Walter owned property here, no less impressive than the mayor’s. However, a farm owner had ultimately taken it, and the deeds were then transferred into Lance’s hands. In fact, Lance hadn’t bothered to prevent him from continuing to live there.
Once his family was brought inside the solid brick and stone structure, Walter’s wife and children finally breathed a sigh of relief. How could ordinary people easily accept such a bloody and violent scene?
Seeing this, Walter couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger. "This Lance is beyond outrageous!"
His wife had married him when he was poor. Over the years, though their relationship wasn’t as passionate as in their youth, their love was deep-seated, polished even brighter by time. Therefore, his family was Walter’s Achilles’ heel; to harm them was to cross a line that would unleash his fury.
"That’s enough. If it weren’t for him, where would the children and I be now?" His wife soothed Walter, then turned to their two children. "It’s good that our family is safe and sound."
"Alas," Walter couldn’t help but heave a sigh, "what exactly happened to the merchant group?"
Previously, he had only a rough understanding. Before he could learn more, concerns for his family’s safety had interrupted him. Now that they were all here, he began to recount what had happened during their two months apart.
When he heard that his daughter had cut her hair to demonstrate her resolve, his heart ached for her. At the same time, he looked at his son with an unmistakable gaze of frustration at his lack of effort. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on ɴo(v)elFɪre.ɴet
"We were deceived by Bill back then," Tiffany explained. "Several attempts to rescue you failed, draining the merchant group’s finances significantly. Then York discovered our empty warehouses. He sided with Gene, and together with Bill, they pressured me..."
Walter could feel the immense pressure his daughter had faced against those men. He initially had objections to her actions, but he now realized she’d had no other choice at the time.
The real problem was that all the guards I had led were lost, and bandits had robbed our caravans, effectively leaving me powerless.
Even if I had been in her situation, there wouldn’t have been a better solution. I probably would have had to sell the Totnes property to raise funds and weather the crisis.
"But then Mr. Lance suddenly burst in..."
While Walter was contemplating how to turn the situation around, he looked up upon hearing this, noticing a gleam in his daughter’s eyes.
Then he heard how Lance had captured all those people directly, even ransacking their homes overnight. In the face of absolute power, all their business tactics were a joke.
Walter was speechless. That man played by no rules at all! Wasn’t he afraid of the sheriff knocking at his door? Besides, who would dare associate with him if word of this got out?
But then again, hadn’t I myself been forcibly roped in? I was a victim too... Walter felt quite helpless, but there was little he could do about some things.
Tiffany continued speaking, but she omitted the warehouse incident and even skipped over what Lance did in Totnes, simply describing it as shopping and selecting refugees.
Knowing too much about some matters was useless; it only added to one’s worries. This wasn’t about hiding the truth, but about protection—something she had learned from being with Lance.
"Alas, I personally led the escort and got trapped in Hamlet..." Walter began to recount his own situation. He glossed over the dangers, not wanting to add to his family’s worries.
"The caravan set out..." his wife began, then briefly explained that they had encountered refugees, which caused a delay. "The Lord went to drive those refugees away, so we were able to return quickly."
Walter glanced at his wife. If he hadn’t seen the state of the caravan himself, he might have believed her. That wasn’t just ’driving them away’—many people had been killed.
But he didn’t say much. He knew his wife didn’t want him to worry, and it was a relief that they were safe now.
Tiffany also noticed this. If it were before, she might not have caught on, or even if she had, she would have pressed further, creating a tense atmosphere.
But now she didn’t say anything. Her experiences during this time had made her grow up quickly, especially the things she learned while with Lance, which she hadn’t noticed before.
People grow up; it’s just that sometimes the price is too great.
"I will handle these matters. No matter what, our family is safe, and that’s the best outcome." Walter set the tone, reassuming his responsibility as the pillar of the family.
Tiffany, however, didn’t feel her burden lighten so easily. Having experienced that kind of pressure herself, she knew her father needed someone to share it with.
After arranging for his wife and children, Walter stood up to leave. He planned to speak with the Lord about the merchant group’s problems, and Tiffany followed him.
"Father, I caused this mess, so let me talk to him," she said.
"The merchant group is definitively out of our hands now." Walter glanced at his daughter, his look meaningful. "The current issue is to see his reaction. That will also determine our family’s future."
Walter was no fool; having calmed down, he understood that the merchant group falling into Lance’s hands was an established fact.
He wasn’t fighting for the merchant group, but for his family’s lives. He had to find a way to escape Hamlet. He would rather take his family back to Totnes, open a small shop, and live a stable life than live under a domineering tyrant. After all, who knew when their home might be raided next?
Upon hearing this, Tiffany’s brows furrowed slightly, her tone uncertain as she murmured, "Mr. Lance wouldn’t do that, would he?"