CHAPTER 19

TIN

This is upsetting. Not because Vel's sister almost got kidnapped, I barely knew her so I don't really care whatever happened to her, but because she almost got kidnapped and it makes me and Vel have to cut our vacation short. Now, we are on our way back to his home, with him being so worried and anxious especially after what his mom said on the phone.

Not gonna lie, it also makes me anxious and mad, mostly mad. Who is the person, dare enough to try to use his sister to kidnap my future husband? and for what reason? Forget the reason, if I ever find them, they will be glad they are still breathing to see the next sunrise.

Vel barely talks on our way back to his home, but I can clearly see his brain is working hard to think about all the possibilities. He is always that kind of person. He always thinks about the why about anything that happens around him. By now, he probably already came up with one or two possible theories about why someone tried to get to him by using his sister.

He literally jumped out of the car the moment we arrived at his home. The front door is opened and we can see his brother in the front door talking to some police.

"You're finally here." said his brother the moment he saw Vel.

"Where is she?" ask Vel

"In her room with mom and mama."

Vel immediately ran upstairs. I greet his brother quickly and follow him closely. Jade's room is on the right side of the second floor corridor, in front of the room that is possibly their parent's room. The room's door is opened and we can see his sister and parents sitting on the bed while his sister appears to be crying. The moment she sees Vel, she runs to him and hugs him.

"Thank God you are ok." she said while hugging Vel tightly.

"You should be more worried about yourself, you are the one who almost got kidnapped." said Vel.

"No, I'm not, they were just holding me in the car and told me to call you and tell you to go to some abandoned warehouse." Jade talked so fast explaining what happened "I told them I left my phone in my class and I don't memorize your phone number. That's a total lie because there's no way I can go anywhere without my phone, clearly they don't know how my generation functions. And I memorize your phone number to my core memory, but nevertheless, they believe me. They were debating whether they should take me to my class to get my phone or they should abandon me all together. In the end they decide to take me to my class, totally stupid of them because I use that chance to run away and call security. They all escape before security can catch them."

"They are clearly amateur." I said that which is definitely not the correct sentence to say in this circumstance, they all look at me kinda weird now and I have to save myself with my next sentence. "They clearly are not a professional kidnaper and Jade is truly brave and smart to be able to escape quickly."

"You truly are brave and smart." said Vel with a proud voice.

"But I'm worried about you, because we can't call you. I thought they would get to you after they couldn't catch me."

"Jade is just being paranoid because of what happened 4 years ago." said his mom.

"We are all glad everything is fine." added his mama.

Looks like something lit up in Vel's mind when his mom mentioned about 4 years ago. His face quickly turned from worried to angry in a second. His body turned tense, and he slowly let go of his sister.

"I'll be right back.." he suddenly said and then turned to leave the room.

"What? Where are you going?" ask Jade, confused.

"Son!" his mom quickly grabbed his hand "Don't!"

It looks like his parents know what happened inside his brain. They both now look cautious.

"Don't be reckless!" said his mama.

I look at them confused, what happened here?

"I'm not, I'll just go there to ask him some questions."

"You don't need to involve yourself with him ever again." said his mama in a stern voice.

"I won't if he didn't involve himself with us first." answer Vel

"We don't even know if he is the one who did this." said his mom.

"That's why I'll go there and ask him, just to make sure."

"P'Vel..." looks like Jade also aware of what her parents and brother talking about, I'm the only one who is clueless here.

"It's ok, he won't do anything to me, he never did, he never will." said Vel with perfect confidence.

"Let me come with you." I said even though I don't know what they were talking about.

"Yes, yes, at least let Tin come with you." said his mama quickly.

He looks at me then to his parents and sister, then back to me, and then sighs loudly.

"You can come with me but you can't go in, wait for me in the car."

I don't even know where we'll go but I answer "Ok"

We then leave the room and go down the stairs. We passed by his brother at the front door. He, of course, looks confused because Vel is leaving so soon in the middle of this situation.

"Where are you two going?" his brother asked.

