Chapter 81: Elicit Sympathy
Amelia had put on delicate makeup, wearing a tight mini skirt and tall boots, paired with a golden-brown fur coat.
She wasn't dressed like someone visiting a patient, and if she'd just come to explain about the hitmen, she was way overdressed.
I could tell she had ulterior motives, and Lucas should be able to see it too.
Amelia's eyes were brimming with tears, crying in a way that looked both pitiful and beautiful.
At the press conference last time, I noticed that when Amelia was truly upset, she couldn't control her expressions at all. If she cried beautifully, it meant she was acting.
But seeing me, she almost lost control of her excellent crying performance. "What are you doing here?"
"Disappointed to see I'm not dead?" I asked mockingly.
Lucas was still holding my hand. I wanted to pull it back, but Lucas wouldn't let go.
"I wish you'd just stay away from Lucas, but with so many hitmen, it definitely wasn't cheap!" Amelia pouted and said, "I don't have that kind of money."
Her frankness left me speechless.
I was also puzzled - I knew Amelia's financial situation well, so where did the money to hire hitmen come from? Who was funding her?
I had thought Amelia was just a foolish woman, but it turned out she had secrets hidden deep.
My hand was suddenly squeezed hard. Lucas seemed unhappy that I was ignoring him.
I looked at Lucas, but he wasn't looking at me. He was studying Amelia, and no one could guess what he was thinking, much less imagine that under the covers he was playing with my hand.
My knuckles and palm were being kneaded with varying pressure, creating a tingling, rather intimate sensation.
Lucas said, "Those hitmen said Bella's movements were provided by their employer. At first, they planned to ambush her at Platinum Haven Hotel, to attack on Bella's way home from work, but they got last-minute information and changed the plan to the parking lot at the tourist pier. Because the move took time, the cable car's electrical control system was sabotaged - do you have anything to say about that?"
Amelia shook her head repeatedly. "I don't know, I really don't know anything! When the cable car suddenly lost power, I almost got trapped on Whisperwind Isle, too!"
"You said 'almost.'" Lucas said. "Santos leaked my whereabouts to you. Do you dare swear that the hitmen's last-minute plan change had nothing to do with you?"
"I swear!" Amelia knelt by the hospital bed, grabbing Lucas's sleeve, looking up so Lucas could see the sincerity in her eyes.
Her face was covered in tear tracks, sobbing sadly. "Why do you only suspect me? Did Isabella say something? The hitmen's target was her - maybe someone around her leaked her whereabouts. Lucas, isn't taking a bullet for her enough? Don't let her fool you anymore!"
I raised an eyebrow but said nothing, wanting to see how Lucas would handle this.
Lucas seemed very disappointed. "The hitmen said they kept recordings of calls with their employer. Do you want to listen to the audio?"
Amelia's sobbing stopped instantly.
Several seconds later, she quietly denied it. "It wasn't me, Lucas. Don't you trust me?"
I watched their interaction with interest, and while Lucas wasn't paying attention, I pulled my hand back.
Lucas looked at me with displeasure.
Just then, Alfred knocked and entered. "Mr. Valeri, Mrs. Valeri, Santos is outside the hospital now and won't leave."
"Make him leave," Lucas said coldly. "And Amelia, you leave too."
For once, Amelia didn't throw a tantrum and refuse to leave, but said goodbye to Lucas with a heartbroken expression.
Alfred quietly left the room and closed the door.
"Is there really a recording?" I asked Lucas.
Because of Marcus, I knew quite a bit about the hitman industry. The hitmen who came to kill me belonged to a very famous assassin organization. Although the hitmen had various quirks, they were all very careful in their work. Keeping recordings of calls with their employer and having the target find out - saying something like that would be absolutely humiliating!
"No." Lucas shook his head. "I just wanted to test her reaction."
Just as I thought.
I thought for a moment and asked, "Did you really just make Santos leave? Since when did you become so soft-hearted?"
Given Lucas's temper, this punishment seemed too light.
"You understand me best." A pleased smile appeared in Lucas's eyes. "I don't need subordinates who don't listen and think they know better. I told him if he can find out who hired the hitmen, I can give him another chance."
I nodded in understanding. This was actually guiding Santos to investigate Amelia.
Smart—putting garbage to good use.
Lucas's straight posture suddenly bent as he started coughing violently.
His lips were pale, but his face grew redder and redder from lack of oxygen. I quickly sat beside him and patted his back.
Lucas leaned on my shoulder. The tremors erupting from his chest transmitted through our tightly pressed bodies to mine. I struggled to support him.
"I'll call the doctor!" I turned to press the call button by the bed, but Lucas stopped me. "No need! I'll be fine after resting a bit."
"Don't be stubborn!" I scolded him, worried there was a problem with his lungs or airways.
Lucas hugged my waist to keep me from leaving, and I almost fell under his weight.
And with this effort, I sensed something was wrong.
This much strength completely didn't match the weakness on his face!
Lucas hadn't noticed I'd figured it out yet. He slowly adjusted his breathing, staying in my arms, rubbing his head against my shoulder, saying weakly, "I just choked accidentally."
I couldn't help but laugh coldly. "Your acting isn't even as good as Amelia's!"
Lucas fell silent.
I pushed him away forcefully, stood up, and straightened my clothes, pointing at the thermos on the bedside table. "Remember to eat."
With that, I walked out of the hospital room without looking back, regardless of his reaction.
Actually pretending to be weak to gain my sympathy - damn it!
Another day passed, and Harold's surgery was completed successfully.
The New Year was approaching, and the festive atmosphere in Starstream City was getting stronger.
This was the first New Year since the Sorelli family's return, and also a rare New Year when we four siblings were together. I took it very seriously.
On the afternoon of December 30th, I didn't go to work at the hotel. Instead, I went with Marcus to a home goods mall and bought lots of decorations and ornaments to add to the festive atmosphere.
Brian came home early from work and helped us decorate the villa together.
I was absorbed in arranging a photo wall when Brian came over and silently watched me for a while. "Lucas is outside. You should go see him."
I looked at Brian with some surprise, thinking I'd heard wrong.
"Remember to have Cole and Adrian go with you." Brian reminded me, then said nothing more and went to build blocks with Marcus.
I walked hesitantly to the window. Under the olive tree by the gate was a familiar black car. Lucas was leaning lazily against the car door, playing with a lighter in his hand, looking like he'd been waiting for a while.
I picked up my phone that was charging on the table and only then saw several missed calls from an unknown number.
I glanced back at Brian and Marcus, put on my coat, and walked out.
"Why did you come?" I asked.
"I wanted to see you, so I came," Lucas said.