Chapter 173
Alan still took William and Grace away.
He had originally wanted to take Gregory along too, but the faint sound of measured footsteps outside made him abandon this idea. He fired a shot at Gregory once, then quickly led his people out through the back door.
Gregory's scream rang out as he clutched his chest and collapsed in pain.
Soon the entire courtyard was surrounded, and the police rushed in, looking at us and asking, "What happened? Where are they?"
"They've already gotten away," Oscar answered.
The officer quickly dispatched people to give chase, while the accompanying doctor hurried over to examine Gregory's injuries.
Oscar had no mind to watch Gregory's condition. He just instructed the doctor to admit him for treatment, then left the courtyard with me.
On the way, he said with lingering fear, "I shouldn't have agreed to bring you along with me today. What if Alan had really lost it and something had happened to you, I would have hated myself forever."
I looked at him with some amusement: "I was the one who insisted on going to see him. I was also sure he wouldn't have dared to do anything to you or me. You brought me along precisely because you were confident of this point, so why are you blaming yourself now?"
"But what if?" Oscar's face showed worry. "What if he had really gone crazy?"
I reached out and gently rubbed his head twice. Right now he was like a big dog that had done something wrong, looking dejected and pitiful. "There's no 'what if.' I'm perfectly fine now. So what are you planning to do? He took William and Grace away. Are you really just going to let it go?"
Oscar took a deep breath: "I've done everything I could for them. I've done my duty. Fate determines whether we live or die; Heaven determines whether we rise or fall."
I didn't quite believe his statement: "What about Gregory then? Are you leaving him at the hospital or taking him back? If we really just leave like this, it'll probably take less than two days before Alan takes him away again."
Oscar's face showed some hesitation. What I could think of, he could certainly think of too: "Weren't you eager to get back and handle company matters? All your companies have just stabilized, and you wouldn't even stay in the hospital properly. Now you want to stay a few more days?"
I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him: "Don't tell me you're still jealous? I'm asking what you think."
Oscar touched his nose: "What else can I think? Whatever he goes through next is what he brought on himself. I'm not a saint—I have no obligation to save him. Let's leave tomorrow, all right?"
I nodded. "Alright, tomorrow it is. Let's go back and rest well today."
The car soon arrived at the hotel. Oscar lifted me into my wheelchair and carefully pushed me inside. At the hotel entrance, we saw an unexpected figure—Vivian.
However glamorous Vivian had been before, that was exactly how down-and-out she looked now. She wore an ordinary plaid shirt, which couldn't have been plainer. Her formerly thick, sexy, seaweed-like curls were now casually pulled back with a hair tie. She wore no makeup and had lost all her former proud aloofness.
"Emily, I hope my appearance isn't too presumptuous," she said, forcing an awkward but friendly smile.
I looked up at her, roughly understanding why she was here, but still asked, "What are you doing here? Is there something you need?"
She smiled at me again: "There is a small matter. Can we go inside to talk?"
I turned my head and looked up at Oscar for his opinion. He gave me an almost imperceptible nod and said politely, "Since Ms. Cook has come all this way to find us, let's go inside and talk."
Once in the room, Oscar lifted me out of the wheelchair and placed me on the comfortable sofa, then took a cushion and put it behind my back before saying with relief, "Sit and rest for a bit. I'll call the hotel to have them send up some food."
Seeing Oscar step aside to make the call, Vivian finally withdrew her gaze, her face showing an envious expression: "Mr. Lopez is really good to you."
I didn't care whether her envy was genuine or just politeness, and got straight to the point: "You can just say directly what you came to see me about."
Vivian tucked her bangs, her smile somewhat stiff: "You should know that my father has been arrested for investigation because he's involved in some matters."
I nodded. Of course, I knew about this—in fact, he was exposed by the materials I had copied for them: "And then? You came to find me because you think I can help you somehow?"
Her face showed some embarrassment, and she smiled unnaturally: "I really have no other choice, so I could only shamelessly come find you. Emily, I can't reach Alan right now."
I was a bit confused: "You can't reach him—that shouldn't have anything to do with me, right?"
She quickly said, "You just met with him, didn't you? I want to ask you to tell Mr. Oscar Lopez that if Alan really does something extreme, for the sake of these ten years when he genuinely helped him, please spare him."
I looked toward Oscar on the balcony, who was his call: "If you're asking him for help, shouldn't you go directly to him? What's the point of having me pass on the message?"
Vivian said awkwardly: "I... I'm afraid if I just say it outright, Mr. Oscar Lopez won't pay any attention. Emily, I don't know if you understand what Alan was like before, but I know very clearly that the reason he's become like this is that he was forced into it."
I interrupted her, "I'm not interested in any of this. We just came back from seeing Alan. He took William and Grace, and nearly got into a conflict with our people. You and I are enemies now. Coming to find us—aren't you looking for the wrong people?"
She shook her head: "Enemy or not, Mr. Oscar Lopez is the only person who can contact Alan. I have no other requests, just please tell him that after more than ten years of feelings between us, I don't believe he's that kind of opportunistic person. I know he left me for my own good, but if he really wanted what's good for me, he should have taken me with him. I don't have another ten years to wait for him."
This was a poignant love story, but I wasn't interested in their story: "I'm sure you've already said all this to him once. If he still left, shouldn't you think about how much of his feelings for you are real? Even if we tell him again, can that change his decision?"
Vivian's face went pale. She shook her head firmly: "That's why I say none of you understand him. He absolutely didn't leave me because my father fell from power. He must be planning to do something more dangerous and broke things off with me because he's afraid of dragging me down. We're both women—I believe you can understand me, right? Emily, I'm begging you, please help me."
Watching Vivian's eyes gradually redden, I couldn't help but feel somewhat moved. Once so proud, she had humbled herself to this extent for a man.
"I don't know if this counts as being soft-hearted, or just being moved by her ten years of stubbornness," I looked at her, my tone still calm: "So tell me, how exactly can we help you?"