"We won't be long." answer Vel without even looking at his brother.

Vel asked for my car's key because to be fair, I don't even know where we are going so it's oblivious for him to drive. I gave him my car key. He got into the car, turned the engine on and we drove off before I even finished buckling my seatbelt. The way he drove just reminded me again about how he was able to beat me in the race. He drives so fast that it makes me feel the need to grab on something.

He still looked angry and didn't say a word until we stopped at a traffic light. He sighs so loud again, then starts to explain things without me even asking anything.

"4 years ago, when I started investigating Chen, the Commissioner immediately asked me to stop. I ignore him, of course, I keep investigating him in secret. I thought if I get enough proof to make a case over his business, the Commissioner will eventually agree to make it an official case. I guess Chen got really annoyed by me. One day he suddenly asked to meet me. We met at a restaurant with only us inside the restaurant and no bodyguard was close to us. He pulled out a cotton swab and swabbed his inner mouth with it right in front of me. He then gave it to me, only said to compare it with my own DNA and leave. That's when I know he is my biological father."

I didn't say anything and just let him continue his story.

"He must be thinking I will stop investigating him after I know he is my biological father. I did get confused for a moment, I was always wondering about my biological parents, about why they sold me, but knowing the person who controls the organization is also the one who sold me, I just want to puke. I confront him, I don't even want to know why he sold me. I just want to know the one who gave birth to me, are they still alive, did they also agree for me to get sold? He didn't even listen to my question, he just gave me a warning to stop investigating his organization... or else. I'm not scared at all of his threat, but I didn't know that he is a low scumbag who will use anything to scare me away. Instead of me, he was aiming for my family. My mama almost gets hit by a car three times in a week. And some weird people stalking my then high schooler sister, scare her to the point my mom assigns some bodyguards for her."

"Chen didn't need to say that he was behind all those things that were happening to my family. I know it was him. My family didn't say anything but I can't let them keep being in danger because of me. So I stop, I give up for my family's safety. And as a punishment, the Commissioner told me to study somewhere far so I can be a better profiler and 'can understand my place in the society'"

He finished his story, and I waited for a couple of seconds in case he would say another thing but he didn't say anything so I guess it's my time to give my opinion.

"So we are going to his place to confront him now?"

"Yeah, basically that..."

"But your mom is right, we don't even know for sure if he was the one who was behind this. Why do you think he wants to mess with you and your family again after 4 years?"

He didn't answer immediately, like he was thinking about the correct way to say it so I can understand "He's the only person who ever dared to seriously mess with my family, and my family is not just any family. We are one of the oldest, most influential Alpha families in the county, and if he can sell his own flesh and blood to the highest bidder I believe there's nothing he can't do."

I sit silent and try to understand that logic. When I know he is Vel's biological father, I don't really think about the fact that the scumbag actually sold his own son for some money. My feelings didn't feel anything but my logic can clearly say that's so messed up and low. This one scumbag never fails to amaze me. Again when you think someone can't get any lower they prove you wrong. I really can't wait to make him my next target. He will be great as my 1000th target.

VEL

We arrived at the tall building which is the headquarters of Chen's company, or I should say his organization. Two big male Alpha bodyguards guarding the front gate. They didn't say anything and immediately opened the gate when they saw me driving the car. I drive the car to the front lobby and practically no one stops me when I come out from the car and enter the building. But the bodyguards stepped in and stopped Tin when they saw him come out from the car to follow me.

I didn't doubt this psycho Enigma could take down all of these big Alphas all by himself just to force himself in, but I really don't want to make a scene here.

"Just wait in the car, I will be ok." I say to him

He looks at the bodyguards menacingly but still does as I say and comes back into the car without saying anything.

I know where I'm going and nobody follows me from the lobby to the elevator till I arrive at the top floor which is his office and also his residence.

A pretty female Omega secretary is the first person who greets me when I come out from the elevator.

"Good Afternoon, young master, Khun Chen is in the middle of his lunch, and he told me to ask you if you want to join him?"

