C525 A Family Divided By Revenge

Miller remained silent for a while, carefully considering everything Alicia had told them. Eventually, he spoke. "Alicia, I will speak to my son about this. Revenge is not the solution, but I won't pretend this will be easy. Samson's death has changed everything. Darry is furious, and you must understand that he and Samson were very close." Alicia listened without interrupting. "As for this endless cycle of revenge, I've been thinking about it too," Miller continued. "I wish to speak with both you and Hanna. After all, you're still looking for her, and you also have reasons to seek revenge. That's what makes this situation so complicated. Everyone wants justice for the people they've lost, but nobody seems willing to consider where this will end." Alicia paused before nodding. "Yes, Grandpa. I understand. I'll call you tomorrow to find out what Darry says." "Very well, my child. I'll do what I can." With that, the call ended. Victor's expression immediately darkened. "So my brother went after Alicia behind my back? He told me not to pursue Hanna yet, but he went ahead and did exactly what he forbade me from doing?"

Miller looked at his son and noticed how angry he had become. "Victor, calm down. We need to speak to him first and understand why he did this. Getting angry won't solve anything." Victor took a deep breath, but his frustration remained. Without saying another word, he began pushing Miller's wheelchair towards Darry's villa. Neither man spoke during the journey. When they arrived, Darry was seated in his living room. The moment he saw his father and brother approaching, he laughed. "So, she reported me to you?" Victor stopped in front of him and stared at his brother for several seconds. "Brother, it seems I don't know you as well as I thought I did." Darry's smile faded slightly. Victor continued, his voice filled with disappointment. "How could you go back on your own words? You were the one who told me that I shouldn't go after Hanna and I also told you not to go after Alicia. So why have you now sent assassins after Alicia?" Darry leaned back in his chair. "If you want to sit around doing nothing about our brother's death, then do so. But I can't." His voice grew harsher. "What am I supposed to say at Samson's funeral tomorrow? Should I stand before his coffin and tell him that his family doesn't care about his death? Should I tell him that we're protecting the woman responsible instead of avenging him? Have Gupta family members became cowards?"

Miller sighed. "Darry, tell me exactly what you want. Do you want to protect Hanna, or do you want to avenge your brother? Because right now, you're behaving as though you can accomplish both without consequences." Darry frowned. Miller continued before he could respond. "Think about what you're doing. If you continue pursuing Alicia, Victor will eventually seek revenge for Emmanuel's death. The Mooney family will also demand justice. And if Alicia dies, do you honestly believe Hanna will remain safe? The people you've angered will turn their attention towards her as well." He paused, looking directly at his son. "Tell me something. If Alicia is killed and Hanna is hunted down and killed in retaliation, who will be left to lead the army? What will you have achieved? Another funeral? Another family divided by grief?" Darry shook his head. "They don't even know where Hanna is. Nobody will reach her." Miller's expression hardened. "And if you're the one hiding her, what happens when the Mooney family discovers the truth? What happens if they find her without your knowledge? You cannot control every movement of everyone around you." He leaned forward slightly. "Besides, when was the last time you spoke to Hanna?" Darry's expression changed. "Impossible." He paused, studying his father suspiciously. "You think I'm stupid, don't you? You want me to call her so you can discover which number she's using."

Miller shook his head in disappointment. "Must everything be a game of suspicion with you? I'm your father, Darry. I'm trying to stop this family from destroying itself." Before Miller could say anything else, Victor finally lost his patience. "I have had enough of this!" Both men turned towards him. Victor looked at his brother with cold determination. "Keep deceiving yourself if you want, Darry. But listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you. If you go after Alicia again, Hanna will not be safe either. I also want answers for Emmanuel's death so I will go after her." Darry's eyes narrowed. Victor continued. "I've tried to respect your grief and understand your anger, but you've mistaken my patience for weakness." He stepped closer. "If Alicia is harmed because of you, I will no longer stand in the way of the consequences. The Mooney family will demand justice for Emmanuel, and I won't stop them from seeking it." He paused before asking the question that had been troubling him since Alicia's call. "One more thing. How did you get my people involved in this assassination attempt? Why did you use soldiers from my army without my knowledge?" Darry snickered. "Your people? The last time I checked, those soldiers belonged to the Gupta family, not you personally."

Victor gave him a cold smile. "You're right about one thing, Brother. Those soldiers belong to the Gupta family. But that doesn't give you the right to use them for your personal revenge without my knowledge or our father's approval." He shook his head. "I'm done arguing with you. Just remember what I've said. If anything happens to Alicia, Hanna will also answer for what happened to Emmanuel." Without waiting for a response, Victor turned around and left. He didn't even take Miller with him. The old patriarch watched his son disappear through the doorway, leaving him alone with Darry. For a moment, neither father nor son spoke. Finally, Miller turned towards Darry. "My son, I don't want to lose another child." Darry looked at him. Miller's voice softened. "Samson is gone, and now Victor and you are turning against each other. How much more suffering do you want this family to endure? Can't you and Victor find a way to reconcile? Whatever has broken between you, surely there's still a way to repair it." Darry smiled faintly. "I can do that, Father." Miller's expression brightened slightly, but Darry wasn't finished. "However, there's one condition." Miller frowned. "What condition?" Darry looked directly into his father's eyes. "Bring me Alicia's head." The hope that had begun to appear on Miller's face disappeared immediately. He stared at his son in disbelief. "You're still insisting on this?"

Darry remained silent. Miller shook his head. "Then tell me something. How do you intend to defend yourself against the Mooney family and those young people working for Alicia? Do you think they will simply forgive you if they discover that you ordered her assassination?" He gestured towards Darry. "Look at yourself. You're no longer a young man. Your martial arts skills aren't what they used to be, and you don't have an army of your own to protect you. If those people decide to come after you, what exactly are you going to do?" Darry laughed. "I'll fight them." Miller stared at him for a long moment before slowly shaking his head. "So that's your plan?" He paused, his voice heavy with disappointment. "You're willing to risk your life, destroy your relationship with your brother, and drag the entire Gupta family into another war just to satisfy your desire for revenge?" Darry said nothing. Miller sighed. "Then tell me, my son. Is your plan simply to get yourself killed?"