Chapter 253

Chapter 253

"Stop hiding it!" I urged impatiently.

Scarlett’s lips twisted into a playful smile.

The next second.

She yanked a remote control out from behind her back and laughed wildly: "You're the ones who pushed me to this! If I can't have it, then we'll all go down together!"

My pupils contracted, and I couldn't help cursing in my mind.

Even at death's door, she was still struggling.

Without any hesitation, I lunged forward, trying to grab the remote control from her hand.

In a daze, I heard Liam and Patrick's voices behind me: "Sophia, watch out!"

However, before I could grab the remote control, I heard a deafening sound.

A loud bang.

Scarlett's expression immediately froze, and the remote control flew out of her hand.

Blood kept flowing from the corner of her mouth, her expression blank.

I was stunned for a second, then turned around in confusion.

It was the police!

To ensure my safety, they had pulled the trigger.

Before I could react, Liam suddenly darted past me and caught Scarlett in his arms, letting out a heart-wrenching cry: "Mom!"

Scarlett leaned against Liam. She tried to speak, but only spurted out blood.

The blood splattered on Liam's face, even staining his eyes red.

"Liam," Scarlett called out intermittently, "I, I love you."

After saying this, Scarlett's neck tilted to the side, and she stopped breathing.

I stood there watching this scene. Although I hated Scarlett, in a way, she had truly done everything for Liam.

It's just that she loved too much — so deeply that her love turned twisted and distorted.

At this moment, one of the officers shouted: "We need to evacuate immediately. We suspect there's a bomb down here."

At these words, everyone's expression changed.

Patrick quickly came to my side, asking worriedly: "Are you okay?"

I shook my head, looking regretful.

Scarlett was dead.

But I hadn't asked what I wanted to know yet. What really happened back then would probably remain unclear for now.

"Don't worry about that now," the officer urged. "The most important thing right now is to evacuate safely! You go first, we'll protect you from behind!"

The police arranged everything in an orderly manner.

He pressed his wireless earpiece, instructing his colleagues: "Bring in professionals to take it apart and inspect it carefully. And tell the teams on the ground to clear the crowd out of the area." If there really is a bomb down here, we absolutely cannot endanger innocent people."

I looked at Liam kneeling on the ground, his expression full of grief, my feelings complicated.

After hesitating, I still walked over. "Let's go up first. You should bring her up too."

Liam looked at me and nodded in a daze.

He held the dead Scarlett, staggering step by step toward the stairs.

I knew that no matter how bad Scarlett was, she was still his mother.

This is where human complexity lies.

To the whole world, this person might be bad.

But if this bad person is good to you, even though you know right from wrong, you still can't help but develop feelings for them.

However, the law is the law.

Maybe human good and evil aren't clearly defined, but the bottom line of the law is crystal clear.

Everyone who breaks the law must pay the price for their actions.

By the time we got up, the bomb disposal experts had already gone down.

They quickly inspected and dismantled it.

There really was a bomb about to explode down there. What was terrifying was that this bomb had two ways of being detonated.

The first was a countdown timer. If time ran out, even if Scarlett didn't press the remote control, we would have died there.

The second was remote control.

If Scarlett had pressed the remote control at the end, we would have died instantly.

This woman was truly ruthless.

Even with her own child there, she could still do it.

I couldn't tell whether Scarlett loved Liam or hated him.

Even in death, her expression was so eerily sinister, and there wasn't a trace of regret in her eyes, only unwillingness and stubbornness at not completing her plan.

Liam sat in the police office. This was the first time I'd seen him show such exhaustion and pain.

His shoulders drooped, and he looked extremely tired.

I hesitated, then walked over and sat down next to him.

Liam didn't cry, but his expression was empty. He asked blankly: "Sophia, what do I do? My mom is dead."

I was silent for a moment.

After a while, I replied: "You should grieve. No matter what bad things she did, she was still your mother. But you should know right from wrong in your heart. Her dying like this is already the best outcome for her. Mourn her, then keep her in your heart and live well."

I looked up at the busy police office with people coming and going.

"To be honest, all that gossip and public outcry is only temporary. Take this place, for example — how many people come and go through here every single day? Who actually pays any real attention to anyone else?"

"Liam," I said, "I understand your pain and struggle, but I learned something when I was young."

"Hating someone and loving someone don't conflict. These feelings can exist for the same person at the same time."

His eyes suddenly reddened, looking at me with tears barely visible.

I knew this was his vulnerable moment. I sighed and said: "If you need to, you can lean on my shoulder right now."

Liam leaned over. He closed his eyes and said slowly: "Sophia, what I owe you, I'm afraid I can never repay in this lifetime."

"Then take your time paying it back," I said. "When this life ends, there's the next life. You'll pay it back eventually."

After that, we both fell silent.

When Liam's emotions had stabilized, I asked: "Even though you and I tried hard to keep this quiet, it will probably still leak out."

"Before long, the Smith family will be in chaos again. What are you planning to do next?"

"Those old folks are all waiting to divide up the shares and assets!"

Liam frowned and said: "You want me to tell you the truth?"

I nodded.

"I really don't know," he smiled bitterly. "After this incident is exposed, the Smith Group's stock price will probably drop to a level I can't even imagine. I might not even be able to keep my current position."

I patted his shoulder, encouraging him: "What do you have to be afraid of?"

"The Smith Group was built by your own efforts anyway. Even if you start over, it's just a matter of time. The worst case is just earning it all back again."

Hearing me say this, Liam's eyes lit up, and his previously dim expression gradually recovered.

I laughed and stood up, saying: "I'm waiting for your good news. Liam, don't let me down. I don't want to think I misjudged you back then."