Chapter 122 Pretend Not to Know
It seemed like the only way to figure out who that woman was would be to get Liam and Eva to talk.
Alison quietly slipped out and stood in the courtyard, dialing Liam's number as if nothing was wrong.
Liam picked up right away, "Hey, Miss Bruce. What's up?"
"I want to save Jackson. Tell those people to come to Rebel," she said firmly, her mind made up. She had to uncover the truth. Losing her job at YD was one thing, but she still had Rebel, and she wasn't about to give it up now that she had a lead.
"Where are you?" Liam asked.
"At the entrance of Rebel's courtyard. Oh, and have them bring Jackson and Erin, along with the loan note." She was clear-headed, determined to resolve everything this time. "Liam, you're our savior. When they get here, you have to back me up, okay?" She flattered Liam, knowing she still needed him, putting aside their past issues for now.
"No problem. Come on in, I'm at Rebel too. I'll call them over right away." Liam's tone was polite, a stark contrast to how he spoke to Eva in the private room earlier.
She decided to pretend she hadn't heard anything.
Holding a drink, she thought back to the glass of water she had at Rebel years ago. That glass of water had led her into Jack's world and ended her two-year college relationship with Jackson.
She stirred her drink, watching the ripples on the surface. Despite her thirst, she had no desire to drink anything from Rebel.
"Miss Bruce, why aren't you drinking?" Liam asked, holding a beer can, his eyes making her uneasy. She knew Liam was involved with the mob, and if he really wanted her, she wouldn't be able to escape.
It seemed Liam was afraid of causing a scene that might dredge up the past, which was why he hadn't made a move on her. But the way he looked at her now made her increasingly fearful.
Steadying herself, she brought the glass to her lips, took a small sip, and then looked at Liam nonchalantly. "When will they be here?"
"In about ten minutes. Don't worry, they promised me that as long as the money is there, Jackson and Erin will be released. They'll give me that much respect." Liam patted his chest in assurance.
"Thanks, Liam." She smiled and downed her drink, hoping to dispel Liam's probing gaze. Maybe he was wondering if she had overheard his conversation with Eva.
Guilty people always feel uneasy, she thought. It was human nature.
After waiting another ten minutes, the people finally arrived. When Jackson and Erin were pushed into Rebel's empty hall, she finally saw Jackson.
She looked them over, relieved to see they were unharmed.
"Alison, don't worry about them. I don't want your money," Jackson said.
She smiled slightly and said to Jackson, "Sit down first. We'll talk about everything else once you're safe."
"Miss Bruce, where's the money?" the other party asked directly.
Alison responded calmly, "I need to see the loan note first." She knew she couldn't afford to panic now; if she did, everything would fall apart.
The other party agreed readily, "Fine, bring the loan note."
Soon, someone handed over the loan note for the million dollars Jackson owed. Alison looked at the note, recognizing Jackson's flamboyant signature. She had no idea what kind of business Jackson was involved in to owe so much money.
She casually tore the note into pieces, leaving everyone stunned. No one stepped forward to stop her.
The other party, seeing this, said, "Miss Bruce, we've given you the note. Now, where's the money?"
Alison smiled slightly, pulling out the card Jack had given her and writing down the PIN on a piece of paper. "You can use this card. Withdraw the money and return the card to me."
She had already checked; the card had exactly 1.2 million dollars, no more, no less, and it was in her name. Jack really was resourceful, having even found out her personal details at YD.
The other party took the card and handed it to someone to verify. "Go check if there's really that much money in it."
"Don't worry, there's exactly 1.2 million in there," Alison said confidently.
But the other party seemed unsatisfied. "Miss Bruce, that's not right. You said you'd pay an extra two thousand if they were unharmed."
Alison frowned. She had prepared the extra two thousand, but in her rush, she had left it at home. She turned to Liam. "Liam, can you lend me two thousand? I'll pay you back tomorrow, okay?"
Jackson, seeing Alison go to such lengths for him, felt incredibly guilty. "Alison, why are you doing all this?"
Alison just smiled gently at Jackson. "As long as you're okay." Though this meant spending another three months with Jack, she was willing this time, unlike the last time when she had no choice.
"Sure, Miss Bruce's problem is my problem. Guys, you can get the two thousand from me," Liam agreed readily, acting as if he truly considered Alison a friend. But she knew he had other plans. Men's thoughts were always hard to read.
Finally, the people took the money and left.
During this time, Erin stayed quietly by Jackson's side, seeming to have matured a lot in the past few days.
Checking the time, Alison knew she had to go.
If she didn't buy groceries and get back to the apartment soon, she'd break her promise.
"Jackson, you and Erin should go get something to eat. I have something to do, so I have to go."
Jackson stood up, his face full of exhaustion and embarrassment. He grabbed her arm and asked quietly, "Whose money is this?"
Could she tell him?
Her heart immediately answered no. "Jackson, it's my own money. I'm just lending it to you for now. You'll have to pay me back."
"Alison, why are you so foolish? Don't lie to me. Is it from that Winston guy?" Jackson's intense gaze felt like a knife.
She felt exposed, but it was too late to turn back. She bit her lip lightly and smiled at Jackson. "I said it's not, so it's not. If you don't believe me, then we're no longer friends."
She feigned calmness, not wanting to reveal her vulnerability. If she did, all she'd have left was a heart full of tears.
If it weren't for the incident at Rebel, she wouldn't be where she was today.
Her faint smile made the man in front of her waver. He let go of her arm, watching her walk out of his sight, growing more distant.
When Alison stepped out of Rebel and into the sunlight, the warm rays finally brought her a bit of comfort.
But inside, she was still cold.
She didn't know who in this world could warm her heart and leave her with gentle memories.
She bought all the groceries she needed and hurried back to the long-missed apartment, her emotions in turmoil.
Opening the door, the place was empty. Clearly, Jack wasn't back yet.
She shrugged. It didn't matter. She just had to play her part.
Alison quickly prepared all the ingredients, but the apartment door remained closed, showing no signs of opening.
While waiting for Jack, she called home. The kids were fine, telling her to come back whenever. They weren't in a hurry and would go to bed on time.
She knew what the kids were thinking and shook her head. She wasn't that lucky.
After waiting a long time, it was already 9 PM. Alison decided to start cooking. No matter when Jack came back, she'd be ready.
She closed the small kitchen's glass door and got to work.
The aroma of the food filled the kitchen, making her finally feel hungry.
There was just one dish left to finish.