Chapter 3

Ellis’s sobs echoed in my ears like a sharp knife stabbing into my heart again and again.

The corner of Joel’s mouth curled into a wicked smile, and he grabbed Ellis on the spot and dragged her outside.

Ellis’s thigh hit the corner of the wall, and blood spilled all over the floor.

She was dragged down the stairs and disappeared from my sight.

I struggled desperately to get up and rush over, but the security guards held me tightly. “Where do you think you’re going? Stay here and wait like a good boy.”

“You offended Manager Joel. You think you’ll have any good days left?”

The security guard’s words were full of threats, and his hands pinned my shoulders like hot irons.

Ellis’s sobs came from the dark stairwell.

“Get out of my way!”

I kicked the security guard in the groin, and while he fell, I pounced on him and slapped his face from side to side.

The bystanders were so frightened that they pulled out their phones to record me, and some people even started livestreaming.

“Everyone, look! I ran into a violent maniac at the mall today. Not only did he randomly beat staff members, he also stole something!”

“The mall really needs to strengthen security. How could they let this kind of threat to society in?”

Only when I had beaten his face until it was swollen like a pig’s head did Ellis’s sobs reach my ears again.

My thoughts snapped back, and I hurriedly rushed downstairs.

The crying came from a dark corner, and when I rushed over, I saw a scene that broke my heart.

Ellis was tied to a pillar, soaked from head to toe, and a foul smell came off her body, while a bucket of dirty water sat beside her.

Joel held a whip and kept lashing her body, and he also slapped her.

“You little bastard, you and your dad are exactly the same. Both of you are broke losers.”

“I’ll teach you to cry. I’ll teach you to cry…”

Ellis kept whimpering, and he looked irritated as he signaled for the person beside him to bring over a filthy rag.

He crumpled it into a ball and stuffed it into Ellis’s mouth.

I sprinted down, kicked one person after another, and untied the rope binding Ellis.

I picked up the barely conscious Ellis.

“Ellis, don’t be scared. I’m here. I’m taking you to the hospital right now. Hold on.”

I carried Ellis and rushed toward the nearest elevator, but just as I stepped into it, I was dragged out.

A heavy force struck from behind, and my body fell backward.

I crashed hard to the ground, and Ellis was thrown out along with me, completely losing consciousness.

“Ellis! Ellis!”

My heart panicked uncontrollably, and I picked Ellis up, wanting to walk out again.

But our way was blocked.

Joel pressed one hand on the elevator button and picked up a walkie-talkie.

“Security department, shut down all elevator exits immediately and lock down the mall.”

“There are two thieves in the mall, and a huge amount of property has been stolen. If you let them walk out, you’ll answer for it.”

My heart sank. “What do you mean?”

“What do I mean?” Joel put both hands in his pockets and smiled. “This is what happens when you offend me.”

“Wait to die.”

My hands trembled nonstop, and Ellis in my arms was making a faint sound.

Her small, childish hand held mine. “Daddy, don’t worry. I’m okay. It’ll be fine when Mommy gets here.”

“When Mommy gets here…”

“Mommy? Your whole family is full of broke losers. Is your mom coming from some trailer park?”

Joel sneered.

I forced down the fire in my heart. “Your name is Joel, right?”

“Yeah. Got a problem with that? Someone like me is probably someone you could never meet in your whole life.”

Joel looked down on me arrogantly and kicked me, forcing me down onto one knee.

He stomped heavily on the back of my hand, his expression vicious.

My eyes nearly split with rage. “You’ll regret this. This mall is under my wife’s name.”

As soon as I said that, a burst of laughter rang out.

Not only Joel, but even the employees behind him laughed.

“Mr. Joel is the manager personally promoted by Ms. Ford, the future male owner of the mall. How do you even have the nerve?”

“If you want to lie, at least make it believable. People like you really dare cling to anyone for status.”

“People like this are just asking to be beaten.”

Countless mocking words rushed toward me, and I looked at each of their faces.

I engraved their ugly faces into my mind, and I would not let a single one of them go.

“Just wait. When the time comes, I’ll make sure none of you can stay in New York!”

I clenched my fists tightly.

Suddenly, a foot kicked toward me, accompanied by sneers.

Ellis was snatched from my arms.

“You won’t let us go? Who do you think you are? In all of New York, only the Wilson family could do that.”

“Exactly. A broke loser like you should stop bragging!”

They grabbed my collar, and a fist smashed toward me.

I caught the fist with one hand and looked at them with a gloomy gaze.

“What if I said I’m Kevin, the only heir of the Wilson family?”

“Hahahahaha.”

Joel held my chin. “If you’re Kevin, I’ll eat shit while doing a handstand, okay?”

He patted my cheek provocatively.

After all this torment from them, Ellis whimpered and cried in pain.

“I want Daddy, Daddy. Don’t hit my daddy…”

Unexpectedly, her crying made those bastards even worse.

Joel frowned impatiently. “So noisy. Throw her into the freezer.”

“No!” I shoved him away and tried to rush over to take Ellis back.

But once again, the crowd swarming in from all directions held down my hands and feet, pressing me firmly against the ground as my cheek rubbed against the floor.

I watched helplessly as they opened that heavy door.

Ellis was thrown inside.

“Bastards! You bunch of bastards!”

I raged helplessly and pounded the floor hard.

Joel held my head down. “What are you afraid of? She won’t freeze to death in a little while, right?”

The others echoed him one after another.

Just then, the crisp sound of high heels striking the floor rang out.

“Ms. Ford,” someone called.

Joel’s eyes lit up, and he immediately pushed through the crowd and rushed out.

“Ford, you’re finally here. It’s this broke loser.”

“Not only did he pretend to be the heir of the Wilson family, but he also disrupted the order of our mall. You need to teach him a proper lesson.”

The crowd automatically opened a path, and Ford walked over.

When she saw me pinned to the ground, her pupils constricted. “Honey?!”

As soon as she said that, the surroundings instantly fell silent.