Chapter 216: A Night In Jail Is So Worth It!

Chapter 216: A Night In Jail Is So Worth It!

Friday morning brought the sensation of absolute paradise. I blinked my eyes open, finding myself completely bracketed by warmth. Mercy rested peacefully on my left side, while Hinata lay draped across my chest. Her long, dark hair scattered wildly across my skin, a beautiful mess left behind from the frantic intensity of our overnight lovemaking. Fresh, dark love marks stood out starkly against the soft skin of her shoulders and chest, silent testimonies to the passion we had shared just hours before.

The rhythmic, steady thumping of their hearts vibrated directly against my ribs, tipping me off to their little game. They were both fully awake, merely holding perfectly still to prolong the moment. I shifted slightly, leaning down to press my lips against their warm skin.

"Great morning, my lovers," I whispered, the vibration of my voice rumbling against their shoulders. "Sadly, I have a massive checklist to tear through today. Mwah, Mwah!"

Receiving the firm, affectionate kisses right on their foreheads, the two beautiful possums finally abandoned their act and cracked their eyes open with twin smiles. We rolled out of the tangled sheets together, moving as a trio into the steaming shower to wash away the night before scattering to face our individual days.

Stepping into the dining room a short while later, the rich aroma of breakfast greeted me. I slid into the empty seat positioned precisely between Hana and Mary, eager to gauge their morning moods. Hana leaned in close, her eyes glittering with mischief.

"Honey, I know exactly why you have been avoiding the Hospital balls," Hana murmured, her lips brushing near my ear as she let out a soft, teasing laugh. "So I have personally drawn up a flawless plan to fix your little embarrassment, fufu."

I turned my head slightly, catching the scent of her perfume while raising a curious eyebrow. "Oh? Pray tell, what exactly am I supposedly avoiding it for?"

Hana squinted her deep blue eyes into a knowing, triumphant grin, shifting her weight forward to nudge her shoulder against mine. "Being married into all four major clans means you have absolutely no clue where to sit without triggering a massive diplomatic incident, ha-ha! Therefore, you will simply sit with the Hospital Director, who just happens to be your lovely wife. Mother and Father will occupy the remaining seats at our table, meaning absolutely no one can find fault with you staying right at my side for this grand event, right?"

My lips curved upward as I nodded along with her brilliant, tactical deduction. I reached over, covering her hand with mine to signal my complete surrender to her logistics. "Hana Lee, my brilliant wife, I will happily follow your lead. You hit the nail right on the head; I felt incredibly awkward trying to navigate the seating arrangements, sigh."

Mary leaned across the table, her elbow prodding my ribs with playful force before she threw a sharp wink directly at Hana. "You are entirely too easy to read, Rick. Hana is just using this whole seating dilemma as a convenient excuse to wear an incredibly slutty dress and show off for the cameras, humph."

The lighthearted bickering instantly drove away the morning chill, filling the room with genuine warmth. Before I could even stand up to leave, my children rushed the table, moving in a coordinated strike to dog-pile right on top of their daddy for a chaotic goodbye session.

Exactly one hour later, the scene shifted to the familiar comfort of my living room inside the Jefferson Tower. We gathered for a necessary family meeting, the space organized around two large couches facing each other. Two more exceptionally beautiful women sat integrated into the family circle, adding to the crowded warmth of the room.

I occupied the exact center of the first couch, balancing my daughter Luna Zi securely on my lap. Ana pressed tightly against my right side, her fingers laced through mine, while Tina mirrored her position on my left by resting her chin against my shoulder. Across the space, my other daughter, Alice Feng, wriggled happily in Lane Feng's doting arms. Tony Feng sat right beside them, his eyes crinkling with deep amusement as he watched the popular, glamorous actress Ana Zi hold onto my arm with unvarnished, affectionate devotion. It was exactly as the old saying went—Ana was easily my worst-kept secret, sigh.

