Chapter 86 Eternal Longing
At this point, only Daniel could bail her out.
Margaret thought if Daniel stepped in, maybe a hospital would take Marlon in.
She dialed Daniel's number, but weirdly, it was deactivated.
Next, she tried WhatsApp, but his account was gone too.
What the heck happened to him? Why'd he ditch his number and WhatsApp?
Something felt seriously off about Daniel.
Margaret drove straight to the police station.
She'd never been to his workplace, but they had dinner nearby last time.
So, she had a rough idea of where he worked.
At the station, she explained why she was there. A cop in uniform sighed, shook his head, and said, "Miss, you're really unlucky, just missed him."
Margaret, confused, asked, "What happened?"
The cop handed her a glass of water. "Mr. Taylor retired."
"Retired? But he was working yesterday." Margaret's grip on the paper cup tightened.
The cop said, "It was sudden. We don't know the details. They just said Mr. Taylor's focus isn't here anymore, and he retired overnight."
He added, "He was up for a big promotion, set to be the deputy chief. It's a real shame."
Margaret walked out of the station. Usually, retirement took time. How could he just quit like that? He had a bright future as the deputy chief.
It didn't add up.
Margaret's mind flashed back to Raymond's creepy words. "Margaret, don't be so sure of yourself. Soon you'll be begging me to sleep with you."
Raymond did this. That jerk, just to mess with her, dragged Daniel into it.
Daniel was defending Raymond just yesterday.
How ironic. How laughable.
Margaret felt a mix of anger, guilt, and anxiety. Just as she got in the car, Nancy called. "Margaret, have you sorted things out? The director just said we need to transfer hospitals by tomorrow."
"Mom, tell the director to wait. I'll go see him." Margaret hung up, feeling the weight on her chest.
Her mind was stuck on Daniel's sudden retirement. She felt she had wronged him.
If she couldn't find a hospital for her dad, would he just have to go home to die?
The heavy snow pounded her car.
She drove fast, almost crashing into a sedan.
Luckily, she braked in time. The driver spat out the window, his glare cutting through her. "Are you blind? Watch where you're driving. If you wanna die, do it yourself, don't drag me into it."
Ten minutes later, Margaret parked in the hospital basement and took the elevator to the director's office.
She explained her situation, begging the director for a few more days.
She said a lot, but the director just sighed, his eyes complicated. "Ms. Hughes, honestly, you won't find a hospital. No hospital will take Mr. Hughes."
Margaret asked, "What do you mean? Is this Raymond's doing?"
Margaret was furious. That bastard, was he really trying to push her to the edge?
The director looked at her pale face and said, "Ms. Hughes, since you know it, you'd better go ask your husband, Mr. Howard, instead of wasting time here. He can help more than anyone."
He added, "Our hospital is his. He has all the power. Ms. Hughes, talk to your husband."
Margaret pressed her lips together. She knew this was Raymond's way of forcing her to beg him.
But she knew it would be useless.
Last time Marlon had a car accident, she had knelt, tried to off herself, and even went on a hunger strike, but he didn't budge.
Margaret looked up at him. "If we don't transfer, how much would it cost to keep him here?"
Transferring was a no-go; she needed another plan.
"By tomorrow, you need $500,000 in the account for medical expenses," the director said, "That's the hospital's policy."
Margaret saw a tiny glimmer of hope. "Can I pay in installments? I can put down $100,000 first."
The director shook his head. "That's the hospital's policy. Ms. Hughes, I still suggest you ask Mr. Howard for help."
Thinking of how Ashley had messed with Margaret and got fired by Raymond, the director's sharp eyes had a hint of a smile. "Mr. Howard won't ignore this. He still cares about you. Just swallow your pride, and he'll cover the medical expenses."
"I know what to do. Thanks, director." Margaret lowered her eyes, stood up, and left the office.
The director picked up his phone and dialed. "Mr. Howard, as expected, Mrs. Howard will come to you for help soon. She just left my office, saying she knows what to do."
Raymond, in the CEO's office at The Hughes Group, wearing a white shirt and black trousers, held the phone, his gaze heavy as he looked down at The Hughes Group building.
He didn't say a word, his facial lines softened a lot, and he hung up.
He stared at the skyscrapers outside the window, the neon lights adding a touch of coldness to the snowy night.
Alvin walked in from outside the office and came to his side.
Alvin was a head shorter than Raymond, lacking some presence.
Alvin said, "Mr. Howard, Daniel is no longer in Silverbrook."
"His phone number and WhatsApp have all been deactivated. Mrs. Howard won't be able to reach him." Alvin handed the coffee in his hand to Raymond.
Raymond didn't drink it but played with the warm coffee cup in his hand. "Well done."
Alvin denied, "Mr. Howard, it wasn't us."
At these words, Raymond's cold gaze fell on his features. "It wasn't you?"
Alvin responded, "We hadn't taken action yet; he left on his own. The info from the police station is that Daniel left overnight and didn't go to work today."
Alvin shared his suspicions. "I suspect Mr. Taylor is in trouble. He used to be a narcotics officer and had many achievements. It's inevitable that someone would seek revenge."
Raymond sneered, "If you're so concerned about him, why don't you go keep him company?"
"The only person I care about has always been you, Mr. Howard. By the way, Mr. Howard, tonight Rex Ingram from AluTech Industries wants to sign a $100 million contract with us. The location is set at The Velvet Lounge. Are you going?" Alvin changed the subject. "Rex loves to drug people and play dirty tricks."
Raymond picked up the coffee cup and took a sip. "No one dares to drug me. You'll come with me tonight."
Suddenly, the phone rang. Alvin walked to the desk, picked up the phone, and handed it to Raymond. "Mr. Howard, it's Mrs. Howard."
Raymond took it, glancing at the unfamiliar number on the screen.
He had a good memory, photographic even. Though it was an unmarked number, he remembered it was Margaret's new number.
The phone vibrated in his palm, like an electric current passing through, tingling and numbing.
Meanwhile, Margaret, wearing a bright red down jacket and snow boots, walked through the thick snow.
She felt anxious, waiting for Raymond to pick up the phone.
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