Chapter 504
In Niamh’s mind, Michael had always liked Marina. Even if those feelings had faded, there had been real affection there once.
It was the same with Jonathan-even if he truly meant it when he said he
no longer loved Marina, there was no way he’d just stand by after
something so catastrophic happened to her.
But he’d never rush to take Niamh’s side the way Elmer did.
A long silence fell over the phone line.
“I’m on a business trip in Blackspire right now…” Michael said suddenly, his words completely unrelated to what they’d just been discussing.
But to Michael, it wasn’t unrelated at all.
Because he was in Blackspire, he hadn’t seen firsthand the aftermath of what happened to Marina. He’d only heard about it-piecing together the details through his assistant.
The bankruptcy? That was Niamh’s doing, even if she never admitted it outright. The way she’d courted The Burton Group for investment, made a big show of it, but never actually took any money-it was clear that, at the time, Niamh had never truly intended to secure the new mining rights.
In the end, the new claim fell into Marina’s hands, but it turned out to be a sinkhole-an obvious trap. Any shrewd businessperson could see Marina had been played.
Still, Michael didn’t think Niamh had crossed any unforgivable line. She must have had her reasons.
Hiring thugs to assault Marina, though? That was so far out of character for Niamh, and made no logical sense.
Now, Marina had nothing left. If anything, it made more sense that Marina
would want revenge on Niamh-like orchestrating this latest smear campaign online.
“I hope you’ll believe me. I really do want to help you…” Michael’s voice was earnest.
Niamh didn’t doubt him, but she was curious. “Why? After everything that’s happened to Marina, why are you helping me?”
“Because I like you, of course.”
Michael said it so matter-of-factly that Niamh was taken aback.
“…What?”
“I’m kidding,” he added quickly.
Niamh let out a long breath.
“Just think of it as me atoning for the past.”
“Atoning?” Niamh thought the word was a bit much.
“The last time you were targeted online, it was brutal. The Burton Group should have stepped in, and I was partly responsible. So this time, I hope you’ll give me a chance to make it right.”
Michael sounded sincere, and Niamh paused before replying, not
bothering to play coy. “Alright then. Since you’re in Blackspire, there is something I need your help with.”
“Name it-what do you need?”
Time ticked by.
Just before midnight, as Niamh was getting ready for bed, the doorbell rang.
At this hour, with no takeout expected, the sound was unsettling-as if a ghost were knocking. For a single woman living alone, it was enough to make her uneasy, maybe even afraid.
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Chapter
Niamh approached the door cautiously and peered through the peephole. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise.
It was Jonathan.
Even through the peephole, Niamh could see how pale and drawn he looked, almost as if someone had smeared him with soot. His features seemed warped in the distorted glass.
She didn’t open the door. Instead, Jonathan’s voice came through from the hallway.
“Open up, or I’ll keep knocking until your neighbors can’t sleep either.”
It was a childish threat, but it worked. Niamh let out a resigned sigh,
unlocked the door, and let him in.
“Is this what you wanted?” Jonathan demanded the moment she closed the door behind him.
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