Free Web NovelChapter 272: Chapter 275: Confrontation and Confession
Renee Sinclair, however, didn’t think it was an issue.
"Agents who sell luxury villas are extremely protective of their clients’ privacy. If we managed to find out the buyer’s surname is Quincy, then it’s definitely Willow Quincy."
"...You’re that sure?" Felix Preston frowned, skeptical of Renee Sinclair’s certainty.
"Of course!"
’She had gotten all this information from the system by cashing in favorability points on credit. How could it be fake?’
’People lie, but the system doesn’t!’
"This information is a hundred percent solid. You can trust it!"
Felix Preston adjusted his glasses, the skepticism in his eyes unwavering. "So where did you get this information? Why are you so certain it’s real?"
"I..." Renee Sinclair was suddenly at a loss for words, unable to explain.
’All her information came from the system. There was no way she could tell Felix Preston the truth. Besides, how could anything the system gave her be fake?’
"Hey, just... don’t worry about it. I have my sources!" Unsure how to explain, she could only try to be evasive.
"All you need to know is that this info is solid. Don’t worry about the rest."
"No." Felix Preston couldn’t just let it go.
"This is about Charlotte. I can’t be careless. To be safe, I’ll hold off on using your information for now. I’ll cross-reference it with what I get from interrogating Jude Quinn. Once I can confirm everything, then I’ll make a move."
"...Alright." Renee Sinclair understood Felix’s caution, so she was willing to go along with his decision.
In the dead of winter, night always fell early.
By the time Renee Sinclair finished up and rose to leave, the sky had grown completely dark.
She stepped out of the Shaw Family villa, and before she even had a chance to get into her car, she was met with the sarcastic barbs of the mechanical female voice.
[Host, your kind offer... It seems Felix Preston is a bit unappreciative.]
Renee Sinclair couldn’t be bothered to engage with it. "He’s not being unappreciative," she said directly. "He’s being cautious!"
"He doesn’t know I got this information from the system, so of course he can’t be certain it’s all true. There’s nothing wrong with him being extra careful."
[Heh...]
The mechanical female voice laughed. [My, the host is quite empathetic.]
"..." Renee Sinclair rolled her eyes at the empty air in front of her without any attempt to hide it. "You’re just figuring that out now?"
[...]
The mechanical female voice said no more.
Renee Sinclair had no desire to waste time bickering with the boring system, either. She opened her car door, got in, and drove away from the Shaw estate.
「Meanwhile, at a private mountain estate in Kyloria.」
"Where are they now?"
Willow Quincy asked, his voice tense.
Charlotte Shaw pressed herself against the door, secretly listening to his phone call.
She heard the man on the other end of the phone say, "They’ve already reached Veridia. If nothing unexpected happens, they should be at the hospital first thing tomorrow morning."
"Mr. Quincy, you’re far away in Kyloria right now. Can you make it back overnight?"
"...I can’t," Willow Quincy’s voice was cold. "And I don’t plan to."
"What?" The man’s tone was shocked. "You don’t plan on coming back?"
’The man’s voice sounded familiar to Charlotte. She thought for a moment and guessed he must be one of Willow Quincy’s three secretaries.’
"Mr. Quincy, if you don’t return, won’t this whole thing be exposed?" The man deliberately lowered his voice, but he couldn’t hide the panic in it. "The elder Mr. Quincy is secretly investigating you; that means he’s already suspicious. If you don’t get back in time, he’ll be able to pin the crime on you for sure!"
"Let him," Willow Quincy said. "I ran out of options a long time ago."
"Mr. Quincy..."
The man couldn’t stand to see Willow Quincy just give up. He pleaded earnestly, "Your visa hasn’t come through yet! If the elder Mr. Quincy gets some leverage on you now, everything will be ruined!"
"The elder Mr. Quincy is the most rigid of men. If he found out that you... you’ve fallen for your own sister, he would definitely punish you!"
"...He won’t." In contrast to the man’s palpable fear, Willow Quincy’s response was almost arrogant in its confidence.
"I’m his only son. He still needs me to inherit the massive Quincy Group. Even if he finds out about all the dirty things I’ve done, he won’t punish me, and he certainly won’t turn me in."
"Besides, he’ll find out about this eventually. There’s no point in me avoiding it right now."
"Sigh..." The man let out a heavy sigh, as if he’d been persuaded by Willow Quincy.
"Then Mr. Quincy, are you not planning to take any countermeasures at all?"
"I’m not," Willow Quincy said calmly. "My father may be rigid and old-fashioned, but he’s also extremely cautious. The fact that he’s already sent people to investigate me in secret proves he’s already guessed I was the one behind it."
"It doesn’t make much difference whether I do anything about it or not."
"...Alright." The man relented.
"That’s it, then," Willow Quincy said. "Just keep a close watch on things for me. Don’t let Mason Shaw try anything behind my back."
"Yes, Mr. Quincy. I will do my best to protect the company."
"Right."
Then he hung up.
TAP... TAP... TAP...
The sound of unhurried footsteps suddenly echoed from behind the door. Charlotte snapped back to her senses and quickly moved away from the door to Willow Quincy’s room.
Holding her breath, she sprinted back to her room. She threw back the covers, jumped into bed, and squeezed her eyes shut, pretending to be asleep.
She performed the entire sequence in one fluid motion, without a single moment’s hesitation.
Sure enough, half a minute later, her door was pushed open by Willow Quincy.
Willow Quincy said nothing, walking silently to the side of Charlotte’s bed. He stood there for a moment, then lifted her blanket and gently climbed into bed with her.
!!!
Charlotte Shaw couldn’t keep up the act. She shot up, trying to bolt.
But she was still a step slower than Willow Quincy.
Willow Quincy wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her tight against his chest to keep her from escaping.
"Let me go!" Charlotte struggled violently, kicking and pushing at Willow Quincy with all her might.
"Willow Quincy, let me go!! You promised you wouldn’t touch me!!"
Willow Quincy closed his eyes, willingly taking her blows. "Sonia," he said, his voice weak, "don’t move. Just be good and let me hold you for a little while, okay?"
"Not okay!!" Charlotte Shaw grabbed his hands, desperately trying to pry them off, scratching him. "Get off! Get the hell off me! Don’t touch me!!"
"I’m not letting go!" Willow Quincy held her in a death grip, refusing to release her no matter how much she hit or cursed him.
"Get OFF!!!" Charlotte slapped him several times. Seeing it had no effect, she balled her hands into fists and began hammering on his body with all her might.
He didn’t flinch or try to dodge, just took every blow.
But after a few punches, his brow furrowed and he suddenly let out a pained grunt.
