Chapter 61
"Let go of me!" Victoria frowned, struggling with what little strength she had left.
Her wrist, overused recently, was now past its limit, her resistance so faint it was almost negligible.
"This is the Windsor Group! If you don't let go, I'm calling the police!"
Her hand trembled, yet she forced herself to stand tall, her voice edged with indignation. "What exactly do you want?"
A red mark had already formed around her slender, pale wrist, a stark and frightening contrast against her fair skin.
"What's all this commotion about?" A cold, stern voice cut through the tension just as one of the workers gave Victoria a particularly rough tug.
Her frail body swayed, on the verge of collapsing, her face as white as a sheet of paper. The sight startled everyone, and they immediately crowded around.
The pain was so intense that Victoria could only manage to slightly lift her eyelids, barely making out the man's silhouette. It was Edward.
He was dressed in a dark suit today, which further accentuated his tall, straight posture and severe features.
The men who had been so aggressive just moments before couldn't help but shrink back under the weight of his presence.
"Let her go." Edward didn't look at the others. He walked straight to Victoria, his voice seeming to carry shards of ice. "What are you here for?"
His gaze lingered on Victoria for only a brief moment before shifting to the group of construction workers beside her.
The aura of authority he exuded was not something an ordinary person could match.
The worker from before flinched, then, as if remembering something, immediately straightened his spine and shouted, "What am I here for? I'm here to demand our rightful wages from you heartless capitalists!"
He planted his hands on his hips, forcing himself to meet Edward's stare, though his legs were already trembling uncontrollably.
"Wages?" Edward's cool gaze swept over them, his tone unreadable. "Are you referring to the Crescent Harbor site, or the Silverbrook site?"
Surprisingly, there was no trace of anger in his voice, yet the men all froze on the spot.
What Crescent Harbor? What Silverbrook? They had never even heard of those places. But the words had already been spoken; there was no turning back now.
Victoria's hand was finally released, giving her a moment to breathe.
She stood to the side, taking a few steps in the other direction, and began to gently massage the aching spot on her wrist with her left hand.
It didn't take a genius to figure that out. These men were undoubtedly sent by a competitor to tarnish the Windsor Group's reputation.
In all her time at the company, she had never heard of any recent real estate projects.
For Edward to ask this, he likely already had a plan in mind.
"Crescent Harbor!" The worker yelled after a few seconds of hesitation. "That's right, the Crescent Harbor site! You can't just use your status to exploit us common folk who rely on our labor to support our families!"
He spoke with righteous indignation, but his eyes blinked frantically, each movement betraying his guilt.
"Crescent Harbor?" Edward's expression was aloof, his voice laced with mockery. "The Windsor Group has no active construction projects at the moment. Where did this so-called Crescent Harbor of yours come from?"
He was already tall, and his eyes, looking as if they'd been steeped in an icy spring, could send a chill down one's spine with a single glance.
It was over. That was the only thought that surfaced in the worker's mind. It was all over. How was he supposed to know anything about construction projects? He had just blurted it out, never expecting a trap to be waiting for him.
"I... I must have remembered it wrong!" Flustered, he resorted to making a scene. "It must be your company that owes us the money! Why else would we come looking for you? You people are no good either!"
Edward's brow furrowed slightly, his patience clearly worn thin. "Tell me, who sent you?"
His voice was heavy, his gaze sharp. "I have many ways to make you tell the truth. Be smart about this."
Standing nearby, Victoria could occasionally feel a gaze fall upon her, but she was too exhausted and in too much pain to even speak, so she pretended not to notice.
The men stammered, unable to utter a single word.
"Boss, maybe we should just..." One of them whispered, leaning close to the first worker. "We've been caught. If we tell the truth now, we might be able to make up for it."
The words had barely left his mouth when a slap landed on his head. "Useless!"
The leader gritted his teeth, forcing a nonchalant expression. "As long as we don't admit anything, what can they do to us? You're an idiot!"
They argued amongst themselves, but not a single one of them stepped forward to expose the mastermind behind the scheme.
"You handle this."
His patience exhausted, Edward turned to Chase, who had just rushed over. His voice was cold. "I'm taking her to the hospital. Keep an eye on these men, then call the police."
His frigid gaze made it seem as if he were looking at a dead man. "Investigate thoroughly. I want to know the results."
Chase was still catching his breath, but his eyes darted to the pale-faced Victoria nearby, and he instantly understood.
"You can count on me," he said, patting his chest. "Ms. Spencer looks unwell. You should get her checked out quickly, just in case."
He didn't need to be told. Frowning, Edward glanced at Victoria beside him, the fingers of his hand at his side curling slightly. He didn't hesitate for more than a few seconds.
Striding toward Victoria, he effortlessly scooped her up into his arms and turned, walking briskly toward the company's main entrance.
It was a classic bridal-style carry. It wasn't just the onlookers who were stunned.
Even Victoria was taken aback, her eyes widening in shock, looking a bit like a startled rabbit, which was somewhat endearing.
"Did I just see that right? The one carrying Victoria is our cold and germaphobic boss? You've got to be kidding me!"
"I saw it too. But Victoria looked bad just now, and she kept holding her wrist. Could she have gotten hurt in the scuffle? The way she looked, it's obvious she couldn't walk."
"I wouldn't be surprised if someone else did it, but for it to be the renowned Mr. Windsor..."
The crowd chattered away, their speculations about the situation growing more and more outlandish.
Chase, standing not far off, heard every word. His brow twitched, and he felt a wave of exhaustion.
He cleared his throat twice, his expression turning serious. "Is all your work done? If you're really this idle, come over and help watch these people. And you, over there, Mr. Windsor told you to call the police. Did you do it? If these words get back to him..."
Chase left the threat hanging, letting their own imaginations fill in the rest.
It worked. After his admonishment, everyone's attention shifted from the romantic drama and turned to watch the workers with intense focus, occasionally pondering their motives.
Seeing that the matter was finally settled, Chase let out a sigh of relief and slowly relaxed. He would definitely have to ask Mr. Windsor for a bonus for this.