Chapter 6

In the car, Howard said, "The other party's methods are very professional, and it may be difficult to have a breakthrough in such a short time."

"Should we look for Ms. Talia again?" Yoel nodded slightly. "Maybe she can provide us with a little clue?"

Howard took a deep breath, nodded, and replied, "Mm!"

Yoel sent a text asking for Talia's location, then stomped on the gas pedal. Half an hour later, Yoel drove the car into an old neighborhood. After taking a few turns, they stopped in front of a dilapidated building.

"Ms. Talia lives on the first floor with her sister and parents!" Yoel informed, looking at Howard in the passenger seat. Howard exhaled heavily. Looking at the building on the verge of collapsing, a look of guilt appeared on his face.

"I got them into this mess!" After saying that, Howard got out of the car.

"Dad, I'm begging you! Please help me ask grandpa again. Ask him to send someone to find Riley..."

As soon as the two walked to the entrance, they heard Talia's sobbing voice coming from inside.

"It's not that I didn't help you, but you saw it with your own eyes yesterday. The Jenkins family won't let me enter the courtyard, and I couldn't meet your grandpa…"

"Why don't you call Uncle Ken? Ask him to help us tell grandpa. You've helped him so many times before. I'm sure he's in debt with you." Talia's voice sounded again.

"I already called him, but he quickly rejected my call as soon as he saw my number…" Holden sighed again.

Talia was unwilling to give up, and she added, "L-Let's go back to Mendorra and find him. He must be in the company…"

"Talia, when will you come to your senses?!"

At this time, a middle-aged woman's voice sounded loudly. It was Talia's mother, Kaylee Jenkins.

"The Jenkins family has cut ties with us, and they don't care about us! Don't you understand?! Everything that happened today was your fault, and you can't blame anyone. You ruined your own life! Back then, I told you to abort that bastard child, but you insisted on having her! You even ran away from home just to give birth to her!"

"Now, you finally know all your actions have consequences, right? If it weren't for that bastard child, we wouldn't end up in Nimbulus, and you'd already lived comfortably in the Blake family!"

"Mom! I repeat, Riley's not a bastard child! She has a father!" Talia shouted. "I don't want to hear you say those words again!"

"Hmph! What's the use of yelling at me!" Kaylee screamed again. "She has a father? Where's he? Has he visited you and your daughter in the past few years? Has he called you? Has he given you any money?"

"No, right?!"

"Mom, stop it! Talia's already so sad!" A young lady's voice sounded. It was Talia's younger sister, Yuffie Jenkins.

"Why should I!" Kaylee answered. "Did I say something wrong? Which part was wrong?! If that man has a little sense of responsibility, he'll not remain silent for the past five years! Only a stupid woman like your sister will give birth to his daughter without hesitation!"

When Howard heard Kaylee's words from the corridor, he trembled slightly, and his eyes turned red. He had completely failed as a husband and a father! He owed too much to Talia and Riley!

After exhaling deeply again, Howard walked in. He noticed the wooden door was not closed, and only the iron gate was pulled.

"May I know who you are looking for?" Yuffie, who was near the door, looked at the two men in surprise. She could not recognize Howard because although Howard had lived in Mendorra for many years, he often stayed at school and rarely participated in the activities of the upper society.

Besides, living in the military camp for so many years had changed Howard's appearance and temperament to a certain extent, and it was normal for Yuffie not to know him.

"Hello, we're looking for Ms. Talia!" Yoel quickly replied.

Hearing his words, Kaylee and her parents looked over at the same time.

"What are you doing here? I don't want to see you ever again! Get out of here!" Talia yelled at Howard.

Howard took a deep breath. "Talia, I'm sorry! I wrongly accused you just now. I'm really sorry! I know you're filled with endless anger and resentment toward me, and I admit that I'm not a qualified father. However, the most important thing now is to find Riley as soon as we can! A minute later will only bring her extra danger! Once we find Riley, you can do whatever you want with me!"

"What?!" Kaylee immediately shouted. "You're the bastard child's…"

"Mom!" Talia cried out. "If you say those two words again, I'll not regard you as my mom anymore!"

"You…" Kaylee glared at Talia. Then, she turned to look at Howard. "How dare you appear in front of us! Don't you know you've ruined our family!"

"I…I want to skin you alive!"

Kaylee became more agitated as she spoke, and she quickly took a fruit knife from the coffee table and rushed to the door.

"Hmm?" Yoel frowned and immediately blocked Howard.

"Move!" Howard said.

"Marshal!" Yoel turned to look at Howard.

"I asked you to move. Don't you hear me?" Howard frowned.

"Yes, sir!" Yoel stepped back two meters away.

"Mom, what are you doing?!" Talia and Yuffie pulled Kaylee.

"Let me go! He made our life a living hell! I must kill him…" Kaylee slumped to the floor and started crying.

"Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins, I'm sorry!" Howard bowed.

"Please believe me that from now onward, I'll definitely compensate you thousands of times more for what you lost!"

Yuffie glanced at him in annoyance. "Hey, stop adding fuel to the fire. Leave!"

Seriously? The man was such a brag! Compensate them thousands of times more? Did he think this was a movie! Which part of him did Talia fall for? Besides his good looks, there was nothing impressive about this guy!

"Talia, I came to look for you because I want to know if anything out of the ordinary happened to Riley in these two days?" Howard looked at Talia.

"Believe me. As long as I know who kidnapped Riley, I can save her!"

"Everything has been normal these two days, nothing special!" Talia took a deep breath to calm down. As far as she was concerned, she was desperate and had no choice but to count on Howard! The incident between Howard and she was another matter, and everything would be discussed after Riley was rescued!

Howard found that Talia was finally talking to him, so he asked quickly, "Did any strangers stalk or flirt with you or something like that recently?"

"No!" Talia shook her head.

"Then…" Howard said again.

At this moment, messy footsteps sounded in the corridor. After a while, a young man with a bruised and swollen face walked in with a bandage on his arm.

More than a dozen men in black with swords and sticks followed behind him, and the originally narrow corridor was suddenly crowded.