“Release the boy.
Now!”
The man’s grip loosened.
Alec stumbled back, and Abby caught him.
Both children looked up at Adrian, their eyes wide.
Adrian wasn’t looking at them.
He was looking at the man—the man who had dared to raise a hand against a child in his territory.
He would deal with him later.
For now, he had more important things to worry about.
He looked at the twins.
They looked back at him.
Alec’s arm was still thrown protectively in front of his sister.
Neither of them spoke, but Adrian could tell they were afraid.
Alec was looking at Adrian as if he were the threat.
Abby peeked over her brother’s shoulder.
Her eyes were wide, wary, and curious.
“You say the kid took something from you?” Adrian asked the man.
He was starting to wonder why these children attracted scammers every time he saw them.
He saw the man wearing a black suit with a Moretti badge.
Adrian frowned.
A Moretti badge.
One of his own men, wearing the family crest while accusing children of theft in broad daylight.
“B-boss, you know these children?” the man stuttered.
“You don’t have to get involved with this petty issue.”
“Answer my question,” Adrian demanded.
“A Moretti subordinate causing such a commotion, bullying children in public.
Tell me, why should I ignore it?”
He stepped forward, invading the man’s private space, and pulled the Moretti badge off his coat.
He then turned to Calvin and asked which group this man was assigned to and whether he was indeed part of their family.
The man’s face paled further.
He knew what Calvin would find.
Calvin nodded and pulled out his tablet, already checking the records.
“I-I…” The man took a deep breath and straightened his back.
“This boy bumped into me, and suddenly my wallet is gone!”
“Liar!
You’re a liar!” Alec screamed.
“We were tidying up and were about to go home when you came running towards me!
Then you started shouting that the money that fell from my bag was yours!
You demanded we give you all our money!”
Abby suddenly appeared next to Adrian.
She gently tugged his sleeve to get his attention.
“Mister, my brother didn’t really get his wallet,” she said with teary eyes.
“This is the money we earned all morning.”
Tears slid down her cheeks.
She looked small and vulnerable.
Her tears could easily sway anyone’s heart.
But not Adrian.
He knew even the gentlest, most docile animal could have a nasty bite.
This girl knew how to use her tears.
He wondered what else this little girl could use.
“Anyone can vouch for your claim?” he asked the man.
The man was taken aback.
He didn’t expect Adrian Moretti to be interested in this issue.
“I…” He tried to say something but couldn’t find a word.
A young woman in her twenties stepped forward.
She looked nervous.
She looked at the children, then at the man, then at Adrian.
“Sir, I was standing over there waiting for a cab,” she started.
“I saw these children clean up their little stall and pack everything.
They were talking about buying a parfait for their mother before coming home when suddenly this man tackled the young boy to the ground.”
“How do we know you aren’t an accomplice of these brats?!” the man snapped.
The young woman flinched, then frowned.
When she spoke again, her voice was steadier than before.
“Hey!
You were the one who bumped into this kid and started accusing him of stealing!
Just because you’re wearing a suit doesn’t mean you aren’t the one lying!”
“Boss, what do you want me to do?” Calvin finally stepped forward, whispering next to Adrian.
Adrian didn’t answer right away.
He was still watching the man.
“Accusing children of stealing while wearing a Moretti badge is an insult to the family.
Check the recordings nearby.
I would like to see with my own eyes who’s lying to my face.”
The men following Adrian and Calvin surrounded the man and the children.
Abby held onto her brother’s arm, while Alec pushed her behind him.
The man’s face paled.
He hadn’t expected the Don would go as far as to deal with the issue personally.
“No, Boss… y-you don’t have to…”
“I don’t?” Adrian smiled, but it wasn’t a kind smile.
Instead, the smile made him more menacing.
“You made such a spectacular scene for us to watch, yet you don’t want it to end?”
“T-that’s not what I meant!” the man exclaimed.
However, Calvin had already confirmed the man’s identity.
He was part of a crew assigned to the commercial plaza.
A new recruit.
Trying to make a name for himself.
As for the recording Adrian requested, Calvin had already pulled it up.
He handed Adrian the tablet to review.
He deliberately zoomed in to see what happened clearly.
The recording started with Alec and Abby cleaning their space and putting the trash into a garbage bag.
Then they were busy looking at the flyer for a nearby cafe in Abby’s hand.
Abby was pointing to a colorful parfait on the flyer.
Neither of them saw the man coming.
A moment later, a figure came crashing towards Alec.
The little boy fell on his back, coins and bills spilling from his small bag.
Adrian watched as the boy hurriedly moved to pick up the money from the ground, and the man casually threw a thin black wallet near Alec.
Adrian’s expression darkened.
He had his answer.
The man had lied to his face, and now he would answer for it.
He gave the tablet back to Calvin and gestured to his security to apprehend the man.
“Bring him to Capo.
Tell him his soldier tried to scam little children right before me.
I expect an appropriate action and an explanation.”
The men in black suits dragged the man away.
Adrian watched as the man struggled to plead his case.
When Adrian turned back to the children, they thanked the young woman instead of him.
He watched them.
Neither of them looked his way.
“Miss, thank you for standing up for us.
You were afraid, but you didn’t let him get away,” Alec said.
The young woman blushed and gently patted Alec’s shoulder.
“You were quite brave protecting your little sister.
Don’t let anyone think they could bully you just because you’re young.”
When she sensed that Adrian was staring at them, the young woman made an excuse and left in a hurry, bidding the twins goodbye.
“You thanked her.
Aren’t you going to thank me too?” Adrian asked.
The silence stretched.
Abby’s fingers tightened on her brother’s sleeve.