Calvin suppressed his anger, “Tiana, are you also going to fuel Andrew’s arrogance? Look at how he’s bullied the surrounding elite families and young people ever since coming to Blumedale!”
Tiana’s face turned red as she cursed, “Go to hell! Who are you to call me by first name? This is a public setting, so watch your damn mouth.”
Calvin forced an awkward smile. He seemed particularly accommodating toward this middle–aged beauty, Tiana.
She said, “Let’s not complicate things. This all started because your precious daughter kidnapped Lauren. And she didn’t act alone, bringing that wicked witch Caroline along and beating Lauren! So, how am I supposed to pretend like that never happened?”
–
Tiana’s fury was written all over her face. She was not asking for answers. She was demanding justice.
Calvin had no response.
Miles stepped forward, his voice heavy. “Liliana, did you really lay a hand on Ms. Rhodes?”
Liliana burst into loud sobs. “Miles, that bitch deserved to suffer! I wanted her to wish she were dead!”
Miles felt the world go dark for a moment. His dumbass sister had really stirred up a hornet’s nest. He had warned her before not to mess with Lauren.
Right now, everyone in Blumedale knew that Andrew was at the height of his power, the hottest rising star. Now, she had thrown gasoline on a wildfire and dragged the entire Peck family into the blaze. 1
Miles said decisively, “Dad, we need to end this now. Liliana needs to apologize and beg Ms. Rhodes and Mr. Lloyd for forgiveness.”
Calvin opened his mouth to object, but Miles cut in immediately. “Dad, we’re in the wrong! If no one takes the high road, this’ll just get worse for everyone!”
Calvin glanced at the crumpled, blood–soaked mess that used to be Caroline. The sight stoked his fury all over again.
“Fine. We’ll admit we were wrong toward the Rhodes family. But Andrew still needs to be taught a lesson. He needs to understand that the Peck family is not someone he can just mess with. Even if he’s got skills, even if he’s made a name for himself… he’s not our equal. Not by a long shot.”
As the head of the Peck family, Calvin had always been prideful. In his eyes, Andrew was just some lucky upstart who had climbed too fast, too soon.
The idea that he could ever go toe–to–toe with one of the Five Apex Families was laughable.
Miles was stunned. “Dad, have you lost your mind? We just agreed to de–escalate this mess! Now you’re back to poking the fire?”
Calvin sneered and spoke with certainty, “The only reason I’m giving any ground to the Rhodes family is because of Mrs. Rhodes. But Andrew is out of control. No one else in Blumedale has dared to rein him in, so we will.”
He continued, “Anyway, there’s already a grudge between us, so why not go all the way and teach him what real power looks like?”
This brat had risen from obscurity, stirring up trouble all over town and acting like he ran the place. He could antagonize others, but he had crossed the line by messing with them.
Calvin was not going to let that stand. He would use this moment to make a statement that the Peck family would shut down the brat nobody else could shut down.
The so–called king of chaos? The Peck family would break him.
Blumedale still belonged to the true elite, the Five Apex Families and the Three Titans, not some arrogant punk with no background who only knew how to bark louder than everyone else.
