Chapter 4

I knocked on the door that was labeled with Patrick Johnson's name when I made it to the courthouse. After looking through all the evidence I had gathered, anger flashed in Patrick's eyes. "The nerve he has for trampling all over the law!" he exclaimed. "You don't have to worry. I'll handle this case and seek justice for you, no matter what background this man has. You can go home for the time being. I'll contact you once I have the results." I stared at Patrick in slight disbelief. Was he really willing to involve himself in a conflict with Barry for a total stranger? The office door was kicked open in the next second, and Barry swaggered in with a group of men. Disdain flickered in his eyes when he noticed me. He sounded as if he knew that I would be here when he said, "So, we meet again." His tone was flippant while his face was filled with contempt. "I already told you not to cross me, but you just refuse to listen. Perhaps you have more daughters whom you want to bury?" Barry carelessly picked up the document on the desk and scanned through it before tossing the paper at my face. "Do you really think a complaint is enough to take me down?" He shot a scornful smile at me. "I already told you that no one in this city can best me. Did you think that you'd be able to win if you seek help from someone in the courthouse?" Barry turned toward Patrick, who was standing behind him. A coy smile stretched across his face as he asked, "Isn't that right, Uncle Patrick?" A shiver racked through my body. Patrick, who had declared just moments earlier that he would seek justice for me, was now looking at me with unnaturally cold eyes. At that moment, I knew that I had lost. It was a complete and utter defeat. Patrick was Barry's uncle while I was just a stranger. Why on earth would he help me? The hand that I still had clenched in a tight fist fell helplessly to my side. The taunting look on Barry's face deepened. "So, you want to go to court, do you? Coincidentally, I have a complaint that I want to file against you. "When your parents and wife tried to stop us from demolishing the house earlier, they destroyed one of our excavators, three tow trucks, and five cranes. They also delayed our work. Totaling everything up, it's not unreasonable for me to ask you to pay 10 million dollars in damages, right?" His eyes were filled with mocking when he looked at me as if he was toying around with something as insignificant as an ant. He demolished my home, drove Maisie to insanity, and forced my parents to meet their untimely demise. He also buried Daisy in a deep pit that was filled with steel bars, yet he wanted to turn the situation around and file a lawsuit against me instead? My face remained stoic as I tore the complaint into pieces. I then turned around and took my leave. The moment I left the courthouse, I retrieved my phone and made an overseas call. "I ran into some trouble, and I need your help."