Chapter 60: Susan's Secret

Johnny was still looking at Bella's smiling photo in the magazine, unable to believe what he was seeing or reading. How did she achieve such a high status if, apparently, after Johnny took over the leadership of the Hahn family business, she was vulnerable and weakened. How could this happen? Suddenly, the unscrupulous man began to feel threatened by the one he had once trampled on and humiliated.

“You are incompetent, Taylor. Just like the soldiers you hired, If they had killed her and her son at that moment, what you did was let them escape. Bunch of idiots.”

“I understand your irritation, but it turns out that everything was set for the execution of mother and son, if it weren't for DK showing up there with his soldiers.”

“Taylor, you weren't even there when that busybody broke in.”

“ I weren't, because you had told me to do something else, don't you remember?”

“Okay, that doesn't matter anymore. She probably had help from DK. They must be together and if they joined forces against me, they would come with everything and I need to be prepared. I have to attack first.”

“If you’ll allow me, I think you should increase your security because they really joined forces to get to you. And what Bella Hahn wants most at the moment is revenge.”

“Then I have to make two front lines, one for defense and one for attack. You take care of that for me, Taylor.”

“Okay!”

Taylor, with the boss’s blessing, calls a meeting with some front-line soldiers and members who betrayed the Hahn family for money and some kind of leadership. I’ll separate half of you to go to New York and the other half will stay here to protect our boss.

“And who does Johnny need to be protected against?”

“DK and his lover, Bella Hahn.”

“Did Bella ally herself with DK? I doubt it. They are enemies. Have you forgotten?”

“Mr. Evan, I think you're completely out of tune. I can't believe that after so many years you still don't know the truth that your former boss, Anthony Hahn, didn't tell you. So am I the one to tell you the truth?"

"Just tell us what you know and stop making fun of us, you insolent brat." Evan, the oldest of the members, gets angry

"Bella and DK met over 10 years ago, fell in love, she ended up pregnant, and he abandoned her, and that's why Anthony quickly arranged a marriage to cover up the scandal and so that no one would find out the dirty secret of a rotten family."

"Why is it angry with the Hahn family, who, as far as I know, have never done anything to you."

"Literally nothing. You even tried to join Benjamin's elite group, but you were rejected. I remember your face when he said...no! And get out of my way. And then you were left to ally yourself with Johnny Everson, who until then was just Miss Hahn's husband.” Robinson, another longtime member, joins fellow member Evan in reminiscing about a good time for themselves, but Taylor doesn’t like the laughter and mockery the two elders provoked in the middle of the meeting.

“You gentlemen are absolutely right, I was indeed rejected by the weak and incompetent Benjamin Hanh, and now look who is on top and who is under the ground, betrayed and humiliated.

I honestly, think I was welcomed by the winning side, and what do you gentlemen think?” Taylor looks at the two old men who stop laughing.

“And what is the mission in New York?” Gavin continued with the meeting.

“To kill Bella Hahn and her son Théo Hahn.”

“Let me take on this, I only want 2 soldiers who are good at shooting to accompany me, the rest I can handle.” Gavin speaks

“You are very confident, Mr. White. But let me tell you something, everyone Johnny sent to New York for “this mission” didn’t come back, including Carson, Brandon and Mr. Williams.”

“I want to try, and I won’t fail.”

“If that’s what you want, I’ll allow it. However, take 1 more soldier to help. You leave tomorrow on the private plane that belonged to the Hahns. And as for the others, I need all the soldiers I can get to guard Johnny's house. The other members should go back to running the business as before, except for you two elderly, because I think you're too passing the deadline and tired to need to retire.”

“You going to kill us?” Robinson looks directly at Taylor, who waits for everyone to leave so he can point his 9mm pistol at the head of the one who questioned him.

“That's right, old man. You and your friend are going to die.” But before he can shoot, Johnny arrives in time.

“Why do you have a gun pointed at Mr. Fletcher, Taylor? And since when do you go around shooting people without my permission?”

“Sorry, boss! But those two really need to retire.” Taylor keeps the gun pointed.

“Put that gun down, leave Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Cole alone. My God! They're old and will soon die, either from some disease or from natural causes. Just wait a little longer. Geez!”

“Can we go, Mr. Everson?”

“Of course you can. But apologize to my advisor first.”

The two elders do what Johnny says with the greatest good will, and when the two finally manage to leave the meeting room, relieved to have escaped, the advisor of the blond, handsome and cruel man has a closed expression, trying to contain his anger.

“Do you want to challenge me, Taylor?”

“I would never do that. But, you don’t know what those damn old men said, they questioned my authority and, worse still, yours too, in front of everyone.”

“I heard everything. But that’s not how we’re going to get rid of them. After all, they’re the oldest in the group and, whether we like it or not, Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Cole has credibility with the others, we’re going to go to war, and we don’t want to arrive at a disadvantage. Their time will come, with discretion, it will come. Be patient.” Johnny smiles like someone who plans something cruel and takes pleasure in it. However, in New York, Bella was also preparing for the chess game that she herself started and that would end with her revenge fulfilled and her regaining the reputation of her family name. She was at an advantage because Johnny and his subordinates underestimated her too much. Only two people did not believe that Bella was so vulnerable and these are the same elders that Taylor tried to eliminate with the validation of Johnny, Robinson and Evan decide to ask for help for Bella through Susan, offering their services in exchange for protection, but when Bella finds out:

“ Do I associate with traitors? I don’t want to!”

“But, Mrs. Hahn, they can give us information from within Johnny’s group.”

“Just answer me one thing ask, where were they when my brother was betrayed and that’s why he killed himself?”

“They didn’t participate in that cowardly act, they just stayed there to avoid dying. I assure you they are still loyal to the Hahn family.” Susan answers with such conviction that it even scares Bella.

“And how do you know all this? Are you also a traitor?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“Evan Cole, he’s my uncle and the only blood family I have.”