CHAPTER 219

That night, Sebastian met Leigh for the first time.

He had run a thorough background check on her and on everyone else in Madeline's life after learning that Quincy and Joel were his sons. According to his research, Leigh was a highly-skilled medical genius who was a disciple of a legendary veteran in the medical world.

Before her master passed on, he placed her under Madeline's master's care and found her a new home in Mansion. From then on, she had taken on countless jobs from the agency and was dispatched all over the world. That said, her position in the agency was non-contractual.

Sebastian just so happened to have a thing for collecting talents, much like how a hunter collects his trophies. He did not so much want to hire them for jobs as much as he wanted to keep them as part of the extended branch of the family, only without blood relation. They would be loyal only to the Harts and serve nobody else.

After dinner that night, he led Leigh into the study to go over the details of the revenge. He was never one to beat around the bush, and he lay all his terms and conditions out on the table with hardly any room for negotiation. The moment Leigh sat down, he said bluntly, "I'll help you with your revenge if you agree to just one condition."

"What is it?" Leigh asked.

"I want you to sign a lifelong contract with me and become a permanent member of the Hart Family," he elaborated.

She blinked, and a brief pause later, she asked bewilderedly, "What does that mean?"

"It's exactly what it sounds like." Sebastian picked up a contract from the table and handed it to her. "I've had a contract drawn up in anticipation of this, so take a look and tell me what you think."

Leigh took the contract and glanced through it, then slowly understood what he was talking about. He had called it a contract, but in substance, she was binding herself to a lifetime of servitude to the Hart Family. She would have to do all that Sebastian asked her to unconditionally, and if she were to turn her back on the contract, she would be liable to pay a shocking amount of damages.

She felt like she was signing up for slavery at this point, though she had been a fool to think that Sebastian would help her without asking for anything in return. But just earlier today, she had been ready to put her life on the line to avenge her parents; signing this contract to achieve the same end seemed like a laughable consequence by comparison.

"I'll sign it," she declared firmly. "I'll do anything you ask of me if it means getting my parents and grandfather the justice they deserved."

"I'm glad you can see the big picture." Sebastian nodded approvingly. "So, I don't know if Maddie has already told you this, but I don't think murder is the right solution for you. A dead man knows no pain, but the living does. It isn't fair that you've suffered all these years just so the people who caused you such agony could get away with a swift end. I recommend torturing them until death is all they wish for. What do you think?" That night, Sebastian met Leigh for the first time.

He had run a thorough background check on her and on everyone else in Madeline's life after learning that Quincy and Joel were his sons. According to his research, Leigh was a highly-skilled medical

genius who was a disciple of a legendary veteran in the medical world.

"Maddie has told me about that, and I agree," Leigh answered.

A smirk played on his lips. "Good to know." He had no intention of doing anything illegal, for starters, and it would be tough killing somebody without breaking the law. Torturing someone until they wished they were dead, on the other hand, happened to be his forte, and a task well within his means.

Presently, he took out a picture and showed it to Leigh, asking, "Is this the man you saw with Holly on the day of the accident?"

"Yes, that's him!" Leigh took one glance at the photo and immediately recognized the man as the murderer. Her eyes turned red as she seethed, "He was the one who crashed into my father, then ran his car over my mom while she was still pregnant..."

Her voice broke as tears threatened to spill from her eyes, which were smoldering with unmistakable hatred as she stared at the photo.

At the sight of this, Sebastian was sure that if the man in the photo were to materialize right now, she would rush up to him and kill him.

"His name is Scott Baker." Sebastian tapped the photo and elaborated. "He's Holly's older brother." Belongs to © n0velDrama.Org.

Leigh hissed through gritted teeth, "Must be some kind of rotten gene pool."

"I guess they aren't the brightest pair. It's either that or the fact that you're the only one in your family who has been spared and that you've found one of the culprits that make this whole endeavor a lot

simpler than I expected," he remarked thoughtfully.

She frowned and looked up at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

He leaned into his seat behind the desk as he tapped his fingers against the desk. "Anyone who has done something like this would usually go the extra mile to erase all evidence of their crimes. It would be a challenge to find even a lead six years after the incident, let alone for a case from sixteen years ago. But I'm not sure if Scott and Holly are careless or just really confident in their ability to cover this up, because it took my subordinates less than half a day to track down the man who took the blame and went to prison in Scott's place. He was released from jail six years ago after serving the full sentence."

"I knew it!" Leigh smiled humorlessly. "I told Maddie that getting the police involved would not make a difference. Even if the real culprits were caught and thrown behind bars, they would only serve a couple of years of jail time before they get a second chance at life. But what about my parents? Where's their chance at a second life, huh?"

"What if prison is more than just a place for them to reflect on their mistakes?" Sebastian asked insidiously. "How much money do you have?"

She gave him an odd look. "I have some savings... How much do you need? I'll pay you whatever is needed for you to carry out this revenge for me."

"I don't need the money; you do." He chuckled. "I won't be asking for payment from you now that you've agreed to sign the contract with me. All I'm asking is that you keep your word."

"Of course," she promised. "I would give you my life if it means you'll help me see this through. I'll do anything!"

Sebastian eyed her in amusement. "I don't want your life. I want your talent and your loyalty."

Her brows furrowed. "Then why'd you ask about money?"

"Though I don't need it—you do," he said as a corner of his lips curled up in a devilish smile. "Scott isn't a very smart guy, at least not enough to think about covering his tracks. I can easily have him sent into prison, and once he's behind bars, surely there'll be other inmates in his company. You're going to need the inmates' help in keeping an eye on dear Scott to make sure he really thinks about his mistakes and changes for the better. I think you should pay these inmates a friendly visit in time..."

Something in Leigh's mind clicked after she heard this, and her eyes lit up as she exclaimed, "Oh, I know what you mean now!"

The law prevented her from making Scott pay in blood for what he did to her parents, but she could find a way to make his life a living hell while he was in prison. In fact, she could make his life even more miserable once he was out of prison so that he would wish he was dead!

She finally decided that she did not want to end his life. Instead, she would make him a homeless beggar, one whose existence and survival was at the mercy of society. For as long as she kept working while she was alive, she could save up enough money to ruin Scott's life when he was out of prison.

"I know what to do now," she said, nodding at Sebastian gratefully. "Thank you!"

Hatred had blinded and clouded her judgment as her desire to avenge her family had no outlet until

now. Sebastian had given her a solution and pointed out the direction she should walk in, giving her hope that she did not think she would ever have.

At that moment, she glanced at the contract on the desk and said, "Shall I sign the contract now? I'll do it just to get the ball rolling."

"No, this can wait," Sebastian said casually. "You can sign it after you've gotten your revenge."

Leigh raised a brow at him and asked, "Aren't you worried that I'd change my mind after all the help you've given me?"

"Not at all." He appeared to not have ever considered the possibility that she might not keep up her end of the deal. "Anyone who goes back on their word is unworthy of the Hart Family. Besides, you won't be on the losing end after signing the contract. At the very least, you'd have people to back you up when somebody wrongs you in the future."