Chapter 2 A Painful Reunion

Howard looked up at the sneering face of Felicia. His voice turned icy cold. "She's just a little girl. Treating her like this—are you even human?" "And who are you? I've run this shop for ten years. How I treat her is none of your business!" Felicia froze momentarily before bursting into a loud, arrogant laugh. In a flash, Howard took a step forward and slapped her across the face. She didn't even have time to react. Her 250-pound body flew backward, crashing into the shop's glass counter. A blood-curdling scream echoed from inside. Bianca was terrified, but she didn't run. She understood that Howard was helping her. Turning back, Howard crouched down in front of Bianca. His gaze softened, and he asked gently, "Dragoness Bianca, will you take me to your mom?" "Sir, why are you looking for my mom?" Bianca shrank back, fear in her eyes. Seeing her guarded expression, Howard felt as if his heart was being torn apart. Forcing a smile, he said, "I'm here to protect you and your mom." Before nightfall, Howard took Bianca to a KFC and ordered a family bucket. Watching her devour the food ravenously, his mind was a mix of emotions. What had these seven years done to Quinn and Bianca? Midway through the meal, Bianca paused. She sucked on her greasy fingers and looked up at Howard. "Sir, can I save the rest for my mom?" Clearly, she wasn't full, but she still thought of her mother. Howard reached out and stroked her head, smiling gently. "Eat as much as you want. Later, I'll bring your mom here too." Perhaps it was because her stomach was full, or perhaps it was a connection of blood, but Bianca began to let her guard down around Howard. She explained that she used to live in a big house. But later, her uncle kicked them out, saying he needed it for his wedding. Hearing this, a sharp glint of rage flickered in Howard's eyes. Anthony Harper had evicted Quinn and Bianca and taken over his house? If it weren't for Anthony, Howard would never have become a condemned man! Suppressing his fury, he took Bianca to a building in the city center. After stepping out of the car, Bianca pointed to the building. "My mom works here, on the fifteenth floor, but she doesn't let me visit her." "Don't worry. I will take you to see her. It'll be fine." Holding her hand, Howard strode into the building. On the fifteenth floor, the elevator arrived at a quiet office space illuminated by sparse lighting. The silence was heavy. As they walked down the corridor, a mocking male voice came from the restroom ahead. "Quinn, how does it feel to spend your day cleaning the restroom? If you don't want to do this every day, just be obedient and strip down. Well, you're already drenched in sweat…" A panicked female voice cried out, "Mr. Lawson, what are you doing? Let go of me, or I'll call for help!" Howard's brows furrowed. Turning to Bianca, he said, "Wait for me here." With that, he strode toward the restroom. He pushed the door open with force. Inside, he saw a fat man in a shirt, grabbing a woman in a janitor's uniform and groping her. "Let her go!" Howard roared, charging in. Startled, Charles Lawson turned, only to see a hand flying toward his face. The slap sent him staggering, and he fell flat on his back. The woman in the janitor's uniform looked up, her face filled with fear. When her eyes met Howard's, she froze in disbelief. But what struck Howard most was the transformation in her appearance. The girl who used to be so radiant and full of life was now gaunt, her once sparkling eyes dulled. Her delicate features were still beautiful, but a jagged scar ran across her face, adding a harsh, almost grotesque edge. What had happened to turn the cheerful, smiling Quinn into this? Howard's brows knitted into a tight frown. His voice trembled as he spoke. "Quinnie, you… what happened to you?" "Who are you?" Quinn's voice was sharp, her reaction intense. She stepped back immediately, wrapping her arms around herself defensively. "I'm Howard. I'm your husband!" Howard stammered, shocked by her reaction. From the floor, Charles shouted furiously, "Nonsense! Quinn's husband died seven years ago. He was a murderer who was executed!" "Do you even know where you are? How dare you come here and attack me? Just wait and see!" He fumbled for his phone, yelling threats as he went. Howard's gaze snapped to Charles, his eyes flashing blood red. An overwhelming wave of killing intent surged through the restroom, suffocating the air around them. Charles froze, his breath catching. Terrified, he staggered backward, stammering, "Wh-what are you doing? I'm the facilities manager here!"