As Callie walked ahead, she noticed that the man seemed to have trouble with his legs, walking with a limp.
Nelson turned slightly and said to her, “There are about fifty thousand workers at the ports of Ylosea. These people are of an age where they lack education and, to support their families, they have no choice but to take on these dangerous loading jobs. Any slight mistake can lead to injury.”
“Is it tough?” he asked, glancing at her.
Callie frowned, “… Yes.”
“What can be done about it? Drive them away?” Nelson casually pulled out a pack of cigarettes, took one out, and placed it between his lips. “If fifty thousand people lose their jobs, that’s fifty thousand families affected. How could the authorities bear to do that?”
As Callie listened, he lit the cigarette, and a wisp of smoke drifted out.
“Larry could bear it. In his ten years in office, Ylosea’s economy has regressed instead of progressing. He meddled in the operations of groups including Vankey to line his own pockets. The ports switched to automated machinery for loading, but the technology is still immature. Not only did workers lose their jobs, but the transportation of goods also became unreliable. This slow decline doesn’t kill outright but leaves the workers to suffer.”
Callie took a sharp breath and frowned as she watched the busy middle-aged men. She felt a pang of discomfort in her heart.
She hadn’t known there was such a complicated backstory.
Nelson flicked off some ash from his cigarette and turned to face her.
“If the Oconnor Group hadn’t intervened in these ports at Ylosea, they would have collapsed sooner or later. There are many more stories like this. Do you want to hear them? Does Larry not deserve to die?”
Callie shivered at his gaze and couldn’t find her voice.
“You said there are many ways to bring down the Blair family. But over the years, their power has become deeply entrenched. One wrong move and it’s me who would die. There’s not much room for maneuver.”
Nelson walked behind her, loosely wrapping his arms around her, his voice indifferent. “The money Nash uses all comes from his father’s embezzlement and bribery. Think about that. Do you still sympathize with him?”
Callie lowered her head, “… I’m sorry.”
“I’m very disappointed in you. I knew you were compassionate, but I didn’t expect you to empathize with the Blair family.”
Nelson let go of her, took one last drag from his cigarette, threw it on the ground, and crushed it underfoot before striding away.
After he left, Callie slowly squatted down, covering her face in regret. She had been wrong…
The sea breeze blew into her heart, causing a sharp pain.
She took out a business card from her coat pocket. It had gold embossing that read: Jaquan.
Earlier at Club Paradise, before he left, he had circled back to her side, looking at her with an extremely suggestive gaze. His fingertip had paused on the scar on her face. “Still beautiful with a scar.”
Callie had held back from trembling.
“Are you a local from Ylosea?”
“Yes…”
“There’s a local specialty here that’s very delicious. Next time we have a chance, I’ll treat you.”
Jaquan had chuckled lightly and slipped a business card into her hand. “Nelson isn’t interested in women and naturally won’t show any tenderness. But I will, Miss Marsh. I like you very much. Even if we can’t be partners, perhaps we can talk about other things.”
His words still echoed in her ears, making Callie feel uncomfortable all over. She hated herself for believing one side of the story so easily and empathizing with someone so notorious.
She tore the business card into pieces and let them scatter in the wind.
The conflicts between Oconnor Group and Scott Group were numerous. After tonight, she wouldn’t trust Jaquan nor fully trust Nelson. From now on, she wouldn’t get involved in their battles anymore. Their level of conflict was like an abyss.
One wrong step could lead to a fatal fall.