Chapter 339 Will You Let Me Come Back Tonight?
"Isn't he struggling right now?" If Michael weren't struggling, he wouldn't be thinking about getting rid of Stefan.
Eileen had come all the way to Emerald City. If she found out Michael was behind this, getting rid of Michael would be inevitable. The Jimenez family was at a critical moment right now - if news of internal conflict got out, what would happen?
Wouldn't they become the laughingstock of Regal City?
All these years of effort would be wasted.
Michael probably didn't expect Thalia to stumble upon today's events.
He'd already found a scapegoat and sent them to William, but unfortunately...
"Eight minutes." Evelyn checked the time to remind Thalia.
"He'll come." Thalia was relaxed, not anxious at all.
Evelyn checked the time again - nine minutes, still no one.
At the last minute, as the owner was bringing the food, a figure appeared behind Thalia.
"Boss, bring another set of utensils."
"Mr. Jimenez, since you're already here, why not sit down and eat?"
"Alright." Michael sat across from Thalia.
"It's been a week, Mr. Jimenez. Your injury still hasn't healed?"
"Almost there."
Thalia raised an eyebrow. Either it's healed, or it's not - what does "almost there" mean?
Michael knew Thalia was confused. Without hesitation, he lifted his shirt to show her. His back was red and swollen, with several broken blisters faintly visible, looking like it might get infected.
Thalia frowned. "Mr. Jimenez, are you sure you went to the hospital?"
"I did."
"Where's the proof?"
"I didn't bring the hospital certificate with me today. Ms. Smith, if you don't mind the trouble, another day?"
"Or do you think I'd cheat you out of that fifty thousand dollars?"
"Mr. Jimenez, what you're trying to cheat is worth far more than fifty thousand dollars!"
"Ms. Smith, is there some misunderstanding between us?"
Michael didn't want to be at odds with Thalia, but somehow they'd ended up this way.
And in this situation, using this method.
Misunderstanding?
Thalia laughed. Michael had approached her with a purpose from the very beginning, and now he's talking about misunderstandings?
"Mr. Jimenez, are you saying you didn't approach me with a purpose?"
"Let me guess," Thalia pointed her finger at her chin, tilted her head, and smiled at Michael.
That smile made Michael catch his breath. The title of Emerald City's number one beauty wasn't for nothing - Thalia's every expression had the power to captivate.
No wonder Gregory wouldn't reveal anything and seemed to protect her.
"You came for William, right?"
"Mr. Jimenez, from the first time you appeared before me, to later using Gregory, and the burn last time - it was all a deliberate scheme. And this whole scheme was about using me to get close to William."
Thalia smiled. "I'm curious - what made you think I have a relationship with William?"
"Even if there is a relationship, why would I bring an unrelated person to sell favors?"
Thalia was someone who could bend or stand firm. With people beneath her, she was always direct and never wasted time.
And this was exactly what Michael hadn't expected.
Before the deal even started, Thalia had blocked him. Her long speech basically told him directly that he wasn't worthy.
"Ms. Smith, since you've put it that way, I hope you can keep today's matter confidential."
Thalia lazily glanced at him. "What matter?"
Michael's turbulent eyes met Thalia's lazy gaze, thinking to himself that smart people understand - when things have been said this clearly, there's no need to continue.
"Then thank you."
"I won't disturb your meal."
Michael felt relieved, so naturally, there was no need to stay.
Thalia saw him getting up to leave. "Wait."
She pulled out her wallet from her bag and slapped all the dollars inside onto the table. "To avoid you having another lame excuse to meet me next time, let's end this today."
Thalia's meaning was clear: take the money and get lost.
Don't come looking for her with or without reason.
Michael looked down at Thalia from his standing position. Physically, he had the advantage, but in terms of presence, Thalia sitting there seemed like a savior who could crush him at any moment.
Michael didn't say much, just bent down to take the money from the table. "To put your mind at ease, I'll take this money."
...
"You're not going to tell William about today? Don't be stupid. You need to know what's important. We don't even know who this Michael is - at a time like this, William is obviously more reliable."
"Do I look that stupid?"
Before Evelyn could answer, Thalia added another line. "Who does he think he is? Just a discarded pawn."
"He wants to sit across from me and make a deal as equals? He should check if he's worthy first."
If he were as good at hiding his intentions as Raymond, that would be one thing, but he's not. The biggest taboo in life is showing your ambition before you have the power to back it up - that's no different from seeking death.
Hearing this, Evelyn felt relieved.
Outside the shop, Michael stood by his car, looked at a beggar sitting on the street, walked over and tossed the money from his hand into the beggar's bowl, then left.
What he took wasn't money - it was dignity.
Thalia throwing money at him was essentially no different from him tossing money into a beggar's bowl.
...
The next morning, Thalia returned to Mistwood Hill.
As soon as she entered, she saw William coming downstairs in his pajamas.
She asked in surprise, "You're home?"
"Can't I be home?"
"Then why didn't you let me come back?"
"I got home at four-thirty."
Thalia was skeptical, looking at William with some doubt. "Really?"
"Yeah."
Thalia followed him into the dining room and sat across from him. "How are you planning to deal with Michael?"
"Not touching him yet."
"Why not?"
"Besides him, didn't you get rid of a major threat for the Jimenez family?"
"You know full well the Jimenezes are behind all this. Why won't you move against them? Won't leaving them be endless trouble?"
"Eat first." William clearly didn't want to say more. Thalia glared at him unhappily. "I'm not eating. I came back to get something - I need to go to the set for a costume fitting."
Thalia was halfway up the stairs when she remembered something and asked irritably, "Are you letting me come back tonight or not?"
"I'll pick you up. Send me the address."