Chapter 2 Worse Than Death

• Joshua gave a gentle laugh.
• He had initially thought that after seven years had passed, the Youngblood family, including William, might feel a bit of guilt toward him.
• Unexpectedly, when they met again, all the Youngblood family had for him were slander, insults, and humiliation.
• In his eyes, they were all ingrates!
• “I came to bring a gift!” When he looked up again, he casually snapped his fingers.
• Suddenly, the lights in the hall dimmed, and a video clip abruptly started playing on the massive LED display screen.
• “Holy cow! Is that for real? Or just photoshopped?”
• “Hot d*mn! Xenia seems graceful on the surface, but to think, behind the scenes, she's a woman who...”
• “When a woman decides to be wild, what business is it of a man?”
• Cries of surprise echoed all around.
• The video clip that was shown only revealed photos of Xenia fooling around with a man.
• The locations included a bathtub, a bed, and even a nightclub. There were even those subtle gestures made in public places.
• The scenes were becoming increasingly explicit, unsuitable for young audiences.
• The most crucial thing was that each man by her side was different, not one of them was Gabriel Watson, the groom of the day.
• “Turn it off! I told you to turn it off!” Xenia's face drained of color in alarm.
• She threw the microphone far away, aiming for the video technician on site.
• The video technician was baffled. He was innocent as he hadn't played that video clip at all.
• “I don't care who you are, turn that off immediately! You're not allowed to slander my wife!” The groom strode forward a few steps, angrily grabbed Joshua by the collar, and roared, “Xenia is not that kind of person!”
• “Don't be impulsive.” Joshua gently laid his fingers on Gabriel's pulse, smiling as he said, “Your pulse suggests you're strong and pure. The fact that you've managed to remain chaste for your newly wedded wife is truly commendable!”
• “Enough with the nonsense! My husband told you to turn the video off. Didn't you hear him?” Xenia rushed over, raising her hand to slap Joshua across his face.
• Joshua swiftly grasped her wrist, similarly checking her pulse.
• Then, he cracked a smile. “Xenia, you're pregnant. You need to avoid being impulsive even more now.”
• Turning to look at the groom, Joshua said, “Congratulations, you're going to be a father. In five months, you'll be buying diapers for the baby.”
• He gestured toward the LED screen with a lift of his hand. The image shifted, revealing a document. It was a record of an abortion procedure.
• Next, there was a surgical report for a hymen reconstruction surgery.
• Then, there was another miscarriage document.
• “Goodness...” Joshua chuckled. “Poor lad. Not only are you an unexpected father, but your wife has also suffered quite a few miscarriages...”
• “Joshua, you lunatic!” Xenia was on the verge of losing her sanity. She staggered backward, crying out in desperation, “I've had too many miscarriages! If I can't keep this child, I might never be able to conceive again! It took me so much effort to find a lifeline in the Watson family, and now you're here to ruin everything. Are you trying to destroy me?”
• Gabriel felt as if he was struck by lightning.
• The expressions of everyone in the Watson family collectively changed.
• The words impulsively blurted out by Xenia served as evidence, confirming the authenticity of the video.
• “William, my family sincerely intended to marry. My son has deep feelings for Xenia. How could your Youngblood family resort to such lowly deceit?” Herbert, the head of the Watson family, was seething with rage. He sternly demanded, “You must give me an explanation for this!”
• “Herbert, you're out of line!” William's face was ashen, gritting his teeth, he said, “Marriage is a matter of mutual consent. What explanation do you expect from me?”
• “All right, all right, all right! I've seen the Youngblood family's shamelessness firsthand!” Herbert bellowed, “Son, let's go!”
• Smack!
• Gabriel slapped Xenia, discarded his boutonniere, and fell into step behind his father.
• In the blink of an eye, all the guests from the Watson family had left.
• “Gabriel! Gabriel...” In utter despair, Xenia let out a heart-wrenching scream, collapsing onto the ground as she sobbed uncontrollably.
• “One can destroy everything but someone else's marriage! You're devoid of conscience, Joshua!” With a thunderous roar, William commanded, “Someone! Hit him! Beat him within an inch of his life!”
• A dozen or so bodyguards rushed in, surrounding Joshua.
• Joshua's expression remained unchanged while his body moved like the wind.
• Everywhere he went, with each movement of his hands and feet, he skillfully inserted golden needles into various acupuncture points on the bodyguards' bodies.
• The intimidating footsteps faltered, leaving the bodyguards momentarily stunned on the spot.
• In the next moment, some were laughing uproariously, their laughter echoing in the sky, while others were weeping uncontrollably, their tears flowing like rivers. There were those who were shouting loudly, engaging in a brawl with the bodyguards beside them.
• That inexplicable madness stirred the fragile nerves at the heart of everyone present.
• Countless individuals' expressions abruptly shifted as they instinctively took a step back.
• “Ruining your daughter's wedding is utterly heartless? Then what would you call your relentless attempts to put me in harm's way all those years ago?” Joshua looked at William with a mischievous grin. “I'm your very own nephew!”
• William's face was twisted in anger as he vehemently shouted, “Joshua, stop spreading lies about me!”
• “Say whatever you want. What I want to tell you is, this is just the beginning. In the next month, I'll show you what it feels like to wish you were dead! If you wish to take revenge on me, go ahead! No matter what tactics you employ, bring it on! A month from now, I expect your entire family to be on their knees, begging for mercy in front of me!” After saying those words, Joshua turned around and left.
• His silhouette exuded resilience and fearlessness!
• No one tried to stop him because no one dared to.
• Joshua stepped out of Seabreeze Hotel to find a modest Volkswagen already waiting for him, driven by Clayton.
• He stepped into the car and said, “Please extend my gratitude to your team of tech experts.”
• The video playback system at the wedding was hacked and controlled by Clayton's subordinates.
• “You're too kind, Mr. Judd.” Clayton queried, “By the way, Mr. Judd, since you're already aware of all your enemies, wouldn't it have been better to annihilate them directly? Stirring up trouble at the Youngblood family, isn't that like alerting the enemy?”
• “Eliminating them directly is simply too merciful.” With a soft, cold laugh, Joshua said, “I want those five families to suffer a fate worse than death!”
• Clayton was slightly taken aback.
• Then, there was silence.
• Eliminating his enemies directly was a tactical consideration he should have, from his standpoint as the commander-in-chief of the Juxshire Military District.
• From the perspective of Joshua, however, any measures taken against those five enemy families could not be considered excessive.
• “Clayton, you mentioned on the phone that you've found my dad, right?” Joshua asked, “How is he doing now?”
• “I'm sorry, Mr. Judd...” Clayton's expression subtly shifted. He hesitated before saying, “The situation might not be quite what you're imagining.”
• “What do you mean?” Joshua furrowed his brows and asked, “Just say what's on your mind, Clayton. There's no harm in it!”
• “Old Mr. Judd... He... He's lost his mind.” Clayton let out a soft sigh.
• Joshua was taken aback, his eyes reddening as he asked in a stern voice, “What happened?”
• Seven years ago, after he met with an unfortunate incident, his father, Zachary, mysteriously disappeared.
• His return was not only about revenge but also about caring for his father.
• However, he never imagined that his father had actually gone mad!
• “The details are unclear.” Clayton said, “I heard that after you got into trouble, Old Mr. Judd disappeared for quite some time. When he returned, he had lost his mind. It's speculated that it has something to do with the Youngblood family.”
• “The Youngblood family...” Inside the car, a sudden surge of hostility filled the air, causing Clayton and the driver to break out in goosebumps.
• Taking a deep breath, Joshua said, “First, take me to see him!”