Unexpected Marriage With Mr. Leighton: Rebirth of the Villain-Chapter 278: PRECAUTION

Hazel was driving as she listened to what Ranon told her about Lennox. His left arm was in a cast, and he seemed to be in a dark mood.

"What kind of organization is that?" Hazel asked. Ranon had told her before about this, but he had never mentioned the name.

Ranon glanced at his wife, and then he stared at Dalton’s car that followed behind them through the rearview mirror.

When he spoke, his voice had a sharp edge to it.

If the Lozens’ target was a public figure, a politician, or someone in power, or if they were hired by a famous businessman who wanted to bring down a rival, then Lennox’s target is someone like Arthur.

Their target was someone who was not famous in public; you could say no one ever heard their names: a drug lord, an assassin, someone who ran human trafficking syndicates.

"Kidnapping and raping is not above what kind of job Lennox will accept." Ranon closed his eyes. "They accept everything as long as they are paid."

"Why have I never heard that?"

Ranon opened his eyes, and he stared at Hazel for a long moment. She really had dropped her guard, as she stopped pretending that she didn’t know any of this.

She was familiar. She was part of it, because she is...

"Because the Lozens will see them as a rival, and you see what they did to the Denvers? They wiped them out because they thought they were their rival." Ranon glanced at Dalton’s car again. "While Lennox only accepted someone with the best capability, their number is not many. If the Lozens and the McKennas went down on them, they would be wiped out completely."

That was the reason they were very careful not to accept the job that was in line with the Lozens. The Lozens targeted those people in public, while the Lennox stayed in the dark.

Even the shadow had the darkest spot...

Hazel was surprised; she didn’t know about this. She thought she knew everything...

Well, when you lived, you learned.

However, when Hazel thought about it again, she remembered how she didn’t even know that Rafael ran a human trafficking syndicate by using the Lozens’ transportation business when she was supposed to be the middle woman for the two of them.

"This Gayle Lennox recruited you."

"Yes. He saw me in the ring when I had a fight."

"How long were you with them?"

"Two years, more or less."

"And this Gayle Lennox is very strong?" Now, Hazel could see why Ranon was adamant not to let her engage against this man.

"Yes, Hazel. He was my mentor."

Hazel grimaced. Things had gotten complicated.

The Barlowes and the McKennas had a fallout, but each of them joined hands with other organizations.

While the McKennas were with the Duncans, it was confirmed that the Barlowes were with the Lennoxes, which was Ranon’s old organization.

"Do you know how they work then?" This was the only thing that could console Hazel. She hated surprises, especially in a situation like this.

"I know. But it has been years. Things can change, and Gayle knows that I know how they work. It is most likely they will change the strategy."

It was the same as the McKennas. They changed the strategy when they joined hands with the Duncans.

"It got more complicated." Hazel furrowed her brows.

She didn’t put on her favorite sad song, as they were deep in thought, driving in the silent night on Aspen City’s road.

***

Michael was crouching down next to the operating room, where Arlo was admitted. He was in critical condition.

Michael witnessed with his own eyes how they tortured his brother. He was missing all of his fingernails, and stab and burn scars littered his body. He couldn’t accept it.

"We have to kill them all! We have to raze down all the Leightons, the Lozens, and everyone involved in this," Michael said darkly. His whole body was trembling with rage while his father was standing next to him.

Jack leaned his body against the wall as he stared down at his second son. Arlo was useless now. He was not cut out for the killing, but Michael...

He didn’t expect his unruly son to be someone that he would rely on at a time like this. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"We will make them pay the price," Jack said. He stretched out his hand and patted Michael’s head like he did when he was little.

There was a time when Michael looked up to his brother, and they used to be very close. He thought the bond between them had gone.

But, when he decided to let Michael see Arlo’s condition before he went under the surgery, he was rather surprised that Michael still cared deeply about his brother.

It shook him to know what torture Arlo had to endure, and now he was filled with rage.

