Chapter 176: Concern or Accusation?
I looked at Zane and said, "Zane, you don't really think the Lockwood Group has reached the point where I need to grovel, do you?"
"Looks like Ms. Lockwood doesn't know what's good for her."
As Zane spoke, he moved his hand and slid the wine glass in front of him.
He picked up the glass and held it under his nose, sniffing. "Ms. Lockwood really isn't going to drink this?"
I stared at him and let out a cold laugh. "Zane, the only reason I came today and am sitting here with you is out of respect for Atlas. Otherwise, do you think someone with your status could get me to show up?"
"You!"
Zane gripped the glass tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hand, his eyes full of rage. "Helena, you dare look down on me? Who do you think you are!"
With that, Zane tilted his head back and downed the drink in one gulp, then stood up and strode toward me.
"Today I'll show you what a real man is!"
Seeing him charging at me like a madman, I reached behind me and grabbed a wine bottle. Just as he got close, I swung it at him.
A loud crash—the bottle shattered on his head.
Zane screamed, bending over and clutching his head as blood dripped through his fingers onto the floor.
"Murder! Murder!"
Thaddeus let out a scream, but before he could rush out, the door burst open.
Quincy rushed in first. Seeing the screaming Thaddeus, she threw him to the ground with a shoulder throw.
She called to the people behind her, "Call the police!"
"Helena, you bitch, how dare you hurt me! You're finished—you'll never marry into the Lancaster family now!"
Zane clutched his head with one hand, still yelling.
"Your mouth really stinks!"
Quincy grabbed a bottle and poured it over him.
The alcohol drenched him from head to toe, hitting his wound and making him scream in pain. As he reached for his phone with trembling hands, Quincy knocked it to the ground.
"My phone! You bitch, just you wait—I won't let you get away with this!"
Zane clutched his head, yelling angrily.
Quincy grabbed his waving finger and bent it back hard.
"I did it on purpose, so what? You forced Helena to drink and tried to assault her. I'm telling you, you're finished. I'm going to make sure you end up in jail!"
"You bitch, let go! Let go!"
Zane screamed in pain. Quincy, as if she hadn't heard, pushed him away hard.
Zane fell to the ground. Unluckily, he landed right on broken glass, and instantly another scream rang out.
Blood from his head wasn't enough—now his backside was bleeding too. The sight was too awful to look at. Even I felt the pain watching.
"Maybe we should stop. Let's call an ambulance. I'm afraid by the time the police arrive, he'll have bled to death."
Hearing my words, Quincy snorted disapprovingly. "Helena, you're too kind-hearted."
"If you ask me, scum like this deserves to die!"
"Miss, no, honored miss, please call an ambulance! I was wrong, really wrong!"
Zane had lost all his earlier arrogance and kept begging for mercy.
Seeing his pathetic state, I was really afraid he'd die here. No matter how deep the grudge, involving a death would be trouble.
With that thought, I took out my phone and made the call.
"Hurry, make them hurry!" Zane kept screaming.
Soon after, the police arrived.
Seeing the police, Zane clutched his head with one hand and his backside with the other, yelling, "Officer, Helena's gone crazy—she tried to kill me!"
Seeing this scene, the police asked, "What happened?"
Before I could speak, Quincy jumped in. "I called the police. Zane said he was inviting Helena to discuss business, but after she arrived, he forced her to drink. When Helena tried to leave, he blocked her."
"When I came in, he was grabbing Helena."
Quincy pointed at Zane's head. "I told him to let go, but he insulted me. To save Helena, I had no choice but to use the bottle to stop his assault."
The lies Quincy made up left me stunned.
Zane lying on the ground was so angry he shouted, "Lies! She's lying!"
"Don't listen to her nonsense—I didn't do anything!"
Zane was so angry he almost started cursing.
"Won't admit it? I have a recording."
I took out my phone and played the audio. Soon Zane's voice came through.
"Don't be so ungrateful!"
After hearing the recording, Zane's eyes became even more vicious.
"You bitch, you set me up!"
"What setup? This just reveals your true colors!"
I put away my phone and looked at the police. "Is this evidence enough to convict him?"
"Whether we can convict him requires investigation, but he looks seriously injured and needs to go to the hospital first."
Just as one officer finished speaking, we heard the ambulance siren.
Medical staff quickly came down, stopped Zane's bleeding, and carried him away.
After he left, only Thaddeus remained in the room.
Seeing me look his way, Thaddeus quickly said, "Ms. Lockwood, I came here sincerely to discuss business. I didn't offend you."
"Get lost!"
Working with him would really disgrace myself!
Seeing me tell him to get lost, Thaddeus was about to curse but, seeing the situation wasn't in his favor, shut his mouth and left.
After he left, Quincy huffed, "That Zane got off too easy. I should have beaten him more before the police came."
"Enough. If you hadn't arrived in time today, I don't know what would have happened."
Just as I finished speaking, my phone rang.
Looking at it, the call was from Atlas.
My heart tightened. Had word reached him so quickly? I just didn't know if he was calling out of concern or to take Zane's side against me.
I answered. Atlas's anxious voice came through.
"Helena, are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
Hearing my voice, Atlas finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good. Grandfather called me—I know about today."
I asked, "So are you calling out of concern or to blame me?"