The audio played back Payne's threatening words directed at Michelle, each word crystal clear.
"Wait... Uncle Steven, you must be mistaken. The one you should be arresting is him!"
"He hit me!" Payne exclaimed, pointing at Chasel.
"That's right. You're coming with us," Steven said, furrowing his brow and speaking sternly.
"Uncle Steven..." Payne began to protest, but Steven's frown deepened, and he barked, "Take him away!"
Immediately, two men rushed out from behind him to apprehend Payne. Seeing that Steven was serious, Payne dared not say another word and complied obediently.
"Miss Allen, we will thoroughly investigate this matter and ensure you get a proper resolution," Steven assured Michelle.
"Thank you so much!" Michelle replied, her face lighting up with joy."It's our duty," Steven smiled in response.
With that, he led Payne out of the office.
After a long moment, Michelle finally reacted.
She looked at the beaming face in front of her and said, "See, Miss Michelle? It worked after all!"
Michelle nodded.
Although she was surprised and the outcome was far beyond her expectations, it was ultimately a good result.
However, she sighed, "Chasel, you were too impulsive!"
"If it weren't for this time, and if luck hadn't been on your side, you could have ended up in prison!"
As she mentioned "prison," Michelle's expression darkened.
She recalled that night and the scum still locked away.
She didn't know who that person was, nor did she want to. All she knew was that he was behind bars, getting what he deserved.
After thinking it over, Michelle still felt uneasy. "Chasel, it's because of me that you offended Payne Cain. With the power of the Cain family, he'll be out soon, and when he is, he'll come after you. I feel responsible for what happened today, so I want to offer you some compensation. You should leave Verdant City for now."
Chasel shook his head. "No need. He won't be getting out anytime soon, and even if he does, he won't dare to come after me!"
"You're being naive. Payne Cain is a direct descendant of the Cain family. They won't let him stay locked up forever!" Michelle's tone turned cold.
She thought Chasel was being incredibly foolish.
"As long as I'm alive, who would dare to act unjustly in front of me!"
A cold glint flashed in Chasel' eyes.
"What did you say?" Michelle asked, slightly taken aback.
"Nothing. I mean, I've signed the contract, so our employment relationship is now official. Plus, I really need this job!" Chasel replied, picking up the pen and swiftly signing his name on the contract Michelle had presented. He handed it back to her.
"You..." Michelle's beautiful eyes turned icy.
"Alright, since you've signed the contract, you understand the terms, right? During your employment, you must follow my instructions regarding work!" Michelle said, her tone sharp.
"Of course!" Chasel nodded.
Finally, he was going to see his daughter.
Chasel couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation in his heart.
"At five o'clock tonight, you'll come with me to pick up my daughter from school!" Michelle instructed. "And if the Cain family gives you any trouble, call me immediately!"
With that, Michelle handed Chasel a business card.
"Got it!" he replied confidently.
Chasel nodded again before leaving Michelle's office.
Once downstairs, he found Suzaku waiting for him in the parking lot.
"Aurelian, the house has been arranged for you at Xiangti Villa District. The air and environment there are excellent for your recovery!" Suzaku said as Chasel got into the car, handing him the keys and access card.
"Is it rented?" Chasel frowned.
Xiangti Villa District was a well-known upscale neighborhood in Verdant City, where each villa was worth at least ten million. Moreover, it wasn't just about having money; only the elite could live there! Chasel held one of the nine limited edition Supreme Black Cards in the country, a symbol of his identity as an Aurelian Black Card holder! It was accepted at all banks, with no spending limit!
However, Chasel had never touched a single cent of it and never intended to.
"It's purchased!" Suzaku stuck out her tongue, looking a bit playful and cute, a stark contrast to her usual poised demeanor, which added a different charm to her appearance.
"I bought it with my own money!" Suzaku quickly explained.
He knew that Chasel disliked extravagance.
Chasel let out a sigh and chose not to say anything further.
He understood Suzaku's position well. Although Suzaku was just one of his subordinates in front of him, showing respect and deference, his true identity was one that everyone in Verdant City and even the entire Riverdale could only look up to!
For Suzaku, money was merely a string of numbers.
"By the way, gather all the evidence of Payne Cain's illegal activities and hand it over to the Verdant City authorities. Let them deliver justice!" Chasel instructed again.
Then, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest.
...
At five o'clock in the afternoon, Chasel arrived right on time to meet Michelle.
"You're quite punctual, not a minute more, not a minute less!" Michelle said, a bit annoyed.
In reality, she had been waiting for Chasel for almost half an hour.
Even though she knew Chasel was not at fault, her feminine nature still left her feeling a bit displeased.
"It's just a habit!" Chasel apologize
"My daughter's name is Belle. Just remember that you went off to serve in the military, a hero defending our country, and today is the first time you have a chance to come back and see her..." Michelle said as she drove, giving Chasel a rundown of Belle's likes, personality, and more.
Chasel nodded continuously, committing everything Michelle said about Belle to memory.
When they arrived at the kindergarten, it was just in time for the school to let out. Many parents were there to pick up their kids.
As Chasel and Michelle reached the entrance, a little girl in a cute dress, carrying a small backpack and sporting two little pigtails, came running toward them. She had a bit of baby fat and looked as delicate as a porcelain doll, stretching out her tiny hands toward Michelle.
"Mommy!" the little girl called out happily, her voice still carrying a hint of childish innocence.
Chasel felt a jolt at the sight of her. This battle-hardened man, who had faced countless dangers, felt his eyes mist up at that moment.
This... this is my daughter!
But as the little girl rushed over, she brushed past Chasel and dove straight into Michelle's arms.
"Mommy, you said Daddy would be coming back soon! Where is he? When will he come to pick me up from school?"
Belle blinked her beautiful eyes, which sparkled like black jewels, filled with a hint of expectation as she looked at Michelle Allen.
Upon hearing this, Chasel felt a jolt in his heart.
"Daddy's right here," Michelle said, picking up Belle and pointing at Chasel. "He's your daddy!"
Belle widened her eyes and scrutinized Chasel, but instead of the excitement she had imagined, her lips quivered, and tears welled up in her eyes. "No, he's not my daddy!"
"Mommy, you're lying! You're lying!"
"What's wrong? He is your daddy!" Michelle's face flashed with a hint of panic as Belle called out her lie.
With a quivering voice, Belle replied, "You said Daddy is a hero who protects our country, but he's not wearing a police uniform. He's not! He just isn't!"