Chapter 689: Insidious Melvin
Oscar didn't leave the Collins family until the birthday party concluded at 10 p.m., having spent nearly the entire day with Lillian. Numerous rumors, true or false, circulated afterward.
The capital city blazed with colorful neon lights at night, a spectacle enjoyed by the wealthy. Oscar sat silently in the car, observing the flowing lights.
The driver, parking in the residential area, saw no indication of Oscar's intentions and dared not speak, awaiting his instructions.
After an unspecified time, Oscar finally said, "Go to the Balderston manor."
The driver, involved in the Wells family's affairs, cautiously reminded him, "Mr. Wells, it might not be wise to go there now…"
"I know," Oscar interrupted, his resolve firm.
The driver, unable to disobey, drove to the Balderston manor. The car stopped at the gate; entry required Melvin's permission.
"Should I try to negotiate?" the driver asked.
"No."
The driver was taken aback.
"Just wait," Oscar replied indifferently.
"Yes, sir."
An iron gate separated Oscar from Hannah. He wondered about her reaction to his behavior toward Lillian that day. He couldn't bring himself to intrude and explain, or to take Hannah away. Instead, he'd left her in the most perilous place imaginable. The thought clenched his fists.
He wasn't as composed as he appeared. Since sending Hannah there, he'd been suppressing intense emotions, teetering on the brink of collapse. He yearned for freedom from his self-imposed restraint, but the memory of his parents' deaths—their bodies adrift at sea—and Cian's loneliness always held him back.
His eyes reddened as he choked back his emotions.
"Let's go back."
"Yes, sir."
He had no time for grief or self-pity; he could only move forward, with no turning back.
Inside the manor, Melvin watched Oscar's arrival, brief stay, and departure via the security cameras. He sneered, expecting a rash, impulsive entry from Oscar, assuming he knew about Hannah and Lillian.
Yet, Oscar remained silent. Melvin knew Hannah would be abandoned when the time came for a decision.
Melvin, surprisingly, felt a reluctance to see Hannah die so soon; her demise seemed a waste. For years, he'd shown no interest in women, his life consumed by the acquisition of Northfield, leaving no room for romance.
He doubted he even possessed the capacity for love, explaining his lack of relationships despite being in his thirties. The idea that he'd been saving himself for Lillian Collins was, he felt, the world's greatest joke.
While he'd experienced fleeting changes in his feelings for Hannah, they weren't affection, he concluded. He wouldn't be so unprincipled as to fall for a pregnant woman; his interest was purely transactional.
Melvin called someone. "Harry."
"What's up?"
"Come to my place tomorrow. I'll show you a new antique treasure."
"What is it?"
"You'll see."
"What?"
"It's a surprise."
"I'll be there."
"I'll be waiting."
"See you tomorrow."
"See you."
After hanging up, Melvin smiled cruelly. He wanted to test Hannah's resilience, to see if she could survive willingly.
The next day, Hannah awoke from troubled dreams. She masked her emotions upon seeing Melvin.
"You're early, Mr. Balderston."
Melvin, arriving earlier than usual, said, "We have a guest today."
Hannah felt nervous.
"I'll tell you what I meant to say yesterday."
Hannah frowned, feigning incomprehension, carefully concealing her thoughts.
"Not interested?" Melvin raised an eyebrow.
"No," Hannah replied indifferently. "Whether I'm interested or not, I have no choice, do I?"
Melvin laughed, pleased by her response.
"Hannah, you're clever."
"Thank you."
"A friend is coming. I'm interested in an island he owns. Just help me negotiate; the price mustn't exceed twenty million. As long as I live, you will too."
Hannah asked, "What's the island's market value?"
"At least twenty billion."
Hannah was speechless.
Melvin smiled at her expression.
"It's not challenging enough to truly reflect your worth."
"Tell me about your friend."
"Harry. Twenty-one years old. His parents died in a plane crash, leaving him billions. His private assets dwarf those of Kensbury City's four largest families. The island is insignificant to him."