Chapter 220 Is He Living Off a Woman?
"Zander, are you coming with us or doing your own thing? I'll transfer the money once we're back home," Emily asked.
"I'll come with you. I have a feeling the trip back might be a bit rough," Zander replied.
He was probably right.
Orville was already knocked out by her, but as she left the compund with Daniel, they might run into reinforcements heading to the park. That meant Orville had some powerful allies. So, even though she knew her official contacts were on their way, caution was still necessary.
"Alright, thanks for the extra help," Emily said as she and Hayden headed back to the hotel with Zander tagging along.
The others, like Leopard and Bird, agreed with Zander. They volunteered, probably because when Emily was surrounded earlier, she prioritized their escape over her own safety. They felt Emily was someone worth sticking around.
Emily didn't turn down their goodwill. She and Daniel, along with York and Leopard, shared one car. Zander and the others, including Hayden, followed in another.
At first, everything went smoothly. There were some minor dangers later, but their excellent driving skills helped them avoid any trouble. They were almost at the airport when the unexpected happened.
No one saw the car accident coming.
Their car got hit. Emily's stance was clear. "They hit us. We don't have time to argue, and it's possible they did it on purpose. Don't get out of the car. Just tell them we won't pursue it and ask them to clear the way."
"Got it," York responded.
Just before they left the hotel, Daniel's condition had worsened. He had directly instructed York, "From now on, follow Emily's lead."
York had seen Emily's skills at the park and had no doubts about her. He even had a growing admiration for her. They respected strength, and Emily had proven herself.
York rolled down the window to relay Emily's message. However, the other party, whether out of sheer stubbornness or ulterior motives, refused to move. They insisted, "Since it's our fault, we need to pay for it, and we must ensure you're not faking injuries. Let's go to the hospital."
Even though York insisted it wasn't necessary, they wouldn't budge. York was about to get out of the car to argue, but Emily, not wanting to waste time, said, "Let me handle this."
If York got out, the other party would assume he was just a driver, who wouldn't make any decisions. When Emily approached, they might show respect and bring out their boss.
"Emily, what are you doing here?"
As Emily appeared at the other car door, a young man and a young woman got out of the car as the door opened.
The woman, with a delicate appearance, had a somewhat mischievous and willful look in her eyes.
The man turned out to be James.
Upon seeing Emily, James blurted out involuntarily.
Emily frowned, genuinely surprised, not expecting to encounter James here.
She remembered that James seemed to have been punished by Daniel and sent abroad. Could it be in Zephyria?
Were there any projects of the Smith Group here? She really had no idea.
However, James was more of a foe than a friend. If he decided to plot against Daniel due to his exposed physical condition today, it would likely lead to endless trouble.
So, Emily suppressed her aversion to James and tried to speak gently. "I'm here for tourism, didn't expect to run into you. Since we know each other, I'm in a hurry to catch a flight and might miss it soon. So, let's forget about the car accident compensation. Please talk to your friend about it."
She thought that would be enough for James to step aside.
Unexpectedly, the naive girl, guided by her womanly intuition, asked James unhappily, "Who is this person? Is she your ex-girlfriend? You wouldn't be rekindling your old flame with her, right? I disagree; you are the one I've set my eyes on!"
The naive girl pouted, her tone carrying a hint of grievance.
James immediately responded, "Lucy, by not trusting me like this, I might as well leave. I've always said I dislike being doubted the most. We grew up together; she's like a sister to me. She came here alone, and as her brother, isn't it natural for me to care for her?"
Lucy Kim quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, James, I don't distrust you. Your sister is my sister, too. Whatever you want to do for her, I support you, and I will treat her well just like you do!"
Emily knew James had ambitions, so he could adapt to his goals.
But she didn't expect him to deceive the girl, too.
Most importantly, this Lucy, sheltered by some powerful family, had fallen for his deception.
"Emily, what are you doing here? Did you come here knowing I was here and specifically seeking me out? You're alone in a car..."
He said, glancing casually towards the car interior.
From his angle, he caught a glimpse of Leopard and a blurry image of Daniel's face.
But the next moment, the car's partition rose, blocking James from seeing Daniel's handsome face.
With just a glance, James was certain it was a young man who looked decent.
His first guess was, could it be Daniel?
Thinking this, he wanted to take a step forward to get a clear look at Daniel's face.
He also didn't miss a beat. "Emily, who did you come with? Do I know them? I need to see who it is. If it's someone I don't know, you should come with us, wait for me to return to the country, and I'll take you back. I can't let you follow some other strange man!"
The foolish Lucy, surprisingly, also agreed with James, looking at Emily and echoing his words, "Emily, James is looking out for you. It's not safe for a pretty girl like you here. You dare to follow unfamiliar men. Who knows what their intentions are? Listen to him!"
Emily sighed inwardly, seeing Lucy being deceived, thinking she was a fool.
Unfortunately, Lucy was helping James block her.
In a different setting or time, she might have let the girl see James's true colors.
But she didn't have the time now.
Emily didn't respond to Lucy, and in a lowered voice, she threatened James, "I don't know if your friendship with Lucy is genuine or not, but since you deceived her by saying I'm your sister, it seems you don't want her to know about our engagement. So, you stay out of my way. I have urgent matters and must catch a flight immediately. As for who I'm with, you no longer have the right to ask!"
With a threatening gaze, she looked coldly at James.
Surprisingly, James was momentarily speechless under her pressure.
Emily was speaking in a low voice. If James didn't comply, she would tell Lucy the truth.
Finally, James took a step back.
This meant he was backing down.
Emily breathed a sigh of relief.
Lucy didn't understand. Wasn't James caring for Emily? How come after a few words, James didn't care anymore? She wanted to say something.
Ignoring Lucy, James stepped forward, attempting to get a clear look at the man sitting in the back seat of the car.
Anticipating his move, Emily quickly got into the car.
She used both hands to cover Daniel's face, preventing any chance of James catching a glimpse.