Chapter 38: Living on a borrowed time
The two individuals happened to be Robert and his brother Steven. Steven was in the midst of saying something to Robert, who stood with his arms crossed, occasionally interjecting a remark.
Scarlette couldn’t help but comment, “These two guys must be up to no good, collaborating like a pair of scheming scoundrels.”
I was about to respond when another man hurriedly approached. Upon looking carefully, I was somewhat surprised. “I know this man; when I was at the company, he was a sales representative responsible for the East region, Paul Cruise.”
I pointed him out to Scarlette. “But this guy has no business integrity, double-dealing with both sides. I kicked him out of the company. How is he connected to Robert?”
“No doubt up to something shady. I’ll have Albert arrange someone to keep an eye on Robert, see what he’s up to day by day,” Scarlette said with a sinister tone. “Knowing your enemy is the key to winning a hundred battles.”
“Alright, but stay safe. This Steven isn’t a good character. He associates with some unsavory people,” I reminded Scarlette. “So, I suspect anyone dealing with the black market should be connected to Steven.”
Paul walked up to Robert, nodding and bowing slightly as he handed a file bag to Robert. After examining some documents, Robert nodded intermittently as Paul continued to explain. Then, Robert opened the car door, placed the file bag on the passenger seat, and exchanged words with Steven.
Subsequently, Steven and Robert waved goodbye to Paul and left together. It seemed they were waiting for that particular set of documents.
Scarlette watched them leave and turned to me, complaining, “How unlucky! Why do we always run into them? Could that jerk be heading home now?”
Honestly, that was exactly what I was concerned about.
After a moment of thought, I took out my phone and decided to turn it off.
Then, I grabbed Scarlette’s arm. “Let’s go, we’re heading back!” I declared, leading the way out of the coffee shop.
Scarlette followed closely, and once inside her car, she looked at me anxiously. “Daisy, is it safe for you to go back like this?”
I remained silent, my mind spinning. I shared Scarlette’s worry; if Robert went back now and found Sherry still asleep and unresponsive, it could raise suspicions.
Scarlette, seeing my silence, grew anxious. “How about I go back with you? We can say I called you and picked you up.”
I shook my head. “No, it’s not the right time to reveal your presence. Don’t forget about the hospital incident. If Robert sees us together now, he’ll immediately connect it to that day at the hospital. I believe that even if Steven wasn’t entirely sure it was me that day, he had suspicions. Otherwise, Robert wouldn’t have rushed back that night.”
“But what should we do? I’m a bit worried if you go back alone!” Scarlette expressed her concerns.
“It’s fine. I’ll adapt as the situation unfolds,” I replied calmly. “It’s also a good opportunity to test whether they intend to harm me. If they don’t act, it means they must have another plot in mind.”
“But what if they do harm you? Are you risking your life for this?” Scarlette halted the car and looked at me with worry.
“I don’t think they will. So, it’s a chance to probe them. Do you think I’m not in danger if I don’t try? I’ve been living on borrowed time already!” I asserted firmly. “Not discovering their true intentions is the most dangerous situation.”Exclusive © content by N(ô)ve/l/Drama.Org.
“In that case, I’ll stay nearby. If you’re okay, send me a message. If I don’t hear from you within an hour, I’ll call the police. I’m giving you just one hour,” Scarlette reminded me. I agreed, and she resumed driving.
Just then, as the car passed by a hair salon not far away from my house, I quickly called for a stop. “Scarlette, stop the car!”
She looked puzzled. “What’s going on?”
“Reverse a bit,” I unbuckled my seatbelt and instructed her, “Find a place to park, and make sure the surveillance cameras from my house won’t capture you.”
I got out of the car and walked into the hair salon.