Chapter 1151: Gone

Eventually, Zoren and Glenn settled on an amount. However, everyone in the room knew Zoren was not pleased about it — not one bit. If Penny had not interfered, she wouldn’t have been surprised if he had ended up giving up his entire fortune just to save them.

"Men." Glenn snapped his fingers, clearing his throat and acting as if he hadn’t just hit a jackpot. At the same time, the person outside the door opened it. He cocked his head back and said, "Find these two and check if they were one of the recruits. It seems there was a mix-up. Bring them here once you confirm their identities."

The soldier wordlessly approached and checked the phone. He didn’t need to look for long, glancing at Glenn to catch any of their secret signals.

"I’ll double-check," said the soldier, making Glenn nod.

Having said that, the soldier didn’t say anything else and left. As he departed, Glenn set his eyes on the couple with a wide smile.

"It won’t take long," he said. "If they are here, then you’ll be with them shortly."

Penny heaved a sigh of relief and flashed Zoren a smile. The latter, however, didn’t seem as excited as her. Well, considering he would be shelling out a lot of money that wasn’t part of this trip, it was justified.

"Ahem!" Penny cleared her throat and leaned closer to him, covering the side of her mouth as she whispered to him. "Ren — I mean, Doreen, is the money you’re giving... a bit too much?"

Although she meant to whisper, Penny made sure Glenn would be able to hear it.

"Too much?" Zoren frowned at his wife. "It’s a life, my love. Your brother — my brother, and Benjamin. If anything, I don’t think there’s any amount that could equate to their lives."

"I know, but..." She raised her brows and glanced at Glenn before looking back at him. "My brother should treat you well after this. Goodness. Even with his income, I don’t think he’d be able to repay you for it."

"I don’t need him to repay me," he reached out to hold her hand, nodding at her. "They are family. I am certain if I were in their situation, they would do the same for me."

Penny pursed her lips, her eyes shimmering. "Of course they would. Goodness. I’m so glad I married you." She then dramatically wiped her eyes, even though there weren’t any tears.

"A family man." Glenn, who initially disliked Zoren, laughed heartily. "That’s right. Men should take care of their families. That’s what we do, right?"

He still disliked Zoren for the same reason, but with the amount Zoren was willing to give him, he didn’t hate him as much.

"Do you have a family?" Zoren asked, purely out of curiosity.

"I have a son." Glenn rocked his head. "He’s about... uhh... five."

"So young," Zoren mumbled while Glenn shrugged.

"That’s why I’m working hard, you see," Glenn laughed. "I have to give him a future."

"Do you really think there’s a future in this sort of business?" Zoren tilted his head to the side.

Glenn’s smile faded as he thought Zoren’s remarks were nothing but mockery. But seeing the genuine wonder in the latter’s eyes calmed him down.

"This business might not be as glamorous as the one you have, but it does give us a lot of money," Glenn shared. "You’d be surprised just how much money goes in and out of here. The money you’d be writing for me isn’t much, but since I understand that there’s probably a misunderstanding, I agreed to it."

Zoren rocked his head in understanding while Penny just studied Glenn.

’What a jerk,’Penny thought. ’He is just as I imagined him to be.’ — Arrogant, shameless, and twisted.

People like him would twist the truth and reality just to fit things into their distorted view. Did he say he was working hard for his son? How ironic that the money he was giving his son came from other people’s blood.

"Twisted," Zoren commented unhesitatingly, his eyes never leaving Glenn’s. "Mr. Glenn, the money I promised you... I’ll give it to you. However, I’m giving you another offer."

"An offer?"

"Turn your back on this business, and I’ll teach you how to earn legally."

A moment of silence fell on their shoulders as Glenn’s brows rose. After a second, a snort escaped Glenn.

"Pfft —" Glenn tried to hold his laughter, but to no avail. In the end, he laughed and laughed, his laughter bouncing off every corner of the office. "Ah... that’s funny. I almost peed."

As his laughter subsided, Glenn wiped his eyes and snapped them at Zoren. "That is a good joke," he remarked, only to notice that neither Penny nor Zoren were laughing. "You were being serious?"

"I am." Zoren nodded. "Turn your back on this business, serve time, and then I’ll teach you how to do business once you’re out. Not for your sake, but for your son’s."

"Haha..." Glenn ran his tongue across his inner cheek again, bending over as he rested his arm on his legs. His eyes were still smiling a little, but the air around him shifted. "Look, I appreciate the offer. However, no fucking way I would turn my back on this business just to go to jail and start all over again. This business has been my bread and butter. It’s kept me and everyone in here afloat. Do you have any idea just how much this business does for people here?"

"Like I said, it’s not as fancy as those in the city have. However, it’s money," he continued, rubbing his thumb and fingers together. "It feeds my family, my people, and definitely helps my workers pay their debts. My son has been living a good life because of it. Besides, if I turn myself in, do you really think I won’t rot there forever?"

Silence followed Glenn’s remark, but Zoren kept his eyes on the man.

"So, your son... you are doing this for him?" Zoren asked, and Glenn nodded. "I see."

Zoren didn’t speak further, and Penny didn’t feel the need to either. They had heard what they had heard, and although Glenn said all that, he wasn’t fooling anyone. It wasn’t for Glenn’s son, but for himself.

’Surely... people like them... become parents,’Zoren thought, casting his eyes down. ’How sad.’

As silence ensued in the office, a knock broke it. The three of them intuitively turned to the door, but the soldier came back all alone. He quietly walked in and stopped beside Glenn, whispering something to him.

"They’re gone," the soldier whispered. "Those two... they’re gone."