Chapter 72 Bail
James's face went beet red. "I did not!" he shouted, his voice getting louder.
Rachel just ignored him and slammed the door in his face.
James stood there, feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness, but then his phone rang, snapping him out of it.
He glanced down and saw it was Michael calling. His spirits lifted, and he quickly answered, "Michael, finally!"
Michael, sensing the urgency, put the phone on speaker while still looking at his computer screen. "Need money?"
James frowned. "Seriously? You think I only call you for cash?"
Michael raised an eyebrow, sounding indifferent. "What else?"
James was momentarily speechless. He glanced at Rachel's door, took a deep breath, and said, "Okay, fine, usually it's about money, but this time it's different. It's urgent."
Michael asked, "What's up?"
James said, "Mom got taken to the police station."
Michael's eyes narrowed, his tone turning serious. "What happened?"
James didn't hold back and explained everything. "That's what went down, and then Rachel called security to take Mom away."
Michael frowned, trying to keep his emotions in check, and said coldly, "Got it. I'm heading to the police station now. Also, is she okay?"
James was confused. "Who?"
Michael's lips tightened in annoyance. "Rachel."
James was curious. He replied, "Oh, she's fine. Why do you care?"
Michael's eyes flickered. He responded calmly, "Just checking. You mentioned Mom hit her. If Rachel's hurt, Mom's bail might need her forgiveness. Just asking."
James didn't think much of it and waved his hand. "Got it. Don't worry, Michael, Rachel's fine. Mom didn't touch her."
"Good," Michael said, feeling an odd sense of relief he couldn't quite explain. After hanging up, he stood up, grabbed his black coat from the rack, and left the office quickly.
Since Emily hadn't caused any real harm, Michael easily arranged for her bail but had to pay a hefty fine. As they walked out of the police station, James, who was waiting outside, brightened up and quickly approached. "Mom, Michael, finally!"
Emily's face twisted in anger. "That bitch Rachel dared to send me to the police station, making me lose face. I'm so mad. I won't let her off next time!"
Michael's face darkened, and the mood grew tense. Bitch? So that was what Emily called Rachel, and it rolled off her tongue so naturally—it was clearly a habit. And he had been completely unaware of it.
A surge of anger rose in Michael's chest, and he looked at Emily with displeasure. He said coldly, "Mom, I told you before, don't provoke Rachel again. Why don't you listen?"
Then Michael turned coldly to James. "And you! Why didn't you stop Mom?"
James pouted, feeling wronged. "Michael, I tried, but I couldn't stop her. When Mom found out Mandy's kidnapping was related to Rachel, she insisted on confronting her. What could I do?"
Emily was indignant. She shot back, "I was worried about Mandy too. Mandy told me this morning that the person who kidnapped her was one of Rachel's suitors. It must have been that bitch Rachel who ordered it."
One "bitch" after another made Michael's face even darker. He declared, "The guy who hurt Mandy was indeed one of Rachel's suitors, but Rachel didn't order it." His gut told him Rachel had nothing to do with it.
James nodded. "Yeah, I don't think she did either."
Emily, still fuming, grabbed his ear. "James, how can you defend Rachel?"
Michael was surprised. He knew James's old attitude toward Rachel. This was unexpected.
James winced in pain, almost jumping up. "Mom, it hurts! Let go, let go!"
Emily, feeling a bit sorry for him, let go. She warned, "Don't defend Rachel next time. Remember, Mandy is your sister-in-law. You should be on her side, got it?"
James pouted, rubbing his ear. "Got it."
"Alright, Mom, I'll take you home," Michael said, rubbing his forehead and opening the car door. After dropping them off at the Smith Mansion, Michael drove away alone.
On the way, he thought for a moment and finally decided to call Rachel. This was the first time he had contacted her since the divorce. The call connected quickly, and Rachel's polite and gentle voice came through. "Hello? Who is this?"
Michael's brow furrowed. Had she deleted his number?
Rachel, puzzled by the silence on the other end, was about to hang up. Just then, a deep, magnetic voice came through the phone. "It's me."
Rachel's pupils contracted, and her pen paused on the paper. She moved the phone in front of her, looking at the familiar number, her lips tightening unconsciously. It really was Michael! Even after the divorce, she had deleted all his contact information, but this number was still imprinted in her mind, recognizable at a glance.
Taking a deep breath, Rachel composed herself and asked coldly, "Mr. Smith, what do you need?"
Michael sensed the coldness in her tone, his face darkening. She was polite and gentle to strangers but so distant with him. Suppressing his displeasure, Michael said, "I'm calling to apologize."
Rachel put down her pen and leaned back in her chair. She asked, "Apologize? What did you do that requires an apology?"
Michael's eyes lowered, his tone sincere. "It's about my mother. I'm sorry for the trouble she caused you."
Rachel let out a sarcastic laugh. "So that's it. Mr. Smith, you really take the cake for putting out fires, don't you? First, you apologize on behalf of Mandy, and now you're apologizing for your mother. Will James be next in line for you to apologize for?"
Michael's voice was firm. "There won't be a next time."
Rachel snorted, "That's hard to say. I know very well how good your family is at causing trouble, especially your mom."
Mentioning Emily, Rachel couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Mr. Smith, can I ask you a question? This question has been on my mind for a long time."
Michael pressed his Bluetooth earpiece in confusion. He asked, "What question?"
Rachel propped her chin and voiced her question. "Are you really Emily's son?"
Emily was a shrew. No matter how elegantly she dressed, it couldn't hide her inherent crudeness and spite. Rachel found it hard to fathom how such a woman could have given birth to someone like Michael.
Michael's eyes flickered. He uttered calmly, "Why do you ask?"
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