The people in this whole building really never stop to treat me like I'm the precious son of their boss, which I'm not. I want to answer her with the most insulting answer like 'go to hell' or 'I prefer to eat shit then eat with him' but she was just a lowly employee and it's not wise of me to insult those who are just doing her job.

So I just answer "No, I won't be long."

"Very well, young master." she answered, then opened the door to his office before I had a chance to kick it open.

On the big wooden working table, Chen, in fact, was really in the middle of enjoying his lunch. It's past 1PM already, why did he just eat his lunch? Is he so busy running a human and organ trafficking organization to the point he doesn't have time to eat on time?

I look to his left and there he is, never too far away from him. His personal assistant and right hand man, a special Alpha named Pop. He is younger than me by a few years and started to work for Chen 5 years ago. I can't find any data about his origin but most probably he was one of the kids that was raised to be sold in this organization like me. Probably also his biological son. Chen must have decided to keep him for himself because he realized how useful Pop ability is. He can block any other special ability so it won't be working on him and on the person he chooses to protect and in this case his beloved boss, Chen.

And for that reason I've always hated this person since I knew him. He makes me can't see inside Chen's mind, which has hindered me in my investigation in the past. How much easier it will be if I can just look into his mind and find his deepest secret.

"What a lovely afternoon being visited by my son." he said that with a very fabricated cheerful voice.

"I'm not your son and I don't have a father." I said with a stern tone.

Hearing that he put down his utensil, and looked at me with an annoying smile on his face.

"Ok then, so what makes me have the honor of this visit?"

"Why did you mess with my family again? Is it because we find out you are working with the thumb collector to throw away his victims organs?"

I probably can't read his mind but I'm still good at reading people's expressions and I can now clearly see that he is surprised. What? He still doesn't know that I know he is the thumb collector's garbage collector?

He quickly erased his surprise expression then put back his annoying smile.

"First of all, it is almost like a complement that you always think it was me who did it every time someone bothering your family, but this time I have to disappoint you by saying, it wasn't me." he said that with such a calm tone that it annoyed me more than his smile "As for the other accusation, if you have proof for that you should bring it to the police, it will be very helpful for sure."

I smile cynically "And you think this time the police will actually do anything to you?"

"If you think they won't then what is your point of coming here? Do you possibly miss me or something? Or maybe you want to introduce someone to me?" He looked at his computer monitor when he said that, I bet he got CCTV footage of the front lobby in that monitor, where Tin was waiting for me in his car "Among all people in this country you could choose, and decided to choose him."

"It's not like you have anything to say about whoever I choose."

"Of course I don't."

"So stop acting like I'm your long lost son, you sold me remember! you lost every right over me the moment you exchanged me for some money!"

I said that but then a second later I just realized I shouldn't have said that. That's not my purpose for coming here. That sentence just derailed my real purpose to come here and I can see that in his face. That smug face like he's been waiting for me to start this kind of conversation with him.

"Do you know how it feels to live in a slum?"

There we go, he starts with the pity party.

"I don't need to answer that."

"But you want to know, right? That's why you have the need to keep coming to me, even after all the things you think I did to your family. You still want to know... Why did I leave you? Why did I sell you? and more importantly, what happened to your mother?"

"Mother?" ok, this is new "I have a mother?"

He smiled seeing my reaction. Of course he does this on purpose, he knows I'm really interested in knowing the one who gave birth to me.

"Yes, a mother, she was a very beautiful female Omega, you have her hair color."

"Is my mother dead?"

He smiled wider when I asked that. He knows he got me, he makes me interested in the direction of the conversation he wanted. He totally didn't want to talk about the thumb collector or the people who attract my family. He just wants to hook me into his own agenda.

"Again, back to my original question, do you know how it feels to live in the slum?"

"Again, I said I don't need to answer that because it doesn't..."

"I know" he cut my words before I finished my sentence "I'm coming from the slum."

I chuckled "And do you think I don't know? I know and I don't care."

"See, this is your problem..."

"I don't have a problem!"

