The Billionaire Twins Need A New Mommy!-Chapter 732: Hostages

Even after spending an entire month learning the structure of the Order and the Secret Society, Lola had to admit that reality was still different. Situations could become complicated once they were actually unfolding, and Atlas had just proven to her that the Order regained its former grace not because a seat was filled—but because he knew how to maximize everything at his disposal.

Even when Baby stepped back and appeared suspicious, Atlas didn’t try to make him fade into the background. Instead, Baby became someone who could observe the Order from outside Atlas’s immediate circle while everyone else kept their eyes on him.

In hindsight, Lola also realized that no one in Atlas’s close circle would ever betray him simply out of fear. It was because Atlas had built such a solid foundation for the New Order when he took over that it became nearly impossible to get close to him, earn his trust, and not be exposed for betrayal.

"Last question!" Lola raised her hand as if she were a student. "Since when did you know it wasn’t anyone in your inner circle?"

Atlas blinked at his wife. "From the beginning."

"Oh..." Her lips formed a small o. "You should’ve told me."

"I thought you knew."

Lola smiled bitterly. "Well, until tonight, I didn’t."

If anything, she had been most suspicious of those working directly under Atlas—except Allen and the others assigned to the Yuri case.

"Anyway." Lola hopped off the railing and faced him, pointing at herself. "I’ll do the questioning. Is that alright?"

Atlas stared at her for a moment, then nodded.

"Yay~!" With that, she skipped away to begin with those seized in the manor. She could deal with the ones arrested on the main island later.

As she left, Hugo watched her go before turning to his brother. "First Brother... is it really okay to let First Sister handle the questioning?"

"No," Atlas set his glass down and turned to follow her.

"Huh?" Confused, Hugo jumped off the railing and hurried after him. "Then why would you let her?"

"What I meant," Atlas clarified calmly, "is that it’s not okay for the people being questioned."

"That’s why I’m coming," he added. "Both of you strike first before you start asking questions."

Hugo frowned briefly, then shrugged. "Makes sense. People talk faster after losing a tooth or two. It’s called introducing pain first, so they know what’s coming."

*****

At the same time...

Ransom, Izu, and Florida stepped out of a room, only to spot Baby walking down the hallway.

"Ah—Baby!" Florida called, stopping him as the three of them approached.

When Baby turned to face them, he blinked, clearly waiting for whatever they were about to say.

"Well..." Ransom cleared his throat and offered him a smile, tapping his shoulder. "Sorry, man."

Izu let out a weak chuckle. "Yeah. We’re really sorry. We thought you were one of the moles."

"We were kept in the dark," Florida added. "But still... we’re sorry."

The trio gave Baby apologetic smiles while he studied their expressions. Perhaps he would have accepted Izu’s apology, but the truth was, all four of them knew there was nothing to apologize for.

It had been protocol.

Atlas’s orders.

Baby blinked. "I still do not understand why you are apologizing," he said honestly. "What are you sorry for?"

What they didn’t say was that ever since they realized Baby had been deliberately excluded from the Yuri investigation, they had begun thinking about how they would take him down if he turned out to be a mole.

Baby was strong enough to bend cages meant for lions and beasts. His body was like steel. His strength bordered on superhuman.

If the worst happened, they knew they would need to be prepared not just physically, but mentally.

So, they were sorry for killing Baby in their heads a hundred times.

But that thought stayed unspoken.

"Just... sorry, alright?" Florida tapped Baby’s shoulder once more before walking past him. "I won’t doubt you again."

"Me neither," Ransom said, offering a smile.

Izu nodded and lowered his head. "See you around. Oh, and the Madam’s going to observe the interrogation. She asked for you. Probably has questions or needs help with the interrogation. We’re heading there now, so you should come with us."

"..."

Baby watched the three deliberately avoid his question, but he didn’t dwell on it.

He followed them toward the other wing, where the arrested members of the Order were being held. They knew Atlas and Lola would be there, but that wasn’t why they were going.

They wanted to see how trained members of the Order would be made to talk.

After all, part of their training was learning not to talk no matter the pressure, no matter the pain.

Much to their dismay, by the time they reached the first observation booth, Atlas, Allen, Hugo, and Slater were already inside.

And in the interrogation room stood Lola.

Her arms were crossed, one foot tapping irritably against the floor. Beside her sat a man with a swollen face, several missing teeth, and disheveled hair. He was beaten so badly he was barely recognizable. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"What else?" Lola asked impatiently. "Come on now. Don’t make my darling wait—he’s watching. Make me look good."

Everyone in the observation room—except Atlas—twitched.

Izu, Florida, and Ransom had come expecting to witness professional interrogation methods capable of breaking highly trained soldiers.

Instead, they were watching an interrogator whose motivation seemed to be impressing her husband.

Did she think they couldn’t hear her?

Then, suddenly, they couldn’t help but wonder: Was looking good in front of Atlas really that important?

The man who had received Lola’s fiery fist of love earlier flinched at her rising tone. He cleared his throat and continued.

"Sorry, Madam," he stammered. "It started around two... maybe three years ago. Someone approached our team during a mission and helped us complete it. We talked more than we should have, and they offered us work."

He swallowed. "At first, we ignored it. We pretended it never happened because they saved us. But with the pressure inside the Order, and the fierce competition... we found ourselves seeking their help."

He paused, then added quietly, "Over time, we don’t even know how it happened. We just started resenting the Order... thinking it was unfair."

"That’s it?" Lola frowned, clearly unconvinced. "Just because it’s unfair, you’re turning your back on your family?"

The man stayed silent, lowering his head, only to flinch when Lola slammed her hand against the table.

"So?" she pressed. "Who are these people?"

"Huh?"

"Who?"

The man swallowed hard, shaking his head. His reaction made Lola arch a brow, but before she could do anything further, he spoke in a rush.

"They’re holding the others’ families."

At that, Lola—and everyone in the observation room—knit their brows. "What does that mean?"

"They don’t have anything or anyone on me," the man said, swallowing again as he leaned slightly toward Lola. "But for the others..."

He lowered his voice. "They promised them a future. Quietly moved their families away, saying they’d be treated fairly in another territory. But that wasn’t true. Their families became hostages, so we’d keep following orders."

His shoulders slumped. "That’s why even when some wanted to back out... they couldn’t anymore."