Chapter 30 A Resolution

The editor had a fractured nose bone, and Maggie covered all the treatment costs. The editor was in so much pain that he couldn't help but cry out, clutching her hand.
When they entered the operating room, Maggie realized that her legs were weak. After hitting the editor, Matt had run away. He had hematophobia, and his heart would race and he would turn pale. Sobering up from the alcohol, he glared at Maggie and spitefully said, "Just you wait."
Before, his acting had felt genuine and heartfelt. But Maggie realized that even his previously created kindness was fake.
Her colleague's injury left her feeling troubled. Her clothes and sleeves were stained with blood, emitting a strong metallic smell. She regained her senses and took the opportunity to clean up in the restroom at the end of the hallway.
"Mrs. Green, you're here too."
She unexpectedly encountered with a familiar face, Nick. He was coming down the stairs, holding a medical bag in his hand.
Maggie was stunned when Nick saw the wet and bloodstained corner of her clothes. "Mrs. Green, are you hurt?"
"Not me, it's my colleague."
"Is it serious? There's quite a lot of bleeding."
Maggie felt down. "A little."
Harold had an orderly personal life, he was efficient, and being in a high position, he was closely watched by his colleagues. There were few things that could distract him.
During those two nights on Skyline Parkway, Nick had shown curiosity towards her. In front of the Mayor, as a driver and government official, he refrained from asking too much or making speculations.
This encounter was purely accidental.
She glanced at the medical bag. "Are you sick?"
"I'm getting a prescription for the Secretary-General. He has neuralgia."
Maggie frowned. "How long has it been?"
Realizing he had said too much, Nick tried to make up for it. "Not long, and the symptoms are mild. I have other things to attend to, so I won't keep you, Mrs. Green."
She hesitated. "Is he also here?"
Nick's footsteps slowed down as he descended the stairs, but he didn't stop. "He's not here. At this time, the Secretary-General should be handling official business."
Before he finished speaking, he had disappeared down the hallway.
...
Maggie didn't want to make a big deal out of this. She agreed with the editor and also sent him meals three times a day during his hospital stay.
Encountering this misfortune, the editor was initially filled with resentment. But the editor was a single young man who had an appreciation for her in both personal and romantic aspects.
Using a gentle approach and sincere words, she expressed remorse. Then he promised not to gossip at the TV station.
Maggie's tightly wound emotions relaxed, but then tightened again, breaking.
Matt wasn't just talking big. He meant it.
Sterling Holdings, a real estate company, had a demolition department that gave off a strong underworld vibe. Matt instructed several thugs under him to gather twelve people.
Three people stood at the door of the TV station, holding up a banner that directly pointed at Maggie.
The news department had just returned from an outing in the countryside. When the two groups of people met, they refused to give way to each other. The entrance to the station was blocked, and the scene was heated and embarrassing.
Maggie rushed out, feeling as if she had been hit on the head with a bat. The red banner reflected in her eyes, and her temples throbbed as her head began to spin.
"Call the police, call the police!"
The Manager was furious and ordered the security guards to drive the troublemakers away. These hooligans were unruly, and with someone backing them up, they became even more lawless.
They shouted and cursed, blocking the staff of the news department from entering. Their goal was to escalate the situation, embarrass Maggie on television, and make her unable to continue working there.
She trembled. When the cops heard that she was reporting the address of the TV station, they hung up. Maggie made three more attempts, but to no avail.
For these troublemakers, not dispatching the police had no deterrence at all.
The Manager stood with his hands on his hips, looking imposing as he circled around her. "I'll contact the Director right away. Maggie, what can I say about you? Look at the mess you've stirred up for the TV station!"
She gritted her teeth and remained silent, regretting her past actions of being tolerant towards Matt. She had taken him too seriously.
The noise of people arguing and causing a commotion was overwhelming. Maggie felt embarrassed and had nowhere to escape, like a reed swaying in the strong wind, feeling helpless and pitiful.
Nick squeezed into the back of the crowd, assessed the situation, and returned to the intersection. He got into his Audi and sat in the driver's seat. "A bunch of troublemakers causing a scene, targeting Mrs. Green."
Harold glanced through a document resting on his lap, his expression showing mixed emotions. "Call the police."
Nick made the call and explained the situation. The one on the other end promptly hung up. "Sir, the police station won't get involved." He glanced outside the window. "The people Mrs. Green offended must have some influence and have bought their way through the situation. The police won't come for now."
Harold closed the document, his face filled with a cold and bitter look. "Call the City Police."
Once the call was connected, Nick handed the phone to Harold. There was an obvious pause on the other end, and then a humble attitude was adopted. "What makes your call, Mayor of Williams? Do you have any instructions?"
He smiled with a trace of coldness. "It's not instructions. A crowd causing trouble at the entrance of the city TV station, and the local police won't take action. I specially reported this to Police Chief Parker."
There was another pause on the other end, followed by an anxious tone. "I was unaware of this. We will send someone over."
Nick handed him a cigarette from the center console. Harold trembled while lighting it, rolling down the window halfway and looking over. "Go take down the banner. Let me take a look."