Free Web NovelChapter 41: Chapter 41: Taking Advantage of Renee Sinclair
"..." The triumphant look on Renee Sinclair’s face instantly collapsed. She didn’t answer the question for a long moment.
Sonia Quincy gave a slight smile and called out to her meaningfully, "Miss Sinclair?"
Renee Sinclair lifted her chin proudly, her gaze turning contemptuous. "Sonia Quincy, this is my private business. I’m under no obligation to tell you."
"This is also my private business, and it’s not for Miss Sinclair to interfere." Felix Preston gripped Sonia Quincy’s shoulder, pulling her into his embrace. He then turned to glare at Renee Sinclair, his expression displeased. "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Sinclair, but we’ve already reported this to the police. They will help us resolve it."
Miss Sinclair...
The address made Renee Sinclair feel a bit aggrieved. Her fine brows knitted together, and her tone suddenly softened. "Felix, if those officers you found really wanted to help, how could they have found no leads after two days? You’ve been through something so dangerous, and you have no one by your side to help. If I don’t step in, what will you do? Aren’t you afraid that person will come back for revenge?"
"This is my private business. You’re crossing a line, Miss Sinclair." Felix Preston had no desire to say any more. With that, he turned to lead Sonia Quincy away.
"Thank you for coming, but another department is already on this case. There’s no need for you to worry about it. You can head back."
"..." The lead officer looked at Felix Preston in confusion, then turned to Renee Sinclair. "Mr. Preston, we’ve already completed the handover with the responding officers. We’re in charge of your case now."
Felix Preston: "What?"
Renee Sinclair composed herself, a triumphant smile returning to her face. "He’s right. This matter is indeed under their purview now. The accident happened on the border between two precinct jurisdictions. If one precinct can’t handle the case, the other can take it over."
"My dad knows the chief of this precinct. When the chief heard about what happened to you, he immediately took over the case and assigned an elite team to find the person for you. If all goes well, they’ll find the culprit who hit you within two days."
"Felix, I’m genuinely worried about you, which is why I did everything I could to help. You’re bankrupt now. I’m the only one left who can help you."
As she said this, Renee Sinclair’s gaze was fixed on Sonia Quincy’s face, the implication clear.
Sonia Quincy didn’t flinch, meeting her gaze calmly. Her reaction was remarkably composed.
"No..."
"In that case, thank you, Miss Sinclair."
Just as Felix Preston was about to refuse, Sonia Quincy accepted Renee Sinclair’s "goodwill" for him.
She quietly poked Felix Preston’s thigh, signaling him not to say anything. Though he didn’t know why, Felix Preston obediently complied.
"You’re so well-connected, Miss Sinclair. We’ll have to trouble you to handle our private affairs then."
Renee Sinclair scoffed. "Don’t mention it. As long as I can help Felix, it’s no trouble at all."
Sonia Quincy: "Right. In that case, we’ll leave you to it, Miss Sinclair. Felix and I have some private things to discuss."
"Felix, let’s go to the other room."
Felix Preston turned to leave. "Alright."
At the doorway, Sonia Quincy noticed Evan Yates hadn’t followed. She turned back and called out, "Evan Yates, you come too."
Evan Yates shot an awkward glance at Renee Sinclair, then shuffled over to Sonia Quincy.
"Coming!"
In the blink of an eye, all four of them had crowded into the other small room, leaving Renee Sinclair standing alone outside.
"...What a bitch." Renee Sinclair stared at the closed door, cursing under her breath through gritted teeth.
After cursing, her face darkened and she stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly began to mutter to herself.
’This Felix Preston is so hard to deal with. Can’t you give me more tools?’
’Favorability points, favorability points, always with the favorability points! I only had so many to begin with, and I’ve already used them all to redeem an unknown event. How could I have any left?’
’Can’t I get them on credit? Just lend me some favorability points, and I’ll pay you back when I earn more later.’
’What kind of stupid rules are these... so stingy...’
"Renee Sinclair is muttering something, but I can’t make out what she’s saying at all. I don’t understand any of it."
Lynn Preston had her ear pressed to the door, giving Sonia Quincy a running commentary as she eavesdropped.
Evan Yates asked curiously, "What’s she saying?"
"Umm..." Lynn Preston thought for a moment. "She said something about wanting to get something on credit, that she’s out of ’favorability points,’ and that the ’stupid rules are stingy’."
Evan Yates looked utterly bewildered. "What is all that? None of it makes any sense."
Lynn Preston shook her head. "I don’t get it. Sonia, do you?"
Sonia Quincy smiled faintly. "I don’t really get it either."
The statement was half true. She really didn’t fully understand, but she suspected she had an idea why Renee Sinclair was saying such things.
"Sonia, why did you agree to let Renee Sinclair get involved? Did you misunderstand something?" Felix Preston frowned, his gaze tense. "I swear I never told her about this, and I have no idea where she could have heard it."
"I can vouch for that." Evan Yates raised his hand. "Preston and that Miss Sinclair only ever interact for work. She’s tried to contact him privately many times, but Preston always ignores her."
"I know." The two of them were like a pair of guilty schoolboys, scrambling to explain themselves. Sonia Quincy found it both exasperating and amusing.
She reached out and patted the back of Felix Preston’s hand, her voice soft and reassuring. "You two don’t have to be so tense. I haven’t misunderstood anything. I know what kind of person Preston is. I’d trust him even if he didn’t say a word of explanation."
Hearing this, Felix Preston immediately turned his hand and enveloped hers, holding it tightly in his palm. "If you trust me, then why agree to let Renee Sinclair get involved?"
"And why not?" The gentle smile on Sonia Quincy’s face suddenly turned sharp. "Renee Sinclair is the heiress to the Sinclair Group; she’s incredibly well-connected. If she’s willing to pull some strings and get those cops to find the person, they’ll be far more efficient. And since I also want to know who the bastard was that hit you, why not let her do the work? Let the ’able’ do the ’labor’. In the end, we’re the ones who benefit."
"Ah... I get it!" A wicked grin appeared on Lynn Preston’s face. She lowered her voice and said, enunciating every syllable, "Sonia is just using her!"
"That’s right," Sonia Quincy admitted readily. "Only a fool would pass up a freebie. If she wants to do all the work, let her. There’s no reason to refuse her ’kindness’."
"Mmm," Evan Yates agreed enthusiastically. "What Sonia said makes perfect sense!"
"What do you think?" Sonia Quincy nudged Felix Preston’s knee, tossing the question to him.
He took off his glasses to wipe a speck of dust from the lenses, the corners of his eyes lifting slightly. "As long as you’re happy, it’s fine by me."
Sonia Quincy: "Of course I’m happy..."
"Okay, let’s get serious. Felix, I suddenly remembered a clue today about how Ethan Lockwood is scheming against you."