Lane noticed my eyes wandering across the room and offered a knowing, maternal smirk. "Rick dear, I figured the whole thing out all the way back during your very first Oscar award ceremony. How could I possibly miss the sheer devotion radiating from Ana's eyes while she stood right there on that stage, visibly pregnant with you? It was honestly adorable watching you attempt to play it completely cool, fufu."

Ana leaned her head against my bicep, her voice softening as she looked back on the memory. "My entire mind went completely blank the moment I stood up there with Rick. I just could not stop myself from dwelling on that exact second, because it was the very first award I received that actually meant something to my heart. That is precisely why our beautiful girl is named Luna; that movie marked the true turning point in our relationship. Right, dear?"

I simply nodded my head, offering a wry smile as I completely owned up to my romantic crimes. Tony, catching the vibe, leaned forward with a look of pure mischief painted across his face.

"So why exactly did you settle on naming your daughter Luna instead of Lilith?" Tony asked, his voice dripping with playful curiosity.

Ana adopted a cunning, sharp expression, her eyes darting toward the hallway before she answered honestly. "The name Lilith belongs exclusively to Rick. Plus, I already receive enough dirty, terrifying looks from Kate every single time I have to call my baby Luna, ufufu! It really is an incredibly cute name, though."

Tina shifted beside me, her voice chiming in with an airy laugh as she tapped my knee. "I chose the name Alice for my little girl specifically because her powerful father completely demolished the Mad Hatter and brought true freedom back to Wonderland, fufu."

A mental sweat-drop rolled down the back of my mind. Every single one of my gorgeous lovers possessed a highly unique, slightly eccentric sense of logic when it came to baby names.

Tony's playful expression vanished, replaced by a grounded, serious look as he redirected the conversation toward the impending evening. "Rick, looking ahead to tonight, are you and Jill doing alright?"

Tina looked over at me, adopting a perfectly blank, innocent expression that fooled absolutely no one. I could practically see the imaginary sparks of amusement dancing in her eyes, as if she were mentally kicking back with a massive tub of popcorn just to watch me navigate my chaotic personal life.

"Well, you and I are currently serving as the prime targets for her general dissatisfaction," I explained, my hand smoothing over Luna's hair to keep her calm. "However, the true, festering source of misery in her life is none other than Greg. My immediate, pressing headache stems from the Lee siblings for completely obvious reasons. Melody and Raymond are actively escalating the friction between Greg and me, trying their absolute best to drag Jill down into the mud with them. The friction between Jill, Tina, and me is incredibly deep and multi-layered."

Lane, who remained completely insulated from the true, dangerous depths of the Lee family conflict and my hidden identity, looked up with pure innocence shining in her eyes.

"My son, do you want me to briefly step out of retirement to handle some quick trash removal for you?" Lane asked, her tone perfectly casual despite the implication. "If it ensures peace for you and Tina, I genuinely do not mind dusting off my old skills."

I immediately shook my head, offering a firm, declining gesture. "No, we cannot allow them to suddenly go missing under mysterious circumstances. The absolute moment they vanish, the authorities will point the finger directly at me, regardless of how innocent I actually am. I cannot eliminate them without securing overwhelming, irrefutable evidence of their crimes. Minor provocations and petty schemes simply aren't enough to justify it. Unless they actively point a lethal weapon at my family in front of reliable witnesses, I cannot delete them from the board."

Lane smoothly pivoted, distracting little Alice with a colorful toy so the toddler wouldn't register the lethal undertones of our conversation. I mimicked her movements, softly humming a tune to keep Luna focused on her picture book.

Tony's brow furrowed into a deep, frustrated frown as he contemplated the government's recent maneuvers. I had previously brought him entirely up to speed regarding the ridiculous surveillance stunts pulled by Adam, warning him to monitor his digital footprint with extreme caution.

