"Nelson, do you have a death wish?"
As Nelson floundered helplessly, the man hauled him up by the collar and slammed him against the riverside railing. Behind him roared the relentless current of the river. Before him stood the dangerous man.
"I'll give you money! However much you want, I'll pay!" Nelson suddenly blurted out, grasping at a solution. "I'll give you enough money so you never have to go back to a place like the border again!"
"Hah." It was the first time Erik had encountered someone trying to bribe him. "Give me money?"
"Yes! Yes!" Nelson nodded frantically. He couldn't die here! He was the Hills heir! A Tier One M Institute trainee! His future was bright! How could he die at the hands of this thug?
"So, how much are you offering? Let's see if it moves me," Erik drawled, a dangerous glint in his eyes Nelson was too terrified to notice.
"Five million! I'll give you five million! And... and I won't press charges for breaking my wrist! Just leave Janelle, and I'll transfer the money immediately! I'll even have someone escort you out of Graham City!"
"You're better off dead."
Nelson's terror peaked. This kind of man, with nothing to lose, feared nothing. Killing him would mean prison, but Nelson? He'd die before spending a fraction of the Hills fortune! The ultimate tragedy!
"I'll give you whatever you want! Any amount! Just let me go! Please!" The churning river water splashed against his back.
"I don't want a single cent. You dared touch my woman. Now you face my wrath."
With that, Erik shoved Nelson over the railing into the dark, rushing water.
Nelson flailed, trying to claw his way back up. But with both wrists shattered, it was impossible. He swallowed mouthfuls of filthy river water, thrashing desperately against the current.
The man stood on the bank, watching. His handsome face was utterly devoid of emotion, his eyes chillingly cold. He watched Nelson being swept towards a powerful whirlpool.
"Help! Someone! HELP!"
His cries echoed uselessly in the night. Erik, silhouetted against the darkness, looked like a demon risen from hell, observing Nelson's impending doom with detached indifference.
Hospital - Later That Night
Mrs. Hill rushed to the hospital after the frantic call, finding Lillie already there.
"What happened? Nelson was supposed to be in the hospital! How did he end up in the river?!" Mrs. Hill was frantic. He was her only son. If anything happened to him...
Lillie's face was pale and drawn; she'd come straight from the police station call, too hurried to even put on makeup. "Auntie, I don't know! The police said witnesses saw him fall into the river. Some people pulled him out. Earlier... Janelle was staying at the Grand Court Hotel. She didn't come home tonight. I... I don't know if Nelson went to see her..."
"What?!"
Hearing Janelle's name, Mrs. Hill exploded. "That little bitch! The moment she comes back, disaster follows! She's a jinx!"
"Auntie, Janelle is my sister," Lillie said, feigning concern, "but if she really threw Nelson into the river..."
"I don't care who she is! Anyone who hurts my son will pay dearly!" Mrs. Hill shrieked, hysterical. Madalyn had taken her husband; was her daughter now trying to take her son?
Just then, the emergency room doors swung open. Nelson was wheeled out on a gurney, unconscious. Mrs. Hill and Lillie rushed over, ignoring everyone else.
"My son! What's wrong with him? Why isn't he awake?" Mrs. Hill lashed out at the doctors and nurses. Faced with the Hills' power in Graham City, they dared not retort, enduring the verbal abuse while trying to explain patiently.
"Mrs. Hill, please rest assured. Mr. Hill will regain consciousness shortly," the Chief Resident said, forcing calm.
"When? How long?" Mrs. Hill snapped, having no patience for what she deemed incompetence.
"Within the hour, at most."
Satisfied with the answer, Mrs. Hill followed the gurney to the private room. Lillie, exhausted, stifled a yawn but dared not leave while Mrs. Hill remained.
"Auntie, it's very late. You should go home and rest. I'll stay here with him," Lillie offered, the picture of dutiful concern.
Mrs. Hill looked at Lillie, her anger momentarily checked. "I'll wait until he wakes. I need to hear from him what happened." Why on earth had he gone to the Grand Court? Had that little temptress Janelle lured him there? How vile!
"Auntie, you know Nelson is fundamentally kind-hearted," Lillie said softly, gazing at Nelson. "If he went to the Grand Court... it must have been because Janelle asked him. I believe in Nelson. Janelle... she's just bitter. She was Graham City's untouchable princess, now despised by everyone. It's understandable she'd cling to Nelson, seeking what she lost." Her eyes stayed fixed on Nelson, masking the seething rage inside. How could he go to her? She'd been by his side for five years! Had he forgotten? They'd been good! She thought he truly loved her! But Janelle returns, and everything changes? Why? What hold did Janelle have over him? She was the perfect match! Her hatred burned, yet her face showed only understanding and devotion.
Seeing Lillie's expression, Mrs. Hill saw a reflection of her younger self – desperately trying, yet unable to capture the heart of Mr. Hill's father, who only ever saw Madalyn. He'd left for another country because of that woman, never to return. Mrs. Hill felt a pang of empathy. "Lillie, Nelson is just momentarily confused. The two of you have been wonderful these past five years, haven't you?"
"Yes," Lillie nodded, forcing a small smile. "I believe in Nelson. I believe in our feelings." But the seed of doubt was sown. She remembered how Nelson had doted on Janelle. In comparison, his affection for her paled.
An hour later, Nelson stirred, finally waking. The doctors and nurses breathed a collective sigh of relief. They knew he'd wake, but Mrs. Hill's pressure had been immense. Had he stayed unconscious, she might have torn the hospital apart.
"Who do they think they are, throwing their weight around like that?" one nurse muttered once out of earshot.
"That's the rich for you," another doctor sighed. "One complaint, and years of grueling study down the drain."
They were busy professionals, and Mrs. Hill's entitled bullying rankled deeply.
Back in the room, Nelson blinked awake to see Lillie's tearful eyes and his mother's furious face.
"What were you doing at the Grand Court Hotel?" Mrs. Hill demanded, her voice sharp with anger. "Were you there to see Janelle?"