Chapter 136
Vivian walked over to Adrian and sneered, "Didn't you already guess? Just to force us to expose our identities, you could watch someone who's been with you for ten years die right in front of you?"
I met her gaze and responded coldly, "Wasn't Jeffrey brought here by you? If Oscar hadn't shown up to save me that day, wouldn't I have already died under Jeffrey's wrench?"
Oscar stepped forward, gently putting his arm around my shoulder, looking only at the silent Adrian behind them: "Still going to keep hiding it—Alan?"
Adrian looked up at him in shock, but quickly regained his usual composure, smiling helplessly: "Why bother? Do you really have to push this, Uncle Oscar?"
He was admitting it!
Oscar smiled back: "Someone who's been by my side for ten years, and I knew nothing about it. Alan, weren't you supposed to be dead? Why did you show up at Solstice? Why did you come to me? As the heir of the Lopez family, you shouldn't have any grudge against them, should you?"
Alan burst out laughing, louder and louder, until tears came to his eyes.
Vivian gripped Alan's hand tightly, her eyes full of concern. "Alan, don't do this. It's all in the past now, don't be upset."
Alan looked down and gently shook his head at her, then turned to Oscar: "You want to know? Then tomorrow night at eight, Harborview Club."
Oscar agreed: "Okay."
Alan glanced at us again, then used his uninjured arm to help Vivian up, slowly walking toward the badly damaged SUV. He helped her into the car, got into the driver's seat himself, and drove away.
I turned to Oscar: "Just letting them go like that? Not taking the chance to question them?"
Oscar sighed: "We'll get to the bottom of this, but right now they need to get to the hospital."
I pointed at Jeffrey on the ground: "What about him? He looks like he's dying."
Two bodyguards in black emerged from the darkness. Oscar ordered coldly: "Take him back, find a reliable doctor with good skills to treat him properly. Don't let him die."
By the time we got home, it was late into the night.
From a distance, we could see someone standing at the front gate. When the headlights shone on them, we both recognized the face—it was Gregory.
I couldn't help but sigh. He was really persistent. I'd already blocked him, and he still came straight to our door.
Oscar sighed too, telling me to go in first while he handled it.
I smiled and nodded.
When the car stopped, Oscar took the initiative: "Gregory, what are you doing outside our door this late? Can't whatever it is wait until tomorrow?"
Gregory quickly put on a pleading smile: "Uncle Oscar, I'm here about work. I need to talk to you both."
Oscar looked him up and down and laughed mockingly: "Come in then."
After glancing at me from the corner of his eye, Gregory quickly followed us inside.
Sitting on the opposite couch, Gregory rubbed his hands together nervously. "Uncle Oscar, The Novagen Group is facing contract cancellations from many partners because of the online rumors, and the bank keeps pressing for payments."
He said earnestly: "I'd like to borrow some money from you to get through this."
Oscar leaned back casually on the couch, smiling: "You're looking at a shortfall of at least fifty million. And with the banks pressing for payment, the liquidity you'll need to keep things afloat? Significant."
Gregory quickly said: "It is quite a bit. Everything's hitting at once lately. Uncle Oscar, don't worry—I'll pay you back with the highest interest rate."
Oscar looked at him, mockery slipping through the smile at the corner of his eyes: "And then? What do you plan to do after you get the money?"
Gregory turned to look at me, but worried Oscar might be upset, quickly lowered his head again: "About SoftGlow Biotech, I was hoping we could issue a statement about continuing our partnership. The contract we signed was for three years, and we're not at the end of the term yet. We shouldn't just break it over a simple statement—it sends the wrong message. Emily, I don't want you to let our partnership suffer because of me."
Oscar smiled at me: "Emily, what do you think?"
I raised an eyebrow and looked at Gregory seriously: "We did sign a three-year contract, but that's assuming both parties fulfill their obligations. The contract has a clause that if The Novagen Group's venue can't meet my brand's needs, we have the right to request a different location or end the agreement. There's also another clause, near the bottom of the second-to-last page, stating that if The Novagen Group faces public relations risks, the brand can choose to terminate the contract to protect its image. Should I keep going? If you don't think the current situation counts as a risk, I can point out other risks with your company—like taxes, for instance."
Gregory's face went pale: "Emily..."
Oscar pressed his tongue against his cheek, showing a roguish smile, his eyes carrying a dangerous glint: "Think carefully about who's standing in front of you and what you should be calling her. Do you think I'm easy to mess with?"