Chapter 59: Surrender

Vilack had already figured out a solution.

True, neither he nor Fletcher dared to push the other to the absolute brink, and neither dared to risk mutual destruction, but this also meant that as long as Vilack did not push Fletcher to a desperate end, Fletcher had no choice but to swallow his pride and endure.

Vilack was prepared for a prolonged campaign of torment against Fletcher. If Fletcher could not bear it and, driven to desperation, turned a blind eye to let Vilack out, that would be a good outcome; if Fletcher could endure it, then during the time Vilack remained under house arrest in the estate, torturing Fletcher a little every day would also add some amusement.

Vilack had already seen through Fletcher's nature of bullying the weak and fearing the strong, and he knew he could handle him with ease.

Over the following days, Vilack began his torment of Fletcher.

The only regret was that psychological humiliation no longer worked. As long as Fletcher refused to yield, there was nothing Vilack could do in that regard, so he had to resort to physical retaliation and torture. This included, but was not limited to, smashing and kicking, to the point where Fletcher frequently ended up with a bruised face and swollen nose, and whenever Carmine expressed concern, he could only explain that he had accidentally tripped and fallen.

Fletcher had also attempted to fight back, but unfortunately, his psychological humiliation was equally ineffective against Vilack, and he was no match for Vilack in physical combat whatsoever, leaving him practically helpless against Vilack.

By Sunday, August 6th, Fletcher had reached his breaking point and began avoiding Vilack at every turn.

Vilack knew that Fletcher was at the end of his tether. The only reason he was still stubbornly holding on was because he did not want to yield and give Vilack another handle over him.

Monday, August 7th.

With the start of the new week, Carmine’s family resumed their busy routines, and opportunities to go out presented themselves once more. Vilack sought out Fletcher, determined to make him finally submit today.

"Master Chris." Fletcher was resting in the parlor. Seeing Vilack walk down the stairs, he offered a greeting and made to get up and leave.

"Mr. Fletcher, I need a word with you. Come to my room for a moment," Vilack said.

"No thank you, Master Chris. I have some matters to attend to right now. I'll come find you once I'm done." How could Fletcher possibly dare to go to Vilack's room? Entering meant enduring another brutal beating.

Determined to succeed today, there was no way Vilack would let Fletcher leave. He followed right behind him. "What are you busy with? I'll help you."

Fletcher purposefully headed to areas where servants were present to prevent Vilack from assaulting him. "You needn't trouble yourself, just some trivial chores."

The two of them exchanged polite pleasantries and put on a show in front of the servants.

Fletcher deliberately dawdled with meaningless tasks to stall for time, hoping to make Vilack lose patience and leave, but Vilack was dead set on going out today and waited a full two hours for Fletcher in the parlor.

"Alright, I'm done. Whatever you have to say, let's say it right here," Fletcher finally conceded, unable to hold out any longer.

Seeing that Fletcher had shown a crack in his armor, Vilack took him straight back to his room.

"Are you really that desperate to get out?" Fletcher asked bluntly.

"I'm about bored to death in here. Unlike you, I can't just stay cooped up in one place for thirty years," Vilack replied. "Well? As long as you tacitly allow me to leave, I won't torture you anymore."

"Aren't you afraid that the moment I permit you to leave, I'll expose you afterward?" Fletcher probed to test Vilack's bottom line. "Even if you want to drag me down with you and tell Mr. Carmine about my medical history, what sufficient evidence do you have to make Mr. Carmine believe you?"

Vilack indeed had no evidence, but he was not about to let Fletcher read him so easily. "What makes you think I don't have evidence? And what makes you think I don't know other things about you?"

"If that were truly the case, you could simply walk out every day right now, and I wouldn't dare tell Mr. Carmine the truth anyway."

"That is true." Vilack did not deny this point. "Actually, the reason I've gone to such great lengths to gain your permission is because we already know each other's secrets. I hope that in the days ahead we can coexist peacefully and not make things too ugly between us."

The corner of Fletcher's mouth twitched involuntarily.

He found it genuinely unimaginable how Vilack could put on such a friendly face while uttering such a thoroughly unhinged statement.

Had he not suffered enough torture from Vilack over the past few days?

"You simply want to bind us tightly together, so that if one prospers, both prosper, and if one falls, both fall," Fletcher sneered.

Vilack corrected the error in Fletcher's words. "Wrong. There is no 'both prosper', only 'both fall'."

"You aren't going out just for a simple change of scenery, are you? You, someone who grew up in the slums of a remote border town with zero background, how on earth did you find out about my affairs, and how did you manage to conceal your true identity so perfectly here?" Fletcher stared at Vilack. "Who on earth are you?"

"As far as I know, before you dragged me to Lezein, you investigated my background thoroughly. So... who I really am should make you the person in this city who knows best." Vilack had no desire to bicker further with Fletcher over matters where the latter would never relent, so he steered the conversation back to the main point. "I can only tell you that continuing to probe into these questions is completely meaningless. I won't tell you, and you will never know the answer. All you can do now is strike a deal with me and coexist peacefully. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what might happen in the end."

Hearing Vilack's subtle threat, Fletcher actually breathed a sigh of relief.

In Fletcher's view, Vilack certainly had some methods at his disposal, but much of it was still bluffing. At the very least, he presumably did not yet know that his good friend Dempsey was dead. If he already knew of Dempsey's death, then the persona he was displaying now still wasn't his truest self.

That would make this person terrifyingly mysterious.

"Fine, I can permit you to leave for one hour every afternoon. But if an accident happens and Mr. Carmine finds out, you must shoulder all the responsibility alone." Fletcher chose to compromise and agreed to Vilack's demand.

"No, no, no." Vilack's demands didn't stop there; he had to ensure foolproof preparations. "Mr. Carmine instructed you to monitor my movements, so if I'm discovered, you are definitely considered an accomplice who knew about it."
"You're the one insisting on going out, why should I share the risk?" On this point, Fletcher held his ground fiercely.

"I believe that if the day of discovery ever comes, you will surely be able to come up with wording sufficient to dispel Mr. Carmine's suspicions." Vilack dumped the task squarely onto Fletcher's shoulders. "It's settled then. If you have nothing to add, I'll be heading out."

A profound sense of helplessness washed over Fletcher. He was now utterly incapable of keeping Vilack in check, and the two of them could never return to their former dynamic and status.

Vilack waited a few seconds for Fletcher, and seeing that he remained silent, he stood up, brushed past Fletcher, and went straight out of the estate to find Daniel.

"Mr. Chris." Seeing Vilack approach as he lay inside the carriage, Daniel hurriedly sat up and stealthily glanced around his surroundings.

Vilack climbed directly into the carriage. "No need to be so cautious."

"What happened, Mr. Chris?" Daniel asked.

"I'll explain slowly on the way. For now, head to the Rovide Hotel in the North District."