Chapter 135 No One Can Save Him

"Yeah, that's right. When they show up, just send them packing. Dad needs his rest," Elizabeth said, nodding and giving Daniel a quick smile.

Daniel felt a bit uneasy.

"You two should head home after you eat. We'll stay here. And Emily, thanks for being on the ball today and calling Isabella when you sensed something was off. Who knows what could've happened to my dad otherwise," Mason sighed.

I replied, "No big deal. I should've caught on sooner that Preston was trying to ditch me."

"You're a girl, and he's a lowlife with a rap sheet. It's normal to want to get out of there. Don't beat yourself up; you did great," Isabella reassured me.

I nodded, and Mason, still grumpy, added, "Exactly! I can't believe Nolan and Ella raised Preston to be like this! Now it's getting serious, and we have to call the cops. The Taylor Group might have to shell out more cash to keep this quiet."

"No more spending. The company's broke," Isabella said with a cold laugh, adding, "Nolan's blown all the money on his mistresses."

"It's in the genes!" Mason said with a hint of glee in his eyes.

Elizabeth pinched his arm and said, "Do you have those thoughts too?"

"Of course not. Haven't I given all my money to you? The company's been a mess for years. How could I even think about that?" Mason dodged and then nodded towards Hayden on the hospital bed, and Elizabeth let him go.

"So lively, so many people," a weak voice came from the door. It was Nolan's younger son, Ryder Taylor.

"Ryder," Finn called out with a smile. Ryder peeked in and then stepped back.

I was surprised that Finn had been so introverted. When I saw Ryder before, he was just chilling on the couch, watching shows on his phone, looking pretty normal.

"Everyone here is family. Why are you so scared?" Mason went out and pulled Ryder in.

"I heard about Preston. Is Grandpa okay?" Ryder asked, looking down.

"He's fine now. I'll post it in the family group," Isabella said, holding a fork in one hand and her phone in the other.

Now, except for Preston, all the immediate family members were here.

Ryder stood by Hayden's bed, looked at him, shivered, and started to cry.

He was a bit chubby, not as tall as Mason but heavier, and looked a bit silly crying like that.

I couldn't help but think of how Hayden used to say that when Ella gave birth to Ryder, he was oxygen-deprived, which damaged his brain, making him a bit slow.

I never thought so before, as I could never forget how Ryder used to bully James with Preston when they were kids. I had always seen Ryder as a bad guy.

Now it seemed that Ryder might have just been following Preston's lead back then.

"Damn it! I really misjudged Preston. He actually hurt Grandpa like this!" Ryder's voice had a hint of a sob.

"Stop crying. Your grandpa has always loved you all, but none of you have lived up to his expectations. Now, instead of crying, think about making changes to make your grandpa happy," Isabella said, sounding more like the head of the family.

Ryder nodded and said, "I'll sell my entire collection of figures when I get back. I'll start a company making anime merchandise. I already have connections at the conventions. I can definitely build a business and not make Grandpa worry."

"How much can you sell those things for? Have you saved any money over the years? Using your savings might be more realistic," Mason clearly didn't understand the anime world.

The anime world could be expensive, and many limited-edition models could sell for high prices.

I quickly finished my meal and thoughtfully helped Isabella clean up the takeout boxes on the coffee table. I stood up and said, "Daniel and I will head out now. Please take care of Grandpa Hayden."

"Go ahead. You're young, don't stay up late. You might have to take your turn watching over your grandpa tomorrow or the day after," Elizabeth said with a smile, waving at us.

"Okay."

Leaving the hospital, I got into Daniel's car. He smiled and said, "You seem to have a good relationship with the Taylor family."

"As long as I find out my parents died in an accident, I won't forgive anyone in the Taylor family who knew about it, except Isabella," I said, my expression turning serious.

"Hayden probably knew, but it was likely too late by the time he found out," Daniel said.

"Yeah, no one would sacrifice their own family to uphold justice for two outsiders. But this time, Preston almost killed Grandpa, and no one can protect him," I said, narrowing my eyes.

"So you're almost certain it was Nolan?"

"Not certain, but he's my prime suspect," I said, rubbing my temples.