"Well, Rick, now that I have officially stepped down as the Head, my hands are tied regarding direct influence over Jill, Greg, or the Lee family," Tony stated, his voice laced with a quiet, lingering authority. "But the absolute moment you need a specific lever pulled, you just have to say the word."

"There is absolutely no need to stress over it, because I have already mapped out contingencies for every single variable," I assured him, giving Ana's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Just focus on enjoying your retirement down the hall, shower little Alice with all the affection you can hold, and protect my beautiful Zi ladies whenever I'm away."

Ana's fingers instantly tightened around my arm, the sudden, warm pressure conveying her immense gratitude. Lane beamed, her smile radiating genuine warmth.

"Alice and Luna are half-sisters, which makes them absolute family in our eyes," Lane said softly, cradling the toddler closer. "You never even need to voice that request, fufu."

We spent the next several hours completely locked in deep conversation, sharing a relaxed lunch while analyzing local political shifts and the sudden, sweeping movements concerning my father and grandfather. Both Tony and Lane had been completely blindsided by my father's massive, global resurgence, requiring some time to fully digest the scale of his operations.

Eventually, the gathering broke up so everyone could change into their formal evening wear. I shared a long, affectionate goodbye with Ana, who needed to head out early to tape her latest segment of Entertainment Tonight alongside Kate. Having stepped in as a guest host multiple times during our past movie promotions, the studio environment was practically a second home to me. I knew I would be returning to that stage soon enough, especially with our planned cameos dropping around the Fourth of July.

As the clock struck 5 PM, Tony, Lane, Tina, little Alice, and I made our way over to the sprawling, historic gates of the main Feng Estate for the formal dinner.

The interior air conditioning unit hummed aggressively, blasting freezing air into the massive living room, yet it did nothing to cool the suffocating tension suffocating the space. Lane sat rigidly on the main sofa, keeping Tina and the toddler close to her side. Tony and I occupied a pair of matching leather armchairs directly opposite the couch, each of us slowly sipping a glass of premium whisky to maintain an aura of absolute calm.

Directly across from our position, Greg sat dead center on the opposing couch, his posture stiff and defensive. Melody sat pressed against his side, flanked closely by the imposing figures of her brother and husband. Jill occupied a solitary armchair off to the flank, noticeably avoiding the trays of alcohol in favor of a simple glass of ice water. The calculated choice instantly drew the sharp, analytical eyes of her parents.

Jill caught the heavy weight of their gazes. She took a slow, deliberate sip of water before setting the glass down with a soft click.

"The information is going to leak out eventually anyway, so I might as well state it plainly," Jill announced, her voice ringing out with cold, clinical precision. "The statistical likelihood of my pregnancy is currently sitting at an absolute certainty. It took barely a year of marriage, meaning my official position as the undisputed Head of the Feng family is entirely secure."

Greg's chest instantly swelled with unearned pride. Sensing the sudden shock rippling through his in-laws, he extended an arm to gesture broadly toward Melody.

"Melody is also officially pregnant," Greg declared, his voice carrying a smug, triumphant edge. "This means both of my children will grow up side-by-side, bonding like true, inseparable siblings. Isn't that right, Jill?"

Jill slowly raised a single, perfectly sculpted eyebrow, her expression remaining entirely flat. "No, dear, that is absolutely not how heirs to the great ancient clans function. If you look at the established traditions of the Long, Tang, and Lang families, the primary heirs never interact with the secondary branches unless they are dealing with a designated spare. My child will not be permitted to fall under the direct influence of the Lee family. If you find my words difficult to swallow, you can simply ask my sister. We only shared formal meals together, living entirely separate lives under the exact same roof. Your Lee child will be entirely on their own."

Raymond's jaw clenched as he watched the visible insult wash over Melody and Greg. He leaned forward, attempting to inject a tone of smooth diplomacy into the frosty air.

"Jill, that tradition is merely an outdated rule of thumb," Raymond countered, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to find a weakness in her posture. "As the active Head of the Feng, you possess the absolute authority to permit much closer family dynamics. My sister's child is destined to be a massive pillar of support for your administration, making an early childhood bond absolutely crucial for the clan's future stability."

