“My job’s finished. I’m leaving now,” the interrogator said as he tidied up the tools hurriedly. “Send the payment to my account!”
“You still dare to ask for the payment after breaking our agreement?” Max snapped furiously while holding the unconscious girl.
“Actually, you should pay more. I manage to get information not only from one person, but two people.”
The CEO’s eyebrows deepened. “What do you mean?”
Sharp Knife closed the toolbox, carried it, then turned to face his client.
“Didn’t I say my job has finished? That means, I already got what you asked for.”
Max shook his head incredulously. When the interrogator smiled, his confusion grew even bigger.
“First, this girl is innocent. She really doesn’t know anything,” the robed man explained with a confident look.
“Why can you conclude that?”
“Because no one could cross the line of fear along with other people’s secret. If this girl is under someone’s control, why would she protect that person and sacrifice herself?”
After giving a small snort, the interrogator broke the silence again.
“Come on, Mr. CEO! Aren’t you smart and broad-minded?”
Max was pensive. After a moment’s pause, he returned his voice. “If this girl is innocent, why did you cut her finger?”
“That’s the second information. It looks like, you’ve fallen in love with this girl. Doesn’t love make people think recklessly? You should have noticed that the tool’s just a toy.”
Max gasped and took Gabriella’s right hand quickly. There were five fingers attached to it. A huge burden was instantly lifted by relief.
“I can’t possibly cut the finger of an innocent girl like her, Sir. Your heart must be aware of it too. I’m a little confused why you force your common sense to believe in lies that you created yourself?”
The CEO was unable to answer. His eyes were fixed on Gabriella’s pale fingers.
“I should go, Mr. CEO. No need to walk me. Just take care of your girl. Good afternoon!”
Max saw the Sharp Knife’s back disappear behind the door with a flat expression. After sighing and swallowing hard, he undid the knot of the rope wrapped around Gabriella’s wrists. New bruises were now in their way, deepening the CEO’s guilt.
“This girl’s innocent?” Max muttered while stroking the traces of his cruelty with thumb. A second later, he hung his head with regret.
“Ah, what have I done? I shouldn’t have been influenced by the threat. How could I not know who’s right or wrong?”
Max picked up Gabriella and laid her onto the bed. He wiped the trail of tears that were starting to dry on the girl’s cheeks. The man’s heart was getting tight in a sudden.
“What should I do with this girl now? She’s been through hard times because of me.”
Max pulled a chair and sat down on the side of the bed. Keeping his eyes on Gabriella’s face, he thought.
“Then, what should I do with Quebracha? The threat left no trace at all.”
After a while, Max sighed with eyes closed.
“Ah, I can’t lose myself. Since when has Max Evans faltered like this?”
A second later, he straightened his head and stared at Gabriella with a throbbing jaw.
“From this second, I have to show my strength again. That’s enough for the threat to suppress me. I have to prove that no one can influence me.”
Max took the ointment from the medicine cabinet. Then, he smeared every bruise on Gabriella’s body with it.
“This girl must be my responsibility from now on,” he muttered without hesitation.
***
“Engh … engh!”
Gabriella suddenly groaned in the middle of the night. The jolt of his hand woke the man who was gripping her fingers.
“Gabriella?”
Eyes still narrowed, Max approached and examined the pale face.
“Engh!”
The girl gasped again even though her eyes were closed. The eyeballs behind their lids were shaking indefinitely.
“Do you have a nightmare? Get up!”
Max touched the girl’s cheek about to pat. However, as soon as the man pressed his palm, his eyes widened.
“Geez! You’ve got a fever.”
As fast as lightning, Max grabbed the cell phone and searched for the doctor’s contact. However, when he was about to call, he didn’t budge.
“If Doctor Raul examined this girl, he would immediately know that I was the one who tortured her. Tsk, I can’t do this.”
After looking at Gabriella’s pale face, Max put the cellphone back on the table. Instead, he approached the girl with a basin of water and a washcloth.
“I have to take care of her by myself.”
For the rest of the night, the CEO stood by Gabriella. It was a historical landmark for the Evans family. Max finally pays more attention to a woman.
Once awakened, the first thing Max focused on was Gabriella. He put his palm on the girl’s forehead immediately. After nodding in relief, the man hurried over to the butler.
“I want to go. Please take care of the girl in my room. She looks unwell. And, please … keep it a secret from anyone.”
Max lowered his voice at the end of the command. The slim woman nodded at that.
After getting ready, the CEO drove off in his black car. The man stopped when he entered an area filled with ruins. Most of it had been cleared but still looked like a mess.
As soon as Max set foot, he approached a point. Gabriella’s yard was littered with crushed stone walls. Guilt rushed back over him.
Max took a breath and then exhaled quickly. He remembered how bright Gabriella’s eyes had been, when the house was still standing. Even though the girl at that time had a fierce look, Max could still feel her warmth and joy. Why only now did the man admit it?
“Mr. CEO!” A worker approached by running whereas his colleague who was left behind was carrying a box casually.
“Good morning, Mr. CEO. It’s good to see you. Are you here to check our work?” the burly man with the project hat asked.
Max smiled and nodded. Apparently, the workers didn’t know that he was being restrained from the office.
“I just wanted to have a look.”
“By the way, sorry, Sir. Did a girl come to your house?”
The CEO’s eyes widened spontaneously.
“When her house collapsed, she looked very desperate,” the worker explained with a half grin. “We felt guilty and tried to encourage her, but she remained silent and weeping. Finally, we suggested to her to see you because we’re sure that you will be able to compensate wisely.”
Max’s heartbeat automatically raced. A chill crept up quietly down his back and nape, continued to his face and frozen smile.
“So, you gave me my address?” Max concluded stiffly.
“Yes, Sir. It was me who gave her your address. Sorry for my impudence. We just felt sorry for the girl. She’s very kind and innocent. Even when she hated this environment being destroyed, she still served us coffee and occasionally gave us cakes.”
Max’s head was almost bent by regret. He had hurt a soft hearted girl.
“During the break, we often listened to her piano. It’s very beautiful, Sir. Ah, I miss that girl now.”
The smile on Max’s face threatened to leave.
“We have gathered her stuff from the rubble. Not much, but we hope these can make the girl smile again.”
As the worker showed the box his colleague brought, Max’s eyes turned to its contents. A polar teddy bear that’s no longer white due to dust occupied the top position.
“Let me give this box to the girl. I know where she is,” Max nodded, forcing his lips to become wider.
“Is it true? Wow, you are very kind, Sir.”
The compliment sounded like an insinuation to Max. He wasn’t able to hold on to the fake smile any longer. After finishing the short conversation, the CEO returned to the car with the box which was then placed on the seat next to him.
“So …, there’re several things that could be saved,” the man muttered as he looked at the dirty polar teddy bear.
With the corners of lips no longer high, Max lifted the doll to his face. The rips at the bear’s leg and back caused him to take a deep breath.
“Would Gabriella be thrilled to see this doll? Or will she hate me even more?” she thought before blowing air through his mouth.
“Aunt Minnie should fix this doll,” Max muttered as he pressed the foam sticking out of the rip.
After placing the doll on the seat, the CEO turned to looking at the other items. Photo albums and books took up most of the space in the box.
“Tsk, her favorite glass wasn’t saved,” Max sighed before tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.
After tilting his head and raising the eyebrows, he started the car engine and raced it to the ceramics factory.
“I should make a new glass to replace the old one.”
For the first time, the CEO was busy taking care of things unrelated to work. His guilt seemed far greater than the worries about his position.