Chapter 221: As Expected, They Won't Easily Give Up the Shares
"Sorry about that. I had to act fast. I was worried James would find you in the car and keep bugging us, maybe even figure out what's going on with you."
James was still a mystery—friend or enemy?
Daniel had already gotten into trouble because of her. She didn't want him to face more issues because of her.
Emily quickly pulled her hand back like she'd been shocked.
Just moments ago, she'd put her hands in front of Daniel's face. He seemed to have misunderstood and leaned his face into her palms.
To avoid James seeing his face, Emily hadn't pulled her hands away right away.
Now, her palms felt like they were on fire.
Daniel leaned back weakly in his seat. "You did it for me. How could I be mad at you?"
Emily could hear the discomfort in his voice. She quickly grabbed his wrist to check his pulse.
As the seconds ticked by, her expression grew more serious, and she got more worried.
"York, step on it. Also, are you sure the plane's ready and waiting at the airport?"
They'd already arranged a flight to get back home ASAP.
York had volunteered to handle all the arrangements.
"It's all set. We can take off as soon as we get there."
"Good. Get us to the airport as fast as you can!"
Emily got ready to give Daniel another acupuncture treatment to stabilize him, leaving York to handle the driving.
Thankfully, everything went smoothly.
Daniel's condition improved a bit with the acupuncture.
As soon as they got to the airport, they boarded their private jet to head home.
Meanwhile, the Johnson family was anxiously waiting.
Cleo was particularly distressed. "Emily is so greedy. Will she really save Hayden? How could you all sign the contract without telling me? What if she takes the shares and doesn't save Hayden? The kidnappers said three days, and that time's up. Why haven't they called to pressure us? What if they've already killed him? My Hayden..."
Cleo seemed to forget that she had been the one insisting they couldn't ignore Emily and had approved the share transfer.
Now, she was putting all the blame on everyone else.
Bianca quickly tried to comfort her. "Mom, don't worry. The contract is signed, but if Hayden isn't safely rescued, she won't get the shares."
Cleo paused her crying, her eyes red as she looked at Bianca. "Really? But does she have the ability to save him? You tried to find help and failed. How could she succeed?"
Bianca's expression faltered for a moment.
How was she supposed to respond? If she said Emily was incapable, Cleo would cry endlessly. But if she said Emily would save Hayden, it would be admitting her own failure.
"Alright, we know you're worried about Hayden, but crying won't help. Everyone is just as anxious as you are. The kidnappers not calling might be a good thing. It could mean Emily used Mr. Smith's connections to negotiate. I believe Hayden will be okay. For now, we just have to wait."
"Mom, you haven't rested in days. You should lie down. If Hayden comes back and you're exhausted, it won't help anyone. Bianca's right. Emily's being watched closely. As soon as there's news about Hayden, I'll let you know immediately."
Aiden's words managed to calm Cleo, who trusted him the most. She finally agreed to go upstairs and rest.
Even after Cleo left, the tension in the room remained.
Bianca couldn't help but ask, "Dad, if Emily really saves Hayden, do we have to give her the shares? That would mean the Johnson Group might not be controlled by our family anymore. Emily doesn't like us. What if other shareholders convince her to sell her shares?"
She sounded genuinely worried about the Johnson family.
Eli's face hardened. "She wants the shares? Dream on! The contract says Hayden must be safely rescued. If he's injured, that's not safe. And she craves family. If I have your mother sweet-talk her, she might not even take the twenty percent."
He was still deluding himself.
In the past, Bianca might have agreed with Eli, but not this time.
However, she kept her thoughts to herself. Eli would never accept that Emily was beyond his control. He was too arrogant.
Aiden felt a vague sense of unease, but he couldn't pinpoint why.
Something flickered in his mind, but it was gone before he could grasp it.
Bianca decided to change the subject, sensing the oppressive atmosphere. "Dad, Aiden, my design made it to the next round. Soon, I'll restore my reputation. I'll also promote the Johnson Group, boosting the company's profile."
This was one of the few pieces of good news recently.
Aiden and Eli's faces lit up.
"That's great, Bianca. This is crucial. Make the most of it," Eli said, looking at her with rare pride.
Aiden patted Bianca's shoulder. "Bianca, I believe in you. By the way, do you know any top-notch computer programmers?"
Bianca, pleased with the praise, was caught off guard by Aiden's question.
Hadn't she already introduced Ronnie? Why was he asking?
She smiled awkwardly. "Aiden, what's wrong? Is Ronnie not good enough? Or did Emily's attack demoralize him? Maybe he just needs some time. I'll talk to him, cheer him up."
Aiden wasn't sure how to respond.
"Maybe. But our project is urgent. There's a new company, Horizon Innovations Group, working in the same field. We need to beat them to market. If you have time, try to get Ronnie back on track. If he succeeds, his past troubles will just be stepping stones to fame."
Aiden's tone was more urgent.
"Okay, Aiden. I'll talk to Ronnie and encourage him."
Chase, who had been isolating himself in his room, appeared downstairs. He looked gaunt, with dark circles under his eyes, like a ghost.
"Chase, what are you smiling about? And can you make some noise when you appear? You nearly scared Aiden and me to death!"
Bianca was fed up with Chase, especially his constant sarcasm, so she spoke harshly.
Aiden frowned, thinking Bianca's words were a bit much.
He understood why Chase had become like this.