In Manhattan, New York, the stock price of Thorn Group (SORN) plummeted through the floor.
The glaring scarlet number "$5.7" on the screen announced that the entire former construction group was on the verge of death.
In the once magnificent office, expensive whiskey bottles were scattered on the floor and expensive cigar ashtrays were overturned.
Thorne hadn't slept for three days, and his pupils were full of red bloodshot.
The dozen or so wives he was proud of had cut the ropes without hesitation before the giant ship of Thorne Group sank, and left him with all the jewelry and cash they could take away.
Wealth, power, and women, the three things he had strived for all his life, are now only a mess.
And now, the harassment of the Red Blood Gang continues.
Three building materials cargo ships were sunk at the Brooklyn docks, and the windows of the Fifth Avenue flagship store were smashed into spider webs of cracks.
"It's all over... Ribs... you're so cruel..."
Thorne slumped in a leather swivel chair, his suit disheveled and his tie askew.
He really had reached the brink of despair.
The instinct of survival overwhelmed his remaining self-esteem. His trembling fingers hesitated for a moment on the keys of the encrypted phone, and finally dialed the number belonging to Chicago - to his only blood relative in Chicago, the daughter Kezia, whom he hardly cared about but who was now his last lifeline.
"Dad?" Kezia's voice was filled with surprise.
Ever since she was "dealt with" by Ribbs for her role in helping Thorne, she has had much less contact with her father.
"Kezia... save me!" Thorne's voice was hoarse and broken, revealing despair. "I can't hold on any longer... the Red Blood Gang... those lunatics... and my group... my stocks... Dad was wrong... really wrong! For God's sake, please... beg Reeves, give me a way out! Tell him, I give up! I give up completely! I will never interfere with the Blue Roof Project. I'm willing to leave America... as long as he stops!"
Kezia was silent for a few seconds, a complex sadness rising in her heart.
She was filled with anger and disgust at the disaster caused by her father's greed and stupidity, but he was her father after all.
"That night at Le Français, I warned you not to use the New York tactics on him..." She sighed, her voice low, "I... will give it a try. But I can't guarantee anything. Ao Guanhai's leg is broken... you know how angry he is."
"I know, I know! Yaya, you are the only one left for daddy!" Thorne seemed to have grasped the last straw, his voice choked with sobs.
Keshia knew that she could never convince the furious Ribs on her own.
She racked her brains and finally decided to unite the four sisters around her, and perhaps she could persuade Ribs.
Irene, a smart and capable sister who is well versed in the exchange of interests; Gina, a wife who shows off her happy family and is good at playing the emotional card; and Jennifer, a female prosecutor who holds legal power and tries to convince people with reason.
Half an hour later, four beautiful figures knelt on the Persian carpet in Ribbs' study.
Kezia held his leather boots and kissed them gently, her wavy hair falling over her shoulders. "Dear... I know Dad deserves death! But he really has nothing now, deserted by everyone, and even his life is almost in danger... Please, for my sake, give him... give him one last chance to live? I promise he'll never appear in your sight again!"
Ribbs remained motionless, like a cold bronze statue.
Gina's eyes welled up, and her voice was gentle yet urgent, trying to awaken Ribs's sympathy for Kezia. "Think about Yaya? Thorne... He's Kezia's father after all. I know you hate him, Mr. Ao's leg... We're all heartbroken. But if this continues, it won't just be Thorne who will suffer, it'll be Kezia's heart too..."
Irene adjusted her sitting position, regaining her composure as a strong woman, and tried to approach the situation from the perspective of self-interest. "Dear, the Thorn Group is now on the verge of bankruptcy, and it's only a matter of time before he's completely eliminated. However, continued internal friction, especially the actions of the Red Blood Gang, will also bring unnecessary repercussions and risks. If you can give Thorn a way out, not only will the Blue Roof Project proceed more smoothly and prevent the media from digging up those...unpleasant past events, but we sisters... will also be more grateful to you. We will repay you with all our strength when you need us."
Jennifer pushed her gold-rimmed glasses up her nose. "Sir, you're now the Speaker. From a law and order perspective, Thorne's crimes should be tried by the judicial system. Lynching would bring you uncontrollable political risks. While Governor Morgan's agreement with you is solid, federal scrutiny remains. Why not hand him over to the FBI and go through the formal legal process? This will ensure he's punished while minimizing your troubles and future troubles. I can...use my connections in the judicial community to ensure he receives the severe sentence he deserves."
Their requests - whether soft, hard, emotional or legal - were like stones thrown into the abyss, without causing a ripple.
Ribs turned slowly, his eyes like knives sweeping over the four women in front of him one by one.
"For your sake?" He stared at Keshia, a cruel smile on his face. "Yaya, your father chose his own fate!"
He took a step forward, and the suffocating feeling of oppression surged over him like a tidal wave.
"The bullet in Ao Guanhai's leg, I will never forget it." His voice suddenly rose, "Thorne must repay this debt! This is the debt he owes! It's not money, it's blood."
He looked at the four women in front of him, his voice lowering again. "How dare you four sisters touch my reverse scale for an old thing? It seems I've been too gentle with you lately..."
Of course, Ribs knew that the other three women would never do this, and the leader must be Keshia.
This big foreign horse! She needs to be spanked every once in a while. If she doesn't get spanked for three days, she'll completely forget the rules!
Ribbs took off his tie, tied Keshia's hands behind her back, roughly pulled her hair and threw her directly onto the sofa.
"Alright! Today I'm going to teach you, the leader, a lesson!"
The silk nightgown was torn into pieces, and the four sisters' sobs and pleas for mercy could be heard one after another.
Late at night, after finishing their act, the four men curled up on the carpet, their bodies covered in red marks.
Reeves stood up, tied his robe belt, walked to the wine cabinet, poured a glass of whiskey, and called the New York Red Blood Gang again.
"Kroon, add more fuel to the fire—I want Thorne to be finished as soon as possible!"
"Understood, sir!" Kroon's voice was filled with unwavering obedience and a hint of excitement, eager to show off. He even unconsciously straightened his back, as if the person on the other end of the line could see. "Don't worry, I guarantee it will be done cleanly! Let's finish that old guy off completely!"
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