"You think you are so perfect, and you have every right to hate me to the point you will always come to me everytime something bad happens to you or your family, while in fact you don't even care to know about me."

"Why do I care to know about you, I know everything about you."

"Really? You don't even care to know how it feels to live in the slum."

He's trying to guilt trip me? For what? He knows whatever he told me, I won't ever pity him. My hatred for him is way past any empathy I have for other people.

"What do you want anyway? You want me to pity you? You want me to feel you suffering? I know suffering, I lived in this hell for the first 5 years of my life and I have to live with those hellish memories all my life."

He laughed hearing my answer, which made me stunned. Does he think my suffering is funny? He threw me into that hell and he thinks it's funny?

"You think you are suffering? You live WITH those hellish memories, while people who live in the slum live IN those hellish memories everyday for the rest of their lives." said Chen "You, the moment you leave this place you called hell, never ever again feel how it feel to feel so desperate and helpless, the feeling of not having any power to help yourself or help anyone you care."

"Does that supposedly make me feel bad for you?"

"10% of the human population are Alphas, but only 1% of us truly have power over anything. What do you think happened to the other 9%? We fight just to get by like many other people in this world. And you, all your life, when you get confused about what you will eat, you get confused over what you will CHOSE to eat. While the rest of us, the people who live in the slum, we confuse because we have NOTHING we can eat. Some of us, in case you don't know, are confused about where to sleep tonight because we don't have any place to sleep, while you, your whole life, got confused to choose where to sleep among all the houses you have."

"And what is your point? You want me to feel bad because I have a better life than you? Because I have a better family than you?"

"And because of who you get to be part of that family? Because of who you get to be the part of that 1% of the society?"

I scoff, finally I know where he is going with this whole narrative "You want me to thank you for selling me away?"

He smiles cynically "A thank you would probably be too much for you, but I just want you to realize things you will always have that I don't."

"Said the person who sits on the highest floor of the highest building in the city."

"You don't know how much I sacrifice to be able to sit in this chair!"

His face suddenly became stiff, like he just realized what he said and knew he shouldn't have said that.

"And what is your sacrifice? Is becoming a serial killer garbage collector one of those sacrifices?"

He didn't answer me and just sat in his chair with a sad face. Why the sad face? Does he really think that will make me pity him?

"Who are they?" I am determined that I won't leave this place without any leads on anything "The tumb collector, do you know them? Are they one of your other children?"

He narrowed his eyes when he heard my last question "One of my other children? You think I have another child?"

"Don't divert the question."

He laughed, not because he found the question funny but because it looks like he can't believe I actually have that question.

"I know I'm a monster that doesn't deserve any compassion from you, but this is new for me. So you think I have an army of children, special children, maybe? Is that what you think?"

"What? You don't?"

He stopped laughing and looked at me with that sad face again "No, I don't, you are the only one."

"And you think I will believe you?"

"Then what's the point of asking?"

"Either way, it doesn't make you any short of better, you sold your only son to the highest bidder because you think he will have a better life than you have?"

"That's what I do. Precisely."

This person is really unbelievable. He uses everything to try to manipulate me and make me feel somehow bad for him. But I have to keep focused on my quest here.

"So they are not your other children, ok, but that doesn't mean you don't know them. Are they one of the special children you sold? Is that why you help them?"

He doesn't react at all and comes back to give me that annoying smile. It really frustrates me. How much I hope I can see inside his head now.

"Am I close enough to find out who they are? Is that why you attack my family?"

He leaned forward and looked me in the eyes like he was the one who tried to read my mind, then said "You might think I'm a monster, but I'm not the only monster in this world so stop focusing your attention on me and me only. Also..." He took a deep breath before continuing "Garbage collectors don't need to have a personal connection to their client before they make a deal with them."

After he said that I can see blood coming down his nose, it looks like he doesn't realize it or chooses to ignore it, because he continues talking.

"And garbage collectors always come hours after their clients finish their job, just to collect their garbage."

He coughed a quite amount of blood right after he said that, and Pop immediately came to tend him.

"Sir, are you ok?" he said worriedly.