Michael started to change ever since Ranon killed Noah and harmed Arlo, but now he was going to change even more.

"We are going to kill them all. Don’t worry." They had Lennox now.

The Barlowes were the middlemen for the Lozens. Jack was the one who found their clients and, in a way, raised the Lozens to fame. And now, Jack would do the same for Lennox.

"We will kill them all." Michael lifted his head. "No mercy, even for their children."

"Hm."

***

The first thing that Ranon did when they arrived was to meet with the head of his security. Ranon discussed a few matters with him for about an hour, while Hazel went upstairs.

Ranon would brief her about the decision he made for the security around their house; therefore, Hazel went to check on Ashlyn.

She was supposed to be sleeping alone in her bed, while Laurel was in the guest room.

However, when Hazel entered the room, she didn’t see her daughter. The room was empty, and the bed was very neat, as if it had never been used.

Panic gripped her, but she regained her control quickly. There was no need to panic. She should know where Ashlyn was.

However, she couldn’t stop shaking, as her mind was thinking of the worst thing possible that could happen if Ashlyn was not there.

Hazel only calmed down when she saw her daughter was snuggling against Laurel’s chest, and the two of them were deep in their sleep.

"This is not good." She became paranoid. Hazel rubbed her face roughly and then closed the door behind her. "I have told her to let her sleep in her own bedroom." Hazel would talk to Laurel later.

But for now, she needed to clean herself up.

Ranon came to their bedroom two hours later, and by this time, the sun was already up, and Hazel heard Renna’s shocked voice, asking about Ranon’s hand.

The cast would make anyone worried, and Ranon didn’t want to use it, but Hazel insisted.

Hazel didn’t hear what Ranon’s answer was, but a moment later, he had already entered the bedroom.

"You need to get some rest," Hazel said, as she caressed the dark circles under his eyes. "Everything will be alright."

Ranon shook his head. "No. They will start their move."

At this point, Hazel couldn’t tell whether this was Ranon’s obsession to keep them all safe or if the enemy was indeed on the move as they were talking.

"It won’t do any good if you collapse because you exhaust yourself. Come here." Hazel took Ranon’s hand and led him to the bed. "Lie down with me for a while."

"Ashlyn?" Ranon was reluctant; he came here to talk to Hazel for a while and then checked on their daughter.

"She is fine. She is sleeping with Laurel." Hazel pushed him down to the bed and took off his jacket. "Rest here for a while."

"I have called Rize; he will be here within three hours."

"Okay, let’s use this time to rest. Okay?"

Ranon wanted to protest, but Hazel insisted.

In the end, he lay down next to her.

Ranon didn’t even realize when he had fallen asleep, as the exhaustion washed over him, and Hazel’s familiar scent lulled him to sleep.

It helped a lot when Hazel massaged his scalp, playing with his hair.

And once Ranon was asleep, she got up to get her daughter; by this time, Ashlyn must have been up. And she was right.

Laurel was still asleep, but Ashlyn was already sitting in her chair with her favorite cartoon and a bottle of milk in front of her, but she abandoned everything when she saw her mother.

"Mama... up, up!" Ashlyn raised both of her arms. She beamed when she saw her mother after not having seen her for a few days.

Hazel carried her, and the bottle too, as she went to the kitchen to see if Renna was preparing breakfast.

"Mr. Leighton said that you both had a small accident? Are you okay?" Renna asked Hazel when she saw her, and she immediately came closer.

"I am fine, Renna," Hazel smiled and then went along with Ranon’s excuse. Thankfully, her sleeve covered the cut on her arm.

"I am glad both of you are fine." Renna massaged her chest.

"In the meantime, try not to go out very often, okay?"

Renna looked confused, but she was not clueless, so she nodded. "Okay."

Later that afternoon, Rize came, and he raised his brows when he saw Ranon. "What happened with your arm? Did they get you?"

Rize entered the study room where the couple was waiting for him.