Chapter 310: Because of Some Boy
Jenna sprinted through the villa’s hallways at full speed. Every few seconds, she glanced over her shoulder to check if anyone was chasing her.
No one was there.
Yet she didn’t slow down for even a moment.
As she rounded the final corner leading to the office, her steps abruptly faltered.
The massive man who always shadowed Hatoru stood guard in front of the door.
"And why would you come this way?"
Jenna spun around.
Simon Red was standing at the opposite end of the corridor, blocking her escape route. It was as if he had been the one hunting her all along.
"You should’ve run back to your boyfriend," Simon said with a smirk. "Instead, you came after the boss all by yourself."
"That’s because I’m here for something else," Jenna replied through gritted teeth. "Tell me where my family is."
That was all she wanted.
All she had ever wanted.
"Why don’t you make me?" Simon said, his grin widening.
A surge of anger shot through her, but she didn’t take the bait.
There was no point fighting them.
The information she needed was inside that office.
Without hesitation, she lunged toward the giant guarding the door.
The man swung a heavy fist at her head.
Jenna ducked beneath it and launched herself upward. Her body twisted through the air in a smooth flip before she landed lightly behind him.
The movement looked almost effortless.
Anyone watching could immediately tell she had eaten the baker’s item.
It allowed her to move as though gravity barely affected her.
Before the giant could react, Jenna shoved the office door open and rushed inside.
Then she froze.
Hatoru sat calmly behind his desk, a pistol resting in his hand.
But that wasn’t what stopped her.
The gun was aimed at a woman.
A woman clutching a young girl tightly against her chest.
The moment their eyes met, Jenna recognized her.
Her mother.
Fear was written across the woman’s face. Her entire body trembled as she held the little girl protectively, as though letting go for even a second would mean losing her forever.
For a moment, the room fell silent.
Jenna heard nothing except the pounding of her own heartbeat.
"What do you think? Nice surprise, right?" Hatoru asked with a sly grin.
"H-How...?"
The word barely escaped her lips.
After all these years of searching, longing, and hoping to find them, discovering them like this felt unreal.
"How did I get them here so quickly?" Hatoru chuckled. "You should know by now—I never let anything important out of my sight. Your family has always been close by."
"Bullshit!" Jenna snapped. "I’ve searched this entire city!"
"But not well enough."
His smirk widened.
"J-Jenna?"
The woman’s trembling voice cut through the room.
Tears spilled from her eyes before she broke into sobs.
"Mom..."
Jenna felt her own voice crack.
She never imagined she would get to call someone by that name again.
Even if this wasn’t the reunion she’d dreamed of, it was still the moment she’d spent years yearning for.
But it lasted only seconds.
The giant from earlier slammed into her from behind.
The impact drove her into the wall.
The air exploded from her lungs.
As she struggled to rise, a massive hand pressed against her back, pinning her to the floor.
"Jenna, you should know by now that I would never harm your family," Hatoru said as he rose from his chair and slowly approached. "If anything, they’re family to me now."
Jenna’s fingers dug into the floor.
The urge to tear his throat out nearly overwhelmed her.
"All these years, you’ve protected my granddaughter. You’ve endured pain, bloodshed, and sacrifice for her sake. For that, they have my deepest gratitude but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m very disappointed by your recent actions"
He stopped beside her.
Then his expression hardened.
"When Simon first suggested the project, I thought it would fail."
He crouched down.
"I gathered children just like you. Children with something precious to lose. Then I broke them. Tested them. Rebuilt them."
His voice grew colder.
"I spent millions creating the perfect soldier. A weapon that would devote her entire life to a single purpose."
His eyes narrowed.
"And what do I get in return?"
The office seemed to shake as his voice thundered.
"A foolish girl willing to throw everything away because of some boy."
"Forgive me, Master Hatoru," Simon Red said with a bow. "I failed to monitor her properly. Allow me to deal with her."
"No."
The word came out calm.
Far calmer than before.
"Get rid of the boy."
Jenna’s eyes widened.
"I want her to watch."
Hatoru smiled.
"I want her to understand exactly what happens when someone betrays me."
"No..." Jenna whispered.
After everything Yohan had done to help her, after everything he had sacrificed—
"No, you can’t..."
"Oh, yes, I can."
Hatoru turned toward her mother and sister.
"And afterward, I’ll let you choose." The smile on his face widened, "Your mother or your sister."
Jenna felt her blood run cold.
"Take your time." Hatoru’s voice was almost gentle. "It’s a very important decision."
Yohan was surprised to find most of the second floor deserted.
He was about to head for the next staircase when he spotted a man standing at the far end of the hallway, dressed in a red button-up shirt and a pair of glasses.
"Lady Izumi, your grandfather has been worried about you," Simon said calmly, his eyes fixed entirely on her, as though Yohan wasn’t even there.
Yohan raised an eyebrow.
"Hey, are you Simon Red?"
For the first time, Simon looked at him.
"Why do you want to know?" he asked with a slight frown. "Planning to beg for your life? You should know it’s already too late for that."
A small laugh escaped Yohan.
"Beg for my life?" he repeated. "Do I look like the type?"
Simon studied him for a moment before scoffing.
"Then why ask?"
"Because I heard you were the man to beat," Yohan replied. "The ace of Hatoru’s group."
A faint smile tugged at Simon’s lips.
"So you knew who I was and still came all the way here?" He shook his head. "Why would you do something that stupid? Have you lost your rationality too, just like your little girlfriend?"
The amusement vanished from Yohan’s face instantly.
The temperature in the hallway seemed to drop.
"What did you do to Jenna?" he asked, his jaw tightening.
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