Chapter 167
On the day I was discharged, both Michael and Nina came.
Nina held a bouquet of sunflowers in one hand while her other arm was linked through Michael's. The smile on her face was sickeningly sweet.
"Congrats on getting discharged. Hope you recover soon," She held the flowers out to me.
I took the flowers and glanced at them both. Thinking about how they were still tangled up together yesterday while I was on the phone, my expression darkened. "You're coming back with me."
Nina wrinkled her nose and shook my hand playfully. "I want to see you home too, but I really have other things to do. Don't be upset - I'll come find you the moment I get back."
Her smile was almost blinding to look at. I was just afraid she might not make it back.
With her personality, plus Michael's unpredictable temperament, I was genuinely worried that one day he might actually sell her out.
Before I could say anything, Michael quickly spoke up,"I've already arranged your flight back. Also, I've had all the people who illegally crossed into Solstice rounded up. They've been roughed up a bit and are ready to be handed over to the police at the border."
Catching all the people who had illegally entered Solstice from various places in such a short time was no small feat. Clearly Michael had put some real effort into this.
"You work fast," even Oscar couldn't help but praise him. "No wonder my people said someone kept beating them to it."
Nina raised an eyebrow and smiled at me,"Emma, can't you tell? Michael is actively trying to win you over. As my best friend, that shows just how important you are."
I took a deep breath and looked at her. "Since you've already made up your mind, what can I say? Keep your phone on at all times, and let me know where you're going. If something really happens, I can still help you."
Michael pulled Nina into his arms. When he looked at me, there was some helplessness in his eyes. "Emily, do you think I'm a human trafficker? I never realized youhad such a terrible image of me in your mind."
I touched my nose and muttered quietly, "It's not about how bad you are - it's about protecting Nina. Besides, do you really think you're some kind of good guy?"
Michael seemed genuinely speechless with me.
Oscar put his arm around my waist and smoothed things over with a smile. "Alright, Nina's an adult pursuing romantic freedom. After all these years as competitors, I do know something about Michael's character. Though his reputation hasn't been great over the years, he really hasn't had any messy romantic relationships."
Michael looked at Oscar with mixed feelings. "Can I take that as a compliment?"
"What else would it be?" Oscar smiled at him with a wicked grin.
He barely held back from rolling his eyes and snorted in response. "Should I thank you then? There's a girl abroad who seems to have been devoted to you all along, and then there's your secretary in Solstice who's been with you for ten years but you never gave her any status..."
Before he could finish, Oscar glared and snapped, "Shut up, you're talking nonsense. I barely know them."
He quickly turned to me and swore, "Emily, you're the only one I have, the only one I love. You have to believe me, don't listen to his nonsense."
Before I could respond, Nina chimed in,"I think Emma, you should probably believe it. You already have a child together - you'd better ask about his romantic history. Dating can be rushed, but marriage can't be careless."
Now it was Oscar's turn to look exasperated.
"Michael, I shouldn't have bothered saying anything nice about you," He took a deep breath as he forced out that sentence.
I glanced at him, my voice not loud. "You'd better explain everything clearly when we get back."
We were supposed to leave the hospital, pack our luggage at the hotel, and head straight back to Silverlight City. But just as we left the hotel, someone blocked our path on the street.
Standing in front of us was Gregory, wearing tattered, shabby clothes.
His hair was disheveled, the stubble on his face made him look scruffy and exhausted, and the dirt on his body suggested he hadn't bathed in ages. Half his face was so swollen you could barely see his eye. If I hadn't heard him call our names, I wouldn't have recognized him at all.
"Uncle Oscar, Emma, help me, please save us."
Faced with someone suddenly rushing out, Oscar instinctively moved me behind him. The bodyguards around us kicked the man away and surrounded us, watching him warily.
He clutched his chest and suddenly coughed up blood, looking at us desperately again,"Emma, it's me. Don't you recognize me? Uncle Oscar, I'm Gregory."
Oscar and I exchanged glances, looking at the man on the ground in disbelief.
He quickly scrambled up, trying to make his clothes look more presentable, forcing an awkward smile at us. "Uncle Oscar, please, you have to save us. We're being tortured to death."
Oscar waved the bodyguards aside and walked forward, looking down at him. His voice carried scrutiny, devoid of any emotion as he asked, "What are you doing here?"
Seeing Oscar come over to ask, Gregory immediately pleaded loudly, "Someone captured us and brought us here. Uncle Oscar, if you don't save us, we definitely won't survive."
Oscar frowned and turned to check my expression. Seeing this, Gregory quickly tried to grab my clothes, but Oscar swiftly blocked him. "Who brought you here?"
Gregory shrank back, withdrawing his hand. The look he gave me was full of sorrow. "Emma, I wronged you before. I was terrible, I'm not human. I have nothing left now. Uncle Oscar, I can promise I'll never appear in front of you again. Please, I'm begging you, save me."
Oscar stared at him steadily. "You think I'm the one who had you brought here?"
Gregory's face froze for a moment, and he quickly waved his hands. "No, that's not what I meant. I mean, I don't know who's after us, but Uncle Oscar, you're so powerful - whoever it is will let us go for your sake. So please, you have to save me."
Oscar looked at him with a cold smile,"You're not telling the truth, are you? Look, I have no interest in you or your family's affairs anymore. I have plenty of other things to do. Whoever you've offended, whether you get kidnapped or sold - that's not my concern. I already gave you two hundred thousand dollars last time, which was more than generous. Please move aside."
Hearing Oscar speak this way, the panic on his face didn't decrease - it only grew. "Uncle Oscar, you can't just ignore us. We're family. Can you really bear to see us suffer like this? Before Grandpa died, didn't he tell you and my dad to get along? Uncle Oscar, if we've ever said anything wrong, I apologize. I'll even kneel down if you want - just please let us go, don't hold it against us idiots."
As he spoke, he knelt down again, directly grabbing onto Oscar's leg, crying and pleading once more.