Chapter 539 A Self-Directed Play
Audrey's eyes were like two venomous scorpions, ready to strike. Harper caught that nasty look in Audrey's eyes, no doubt about it.
Feeling a bad vibe, Harper wanted to bail. But then Audrey blurted out, "Help me, Harper! I'm pregnant."
Harper was thrown for a loop at first, but then she saw where Audrey was falling—right towards the corner of the table! With Audrey being pregnant, a hit like that could be real bad news for the baby.
Harper's good nature kicked in, and she reached out without thinking. Audrey's eyes flashed with something wicked, and she smirked like she knew this would happen. She knew Harper too well.
Audrey reached out too, gritting her teeth. She wanted to yank Harper down, making her crash into the cabinet. But just as their fingers brushed, Harper stopped, and under Audrey's intense stare, she pulled her hand back. Audrey's face twisted in shock; she never thought Harper, the soft-hearted one, would back off now.
A scream ripped through the room. Audrey's back slammed into the table corner, and she crumpled to the floor, blood pooling under her legs, a gruesome sight.
Harper's face was stone-cold, and Audrey couldn't believe it. Audrey pointed a shaky finger at Harper, gasping, "You!"
She couldn't get out another word; she didn't get when Harper turned so cold.
"Wondering why I didn't save you?" Harper said, cool as ice.
Audrey looked like she was in agony, waiting for Harper to spill.
"Because this whole thing was your setup," Harper said, spacing out her words. "I saw through it, so why would I let you trap me?"
Harper had seen the nasty glee in Audrey's eyes. In a flash, she knew what would happen if she grabbed Audrey's hand. Audrey would pull her, making her belly hit the table corner!
Harper was carrying twins; it could mean losing both babies or worse, all three of them gone. It was a narrow escape!
Audrey must've known or guessed something, which was why she was so desperate. If it looked like an accident, Audrey, being pregnant too, would be off the hook.
Audrey planned everything, except Harper's kindness. Harper's good heart would give a bad person one more shot. And she couldn't just stand by when someone was in danger. But it was just one shot. If they didn't appreciate it, Harper wouldn't keep giving chances! Especially not to someone like Audrey, who was always plotting against her and everyone else.
In that split second, Harper's instinct was to help, but her survival instinct made her pull back. Harper saw right through it—Audrey, the schemer, didn't just fall and need help. Nah, she was setting her up.
Audrey was livid, her face twisted in pain. If she wasn't down for the count, she'd probably be lunging at Harper, ready to smash her belly.
"Bitch!" Audrey spat out, cursing with all the venom she had left.
Seeing Audrey's rage, Harper knew she made the right call. Kindness was cool and all, but only if she could protect herself. Otherwise, it was just a weapon for jerks to use against her.
Harper wasn't about to stick around. She planned to hit up the front desk and get them to call the cops. That was her version of mercy.
Just as she turned to leave, Audrey, through gritted teeth, hissed, "You think you're safe now?"
Harper turned back, curious about what Audrey was plotting next. Out of nowhere, Audrey screamed, "Help! Someone's trying to kill me!"
Harper was floored, watching as Audrey crawled over, smearing blood all over Harper's hands and grabbing her tight. Audrey's eyes were blazing with hate. "You won't get away!"
Suddenly, Audrey's assistant popped up, grabbing Harper and yelling, "You murderer, don't run!"
Harper tried to shake her off, but the floor was a slippery mess of blood and water. She couldn't get free. People started gathering, throwing judgmental looks and whispering.
"She looks so innocent. Who knew she'd kill someone? Can't judge a book by its cover."
"Yeah, heard it was over a guy."
"What? She deserves whatever's coming to her. No sympathy here."
Harper's hands were bloody, and she was trapped by the crowd. She tried to explain, but the noise drowned her out. The crowd was fired up, not willing to listen.
Audrey's assistant took the chance to push Harper, trying to make her fall. Harper grabbed the assistant's arm to stay upright. The assistant kept trying, but Harper held on tight.
Someone in the crowd shouted, "Hold this bad woman until the cops get here."
"Move aside, everyone!" A stern voice cut through the chaos, and the crowd parted. Harper, still held by Audrey's assistant, saw Francis striding towards her, cold and tall, not even glancing her way.
Francis ignored Audrey's bloody state, knelt down, and picked her up. From start to finish, he didn't look at Harper once. It was like, in his world, no one mattered but Audrey.
Even though Harper could usually keep her cool around Francis, her heart twisted painfully at that moment. She knew that kind of attention all too well; she used to be the one getting it from Francis. And now, it was clear—he wasn't faking it. He really had fallen for Audrey.
As Francis carried Audrey past her, the new assistant, who didn't know Harper, asked, "Mr. Getty, what should we do with her?"
Francis's eyes were cold and deep, sending a shiver down Harper's spine. "Take her to the hospital too," he said, his voice icy.
