āđāļāđāļēāļŠāļđāđāļĢāļ°āļāļāđāļāļĢāđ
Chapter 26
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ:
2023-11-19 23:22:13
āļāļāļāļĩāđāđāļāļĩāđāļĒāļ§āļāđāļāļ
The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 27
His gaze fixated on the new professor, who also turned out to be the same person who Kathy betrayed him with, Josh felt a surge of anger build up inside him. The classroom seemed to fade away, the voices of his classmates blurring into a distant hum Josh's entire focus was on Carlos, his eyes burning with a mix of fury and resentment. He clenched his fists tightly, his muscles tensing as he struggled to contain the rage that threatened to consume him.It wasn't the fact that, his ex girlfriend had cheated on him, with Carlos that made Josh resent the man, it was the fact that he got beat up pretty badly and humiliated by him, and If it wasn't for the lady that had stopped the henchmen from beating him up even further, then the henchmen would have done even more damage to him. Now all Josh wanted was payback.Carlos, the lecturer, his gaze darting around the room, looking at his students as he addressed them, had a slightly surprised expression when his eyes met with Josh's. He was s
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-11-20The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 28
Josh's words echoed through the room, and they had Carlos fuming at him, his veins bulging. The audacity of Josh! How dare he make such a remark about him? Had he lost his mind? Carlos had hoped to provoke Josh into an outburst, something that would paint him as a disrespectful and unruly student. However, this direct insult, labeling him as a creep, was beyond anything he had anticipated.The other students let out gasps in astonishment , they couldn't believe the guts that Josh had. Did Josh, just insult a teacher, as authorative and intimidating as Carlos? He must have lost his mind for doing that, everyone knew that crossing Mr. Carlos was a recipe for disaster, yet Josh had brazenly done just that. It was clear that Josh had underestimated the seriousness of his actions. He must have lost his mind, because no one in their right mind would dare to speak to a teacher with such disrespect. His impulsive behavior had just showed everyone his lack of respect for the teacher, and his
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-11-21The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 29
Hearing the authorities demands, Josh stepped out of his car, raising his arms in a gesture of surrender. His voice laced with confusion Josh asked. "Officers, what's happening?" he inquired, his eyes darting between the stern faces of the approaching policemen.With a stern look on his face, a burly police officer approached him, his eyes cold and devoid of any emotion,"Hands behind your back," he commanded, his voice lacking any sympathy.Josh froze to the spot, still very confused with the incident. What was going on? Did he do something wrong? He didn't remember commiting any crime, so he didn't understand what this was all about. Seeing as Josh was not putting his hands behind his back as told, the police officer approached him aggressively.Josh heart pounding in his chest as the burly officer grabbed him, pinning him against the car. Efficiency, the officer produced handcuffs and secured Josh's wrists, leaving him bewildered and helpless.Josh's mind raced, desperately trying
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-11-22The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 30
Hours passed and Josh was still in the jail cell. During that time he had expected that the police officers who had arrested him would had come to his cell and tell him the reason they had arrested him, but to his surprise no one came to tell him. Not having any information about why he's being held at the police station intensified the anxiety. If only he had a way to contact someone for help, like his grandfather. But being isolated in the cell, he didn't have a phone, so there was no way to talk with him. All Josh could was hope that the police officers would soon release him, because he did nothing wrong to be there.As Josh sat there on the bench, he felt helpless and frustrated, his frustration worsening as he remembered that when he got arrested he was on his way to meet someone, who claimed to be his father. Maybe the man was telling the truth, or maybe he was lying. âI guess, I'll never know if he was lying or not.â Josh thought to himself.Letting out a sigh, he got to his
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-11-23The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 31
Josh was surprised when Lilith showed up, ij handcuffs, Liam with two cops accompanying her. Lilith, surprised to see Josh at the police station had asked him a question earlier, and when he didn't respond to her, and just looked at her, and then down at the handcuffs she got annoyed and asked again. âI asked you a question, what are you doing here?â She was thinking that maybe one of her family members had brought him with, and she didn't like that. She despised Josh the moment Giovanni brought up the idea of her and him getting married.Josh, unfazed by Lilith's hostility, offered her a fleeting glance. While curiosity piqued his mind, urging him to inquire about why she was in handcuffs? What did she do? His indifference prevailed. He simply didn't care about the reason behind her handcuffs. At that precise moment, the reception officer's voice cut through the tense air, calling out to Josh. "Mr. De La Cruz, here is your staff," the officer announced.Turning to look at the office
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-11-24The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 32
