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The man who came down the stairs was completely different from the one who had gone up. As soon as the guys saw him, they nodded in satisfaction.

This man was Nathan Strong.

The black tailored suit and the fierce expression on his face were lethal.

"You have one second to tell me what you know," he said in an authoritative tone, staring directly at Jamie.

“This is definitely the Nathan I was expecting,” his friend thought.

"We know someone who has been fighting Richard for several years and is now willing to help us take him down for good," Jamie explained, somewhat nervous about how Nathan would take the news.

"Who?"

It was time for the truth.

"Your grandfather, Nathan."

His brow furrowed and a mysterious smile formed on his lips.

"What a bad joke," he clicked his tongue. "I don't trust that old man; he probably wants to take my wife and children."

"It's not a joke," Enzo intervened. "And stop saying stupid things! Your grandfather is strict, but he would never betray you."

"My grandfather was a piece of shit to me and would never help me; he hates me," he said, his throat tightening, clenching his fists.

"I don't hate you, Nathan," they all heard a voice coming from outside.

Nathan felt the air escape him.

"What the...?" he didn't finish speaking when Jarek appeared at his house's door, trying to stay calm. "You!"

"Hello, Nathan," his grandfather said almost timidly, attentive to his reaction, as were the rest of the people in the room.

Nathan felt a lump in his throat seeing his grandfather there, with that guilty expression on his face.

Richard's words returned to his mind, and although he shouldn't believe that criminal, Jarek had given him enough reasons to distrust him.

The grand hall where they were was illuminated by the dim light of wall lamps, creating unsettling shadows on the walls. The furniture and family portraits observed the scene in silence, like mute witnesses to the growing tension.

Nathan approached his grandfather threateningly and grabbed him by the shirt, his eyes filled with fury.

"Give me an explanation that's not an excuse!" Nathan demanded, his voice echoing in the large hall. "I've been through hell not knowing about my family and now you're here with them!"

Jarek trembled slightly, his face pale. His eyes tried to find a hint of understanding in his grandson's face but found only hardness.

"Nathan, please, calm down," Enzo, one of Nathan's friends, tried to say, approaching to hold him. "This won't solve anything.”

"Come on, Nathan, don’t hit him," Jamie added in a calm but firm voice. "Not like this."

Nathan, however, wasn't listening. He pushed Jarek away and turned to his friends, barely containing his rage.

"He's just putting on an act!" he spat, trying to leave the room.

"Nathan, listen to me," Enzo called out with authority. "Your grandfather is the only one who can help us take down Richard Quirrell."

Nathan stubbornly shook his head, crossing his arms.

"We don’t need the help of a man I don’t trust," he said, looking at Jarek with contempt. "He never showed me love, always had demands, and locked me up under the pretense of protecting me. Don’t ask me to forget all that!"

Jarek, with a trembling sigh, tried to explain.

"I acted like a foolish and impulsive old man, which doesn’t usually happen to me, but I was terrified that Richard would hurt you," his tone was apologetic.

Nathan looked at him harshly, his words filled with resentment.

"I’ve already seen Richard, and he let me go," he said in a low but firm voice.

The revelation left everyone in the room stunned. Murmurs ceased and the tension was palpable in the air.

"What?" Jamie asked, incredulous. "You saw him?”

"Yes," Nathan replied. "If he had wanted to hurt me, he would have. He was armed and had a lot of men on his side."

Everyone present waited for Jarek to explain. The old man nodded, letting out a resigned sigh.

"I finally understand Richard’s mindset," he began, speaking slowly. "He’s like a cancer, planning to infiltrate the core to destroy more effectively."

Nathan frowned, impatient.

"Get to the point without so many digressions or philosophies!"

"Richard has infiltrated our family to destroy us from within," Jarek continued. "Now he’s planning to do the same with you. He wants us to be at odds, for you to distrust me. For him, destroying family ties gives him even more satisfaction than attacking us individually."

"That’s absurd!" Nathan retorted, his voice filled with disbelief.

"It’s not so far-fetched," Enzo intervened. "Many people enjoy sitting comfortably watching the world burn after planting the seeds of discord and seeing others destroy themselves before their eyes, only to then feign ignorance and avoid responsibility."

Nathan didn’t know what to think. Jarek approached him slowly, his eyes welling up with tears.

"Forgive me for all the years I made you think you weren’t enough," Jarek said, his voice trembling. "You are my only family besides my daughter. I don’t want us to be separated again."

Nathan looked at his grandfather, his heart torn between resentment and the need to understand.

"There have been too many lies to forgive them all at once," he responded, his voice broken.

Jarek nodded, understanding the weight of his words.

"I understand," he said, looking at Nathan with pain. "But we need to agree to defeat Richard Quirrell once and for all, so you can live in peace with Suzanne and your children."

Nathan felt a lump in his throat at the sincerity in his grandfather’s voice. His words and the expression on his face showed genuine remorse.

"If, after dealing with that man, whether by imprisoning him or killing him, you want me to stay away from your life, I will," Jarek promised. "I just want you to be happy in your own way."

Nathan nodded slowly, his emotions conflicted. For now, he had to set aside his resentment and focus on the common enemy.

Although his trust in Jarek wouldn’t be easily restored, he knew they needed to work together to defeat Richard.

"Alright," Nathan finally said, his voice barely audible. "But don’t think I forgive you. I’m only doing this for Suzanne and my children."

Jarek nodded, accepting his grandson’s terms. For now, the battle against Richard Quirrell was the priority, and any reconciliation would have to wait.