Chapter 206 In Your Eyes, Am I Still the Thirteen-Year-Old Oscar?
Oscar glanced at Pearl. At first, he was worried she might get the short end of the stick.
Whether she pushed Aurora or not, he was on her side.
The Johnson family wanted to throw Pearl in jail, and he'd do whatever it took to stop them.
Pearl told Oscar to keep quiet, so he did.
She had it under control, and that put Oscar at ease.
Michael held up the digital recorder, looking at Aurora and Zoey. "If this is confirmed, it's attempted murder. No one got hurt, but you'll still face charges."
Zoey thought he was siding with Pearl. "Sir, the investigation isn't over. This woman is the problem, not Aurora. Are you covering for her because we're not from here? This is too much!"
Michael's expression hardened. "Are you questioning our integrity?"
Noah had a hunch about what transpired. Even the most skillfully edited recording can have flaws. Moreover, the fact that Pearl handed it over made its authenticity more likely.
This wasn't the moment to provoke them or engage in a confrontation with the authorities.
He quickly changed his tone, pulling Zoey back. "Sir, Zoey didn't mean it. Please don't take it to heart. We trust you and believe in the final outcome. If Aurora's at fault, we'll compensate."
He was trying to get Aurora off the hook.
If Aurora was guilty, he'd pay Pearl to keep things from blowing up.
Janetta saw Noah's earlier arrogance and now his change of tune, rolling her eyes. "Weren't you just full of yourself?"
She looked down on them.
Aurora still denied it, "It wasn't me, I swear. I didn't do it."
Then she started crying.
Zoey, worried about Aurora facing charges and feeling bad for her, hugged her to comfort her.
Michael was uncompromising. The law was the law, and they would adhere to procedures. "Ms. Johnson, if you're ready, come with us."
"I don't want to go! I refuse!" Aurora was frightened, retreating and seeking refuge behind Zoey.
Noah shared the sentiment. "Can we have a few more days until Aurora is fully recovered?"
Janetta observed Aurora's swift movements and remarked scornfully, "Look at her go. She appears quite robust for someone who's supposedly unwell."
Noah pursed his lips and turned to the quiet Pearl, speaking gently, "Pearl, there was a misunderstanding earlier. Please accept our apologies. You're innocent, and if Aurora made a mistake, I'll handle it. Let's resolve this amicably. We can negotiate terms together."
Pearl looked at Noah, knowing his type all too well.
If money could fix it, they'd go that route.
Just like when Aurora pushed Pearl into the sea, Pearl could pay someone to take the fall.
Today, Pearl had evidence, so Noah took her seriously.
Without it, even if Noah knew Aurora was guilty, he'd probably play dumb.
So they didn't really get their mistake.
"Today, I will hold it against you," Pearl said, looking at Noah. "Mr. Johnson, I made myself clear earlier. No need to say more."
Pearl's firm stance left Noah feeling humiliated.
For years, Noah had never spoken so kindly to anyone, and now he felt stripped of his dignity.
"Ms. Johnson, let's go," Michael said.
Michael and the others saw through Aurora's act. They followed protocol, ignoring personal feelings.
Aurora still resisted, so the police called in female officers to arrest her.
Two female officers approached and lifted Aurora.
Aurora panicked, crying out, "I don't want to go to the police station. Mom, save me, I don't want to go!"
"Let go of Aurora, don't touch her!" Zoey tried to protect her.
Another officer pulled Zoey away.
Aurora was lifted off the bed, crying and making a scene. Seeing Zoey was powerless, she turned to Noah. "Dad, save me, I don't want to go to jail, save me!"
The police were already taking her out.
Noah couldn't bear it, but Michael and the others were resolute, and Pearl wouldn't back down. He was both angry and frustrated. He looked at Pearl and said, "Pearl, you're not showing me any respect!"
Pearl replied, "Mr. Johnson, I understand you want to protect Aurora, but shielding her when she does something wrong isn't saving her. You're harming her. She'll never learn from her mistakes. One day, she might make a mistake so big it can't be fixed. Do you really think you can control everything?"
Pearl's words hit Noah hard.
If his daughter ever killed someone and money couldn't fix it, would he regret his indulgence? He was too lenient with her.
"Pearl, you come with us too," Michael said.
"Alright."
Pearl followed them out.
Noah's face was cold, his fists clenched. He heard Pearl's words but didn't fully absorb them. What struck him most was Pearl's disregard for his position and her refusal to release Aurora. Oscar's indifference added to Noah's sense of humiliation. Noah looked at Oscar and threatened, "Mr. Brown, the Johnson Group and the Brown Group are currently in partnership. If Aurora isn't returned by tonight, our collaboration will cease, and we'll have no further dealings."
Oscar walked to the door of the ward, stopped when he heard Noah's words, his eyes deep and his expression indifferent. He turned back to look at Noah, sneering, "Mr. Johnson, do you still see me as a thirteen-year-old kid?"
With that, Oscar walked out, showing complete disregard for Noah's dignity.
He no longer cared about any previous acquaintances. What mattered now was different.
To Oscar, the Johnson Group was not worth his attention.
Watching Oscar's back, Noah suddenly felt the forcefulness emanating from him and involuntarily took two steps back.
Noah suddenly realized that Oscar was no longer the same. He no longer needed to consider others' statuses and could directly sever all ties with him.
Noah had grown old, forgetting that Oscar would grow up and become stronger, while Noah's abilities were no longer what they used to be.
As Aurora left, Zoey, her face full of tears, hurried over to Noah and said, "Noah, Aurora has been taken away. You have to help her out. You can't let her stay in jail! If Oscar is so heartless, we'll cut ties and end our cooperation, let him face the consequences!"
"Do you think he would be afraid of such threats?" Noah said worriedly.
Zoey didn't care. "He may not be afraid, but are we afraid of him? We saw him struggling and seeking help when he was in need in the past..."
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