Chapter 134
The next day, when Michael woke up, he had a terrible headache.
Damn it, that feeling again.
Propping himself up to sit, Michael's face darkened as he looked at the already empty bed.
The hangover from last night made Michael feel awful. He raised his hand to rub his temples, his expression grim.
Six years ago, he'd been set up once. He never expected to fall for the same trick six years later.
"Michael, you're awake." From the bathroom, Aria came out, holding a freshly washed towel. "Wipe your face."
Her voice was a bit hoarse, with a hint of shyness, her cheeks flushed red.
Michael looked at Aria coldly, his voice icy. "Aria, I didn't pursue what happened six years ago because it was so long ago. Do you think I'm an idiot?"
Setting him up again and again, this was unforgivable.
"Michael." Aria gasped, looking innocent. "Michael, I don't know what you mean. It really wasn't me. I was just taking care of you last night."
"Taking care of me? Should I be responsible for you now?" Michael sneered.
Aria lowered her head, shyly biting her lip. "We were going to get engaged anyway, and six years ago..."
"Get out." Michael cut off Aria's words, telling her to leave.
Aria froze, looking at Michael in panic, her eyes reddening. "Michael, please believe me."
Michael's expression was terrible. He didn't want to say it a second time.
"Mr. Smith!" Outside the door, David had also rushed back, his voice urgent.
"Michael." Aria was frightened by Michael's anger. She had probably never seen this terrifying side of Michael before.
"Ms. Clark, please leave first." David took a sharp breath, nervously asking Aria to go. "Whatever it is, we can talk about it later."
After sending Aria out and closing the door, David came back trembling. "Mr. Smith, this is all my fault. I didn't keep a good eye on Nora. How do you plan to handle this?"
"When you see one cockroach, it means there are countless more. Start investigating from Isaac. Don't let a single one get away!" Michael got out of bed, his voice cold.
David was terrified, his legs weak. Judging from last night's activities, Michael's body was covered in scratches.
Who would have thought that Aria looked so gentle and delicate, but she was quite wild.
Taking a sharp breath, David felt like dying.
When Michael really got angry, it was terrifying.
"Mr. Smith, Isaac was arranged by Mr. Smith." That was the chairman's man.
Michael's gaze fixed coldly on David.
David quickly lowered his head in fear. "I'll investigate right away. Where did Nora go last night?"
Michael frowned but said nothing.
After preparing fresh clothes for Michael, David didn't dare ask more questions and fled the room.
Michael at this moment was suffocating.
It reminded David of six years ago.
Six years ago, when Michael was set up and left the hotel, he was in the same state as now.
Hotel back garden.
Nora leaned against the pavilion, sleeping groggily for a long time.
Her body felt hot. She'd been roughed up badly last night and probably had a fever.
"Nori, Michael has already agreed to get engaged to me. About what happened last night, you should know what to say and what not to say, right?" Aria found her way there, standing in front of Nora.
Nora rubbed her aching forehead with her hand, saying nothing.
"Luna is in Shadow City too, you know. I heard she's getting along really well with Mr. Warner's mother, and even gave her another set of jewelry worth millions of dollars." Aria reminded Nora. "So, at this afternoon's bidding, Michael might not be able to beat James."
If James got this project, even if it wouldn't immediately threaten Michael's position, it would lay a solid foundation for himself.
In the board members' eyes, James's abilities were lacking and naturally couldn't compare to Michael's.
But if James could win this project, he would gain the board's recognition.
With Luna's support, James could soon directly threaten Michael's position.
Nora's fingers clenched one by one as she kept her head down, saying nothing.
"Nori, won't you help me? I want to help Michael too, but he's so resistant to me right now. He thinks I'm scheming against him. I feel so wronged." Aria intimately hugged Nora's arm. "Nori, won't you please help me?"
Nora instinctively pulled away from Aria, curling up with her legs hugged tight, saying nothing.
"Do you know why Michael hates me? Because six years ago, he was set up and we had sex. He's always thought I was scheming against him. He's a germaphobe. It was my first time and he's been proudly holding a grudge for all these years, let alone..." Aria implied meaningfully. "Nori, I'm really doing this for your own good. Whether or not something happened between you and Michael last night, once he finds out, do you know how terrible the consequences would be?"
Nora's eyes reddened, but she just held herself, never speaking up.
"Three years ago, there was a female celebrity, a top star at the time. Just because she tried to be clever at a party and schemed to get close to Michael, he blacklisted her directly. I heard she's still in a mental hospital now, completely insane." Aria said terrifying things with an innocent face.
She was trying to scare Nora.
"I'm telling you, Michael thought that celebrity was dirty because she'd been with many big bosses, had countless sugar daddies, and had even given birth to a child."
Nora's fingers gripped her palm so tightly that her palm broke, stinging painfully.
"Nori, I really like you and don't want you to get hurt. You understand what I mean, right?" Aria said patiently.
Nora's arms tightened around her legs.
If Michael found out what happened last night, he would definitely think she deliberately schemed too, wouldn't he?
She didn't want Michael to hate her.
Her eyes reddening, Nora couldn't control the urge to cry.
"That day, when I went to pick up my cousin's child from kindergarten, I saw Samuel. Samuel is really so well-behaved. It would be such a shame if such a good child grew up without his mother's company." Aria gave Nora another heavy dose.
"Pearl is coming back, you know that, right? Her heart condition is bad, she needs medical parole."
Nora suddenly looked up at Aria, her eyes filled with deep terror.
Pearl was coming back.
Nora's whole body trembled uncontrollably. Most of her dark moments in the past had been caused by Pearl.
This time she'd gotten her sent to the police station. She definitely wouldn't let her off.
Breathing hotly while hugging herself, Nora bit her lip hard.
She couldn't let Michael hate her. She couldn't be without Michael's protection.
She still needed Michael.
So she couldn't let Michael know what really happened last night.
"Nora! What are you doing hiding here! Mr. Smith is furious. Where did you go last night?" David found his way there, scolding Nora angrily.
Seeing Aria was also there, David obediently shut his mouth.
Aria looked at Nora meaningfully.
"I couldn't find Mr. Smith last night." Nora lowered her head, her voice hoarse.
Aria smiled and left with relief.
She knew Nora wouldn't dare speak out.