At the same time Yeri was stuck at the café, Shin Keir was already on his way there, supposedly planning to surprise her.
He knew how stressful and confusing things could be for someone like Yeri, young, and never before exposed to lawyers, court threats, or anything of the sort.
He imagined her furrowing her brows, eyes red, shoulders heavy with anxiety. She might even be pretending to be fine, keeping a brave face like she always did. That thought alone tightened something in his chest and he wanted to comfort her.
He was halfway there when his phone buzzed.
An email from Hexion.
As he read the content, his expression hardened. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, and his eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Find him," Shin ordered coldly as he called someone immediately. "Now."
Just as he was approaching SC University, Shin suddenly made a sharp U-turn, the tires screeching as the black Maybach turned and accelerated in the opposite direction, heading to the Keir family main house.
The vehicle raced past the massive gates of the estate, nearly startling the security guards out of their seats. One guard flinched and almost reached for his gun, thinking it was some madman trying to breach the place.
But as soon as they recognized the license plate and more importantly, the man behind the wheel they all froze.
"Y-Young Master!" one of the guards shouted in surprise.
It was rare, almost unheard of, for Shin Keir to visit the main house. Ever since he moved into his own villa years ago, he had never once stepped foot back unless there was a funeral or clan meeting.
To see him now, expression dark, car speeding like a missile, it was enough to make the entire security team tense up in fear.
Shin got out of the car without a word, his long legs carrying him swiftly toward the house like a storm had been summoned. His face was expressionless, but the way his jaw ticked and his eyes burned said enough.
Meanwhile, Hadi Keir, currently lounging at the estate like he owned it, was having a very peaceful afternoon. He had been staying at the mansion for the past few days, claiming he missed his grandma and wanted to spend more time with her.
In reality, he was enjoying the luxury and playing the role of the doting grandson to get back into the family's good graces.
He lay on a recliner by the pool, scrolling through his phone lazily. The recent post from KGG officially clearing their name was still trending.
As a Keir, he should have been relieved, but instead, it irritated him. Even more so when he saw Calin reposting it.
And before that, she had even made a statement defending KGG.
"Tch. That bastard wouldn't even look your way no matter how much you beg," Hadi muttered bitterly under his breath. His pride burned at the thought.
If only he had been named the rightful heir. If only he was the one sitting on the CEO chair instead of Shin. Then Calin would be the one crawling to him, desperate to marry him.
Suddenly, a shadow blocked his sunlight.
Looking up, Hadi's blood ran cold.
Shin Keir?!
It was like staring at the King of hell himself.
Panic gripped him instantly. Without thinking, Hadi tried to jump into the pool, believing it was the safest escape.
Shin wouldn't ruin his tailored suit just to dive in after him, right?
Wrong. Before he could even move, Shin's leg swung out, landing a brutal kick straight to Hadi's stomach and sending him tumbling off the recliner, rolling across the perfectly manicured lawn.
"AARGHH!!" Hadi screamed, clutching his ribs.
"You—YOU! What are you doing?!" he shrieked, spitting blood and trying to scramble to his feet.
Shin didn't say a word.
Another kick landed on Hadi's backside, sending him flying again.
The sounds of chaos, screams, blows, thuds, echoed through the estate like a thunderstorm. Servants peeked out from the hallways. Bodyguards ran toward the scene but froze mid-step.
It was Shin Keir.
None of them dared get in his way.
"You crazy bastard! Have you lost your mind?! This is the Keir estate!" Hadi howled, trying to crawl backward. "CALL GRANDMA! CALL GRANDMA, NOW!"
Elder Madam Keir had just woke up from her afternoon nap when a panicked maid rushed in.
"Madam! It's Young Master Shin—he's… he's attacking Young Master Hadi!"
Half-asleep and annoyed, Elder Madam Keir threw on her sleeping robe and stormed out of her room, muttering curses under her breath.
By the time she arrived, the scene was a nightmare.
Hadi's face was bloodied—mouth, nose, everything. He looked like he had gone ten rounds in an illegal boxing ring.
He was wailing and crawling, covered in grass and snot and humiliation.
Shin stood there like death itself, perhaps pondering how to dismember the body or separate his soul in the most agonising way.
Just as Hadi tried to drag himself away, Shin's foot came down on his back, and a loud crack echoed, sending chills through everyone present.
"AHHHHHH!!" Hadi screamed like a dying pig.
"STOP!" Elder Madam Keir cried, finally arriving and rushing forward. "Shin Keir, have you lost your mind?! That's your cousin! Are you trying to kill him?!"
Shin didn't even glance at her.
"Move," he said coldly, eyes still fixed on Hadi.
