Chapter 75 Suspicion
Windy's eyes instantly turned red, and tears streamed down her face. "Cousin? I don't have a cousin like that. When I was a kid, I did save a little girl who was being bullied, but I had no idea what her name was or whose family she belonged to."
Luca stared at her reddened eyes, his tone unwavering. "She told me that after you saved her back then, you gave her a handmade blue rope bracelet and said you'd always be like a big sister to her."
Windy's tears paused for a moment, as if something clicked in her mind. She wiped her eyes and said, "Blue rope bracelet... I remember now!"
Her face lit up with realization, though her tone carried some uncertainty. "I think there was a little girl like that. She was cornered in an alley by some boys who were stealing her snacks. I happened to pass by and helped her out. My mom taught me how to braid those blue ropes, and seeing her cry so hard, I made one for her to cheer her up. I never thought she'd remember it after all these years."
She let out a soft sigh, her voice tinged with nostalgia and helplessness. "But then I moved away, and I never saw her again. I didn't even know her name was Mia."
Luca looked at her, not detecting any signs of deceit, though his brows furrowed slightly. "She tricked Olivia into going to Warehouse No. 3 in the suburbs, set off white phosphorus, and nearly burned her alive."
"What?!" Windy's eyes widened in shock, the grievance on her face instantly replaced by disbelief. Her body even trembled a little. "How could this happen? Why would she do something like that?"
"She said it was for you," Luca's voice grew colder. "She claimed Olivia took your place, whether it's being Mrs. Luca or the opportunities at the company. She thought it should all be yours."
Windy's tears welled up again, this time mixed with panic and dread. "For me? That's impossible... I never said anything like that to her, and I never wanted to take anything from Olivia!"
She grabbed Luca's arm, her fingertips trembling. "Luca, you have to believe me. I had no idea she'd do something like this. If I'd known she had such extreme thoughts, I would've stopped her long ago! How's Olivia now? Is she okay? Are her burns serious?"
Her flurry of questions sounded genuinely worried.
Luca looked at her anxious eyes, and the doubts in his heart eased a bit, though not completely. "She's out of danger for now, but she inhaled a lot of toxic gas. Her arm is burned too, and she's still under observation."
Windy's tears fell even harder. She bit her lip, looking guilty and helpless. "It's all my fault... If I hadn't saved her back then, or if I'd kept in touch with her and guided her properly, maybe this wouldn't have happened."
She suddenly looked up at Luca, her teary eyes filled with hurt. "Do you... do you suspect me? Do you think I'm involved in this, that I told her to do it? I know there's always been a misunderstanding between you and Olivia because of me, but I'm not that cruel. How could I just stand by and watch someone hurt her?"
Her voice grew more aggrieved, her shoulders shaking slightly. "I just saw her as that poor little girl from back then. I never imagined she'd turn out like this. Luca, you have to believe me."
Windy cried pitifully, looking both heartbroken and full of regret.
Seeing her like this, Luca's suspicions started to fade. Windy had always been kind. If she really knew Mia, she wouldn't let her do something like this.
"It's not your fault. She's the one with bad intentions," Luca said, handing her a tissue. "Rest well, and don't overthink it."
Windy took the tissue, nodded, and looked at him with complete trust in her eyes. "Luca, I'm so glad you're here."
Just then, his phone rang. It was his grandfather, Linus.
As soon as he answered, Linus's angry voice came through. "Luca! What on earth are you doing?! Why did the multinational group suddenly cancel our partnership? Do you know how important this deal was to the company?"
Luca's heart sank. He'd forgotten about this. To be there for Windy's surgery, he'd stood up Henry Brooks, and the man must be upset.
"Grandpa, it's my fault. I'll handle it," Luca said quietly.
"Hmph, great, now the deal's off. Do you know how much the company has lost? You owe me an explanation!"
Luca could only keep apologizing. "Grandpa, please don't get upset. Take care of your health. I'll contact Henry right now and make sure to get the deal back on track."
After hanging up, Luca immediately dialed Henry's number.
It took a long time for Henry to pick up, and his tone was clearly annoyed. "Mr. Vettel, what's the matter?"
"Mr. Brooks, I'm really sorry. I had an emergency last time and couldn't make it to the meeting on time. I apologize," Luca said, lowering his stance.
"An emergency?" Henry scoffed. "No matter the emergency, you broke your word. This kind of disrespect toward a business partner makes it hard for me to trust that our future cooperation will go smoothly."
Luca knew Henry was angry and patiently explained, "Mr. Brooks, I know I messed up this time. I'm willing to make it up to you. We can adjust the terms we discussed earlier and offer better conditions."
"Adjust the terms?" Mr. Henry paused. "Mr. Vettel, do you think I care about a little money? What I value most in a partnership is sincerity. Still, your company's strength in the domestic market is impressive, and I don't want to give up on this deal so easily."
He thought for a moment. "Let's meet again in three days. If you miss this meeting, even if you offer a better deal, I won't consider working with you again."
Luca quickly agreed. "No problem, Mr. Brooks. I'll be there on time."
After hanging up, Luca let out a sigh of relief. At least there was a chance to fix things. If he could seal this deal, he'd have something to show his grandfather and the company.
Windy overheard the call. Clutching her chest, she asked with a pained expression, "Luca, did the partnership with the multinational group fall through because of me?"
Luca shook his head. "It's not about you. It's my own issue."
"How can it not be about me?" Windy's tears fell again. "If I hadn't been in a car accident and needed surgery, you wouldn't have missed the meeting with Henry, the company wouldn't have suffered this loss, and you wouldn't be in such a tough spot. It's all my fault."
She grabbed Luca's hand, her voice full of guilt. "Luca, I'm so sorry. This is all because of me."
Luca pulled his hand back, feeling a bit irritated. But seeing her hurt expression, he didn't lash out.
"I said it's not your fault. Just focus on recovering," he said, standing up. "I have things to take care of. I'm heading out. If you need anything, have the nurse call me."
Windy watched Luca leave, a faint, calculating glint flashing in her eyes.
After leaving the room, Luca didn't go straight back to the company. Instead, he went to Olivia's ward.
He didn't go inside. He just sat outside for a long time.