Chapter 114
When the car pulled up to the villa entrance, I saw Michael standing by his car in the distance, in his usual pose—leaning against the front of the car, head down, smoking.
Oscar looked at Michael and couldn't help but comment: "Is your boss always this... weird? Like, in a quiet way?"
Visibly, Michael's body stiffened by the car, and when he looked at us, his gaze sharpened.
I quickly tugged at Oscar's sleeve, reminding him quietly: "Keep your voice down."
When he talked loudly about people, he was really just like Nina.
"You're back? Did you find anything out?" Michael tossed his cigarette butt and walked toward us.
Oscar nodded: "We found out some things. This matter is a bit complicated, let's go inside to talk."
Michael nodded: "Complicated is fine, as long as there are leads."
Once inside the villa, he looked around with a distasteful expression: "Isn't this a bit too bare?"
I quickly gestured for him to sit on the sofa: "We just moved in, haven't had time to get furniture yet."
I sat across from Michael, pushing the fruit bowl toward him on the table: "Did Mr. Johnson come today just to ask about Jeffrey?"
Michael casually picked up an orange. "I knew you went to the base, so I came to find out what happened. Oscar said things are complicated, so it's pretty tricky."
I said with a bitter smile, "Originally, we thought Jeffrey was just someone Benjamin hired to investigate me, and that he had no choice but to kill me to silence me, but it's not that simple. According to Jeffrey, the person behind all this is actually Adrian."
Michael clearly didn't expect this: "Adrian? Oscar's guy?"
Oscar walked over with a water glass, chiming in at the right moment: "We have a working relationship, I wouldn't say he's my guy. Obviously, he's not under my control."
Michael frowned at Oscar: "He's worked for you all these years, and you still haven't completely won him over? That doesn't seem like your style."
Oscar said flatly, "If someone has their own agenda, winning them over is easier said than done. I thought after all these years with our interests tied together, he and I wouldn't end up on opposite sides, but I didn't expect the most unexpected person to deliver the fatal blow."
Michael looked at him with displeasure: "What's the point of saying all this now? Just because you're a poor judge of character, Emily almost died. Shouldn't you be getting to the bottom of this right away? Or are you still planning to keep working with him?"
Oscar didn't get angry despite Michael's sharp words: "Don't worry, I'll ask him for answers. Whatever the reason, we can't continue working together, and I'll give Emily an explanation."
I looked at Oscar, wanting to tell him I didn't need any explanation from him, that I didn't doubt him at all.
Michael snorted coldly, his gaze at Oscar indifferent: "How will you explain?"
I quickly said with a smile, "We've already discussed it. He'll confront Adrian directly, and whether he admits it or not, he'll cut ties with him as soon as possible."
Michael's expression didn't improve with my words; instead, he looked even darker: "Emily, has falling in love lowered your IQ? 'We'? Shouldn't your first instinct be to suspect that Adrian is Oscar's guy?"
He frowned at me: "Their relationship might not compare to your few months together."
I wanted to argue back, but Oscar was faster: "Feelings aren't measured by length of time. If you don't trust me, I'll call Adrian right now and ask him in front of everyone."
Michael pressed his thin lips together, looking him up and down, waiting for his next move.
I quickly smiled at Oscar: "You don't need to prove anything to me..."
But clearly, Michael seemed to need him to prove it: "The call has to be made sooner or later. It's just the three of us now, so make it. Let's hear what his purpose really is."
Oscar took out his phone, quickly dialed a number, and pressed speakerphone.
After three rings, someone picked up. It was Adrian's slightly hoarse voice: "Mr. Lopez, I'm sorry, I didn't know Michael would suddenly show up. The mission failed."
Michael's gaze, already distant, turned cold the moment he heard it. When he looked at Oscar, it felt like he was cutting right through him.
This statement was completely unexpected. Oscar's brow furrowed: "Adrian, you'd better explain yourself clearly."
Adrian paused, then quickly changed his tone: "I mean, there shouldn't have been such mistakes in recent work. What does Mr. Lopez want me to say?"
Oscar's frown deepened, and his hand on the table clenched into a fist. Clearly, he was very dissatisfied with Adrian's ambiguous answer: "Jeffrey is in my hands now. Don't you have anything to say to me?"
Adrian's tone carried confusion: "Jeffrey? Who's that? The name sounds familiar. What about him?"
Oscar took a deep breath: "Stop pretending. He personally admitted you bailed him out, and that you gave the order for him to kill Emily. I want you to tell me the truth—who are you really, and why did you do this?"
Adrian's end went silent for a moment, then he spoke again: "Oscar, we've known each other for ten years. You're not going to doubt me just because of someone else's word, are you? What if someone's trying to drive a wedge between us?"
Oscar's eyes showed anger: "If you'd just explain things clearly, I'd think better of you. Adrian, I'm asking you one more time—what's your purpose?"
The other end of the phone went silent. The air seemed to freeze along with it. Adrian's voice dropped lower as he slowly said, "Oscar, have you really fallen in love with Emily? You need to understand that for people like us, love will only be an obstacle in our lives."
Oscar said coldly, "How I live is none of your business. Adrian, if you dare touch her, you should know I won't let you off..."
Michael stood up, seemingly having lost interest in listening further, lazily gesturing for Oscar to hang up.
Oscar hung up the phone, confused, and asked with a frown: "I haven't gotten to the reason yet..."
Michael laughed coldly: "Actually, when Adrian said sorry about the mission failing, there was no need to continue that call."
Oscar's brow furrowed tightly: "You suspect me?"
Michael looked at him coolly: "What else?"