The thought of being involved in a drug deal was terrifying, yet Josh knew he couldn't refuse his grandfather's request. His grandfather had done a lot for him already, and he had to respect his authority, and he didn't want to disappoint him.With a heavy sigh, Josh nodded in agreement. "Alright, I'll go," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.Antonio smiled, pleased with Josh's decision. "Good man," he said, patting Josh on the shoulder. "Now, let's get you ready."A few minutes later, Josh and Antonio were on their way to the location of the deal. Josh tried to distract himself from the anxiety that was eating away at him by asking Antonio questions about the business. Antonio explained that the family was involved in a variety of illegal activities, including drug trafficking, arms dealing, and money laundering. The way Antonio said it, he didn't sound like he felt bad knowing that he was a criminal, and it had Josh feeling like he was doomed. If the police ever find out ab
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-11-25The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 33
As the standoff between Alessandra and Antonio intensified, the air crackled with anticipation. The room was filled with the scent of danger, and Josh could feel his heart pounding against his ribs. He knew that this was a confrontation that could end in tragedy, and he couldn't help but fear for his own safety.He was now regretting agreeing to come to this place. If he had known that things would get this intense, he wouldn't have agreed, he would have just stayed at home.Marco chimed in, his tone cold as he said. âI think it's time you leave Alessandra, your presence is not welcome here.â As he said that, he pulled out his gun and pointed it at Alessandra. The room fell silent, the tense atmosphere at the moment filling the air. Josh held his breath, his eyes wide with anxiety and anticipation. He was worried that a single gunshot from either Marco or Alessandra's men could unleash a storm of gunfire throughout the entire room. And he didn't want that, he feared that he could get
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-12-03The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 34
Alessandra's interest in Josh was more than mere flirtation. Her initial flirtation was an attempt to see his reactions and potentially exploit any vulnerabilities he might have. But Antonio figured out her manipulative tactics, and he quickly intervened to protect Josh from being entangled in Alessandra's web of influence.Not liking Antonioâs interference, Alessandra's expression abruptly darkened, her eyes flashing with annoyance as she looked at him, "Tell your old man I'm calling off the deal," she hissed, her voice dripping with icy contempt. "He couldn't deliver on time." With that, she turned on her heel and strode out of the room, her two henchmen following behind her.With Alessandra's departure, the room's atmosphere shifted once again, the tension that had momentarily enveloped the room, now going away. Josh was still thinking about Alessandraâs over friendly behavior towards him. The rapid shift from Alessandra's intimidating demeanor to a playful one while talking to hi
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-12-03
āļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ
The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 195
What was even more worrying was that he didn't know what she wanted, or was trying to accomplish by agreeing to this relationship.Coming back to his thoughts, Josh looked towards Antonio, realizing that he was still deep in conversation with Rafael. âDid Giovanni see him?â Rafael asked.âNo he didn't, luckily I was there, so I made sure they didn't see each other.â Antonio replied, referring to a few days, when Vincenzo showed up at the event, despite knowing that Giovanni would be there.Rafael gritted his teeth, âThen what the hell was he doing there? Doesn't he know the risks.âAntonioâs expression darkened. âHe said he was there for business, but I think he was trying to send a message to Giovanni, that he won't be intimidated by him.âRafael scoffed. âIf Giovanni had seen him, things could have gotten very bad.âJosh couldn't help but listen closely as he heard Rafael and Antonioâs words. They were talking about Vincenzo as if he was some outsider, who was Giovanni's enemy. But
The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 194
Josh didn't want to take Lilithâs story at face value. That could be a risky move, because she could be lying and twisting the truth to her advantage. He eyed her suspiciously as he asked, âHow do you know all this?âLilith explained. âItâs not a secret. Everyone in the underground world knows. âShe revealed, " Don't believe me? Ask anyone, even Sofia.âJosh tightened his grip on the armrest slightly, his eyes filled with irritation. Everyone knows about this? And he had never thought to ask Sofia or Antonio about it.He felt annoyance flare in his chest. It was understandable that he would be annoyed at himself now, because he had just made a deal with Lilith for information he could have gotten on his own.Lilith watched him closely. Although she didn't show it on her face, she was clearly enjoying the realization dawning on his face. She thought of how easy it was. She made an offer, and he agreed without hesitation.Whatever. She was just glad he did. Now, she didnât have to wor
The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 193
She did not expect him to ask her such a direct question. But she was ready to answer him. Lilith tilted her head to look at him with a playful look. âMaybe I changed my mind.ââWhy did you change your mind?â Josh pressed on.Lilith rolled her eyes before she finally answered him. âMaybe I realized that fighting this marriage is pointless. Our families will make sure this happens no matter what. And honestly it's not the worst thing that could happen.âJosh studied her, his expression lacking any emotion, unreadable. Unlike her, there was no warmth in his gaze. âThatâs not a convincing answer, Lilith.â His voice was dry, but firm. Then, with quiet certainty, he accused, âI know youâre up to something. What is it?ââHmmm?â Lilith hadnât expected that. She thought he was clueless, easy to manipulate. But, the fact that he already realized that she was up to something, proved to her, that he was smarter than she gave him credit for.Her smirk returned, lazy and amused. âYouâre not an ea
The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 192
