Free Web NovelChapter 279: Chapter 282: He Doesn’t Plan to Run
BZZZT—
BZZZT—
A phone suddenly started vibrating in his coat pocket. Willow Quincy frowned and opened his eyes, pulling the phone out.
—Dad.
Just that single word was displayed on the screen. As Willow Quincy stared at it, he inexplicably felt short of breath.
BZZZT—
BZZZT—
The phone continued its incessant buzzing, but Willow Quincy just stared blankly at it, seemingly with no intention of answering.
The assistant beside him offered a kind reminder, "Mr. Quincy, the call is from Uncle Quincy."
"..." Willow Quincy ignored him. He stared at the phone in a daze for a moment, then suddenly extended his hand and passed the phone to his young assistant.
"You answer it for me."
"...Huh?" The assistant was stunned. "M-Me? You want me to answer it?"
"Yes." Willow Quincy was serious.
The assistant shrank back in fear, waving his hands frantically. "No, I can’t do that! How could I possibly answer a call from Uncle Quincy for you? It’s against the rules!"
Willow Quincy shot him a cold glare. "I set the rules at Quincy Group. When I tell you to answer, you answer. No more nonsense!"
Willow Quincy’s tone was a bit harsh. After hearing that, the young assistant didn’t dare refuse any longer.
He cautiously reached out and took the still-vibrating phone.
Willow Quincy instructed, "If my dad asks where I am, tell him I’m being questioned by the police."
The assistant nodded. "...Okay."
He answered the call with trepidation, pressing the phone to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Willow, where are you?!"
Finn Quincy’s voice was clearly panicked.
The assistant glanced at Willow Quincy’s expression and stammered, "Uncle Quincy, it’s Mona."
"Mona?" Finn Quincy paused for a moment. "Why are you answering? Where’s Willow?"
Willow Quincy shot Mona a look, and Mona immediately lied, "Willow is talking with the police. He can’t take his phone right now."
"The police?" Finn Quincy’s voice changed instantly. "The police have already found Willow?"
Willow Quincy nodded, so Mona continued, "Yes, the officers came several hours ago. They took Willow into the study as soon as they arrived, and he hasn’t come out yet."
"Why are they looking for Willow? Did you hear anything?" Finn Quincy asked urgently.
Willow Quincy opened his mouth and mouthed her name, ’Charlotte Shaw.’
Mona replied, "It seems... it’s about Charlotte Shaw."
"What..." Finn Quincy’s voice suddenly grew faint. "They’re moving that fast? They just came to see me, and now they’ve already found Willow... It’s over. It’s really over this time..."
"What’s over?" Mona asked, a little curious.
"Sigh..." Finn Quincy let out a heavy sigh and said no more.
"...Uncle Quincy?" Mona called out uncertainly, but received no answer.
Willow Quincy reached over, took the phone, and hung up.
"What’s wrong with Uncle Quincy?" Mona asked, looking at Willow Quincy with concern.
Willow Quincy didn’t hide it from him. "If I’m not mistaken, your Uncle Quincy has already been questioned by the police."
"Huh?" Mona was shocked. "H-How could that be? Does that mean the police have already found something?"
Willow Quincy said, "In all likelihood, yes."
"Oh my god..." Mona was terrified. He looked at Willow Quincy timidly with wide, innocent eyes. Banking on their blood relationship, he worked up the courage to ask, "Willow, have the police locked onto us?"
Willow Quincy hummed calmly in affirmation. "A special task force plus the criminal investigation division. It was a given that we’d be targeted. No need to be surprised."
Mona asked, "So, was Uncle Quincy calling just now to warn you about this?"
Willow Quincy leaned back, slumping wearily into his seat. "He wasn’t just trying to warn me. He wanted me to run. Once the task force locks onto me, it won’t be long before I’m arrested. If I don’t run now, what’s waiting for me are handcuffs and a prison cell."
Hearing this, Mona’s face went pale in an instant. "...Willow, if you knew all that, why did you deliberately not answer Uncle Quincy’s call?"
Willow Quincy replied, "Because I never planned on running."
Mona said, "Huh?"
Willow Quincy closed his eyes and gave a self-deprecating smile. "I knew from the beginning that I wouldn’t be able to keep her. I fully expected this outcome, so I’m not surprised at all. I don’t intend to struggle in vain."
"Let whatever happens, happen. When the time comes, I’ll naturally let her go. I’m already content with getting to spend these past ten-odd days with her."
"Willow, why put yourself through all this?" Mona felt a pang of pity for him, but he also didn’t understand. "If you knew you couldn’t keep Charlotte Shaw, why plan all this? Aren’t you just rushing to get yourself thrown in prison?"
Willow Quincy shook his head, disagreeing. "I owe her too much, and I owe too much to others as well. Whether it’s prison or death, it’s what I deserve."
"I have to atone."
Mona didn’t know the inside story of that family secret, so of course he couldn’t understand what Willow Quincy was saying.
He looked at Willow Quincy with a complicated expression, no longer knowing what to say.
At 8:00 PM, Willow Quincy’s car pulled up to the main entrance of Pleasant Heart Private Hospital in Veridia.
WHOOSH—
The car door opened, and he stepped out, holding a black umbrella. His steps were hurried as he walked into the hospital.
The vice director was already waiting for him in the lobby. Upon seeing him enter, the man hurried over and led him toward the elevators.
"Those people haven’t arrived yet, have they?" he asked in a low voice.
The vice director also replied softly, "Not yet."
"Good." Willow Quincy kept his head down as he followed the vice director into the VIP elevator.
DING—
The elevator doors closed, and the car began to slowly ascend.
Willow Quincy asked, "Is everything ready?"
The vice director glanced at him. "It’s all ready. For the days you’ve been gone, the body double has been filling in. We’ve prepared everything for your ’treatment’: the files, medical records, medication logs, even surveillance footage and eyewitnesses. The police will find no inconsistencies."
"Good." Willow Quincy pinched the bridge of his aching nose. "As long as all of that is solid, I’ll have a few more days."
The vice director replied, "Rest assured, Mr. Quincy. I will do everything in my power to buy you time."
"Thank you." Willow Quincy smiled and patted the vice director’s shoulder.
DING—
The elevator stopped on the ninth floor. Willow Quincy walked out quickly, first heading to the vice director’s office to change into a patient gown, then carefully timing his departure from the office to return to his private suite.
At 9:30 PM, Faye Lane, along with experts from the special task force and officers from the criminal investigation division, arrived at the hospital.
