Chapter 267 Infidelity, Transferring Property
"Did they find out who did it?"
At the bathroom door, William leaned casually against the doorframe with his arms crossed, watching Thalia expertly wrap plastic wrap around her injured arm. Clearly, she'd done this before.
"That's Aaron's business," Thalia said, glancing at William. Before she could continue, William walked over and tore off the plastic wrap on her arm.
"Good call."
William had his moments.
"What if Aaron tries to protect the real culprit?"
Thalia squeezed out some makeup remover: "Unless he's an idiot! If he can't tell what's more important, what's he doing in the entertainment industry?"
"But..." Something occurred to Thalia, and she turned to look at William: "I heard some gossip on set recently. Someone said they saw a middle-aged man with bodyguards coming out of Nora's room the other night, and the bodyguards were pulling four or five thirty-inch suitcases. Kurt's people?"
"Which night was this?" William never showed his emotions. Even now, though he had a vague idea, he didn't let it show, asking in a tone so neutral that Thalia couldn't read his mood.
"The day before yesterday?"
William nodded: "I'll have someone look into it. Need help with your shower?"
William glanced toward the shower. Thalia thought about it and decided William wasn't that careful—if she let him help, she'd probably end up scalded or frozen: "Never mind, have Fallon come up! I wouldn't dare trouble you with such a small thing."
"Mrs. Brown, even your brush-offs are so formal. You really have no feelings for me at all."
"As long as my love for you isn't formal, Mr. Brown shouldn't ask for so much!"
William didn't bother arguing with Thalia. He pressed the intercom to call Fallon up, then turned and went to the study.
He contacted Finn to pull up the hotel surveillance footage of Nora.
William never lacked talented people around him—rising stars. He was generous, and plenty of skilled people stayed to work for him.
About five minutes later, the surveillance footage reached him. When William saw the person in the video, his brow furrowed. When Finn saw who it was, he was somewhat shocked: "Is that... Miguel?"
"Yes."
"Why would they go looking for Nora? Don't tell me he's like Kurt, actually thinking you have something going on with Nora, and wants to meet you through her?"
Is Miguel stupid?
If he wants to meet William through a woman, he should at least find the right person. Nora? What's he trying to do?
Doesn't Miguel use his brain?
What ability does Nora have to contact William?
William watched Miguel in the video, his deep eyes narrowing slightly. He stared at the screen for a long time, then reached to open the study drawer to grab a cigarette, but his phone on the desk rang.
Vaughn was calling.
Before William answered, Finn pulled out his phone and opened the Maple Grove Villas surveillance. Vaughn's car was stopped at the entrance, negotiating with the guard for entry.
"Let him up."
William went downstairs. Vaughn was just coming in from outside.
He was carrying a basket of peaches: "Harper picked these in the yard and specifically asked me to bring them to you."
Finn tactfully took the peaches Vaughn brought.
"Why'd you change cars?"
"A colleague took my old one out and had a little accident. It's being repaired."
Maple Grove Villas had many rules. Normally Vaughn could come and go freely, but because he'd changed cars and the system had no record, he was stopped.
A servant brought coffee, and William led Vaughn into the sitting room.
As soon as they sat down, a strange silence fell over the room.
After a while, Vaughn carefully began: "The Jimenez family sent someone to see me. They're hoping you'll make a trip to the capital."
William had guessed this was coming and wasn't surprised. His slender fingers turned the coffee cup, his tone neutral and emotionless: "What would I go there for?"
"Apparently Steven is seriously ill. He wants to see you."
Steven is seriously ill and wants to see him? Steven didn't want to see him when he was healthy, but now that he's dying he does? His biological mother hasn't shown her face in nearly thirty years, so why are they making a fuss now?
William laughed coldly: "He wants to see me, so I should see him?"
"When a man is dying, his words are kind. He is your grandfather, after all." Vaughn had always been compassionate, and it was lucky he was—otherwise he couldn't have raised William alone. With William's birth mother being the type who only gave birth but didn't raise her child, William would have died a hundred times over.
"I have no mother, no grandfather, and no other relatives. Dad, I'm thirty years old. Shouldn't I be able to make these decisions myself?"
Vaughn knew William's temperament. Having said this much, he didn't press further.
Vaughn just sighed quietly: "You make your own decision."
...........
"Who was here?"
Thalia came out in her bathrobe just in time to see William seeing Vaughn off.
William walked over and took the towel from her hand, drying her hair: "Vaughn."
"What did he come for? Why didn't you call me?"
William led Thalia to the sofa and gestured for her to sit: "Call you down so he could see the injury on your hand?"
Thalia: ........
"You're not young anymore. Give them less to worry about."
Thalia thought about it and said nothing, leaning back on the sofa and letting William dry her hair.
"Are you hiding something from me?"
Thalia felt like William was being secretive, as if he was concealing something, but she couldn't quite figure out what. A woman's sixth sense sometimes came out of nowhere like this.
"What am I hiding from you?" William asked back.
"If you can sense it, it's definitely not something important. You can rest assured about that."
Thalia grabbed William's wrist, turned and looked up at the person standing behind her: "So what does Mr. Brown think is most important to me?"
"Cheating, transferring assets."
"Good that you know!"
William bent down slightly, grabbed Thalia's chin, moved close to her, and said word by word: "Don't worry, I'm not your father, and I'm not Chase."
Thalia wasn't backing down either, and hooked her arm around his neck: "Men are all fickle."
William pulled her arm away, smiling deeply: "If you want to accuse someone, you can always find an excuse."
........
Emerald City never lacked places for entertainment. The street along the river, lined with bars and various recreational spots, had always been a paradise for the wealthy.
Evelyn left the office and took the company's designers to a random bar for drinks.
She'd barely sat down when someone took the seat next to her.
"Mr. Ward? What brings you here?"
"I need a favor from you, so here I am."
Evelyn knew exactly what this was about. Rainey was here because of Thalia. Simply put, he was afraid of offending William. He absolutely had to apologize to Thalia in person, and it had to be sincere.