Harper didn't want to go with him. She stood her ground, "I'm not going. I'll wait for the police to come and clear my name."
Francis looked at her with a chilling indifference, then smirked slightly, "Take her."
Harper felt a wave of unease but was forcibly dragged into the car by the assistant.
Just then, the factory owner, who had been looking for Harper, saw her being taken away and rushed over, grabbing her sleeve, "What are you doing? Kidnapping someone in broad daylight? Are you above the law?"
The assistant ignored her, pried her hand off, and shut the car window. As the window was closing, Harper slipped her phone into the owner's hand, saying, "Don't worry, contact my brother about the factory."
The factory owner was stunned but eventually stayed put, not following.
In the front car, Francis glanced in the rearview mirror and coldly ordered his men, "Control that woman too and check her."
At the hospital, Audrey was rushed into the emergency room. Francis stared at the operating room door, looking genuinely worried.
Harper, on the other hand, leaned against the door outside, her head down. She was exhausted, her legs barely holding her up. She had no strength left and could only lean against the door to rest.
Suddenly, the operating room door opened, and a nurse came out, looking serious, "Sir, the pregnant woman's condition is critical. If we keep trying to save the baby, her life could be in great danger. We need your decision on whether to continue saving the baby."
Francis frowned, looking deeply conflicted. After a long pause, he said, "Save the mother."
"Alright, please sign these documents."
After the operating room door closed again, Harper's eyes met Francis's. The worry in Francis's eyes was so clear it hit Harper hard. A bitter taste rose in her throat; she didn't want to see any more of Francis and Audrey's love.
"Can I leave now, Mr. Getty?" Harper asked, her voice distant.
Francis's face was stone-cold, his voice low, "No."
Harper's anger flared, "I swear, I didn't push Audrey. Her fall had nothing to do with me."
Francis looked at her silently, not saying a word.
Harper swallowed the rest of her words. She wanted to say that Audrey had tried to frame her but ended up hurting herself. But Francis was all about Audrey now. If Harper said anything, he wouldn't listen and might even turn against her.
Harper pressed her lips together, hiding the bitterness in her heart. "Since you don't believe me, fine. I'll go to the police myself to explain and prove my innocence."
"Follow me," Francis said coldly, then walked into a nearby VIP lounge.
Harper didn't want to go in, but Francis's two bodyguards blocked her way, leaving her no choice. She had to follow him.
Francis stood by the window, already lighting a cigarette. In the swirling smoke, his handsome profile looked even more chiseled.
Harper was stunned for a few seconds. Francis rarely smoked, and even if he did, he wouldn't do it in front of her. Fortunately, he didn't smoke for long. Seeing Harper come in, he extinguished the cigarette and nodded, indicating for her to sit.
Harper's legs were sore, so she immediately sat down. She said coldly, "Mr. Getty, I have things to do. You have no right to detain me. If you really think I pushed..."
Harper paused, finding it hard to say the next words, but then she forced them out. "Pushed your fiancée, you can hand me over to the police instead of unlawfully restricting my freedom."
Francis looked at her coldly and asked, "How can you be sure you'll walk out of the police station unscathed?"
Harper forced a smile. "That's not your concern. The police will surely determine whether I did it or not."
"Naive." Francis's expression was unreadable, making Harper nervous.
The next second, someone knocked on the door. Francis's voice was calm, "Come in."
His assistant entered, holding a phone in both hands, and respectfully handed it to Francis. "Mr. Getty, here."
Francis leisurely took the phone, and Harper recognized it as her phone. She froze, looking at Francis in disbelief.
He took the phone, unlocked it with her face, and played the recording Harper had secretly made. Their conversation replayed.
"Move aside."
"Harper, why don't you just disappear instead of being an eyesore?"
"Let go!"
After a terrified scream, the recording abruptly ended.
When Harper saw Audrey, she immediately became cautious and recorded their conversation. She had no intention of harming anyone but didn't want to be harmed. So, when Francis had her taken into the car, she slipped her phone to the factory owner, telling her to find Jasper. Now the phone was in Francis's hands, meaning he had discovered it.
Harper's face turned pale, and she reached out to grab the phone. "Give me back my phone."
Francis simply raised his arm, and Harper couldn't reach it. His voice was low. "You think this recording will prove your innocence?"
Harper coldly replied, "Don't tell me you can't hear that Audrey was trying to frame me and ended up hurting herself."
Francis looked down at her, his voice icy. "This recording doesn't show the full picture, so it can't prove your innocence."
He slowly lowered his arm, and with a splash, the white phone was dropped into a container filled with liquid, sizzling as it short-circuited.
"See that?" Francis's cold tone carried a hint of mockery. "Now it's useless."
Harper froze, instinctively reaching into the container to retrieve the phone.
A sharp sound echoed. Her hand was forcefully slapped away by Francis, turning her entire hand red.
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