C418 I Came To See My Little Men

The atmosphere turned strangely quiet after Victor asked his question. No one had an answer. Hammer stood near the table, his arms folded across his chest, while Viper and the others remained silent. The possibility that Willy Harris might have discovered the truth about the Lions had changed everything. For weeks, their disappearance had appeared to be successful. Their enemies believed they were missing, the police had no reason to search for them, and the public had accepted the kidnapping story. Now, however, the Harris family had attacked Mark Mooney. That could not simply be ignored.

After several moments, Hammer finally spoke. "I will inform the Lions about all the possibilities. Perhaps they will have a better answer than we do." Victor nodded. "Fine. But make sure my granddaughter is protected." Hammer gave him a serious look. "You have my word." Before Victor could say anything else, the doors opened. Miller entered the room in his wheelchair, pushed by one of the guards. Although age had slowed his body, his presence still commanded attention. Everyone turned toward him. "Victor." "Father." Miller looked between Victor and Hammer. "I just spoke to Samson and Hanna. I do not think this matter will simply end." Victor immediately froze. "What does that mean, Dad?" Miller's expression remained calm, but there was concern behind his eyes. "My eldest son is consumed by power. He has always wanted control, and he has never been comfortable when someone challenges his authority."

Victor lowered his gaze. "Samson has always been like that." Miller nodded. "But I believe Alicia will be safe for now." Victor looked up. "Why?" "Hanna has gone back to rejoin her army." For the first time since Mark's phone call, Victor allowed himself to breathe more easily. "Hanna left?" "Yes," Miller replied. "She has returned to her military responsibilities. Whatever plans she may have had concerning Alicia will have to wait." Victor nodded slowly. The news brought him some relief, but it did not remove the worry that had settled inside him. Hannah was no longer at the Gupta residence, but Samson remained. More importantly, the Harris family might now be moving against Alicia and the people protecting her. Victor looked toward his father. "Can this affect my entire family?" Miller studied him. "What exactly are you asking?"

Victor hesitated before answering. "Could this danger reach Emmanuel as well?" The room became quiet again. Emmanuel was still a baby. He had done nothing to anyone, yet his connection to Alicia and the Mooney family made him vulnerable to the decisions of powerful people. Victor had seen enough family conflicts to know that innocent children were often affected by battles they did not understand. Miller leaned back slightly in his wheelchair and thought for a while. "Samson is a reasonable man when he wants to be," "I will think of something that may reward him or give him another reason to focus on matters other than Alicia." Victor frowned. "But that will not keep him occupied forever." "No," Miller admitted. "It will only buy you time."

Victor looked frustrated. Miller continued, "You and your brother are still family. You should try to work something out. Find a way to settle this before it escalates further." Victor stared at him. For years, he had heard similar advice. Be patient. Speak to Samson. Find a compromise. Protect the family. But Samson was no longer the brother Victor remembered. Power had changed him, and the desire to control everything had become more important to him than family loyalty. Victor struggled to find an answer. Before he could respond, Miller turned his wheelchair toward the exit. "Father, wait." Miller stopped. Victor looked at him. "What am I supposed to do? How can I fix something when I do not even know what is happening?" Miller did not answer. Victor's voice became more frustrated. "Do you expect me to become like my second brother? Do you want me to stand beside Samson and become his lackey just to keep the peace?"

Miller slowly looked over his shoulder. "You are still my son, Victor. You should know better than anyone that peace is not always achieved by surrendering." Those words left Victor silent. Miller then motioned for the guard to continue pushing him. A few seconds later, he disappeared through the doors. Victor remained standing where he was. He slowly shook his head. "My father is impossible," he muttered. Hammer looked at him but said nothing. Victor turned toward him. "How am I supposed to fix something I cannot understand?" His eyes moved toward the window. "Samson has already made his decision. Hanna has chosen her own path. And now Willy Harris may know more than we think." He paused. "If I try to negotiate with Samson, he will assume I am weak. If I confront him, the family may split apart. If I do nothing, Alicia could become the target of everyone."

