Chapter 5 The Debt She Owed

• “Take the child away!” The command was issued with a chilling indifference, Hendrik's eyes devoid of any warmth as they settled on the scene before him—a glare that was saturated with vengeance.
• Jovienne was taken aback by the suddenness and severity of the situation. Before she could muster any form of resistance, two burly bodyguards swiftly grabbed Cameron, restraining him with force. Meanwhile, the other guards moved quickly to pry her son from her arms.
• “Mommy!”
• “Leonard!”
• Mother and son were separated, both of them struggling with all their might, attempting to break free from their confinement.
• “Hendrik, he's just a child! Don't you have any humanity!” Jovienne cried out, her voice laced with desperation and disbelief.
• “The person you're looking for is me; let my mommy go!” Even the little one clenched his fists, his youthful face contorted in anger as he glared defiantly at the imposing figure before him.
• The reality of the situation was stark—he had never anticipated this man would have any direct connection to his mother, and the realization threw him into a state of confusion.
• Despite his prowess in the digital world, here in the tangible reality, he was powerlessly reminded that he was merely a five-year-old child.
• This crushing defeat and the frustration of his futile efforts to protect his mother drove him to scream out in protest.
• The cacophony seemed to only aggravate Hendrik, who rubbed his temples in annoyance. With a dismissive gesture, he instructed his bodyguard to remove the child immediately.
• “Mommy! Mommy!” the boy's cries echoed as he was taken away.
• “Leonard!” Jovienne's maternal instincts kicked in full force; she struggled fiercely, using every limb to fight back.
• Her son was her life, and she would defend him relentlessly against any threat, even at the cost of her own safety.
• Yet, just as she began to make a move, a strong hand reached out, grabbing her and pinning her forcefully against the wall.
• “Mommy?” Hendrik's response was a cold, odd laugh as his hand swiftly moved to grip her throat tightly. “Do you even deserve it, being who you are?” His voice was cold and merciless.
• Struggling for breath, Jovienne's face turned crimson; nevertheless, her hands flailed, striking at him in a desperate attempt to free herself. “M-My son...” she gasped, her voice barely a whisper amidst the struggle.
• He can't even spare a child. This man is beyond cure!
• “Hendrik, have the guts to come at me! What kind of man attacks children and women!” Cameron shouted, his voice muffled as he fought against the towel shoved over his mouth, managing to knock it away to voice his fury.
• The woman he had cherished for years was now being demeaned and attacked right before his eyes.
• “I almost forgot, your lover is still around!” Hendrik's eyes dimmed with malice as he recalled their arrival at the restaurant together, his mind racing with speculations about their relationship.
• Lovers? Married couple? Whatever the reality, it's unacceptable to me.
• And so, abruptly releasing her, he spun around and launched a punch at Cameron. The sound of the impact was sickeningly heavy, even painful to hear.
• Cameron, caught off guard and restrained by the bodyguard, had no defense against the blow.
• “Don't hit him...” Jovienne cried out, stumbling to the ground but quickly crawling forward in a futile attempt to shield him.
• But all the guards in the room were loyal to Hendrik; she couldn't get close.
• Watching her plead for Cameron, Hendrik seemed momentarily captivated, yet he continued to deliver punches, fueled by a sense of ownership and jealousy.
• He didn't love her, yet he couldn't bear the thought of someone else coveting what was his.
• “Cough, cough!” Cameron, choking on the collar of his shirt, coughed uncontrollably.
• “Hendrik! Stop!” Jovienne's plea was desperate. Cameron, always the gentleman, was not one for conflict; how could he possibly stand a chance against such brutality?
• “What's wrong? Feeling heartbroken?” Hendrik taunted, having spent his rage but still burning with fury.
• Cameron's once handsome face was now marred with bruises and blood. Despite the assault, Cameron never retaliated, which was exactly his strategy. By playing the victim, he hoped to not only win Jovienne's sympathy but perhaps even her heart. He was killing two birds with one stone.
