bonnie slowly raised her head.

Her beautiful eyes were swollen and red, and tears continued to stream down her face. The sight was enough to make anyone’s heart ache.

“You were Craig’s comrade,” she said softly. “That makes you family too. It’s all right. Please sit.”

“Well... all right.”

Andrew could not bring himself to refuse after seeing the sincerity in her eyes, so he finally sat down.

It was clear that Bonnie was no ordinary woman.

No matter how devastated she was, she did not completely lose herself in her grief.

“Can you tell us exactly what happened to my brother-in-law?” Joan asked.

“The mission itself was classified, so I don’t know the details. I only know that something happened while he was traveling overseas to carry it out. I’ve already used some personal connections to investigate. I should know more soon.”

Andrew told them the truth.

He had left the military before Craig’s death, so he had no direct access to the details.

Once Bonnie had learned everything Andrew was able to tell her, she returned to her bedroom with a hollow expression.

Only Andrew and Joan remained in the living room.

“Why don’t you take a shower?” Joan suggested, breaking the silence. “Then I can cut your hair. Right now, you look like a Hippie.”

Andrew stared at her in surprise.

“You know how to cut hair?”

“Of course. I used to cut my roommates’ hair all the time in college. Don’t underestimate me. I’m actually pretty good.”

Joan rolled up her sleeves as though she were preparing for serious work.

“This... maybe we should forget it. I can go to a barbershop tomorrow.”

Andrew did not dare trust her so easily.

He hurriedly swept aside the long bangs that covered most of his face, revealing his sharply defined features.

His straight, heroic eyebrows slanted upward above deep eyes that seemed to contain the stars themselves. There was a calm, experienced quality in his gaze that made him seem anything but ordinary.

His high nose and slightly rebellious mouth made him look like a character who had stepped straight out of a graphic novel.

Joan froze.

She stared at him and murmured blankly, “Wow... you’re really handsome.”

“Am I?” Andrew replied with a modest yet narcissistic smile. “I think so too. Thanks for the compliment.”

“With a face like that, it’s a shame you aren’t doing private escort work. You’re wasting your best asset.”

Joan clicked her tongue in admiration.

Andrew’s eyelids drooped.

He had already heard more than enough about escort work for one lifetime.

He stood, walked over to the woven sack, and pulled out a relatively new camouflage uniform.

“Where’s the bathroom?”

“Uh... go through the balcony. The guest bathroom is on the right,” Joan replied.

“Got it. I’ll take a shower first.”

Andrew behaved as though he had known them for years.

He followed Joan’s directions, entered the bathroom, and shut the door. A moment later, the rustling sound of clothes being removed came from inside.

Joan sat there absentmindedly.

Then she suddenly remembered something.

Her eyes widened.

She rushed toward the balcony and burst into the bathroom.

Andrew was standing there completely naked, staring at her in stunned silence.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I didn’t think you’d undress that quickly!”

Joan’s entire face turned red.

She immediately squeezed her eyes shut, backed out, and leaned against the door while breathing heavily.

Unless she had imagined it, Andrew’s body was covered in scars left by knives and bullets.

One scar was especially horrifying. It stretched almost all the way down his back toward his hip.

“What has that man been through?”

Joan muttered nervously to herself before returning to the living room with a deeply conflicted expression.

Inside the bathroom, Andrew finally recovered from his surprise.

At first, he had no idea why she had suddenly barged in.

Then he noticed several pieces of cartoon-patterned underwear piled nearby and immediately understood.

Unless he was mistaken, they belonged to Joan. She had probably forgotten to wash them.

“What a lazy girl.”

Andrew chuckled and turned on the shower.

He began washing away the dirt and sweat from his body, though his gaze kept drifting toward the pile of clothes despite himself.

The shower lasted nearly half an hour.

For Joan, every second felt unbearably long.

The moment Andrew came out, she darted into the bathroom like a frightened kitten, scooped up the pile of underwear, and fled into her bedroom with a panicked expression.

The commotion woke Bonnie.

She came out of her bedroom with swollen eyes and looked at Andrew.

“Have you eaten dinner?”

“Yes, I have. Thank you for asking.”

Andrew answered politely.

He had only eaten a few steamed buns, but he had no intention of admitting that. Otherwise, he would only create more work for them.

“Joan, come out and make Andrew some noodles,” Bonnie called toward the bedroom, ignoring his claim entirely.

“Coming!”

Andrew felt a little embarrassed, but all he could do was thank her.

About fifteen minutes later, Joan carried a large steaming pot of noodles into the living room.

She obediently filled a bowl and handed it to Andrew.

“Thank you. Really, thank you. I’m sorry for the trouble.”

Andrew had said “thank you” so many times that it was nearly becoming a verbal habit.

The two women sat on either side of him and quietly watched him eat.

Their attention made Andrew uncomfortable, so he lowered his head and silently focused on the noodles.

Joan soon grew bored.

She returned to her room, came back with a small cosmetic bag, and placed it in front of Andrew.

“How about I cut your hair while you eat?”

“Joan, are you looking for trouble?” Bonnie asked irritably.

“I just can’t stand his hairstyle. He looks like some ridiculous Hippie.”

Joan pouted and stared longingly at the back of Andrew’s head.

Andrew’s instincts were far too sharp not to notice.

He coughed lightly.

“It’s fine. You can cut it. I think it’s gotten too long too.”

“That’s more like it.”

Joan immediately brightened.

She opened the cosmetic bag and pulled out a small pair of hair-cutting scissors, ready to demonstrate her skills.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

“Who could it be this late?”

Joan’s cheerful expression vanished instantly.

She walked to the door and looked through the peephole.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Why is Mom coming over this late?”

Click.

The door opened.

A richly dressed woman walked inside. Her clothing was slightly disheveled, with blades of grass still clinging to the fabric.

The moment Andrew recognized her, he sprayed a mouthful of noodles across the entire table.

There was no mistake.

This was the same wealthy woman he had seen rolling around in the bushes with the security guard downstairs.