Orphan To Unbreakable Queen - Chapter 86: Chapter 86

Despite Gareth's considerable clout in Rithol City, Julien didn't help him directly. However, Julien did drop hints about the identity of the assailant—likely Bowen—and the other key figure involved in the incident.
Gareth finally understood and wondered, 'That's why Samson was at the police department. No wonder the cops were so tight-lipped; they must be afraid of crossing Bowen.'
Gareth believed that there must be someone out there who could put Bowen in his place.
The moment Gareth learned of Aubree, her entire dossier landed on his desk that same day.
"She's got some skills. But thinking she can latch onto Bowen and marry him? Pure fantasy," Gareth sneered, then called his secretary.
"Got it confirmed? Has Enrique been going to the park to play chess every day lately?" Gareth asked his secretary.
Bowen didn't dare confront trouble head-on, but there was no way he could just let his son's beating slide—especially with the boy still in police custody. Once his injuries healed, jail time was a real possibility.
That very afternoon, Gareth headed straight to Souther Park—Enrique's usual chess haunt—to waylay the old man.
Ethan reported, "Mr. Turner, Gareth went to Mr. Enrique Turner and complained that you've lost your head over a woman, completely disregarding the Timberlake family's honor. He wants Mr. Enrique Turner to intervene."
Bowen didn't go to the office today—he'd had one too many last night after summoning Ollie and Mark out for drinks. Now his temples were throbbing with a dull, dizzying ache.
Bowen thought, "He sure knows who to go to. I'll go check it out myself. Get two men to tail Mark—I want to know what he's been up to lately."
Bowen winced at the memory of last night—how Ollie had kept refilling his glass, plying him with drink after drink until Bowen was drunk, then said things he'd rather not remember now.
'Just chase who you like? If you let her slip away, you'll be left with nothing but soul-crushing regret,' Bowen wondered, 'Absolute nonsense.'
Even now, recalling it, Bowen's ears still burned, but what truly concerned him was Mark's attitude.
As Bowen was about to leave the Nightshade, Mark stepped in and blocked his path.
His words were utterly baffling. Mark asked, "Bowen, is that girl called Aubree?"
Bowen asked, "What about her?"
Mark said, "Since she doesn't need you anymore, just act like she never existed. I've found out some things recently. Just trust me on this."
When Mark got serious about something, it was no trivial matter.
"Mr. King?" Ethan exclaimed and thought in shock, 'Mr. King? Isn't he Bowen's close friend?'
"Yeah." Bowen nodded.
Ethan didn't dare ask any more. 'Dealing with Mark? That's way out of my league—with his skills and counter-surveillance abilities,' he wondered. But then, it hit him—he knew just who to turn to.
'Damn, this job's way over my head—but Nina would kill it,' Ethan thought.
In the Souther Park, Rithol City, after retiring, Enrique didn't have many hobbies. He just liked going to Souther Park to find someone to play chess with.
He was just about to win today's game when an unwelcome interruption suddenly barged in and ruined the moment.
Enrique had married young, as was common in his generation. Despite losing his eldest son prematurely, he was only in his early sixties.
Yet his hair had long since turned completely gray, and the deep lines on his face spoke volumes about a lifetime of hard-earned wisdom.
Sitting upright on the stone bench, Enrique commanded respect with his very presence. People reverently addressed him as Enrique.
Despite being only a few years younger, Gareth looked every bit the clueless junior standing before Enrique, completely overshadowed by the elder's commanding presence.
Enrique remained calm as he idly rolled a white chess piece between his fingers. "Well, Mr. Timberlake, fancy seeing you here. Decided to grace the park with your presence and play some chess today?"
Gareth didn't dare acknowledge the title.
Gareth, his face a picture of utter distress as he stooped low, pleaded, "I know it's entirely my fault for rudely disturbing your peace, Mr. Turner, but I'm truly at my wits' end."
Enrique had retired from family affairs, and his only remaining connection to the Turner family was through his late eldest daughter's marriage, a relationship he'd completely squandered over the years.
Normally, Enrique refused visitors, so Gareth had no choice but to waylay him at the park.
He explained, "Does Mr. Bowen Turner really have to take it out on my boy over some girl? His men beat my son half to death. Jacob's still in the hospital. And now, thanks to Mr. Bowen Turner, the police won't budge. It's obvious he is just trying to put my boy behind bars."
Enrique paused, the chess piece still between his fingers. He hadn't intended to get involved, but this unexpected turn—his youngest son getting mixed up in things for the sake of a woman—truly caught him off guard.
