Free Web NovelChapter 57: 57: That Night 8 Years Ago, Do You Remember?
People don’t want to be lied to. They want to be told beautiful lies.
~ Frank Underwood (House of Cards)
____
Homelander frowned. "Why?"
"Because there are some things Madelyn won’t say, and we can find another breakthrough."
"Do you remember ever forcing yourself on a woman at a party?"
Homelander was visibly stunned for a moment.
"...What? No!"
Homelander denied it with very little conviction.
"Stop fucking pretending."
Homelander’s eyes flickered, and he subconsciously looked at Ashley.
Some secrets are not meant to be heard by others.
"She is my person," Hillel said.
Homelander’s expression suddenly became very surprised, and his gaze swept back and forth between Hillel and Ashley multiple times.
No way, man.
You actually didn’t even spare Ashley?
Ashley’s face instantly turned bright red. "No! I haven’t had that honor yet... although I would like to..."
"Shut the fuck up!"
Hillel and Homelander interrupted simultaneously.
Ashley made a gesture of zipping her lips shut.
After a few minutes of silence, Homelander’s shoulders slumped slightly.
"...There was one time."
"Eight years ago, at a party, I had too much to drink... No, I wasn’t drunk, I just... wanted to do it. But the woman was half-willing by the end..."
He didn’t look into Hillel’s eyes, feeling that what he had done was shameful in front of a friend.
Especially since The Guardian truly possessed a sense of justice and had the duty to supervise The Seven.
His actions... were very shameful.
"And then?"
"After that... there was no after that. The woman disappeared, and I thought she had left New York." freēwebnovel.com
Hillel nodded. It matched what he knew.
He patted Homelander’s shoulder. "Since that’s the case, let me tell you another story..."
"Eight years ago, Homelander forced himself on a woman at a party. Not long after, that woman discovered she was pregnant..."
Homelander’s heart rate began to accelerate, and his eyes were clearly filled with disbelief.
"...She found Vought, but Vought didn’t tell Homelander. They hid the woman away to let her give birth. The woman successfully gave birth to a child. A natural-born supe."
"This child possesses heat vision, super strength, flight, super speed, and super hearing, perfectly inheriting all of Homelander’s abilities at a genetic level."
Homelander’s lips began to tremble, and deep down, he believed this was fake.
Otherwise, why would Vought, Madelyn, and Dr. Vogelbaum all hide it from him?
"John, you think you’re holding up Vought, but in reality, this company, from top to bottom, has never considered you one of their own. What they think is that Homelander is a failed experiment, but this child is different!"
"In time, as he grows up, he will be able to seamlessly replace Homelander’s niche. He has a mother to raise him, won’t lack maternal love, will have a more sound and mature personality than you, and will be easier for Vought to control!"
"Fuck off!"
Homelander suddenly roared.
It scared Ashley so much she nearly jumped on the spot.
"Sir?" Ashley looked at Hillel.
"I said... fuck off!" Homelander glared at Ashley.
[Homelander — Emotional fluctuation: Shock, disbelief, anger at being betrayed]
[Ability points gained: +13,567]
Hillel signaled for Ashley that she could leave first.
Ashley subconsciously reached up to touch her hair, but Hillel’s bio-field enveloped her, giving her a sense of security.
This legendary king of stress resistance has commendable professional abilities. Better not scare the kid.
Homelander’s hands were shaking, trembling with extreme rage.
His eyes were red-rimmed, his lips pressed into a thin line, and he strained to look up, trying to swallow back his tears.
From deep in his throat, a low sound kept escaping.
Like a trapped young beast.
"I... I have a child..."
"And they... hid my child away?"
"Yes."
"Hidden for a full eight years?"
"Yes!"
"Why?!"
Homelander’s voice rose sharply, and the glass in the hallway trembled.
Hillel didn’t expect Homelander’s trust in him to be so high. Homelander actually believed what he said without verifying it.
"I have said more than once that you are just a product. A failed product. Vought has no means to keep you in check, so they are developing a backup. Once your strength declines, they will bring out the backup and replace you."
"I haven’t even told you yet why Compound V is more favored by the board of directors than the original Compound V."
"But I think your mind cannot handle a second blow, so I should let you pace yourself."
Homelander’s eyes lit up with red light.
He was losing control.
The energy of his heat vision surged in his eye sockets, turning from crimson to near white.
"Hey! Bro!"
Hillel stepped forward and placed a hand on Homelander’s shoulder.
"I am standing right in front of you."
The bio-field temporarily calmed Homelander’s volatile mind.
Homelander breathed heavily, and the red light in his eyes gradually faded.
The tears were evaporated by the laser.
He looked at Hillel and held onto his arm to stand up.
"There are no perfect friends in this world. I am lecherous, greedy, and occasionally abuse my status. I may have kept some things from you, but who doesn’t have a few little secrets?"
"But some little secrets are harmless. However, in this matter, I think if you are a normal person, a real man, you should know who your enemy is!"
He looked straight into Homelander’s eyes.
"Tell me! Who... is the liar?"
Homelander’s eyes became resolute, brewing even deeper and more extremely terrifying emotions in their depths.
That was hatred!
"I’ll take you to find Vogelbaum."
Homelander’s voice was terrifyingly calm.
"Let’s go now!"
[Homelander — Emotional fluctuation: Isolation -> despair (betrayed) -> hatred -> deepened trust, being moved]
[Ability points gained: +15,891]
Dr. Vogelbaum had retired a long time ago.
He lived in his own estate, enjoying his retirement.
When Homelander and Hillel appeared in front of him simultaneously, the old man’s hands trembled.
"Ho... Homelander? The Guardian?"
Vogelbaum sat in a wheelchair, very surprised by their visit.
"Why are you here..."
"Becca."
Homelander only said one name.
Vogelbaum’s expression changed slightly, and his heart rate fluctuated.
"I... I don’t know what you’re talking about..."
Homelander took a step in front of him, grabbed the old man’s chin with one hand, and dragged him up from the wheelchair, controlling his strength precisely enough not to crush the other’s skull.
"Say it again. I know where your granddaughter goes to school. If I don’t get the answer I want, tomorrow you will see her smeared all over your bed!"
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