Chapter 173
Chapter 173
Michael stared at him for a few seconds, then let out a cold laugh. "I don't have time to rehash old grievances with you. Just answer me one thing—are you going to give me money or not? All my accounts are frozen. I barely have enough cash to last a few more days."
"I don't have any money."
Aiden's voice was flat and dry. "My Creative Haven shares are frozen. My own bank accounts are under regulatory watch. You're asking the wrong person. Find someone else."
"Find someone else?"
Michael slammed his palm on the table, his voice rising despite himself. "Every connection I had has been cut off—thanks to you! Randy is my last usable contact on the inside, and he's about to be burned too. And you're telling me to find someone else? Why do you think I chose to work with you in the first place?"
Aiden shot to his feet. The chair legs scraped against the floor with a piercing shriek. "You chose me because you could funnel money through me. But that's over. Creative Haven is under investigation. I'm at the end of my road. You'd be better off figuring out how to run."
Their voices kept climbing.
Terence held his breath and slid his phone camera through the gap in the partition screen, snapping several photos.
He didn't dare get too close. The images were slightly blurred, but the facial contours and body language were clear enough to identify both men.
He pulled the phone back and pressed himself smaller against the wall. The gap between the partition and the wall was impossibly narrow—the slightest movement could give him away.
"Who's there?"
Michael's head snapped toward the partition, alert, already rising to investigate.
Terence felt cold sweat pour down his back, soaking through his shirt.
This was it.
If he was found, forget gathering evidence for Veda—he might not walk out of here alive.
He needed to think of something. Fast.
But right then, Aiden's phone rang.
The ringtone cut through the quiet second floor of the coffee shop like a blade.
All conversation in the room stopped dead.
Aiden answered. The voice on the other end was faint, but whatever it said locked him in place for two full seconds.
Then his expression changed.
"...What did you say? Suicide?"
His knuckles went white around the phone. He listened for a few more seconds, his voice dropping low. "How is she?... I'm on my way."
He hung up, grabbed his coat, and headed for the door.
As he passed Michael, he paused for one step. "We'll settle our accounts another day."
Then he pushed through the door and went downstairs without looking back.
Michael stood rooted in place, his expression unreadable beneath the brim of his cap. After a moment, he pulled the hat back down over his head, shoved both hands into his jacket pockets, and left through a different exit.
Both men seemed to have forgotten about the noise behind the screen.
Terence let out a long, shaky breath. He stayed hidden behind the partition for nearly five minutes before he dared to move.
He checked through the photos and a heavily distorted audio recording on his phone.
The faces were clear enough. The key points of the argument had been captured.
He pocketed the phone, took the fire escape stairs down two at a time, and flagged a cab on the street.
Once inside, he called Veda, keeping his voice barely above a whisper. "Got it. Michael and Aiden met face-to-face and had a major blowup. But Aiden got a call partway through—something about Bianca attempting suicide. Then he left."
Silence on Veda's end for a beat. "Bianca tried to kill herself?"
She hadn't expected to hear those words.
That woman loved her own life more than anything. Why would she attempt suicide?
Unless... something had happened that Veda didn't know about.
"That's what it sounded like from the call. Aiden left in a hurry. He looked shaken."
Terence said, "I'm heading back now. I'll have everything organized and sent to you tonight."
---
Veda hung up and immediately called Victoria.
Victoria answered in the living room, an art book open in her lap. She listened as Veda ran through the situation quickly, and her fingers stilled against the edge of the page. "Bianca attempted suicide? Where did this come from?"
"Terence heard it firsthand. It should be legit."
Veda continued, "I'll forward the photos and recording as soon as I have them. Your uncle and Aiden went at each other hard. Michael flat-out asked Aiden for money, but Aiden said he had nothing left to give. They've completely torn the gloves off."
Victoria leaned back into the sofa and stared at the ceiling light for two silent seconds. "Those two turning on each other was only a matter of time. Michael's stuck in the country with nowhere to run. He's out of cards. And now Bianca's situation is pulling Aiden away... Neither of them will be in any shape to worry about Edward's operation tonight."
"So the Crescent Harbor warehouse tomorrow—?"
Veda's brow furrowed. "Do you have something else planned?"
"Edward will handle it."
Victoria's voice was calm. "Veda, thank you. Your guy did great work. Let him get some rest tonight."
Veda gave a quiet "mm" and hung up.
---
Victoria set her phone on the coffee table and sat still for a while.
Outside, night had fully settled in. A thin sliver of city light crept through the gap in the curtains.
She stood and walked to the study doorway, glancing inside.
Edward was standing at his desk, phone to his ear, voice low.
She couldn't make out the words, but the relaxed line of his shoulders told her enough. Things were moving in the right direction.
She stayed in the doorway without entering, waiting until he hung up before she spoke. "Veda just called. Michael and Aiden met tonight. Had a major fight. Terence got photos and a recording." She paused. "Also—Bianca hurt herself. Aiden got a call and left for the hospital."
Edward turned to face her. "Bianca?"
"Looks like she did it herself."
Victoria's voice was even. "Her hands can't be fixed. An emotional breakdown isn't exactly surprising."
After all, when her own hands had first been damaged, she hadn't been in much better shape.
And now that Creative Haven was in trouble, the Smith family weren't exactly known for their compassion. They might have already confronted Bianca and told her to get lost.
In a way, Victoria's guess was entirely correct.
Edward gave a brief nod and didn't press further.
He walked over and sat down on the living room sofa. Victoria settled beside him.
"The Crescent Harbor warehouse tomorrow."
She spoke first. "Are you really going?"
She knew Edward had already calculated everything.
But worry was hard to suppress.
"Yes."
Edward said, "But no one will be in the warehouse. I'll have Chase and a team positioned around the perimeter. If Michael shows up, they box him in on the spot. If he doesn't, it doesn't matter—his identity is already blown. Once the Randy connection is severed, every day he stays in the country is another day of risk. He'll try to reach out to another inside contact no matter what, and the moment he moves, surveillance will lock onto him."
Victoria looked down and turned the ring on her finger slowly. "What about Bianca? If she makes a scene at the hospital, Aiden might—"