Chapter 142
Hotel room.
Michael sat at the desk and glanced at Nora, who was hiding in the hallway, too scared to come over.
"Take your medicine." Michael pushed the cup of prepared medicine forward.
Nora nervously hid behind the partition. Only when she heard Michael speak did she walk over with her head down.
"Do you want to rest at the hotel, or go out for a walk?" The ocean view in Shadow City was nice. Michael remembered Nora had mentioned it before.
Nora held the cup, her eyes lighting up.
She wasn't good at expressing herself, but her eyes never lied.
Whether she liked something or not, you could always tell from her eyes.
That's why when Michael first met Nora at the Smith family, he thought her eyes showed stupidity.
"Has your fever gone down?" Michael stood up and touched Nora's forehead.
Nora's body stiffened, but she didn't pull away.
"Still a bit warm. After you take the medicine, rest a while, then we'll go see the coastal night view." Michael leaned against the desk, watching Nora take her medicine.
Nora was a bit nervous and swallowed all the medicine in one gulp.
"Here." Michael reached for the bottled water on the desk, opened the cap for her, and handed it over.
Nora's eyes reddened from the bitter taste. She reached out to take the water and was about to drink.
"Wait." Michael frowned and took the water bottle back.
Michael was a germaphobe, so he was very particular about all hotel amenities.
When he twisted the cap just now, he clearly didn't use much force, which meant this bottle of water had been opened before.
After scrutinizing the bottle, Michael sniffed the water, his expression darkening, "There's something wrong with this water."
Nora looked at Michael in shock, "Something wrong with the water? Is it dirty?"
Nora just assumed Michael's germaphobia was too severe, "I'll get a new bottle."
"Smell it." Michael held the bottle to Nora's nose.
Nora sniffed and was stunned, "There really is something wrong. It has a sour smell."
Normal bottled water wouldn't have a sour, astringent smell even if it were expired.
This meant what was inside wasn't water.
Michael frowned, made a shushing gesture to Nora, grabbed two packets of sugar from beside the coffee machine, and took her to the bathroom.
Nora looked curious.
She watched Michael with interest, not knowing what he was going to do.
Michael tore open the sugar packets, put them in an ashtray, then poured in the bottled water.
Soon, the sugar oxidized and turned black, with gas being produced.
"Slightly diluted sulfuric acid." Michael held the bottle, his voice low.
Nora gasped and covered her mouth, "Sulfuric acid?"
What would happen if someone drank this?
At best, a damaged esophagus and vocal cords; at worst, life-threatening?
Michael's expression was dark. He tightened the cap, walked out of the bathroom, and called David.
Before long, David came to the room and installed simple cameras in both the bathroom and outside.
"Make it look real." David glanced at Nora.
Nora nodded blankly, knowing Michael wanted to catch the culprit.
The bottle contained sulfuric acid. The staff who had entered and exited this room were limited, but definitely more than one person. It wouldn't be right to wrongly accuse anyone.
Once something happened to Nora, everyone would be in a panic and definitely wouldn't think to take the water bottle as evidence.
The culprit would definitely return to the scene to destroy the evidence.
As long as this water was flushed down the toilet, there would be no proof.
"Don't be afraid," Michael said reassuringly.
Nora's face was pale. She wasn't sure if the person behind this was targeting her or Michael.
"This room is registered under Nora's name. Is this targeting Nora?" David asked quietly.
Michael nodded.
If he hadn't opened the bottle for Nora today, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
His fingertips felt a bit cold. Michael felt fear for the first time.
"Someone come!"
"Something happened! Ambulance, call an ambulance!"
Outside the door, David shouted in panic, his hands covered in blood.
Nora's face and mouth also had 'blood' on them. She pretended to faint and was carried out of the room by Michael, who rushed into the elevator in panic.
"Mr. Smith, what happened?" A staff member asked in alarm.
Michael's expression was dark, and he didn't say anything.
Seeing David and the others leave, a cleaning person hiding in the hallway sneaked out, entered the room with the open door, and searched everywhere for the opened water bottle.
Then quickly poured it into the toilet.
"You can guard against outsiders day and night, but it's hard to guard against traitors within." Outside the door, David walked in with the hotel manager, his voice low and sarcastic.
The cleaner's face turned pale with fright and nearly fell to the ground.
"Manager?"
"Speak! Who told you to do this! You're so bold, trying to harm Mr. Smith!" The manager was furious, his voice trembling.
This was a criminal offense.
"Manager, I didn't, I didn't do anything. I just saw the door was open and came in to clean." The cleaner was still making excuses.
"Really?" David sneered, pointing to the cameras prepared in advance and the switched sulfuric acid, "Caught red-handed. You can make your excuses to the police."
Underground parking garage.
Nora got in the car, still a bit dazed.
"Are you scared?" Michael pulled Nora to his side, "Move back any further and you'll fall out."
Nora looked up at Michael with lingering fear, psychologically scarred.
From now on, she would have to 'taste test' anything Michael ate first.
"We're going back to Emerald City. Let David stay and handle the aftermath." Michael's expression was grim. He couldn't let Nora stay and risk danger anymore.
She had just offended Luna today, and immediately someone tried to harm her. This was Luna giving Nora a warning.
Michael snorted coldly and flexed his fingers.
Luna had been living too comfortably at the Smith family all these years.
Nora nodded stiffly.
Originally, she had been looking forward to watching the seaside night view with Michael.
Looking down at the car window, Nora watched the passing vehicles longingly.
Sometimes she wondered if everyone in this world except her was free.
And she was like someone forever imprisoned in a cage.
"Take the outer ring road, go to the seaside," Michael instructed.
The driver nodded and drove to the outer ring road.
"Nori, after you get out of prison, what are your plans?"
During those years in prison, the only person Nora could talk to was Savannah.
"I want to be with Samuel." Nora's voice was hoarse.
She just wanted to be with Samuel as he grew up.
"Have you ever thought about finding someone to marry? It'll be hard for you as a woman raising a child alone."
"Would getting married make it less hard? No one would love a woman like me."
Nora was very clear that someone like her, covered in stains and criticized by everyone, no one would love her again.
Marriage, a future.
She had long stopped hoping for these things.
The car had stopped by the roadside at some point. Michael got out and opened the door on Nora's side.
Nora had been leaning against the car door in a daze. When Michael suddenly opened it, she lost her balance and tumbled out headfirst.
Michael instinctively stepped forward, and Nora crashed into his leg.
Michael had perfect body proportions with very long legs, so where Nora fell was quite awkward.
Clearing his throat, Michael looked away, "The tide is in. Let me take you for a walk by the sea."
Nora straightened up and followed behind Michael, walking with the same hand and foot, extremely flustered.
Looking up at Michael, Nora noticed his ears had turned red, very thoroughly red.