North American detective: From scoundrel to god among men

Chapter 42 Pressure Steve

After dropping Carl off at school, Fiona went to see Titus alone.

"Titus, I'm planning to return the washing machine that Steve gave me."

Titus looked at her with a puzzled expression and asked:

"What's wrong? What's wrong with the washing machine? Let me take a look."

Fiona shook her head and said:

"The washing machine is fine, the problem is with me and Steve—"

Fiona sighed heavily and continued:

"It's my problem; I feel overwhelmed."

"I have to get up early to make breakfast, then take Carl and Debbie to school, take care of Liam, work as a waiter in a restaurant during the day, rush back in the afternoon to prepare dinner, do housework, wash clothes and socks..."

Fiona looked at Titus.

"I feel like... these trivial matters have completely filled me up."

Titus shook his head and said:

"I think you could give it a try with Steve. At least he helps us a lot, doesn't he? Bringing breakfast for the kids, taking care of Liam, picking Carl up from school..."

"What I mean is, he might not make you busier, but he can help you share some of the burden."

Fiona didn't reply, pursed her lips, and seemed lost in thought.

"How about this, you go out and relax for a few days, and I happen to be on vacation recently too."

"No need for that, I still have to—"

Titus pressed down on her shoulders and pushed her out of the house.

"Go out and have fun, go shopping with Xiao Wei, go on a date with Steve, go for a run by yourself, whatever you want, just don't bother your brother when I'm doing my business."

"Hey! Wait a minute, OK! OK! At least let me change my clothes first!"

After seeing Fiona out of the house, Titus sat on the armrest of the sofa, staring blankly at the housework.

He thought that Fiona had been making excuses for herself all along.

She was indeed very busy, which Titus noticed, but that wasn't the real reason she rejected Steve.

She was just afraid—afraid of the feeling of having a partner, afraid of the unknown, afraid of losing what she had, just like her mother had done to her.

She locked herself in her home in the South District, afraid to try new things, fearing that investing her emotions would only result in betrayal.

The impact of sunk costs on decision-making is indeed a question worth considering.

In North America, where profit reigns supreme, who dares to reciprocate sincerity with sincerity...?

"Take it slow," Titus thought. Among Fiona's many companions, Steve was decent-looking, but merely being decent-looking was far from enough.

With that thought, Titus picked up the phone and dialed Steve's number. The call was answered shortly afterward.

"Hey Steve, good morning! What are you doing?"

Steve had just started the fuse on a luxury car that a stranger had generously gifted him, and his excitement was barely contained when he received a phone call:

"Hi, Titus, I...I'm having breakfast with my family."

Titus smiled slightly and asked:

"Family, do you mean your home in S Street, North District? No offense intended, I've been wanting to visit for a while now. Could you please give my regards to your in-laws?"

"Of course, I will bring it. What did you need me for? I'm a little—"

Titus interrupted him:

"Steve, but I think I just heard a car engine roaring. Did you get a car into your dining table? Have you forgotten what I do for a living, or do you, as a car thief, enjoy fooling the FBI?"

Steve's smile vanished abruptly, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his mind raced. After a moment, he replied:

"No... My dining table is by the window, and it's not far from the street outside. There's a car honking, and it looks like a novice driver. It stalled a few times. I think..."

Steve has a natural talent for performing, the kind of talent that's good at improvising. He found a solution within a second or two after Titus questioned him, and his speech became more and more fluent, even extending the topic further.

Unfortunately, Titus saw through his trick, otherwise he would have been completely outmaneuvered by this kid.

Titus noticed that since meeting Dr. Lecter, he had become increasingly prone to interrupting people and habitually resorting to petty tricks.

"Is that so? Then may my in-laws speak with me for a few minutes?"

"Oh, this..."

Steve's eyes lit up.

"Okay! Wait a minute..."

Immediately afterwards, he turned off the microphone on his end and planned to use another spare phone to call home and arrange for them to have a phone conversation in order to complete the scam.

The dial tone rang, and Steve's mind was racing, his forehead turning red. It seemed like he was about to activate his markings at any moment!

He had to figure out what damn conditions he could use to get his parents to collude.

This is the only way! Steve thought, one lie needs ten thousand more to cover it up!

But just then, Titus's voice rang out again, like the whisper of a demon, and with just one sentence, he felt a chill run down his spine:

"Okay, stop struggling, Jimmy."

Jimmy is his real name, and Steve is a fake name he used when he was a street urchin. This was his deepest secret, so low that it was practically hidden in his pocket.

Since running away from home, almost no one outside the gang knew the name Jimmy. He learned this from his time in the gang: "Never reveal any information, always keep a facade."

There's an old saying that goes something like this:

"Keep a poker face."

"Jimmy, I must say you're quick-witted, but your cleverness backfired. Didn't you realize that if I could find out you were a luxury car thief, I could also find out your home address?"

"Then why can't I find the name you initially registered using your home address?"

Steve felt immense pressure and was on the verge of hanging up, but that would mean the end of his relationship with Fiona.

The veins on his forehead bulged as he thought:

Fuck!

"Titus, I..."

"You won't even call me 'big brother'."

"Big brother, I..."

"Steve, listen, I still prefer this name, and from now on, I only want to hear this name at the Gallagher's house. I can ignore your past messes, but I don't want to be deceived a second time. Do you understand what I mean?"

Steve then realized that his back was soaked with cold sweat, and he nodded vigorously.

"Big brother, I promise—"

"Steve, I don't want your promises that the past can be forgiven. I only want one thing from you now—to clean up your mess."

"You know what I mean. Your gang leader, Nando, I can ignore your gangster activities and car thefts, but if I hear you have a fiancée again..."

"Beep beep beep..."

After Tytus hung up the phone, Steve, inside the luxury car, put down his phone with a look of utter despair, his face pale.

Titus thought this was something he had to do. Steve was an honest man, and if he, as Fiona's family member, didn't stand up for himself, then Fiona's future was predictable.

After hanging up the phone, a daily message popped up on my phone:

"Leave without pay? Star detective Gallagher seems to have fallen from grace!"

"The dragon slayer becomes the dragon himself: the secret relationship between Detective Gallagher and the cannibal Hannibal!"

Fuck!

Titus felt the white hairs on his head suddenly sprouting out.

At that moment, he received a message from Stalin…