Chapter 205: Coming Up with Another Bad Idea
"Why do you only care about Hayden? Can't you see I'm not okay?"
Bianca snapped back to reality, triggered by Cleo's question.
But as she remembered the humiliation she faced, nearly losing her life, and then coming back to find no concern for her, only more questions about Hayden, she couldn't hold back her emotions any longer.
"Bianca, what's gotten into you?"
Cleo had never seen Bianca like this. Being used to a life of comfort and adoration, Cleo was taken aback, her face pale with shock and disbelief.
After Bianca's outburst, she felt a temporary release of her pent-up emotions, but she also realized she had overreacted.
However, she couldn't bring herself to apologize.
"How dare you speak to your mother like that? Judging by your reaction, something must have gone wrong with Hayden, hasn't it?"
Eli came out from his study, having heard the commotion, and sternly questioned Bianca.
Aiden followed behind him. They had been discussing recent company projects, and with the company's current struggles, neither of them was in a good mood.
Bianca's demeanor softened in front of Eli.
"Dad, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at Mom. I'm just really worried about Hayden, and I lost control of my emotions."
"Bianca, enough with the excuses. Tell us what happened. Weren't you supposed to meet Mr. Green?" Aiden, the most composed of the group, asked with a stern look.
Bianca tried to frame her response in her favor. "I don't know why Mr. Green suddenly changed his mind. Maybe after I left yesterday, Emily told him something to make him misunderstand. You know how jealous she is of what I have. When I met Mr. Green today, I asked him why he went back on his promise to save Hayden. He said he agreed to save him, but never said he would bring him back alive."
"What are we going to do now..."
Cleo nearly fainted from the shock.
"Mom!"
"Honey!"
Eli and Aiden were alarmed. The household was already in chaos, and they couldn't afford for Cleo to fall ill too.
Thankfully, Cleo, driven by her concern for Hayden, quickly regained consciousness.
Bianca, feeling like a criminal, stood silently by the bedside with her head down.
Cleo, upon waking, anxiously cried to Eli and Aiden, "What are we going to do? Bianca promised she could save Hayden, but now we've wasted two days. Today is the last day. How can we save him in time?"
Though she didn't explicitly blame Bianca, her words and the resentful glances she cast at her made it clear she held Bianca responsible.
Bianca felt both aggrieved and furious. She had done her best, but now she was being blamed for failing. They were indeed a selfish bunch.
"Eli, Aiden, hurry, gather a hundred million dollars. Any later, and it will be too late."
Cleo urgently grabbed Eli's arm.
But her suggestion was met with unanimous opposition from the three.
"No way!"
"Why not? Are you going to abandon Hayden? He's your son, your brother!"
Cleo's face was tear-streaked, filled with disappointment.
Bianca, tears of frustration in her eyes, looked at Cleo. "Mom, I know you're worried, but we're all worried too! Giving them a hundred million dollars might be a waste. I've asked around. Even if we pay, there's no guarantee they'll release Hayden. They might kill him anyway."
This wasn't just an excuse. Besides the Johnson family's inherent reluctance to part with such a sum, Eli and Aiden had also heard of such cases.
Cleo, sobbing, pounded the bed with her fists. "If this won't work and that won't work, is Hayden doomed? If you won't save him, I will! I'll hire mercenaries if I have to. I won't let Hayden die!"
Eli frowned, growing more irritated.
"Enough!"
He silenced Cleo's cries with a stern voice. "It's not come to that yet. We're still figuring out a solution."
Cleo, with tears in her eyes, looked at Eli with a mix of hope and desperation.
Eli turned to Bianca.
Bianca felt a sense of foreboding.
"Bianca, we can't come up with a hundred million dollars. If we want to save Hayden, we have to rely on you. If Mr. Green can't help, we'll have to turn to the Smith family. Use the baby you're carrying. When Hayden returns, he'll remember your sacrifice and ensure your and the baby's future. What do you think?"
It seemed like he was asking for her opinion, but if she refused, she knew she wouldn't be let off easily. Eli would likely call her ungrateful.
But Bianca wasn't ready to reveal that she had lost the baby, possibly due to the Smith family's interference. If she did, she might lose all her value.
"Dad, using the baby as leverage is a one-time thing. The Smith family is already out of our league. If I threaten them with the baby, it might backfire."
Bianca wasn't willing to jeopardize her future for Hayden, whom she saw as a fool. Besides, with the baby gone and James out of the country, her chances with the Smith family were slim.
"Then what do you suggest? Is Hayden's life not worth more than that? Or was your previous kindness to Hayden just for your own gain?"
Cleo shouted, her voice trembling with emotion.
Bianca ignored Cleo and turned to Eli. "Emily said she could help. Why not ask her?"
"The Johnson family could lose control of the Johnson Group if we give her twenty percent of the shares!"
Eli hesitated.
Cleo, desperate to speak, was interrupted by Aiden, who sensed that Bianca might have a plan.
"Do you have a solution?"
Bianca thought for a moment. "We don't have to give Emily the shares. We can use the Smith Group to threaten her. She's only confident because of Mr. Smith. If we threaten to expose her as heartless, she'll have to save Hayden to protect her reputation."
She underestimated Emily, but Eli and Aiden seemed to consider her suggestion.
Bianca continued to persuade them. "If direct threats don't work, we can create a public outcry. If the situation blows up, Emily will have to negotiate to save her reputation. Even if she's heartless, public pressure might force them to release Hayden."
She had anticipated all their concerns and offered solutions.