Chapter 97
Out of politeness, I treated Michael to a meal. When he was driving me back, he asked, "Are we going to your place or the hospital?"
"The hospital." I'd been the one taking care of Oscar all along, and I'd gotten used to going to the hospital to keep him company after handling things. At least when he was in so much pain, he cried out, I could help ease his suffering a bit.
Michael looked at me with some displeasure, his face showing a hint of disdain. "Don't tell me you've actually fallen for Oscar. How long have you even known him? Be careful, he's not using you."
I smiled at him. "Mr. Johnson, Oscar is really a good person."
Michael snorted. "You need to remember, men are best at pretending. If you see someone who seems too perfect, it definitely means he's deliberately hiding his ugliest side. You've been around the block."
Michael paused for a moment before continuing, "Besides, from what I know, given the situation at the time, it wasn't like that was the only way he could keep you from getting hurt, right? Haven't you suspected this might be a sympathy ploy?"
I had asked Oscar about this before, and I believed his answer. Decisions made instinctively can't be quickly analyzed rationally for pros and cons. "Mr. Johnson, don't say that. Everything happened so urgently at the time. He had absolutely no need to put on an act that would leave him bedridden for over half a month. Even without that incident, we probably still would have ended up together."
Michael hit the gas, and the car quickly accelerated. His expression was hard for me to read, his tone still icy. "I'm telling you to keep your eyes open. Don't rush into any decisions. After all, you came back for revenge. Now that the Brown Family matter is resolved, I can help you clean up right now. So are you considering coming back with me?"
I answered with a sincere smile. "Mr. Johnson, our cooperation has already ended. You know I don't like leaving my own matters in someone else's hands. I also hope Mr. Johnson can respect that. When I need your help, I'll definitely ask."
If I continued, the atmosphere might turn unpleasant.
Michael pressed his lips together tightly, his cool eyes silently looking ahead.
The car stopped at the hospital entrance. Michael looked around cautiously and said flatly, "Do you need me to get someone to deal with these people for you?"
I followed his gaze. Across the street from the hospital entrance were two vans parked separately. Their windows were tinted pitch black—you couldn't see inside at all from the outside. But somehow you could just feel eyes staring in our direction through that black glass.
"Not for now. They're definitely not just monitoring us—they'll take further action eventually. I'll discuss it with Oscar later and see how to handle it. You rarely come to Lumaria, so just enjoy your trip." I smiled and deflected.
Since I was no longer working with him, though it was impossible to completely cut ties, at least I shouldn't get more deeply entangled. Some things are hidden in the shadows that can't see the light—just because I don't touch them doesn't mean I was never involved. And I could only try to keep my distance from him to give myself some psychological comfort, to prove I was still myself.
After getting out and leaving, I didn't look back at him again. But I knew that until I walked to the corner of the hospital and disappeared, his car remained in the same spot, not leaving.
Seeing me return, Oscar's expression was somewhat anxious. "Why were you out with him for so long? He didn't say anything to you, did he? That guy, Michael, just can't stand to see me doing well. Don't believe anything he says. And don't forget—you already agreed to be my girlfriend. You can't back out."
I quickly went over to make him lie down properly. "Relax! He came all this way—I took him to dinner. That's all. That's why I'm late."
I saw the lunch box on the table and reached over to touch it. The insulated container still had some warmth on the outside. When I opened it, the food inside was completely untouched. "You haven't eaten yet? Why didn't you eat?"
Oscar looked at me with somewhat aggrieved eyes. "How could I eat when you weren't back?"
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Your hands can move, can't they?"
"It hurts when I move. Sharp, piercing pain." Oscar gestured toward the table. "If you hadn't come back, I would have starved to death."
I couldn't help but smile. How had I never noticed Oscar had such a cute side before?
In that instant, my heart stirred. I'd once read an article that said when a girl's heart skips a beat looking at a guy, it's not necessarily love. But if she finds him a bit cute, then she's definitely already fallen in love.
Picking up the insulated lunch box, I portioned out the food and sat down in front of him, steadily bringing it to his lips. "The way you were talking this morning, I thought you weren't hurting anymore. How come you're being so delicate now?"
Oscar protested, "I'm not being spoiled. It's just that when I see you, the pain becomes a bit unbearable. So will there be pain-relief kisses later? How about you give me one in advance now? I've been hurting all afternoon, and I'm really anxious."
I reached out and pinched his cheek, feeling its warmth. I wrinkled my nose at him. "I've never seen a kiss work better than a painkiller shot. Maybe I should talk to the hospital about developing a special healing therapy—whenever it hurts, just find someone to kiss you. Would save on painkiller shots."
Oscar grabbed my fingers that were pinching his cheek and slowly pulled them into his palm, looking at me intently. "Of course, not just anyone's kiss would work. For me, only yours will do."
The temperature of my cheeks gradually rose—I must have been blushing all over by now. I pulled my hand free and tried to act nonchalant, bringing the food to his lips again. "Stop sweet-talking. Aren't you starving? Hurry up and eat."
After feeding Oscar, I briefly told him what Michael had said to me.
Oscar said, "You're saying Benjamin has his eye on you now? This guy is a bit complicated. When I was investigating Zach before, I looked into him too. His dad founded one of the biggest state-owned corporations. Publicly, Benjamin is known as a playboy: constant celebrity relationships, dating scandals everywhere, none older than eighteen. There's probably another face hidden beneath. If it's truly him, the situation could become problematic."
I nodded along. "So I told Mr. Johnson, too—I need to find a way to force whoever's in the shadows out into the open. That's the only way to find a better solution."
Oscar smiled and nodded. "I believe you can do it. I need to get better quickly so you don't have to face this alone."