The Almighty Dragon General novel Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Outside the Callahans’ villa.

Dozens of jeeps screeched to a halt as the soldiers that had ridden them here charged onto the Callahans’ home.

Panic erupted amongst the Callahans. Lex, who had gone to bed, got up again and approached the soldiers in his pajamas. “What’s happened, sir?” he asked the leader frantically, his face pale.

“Take them.”

With their order issued, two soldiers grabbed Lex by his forearms and dragged him away.

The others, still groggy from sleep, were also forcibly pulled into the jeeps.

Meanwhile, a loud bang erupted from Thea’s home. Benjamin and Gladys were awoken suddenly as soldiers filed in and dragged them away.

Cansington Hotel basement.

Thea sat tied up on the ground. Soon enough, her family was also brought in. Her grandfather, Lex Callahan; her father, Benjamin Callahan; her uncle, Howard Callahan; her second uncle, John Callahan, and everyone else. No one had been left out.

All of them had been tied up, too.

They looked at each other in panic and confusion, not knowing what they had done to offend the Xaviers, or why they were now in a basement.

Trent sat on the only chair in the room, taking a drag of his cigarette.

"Do you know why I brought you here, Thea Callahan?" he asked, his expression cold as the soldiers behind him looked on.

She did not. She knew she was nowhere near the workers when the painting fell, so why did the surveillance footage show otherwise?

"General Xavier, we haven't done anything against your family. In fact, our Tommy is good friends with Joel Xavier! Why are you doing this? Please, let us go," Lex shuffled in his restraints as he pleaded with Trent. "If we did do something to offend you, I promise I'll personally make it up to you…"

Trent held up a hand, cutting Lex off. "Thea Callahan destroyed a painting that was worth one-point-eight billion dollars at the auction banquet. I'll release you now so you can liquidate your assets, Lex Callahan. Get me the money in exchange for the rest of your family. They die otherwise."

"What?!"

"One-point-eight billion?!"

"What the hell happened, Thea?!"

"How did you destroy a painting worth that much?!"

The Callahans, shocked, furious, and still tied up, started hurling insults at Thea.

They accused her of being a curse upon their family, and how she had always been nothing but trouble for them.

Thea, struck speechless by their insults, was unable to get a word out.

"Release Lex Callahan," Trent ordered.

Trent had investigated the Callahans' fortune before he took action. Adding all their assets up, the Callahans were worth 1.3 billion in total. This one painting was enough to bankrupt them entirely.

Lex walked up to Thea as soon as he was released, then slapped her with all his strength. "Useless thing! You've ruined our family! We're doomed!"

Tears flowed down her swollen red face. "It wasn't me, grandfather!" she cried out. "It really wasn't me!"

"How dare you argue! Would General Xavier falsely accuse you of this?!" Lex shouted, slapping her a few more times in rage.

He knelt before Trent after he was done. "Please have mercy on my family, General Xavier," he pleaded desperately.