Chapter 155: Someone Wants to Harm Him

Oliver didn't stay for dinner. Instead, he suddenly stood up.

"I just remembered—I've got something I need to take care of. Ms. Garcia, I should get going."

After a hurried goodbye, Oliver left, his figure swaying unsteadily. He looked far from safe to drive.

Flora stood with them by the window, watching Oliver drive away.

Her expression was grave, her tone absolutely certain.

"Mr. Saunders has definitely taken something. He looks exactly like the addicts I've seen before."

Unfocused eyes, listless demeanor—he even needed a fix while visiting someone's home.

How bad was his addiction?

Tessa's gaze grew heavy.

They kept watching until they were sure Oliver wouldn't return, then moved into the bathroom with unspoken agreement.

They searched thoroughly. The trash can was spotless, with no signs of anything hidden elsewhere. Apart from the air freshener, there were no lingering odors.

"I changed the trash this morning," Flora said. "There's only one disposable mouthwash cup in there now. Mr. Saunders must have had some water in the bathroom earlier."

What exactly had he done that required water afterward?

Tessa and Ryan immediately thought of the white pills Chloe had mentioned.

Those pills were likely manufactured at the Harmony City industrial park.

Their effects spoke for themselves—they'd hooked Oliver so thoroughly that it perfectly matched the police officer's explanation.

This meant Oliver's dosage was extremely high, to the point where he could no longer control himself.

They sat together, each face showing profound confusion.

Flora said, "Mr. Saunders looks so respectable, and he's a high-level executive at the Arkbridge Group. Why would he touch something like that?"

Tessa replied, "I'd like to know why Oliver would use illegal drugs too. The key issue is—Oliver's the one producing them."

There was no reason he'd knowingly take something addictive.

Was he deliberately trying to destroy himself?

Ryan said, "I've already had people tail Oliver. They'll notify us immediately if anything happens."

Tessa sighed softly and leaned back against Ryan.

Hopefully they could follow this lead to the final truth.

They'd barely been talking when Flora went into the kitchen to clean up, and Ryan's phone rang.

It was the person he'd sent to tail Oliver.

Outside, the cold wind howled, the sound rushing through the phone's receiver.

"Mr. Williams, Oliver's car crashed into a roadside guardrail. He's unconscious. I called an ambulance, and they're taking him to the hospital."

"But his condition is strange—he was weaving all over the road. You and Ms. Garcia should probably come see for yourselves."

Tessa also heard the voice on the phone. She turned, looking at Ryan with surprise.

That was fast.

She'd expected it would be a while longer before Oliver's drug use was exposed.

How much had he taken today to cause this?

No time to think about that. Tessa and Ryan bundled up and headed out.

At the hospital.

Oliver had passed out. After he was brought in, the doctor did a quick assessment.

"Fortunately, he wasn't going too fast when the collision occurred, and the barrier stopped him from a head-on collision with oncoming traffic. So he only has a mild concussion. His bones and brain don't seem too damaged."

The doctor gave them a brief update before turning to check on other patients.

The ER was chaotic. Oliver lay on a hospital bed with gauze wrapped around his head, looking utterly disheveled.

"Lucky bastard. Hurt someone else but came out of it without a scratch."

Oliver had been swerving all over the road, forcing a car in the opposite lane to crash into the guardrail while trying to avoid him. That victim had also been brought to the hospital.

The other car had been going faster with greater impact—the injured party had at least a fracture.

The bridge was right over a rushing, icy river. Oliver's car had been hanging off the bridge, yet he'd escaped unscathed.

"The other party absolutely refuses to settle. They've already called the police and strongly suspect Oliver of drunk driving. When he wakes up, he'll have to cooperate with the police investigation," said Ryan's man, who had witnessed everything.

Tessa didn't know whether to call Oliver lucky or unlucky.

He'd landed himself in serious trouble.

No telling how long Oliver would be unconscious. Tessa and Ryan notified Chloe and Eleanor.

They waited a long time before Eleanor rushed into the hospital, anxious.

"Oliver! How did this happen to you? If something happens to you, how will I face your father?"

Eleanor's wailing made Tessa feel as if Oliver were already dead.

Chloe, car keys dangling from her hand, twirled them around her finger. "He's not dead?"

The contrast between their attitudes made Tessa burst out laughing.

"How badly are you hoping something happened to him?"

"Badly enough that I pray for his early demise daily."

Eleanor didn't even have the energy to argue with Chloe, her entire focus on her injured son.

She turned, looking at Tessa and Ryan with tear-filled eyes.

"You have to help Oliver. This absolutely wasn't an accident—someone's trying to harm him!"

Tessa suddenly felt Eleanor must be seriously mistaken about her son.

Oliver was lucky if he wasn't harming others—what right did she have to think someone was out to get him?

"Ms. Mitchell, we're not traffic police. We don't have the authority to judge this case. Whether Oliver did anything wrong will have to wait until after the traffic police investigate. Try not to worry just yet."

Tessa spoke to Eleanor as calmly as possible.

Only because Eleanor might also have been deceived did she refrain from saying anything more cutting or sarcastic.

But Eleanor shook her head forcefully. "I'm not talking about that... Oliver really is innocent. He's only ended up like this because someone set him up!"

Oliver was lying perfectly fine in bed—there was no way that connected to being "set up."

Tessa had a pretty good idea what Eleanor was about to say.

But just as Eleanor was about to grab Tessa, Ryan suddenly reached out and pulled Tessa slightly back, making her dodge Eleanor's grasp.

"Adults make all their decisions after careful consideration. Whether Oliver was set up or not, he knows perfectly well himself. If you really want to know, you can wait until he wakes up to ask him."

Chloe quietly gave Ryan a thumbs-up.

Just as expected. Only a firm hand could handle those who refused to listen to reason.

Tessa was too gentle—Eleanor and Oliver might actually manage to rope her in.