At a police station, inside the chief's office.Three people were in the office, the chief of police and two officers, engaged in discussion.The chief of police sat back in his chair, while Detective Reynolds and Martinez stood across from him.âThese are all the findings we have on Giovanni De La Cruz so far,â Detective Reynolds said, sliding a thick file across the table to the chief. The contents on the file were evidence the two detectives had found on Giovanni. According to them, it was enough evidence to cause Giovanni problems.Martinez added. âSir, we think with this, we can at least get a search warrant against Giovanni.âThe chief of police reached for the file, pulling it toward him before flipping it open. His eyes scanned the documents, photos, and reports inside. He picked up one of the photos, a grainy image of Antonio De La Cruz carrying a briefcase while Mario and Josh followed behind him and entered a hotel. Even at a glance, it was clear they were involved in som
The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 191
Mr Ramirez turned to Mr Delgado saying, âA word with you Mr Delgado?â Mr Delgado gave a nod before walking away with Mr Ramirez, leaving Josh alone. Josh was too preoccupied with his thoughts to fully pay attention to them as they walked away.He moved towards the grand windows, gazing out at the estate. The villa was beautiful, but that wasnât what occupied his mind. It was what this place meant to him: A piece of his past, one he could barely remember, but was now in his hands.His fingers lightly brushed the nearby table as he walked, trying to find some sort of connection to this place. He closed his eyes, trying to remember some memory that would surface. But there was nothing. Just emptiness.He was too young to remember ever living here, so he couldn't remember everything. But, how could he expect to recall a place he left when he was just a toddler?The sound of footsteps pulled him from his thoughts. He turned to see his grandfather walking back inside with Mr. Delgado.âAr
The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 190
Josh pushed the thought aside. He wasnât ready to deal with that yet. Besides, this was his grandfather he was talking about, so why would Giovanni discard him aside?Mr Ramirez studied him for a second. âI'm sorry for how everyone else treats you. I'm sure they'll come around eventually.â He assured. Josh could only hope that will be the case soon. He let out a short laugh. âAre you sure about that? Catalina looks at me like I donât belong. Marco and Isabella donât even bother hiding it. Matteoâs the only one who treats me like an actual person.â It was not his intention to let everything out, however the words slipped out before he could stop them.His grandfather was quiet for a long moment. Then he said, âCatalina loved your mother.âJoshâs expression shifted. Really? He didn't want to believe that. If Catalina and his mother were indeed close, she wouldn't look at her sisterâs son like he was the problem.Mr. Ramirez continued, âShe loved her deeply. Losing herâĶ broke something
The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 189
âAnd when you find him? What happens then?â He asked.Josh watched his grandfather closely, waiting for his answer. Whatever Mr. Ramirez chose to do with Reaper would say a lot about the kind of man he truly was.It was safe to say Josh didnât know his grandfather that well. He had power, control, and influence, but what kind of person was he underneath it all?âHeâll face justice. What do you think?â Mr Ramirez said. âWeâll hand him over to the authorities.âJosh hadnât expected to hear that.If this had been Giovanni, Reaper wouldnât have made it past sunrise. No trial. No mercy. Josh still remembered how effortlessly his other grandfather had executed those two men for betraying him, no hesitation in his actions.This was the difference between Mr. Ramirez and Giovanni. One believed in fairness, the other in ruthless control.Josh was happy to see that his grandfather from his mom's side was a different person from Giovanni.Just then, Catalina walked in, her sharp gaze immediately
The Lost Son's Return    chapter 188
Josh ignored Catalina. But he also didnât bother trying to go with them to see Matteo. Mr. Ramirez shot Catalina a cold look in disapproval. âIf it werenât for Josh, Matteo wouldnât have made it here in time.â He scolded.Catalina said nothing, but she had a slight look of realization across her face. No matter how she felt about Josh, it was thanks to him and the other two people that Matteo was here at the hospital in time.She, Dean, Marco, and Isabella went inside the ICU where Matteo was.Josh stayed back, leaning against the wall. He didnât show it, but the rejection bothered him.When Marco and Isabella made it clear they didnât accept him, it bothered him, but not that much. Catalina, thoughâĶ She was his deceased motherâs sister. He expected her to treat him with at least some kindness. Guess he was wrong for thinking that.Josh exhaled slowly, pushing the thought aside. He wasnât about to beg for acceptance. If they didnât want him around, fine.Without another word, he turn
The Lost Son's Return    Chapter 187
Mr. Ramirezâs gaze remained cold as he looked at Dante. âWhere is thisâĶ Reaper?â he asked Dante hesitated, shaking his head in denial. âIâĶ I donât know, sir.âMr. Ramirez studied him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Before he could say anything else, the waiting room doors burst open.Mateoâs parents, Catalina and Dean, rushed inside, their faces filled with worry. Marco followed closely behind them, equally as worried.âDad, how is my son? Where is Mateo?â Catalina asked, her voice shaking.Josh tensed as he watched them. It was the first time he had ever seen Mateoâs parents in person. Since Matteo was his cousin, then the woman must be his mom's sister, his aunt. Josh also noticed a resemblance between her and him, it was subtle but still noticeable. Mr. Ramirez turned to them. âI have spoken to the doctor. He is stableâĶ weâll be able to see him soon.âA shaky breath of relief escaped Dean's mouth. âThank God.âCatalina clutched her husbandâs arm, but the worry in
