Chapter 172
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Alan's people and the people we brought with us instinctively took opposing positions, their hands reaching for their waists.
Oscar tried to push me behind the crowd, but I gently placed my hand on the armrest of the wheelchair, stopping him. I looked up at Alan with a calm, emotionless smile. "I'd advise you to think this through. This isn't Solstice. If you make a move here, it won't do you any good. Vivian's dad has already lost power. Who do you think can protect you now?"
Alan looked at me with disdain and laughed. "Yes, this isn't Solstice, but it's only one wall away from it. Whatever I want to do, I don't need to be limited by others."
He glanced at Oscar dismissively, his face full of contempt. "Your indecisiveness proves I still have some problems with my judgment in choosing people."
Gregory scrambled and crawled behind us. He could obviously tell by now that Oscar and Alan weren't on the same side. Alan wanted him dead, and we were the only ones who could protect him right now.
I looked at Alan and said, "You're right, you can kill someone and leave immediately. But after you leave, do you really never want to come back? If that's the case, then I feel sorry for Vivian. Ten years of unwavering loyalty; in your eyes, her devotion is apparently worthless."
I noticed a moment of emotion in his eyes, but he quickly smiled and said, "My relationship with Vivian is none of your business. If I can leave, naturally I can take her with me."
"No one wants to leave a familiar place. You went to Solstice because you had no choice, are you going to make Vivian sacrifice herself too?" I smiled mockingly. If that was really what he was thinking, then in my view, Vivian's ten years were truly wasted.
Gregory's mind quickly started working. He hurriedly said from behind the crowd, "Alan, we've already lost everything. You're different, you have money and a career. Vivian has been waiting for you for ten years. It's not worth ruining your future for us."
Alan's expression, which had already softened a bit, turned cold again the moment he heard Gregory's voice. He looked at Gregory's face behind the crowd and said flatly to Oscar, "Uncle Oscar, you and I were never enemies. You don't want to hurt our relationship over irrelevant people, do you? I can spare their lives, but these three, I'm taking them with me today."
Oscar nodded with a smile. "I never intended to meddle in other people's business anyway. I was just curious why you went to all this trouble."
Hearing this, Gregory immediately grabbed Oscar's arm in panic. "Uncle Oscar, we can't go with him. Once we leave here, we won't survive. Please, Uncle Oscar, save us."
William looked at Gregory's behavior, disappointment deepening on his face. He took a deep breath and said, "Alan, at the end of the day, I'm the one who wronged you. I'll go with you. Whatever happens after, whether I live or die, I won't blame you."
Gregory's glee wasn't well hidden, and his concern sounded rather fake. "Dad, don't worry, I'll live well. If I get the chance, my brother and I will make amends and bring you back."
Grace looked at Alan timidly, not daring to speak too loudly. "William, what about me if you leave?"
Alan looked at her coldly with a laugh. "You can go with him. Otherwise, wouldn't he be lonely?"
Her body shook violently. She seemed to remember her previous ordeal and looked at the bruises on her body, quickly waving her hands. "No, no. Alan, if you want to punish me, isn't what I've suffered these past few days enough?"
Alan looked at William mockingly. "See? Your wife, your beloved son, neither seems willing to share your hardships. But it doesn't matter, none of you are getting away. Uncle Oscar, I'm taking them with me. You can't have a problem with that, can you?"
Oscar stepped forward. "What if I do?"
Alan also stepped forward, the atmosphere tense again. "Then we're destined not to have peace. With just these few people you brought, I wonder if they can leave here safely."
Oscar looked at him calmly. "I'm not sure if I can leave safely, but you're definitely not leaving today."
Alan looked at him warily. "What do you mean?"
Oscar held up his phone for him to see. "Like I just told you, no one supports you now. But we, we're on the right side. You've already tortured them for days. Whether your grudge is settled or not, this ends here."
Alan cocked his gun forcefully and pointed it directly at Oscar. "Uncle Oscar, you really are the same as always. You can always choose the path that benefits you most. Do you think it's time to end this, so you're not even pretending anymore?"
I quickly pressed the ring on my hand, pointing the sharp needle at him. "Alan, think carefully. If you dare to shoot, don't expect to walk out of this room standing today."
Alan looked at me coldly. "Emma, everyone thought you were so smart, but because of feelings, you're still willing to be used. When he approached you, it was just to use you to better deal with the Lopez family. Now you're actually willing to be his stepping stone. It's ridiculous."
He was talking too much. I looked at him impatiently. "You've tried to drive a wedge between us many times, both openly and subtly. That trick doesn't work on me. If you don't leave now, you probably won't be able to leave soon."
His eyes widened, his face turning fierce. "Of course I can leave. I never planned to make things difficult for you today, so don't make things difficult for me either. Men, take them and let's go."
Gregory shouted excitedly, "Didn't you already agree to let me go? Uncle Oscar, save me! I can't go with him. If I go with him, I'm dead. Save me!"
Oscar stepped forward to block them. "Wait. You can only leave by yourself."
A gunshot rang out. He fired directly at Oscar's feet. With that move, everyone sprang into action. The sound of guns cocking filled the air; a battle was about to break out.
"Oscar, I've already shown you a lot of respect. You'd better not push your luck. I know the people you brought are all capable, but my people aren't bad either. We can at least go down together. You might not be afraid to die, but her; you probably don't want her to get hurt again."
The dark barrel of the gun pointed straight at me.
Oscar quickly pulled my wheelchair behind him. "You wouldn't dare!"
He gestured for his men to take William and Grace, his eyes filled with contempt. "I'm not even afraid to die, why wouldn't I dare? So Uncle Oscar, don't let the person you love most get hurt for people who aren't worth it. There's no medicine for regret in this world."