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Novel Catalog
Chapter 98: Wynter’s Questioning
The men standing before her clearly didn’t know Wynter well. Her identity had been carefully concealed, and she had taken great care to remain under the radar. Yet, attacking her in this alley was a grave violation of her boundaries—especially considering that Margaret lived here.
The gang leader trembled under her gaze, his body rigid with fear. He stammered, “I—I don’t know! We usually do odd jobs… anything for the right price. I don’t know who sent us here!”
His words sounded unconvincing, and something felt off to Wynter. She leaned in, her eyes sharp as she pressed further. “Are you taking illegal orders?”
The man hesitated, glancing nervously at the leader, who was still on the ground nursing his injuries.
When the man didn’t answer immediately, Wynter stepped on his hand with a deliberate force. He yelped, curling into a ball as pain shot through his arm.
“Yes! Yes, we’re taking illegal orders!” he gasped.
Wynter lifted her foot off him, but her gaze never wavered from the man now cowering before her. “It seems like you’re the leader here. Tell me—what was the order?”
His face turned pale, and his voice wavered. “It doesn’t matter how we do it… but we were supposed to get you out of Southdale.” He winced as he raised his injured hand, but still, he dared to ask, “Have you thought about who your enemy is?”
Wynter released him, her expression unreadable. “I have too many enemies to count. I can’t guess.”
The gangsters exchanged nervous glances, clearly rattled by her cold demeanor.
Dalton, still standing at a distance, let out a soft chuckle. He appeared almost untouched by the scene unfolding, his suit impeccably neat. He watched Wynter with admiration, his eyes glinting.
Wynter raised an eyebrow, sizing him up. She couldn’t help but suspect that Dalton was trying to seduce her with his casual charm. Leaning slightly toward him, she teased, “I don’t mind if a handsome man laughs at me.”
Dalton stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face, his voice low and gravelly. “Do you want Ethan to investigate this?”
Wynter gave him a glance, her attention more on the conversation than his actions. “No need,” she replied, her eyes still on the men. “You didn’t bring any lozenges, did you?”
Dalton smiled, the corners of his mouth curling up. “I ate them all earlier. But I have a meeting to attend. Just wanted to let you know before I leave.”
Wynter barely responded. Instead, she pressed two fingers to Dalton’s wrist to check his pulse, her focus still on the gangsters. She gestured for them to speak. “Go ahead.”
The gangsters visibly shuddered as they watched the interaction between Wynter and Dalton. The intimacy between them, while subtle, was impossible to ignore.
“How did you receive the order?” Wynter asked, her voice cool and smooth. “Offline or online?”
The men hesitated, but it was clear they were caught in a lie. Wynter smiled knowingly. “Do you want me to teach you the rules of the underworld?” Her tone carried a certain menace, and it sent a chill through the men.
One of the gangsters swallowed hard. “It was online. We used to handle small loans, but as debt collectors, we had to get… more ruthless. We couldn’t refuse the order.”
Wynter raised an eyebrow. “But following an unarmed girl at night? Don’t you think that’s pretty unscrupulous?”
The man muttered under his breath, “You’re no different from an armed person.”
Wynter chose to ignore his remark, her eyes narrowing with disinterest.
Dalton, ever the observer, couldn’t help but laugh. “Dr. Genius, I knew you were good at medicine, but I didn’t expect you to be so skilled at other things, like fighting and grades.”
Wynter shot him a sharp glare, signaling him to remain silent. But in Dalton’s eyes, her warning only added to her allure—she was just as captivating in a fight as she was in her medical expertise.
Turning her attention back to the leader, Wynter raised her voice. “Carl Wilkinson.”
The man, now trembling in fear, nodded quickly. “Yes, Miss, we just wanted to scare you. We thought you were just an ordinary girl and that you’d leave Southdale after our threats.”
“Yes! The boss is telling the truth!” another gangster chimed in, his voice shaking. “Who knew you’d beat us up?”
Wynter’s eyes flickered with amusement, but she wasn’t done. “I was indeed frightened. You’ve caused me mental distress, so you’ll need to compensate me for that.”
The gangsters looked at her, bewildered. Were they hearing this right? They were the ones who were bruised, battered, and broken.
Wynter’s smile was cold. “You don’t want to pay? Fine. I’ll just call the police, and you can explain your bruises to them.”
“Don’t!” Carl cried, his hand outstretched in pain. “Miss, we’ll compensate you! Just tell us how much. We can chip in. We’ll give you all the money from the order!”
Wynter shook her head, uninterested in their money. “I’m not interested in your cash. Since you’ve disturbed my life, here’s what you’ll do instead. From now on, you’re responsible for the security of Waterview Alley. If I see anyone causing trouble here again, I’ll come for you.”
The gangsters exchanged looks, their eyes wide with both fear and confusion.
“No problem!” a young gangster volunteered eagerly, slapping his chest. “We live nearby!”
Carl, flabbergasted by his subordinate’s stupidity, could only sigh in disbelief.
“We’ll listen to you,” Carl agreed, his voice resigned.
Wynter smirked. “Good. But don’t take any more orders. Give me your account details and the apps you’re using. I need to know who’s trying to get me out of Southdale.”
The gangsters exchanged wary glances but, under her watchful eyes, reluctantly complied.