Jill, elegantly attired in a striking, vibrant flower-print dress, slowly crossed one leg over the other. She leaned back into the leather cushion, her cold gaze pinning Raymond to his seat.

"Oh?" Jill asked, her voice dripping with dangerous, calm authority. "And why exactly would I ever alter the sacred protocols my Feng family has flawlessly executed for over two thousand years?"

Tina swirled the deep red wine in her glass, a razor-sharp smile cutting across her lips as she locked eyes with the two visibly uncomfortable Lee siblings. The raw desperation radiating from their frames was entirely pathetic, their transparent schemes to seize control of the future Feng heir laid completely bare for everyone in the room to witness.

Greg shifted aggressively in his seat, leaning forward to break the suffocating silence. "Well, both kids are mine. Back in the Song clan, we absolutely never stressed over those archaic, old-fashioned rules."

I leaned back in my armchair, adjusting my grip on my glass as I drove a lethal, metaphorical dagger straight into his inflated ego. "Oh? Is that the convenient excuse you tell yourself for getting entirely kicked out of your own clan, simply because you lacked the basic competence to follow rules?"

The visible reaction was immediate. Deep, dark creases formed across Greg's forehead, casting heavy, shadowed lines down his face under the harsh lighting. I stood corrected—I genuinely used to think those dramatic black lines were just an exaggerated anime trick, but seeing them manifest in real life on his actual skin was absolute comedy.

Greg snapped, throwing his chair back as he surged to his feet, pointing a trembling finger directly at my face. "You absolute bastard! My uncle shot himself in the head specifically because of you!"

I let out a cold, mocking sneer, lazily swirling the remaining whisky in my hand before shifting my point directly toward the smug face of Raymond. "No, you illiterate bastard. It was your worthless brother-in-law sitting right there who explicitly fired my wife. I simply retaliated by completely erasing your garbage family's nobility from existence. What exactly do you plan to do about it?"

Greg's hand twitched, his eyes darting toward a heavy crystal vase on the side table. He froze mid-motion, the sudden realization paralyzing his muscles as he remembered I could easily beat his face into the floorboards. Worse still, he knew my wife might quietly ensure he vanished from the face of the earth one night. Jill had thoroughly educated him on how Tina was raised, and that lingering terror ruled his entire existence.

Lane smoothly stood up from the opposite sofa, scooping little Alice into her arms with an unbothered, graceful movement. She cast a brief, knowing glance back toward us as she guided the toddler toward the hallway. "Tina, she and I will be back in just a moment, fufu," Lane murmured, her voice carrying a light, melodic amusement as the bathroom door clicked shut behind them.

Raymond, completely misjudging the room and falsely believing he possessed some sort of sovereign immunity token from his government handlers, spat out a rude, arrogant retort. "I did absolutely nothing wrong. That crooked cop was a permanent stain on the force, meaning she absolutely had to go."

I slowly rose from my armchair, the movement fluid and entirely devoid of rush. I set my whisky glass down onto the wooden surface with a soft, deliberate click. I took a few measured steps forward, halting precisely in front of Raymond’s seat. He locked his gaze onto mine, staring up with a defiant, mocking look that practically dared me to execute him on the spot.

He was entirely prepared to die right here for the glory of the Lee family, banking on the theory that his sacrifice would secure his sister's position while I rotted away in a maximum-security prison for life. I stared down at him, my expression completely wiped of human emotion, before delivering a single, quiet question.

"On Sunday, I explicitly instructed Commander Joe to pass a specific message down to you," I noted, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Did he happen to share what it was?"

Raymond smiled, tilting his chin up with reckless arrogance. "Hmm? Maybe~?"

Whoosh—Thud—Crack!

