Chapter 130

Ronald wasn't just ambitious; he was a thrill-seeker, always craving more control and excitement.

Guys like him never doubt their abilities or smarts. They think they've got everything under control. That was how Ronald, starting from scratch, climbed his way up to head the state police department's criminal investigation team. Next up? Deputy governor. That would be a real game-changer for him.

People with that kind of inner strength were often pretty empty inside. They were lonely and needed a worthy opponent to get their kicks. This opponent should be someone they see as perfect, someone they desire, who could challenge them but wasn't completely under their thumb.

Frank was the perfect choice.

Ronald was like a crafty old hunter, rich and carefree, but he couldn't let his hunting rifle gather dust or lose his passion for the chase. So, he started raising some fierce beasts to challenge himself.

To him, it was all just a game.

He wasn't scared of Frank, so he didn't hesitate to enter the True Love Entertainment Club. He was waiting to see what surprises Frank could throw his way.

In the dull monotony of life, these little thrills and passions were what kept him going.

I was absolutely certain about Ronald's character. In many past cases, the reasons for many suspects' crimes weren't emotional or financial disputes; they were simply seeking thrills.

When I met Ronald for the second time, he still had that unshakable confidence. He put on a great act to trick me into coming to Shadow City to investigate Bob, running errands for him to check on Cedric, who survived the old steel mill, while steering my thoughts in the wrong direction.

But he was wrong.

He saw himself as the father of these kids, thinking he had everything under control. Even when Frank threatened Douglas, he didn't flinch. To him, it didn't hurt much, and he could easily find another.

He didn't see Joseph's betrayal coming. I had reason to suspect that when Joseph mentioned Ronald's name to me, it wasn't to have me investigate Ronald for the truth but to tell me that Ronald had significant issues.

Bob and Mike also turned on him. He had conspired with Laura and Douglas to frame George, thinking George had died at his hands. But Cedric died in George's place, and George survived, being taken care of by Bob and Mike in Shadow City.

These weren't enough to pose a fundamental threat to Ronald, making him personally kill Mike and then come to Shadow City to kill Bob. This was completely out of control for him, a desperate move. What caused such a significant upheaval?

Only one name: Frank.

"What does Ronald think of Laura? And how does he view Douglas pursuing Laura?"

I suddenly thought of something that could tie everything together.

"Ronald and Laura?" Bob blinked, rubbed his temples, and looked up, thinking. "Nothing special, same attitude as the rest of us. He just holds Frank in higher regard."

I continued, "And what about Douglas pursuing Laura?"

Douglas pursuing Laura wasn't a big deal, but I suddenly thought, why was there such a rush to convict Laura? Tony, Tammy, Lally, and Tom only added fuel to the fire because Laura was directly involved in George's case, but they couldn't directly make it happen.

Ronald seemed to be the real force behind wanting Laura dead.

What was the motivation behind it? Douglas was so loyal to Ronald. Could Douglas's death have impacted Ronald deeply?

"Ronald doesn't care about these things." Bob shook his head and continued, "He only cares about order, or the ethics under his father identity. We all have to obey him, and Frank is the best among us, the oldest. We kids should look up to Frank as our elder brother."

"What do you think?"

"We're helpless against Ronald. As for Frank... honestly, we respect him. Whether in personal feelings or abilities, Frank is stronger than us. At the old steel mill, he and Alan helped us a lot. We genuinely recognize him as our elder brother."

"And Laura?"

"She seems indifferent to all this. Frank treats her better..."

"I'm thinking, why was Ronald so eager to convict Laura quickly? It doesn't seem related to Douglas's death. There's only one possibility: it's still because of Frank."

"What do you mean?" Bob frowned, puzzled. He really couldn't remember anything.

"Considering your understanding of Laura, I don't think she would do anything against Ronald, or she has no interest in such matters. Ronald's actions were merely to increase the difficulty of Frank's so-called game, forcing Frank to protect Laura and do more things that would thrill him."

Bob said, "But Frank truly miscalculated."

I looked at Bob's dazed expression and smiled. "He thought you were puppets, controlled at his will. He overlooked the key aspect of human nature. In a way, he really was like a father figure, thinking he controlled his children's fate, not realizing that having such a thought already doomed him to failure."

"Why?" Bob asked, confused.

"Freedom, independence." I said seriously.

Bob was stunned, thinking for a long time, then nodded thoughtfully.

"So, if I'm not mistaken, the reason Ronald, who was always in control and confident, suddenly lost control, personally killing Mike and coming to Shadow City to find you, had nothing to do with you, Mike, or even George. It was because his most fatal flaw was exposed. What is his fatal flaw?"

Bob listened to me, then glanced at Zoey, who was already asleep, resting her head on my shoulder.

Zoey had fallen asleep at some point, breathing evenly and deeply. She had really gone through too many changes in just one day.

"No one would dare harm Zoey. Otherwise, not only Ronald but all of us would go crazy."

"If I'm not mistaken, it should be Howard and Frank."