Chapter 97 No One Notices Her Haggardness
She splashed some cold water on her face, still feeling kinda queasy.
Pushing through the nausea, she downed a glass of warm water and felt a bit better.
To dig up dirt on Percy, Margaret hired a private eye. The detective worked fast and hit her up that evening, "Percy did start a small biz in his hometown, and it was doing pretty well. But now it's toast, totally bankrupt."
"If it was doing well, why'd it go belly up?" Margaret quickly caught on.
The detective said over the phone, "His company got mixed up in telecom fraud, to the tune of a million bucks. He got slapped with a ten-year sentence, and they took all his assets."
"When did he get locked up?" Margaret asked.
"Records show it's a year ago. The exact date is..."
Hearing the date, Margaret was floored.
Was it just a fluke?
Percy got jailed the same day Marlon took a tumble down the stairs and ended up in a coma.
Could this be tied to Raymond too?
"Ma'am, that's all I've got for now. I'll keep you posted if I dig up more."
Margaret bit her lip and gripped her phone tight. "No need. Thanks, I'll wire your fee."
She knew it was Raymond's handiwork. Only Raymond knew the real deal.
What she found out was just what Raymond wanted her to see.
"Alright. Hit me up if you need anything else."
"Sure thing."
After hanging up, Margaret sent ten grand to the detective. She figured it was time to face Raymond and get some straight answers.
After grabbing dinner out, she headed back to the Hughes Group's president's office.
He was rocking a suit vest, white shirt sleeves rolled up, lounging back in his chair.
Raymond sneered. "You're really something. I kicked you out this morning, and here you are again tonight. Trying to get my attention with divorce talk and breakfast? Aren't you tired?"
"Does my dad's driver Percy going to prison have anything to do with you?" Margaret shot back, ignoring his jabs.
She saw his eyes go cold, and he gave off a dangerous vibe. "So you traced it back to Percy? Not bad."
"What really happened? Raymond, spill it!" Margaret gritted her teeth. "Tell me it wasn't my dad. Tell me."
Raymond squinted and stayed silent.
"If it was my dad, you wouldn't have let him off easy. You'd have thrown him in prison for sure. You even sent Percy to prison, so why not my dad?"
Margaret pressed on. "What beef do you have with Percy that you sent him to prison? He's a straight-up guy; he couldn't have done telecom fraud! This is all you, isn't it?"
Raymond couldn't be bothered to answer. He picked up a folder, opened it, and started reading.
Margaret was getting desperate. She came here for a clear answer, not to play detective.
Besides, what she found out might all be a load of crap.
She stormed up to Raymond, snatched the folder from his hands, and chucked it on the floor.
"Margaret, have you lost your mind?"
Raymond shot her an annoyed glare.
That same line again. When she got diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer, she called him to come home, and he retorted if she was crazy then too.
She was sick, alright, with just 19 days left on the clock.
"Pick it up," Raymond ordered.
She knew he was pissed. She wanted him to be mad because only then would he spill the truth.
With a steely resolve, Margaret stomped on the folder with her shoe. "Tell me the truth."
"Margaret, I said pick it up!"
Raymond's fingers curled into a fist, cracking his knuckles.
But he was still holding something back.
Margaret swept everything off the desk in one swift motion.
Papers and stuff scattered all over the floor.
Raymond shot up and grabbed her by the throat. Margaret struggled, gasping for air.
He pinned her against the hard desk, making her back scream in pain.
Her whole body felt like it was falling apart.
"Margaret, you got a death wish today? You wanna die?"
Raymond's grip tightened around her neck.
Her tears streamed down her face from the pain, but she didn't beg. "You're a bastard! You know my dad's innocent! He was your foster father. Without him and me, you'd be nothing. You act all deep and emotional, but I know how heartless you are! You took over the Hughes family, and that wasn't enough; you had to frame my dad too. The hell is full of people like you!"
Rage surged through Raymond. His hand, with that fancy wristwatch, tightened around her neck. "Then I'll send you to hell first."
Hearing this, Margaret's mind flashed back to her past with Raymond.
There were good times and bad times.
Her once good life was wrecked by Raymond.
Margaret didn't know if it was the pain or regret.
She couldn't stop sobbing, tears falling onto Raymond's hand.
She didn't want to see his fake face, so she closed her eyes. Death would be a relief; she wouldn't suffer anymore. After all, she was on borrowed time.
She closed her eyes in despair.
Suddenly, his grip loosened.
She opened her eyes to see him staring at her coldly.
"What? Can't bear to leave me?"
"Death's too easy for you, Margaret. Watching you live in agony every day is what I want." Raymond smirked shamelessly. "Since you wanna know the truth so bad, I'll take you to find out. Watching you live in pain and regret every day should be more fun."
Before Margaret could react, he dragged her out of the office.
Raymond drove her to some place.
But the further they went, the more remote it got. The moonlight was eerie, with just a few lonely streetlights and no houses around.
Margaret looked out the window and swallowed hard. "Where are you taking me?"
"Say one more word, and I'll toss you out!"
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