"You—you devil! If you don't stop now, I swear I'll have you locked up! You'll rot in jail for this!" the old woman screamed.
Without hesitation, Shin reached out and shoved her aside like she was a pile of laundry. His foot then came down on Hadi's right hand.
Another snap.
This time it was his fingers.
Hadi had briefly passed out from the pain earlier but the agony from his crushed hand jolted him awake. He screamed until his voice cracked.
"DO SOMETHING!" Elder Madam Keir screeched, turning to the bodyguards. "You bunch of USELESS fools! What are you doing just standing there?! STOP HIM or I'll have your heads!"
Only then did the guards move. But the moment they approached, Shin attacked them too.
Fists flew. Bodies dropped.
One was thrown into the pool. Another knocked over a table. It was like a full-on massacre.
Chaos ruled the mansion.
Elder Madam Keir fell to the ground, trembling with fury and fear. Still, her mouth wouldn't stop moving.
"SHOOT HIM! SOMEONE SHOOT THIS MANIAC! He's not human—he's a monster! A demon!"
When the madness finally quieted down, Hadi lay twitching on the grass. He looked like a fish thrown out of water, convulsing helplessly. If not for the slight movement in his limbs, one might think he was dead.
"A DEMON!" the old woman sobbed, staring at Shin in horror. "We raised a demon in this house! What sin have we committed to deserve this fate—?"
Her voice faltered.
Her words got stuck in her throat. She froze mid-hysteria.
Shin's gaze had landed on her. Cold, unreadable, but so bone-chilling it was as if death itself had taken notice.
Even the servants, who had once worked in the house for decades, had never seen anything like this. The way the bodyguards were beaten senseless made them silently vow to check Shin's mood before approaching.
Suddenly—
"SON!"
A cheerful voice rang out.
Everyone turned in disbelief.
Eleanor Keir came running, her silk dress flapping, barefoot on the stone pavement.
She completely ignored Hadi's bloodied body still twerking by the side and the mess of guards around her. Her face lit up like a child.
"Did you come to visit Mommy?"
Shin: "…"
Servants held their breath, bodyguards groaned by the poolside, and Hadi curled on the ground like a broken shrimp, letting out faint whimpers.
Blood smeared the tiles. Lawn chairs were overturned. The estate that usually hosted formal brunches and gossip now looked like a crime scene.
Seeing Eleanor running straight to Shin like she hadn't noticed the warzone around her, Elder Madam Keir snapped.
Her rage reignited at the sight of Eleanor's carefree attitude.
"You useless, crazy woman!" she howled, staggering to her feet. "If it weren't for you cheating my son, if you had given birth to a proper heir! Then my son wouldn't have gone to that vixen outside and given birth to this demon child! You cursed this family! You doomed us all!"
She lunged at Eleanor, grabbing her hair with trembling hands.
"You cursed woman! It's all your fault! You—!"
"OW! My extensions!" Eleanor cried, trying to swat the older woman off while still clutching her silk scarf. "Mother-in-law, stop! You're going to ruin my highlights!"
Hadi let out a weak groan, but no one paid him any mind.
Shin ignored the two women quarreling behind him. He didn't even glance their way.
Seeing that Shin truly couldn't be bothered, the servants finally dared to move, carefully slipping between Eleanor and Elder Madam Keir to stop the fight before someone got scalped.
"Mother-in-law, you're so mean!" Eleanor wailed, dramatically fixing her disheveled hair. "Why would you embarrass me like this in front of my son?"
"Son? That's not your son!" Elder Madam Keir snapped, face red and veins bulging on her forehead. She pointed toward the mess on the ground. "Look what he did to my dear Hadi!"
Eleanor paused, tilted her head, and looked at Hadi's bloodied and miserable state like he was a forgotten ragdoll in a puddle.
"…I don't know him," she said flatly while smoothing her hair.
Elder Madam Keir almost fainted.
Demons! The whole house was filled with demons!
A cold-blooded demon of a bastard grandson. A crazy demon of a daughter-in-law. And that useless son, Allister, who couldn't even bother to visit her and educate this bastard demon.
She might as well dig her own grave and crawl in.
Meanwhile, Shin checked his watch without a care, then bent down and yanked Hadi up by the collar like he was dragging out garbage. He strode toward the living room, Hadi trailing behind him like a limp, half-conscious scarecrow.
Eleanor trotted after him, still holding her scarf. "Wait, son! Do you want to stay for dinner? I made cupcakes last week! They might still be edible!"
Elder Madam Keir was so angry and ordered the servants to lock Eleanor to her room.
On the other hand, Hadi wanted to faint. He really did. But the terrifying thought that he might never wake up if he passed out kept him barely conscious.