Chapter 1692

Michelle stormed into the room, her fury evident. The phone call had likely frayed her temper, but seeing her son brought her to tears. "My baby! Oh, how much you've suffered!" she cried, embracing him tightly. Knowing the iron chains were for his protection, she hugged him over them, instead of attempting to remove them.

"Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat? I'll make you something. Is it cold? I've already called someone..."

"If you're so worried, bring him home with you," Dominic muttered, his discomfort growing with each of Michelle's pronouncements. Michelle fell silent.

Daniel, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips, turned to Elijah. "How is it?"

"We've called the police. They initially wanted Austin to give a statement, but I explained his condition, so they've postponed it. I've also sent someone to watch the Moore family and will visit them later myself." Elijah, a man who rarely worked weekends, made an exception. His son's ordeal demanded his immediate attention.

The Fike family, once a prominent force in Operose due to their businesses, still held considerable influence. Their family doctor’s reputation among traditional medicine practitioners further enhanced their prestige, despite a recent decline in business profitability. Elijah harbored no ambitions of expanding the family business; he simply wouldn't tolerate anyone bullying his family.

"I see," Daniel nodded. Dominic remained silent, uninterested in such conflicts. His experience with elite officials and dignitaries had left him disillusioned with the inherent intrigues. With Elijah taking charge, Dominic saw no need to intervene.

"Shall we..." Elijah paused, glancing at his father. Daniel coughed lightly. "Since we've seen Austin and know the situation, let's go back. We'll leave your Uncle Dom to his tasks."

Elijah nodded in agreement. "We'll go, Uncle Dom. We'll leave Austin in your care. Thank you for your help!" He then addressed Michelle, "Let's go!"

Michelle hesitated. "Can't we stay a little longer? I haven't seen my son in so long. I want to stay with him a while." Ideally, she'd remain to care for him. She'd been wracked with guilt lately, regretting her failure to notice something was wrong and call him more often. She’d assumed he was busy and hadn't wanted to bother him. If she'd been more attentive, perhaps this wouldn't have happened.

Austin, once energetic and handsome, now appeared gaunt and weakened. His hollow cheeks contrasted sharply with his large frame, his pale face giving him an almost ethereal look.

"Let's go," Elijah's deep voice cut through the air. "Don't forget what you have to do!"