Chapter 13 Trouble Comes Knocking

• "It's nothing. The pain from those scars is long gone," said Finnley casually as he put on his shirt. "Gotta say, Noelle, you've got great taste! This outfit looks really good."
• Even though Finnley spoke lightly of his past, his sisters could see the truth written in the scars on his body. Life had truly been brutal to him in the past few years.
• "Alright, it's late. Take a shower after you eat and get some rest," Melanie said, patting Finnley's shoulder.
• Finnley nodded, grinning. "I will, don't worry, I'll get a good night's sleep!"
• It felt strange yet heartwarming to be fussed over again after so long. Finnley had almost forgotten what it was like to be cared for in such a pure, selfless way. He hadn't felt this kind of affection since he'd left home.
• Madeline sighed, her expression nostalgic. "I can't believe how much you've grown. It feels like just yesterday you wouldn't even go to the bathroom without me because you were scared of the dark."
• As a child, Finnley had been timid and very dependent on his sisters, who all doted on him like he was their little treasure. Madeline couldn't help but compare the cute, chubby-cheeked boy from their childhood to the tall, strong man sitting before her now. Time really had changed everything.
• "C'mon, Maddie, that was ages ago!" Finnley teased. "I remember how you wouldn't sleep unless you were hugging me! Who was the scared one then, huh? Should I hold you tonight, too?"
• Madeline's face flushed instantly. "Stop with the nonsense! You're a grown man now—don't be so slick-tongued! If you said that to another girl, she'd probably slap you!"
• Despite her scolding, part of her couldn't help but feel a little flustered.
• That night, Finnley had the best sleep he'd had in years. Ever since he had left home, he'd been on constant alert, never fully able to relax, always half-awake and prepared for danger. But now, surrounded by the comfort of family and the security of his sisters, Finnley was finally able to let go and sleep peacefully.
• The next morning, Finnley woke up feeling refreshed. After washing up, he headed downstairs and saw the table laden with a delicious breakfast spread.
• "I made all your favorites," Melanie said, her usual icy demeanor hiding her concern as she served Finnley a bowl of oat porridge. "Try it and see if it's still to your taste."
• Finnley took a deep breath, savoring the aroma. "Mmm, it smells amazing! Your cooking is the best, Mel!"
• "I have to go to the office for a bit," Melanie continued, "and considering how you ran off yesterday, I'm having Maddie stay with you today to make sure you don't get into any more trouble."
• Finnley blinked, realizing that his plans to visit Thomas in the hospital would have to wait.
• "Mel, I'm not a kid anymore. I know how to handle myself," he tried to protest, but his words were cut off by Noelle, who was coming down the stairs. "If you're not a kid, why did you run off without telling anyone then?"
• "I was just getting familiar with the area. That's not running off!"
• Noelle snorted. "Don't try to argue. Only children sneak out without telling anyone. Just so you know, I can access all the street cameras. I'll be keeping an eye on you!"
• Finnley sighed, feeling like a balloon deflating. "Fine, I'll stay home and… work on my inner peace."
• His sisters nodded, satisfied.
• After breakfast, Melanie and Noelle left for their respective jobs, leaving Finnley alone with Madeline, who was lounging on the couch in her pink pajamas, scrolling through her phone.
• Finnley sneaked over and leaned close to her ear. "What are you looking at, Maddie?"
• Madeline jumped, startled by Finnley's deep, husky voice so close to her ear. His voice had changed over the years, growing more masculine and magnetic. She felt goosebumps rise on her skin and couldn't help but think that if she weren't his sister, hearing his voice would probably make her swoon.
• "What do you think you're doing, sneaking up on me like that?" she huffed, trying to hide her flustered reaction by rubbing her ear.
• "I just wanted to see what you were looking at," Finnley said, putting on his best puppy-dog face. "Why are you being so mean? You used to be so protective of me when I was little."
• "Hmph, that was when you were a kid," she replied, trying to act indifferent. "And cut it out. Thanks to what you said on the train, I lost a ton of followers. Now, my competition is laughing at me."
• "Competition?" Finnley circled around and sat beside her.
• Madeline pulled up a photo of a rival streamer on her phone and showed it to him. "Yeah, her. She's been gaining ground while I've been losing followers."
• Finnley glanced at the screen and immediately scrunched up his face. "She doesn't hold a candle to you! She's not even a tenth as beautiful as you are."
• Madeline smirked, clearly pleased by his compliment. "Well, of course! But she's good at charming fans. I lost a bunch of mine because of that whole train incident. Now I have to do damage control."
• "I'm really sorry about that," Finnley said, his voice softening into a tone he knew always melted his sisters' hearts.
• Madeline sighed, but her expression softened. "Alright, alright. You're my brother, so I'll let it slide this time."
• See? Works every time!
• Just as they were discussing how to handle the situation, a loud, aggressive shout came from outside the house.
• "Get out here, you f*cker! I know you're in there!"
• Finnley's brow furrowed at the familiar voice. Fitzalan? He just doesn't learn, does he?
• "What's going on out there?" Madeline asked, puzzled.
• "Stay here. I'll go check it out," Finnley said, standing up, but Madeline quickly grabbed his arm. "Don't. I'll go."
• "No way. There could be danger out there. I can't let my charming and beautiful sister go into harm's way," Finnley replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. Madeline, though initially worried, found herself reassured by the firmness in his voice.
• Finnley opened the door to see a mob of people, all standing in front of the villa. Leading them was none other than Spencer himself.
• "What are you, a bloodhound, Spencer? How'd you find me here?"
• Seeing Finnley only made Spencer angrier. The humiliation of the previous day was still fresh in his mind, and now, seeing Finnley again, he felt a burning desire for revenge. "You motherf*cker! You humiliated me yesterday, but today, I'll make sure you pay with your life!"
• Finnley quirked a brow in response. It seemed Spencer was dead set on killing him, given the number of men he had brought with him.