Chapter 101
As they stepped out of the hut, the scene before them was chaotic yet contained. Armed police had successfully restrained the rioting workers, all of whom were now huddled in a corner. The team leader of the police force frowned as he spotted the girl in Tony’s arms. “Director Hart, she was supposed to go to the station to give a statement…” he muttered cautiously. Before he could finish, Tony shot him an icy glare that silenced him instantly.
“Officer Wayne, we have another witness here; she can follow you back to the station if needed,” Leo quickly interjected. Wayne nodded. “All right, that’s great.”
Leo noticed how Myra seemed to be trembling in Tony’s arms, so he quickly removed his coat to cover her. However, before he could do so, Tony took a step back, clearly avoiding the gesture. Leo awkwardly scratched his nose. Well, at least I feel relieved now that everything’s over, he thought. After his earlier phone call with Myra, he had been frantic, immediately reaching out to Tony. What would have happened if they had arrived even a minute later? Myra doesn’t know the internal matters of the Chase Group, and she doesn’t know… Leo’s thoughts trailed off as he glanced at the foreman, Chris. A steely look crossed his face, and he quickly followed Tony.
“Director Hart, these people…” Leo began, cautiously.
“Do what you must,” Tony replied coldly, speaking of the workers as if they were mere obstacles. “Do you still need me to teach you what to do?” His words sent a chill through Leo’s spine.
Leo simply nodded solemnly. “Understood.” He stopped in his tracks, no longer following Tony.
Meanwhile, Tony kept his gaze fixed on the woman in his arms. He couldn’t shake the thought that perhaps he should’ve abandoned her completely after that night. She made it clear that she didn’t want him around, so why did he keep showing up? It was as though he was begging for humiliation. Still, when he received Leo’s call earlier, he couldn’t control his urge to rush to her side. And when he had seen Lyla… He clenched his grip around Myra, his anger simmering. Good job, Lyla, he thought bitterly.
Philip, the doctor who had become proficient in both internal medicine and surgery, wasn’t surprised when Tony called him to check on Myra. Yet, when he saw the extent of her injuries, he couldn’t help but question the situation. “What happened? How did she end up so badly injured?” he asked. The cuts weren’t deep, and there were no fractures, but… “She’ll probably have a scar on her forehead,” Philip added with a frown.
Tony’s face remained impassive, but Philip could sense the fury brewing within him. “Could it be… Did Sean abuse her after finding out about your connection?” he ventured, but Tony scoffed, offering no answer.
“Tell Elliot to accelerate things in Hilliville,” Tony said, changing the subject.
Philip raised an eyebrow, removing his gloves after treating Myra’s wounds. “I heard you asked Old Master Hart for money, Tony. Is that true?”
The question struck a nerve. Tony felt a wave of frustration and, for a moment, was tempted to light a cigarette. However, as he glanced at the unconscious woman on the bed, he resisted. His lips pressed into a thin line. “Yeah.”
Philip’s eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly turned his attention back to Myra on the bed, shaking his head. “Tony, you really should tell her what you’ve done for her. How is she going to understand the sacrifices you’ve made if you don’t tell her?”
Tell her? Tony recalled how he had poured his heart out that night, explaining all the things he had done for her, only to have her dismiss it. The chill in the air deepened as he remembered her cold response. “I… have more important things to handle now,” he muttered, his gaze darkening as his thoughts grew heavier.
The following morning, Myra slowly awoke from a deep sleep. Her entire body ached, as if she had been run over by a car, her bones and joints throbbing in pain. As she opened her eyes, confusion set in. Where am I? The last thing she remembered was being in Tony’s arms, feeling safe as he carried her away from the rioting workers.
The room was dim, thick blackout curtains blocking any light. Myra’s head spun as she sat up, closing her eyes for a moment to steady herself. A sharp pain from her forehead reminded her of the injury there, and when she touched it, she realized the wound had been treated. She had other injuries, too, but it seemed they had been cleaned and dressed as well.
Just then, the door opened. Tony’s imposing figure filled the doorway, blocking the light from outside. Myra’s breath caught in her throat as she looked at him, reminded of how he had saved her the day before. Her eyes burned, the weight of unspoken emotions nearly overwhelming. How am I supposed to face him now? she wondered. All the harsh words she had spoken to him in the past now felt like a vice on her heart. She had been so ungrateful, pushing him away despite his good intentions.
Tony stepped closer. Myra clenched her fists, at a complete loss for words. She finally managed to say two simple words: “Thank you…” She didn’t know how she would have survived without him rushing to her aid yesterday. The memory of that terrifying night would haunt her forever.
Tony stood in front of her, his gaze unreadable, but Myra couldn’t decipher the emotions behind his eyes. Before she could ask what he was thinking, he spoke in his usual calm tone. “You have a lot of missed calls on your phone.”
She turned her head to see the phone beside her pillow. It wasn’t hers, but she froze when she saw the numerous missed calls. “Your phone was crushed yesterday. Leo took your SIM card and got you a new one,” Tony explained.
Myra was stunned as she picked up the phone. She had never expected someone as cold as Tony to be so thoughtful. Words seemed to escape her, and she could only manage a soft “Thank you” once again.
Tony smirked slightly. “No worries. I just didn’t want anything to go wrong with the Hart Group’s project.”
Myra felt a pang in her chest. There it was again… He’d said the same thing when he saved her at the construction site. It was as if he only cared about her safety because of the potential impact on the project. Her lips curled into a bitter smile, and she glanced at the missed calls.
Sean. Eve. Richard. The head of the engineering department… Even the director of the design department had called. Myra scrolled through the list, counting nearly a hundred missed calls. It seemed they were all looking for her about something important. Could it be related to yesterday’s incident at the construction site? Had they all been informed?
Taking a deep breath, she tapped on Eve’s number and called her. Eve picked up almost immediately, her voice frantic. “Where are you now, Myra?”
Myra held the phone away from her ear slightly before answering in a quiet voice. “I’m at the hospital. Did something happen?”