Chapter 122 Noah gently stroked his sonâs head, cradling the boy in his arms with tender affection.
Thomas felt his heart quicken when he heard what his father said. âIs that true? Are you really happy, Daddy?â He turned to look at Noah enquiringly, feeling slightly exhilarated.
âOf course,â Noah answered calmly. After all, it was only right that a family should be together.
Noahâs answer set the wheels in Thomasâs brain spinning, and he swiftly began considering the possibilities of the situation.
From the looks of it, Daddy really liked Mommy still. However, if he really and truly liked her, then why had he behaved like such a scumbag? Was this what people meant when they said that after sowing oneâs wild oats, home was invariably the sweetest haven of all?
Thomas did not know what to do. Lately, he had begun to feel that Daddy was becoming a much better person. Nonetheless, Noah had still been a massive scumbag in the past! Did he truly want to help Daddy get together with Mommy so they could start afresh? He felt extremely conflicted.
Noah looked down thoughtfully at the little boy in his arms. Something flickered in his eyes for a moment, then he retrieved his own phone and pulled up his Instagram account. âColt, why donât you add me to your friend list?â
âHuh? Daddy, you never use Instagram, right?â Thomas blinked as he saw Noahâs Instagram account, considerably startled.
His own Instagram handle was âThomas The Handsomest Dude.â If he added Noah to his friend list, his deception would be exposed in no time.
âIâve started using it now. Why, Colt, donât you want to be friends with Daddy?â Noah could see that the little rascal was in a dilemma and deliberately added fuel to the fire by asking the question in a slightly hurt tone.
The man might be a tyrannical CEO, but it was impossible to resist him when he put on his sad puppy act!
âN-no, no, thatâs not it, Daddy...here, Iâll add you...â Thomas resigned himself to his fate, pulled out his phone, and added Noah to his Instagram friend list.
âThomas? Is this your new nickname?â
âUmm...yes, thatâs right! Do you like it, Daddy?â His scumbag daddy was pretty smart! In fact, Noah had saved him the trouble of finding an adequate explanation. That was one less worry!
âI do. It sounds nice and itâs cute,â Noah replied with unconcealed approval. His own Instagram handle was âNoah Quincyâ, which was both straightforward and unpretentious.
After adding Noah, Thomas excused himself to wash his hands in the bathroom and hurriedly pulled up his private message conversation with Madeline. With some pride, he typed, âMommy dearest, Daddy says my name is cute!â
After returning from the warehouse in the mountains with the 100 thousand dollars he had extorted from Angie, Asher went to a nightclub. The exorbitant amount of money instantly attracted five of the hostesses, who happily entertained him the entire night in the club and at the hotel room he had booked there.
Previously, when he was still on the philanthropic committee, Asher had some form of income, at least. Now that he was unemployed, however, he had outgoing expenses but no money coming in, so even if he went out, he could not even afford to pay for a drink for one of the hostesses.
Today, though, he had managed to find a way around that, even if it was illegal. He felt he deserved to enjoy himself for once.
The hostesses entertained him until 8 oâclock the next morning. As a result, he did not see the message that Tony sent him until he awoke later in the messy hotel room.
By now, the video of him pissing on Angie was all over social media.
He clicked on the video first and laughed with glee as he saw himself humiliating Angie so thoroughly. Tony wasnât bad with a camera at all; he had chosen an angle that made Asher look great.
Amid his glee, he noticed that Tony had left him a voice message. Initially, he thought that Tony was congratulating him and was in an excellent mood when he started listening to it. However, by the time he finished the message, he was shocked into being fully sober.
âCrap! That d*mned Tony, heâs gotten me into deep sh*t now!â Asher snarled as he almost fell out of bed in his hurry to get up. Snatching his clothes from the floor, he pulled them on as fast as he could and fled out the door, not even bothering to put on his shoes.
The minute he stepped outside, however, someone sent him back through the door with a hard kick.