"It looks like I talk too much." He said with a weak voice.

What? Is he sick or something? I don't find any serious sickness on his medical record, so what is it now?

"I think you should leave, we can continue later after I'm feeling better." He said to me.

Pop then makes a call from the phone on the desk and two bodyguards with big bodies come into the room a second later.

"Escort the young master out" said Pop to the bodyguards.

I don't want them to touch me so stand out from the chair and leave the room voluntarily. When I step out of the room, I still can hear him cough some more blood. What happened here?

Inside the elevator I think back to his words before he starts coughing blood. Was he talking about the thumb collector? Garbage collector doesn't need to have a personal connection with their client, meaning the thumb collector is not someone who is personally connected to him. So what about his last sentence? Garbage collectors always come hours after the client is done with their job? Did he talk about the black van the witness saw leaving the slaughter house? They come hours after the thumb collector finishes killing and dismembering their victims...

TIN

I'm on the phone with Ten while I wait for Vel in the car. I found out another reason why Vel has the need to come here and meet Chen, he found out that Chen is the one who picks up my target's organs.

"Do you think he will rant anything to Vel?" ask Ten, and I can tell he is worried.

"Not like he can rant anything, you know what happened to the people who ever tried to disobey my mind control command, bleeding out from your ears, nose and mouth then die is neither pretty nor comfortable, not to mention that it is also painful as hell."

"Yeah, but he has that special Alpha Pop beside him, I hate him to the core, I can't even hack into his gadget because of him."

"I give that command years before he has Pop beside him, my command will still have an effect on him, you don't need to worry too much."

"I still think you need to talk to your dad about this."

I sigh, sometime Ten can be so nagging that it's annoying but he is mostly right so I said "Ok, I will talk to my dad about this."

"Great, do it sooner."

"Now, speak to me about the people who tried to kidnap Vel's sister, you find them?"

"Who do you think I am? of course I found them, and this is quite interesting. Those people are the family members of your targets, well, the thumb collector's targets, same with the people who watch you and Vel on the beach."

"Really? Ok. Are they forming a group or something?"

"You are 100% right. More like groups." explain Ten "Believe it or not, I found their group chats and reading it almost like watching a full series soap opera. It used to be only one group. like a support group with Alphas, Omegas, and Beta in it. Then since our genius Commissioner announced to the public that he accused the new valuer as the culprit, the group split. The Betas didn't believe the Commissioner and accused the Alphas as the culprit. The Alphas also didn't believe the Commissioner, but they don't like the Betas accusation. So now we have two groups. But both groups have one common thought, they believe your beloved future husband knows the real culprit because the Commissioner kicked him out of the investigation team."

I somehow know where the story goes "So now, they tried to ask Vel about the real suspect?"

"Bingo! and both groups have a slightly different approach." said Ten "The Beta group, the one who was watching you two on the beach, really tried to approach Vel and just ask him politely and probably help him to find the real thumb collector, but they didn't have the courage because an Enigma was with him all the time. While the Alpha group... they got a little aggressive with their approach."

"The one who tried to kidnap Jade, that's the Alpha group?"

"Yep"

Ok, this is getting more complicated, I tried my best to keep Vel away from the investigation and finding out that I'm the Thumb Collector. But now, two groups of people appear and try to do exactly the opposite of what I'm doing. Not to mention there's also Ping and his daddy issue that make him so determined to find the thumb collector aka me.

Why are they so obsessed with finding me? Why can't they just focus their mind on something else, or someone else? And when I think about that, suddenly I have a light bulb moment in my brain.

"Scapegoat."

"What?"

"We need a scapegoat, we need to make someone else the thumb collector, someone who matches Vel's profiling so he and all those other people will stop with all these stupid attempts to find me."

"Hah! Finally you think like a true genius psychopath."

"You find anyone who will be a good candidate for our scapegoat."

"On it, but... Don't you hate it when someone takes away your achievement?"

"I do, but right now, I have another goal and I need to give this achievement to someone else so I can keep focus on my current goal."