Chapter 459 You've Sure Got Guts
Thalassa was puzzled by his glare.
Leaning into Fiona's embrace, she said, "Babe, your husband is way too fierce. I've got a job to do and his kid to watch; I'm exhausted..."
Darwin stood there speechless.
Fiona nearly burst into laughter.
"Be serious," she chided Thalassa, patting her on the back.
Thalassa huffed before finally admitting, "Chicago wanted to experience it; ask her if you don't believe me!"
Chicago, now somewhat awake though still groggy, blinked up at Fiona.
"Baby, are you that sleepy?" Fiona asked tenderly.
Blinking back tears, Chicago's lips quivered, and she soon started to whimper, "Mommy..."
Calling out for her mom, she reached out for a hug.
Fiona scooped up her child from Darwin's arms. "Five years old and still such a crybaby, huh?"
"Mommy, I missed you," Chicago sniffled in response. "Is this a dream? Are you really home?"
"It's not a dream, sweetie," Fiona whispered, planting a kiss on Chicago's forehead. "Feels real, doesn't it?"
Chicago clung to Fiona's neck and let out another round of sobs.
Darwin stood there, watching the scene unfold.
Envious? Impossible not to be.
Yet even just watching, he felt a profound sense of happiness.
"Is it just you here? Where's Kenny?" Darwin questioned Thalassa.
"He's on a business trip. I didn't tell him. Keep it under your hat, will you?" Thalassa warned.
The next second, she caught a hint of something off in Darwin's silence.
"Mr. Solomon?" she looked at Darwin questioningly.
"They were all at the station. I asked him what was going on. It made sense," Darwin replied with justified confidence.
Thalassa was momentarily at a loss for words.
That's when Aurora returned from the hospital.
As she entered, her eyes flickered with panic at the sight of Darwin and the rumored Chelsea.
But she quickly stifled her fear.
What was there to be afraid of?
They were the ones who had stolen her family's dog and hurt someone!
Minutes later, in the mediation room
"Here's the transfer of ownership agreement, signed by Mr. Zhang," Xavier stated bluntly as soon as they sat down, placing the document on the table.
Aurora was dumbfounded.
She snatched the agreement, hastily flipping to the signature page, and sure enough, there was her grandfather's signature.
That old man...
Was he setting her up?
"Miss Aurora, this dog was poisoned by someone and is on the brink of death. We spent a small fortune to save its life," Fiona looked at Aurora. "There's a legally binding agreement between us and the previous owner. There was never any theft."
"That's impossible!" Aurora blurted out, visibly upset. "Your agreement must be a fake, or you must have forced my grandfather to sign it!"
"That's something you'll have to verify with the parties involved," Fiona said, nodding at the mediation officer.
"We'll definitely check the authenticity," they assured Aurora, then turned to her, "Do you have any other claims?"
"They hurt someone! Are they not to be punished?" Aurora demanded, eyes fiery.
"We've seen the surveillance footage. You were the aggressor, and the dog merely knocked you down to protect its young owner. There was no biting involved, and your arm injury was accidental," the mediator explained as the video began to play.
Thalassa watched the footage, her expression immediately furrowing in concern.
She was walking on her own when Aurora lunged at her out of nowhere, rushing towards Chicago like a bull charging at the gates. No wonder Jessie, seemingly out of the blue, tackled her to the ground.
"Aurora, if you wanted the dog, why did you go after my Chicago?" Thalassa slammed her hand on the table in outrage. The thought of Chicago being knocked down and getting a bloody injury from hitting the curb... Thalassa couldn't bear to think about it.
Aurora avoided eye contact, her gaze flickering. When she lost control, she didn't even realize what she was doing. It was a completely subconscious act.
"Alright," Fiona spoke up again. "Since it was all a big misunderstanding, and Chicago wasn't hurt, we won't hold Aurora accountable."
"Babe!" Thalassa was clearly dissatisfied.
"It's fine. If anything, let's consider it for Bob and Grace's sake," Fiona said, turning to Aurora. "Your fracture was indirectly caused by our dog, regardless of the reason. We will take care of your medical expenses."
Aurora looked at Fiona, confused. The woman's easygoing demeanor only served to unsettle her. Even the mediator was surprised; they had expected a difficult case tonight, but this tycoon was surprisingly amenable. Their gaze shifted to Darwin.
Darwin's expression was beyond cold—bring a glass of water near him, and it might just freeze over.
"Mr. Darwin, is this how we're going to resolve the issue?" one of the mediators ventured to ask.
Darwin looked at him. "In our family, Mrs. Solomon has the final word."
"Ah, great! Understood!"
Soon after, both parties signed the mediation agreement in the mediation room. As they left the police station, Fiona handed over Chicago, who had cried herself to sleep, to her father.
Aurora emerged a few steps later, feeling an innate intimidation towards Fiona. Intending to ignore her, she walked straight ahead. But then...
"Aurora," Fiona called out to her.
Instinctively, Aurora stopped dead in her tracks. Fiona caught up at a leisurely pace. "Why are you in such a rush? Are you afraid of me?" Her tone was teasing, her beautiful face warm and gentle.
"Why should I be afraid of you?" Aurora retorted through clenched teeth.
Fiona nodded with a smile. "You're certainly bold, snooping on my Charles, bullying my Chicago, even trying to steal my best friend's husband."
A chill crept up Aurora's spine.
"I was inclined to leave you to Kenny to deal with," Fiona continued, standing firm in front of Aurora as she straightened the collar flattened by the weight. "But you just had to push your luck, running straight into the line of fire."
"Ms. Chelsea, you've already signed the settlement agreement..." Aurora enunciated each word carefully.
Fiona lowered her eyelids and let out a soft chuckle. "Why wouldn't I settle over such a trivial event? It's you who ended up with a broken bone, not me. The settlement amount wouldn't even buy Jessie enough treats. I can part with that cash."
Aurora felt a wave of humiliation washing over her.
She had been compared to a dog!
"Be careful on your way back," Fiona patted Aurora's shoulder. Without another word, she headed straight for the minivan.
Aurora watched as the minivan's door closed and it drove away.
The adrenaline she had been holding onto was suddenly released, and her legs almost gave out, nearly causing her to collapse to the ground.
Her instincts were blaring a warning inside her head.
She couldn't stay in the country any longer.
She had to flee, and right now!
With that thought, Aurora didn't even bother to take her belongings; she just grabbed her passport and rushed to the airport.
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