• Moreover, if he could win her heart, what did a little hardship matter?
• Jovienne, unaware of his calculated passivity, was distraught, believing he was being targeted because of her. “What will it take for you to let them go!”
• “I want you dead!” Hendrik's response was brutal, his voice grinding through his teeth, the ferocity in his eyes unabashed.
• Even after all these years, he's as heartless as ever!
• Jovienne, momentarily closed her eyes in resignation, then opened them with a resolved look. “All right! If it's my life you want, then I'll give it to you!” she declared boldly.
• “Jovi... no...” From the floor, Cameron struggled to speak, his voice hoarse and weak.
• “Jovi? Quite the term of endearment!” Hendrik sneered, stepping over the outstretched hand that tried to reach him.
• Even the most intense hatred couldn't mask the domineering possessiveness lurking in the man's eyes.
• Cameron forced himself to stand, shedding the pretense of weakness. His demeanor suddenly chilled, his warm and polite facade replaced by an unexpected sternness.
• “Hendrik, do you really think I'm afraid of you?” As he spoke, he surprisingly managed to grab a pistol from the waistband of a nearby bodyguard.
• In an instant, a gunshot split the air. The bodyguards instinctively moved to protect Hendrik, but the shot was merely a warning, fired harmlessly into the air.
• Despite Fisher Group's apparent power, in the face of Xenakis Group, they were insignificant. Although he was resolved to bring about Hendrik's demise, he knew that the moment for such a decisive act had not yet come.
• Jovienne, overwhelmed by the unfolding events, found herself rooted to the ground, shock rendering her immobile for an extended period.
• On the other hand, Hendrik scoffed disdainfully.
• “Trying to play the knight in shining armor, are you? You might not be aware, but she and I are still lawfully wed. Our marriage certificate is prominently displayed at home,” Hendrik declared, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he flaunted the legal tie that still bound them.
• Marriage certificate...
• The mention of a marriage certificate caught Cameron off guard, his reaction visible.
• Seizing this moment of distraction, Zachary acted swiftly. With a deft movement, he reclaimed his pistol and, with a brutal chop of his hand, incapacitated Cameron, who collapsed before Jovienne's eyes. The shock sent a wave of cold dread coursing through her.
• It was evident that Hendrik's intentions had always been fixed on Rochelle. So why, after all these years, had he not disposed of those now meaningless pieces of paper? The marriage certificates that linked him to Jovienne seemed irrelevant in light of his desires.
• Hendrik observed the disbelief etched across Jovienne's face as he cornered her against the wall. His stare was piercing, cold enough to cut through the tense air between them, making it seem as though he could see into the very depths of her soul.
• “In this lifetime,” Hendrik declared with a steely resolve, “I will only be a widower. Don't even entertain the thought of forcing me into a divorce.” His tone was biting, effectively cutting off any response she might have had.
• “What on earth do you want from me?” Jovienne demanded, her voice a mixture of defiance and incredulity.
• The smirk on Hendrik's face grew more pronounced, his mockery palpable. “Can't handle the truth? Jovienne, you'll repay the debt you owed five years ago. I'll ensure you settle every last bit of it!”
• Debt?
• At his accusation of a debt, Jovienne's heart sank further, yet her response was swift and biting. Her lips twisted into a cold, mocking smile. “You seem to have forgotten who owes whom.”
• “Once upon a time, under what you called 'love', you wished for nothing more than my death! I chose to leave gracefully, to not disrupt your idyllic life with Rochelle, and now you dare to question my actions?” she challenged.
• “You!” Hendrik could hardly contain his surprise.
• At that moment, Jovienne shed any remnants of her previous fear. The aura she now radiated was one of sheer confidence and aloof disdain, stopping him cold.
• Hendrik watched her, taken aback, as if seeing her for the first time.
• “Hendrik, not for a single moment did I envision myself as your Mrs. Xenakis,” she declared with a scoff, her glare filled with revulsion.
• That intense look of disgust sent shivers down Hendrik's spine, his anxiety mounting unexpectedly.