Jade bellowed, "Your daughter has poor kidneys! The same goes for your whole family too!"Speechless and livid, the black-clad man started to storm off.Even if Chaz had asked him to come from distant Seaham, he would suffer a stroke soon if he had to suffer a boor like Jade for another second."Please calm down." Gina quickly stopped him, smiling apologetically when she saw that things were going awry. "My relative is just a little too worried about her daughter. Please try to save Luna for Mr. Graves' sake—we will reward you handsomely once she's cured."The mention of Chaz and a reward calmed the black-clad man a little, and he nodded. "Then go and procure a drakeroot. You just need to bring it, and I'll be able to cure her."Gina sighed. "I'm sorry, but I don't think we can obtain one—""It's all because Frank Lawrence used the only one we found!" Cindy chimed in, gritting her teeth.The black-clad man frowned in turn and sighed. "In that case, I can only cast my acupoint ne
To no surprise, Gina and Jade stormed Frank's hilltop mansion in Skywater Bay with Cindy and her boyfriend Hughie in tow.They usually would not have made it in, but Hughie managed to get a word in with security and led them to Frank's mansion.When they pressed the doorbell, they were surprised to find a puzzled Winter answering the door instead of Frank.She had just helped Carol at her new snackbar and was wearing a bear print apron as she helped Carol prepare dinner."Who are you looking for?" Winter asked in confusion, not recognizing these faces.Even before Jade could speak, Gina stood akimbo and snapped, "Frank Lawrence is really too much, having some bitch on the side! He really is scum!""Are you calling me a bitch?" Winter gaped, utterly mystified.Snap!Cindy took a photo of Winter before she realized it, gloating, "I have her photo! Let's send it to the Turnbulls—we'll see if Frank Lawrence can still remain Vicky Turnbull's lover!"Who are you?"At that point, Wi
Jade spat at Winter right then, "Frank isn't like that?! What, would I use my daughter to slander scum like him?!"At the same time, Carol scrambled to shield Winter while continuing to smile at the angry mob. "Please, I'm sure there's a misunderstanding here—Mr. Lawrence isn't like that. We'll call him right now, and I'm sure he can clear up this misunderstanding.""You'd better hurry, or I'm cutting this bitch's face!" Jade growled through her teeth as she whipped out a switchblade, brandishing it in front of Carol and her daughter."O-Of course." Carol wiped the blood off her lips and quickly urged Winter, "Go on, call Mr. Lawrence right now.""Mom…""Just hurry. Don't you trust him?" Carol asked resolutely, watching the angry mob closely."Yeah…" Though Winter certainly would not doubt Frank, she did not want to bother him.But seeing that her mother was determined, she took out her phone to call Frank's number.While she did, Cindy and her boyfriend Hughie strode into the
"It's the truth…"Winter teared up miserably even as she picked up her phone. "Ask Helen yourself if you don't believe me.""Lies!" Gina kept snapping angrily, but she was already panicking.She knew her daughter better than anyone—Helen had been leaving for work earlier these days, even before sunrise.Gina presumed that it was about work, but to think that she was coming here for Frank…Though her indignation flared, she was afraid to press the issue, instead making a mental note to interrogate her daughter next time she saw her."Hey, have you called that bastard yet?" she asked instead."No… Frank's not answering. I think he's busy," Winter replied, shaking her head even as she glared defiantly at Gina and Jade. "Hah! More like he's running away from his crimes!" Cindy laughed coolly.Jade was in turn ranting immediately, "That bastard! I'll make him suffer! It's all you Northstream Lanes' fault—if Helen married that scum, my daughter wouldn't have to suffer such ignominy
Helen was perplexed. "But what?"Chaz glanced at the other apprentices training around the dojo and leaned in to whisper into Helen's ear, "But you see… as a member of Southstream's Four Families and the chief of the Seaham Martial Artist Association, I naturally have some techniques I don't teach others."Seeing Helen's bemusement, he flashed a mysterious grin. "You'll only improve after years if you stick to the regiment that the other apprentices are taking. Can you afford to wait that long?"Helen looked around to see the many apprentices undergoing basic training as well and realized that she was no better.Chaz then added, "You're always busy with work—surely you can't stick to basic training for years? Come on, there's a sealed room here. I'll teach you my family's secret technique."Chaz certainly spoke reason, but Helen was not that ignorant.She mused to herself for a while and said, "It's your family's secret technique. An outsider like myself shouldn't—"Chaz scowled
Chaz then goaded Helen, "Go on, do it yourself!"Helen started crawling toward Chaz, her mind totally controlled by desire. However, even as she behaved with pitiful obedience, there was a look of yearning on her face as she pleaded, ""Frank… Frank… Please, Frank… It's all my fault… Don't get upset with me, alright?" "Frank… Frank Lawrence?!"Chaz's heart exploded with jealousy upon hearing Helen still saying Frank's name even now.-Frank was in his Maybach, driving along Riverton Avenue after fleeing the hospital.He was on his way back to Skywater Bay when he received a surprise call from Trevor Zurich. "Mr. Lawrence, our men watching Helen Lane reported that she's with Chaz Graves, attending the opening ceremony of the Riverplex Dojo… and he was teaching her martial arts."Frank frowned for a moment, but his brow soon eased. "So what? She went there on her own volition—it has nothing to do with me. And you don't have to keep watching her from now on.""Huh…"Trevor ap
Frank was glowering, having zero patience as he bellowed inside the dojo.His outburst drew everyone's attention, with many apprentices watching in curiosity."Yo, is this a challenge?""How rude. It's just our first day.""Just watch—the bald man over there is called Francis. He's a local martial elite and an Earthrank!""Earthrank? What's that supposed to mean?""Not sure, actually… You just need to know that they're awesome.""Just look at our challenge, so fair and scrawny. He's no match for Francis.""Yeah. He's going to die horribly…""Wait, isn't that Frank Lawrence?" One of the apprentices recognized Frank and appeared perplexed. "What is he doing here?"It was Jean Zims, a close friend of Winter's. She was wearing her signature baseball cap and sweating all over cheeks despite putting up a ponytail.On the other hand, the four men felt a chill down their spine even as they listened to the other apprentices' discussion.To have a challenger on their first day, the d
"You asked for it!"Francis' other two friends leapt toward Frank.Frank had no reason to hold back, though he basically did not have to do much against pushovers like them.Smack!Two deafening slaps resounded, and Frank stood his ground, still holding the first burly man's knuckle even as the man continued screaming.On the other hand, the two burly coaches dropped to the floor with a loud thud.They landed parallel to Frank, to his left and right."…Huh?" The other apprentices all gasped in shock again.Thud.Francis, who had seen enough to know when to back down, dropped to his knees when he saw how things turned out. Bracing himself, he saluted Frank respectfully as he said, "I apologize if I've offended you before, sir… Could you actually be Skyrank?""Three!"Frank narrowed his eyes as he counted the final number, and Francis felt a chill down his spine as he realized Frank was not playing along. And the look in his eyes when he breathed three… He was the reaper i