The Manipulated Villainess

"Leon... "

Even after seeing Nicole, Leon didn't make any movement and it made Peter Jung experienced a tormenting feeling which he had never experience for years now.

Anxiety. 

He had long forgotten that one could be this anxious and feeling it again was pure torment!

Finally, he noticed his son briefly shifting his gaze to Nicole and that gave the Prime Minister the slightest glimpse of hope. However, without saying anything, Leon threw his car keys to Nicole, making his father raised a brow.

Peter Jung wasn't the only one. Nicole, Mathias and even Daniel Gu were taken aback by his action!

"Leave this place," Leon Jung finally muttered. His words were directed to his ex-fiancee but his gaze was on his father all the time.

"Leon -"

"There is no time, Nicole. Please do as I say," Leon Jung said, interrupting Nicole before she could say any more words. Briefly glancing at Nicole for just a second, he added, "Aston is waiting for you. He needs you."

Aston. He was alive?! Relief swept through the Chairwoman's mind though she knew that his condition will be quite serious. At least, he was alive.

If there is life, then there is always hope. 

"What about you?" Nicole asked. She glanced at the gun he pointed at his head and that made her more anxious. "Leave with me, Leon."

"I have to stay here," Leon argued without even looking at Nicole. Meeting his father's gaze, he added, "I have to stop my father no matter what. If not, it will only be a matter of time before there is another victim."

"But -"

"Please leave," Leon pleaded. "You will only distract me if you are here."

The whole time, Peter Jung maintained his silence, much to Nicole's surprise.

He cared about Leon to the point where he allowed him to ruin his plan?!

He was a fugitive who was on the run! It will be more than hard for him to strike another attack without using her as bait, but... he was really willing to let her go just so that he could save Leon's life?

This was beyond Nicole's expectations. Leon wasn't even his biological son and he didn't expect him to really care about him. She used to think that everything was just an act.

Was she wrong? 

"Nicole, please. Do as I say."

Nicole Yang was snapped out of her stupor by Leon's voice. Realizing that this was the best choice, she picked up the car keys and slowly walked towards the door. She also noticed that Peter Jung and Daniel Gu didn't do anything to stop her but... what if Leon really do something stupid?

Leon's eyes briefly trailed to her and when he noticed her reluctance, he nodded his head in assurance. Only then did Nicole left. When the door was shut, all the potter's attention was shifted back to his father.

"I give you what you want. You should stop now, Leon," Peter Jung repeated himself. 

"You still don't answer my question, Father," Leon argued.

Peter Jung felt lost. What question was he talking about?

"I asked you what will be enough to make you stop," Leon enlightened his father. "Now, you let go of Nicole because of the pressure I gave you. But I know that once I retreat, you will be on the move to hurt others again."

"I already said that there is no turning back," Peter Jung uttered. "I already lost everything. I have nothing to fear now."

"Then what about me?" Leon asked. "Or Mathias? Aren't we nothing to you?"

His question put Mathias in a daze. He knew that Leon had a point but... he knew his uncle too well.

"You raised both of us, Father. I might not be your biological son but you raised me alone after faking my mother's death. No matter what kind of father you are, you're the only one whom I ever called Father in my life," Leon grunted. "For Mathias, you are his only blood-related family, his everything. Are we less important than your pride or those absurd ambitions that blind you?"

"You know very well that both you and Mathias are the only ones who matter to me. If not, I won't be fazed by that gun you pointed at yourself!" Peter Jung howled. "Stop this, Leon."

Leon remained quiet for a while and briefly narrowed his eyes before he looked at his father again. "So... we are important but not as important as your goals. That's what you're saying. Am I right, Father?"

"Leon... " Peter Jung muttered as he felt too helpless. "Why can't you understand? Why must you twist my words that way? Don't you know that until now, you're always the one who stands in my way and ruin my every plan? But I never do anything to you because you're important to me! Can't you see that?"

"Then prove it," Leon suddenly said in a firm tone.

"What do you mean?" Peter Jung asked, confused.

"Turn yourself in. Don't hurt others anymore."

"Leon, that's -"

"Even though you lost everything, you still have me. As your son, I won't turn my back on you and I will forgive you for everything that you did," Leon stated. "So... will you give up on your plan if I'm really important to you as you said?"

Peter Jung couldn't answer his question. He had worked for more than two decades towards his goal and now... everything was ruined. He only wanted to destroy the ones who destroy his life. Was that unfair? He really didn't think so.

However, he still dreaded the gun, the muzzle that Leon pressed against his head. Seeing him die was the last thing he wanted.

"You don't answer me," Leon pointed out. "Is it me... or your plan?

"Think about it, Father. If you choose me, you might have to spend the rest of your life in prison to pay for your crimes. However, you will still have a son who will care for you no matter what others think of you.

"If you choose your plan, you might have to spend your life as a fugitive unless you get arrested. You will cause harm to others again and lastly, you won't have a son anymore because the plan you chose will kill your son. What will your decision be?"

While Peter Jung was struggling to answer his son, Mathias glanced at Leon. Then he just realized that Leon was serious about this. He clearly noticed the determination and the sincerity in his eyes!

Then he shifted his gaze to his uncle. He could see how Leon was making him... wavered? For real?!

When Leon never took his gaze off his troubled father, Mathias spotted how Daniel Gu was lifting his handgun again. The right-hand man noticed his Master wavering and maybe that put him under pressure. After all, everything came down to this moment!

"No!" Mathias shouted when he noticed Daniel Gu suddenly pressing the trigger towards Leon without any hesitation. He could only think of rushing forward and... he did just that.

With the bullet digging his flesh, Mathias abruptly halted before he eventually collapsed to the floor, leaving both the father and son stupefied by the sudden change in situation.....