Hammer remained quiet. Victor finally waved toward him. "Go and inform Alicia about everything." Hammer nodded. "I will." Victor took his car keys from the table and walked toward the exit. He had no clear solution, but remaining at the Gupta residence would not solve anything. For the moment, there was one thing he wanted to do. He wanted to see Emmanuel. Victor drove toward the city alone. The journey gave him time to think, but the more he considered the situation, the more complicated it became. Mark had survived the attack, but that did not mean the danger had passed. Willy Harris was patient, calculating, and willing to wait for the right opportunity. If he had discovered the truth about Alicia, then the entire disappearance operation was at risk. Victor's hands tightened around the steering wheel. He wondered whether Alicia understood how serious the situation could become. Then his thoughts shifted to Emmanuel.

The child had been separated from his mother without understanding why. Victor had only seen him a few times since the disappearance, and he suddenly felt guilty for not visiting more often. When he finally arrived at the Mooney Residence, he parked outside the gate and looked around. Then he remembered something. He had not brought a gift. Victor smiled to himself. "Of course," he muttered. "I come to see my great-grandson empty-handed." He laughed softly before stepping out of the car. The security guards recognized him immediately and opened the gate. Victor greeted them before walking toward the front door. After knocking, he waited. Mary opened the door. She was carrying Emmanuel in her arms. The baby was quiet, his small hands moving gently as he studied his fingers. The moment Victor saw him, his expression softened. "Good evening, everyone." Mary smiled. "Mr Gupta, what a surprise."

Mark, who had been sitting in the living room, immediately stood up. For a brief moment, his expression became serious. "Mr Gupta, is everything all right?" Victor smiled reassuringly. "Nothing is wrong. I simply came to see my little man here." He reached toward Mary. "May I?" Mary handed Emmanuel to him. Victor held the baby carefully, supporting his head as he looked down at him. "Look how much you have grown, Emmanuel." Emmanuel stared at Victor with curious eyes before moving his hands again. Victor laughed softly. "Do you remember me? Probably not. I suppose I will have to visit more often." Everyone in the room smiled. Mark watched him closely. Although Victor had said he was there simply to visit Emmanuel, Mark knew him well enough to understand that something was troubling him.

Mary sat down beside Quinton, who had also come closer to greet their guest. Georgia stood near the sofa, watching Victor play with the baby. Victor gently touched Emmanuel's cheek. "You are becoming a strong little boy." Mark smiled faintly. "He has been keeping everyone busy." "I can imagine," Victor replied. For a few moments, the atmosphere became lighter. Victor spoke softly to Emmanuel, making him move his tiny hands and smile. But beneath the warmth of the moment, Mark could still sense something. Eventually, Victor looked up. "How are you feeling?" Mark glanced at his bandaged leg. "I will survive." Victor's expression changed. "I heard what happened." Mark nodded. "Then you already know why I called." Victor looked toward Mary and Quinton. "I did not want to bring unnecessary worry into this house." Mark's eyes narrowed slightly. "What did you learn?"

Victor remained silent for a moment. "Nothing certain yet." Mark understood immediately. "Then something has happened." Victor looked down at Emmanuel. "I believe the Harris family may have discovered something about Alicia and the others." Mary's expression changed. Quinton straightened in his seat. Mark remained still. "That is what I suspected," he said quietly. Victor nodded. "But we do not know how much they know. We also cannot confirm whether Hanna is connected to it." Mark looked surprised. "Hanna?" Victor explained what Miller had said and what Hammer believed. Hanna had returned to the army, which meant she was unlikely to be responsible for the attack on Mark. Mark thought for a moment. "That is one possibility eliminated." "Perhaps," Victor replied. "But it does not solve the larger problem." Mark looked toward Emmanuel. "No. It does not." Victor gently rocked the baby in his arms. For a moment, he said nothing. The child was completely unaware of the danger surrounding his family. He only looked at Victor, moving his fingers and making a soft sound. Victor smiled sadly. "Whatever happens, we must keep him safe." Mark nodded. "Agreed."