My right leg snapped upward with blinding, explosive velocity, moving far too fast for his human eyes to track. I pulled my knee straight to my chest, uniquely extending the ball of my foot to drive a brutal front kick squarely into the bridge of his nose, completely shattering the bone structure. A violent spurt of dark crimson blood erupted from his face, spraying across his collar as he instantly collapsed, clutching his face in sudden, agonizing torment.

I looked down at the writhing man, my tone perfectly conversational. "I explicitly told the Commander to tell you to run, hide, and never come anywhere near me or my family again. Since you refused to scurry away like a good little rat, I will simply break your body piece by piece... without ever crossing the line into killing you. Now, I am going to return to my seat. If my family or I catch so much as a single glimpse of your ugly face within the next sixty seconds, he-he."

I walked back to my chair, sinking into the leather and lifting my whisky glass for a calm sip. Raymond rocked back and forth, desperately trying to stem the heavy flow of blood. My internal Medicine Skill instantly confirmed the precise handy-work; the shattered nasal passage would ensure the bleeding wouldn't stop anytime soon.

I locked eyes with him through his fingers, adding a casual afterthought. "Testicles happen to pop incredibly easily under a boot. Try me?"

Terrified, Raymond scrambled to his feet, sprinting toward the nearest restroom to deal with the damage. He rattled the handle in absolute frustration, finding the lock engaged with my mother-in-law safely insulated inside, forcing him to turn on his heel and sprint down the corridor toward the guest wing.

I shifted my gaze back to the remaining couple, offering a pleasant, sharp smile to Greg and Melody. "This is strictly a Feng family meal, meaning that trash had absolutely no right to sit at this table. Melody is technically your wife, Greg, so kicking her teeth down her throat right now would be incredibly rude to Jill, wouldn't it?"

Jill immediately interjected, her tone dropping into a frosty, severe register that I knew was pure, calculated theater for the benefit of the room. "Rick Tang, inflicting physical violence upon my invited guests is incredibly unbecoming of your noble status. I feel deeply insulted by this display. How exactly am I supposed to make amends to my husband's family now?"

I offered a careless shrug, draining the remaining amber liquid from my glass. "As long as I keep them alive, I can handle the fallout for you. Trust me, by the time I am completely finished with them, they will be begging for your forgiveness. Regrettably, it seems I won't be able to stay to enjoy the rest of this dinner with everyone..."

Jill’s brows furrowed deeply, her mask slipping slightly as genuine confusion bled into her voice. "Why exactly are you leaving?"

"Oh, it isn't by personal choice," I chuckled, setting the empty glass aside. "Raymond just utilized his encrypted line to call the police and his high-level government contacts to have me arrested for assault. It appears I am officially spending the night in a jail cell... but fuck, was it absolutely worth it, ha-ha!"

Greg and Melody exchanged a frantic, panicked look, their minds spinning as they tried to figure out how I could possibly possess that information when I hadn't moved an inch from my seat. They remained completely oblivious to the fact that Lucy was actively patched into my earpiece, feeding me real-time updates on every single communication entering the estate's airspace.

I turned my head toward Tina, issuing a direct command. "My brilliant wife, call my entire legal team immediately. Instruct them to prepare an ironclad case regarding police brutality. Tell them to have some fun with it, because I am fully planning to get a bit rough with his men the moment they lay hands on me."

I stood up, adjusting my jacket as I threw a casual wave toward the Head of the table. "Well, Jill, this was an incredibly entertaining start to the evening. As for you two, Greg and Melody, make absolutely certain you never cross my path again. You are actively forcing me to do manual labor tonight, which means I am going to be an incredibly pissed-off Rick tomorrow. I don't mind personally removing every single tooth from your mouths to make blowjobs easier for the both of you. See you tomorrow."

A sudden, paralyzing chill surged straight down the spines of both Melody and Greg. The dark realization finally clicked in their minds—death wasn't the absolute worst thing that could happen to them in this city. A genuinely furious Rick Tang was infinitely more terrifying.