'Well, that's a first,' he wondered.
Enrique asked, "What exactly happened?"
Gareth's face lit up with hope. He immediately put on a pitiful act and wailed, "Enrique, you know how worthless my son is, but he's my only child. Lately, he took a liking to some girl. Who could've known she was under Mr. Turner's protection? That's how this whole mess started.
"After all, our families do have ties. It's one thing for my son to get beaten up by Mr. Turner disciplining a younger one. But now he wants to put my son behind bars? Isn't that just blatant bullying?"
Enrique remained impassive. Of the entire Timberlake family, the only decent one had been his eldest son's wife. Enrique hardly believed a word Gareth said.
Gareth only harped on how Bowen bullied Jacob, conveniently omitting any mention of what Jacob did to provoke Bowen.
"My eldest daughter is gone. Now I only have this one son left. I can't just stand by and watch Mr. Turner ruin him," Gareth said.
Enrique's brow twitched. Before he could speak, an icy voice cut through the air. "Mr. Timberlake, how resourceful—going straight to my father."
Gareth turned toward the voice, only to see Bowen approaching, flanked by Ethan and Samson.
Bowen strode forward, the hem of his charcoal-gray coat flaring with each step. His strikingly beautiful, almost demonic features radiated a dangerous allure as he closed in.
Gareth's heart sank. 'Damn it. I haven't even convinced Enrique yet. How did Bowen show up so soon?' he thought to himself.
Seeing his youngest son arrive, Enrique couldn't be bothered to intervene. Still, out of respect for his eldest daughter-in-law, he threw in a remark, "You're here just in time. Whatever issues you have, talk it out face to face, and keep this civil."
The implication was that Bowen should at least cut the Timberlake family some slack.
But Bowen would never listen.
Bowen said coldly, "If it weren't out of respect for my sister-in-law, I'd have killed that bastard by now. Since you've come all the way here, let's have a proper talk."
Bowen's voice was cold, yet every word he spoke cut like a knife.
Bowen demanded, "Wasn't Jacob tailing a young woman, attempting to violate her?"
Gareth avoided Bowen's gaze and muttered, "She's just a nobody, after all. Besides, you've already punished Jacob. Why make a mountain out of a molehill?"
"A nobody? Go ask Jacob if he didn't know she was under my protection. He knew full well I was shielding her, and he still dared to make a move. Was he trying to publicly humiliate me?" Bowen scoffed.
Bowen's voice turned icy. "And this isn't the first time. The first time, he got a beating but still didn't learn his lesson. The second time, he actually tried to get physical. So what's next? Does he think he can have the audacity to mess with her right under my nose?"
Bowen spoke in a dangerously low voice, his icy gaze piercing through Gareth.
Enrique arched a brow, pondering who this girl they were talking about could be. As far as he knew, Bowen hadn't shown any interest in a woman recently.
Enrique paused, then thought, 'Wait a minute? There is one.'
"I won't accept your accusation that I'm strong-arming the police to go after Jacob," Bowen retorted. "Isn't his continued detention just following due process? Shouldn't everyone pay the price for their own mistakes?"
Gareth could only mutter weakly, "He's still just a kid, after all."
"A twenty-something kid?" Bowen sneered mercilessly.
Behind Bowen, Ethan and Samson snickered.
Gareth's face burned red with humiliation at their laughter.
Bowen declared coldly, "I'm laying it out right now. No matter who comes begging, it won't make a damn bit of difference."
Gareth choked with fury. Their families were tied by marriage, yet Bowen dared to show him absolutely no respect.
Enrique remained utterly unperturbed, making it clear he had no intention of getting involved. With no other choice, Gareth could only slink away, utterly humiliated.
As soon as Gareth left, Enrique placed a chess piece on the board and, with a hint of amusement, asked, "So, who's this little girl you're fighting for?"
Bowen said, "Dad, you've already figured it out, haven't you?"
Enrique arched an eyebrow and teased, "You're really smitten with her, huh?"
Bowen remained noncommittal.
Enrique harrumphed. "I won't meddle in the Timberlake family's affairs. Old as I am, I'm not that old-fashioned. If you're truly serious about her, bring her home to meet me."
Bowen sighed helplessly, "Dad, what are you even thinking?"
Enrique shot him a knowing glance. He mused, 'He's in for it later. Who would've thought that in my old age, I'd get to see Bowen finally get his comeuppance.'
Behind Bowen, Ethan and Samson struggled to contain their laughter. Even Enrique could see it clearly, yet Bowen remained oblivious.