Winner Takes All

Outside the courtyard, the alert guards immediately noticed the approaching wheelchair. The servants and the guards instantly came to attention. Very soon, some of the guards and servants could see clearly Jack's face.

The several times that Jack came he was obnoxious and brash but each time he was able to leave unscathed under the protection of the head of the family. This resulted in all of the servants and guards in the Hughes family recognizing him. Everyone knew that Jack was a bastard in the eyes of the Hughes family but even if those guards despised Jack, they did not dare to show a shred of disrespect.

"Young master Hughes!" One guard announced at Jack and said, "Master George's courtyard is now a forbidden area. Please leave immediately."

Jack calmly stopped his wheelchair. He looked at the numerous guards and scoffed, 'What a good protection!'

Then, he smiled radiantly and asked, "Was it because of the 'Kill Declaration'? I found out as soon as I returned to the Hughes residence."

"Exactly because of the 'Kill Declaration' that I cannot afford to take any chances." The leader of the guards nodded. Even if he was the bastard of the Hughes family, but everyone knew that he was Patrick's son and the potential heir of the Hughes family. With such a status, Jack was as good as his 'Lord'!

Jack rubbed his nose and smiled, "No worries, I came as soon as I heard of this." After he said that, he wheeled his wheelchair towards the courtyard.

The guard was startled and rushed to stop jack, "Master Jack, please don't put us in a difficult spot."

Jack's expression darkened and said, "I understand, after all, I'm a bastard in your eyes!"

Thud! The guard shuddered and immediately knelt on the ground and apologized, "No, I beg Master for your forgiveness!"Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

What a joke! They were servants of the Hughes family. Even if they despised Jack, they would never dare to say that Jack was a bastard. It was only natural for the senior members to say that Jack was a bastard. But it was a death sentence for any servants who was caught calling Jack a bastard.

"Now that something so serious had happened, if others can enter and I can't even if I'm a member of the Hughes family, then isn't it because I'm a bastard?" Jack asked as he sat on the wheelchair, clearly forcing the guard to let him in.

The guard was now flustered and perspiring profusely. He thought of the family elites who were sent to protect George. If they could enter then what about Master Jack...

When he thought of this, he hurriedly moved to a side and then bowed and said, "Please enter as you wish, Master Jack."

"You're smart." Jack smiled and wheeled himself into the courtyard. The guard did not notice Jack's strong determination to kill.

The autumn wind continued to blow as death approached. Jack wheeled himself towards the closed doors.

It was calm inside the courtyard. Both Killian and George were certain that Jack could not succeed in the kill. Even the intended target, George, was unafraid.

From his perspective, Jack had issued the 'Kill Declaration' ahead of time and now all of the Hughes family guards were on the alert. Jack would be discovered as soon as Jack entered the Hughes residence.. and then be killed!

He had committed a great offense and must die!

Furthermore, the usually shrewd Killian had analyzed that Jack would not attack now. The most ideal time for the attack would be just before daybreak. As a result, both Killian and George were relaxed. Killian looked at a sycamore tree not far away which was swaying in the autumn breeze. The leaves rustled as they fell. The scenery looked like it was a painting. Killian became captivated by the beautiful scenery.

When George noticed Killian's expression, he turned around to look and then asked, "Brother, it's only falling leaves, what's there to look at?"

"The autumn wind is like a formless blade that slashed countless leaves off their branches." Killian pushed his eyeglasses and his eyes focused again as he looked and smiled at George, "This is a good turn of fortune for us. Jack had lost his mind and enabled us to have the upper hand. After today, I'd be able to sit around and wait for Patrick's birthday!" The head of the family would step down on his birthday! George's eyes glimmered. Jack's "Kill Declaration" had pushed himself into the abyss and was enough to settle his sin of ordering an assassination on George. As long as Jack died today, no one else would be able to compete with Killian who had the support of Madam Hughes. Furthermore, with Jack's death, the kill order with the assassin squad would be rescinded as well.

The ending of that one life would make both Killian and George big winners. Looking back, George was still frantically trying to kill Jack a few days ago. George took a deep breath and then smiled, "Perhaps, this could be called 'Heaven's will'. Perhaps the heavens want you to be the head of the family and even if Jack was a dragon, the heavens drove him insane and self-destruct." Heaven's will?

Killian's eyes lit up and his spirits were lifted by what George said. He started to grin and raised his teacup to toast George. The brothers celebrated the moment.

Just as they were enjoying the cup of tea.

Creak... The large courtyard doors were slowly pushed open as the fallen leaves continued to be blown about.

George was facing the doors and as they slowly opened, he looked towards the opening doors.

Suddenly, he saw Jack's murderous expression and it was like a lightning bolt that struck directly into George's eyeballs. Instantly, everything went silent and George's mind went blank. It was as if everything went blank and he could only see Jack who slowly entered the courtyard in the wheelchair.

Shock and horror gripped his entire body. Now George had lost his smugness. The terror of death began to overwhelm him.

"Argh!" George spat his mouthful of tea at Killian's face and yelled in shock.

Killian became furious after being spat in the face but a chill ran down his spine when he saw George's horrified expression as he quickly turned around.

Immediately, Killian's pupils constricted to the extreme, and was equally dumbfounded.

"George, you dared to touch my wife and my brother. Do you think that I can't lift a sword?" Jack said sinisterly which chilled deep into their bones. His words were like the freezing wind, blown from the depths of an abyss and circulated around the small courtyard.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