Chapter 838: Expecting good news, Mr. Bennet

Stephen had no idea where the driver would take him, but he guessed that he would be taken to the original destination, the country club, where Stephen was a member.

Seated in one of the VIP lounges of the establishment’s bar, Stephen gazed at the phone in front of him.

"What a surprise. I was thinking of sending you home. I didn’t expect you to reach out to me," the voice on the phone chuckled in amusement as if he were caught off guard. "At least, not this soon."

Stephen drew a deep breath and closed his eyes. "You were expecting my... call?"

"Well, should I not?"

"Stop playing with me."

The man on the call let out a laugh. "Why are you angry, Stephen Bennet? I’m not playing with you. I’m simply... surprised, that’s all."

’No, you aren’t surprised. At least, not the kind of surprise you were implying at the moment,’ Stephen thought, knowing this man had already caught on. ’He’s not that easy... I’m sure of it.’

If he were surprised, then Stephen wouldn’t be this terrified.

"So?" the man hummed. "Why did you ask for this meeting? Anything interesting you want to talk about...? Or do you want to confess?"

Stephen pressed his mouth into a thin line before letting out a huff. "I was caught."

"Hmm?"

"They know about my plan," Stephen confessed under his breath. "And I had no choice but to tell them what I was up to."

"..."

Silence was all Stephen received from the man, making him swallow hard.

"I’m sorry," Stephen breathed out, clasping his hands as his fingers instantly grew cold. He tried to stop them from shaking, but his body continued to shudder nervously. "That’s why I had to come here and tell you about this."

Another moment of silence passed before the man spoke again. "You were caught, you say?"

"Yes."

"I see."

"But I can manage!" Stephen panicked, leaning over the table to speak into the phone. The man’s tone suggested he had just made a decision; whatever it was, Stephen didn’t want to know. "I can manage. Don’t worry about it."

"..."

Stephen took a deep breath, his heart thudding. "I confessed to them, but... I managed to fool them into thinking I’m telling them everything because I need their help."

"Don’t you need their help, Mr. Bennet?"

"I need help for my son!" Stephen clenched his teeth and hissed. "Atlas is the one who locked up my son. They won’t help me even if I grovel at their feet."

Again, silence followed his words, as if the man was considering what to do with him. After a long pause, Stephen breathed out and pushed himself away from the table.

"They told me they could help me if I listened to them. But they won’t help Sven. I’m in this situation because of my son; I’m a parent. I may not be perfect, but I care for my children more than anyone expects," Stephen continued with determination in his voice. "They want us to stick together and show our strength as one. But I plan to go ahead with the plan."

"..."

"I’m telling you this, risking my life, because I don’t want you to misunderstand," Stephen said through gritted teeth. "Please, give me another chance."

The man on the other end of the line tapped his fingers on the table. "By another chance... you mean?"

"That pill," Stephen breathed out. "I need another one of those."

"Where are they?"

"They took them away from me."

"Stephen Bennet, do you understand what you are asking of me?"

"I do!"

"And yet, you still have the gall to ask me to give you another one of those?"

"Just one!" Stephen blurted out, panting as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. "I just need one for the chairman. As for the ones I lost, I’ll pay you back—I swear! Once I become the head of the family, I’ll have access to the Bennet funds. Money won’t be a problem then."

"Hmm..." The man hummed, reconsidering Stephen’s words. "What should I do, hmm?"

"Please," Stephen whispered, closing his eyes. "I had no choice, but I promise you. If I really wanted to work with them, I wouldn’t tell you about this."

"Are you sure you’re not telling me this just because you think I already know about it?"

Stephen’s breath hitched, his lips quivering. "I also know you probably caught on. I’m not as foolish as them to underestimate you. I know there’s no way out for me and I could never beat you. So, I’d rather be on your side than the other side."

"Haha." The man chuckled upon hearing everything that Stephen had said. "You’re right, Stephen. You... and the Bennet family, cannot and will not beat me. You are all nothing to me; it’s just that... you’re convenient."

"..." This time, it was Stephen who didn’t say anything. He hung his head low, his eyes a little lifeless as he closed them and took a deep breath.

"Fine," the man said. "I’ll give you another chance, Stephen. However, I rarely give second chances. I’m doing this as my appreciation for your honesty—and hopefully, your loyalty."

Slowly, Stephen raised his head and smiled. "Really? About my son—"

"Your son will be alright. The sentencing date is still a few weeks away, so you still have time to finish what you were supposed to finish," said the man casually. "Once you finish the job, your son will walk out of that prison in an instant."

Stephen’s face brightened a little, staring at the phone. "I will do it right this time!"

"You better, Mr. Bennet, for I don’t have much patience," the man replied. "You’ll receive the pill in a few days. Do it—and don’t you dare mess it up again. Otherwise, you’ll know what will happen."

"Thank you! Thank you, sir!" Stephen exclaimed repeatedly. "Thank you!"

The man smirked at the grateful remarks from the other end of the line. "Go home. Although, someone else will take you home."

"Huh?"

"The driver who was with you previously... sent me the wrong report," the man explained with a smirk, reminding Stephen of his power. "So be grateful you were able to get a second chance. That driver didn’t even have the chance to explain himself... or get a word out of his mouth before he was beaten to death."

Stephen gulped nervously, feeling his entire body shudder as he imagined what could’ve happened to the young driver who had driven him here. Surely, these people were cruel to the bone—even his own people weren’t safe from him.

"I’m expecting good news, Mr. Bennet."

Clack.