Chapter 1017 One Step At A Time
Anthony and Kyle were in discussion, but Benjamin didn't say much.
He sat quietly to the side, eating his food. His long eyelashes cast a shadow over his face, which was taut with an unreadable expression.
Although his personality differed from Anthony's, when it came to dealing with family, their choices were the same.
Anthony's thoughts and words were also a representation of Benjamin.
Hence, in such a complex relationship, no one was at ease.
No one knew where the next moment would lead.
A moment later, Kyle turned his head toward Benjamin, watching him eat earnestly. He then asked, "Benjamin, don't you have anything to say?"
Hearing that, Benjamin finally put down his fork, looking up at Kyle. "If it were about something else, perhaps my brother and I might have differing opinions. But on this matter, our thoughts are aligned." Everything was permissible, but harming their loved ones was absolutely unacceptable.
As soon as those words fell, Kyle's gaze deepened even more when he looked at Benjamin.
"I'm different from Tony. He's poured so much thought and effort into Darknetz. He loves it here more than I do, and he's more ambitious. No one understands him better than I do. Asking him to leave is like clipping his wings and starting over." As Benjamin spoke, he looked at Kyle. "It's not that he wants to leave, but he has no choice. He must maintain a certain distance from Holden. Otherwise, he will be the one who ends up hurt."
Kyle understood that logic well. He's caught between a rock and a hard place. Indeed, it's a tough choice to make.
With that in mind, Kyle let out a heavy sigh. "That day, after Anthony left, Holden came to see me for a while. He repeatedly told me that if you were to come, I must inform him. It's clear that he really likes you guys."
Anthony's gaze became obscure when he heard that.
Benjamin also furrowed his brows, his expression complex.
"He's always been quite philosophical, as you probably know. Over the years, I've never seen him take an interest in anything. But it's clear he really does like you guys." As Kyle spoke, his gaze swept over them. "I took the opportunity to call you here today while he was out, just to discuss this matter. But now, I understand your intentions."
Anthony lowered his gaze, suddenly at a loss for words. Yes. We chatted all the time. Holden has always been very philosophical, reacting to everything with a calm demeanor. But that day, when I saw him, I realized I didn't know him well enough. This is unexpected.
"Where has Holden gone?" Benjamin asked.
Kyle was about to say something when Anthony interrupted, "He went to look for news about Daddy."
Kyle turned his head toward Anthony. "How did you know?"
"Mr. Dave has already received the information," Anthony said nonchalantly, without any attempt to conceal it.
Kyle's brow immediately furrowed. The next second, he was about to make a call from the phone on the table. Just then, Anthony suddenly said, "You don't need to worry. He will be fine."
"How do you know nothing will happen?" Kyle asked.
Anthony's gaze remained uninterested as he said indifferently, "Since Mr. Dave has told me about this, he wants me to be aware. He knows who I am, so even out of respect for me, he won't let things get worse."
Kyle asked, "Are you sure?"
Anthony nodded. "I'm certain he won't put me in such a difficult position again. So, as long as I'm here, Mr. Dave definitely won't do anything."
Upon hearing that, Kyle finally breathed a sigh of relief. "At least he has some humanity."
Suddenly, Anthony seemed to recall something, and a stiff smile crept onto his face. "Before, I held onto a naive thought, believing there was still room for resolution between the two sides. I even asked Mr. Dave if he could let go of his grudges with Darknetz. Now, it's not naivety. It's more like being delusional."
Listening to Anthony's mocking words, Kyle was slightly taken aback. He looked up at Anthony and asked, "What did he say?"
"He said they weren't the ones who started the trouble, they were just fighting back because of you. Over the years, incident after incident, he's had enough. However, he's willing to let it go for my sake." Upon hearing this, Kyle said, "If the roles were reversed, they might not be able to let it go. If the person sacrificed was from Darknetz, they would naturally accept it."
Anthony nodded. "Mr. Dave said the same thing. That's why I said I'm truly naive."
It's clear that Anthony is truly struggling and feeling helpless in this situation. With these thoughts in mind, Kyle said, "Before I knew who you were, I shared Holden's sentiment, insisting on making Kenneth pay for his crimes in blood. But because of you, I do have some hesitation. However, Anthony, Benjamin, the real victim is Holden. Everyone else might understand, might let go, but he can't."
"I understand," Anthony said.
"So, don't blame him either."
"Until he actually does something substantial, I really can't blame him for anything," said Anthony.
What Anthony meant was if things were to get out of hand, he wouldn't stop himself from putting the blame on Holden.
Kyle pursed his lips, realizing that no matter how much they discussed the matter, they wouldn't reach any definitive conclusion. It was something they could only take one step at a time.
With these thoughts in mind, he let out a heavy sigh and looked at them. "All right. I understand your stance and your answers. I'll give this matter some more thought. Now, let's eat first and we can talk more after."
Afterward, the three of them finally began to eat.
However, even when faced with a table full of delicious food, Anthony didn't seem to have much of an appetite.
At that moment, Kyle said while eating, "Speaking of which, it's quite a coincidence. Someone on the Hacker Community has posted a hefty reward. They're also looking into what happened at that hotel that year."
Hearing that, Anthony paused slightly in his actions.
Kyle noticed every subtle reaction and gesture Anthony made. By looking into Anthony's eyes, he instantly understood something.
Kyle then continued eating, no longer speaking.
At that moment, Anthony hesitated for a moment before asking, "Do you have any news about what happened back then?"
Kyle looked at him without a trace of emotion. "Why do you ask?"
"I also want to understand what happened back then," Anthony immediately said.
"Why do you want to know?"
Anthony suddenly fell silent.
He didn't speak, and neither did Kyle. They just ate silently, patiently waiting for the other to break the silence first.
There and then, Kyle was certain that the person who posted the bounty was Anthony.