Chapter 1575 - 1557: The Swiss Army Knife by the Bed

Marcus Quinn stood under the enormous tree shade, arms crossed, his face indifferent as he looked at the neighborhood across the street.

The wealthy district of Fountain City was a prime location with wonderful surroundings, filled almost entirely with row houses and standalone villas. The streets outside the neighborhood were lined with decades-old trees, lush and verdant, forming a natural barrier. Even in the sweltering summer, this area remained cool and shady.

Young people were nestled up in air-conditioned rooms, but the elderly couldn’t stay indoors. They would bring stools, fans, and chess sets to gather in the coolness, sitting in groups of threes and fours, either chatting or playing chess.

Marcus Quinn visited every weekend, becoming familiar to the nearby neighborhood elders. Yet, he remained aloof, never initiating conversation, standing like a wooden post, except when a beautiful young lady appeared. Only then did he show some expression, stepping forward to hold her hand and leave.

Unexpectedly, this burly man seemed quite affectionate to his wife.

These retired elders originally didn’t plan to get acquainted with this outsider. Just two weeks ago, a hot-tempered chess friend, a stubborn little old man, had a fit after losing halfway through a game and fainted in anger, terrifying everyone around. Then, without a word, this man patted his chest, pinched the man’s philtrum, administering first aid until the man recovered.

The family members of the old man who was saved were so frightened they skipped work and rushed him to the hospital. By the time they returned to find their savior, Marcus Quinn had already taken Adeline home.

Marcus Quinn had made an impression on the elders, who naturally thought him a warmhearted fellow despite his expressionless face. They grew fond of him, habitually greeting him. Marcus would only nod, not speaking, and over time, he carried an air of mystery.

When Julian Leighton came swaggering over, Marcus Quinn was watching people play chess. He saw the abrupt stop of a business Mercedes in front of him, the tires screeching against the ground.

Julian Leighton got out of the driver’s seat, coolly evaluating this unremarkable man. Apart from some eye-catching muscles and being a head taller, with a scar on his face that made him look fierce, Julian didn’t find anything extraordinary about him.

"Are you Teacher Shen’s boyfriend?" Julian asked disdainfully, his tone quite rude.

Marcus Quinn certainly knew Julian Leighton. Investigation was a basic skill for soldiers. If Julian were just a rich second-generation without employing any underhand tactics on Adeline, how could he still stand here so well?

The man furrowed his brows, his expression turning even colder.

Julian’s anger surged upon seeing this, thinking, hey, how can this guy be even more arrogant than me?

"Hick, you should look in a mirror at your own behavior. Don’t think you’re a toad that can eat swan meat. Teacher Shen is clearly a lady of elegance, are you fooling her into eloping just because she’s young and naive? A man making a woman earn money to support him, how shameful." Julian mocked with vicious words.

Marcus Quinn’s gaze turned slightly cold, and the elderly men nearby were already displeased.

"Julian from the Leighton family, what nonsense are you spewing? Just because old Leighton has some dirty money, you think you can come here insulting people. It would be shameful to even mention your little affairs."

"Yeah, if you weren’t fooling around all the time, would your wife be divorcing you? Don’t lead the children astray."

The old men living in this area were either retired leaders or wealthy families, stubborn in their ways and unafraid to offend, calling out whoever displeased them.

Julian’s face turned ashen as the chess-playing elders berated him, furious, "Mind your own business and play your chess."

"Hey, what attitude is that? Even your father wouldn’t dare show us such a face."

"Ah, kids don’t know better, don’t get angry Mr. Dong, let’s continue our chess."

Marcus Quinn’s lips twitched with a hint of amusement, finding these old men adorable. Naturally, he didn’t take Julian’s sour words to heart, having experienced much larger issues. His heart and perspective were not comparable to ordinary people. The reason he tolerated Julian was mainly to avoid crippling the boy and having to pay medical fees. Besides, it was about time; if Adeline saw him in a fight, it wouldn’t be good.

As the man spoke, he noticed a familiar figure appear at the neighborhood gate, glancing at the chess-playing old men before crossing the street to meet her.

"What happened, was that Mr. Leighton? Do you know him?" Adeline asked as she exited the neighborhood, spotting Marcus Quinn, happily waving and then noticing the car. The man seemed like the parent of her tutoring student, so she asked as Marcus approached.

"Don’t know him." Marcus said flatly, reaching to hold her small hand, sweetly taking her home.

Julian watched the two walk home hand in hand, burning with anger.

"Am I troubling you?" Adeline’s little hand was held tightly; she looked up and asked softly. She naturally knew Julian’s intentions but tolerated it because the Leighton family had a servant’s child, paid her well, and she wanted to endure.

Now she was very wary of people, being cautious even when drinking water at the Leighton’s house. Knowing Marcus Quinn was always waiting outside the neighborhood, she managed to endure for more than a month this way.

"No trouble." Marcus gave her a slight smile. The man’s face had gained some expression and wasn’t as stiff as when he first smiled.

"Oh." Adeline, seeing his unchanged demeanor, relaxed and happily held his hand to head home.

She wondered what juice Marcus had prepared for her today. Over the past month, Marcus loved buying fruit, and the house was always stocked with various fruits. Marcus frequently made freshly squeezed juice for her, changing the flavors every day, making Adeline feel like a foodie from his treats.

That night, after Adeline fell asleep, the man slept on the sofa silently opened his eyes and then left the house.

In the Leighton family villa, Julian Leighton suddenly woke up in the middle of the night, finding a figure seemingly standing at the foot of his bed. He was instantly terrified to his core.

Since meeting Adeline, Julian’s interest in his outside flings had decreased drastically, realizing none could compare to his piano teacher at home, so he returned to the villa more frequently. Earlier that evening, he was irritated by Marcus Quinn and came back to vent his anger, sleeping at the villa that night.

Discovering a person in his room in the dead of night terrified Julian Leighton to the core, muttering in a trembling voice, "Spare me, hero, all the money in the house is in the safe."

The man took a step forward, the night light and outside light did not illuminate his face, highlighting the fierce scar on his brow as if he were a menacing beast.

Julian Leighton screamed like a slaughtered pig, quickly waking the servants sleeping downstairs.

By the time the servant knocked on the door, Julian finally turned on the light, trembling all over, discovering the room empty. Had it all been a nightmare?

Julian Leighton slumped on the bed like a puddle of mud, catching sight of the Swiss Army Knife standing upright at the bed’s head, eyes rolling back as he fainted in complete fright.