Born Into Villain's Family: I Have a 200\% Rebate System-Chapter 37: Footage

Aurora didn’t like Mark’s tone. She didn’t know if she was being sensitive but it felt as if... if he was mocking Adam.

Lucas clenched his fist and asked,

"Father, what is going on? Why did you want to take a loan of $100,000?"

Adam was silent before shaking his head, "Nothing, I wasn’t in my right mind."

Suddenly he seemed to have remembered something, he said, "Don’t watch the footage. There is no need. I will manage on my own."

Lucas stared at his father, confused and frustrated. "What do you mean, don’t watch the footage? We just went through all that trouble to get it!"

Adam shook his head, his expression unreadable. "I told you, I’ll handle it. Just drop it."

Aurora frowned. "Dad, that doesn’t make any sense. If this can prove your innocence, why wouldn’t we use it?"

Adam avoided their gazes and started walking faster. "I said, forget it!"

But Lucas wasn’t letting this go. He grabbed Adam’s arm, forcing him to stop.

"No, Dad! We deserve to know the truth! And not just about this! Why were you trying to borrow that much money? What’s going on?"

Adam tensed, his fists clenching. For a long moment, he didn’t say anything.

The air between them felt heavy as if an invisible wall had formed. Finally, he sighed, rubbing his temples.

"It’s complicated."

Adriana stepped forward.

"Then explain it to us. We’re not kids anymore. We can help."

Adam let out a bitter chuckle.

"Help?" He shook his head. "You don’t understand. Some things... they’re better left alone."

Olivia frowned.

"Dad, stop saying that! We just want to help you! You’ve always taken care of us, but now you’re in trouble, and we can’t just stand by and do nothing."

Theodore, who had been quiet for a while, adjusted his glasses. "You’re scared."

Adam looked up, startled. "What?"

"You’re scared of something. That’s why you don’t want us to watch the footage. That’s why you wanted that loan. Whatever it is, it’s bigger than just some false accusation, isn’t it?"

Adam’s face paled slightly. He opened his mouth as if to argue, but no words came out.

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "Dad, is someone threatening you?"

Adam shook his head with an irritated expression, "It’s nothing. Just give me the USB."

Lucas gritted his teeth. He gave a look to all of his siblings and suddenly Aurora clutched her stomach,

"Ahhh!"

Adam was instantly worried and turned toward her.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?"

In the meanwhile, Adriana, Olivia, Lucas, and Theodore, ran away.

Adam lifted his gaze and shouted at them,

"Where are you going? Wait..."

He had only taken two steps when he realized something was amiss.

When he he turned around Aurora had vanished from her location.

It took him some time to realize that he was tricked by his own children.

Adam chased after them, but only after a few steps did he realize, he didn’t even know where they all went.

............

In an internet cafe.

The dimly lit internet café hummed with the soft clacking of keyboards and the faint buzz of monitors.

The air smelled faintly of instant noodles and cheap coffee.

Lucas, Olivia, Adriana, Theodore, and Aurora huddled in one of the corner booths.

Lucas plugged the USB into the computer, his fingers moving swiftly across the keyboard.

"We don’t have much time before Dad figures out where we are. We need to check this footage now."

Aurora, still catching her breath from the dramatic act she had pulled, leaned forward.

Adriana rested her chin on her hand, her eyes sharp with thought.

"If we go through the footage and find evidence that the customer was lying, that’s one thing. But what if we uncover something else? Something Dad doesn’t want us to see?"

She hinted that maybe...maybe...Adam truly had stolen the parts.

Otherwise, Adam wouldn’t have reacted the way he did.

Olivia sighed.

"Then at least we’ll know the truth. Right now, we’re completely in the dark. We have to do this."

The recording soon played out. The surveillance camera had audio too, making everything easy for the siblings.

They quickly checked the past one and a half months’ records, but didn’t find anything major.

When they reached the end of 2nd month though, they saw their father frequently waiting for Mark.

They stopped skimming through and slowed down the video.

The audio sounded,

"Mark, I have been working for you, for 20 years. Please consider me for just once. I truly need $100,000."

Mark indifferently glanced at Adam and said calmly,

"Adam you too know, the shop is not doing well-"

Adam looked slightly agitated as he interrupted,

"Mark please don’t lie to me. Just the other day, I came to know that the shop was making a profit of 1 million dollars per month. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

I am not asking you to give me the money. I am asking for a loan. I have taken loans from you before and have repaid each of them. Please..."

Mark spared a single glance in Adam’s direction, before sighing,

"Adam you do know, your children are not your responsibility once they turn 18, right? Why do you even want to pay for your children’s university fees? Let them take a student loan."

Adam lowered his head and said softly,

"I can’t. I can’t see them suffering the same thing I did once."

Lucas and Adriana’s eyes moistened.

They knew about Adam’s story and could understand his perspective.

"Adam, if you can’t see them suffering then it’s your problem." Mark cast an indifferent glance in Adam’s direction and continued,

"Anyways, I loaned you money previously, because I was feeling generous and you begged properly. This time, I feel as if your begging is insincere."

Mark leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

"If you truly want that money, Adam, prove to me how desperate you are. Kneel."

The siblings watching the footage collectively stiffened.

Olivia covered her mouth in shock, while Theodore’s hands clenched into fists.