Ian’s pupils contracted. He was about to say something when Jasper spoke again.
“Maybe you don’t have to go through all that trouble. After all, even if you find a new place, who knows if you’ll get to stay there, right?”
Ian felt a wave of unease rush over him at Jasper’s subtle smile.
He could not help but feel like there was something he had forgotten, a weakness that Jasper had already gotten hold of.
Yet no matter how he thought about it, Ian still thought that everything was in his grasp.
“All you have is the ICBS’ loan, the two ships in Harbor City, and this plot of land. That’s just three axes and you think you can win me? You wish.”
Ian sneered when he was done, but his phone suddenly began to ring again.
Ian had heard no good news every time his phone rang today, and now that his phone began to ring incessantly once more, Ian did not want to pick it up at all.
However, the display on the phone stated that it was from the hospital.
Ian had no choice but to pick it up.
“Mr. Hull, I’m calling to tell you that Ben has run out of the hospital!”
A nurse’s agitated voice echoed through the speakers.
Ian was stunned for a moment before he exploded. “What do you mean he ran out?! He’s a patient, how could you let him run out? Are you stupid?”
The nurse replied indignantly, “We’re a hospital, not a detention center, Mr. Hull. The patient is in control of his own legs. Not to mention that Ben is mentally unstable and there’s no way we can watch over him every single second.
“All the more reason to watch over him if his condition is unstable! Do you think you can take the responsibility if anything happens after he has run out?!”
Ian roared.
The nurse on the other end did not dare to make a sound.
Taking heavy breaths, Ian knew that this was not the time to throw a tantrum. He clenched his jaw and ordered, “I’ll be there right away. Go look at the cameras and find out where he ran off to!”
Ian then hung up the phone. Glaring sinisterly at Jasper one last time, he turned and left, leaving Jasper to simmer in his thoughts as he watched Ian leave hastily.
Although he did not hear what the hospital told Ian, Jasper could more or less guess what had happened from Ian’s two replies.
‘Ben ran out?
‘Where would a mentally unstable madman run to?’
Jasper did not dwell on the problem and instead called Henry.
“How’s it going for you?”
In a high-end residential complex in Waterhoof City, Henry was sitting with his legs crossed. He was grinning as he looked at the man kneeling in front of him. The man was having his face beaten up by two burly men. “Don’t worry about me, I’ve got this.”
Jasper smiled. “Have him turn himself over after you’re done. Make him say what he has to.”
Hanging up the phone, Henry snapped his fingers at Derick who was kneeling before him. “Hey, have you given it enough thought yet?”
Blood was dripping from the corner of Derick’s lips, and the man looked conflicted. He did not dare to speak.
Henry pursed his lips. “Are you actually stupid or are you just pretending to be a f*cking idiot? Do you actually think that *sshole, Ian, is a good person or something?
“I can promise you that he has already decided to use you as a scapegoat.
“I’ve already asked around in Harbor City. There’s no escaping the charge for smuggling. It’ll only be a matter of time before they issue a joint investigation with the Mainland, and by then, you can forget about walking free from this.
“They’ve also informed me that all the evidence they found points to you being the culprit behind everything. This means Ian has completely removed himself from the narrative while you’re still here putting your life on the line for him. Are you an idiot?”
Derick’s pupils contracted slightly at the words.
He did not know who this young man who suddenly came crashing at his door was, but from everything that had conspired since then, Derick knew that this was an arrogant young man who did things without caring about the consequences.
Most importantly, this young man also seemed to be very aware of what was happening in Harbor City as if he was the true mastermind behind it all.
Henry squatted in front of Derick and spoke, “I don’t like wasting my time, and my patience has always been horrible. Your wife and child are in Harbor City, right?
“Do you think they’ll have a nice life if you went to jail for smuggling?”
Smiling, Henry patted Derick’s swollen face. “Think again. Work with me, and I’ll have Ian put behind bars. You’re just an accomplice. By turning yourself in and cooperating with the investigation, you’ll have a few years cut from your sentence.”
Henry then pulled out a check from his breast pocket and waved it in front of Derick.
“This check will be enough for your wife and kid to wait comfortably until your release.
Derick stared at the check, already enticed.
He knew that the things he did with Ian were illegal. It would be fine if they did not get caught, but a lot of trouble would come if they did get caught.
According to his understanding of Ian, it was very likely the man would make him take all the blame…
“I mean, you don’t have to agree. You could go ahead and get executed for Ian. I’ll try to send your wife and kid down to meet you as soon as possible.”
Henry’s last sentence finally made Derick speak.
“No! Don’t!
“I promise, as long as you do as you say, I’ll promise you everything!
“I’ll go turn myself in. I’ll tell them everything I know!
“Just please, don’t hurt my family. Keep them safe!”
Henry let out a sigh of relief when he watched Derick’s last defenses break down and begin to sob.
Honestly speaking, he was a trust fund baby, a son from a rich family.
His favorite pastime was to bully and oppress other trust fund babies of his same status, not ‘normal people’ like Derick as it made him seem classless.
Not to mention that he would never hurt Derick’s family. Young Master Law was not a suicidal gangster. He was not that horrible.
Henry would be at a loss if Derick had still refused to speak.
Henry smiled, feeling pleased. He spoke, “Good. Don’t worry. I promised you, didn’t I? That’s a basic ethic for high-class trust fund babies.”
Henry then got up and gave the two subordinates a look. “Let’s go, Mr. Mallin. We’ll send you over to turn yourself in.”