âWho the h*ll are you?â Asher flailed and fell backward, his rotund body landing squarely on the floor. In pain, he grabbed at his chest and started yelling angrily at the unwelcome newcomer. When he finally recognized the other person, he shrank back slightly. âMr. Hudson! Why are you here so early in the morning?â
Asher struggled to his feet and bowed his head obsequiously, plastering a smile onto his face.
âThereâs no need to be in such a rush, Mr. Walter. Mr. Quincy sent me here to ask you where Angie Grant is.â
âHuh? How would I know where Ms. Angie Grant is? I think youâve got the wrong person, Mr. Hudson.â Asher kept his head low, denying everything.
By now, Angie was most likely dead. He couldnât locate her for Noah even if he tried. If he managed a plausible denial, he was sure that Wayne would not do anything to him. After all, the man was just Noahâs employee.
âIt looks like it might have slipped your mind, Mr. Walter, given youâre so busy with so many important matters. Never mind. Let me help jog your memory.â Wayne gestured, and one of the bodyguards standing behind him immediately stepped forward with a phone. On it was the video from last night.
The bodyguard grabbed Asher and pried his eyes open wide, shoving the video in his face and playing it.
Asher was in so much pain from being manhandled that he could not help but beg for mercy. âI remember now, I do! I... I pulled a cruel prank on her, but after that, I left! I really donât know where Angie is now!â He fell to the ground, rolling in agony as he felt his injured eye sockets. He felt as if his eyeballs would fall out at any moment, they hurt so much!
âYou donât know? It looks like your memory is really faulty, Mr. Walter. I think weâre going to have to take you down memory lane in earnest before you can remember properly. Well, letâs not waste time then. Letâs go!â
âYes, sir!â
As soon as Wayne gave his orders, the bodyguards behind him immediately surged forward and yanked Asher to his feet, preparing to drag him out the door.
Asher was so terrified he planted his plump body firmly on the ground and refused to move, grabbing at the doorframe with one hand for support. The slamming door nearly sent him sprawling.
âMr. Hudson, I swear, Iâve told you everything I know! Thatâs the truth! Iâm not lying!â
Wayne ignored his pleas, and the bodyguards continued dragging him out.
The nightclub was deserted at this time of the morning, and Asherâs wails of distress echoed through the empty corridors.
When he saw that the bodyguards were about to drag him into the lift, Asherâs resolve completely crumbled. âAngie... Angie fell down the cliff! I swear I had nothing to do with it, the rope wasnât secure enough, and she fell down the cliff!â
âYouâre saying Angie Grant is dead?â Wayne turned and scrutinized Asherâs expression intently.
âShe fell from so high up! I doubt sheâs alive! Itâs not that I didnât want to save her, but I canât swim, and the cliff was so high...
even if she was Helen of Troy, there wasnât anything I could do, right?â Asher felt very satisfied with the two excuses he had concocted on the spur of the moment and continued lying with a straight face.
âSend him to the police station!â
âWhat? Mr. Hudson, Iâve already told you everything I know! Why are you taking me to the police? Iâm already in such a sorry state; please let me off!â Asher pleaded, collapsing onto his knees and sobbing up a storm.
Unfortunately, Wayne wasnât buying it.
âMr. Quincyâs orders were that he wants to see her if sheâs alive, and if sheâs dead, he wants to see the body. Once youâre at the police station, the authorities will naturally do everything they can to retrieve Ms. Grantâs body. As for you, once youâre in the hands of the police, you know exactly what to disclose and what not to disclose. Are we clear?â
âI...â Asherâs indignation knew no bounds. He was about to plead for mercy again, but the moment he caught sight of Wayneâs steely, ferocious gaze, he was terrified into silence.
âYouâve messed with someone that Mr. Quincy wants to see. Itâs up to you whether we shut your mouth permanently right now or whether you go to the police and continue your miserable existence. Your choice, Mr. Walter.â
âN-no, no! I donât want to die! I wonât say anything I shouldnât! Take me to the police now!â Asherâs priorities became blindingly clear in a split second. Immediately he got to his feet and let the bodyguards hustle him off to the police station.
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