Chapter 270 Plans to Go Abroad
"John, you're a smart guy, but you're stuck in the past," John muttered to himself, shaking his head. "The internet isn't just about making money. It's a whole new world, a whole new way of thinking."
He knew that while he got the basics of making money online, he didn't have that natural "internet mindset" that people who grew up with it had. To John, Shark Live wasn't officially bankrupt, but it was on life support. It was time to cut their losses and move on.
"Grandpa, are you saying I should just... abandon Shark Live?" Hilda asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"Is there any point in clinging to a sinking ship?" John shot back, his tone calm but firm.
Hilda thought about it for a moment, a bitter smile spreading across his face. "No, I guess not."
"Giving up on something isn't always a defeat, Hilda," John said, placing a reassuring hand on his grandson's shoulder. "Sometimes, it's a chance for a new beginning. Now, tell me, this whole Skyview mess... it was sabotage, wasn't it?"
Hilda nodded, his jaw clenching. "Yeah, it was Skyview. He set the whole thing up."
"Then take back what's yours," John said, his voice hardening. "What Skyview took, you take back from him. Tenfold."
Hilda sighed, feeling a wave of exhaustion. "I used to think Skyview was just another rich kid playing at business. I underestimated him. He's a natural, a force to be reckoned with. Getting back at him... it won't be easy."
"You still have a chance," John said, a glint in his eye. "But first, you need to disappear. Go abroad."
Hilda looked at his grandfather with confusion. "Go abroad? What for?"
"Skyview was the target of an assassination attempt recently. You know about this, right?"
"Yeah," Hilda replied, his heart pounding. He knew about it all too well.
"The assassin was caught by Skyview's bodyguard, that Suzanne woman," John continued. "And under a bit of... persuasion, she confessed."
"Persuasion?" Hilda echoed, a knot forming in his stomach.
"Skyview has ways of making people talk," John said, his voice devoid of judgment. "The point is, he knows you and Kaelen were behind it."
"He can't prove anything," Hilda stammered, his composure cracking. "It's his word against mine. I'll deny everything. I'll sue him for slander!"
"He has proof, Hilda," John said, his voice low and dangerous.
Hilda's blood ran cold. He felt a wave of dizziness, his carefully constructed world tilting on its axis. He ran a hand over his face, trying to massage the tension away. He had to think clearly. He had to fix this.
"It was Kaelen's idea," Hilda blurted out, the words spilling out before he could stop them. "I just went along with it. I never thought he'd actually do it. He was so sure of himself, so arrogant. And look what happened. He's in Radiant Care, for God's sake! And Thelonius... dead."
He shoved the blame onto Kaelen, desperate to distance himself from the mess. 'It's Kaelen's fault,' he told himself. 'If he hadn't been so reckless and blinded by ambition, none of this would have happened.'
"Murder is a messy business, Hilda," John said, his voice tinged with disappointment. "And times have changed. This isn't the Wild West anymore. You can't just eliminate your competition and expect to walk away clean."
"What is Skyview doing with this information?" Hilda asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"He wants 4% of our shares in the Twin Group," John said, his jaw tightening.
"He's insane!" Hilda exploded, rage momentarily eclipsing his fear. "He can't just extort us like that! We won't let him get away with it!"
"He'll go to the authorities, Hilda," John warned, his voice heavy. "He'll expose everything. And then what? You think your name, your money, will save you? You'll be lucky to escape with a ten-year sentence."
Hilda's shoulders sagged under the heavy burden of his predicament. He knew his grandfather was right. He was trapped. "So I... I have to disappear," he said, his voice hollow.
"It's the only way," John said, his voice softening a bit. "I tried to reason with him, offered him 1% to keep quiet. But he wants more, Hilda. He wants to cripple us. He wants revenge."
"Where should I go?" Hilda asked, resignation settling over him like a shroud.
"Evalia," John said firmly. "I'll arrange for you to work at a subsidiary there. Lay low, keep your head down. In two years, this will all blow over."
"Two years..." Hilda repeated, the word catching in his throat. Two years away from everything he knew, everything he thought he was.
"It's the price you have to pay," John said, his voice a mix of sadness and resolve. "Now go. And Hilda..."
"Yes, Grandpa?"
"Don't contact anyone. Not even Kaelen. This stays between us. Understood?"
Hilda nodded, his throat too tight to speak. He rose from his chair, his legs feeling like lead. He was a coward, running away from his mistakes. But he didn't have any other choice.
As he walked towards the door, he cast one last glance at his grandfather. The old man looked weary, his face etched with worry. Hilda had failed him. He had failed them both.
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