"Lionel, do you have a minute?" Phil approached Lionel, his face red with embarrassment. His eyes kept moving awkwardly as if he was guilty of something.

  "Sure, Mr. Carlson." Lionel closed his car door and leaned against it, nodding at his professor's husband to speak his mind.

  "About your fees..." Phil started, slowly losing his voice, and Lionel immediately understood where this was going.

  "Don't worry, Mr. Carlson. You paid me more than what I had intended to ask you."

  "But..." Phil wasn't convinced.

  How could his mere two thousand dollars be enough when Lionel charged fifteen thousand from the Wallace family? It was almost ten times what he had paid the young man.

  "Mr. Carlson, when I decided to help you, I did it for my own selfish reasons. Since I couldn't do it for free, I had to charge you for my services." Lionel started explaining, swallowing his yawn with great difficulty.

  "In fact, I feel you overpaid me. I actually want to return..."

  "No, Lionel. You can't. It's obvious I paid you less. I..."

  "No, Mr. Carlson. How about this? I'll accept your two thousand dollars and drop this matter," Lionel suggested. He was utterly drained and just wanted to return home and crash.

  "I..." Phil still wasn't convinced. He hesitated, not knowing what to do.

  "Would you feel better if I told you I punished Mr. Wallace for insulting me by overcharging me?" Lionel softened his tone when he saw that his professor's husband was still in a dilemma.

  "What?" Phil was taken aback. He had never considered the matter from this angle.

  "It's true. I haven't decided on my fees yet. Since Mr. Wallace kept insulting me, I just took some compensation." Lionel shrugged with no remorse.

  "Well, if you say so." Phil scratched his head.

  "I hope you don't mind." Lionel smiled faintly before turning his head to meet his senior's gaze.

  Phil had no idea that Jacob had followed him out. But Lionel did. He had noticed him the moment the man had stepped out of his house.

  Jacob remained silent as he walked toward the duo.

  "My father needed some reality check. I guess it had to be through you," Jacob said with his pursed lips.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  Lionel stifled another yawn and shook his head to clear his sleep.

  "Gentlemen, I'd have continued the conversation if it were another time. But not right now. I'm exhausted and in severe need of sleep. If you'll excuse me."

  Phil slapped his forehead, startling Lionel with his unexpected actions.

  "Look at me. I'm sorry, Lionel. I..."

  "It's fine, Mr. Carlson."

  When Jacob noticed how tired his junior looked, he asked, "Do you want me to drop you home?"

  "No. I can manage." Lionel smiled and told Phil, "I'll visit Nia tomorrow evening. Good night, everyone."

  With that, he entered the car and drove off.

  Meanwhile, Phil licked his lips, finding the situation utterly tricky.

  "Mr. Carlson, we should return. The others are waiting for us."

  Jacob tilted his head and waited for the older man to start walking first before he followed him.

  Meanwhile, Brian kept pacing in the living room anxiously, glancing at the door every few seconds. Once Jacob and Phil returned, he rushed to his son instantly.

  "Jacob, did Lionel say anything?" he questioned, not giving his son a moment to breathe.

  "No, Dad."

  Brian's hopeful gaze faltered, and his shoulders drooped.

  "What's the use of being depressed now? You should have controlled your mouth before you went off like a loose cannon," Susan chided, done with her husband's mindless actions.

  "I thought... I thought..." Brian sighed in defeat, having no words of argument.

  "Well, be careful from now on. We never know when who we'll have to look to for help," Phil suggested and pressed his glabella. "Your ego could bring your downfall even before you know it."

  Brian didn't argue this time. Although Lionel didn't realize it, everyone else who was familiar with him knew what he was actually trying to do by insulting the young man.

  He wasn't being skeptical about his skills. Instead, he was subtly humiliating him by being condescending.

  "If it makes you feel better, Lionel overcharged us to punish us."

  Jacob didn't hide the truth from his family. His father deserved to know that he was just a rich man. In front of Lionel and his skills, his father was nothing.

  "What do you mean?" Susan asked, not understanding what her son was trying to convey.

  "Well, I meant what I said." Jacob shrugged lightly and gave his father a cryptic glance. "I'm going to check on Lauren. Good night, Mr. and Mrs. Carlson, and thank you so much for your help today."

  "We did nothing." Phil brushed him off lightly.

  "No, Mr. Carlson. If you hadn't invited Lionel to help us, I'm afraid we would have lost Lauren."

  "We are sailing in the same boat, Jacob. Our children are in danger. I'll do everything to protect them."

  Jacob smiled gratefully. Although they were worried about their daughter more and helped them to protect her, it was true that they had helped his sister.

  "We should leave as well." Sophia stood up, and Phil nodded.

  "Yes. It's getting late. We'll see you."

  "Umm... Phil, Sophia." Brian stopped them before they left. "Is it possible for me to visit you tomorrow? I want to apologize to Lionel personally."

  Brian looked at them hopefully while Phil hesitated. He wasn't sure if Lionel would welcome the thought.

  "I'll have to ask Lionel first."

  "Sure. Sure. Please do." Brian didn't mind it, as long as he could meet the young man who had helped his family from a great calamity.

  "I'll text you tomorrow morning."

  "Do you think the other children will be in danger as well?" Sophia questioned once they were in their car.

  "We can't rule out the possibility. First Nia and now Lauren." Phil sighed, feeling defeated.

  He could have dealt with the danger if humans were involved. But they were dealing with supernatural things, and he had no idea what to do. He could only leave it to the man who had broadened his world view.