Chapter 462 The Debt Collector
I stared at the stack of slightly curled folders, the steam from my cup blurring my vision. Finally, I couldn't hold back any longer and spoke up, "Are these documents really gonna take down Nicholas?"
My voice was so hoarse it sounded unfamiliar even to me.
Lucas stubbed out his cigarette, sparks flying as he looked up at me. His usually icy eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of mist.
"The evidence chain is almost complete. We just need Edward to wake up and confirm the final details."
His thumb unconsciously rubbed the cover of the folder, where a fresh crease indicated it had been handled repeatedly.
Lila suddenly stood up and tightened the handkerchief wrapped around my wound.
"The original files from years ago when Nicholas orchestrated the downfall of the Howard Group, and the records of his money laundering overseas..."
Her voice trembled.
"Lucas risked his life to steal them from Nicholas's study."
My heart clenched. Memories flashed of Lucas rushing into the hospital room, his shoulders wet from the rain and his tie askew. It wasn't just haste; it was a life-or-death escape.
"Are you nuts? Nicholas is surrounded by spies!"
My question burst out, my voice shaking without me even realizing it.
"If we don't take risks, we'll always be struggling to survive in the mud."
Lucas's voice was so low it seemed to come from deep within his chest. He bent down to pick up the fallen documents, his fingers hovering over the yellowed pages.
"Over the years, how many families have been destroyed by Nicholas's power? Too many to count."
Suddenly, urgent footsteps echoed from the end of the hallway. Three nurses hurried past, pushing equipment. I instinctively tightened my grip on my thermos, the scalding heat searing my palm through the cup.
"So you knew it was dangerous, but you went anyway?"
Lucas was silent for a long time, his Adam's apple bobbing twice. When he turned, the hem of his suit jacket created a small gust of wind.
"Some debts have to be collected."
Lucas looked at the "In Surgery" sign, his expression complex and unreadable. "I'll make sure this ends soon."
Lila gently placed her hand on mine, the warmth seeping through the handkerchief.
"Diana, trust him. Lucas has been planning this for years, calculating every step precisely."
Her gaze fell on Lucas's tense back.
"He wants to bring down Nicholas more than anyone."
I looked at Lucas's profile and suddenly noticed the fine lines around his eyes were much deeper than I remembered.
A wave of doubt surged in my heart.
"Lila, did you know about all this from the beginning?"
Lila paused in her movements, her fingers wrapped in the handkerchief curling slightly. She lowered her eyes to my bleeding palm, her eyelashes casting delicate shadows. The silence stretched so long that I heard Lucas's suppressed cough.
"Since Lucas decided to leave the tech project and become a wandering artist."
Lila finally spoke, her voice so soft it seemed afraid to disturb the quiet hallway.
"Lucas said he wanted to take down Nicholas. I had to unconditionally support my husband."
Lila looked up, her eyes red but trying to stay calm.
"He showed me some of the evidence, the altered accident reports, the missing surveillance footage..."
I grabbed Lila's wrist, the handkerchief slipping off one corner.
"So you knew we were in danger all along?"
"I thought we could protect you!"
Lila's voice suddenly rose, then she was startled by her own outburst and turned away quickly.
She took a deep breath, her voice trembling, "We planned to expose Nicholas's flaws and bring him to justice. But before we returned, we discovered our informant had been compromised..."
Lila choked up, unable to continue, and wiped away her tears.
Lucas suddenly turned and pulled Lila into his arms, "What's the point of talking about this now?"
Lucas's tone was still cold, but his Adam's apple moved when he saw Lila's trembling shoulders.
"If it weren't for your help, I wouldn't have gotten this evidence. Edward and Anne might already be dead, and even Fiona might not have survived."
I stared at Lila's reddened eyes, suddenly recalling her unusual behavior lately. Those subtle anomalies were her silent protection.
"I'm sorry."
Lila suddenly grabbed my hand. "I didn't dare tell you. Nicholas has too many spies. I was afraid..."
Her voice grew weaker, drowned out by the sound of clashing instruments from the distant operating room.
"Fiona, there's been no news since the police took her away yesterday."
I murmured.
Lucas gently patted Lila's back, releasing her when she calmed down. He turned, his suit brushing against the metal bench with a faint sound. He bent down to pick up the fallen folder, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the worn edges. "Fiona is fine. The Griffin family won't let anything happen to her."
Lucas tossed the folder onto the bench, the papers rustling. He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, placing it between his lips but not lighting it.
"The Griffin family has deep connections in both politics and business, with extensive overseas networks. The police took her to make Nicholas slip up. She should be at the Griffin family estate, being taken care of."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over my injured arm.
"Your main concern should be Edward. Once he wakes up, we can proceed with the plan."
Lila looked up, gently wiping her tears with the handkerchief. "Diana, Lucas is right. The Griffin family is ruthless, but they protect their own. Fiona is smart; she knows how to handle herself."
Lucas tugged at his crooked tie, his Adam's apple moving. "When Edward wakes up, this evidence will bring Nicholas down for good. Then everyone can be free."
As Lucas spoke, his eyes were fixed on the red light of the operating room, as if pouring all his anxiety and hope into that glaring light.
"What are these?" I asked, my fingers brushing the folder.
Lucas watched my fingers on the folder, his Adam's apple moving. He put the cigarette back in the pack, the metal lid snapping shut with a crisp sound.
He pulled out the top sheet of paper, the jagged tear marks glaring. "He laundered over a billion dollars through seven offshore companies, each transaction coinciding with the Howard Group's asset transfers after its bankruptcy."
Remembering Edward's desperate state when the Howard Group first declared bankruptcy, my temples throbbed.
"Anne was involved in all of this too."
Lucas sneered, "That Anne caused him so much pain, yet he still wants to save her."
Lucas neatly stacked the documents, pressing his thumb heavily on the fresh crease. "This isn't enough. Nicholas's hackers altered all the electronic records. We need Edward to wake up and use his cloud backups to complete the evidence chain."
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