Chapter 379: Returning to New Mexico
Frank's ex-wife, Monica, had once caused chaos that tore the entire family apart.
Back then, when the children were taken away by Child Protective Services, Fiona had wanted to secure custody herself so they could legally return home. She had hired a lawyer to help.
That lawyer—
was Matt.
What made him especially memorable was that he was blind. Because of that, Fiona had never forgotten him.
Even after all this time, she recognized him instantly.
Seeing him here in New York filled her with both surprise and joy.
In a completely unfamiliar city, running into someone you know—it brought an unexpected sense of comfort.
There was a saying for it:
meeting an old acquaintance far from home.
As for how a blind man like Matt had managed to pick her out from a crowd and call her name so precisely—
Fiona didn't think too deeply about it.
"Want to grab a coffee?" Matt asked with a gentle smile.
They found a nearby café and sat down, chatting about what they'd both been up to.
Matt had only recently returned to New York.
He wasn't from Chicago to begin with—he was a native New Yorker.
Born in Manhattan's Clinton district—better known by another, far more infamous name:
Hell's Kitchen.
He had only been in Chicago because of work, which was how he and Fiona had met.
Now, he had been transferred back to the firm's New York headquarters—still as an intern.
After all, he had only recently graduated, and the law firm he worked for was nationally renowned. Becoming a full lawyer would take at least a couple of years of rigorous evaluation.
A long road still lay ahead.
By coincidence, Fiona's apartment was close to where Matt lived.
That was how they had run into each other on the street.
Fiona had always had a strong impression of Matt.
And Matt, in turn, had never forgotten Fiona either.
To him, she was unlike anyone he had ever met.
They talked for quite a while, and as a local, Matt even showed her around parts of the city, helping her get familiar with New York.
As for Fiona and Anfisa's new life in New York—
that was another story.
Back in Chicago, Frank had his own concerns.
Now that Fiona had left for New York, he could begin preparing his next steps.
Fiona's decision to study accounting there had been her own choice—not something Frank forced on her.
As for why Anfisa went with her—
that had been entirely Frank's arrangement.
In the future, when Fiona established her own accounting or legal firm, she would need capable support.
And Anfisa—
despite everything—
was a perfect candidate.
Although Anfisa had betrayed him—and her loyalty was questionable—Frank couldn't deny one thing:
her talent was real.
Her sensitivity to numbers was exceptional.
Everything she knew about accounting, she had taught herself from books.
Fiona, on the other hand, was attending paid courses, receiving structured and professional training—yet she still couldn't match Anfisa's raw, self-taught ability. In fact, Anfisa could even tutor her.
And in modern society, loyalty was rarely absolute.
People worked for money. "Loyalty" only lasted as long as the price of betrayal wasn't high enough.
At most, Frank would just be more cautious in the future—keep certain things out of Anfisa's reach.
After weighing everything, he decided to send both Fiona and Anfisa to New York together.
Anfisa would serve as the foundation for Fiona's future.
As for the Alibi Bar, Sammi was now in charge.
Having worked there for so long, Sammi had already figured out the hidden operations behind it.
Frank had originally planned to leave the bar shares to her after his death anyway, so he had already told her some of the inside details. He even had Anfisa pass on her management methods.
So even with Anfisa gone, as long as Sammi followed the established system, everything would continue running smoothly—including the money laundering.
After settling matters in Chicago, Frank headed to New Mexico.
"Frank!"
The moment he stepped off the plane, Pinkman rushed up and threw his arms around him, visibly emotional.
After two months in rehab, Pinkman had fully recovered and been discharged.
When he heard that Frank had been cured, he was overwhelmed with relief. He had thought he'd never see him again. If he hadn't known Frank would return, he might've gone to Chicago himself.
"Did Walter tell you everything?" Frank asked once they got back to Pinkman's place.
"He did," Pinkman nodded.
After returning to Heisenberg, Walter had filled him in on everything—including Frank's instructions.
As one of the original three founders, Pinkman had the right to know the truth. It also prevented him from accidentally saying something he shouldn't.
After all, people like Jimmy and Goodman were sharp—if Pinkman slipped even a little, they could trace everything back.
"Good," Frank said. "Just don't let something like that happen again. The truth about Heisenberg must stay secret."
He was referring to the landlord's daughter.
Pinkman had fallen in love and told her everything.
That kind of wholehearted trust and devotion was admirable—
but it had also put Frank and Walter at serious risk.
Fortunately, Pinkman had matured. He wouldn't make that kind of reckless mistake again.
"Have you found anything about her?" Frank asked.
"No…" Pinkman's expression darkened. "I've looked everywhere. No one knows where she went. She hasn't contacted anyone. Even her father has no idea—he reported her missing. The police have listed her as a missing person."
"We'll find her," Frank said, patting his shoulder.
Just then—
knock, knock, knock.
Walter arrived, having rushed over the moment he heard the news.
Seeing Frank—healthy, alive—Walter couldn't hide his emotions. He stepped forward and hugged him tightly.
Frank wasn't just one of Walter's few friends—
he was the friend.
They shared secrets. They shared burdens. They understood each other in ways no one else could.
The last time Walter had seen him, Frank had looked like a dying man.
And in that moment—
Walter had felt like he was looking at his own future.
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