"She meant well with you. Don't be too angry with her," Madelin interjected.
Jonatan remained silent, still seething with anger.
"Madelin, I heard you've met my boss. What do you think of her?" Nike inquired curiously.
"How did you know that? Did someone tell you that I met Nyonya Kim?" Instead of answering Nike's question directly, Madelin counter-questioned.
"My friends at the agency. Besides, news of your meeting with Nyonya Kim has spread around my place. By the way, it seems like my model friends at the agency are very interested in you," Nike replied cheerfully.
Madelin smiled. "It seems I'm becoming popular in your circle."
"Are you proud?"
Madelin didn't answer directly but her face looked satisfied. Meanwhile, Jonatan, who overheard the conversation, couldn't resist chiming in.
"Of course, she should be proud. Madelin is very beautiful, and it's natural for her to receive a lot of admiration. It's strange if a girl as beautiful as her doesn't get the attention she deserves." And indeed, Jonatan couldn't hold back his words, even without being asked.
"That's good. It means Madelin is liked by many people. Having a lot of admiration from others is better than being hated by many people," Nike remarked.
"Were you not indirectly mocking me?" Jonatan, sensitive to Nike's words, sensed that Nike's words were aimed at him.
Nike wanted to respond, but Madelin quickly intervened. She didn't want a fight to break out at this moment. It could be dangerous if Jonatan lost his concentration while driving.
***
"Good job. You've done your best. Your payment will be delivered soon," whispered Mrs. Lily, ending it with a kiss on Rave's cheek.
Rave slumped down, unable to believe he had ended Mr. Fred's life. He felt guilty to the core.
"I truly regret following your words," Rave lamented.
"There's nothing to regret," Mrs. Lily said calmly. She then left Rave alone.
Rave fell silent, recalling how he had ended his own master's life.
That incident... it was horrifying for him. He cursed himself. And the horrific memory replayed automatically in his mind.
Rave bit his lip hard, not even realizing the fresh blood oozing out.
He knew he should have helped the dying Mr. Fred. But because of the agreement he had made with Mrs. Lily, he couldn't do anything.
"Rave... you... Rave, isn't it?" Mr. Fred weakly confirmed that the young man who had taken him into the car was Rave.
Rave remained silent, not answering. Instead, he accelerated his car. At this moment, he was truly in chaos. There was no other option for him.
***
"Give him a fair payment. He's done his best," Mrs. Lily ordered Jane via her smartphone, to arrange payment for Rave.
"Understood, ma'am." Jane confirmed, and soon the call ended. Jane sighed, staring at the suitcase full of cash inside. She didn't expect something like this to happen.
"It's a shame... you shouldn't have died before I could give you this money. If you die, how can I repay my debt to you?" Jane glanced at Rave's lifeless body.
The young man had committed suicide by ingesting poison. Apparently, he felt too guilty about Mr. Fred's death. It was unfortunate that he died before he could receive his reward.
Jane placed the suitcase of money on the ground and left somewhere. But when she returned, she brought gasoline and a lighter in her hands.
Jane poured the gasoline in all directions. Then, she opened the suitcase and scattered the fantasy bills on the floor.
"Hopefully, you can use this money well in the afterlife. I hope you can bribe someone there to redeem your sins," Jane murmured before finally throwing the lighter she held in her hand.
***
"Until the situation at home calms down. I will handle and monitor everything. I hope you can wait patiently," Jane requested as she busily drove the car.
"How long do I have to hide?" he asked, his voice sounding bored.
"A little longer. But if you're patient, I think you'll be able to enjoy the results satisfactorily. One year... I need one year to make you able to return home and make you the head of the family, replacing Mr. Fred."
"Too long, can't you handle it faster?" protested Mrs. Lily.
"I promised what I believe I can do. If you ask for more than that, then I can't do it well. I've calculated everything and all possible outcomes. What I need here is your patience," Jane remained focused on driving.
"I admit you're great, Jane. But one year is just too long. If I miss one year, without doing anything and just sitting around, waiting for news from you, it seems like I'll be missing out on a lot," Mrs. Lily herself realized she couldn't stay idle for too long. She was aware that there would be many opportunities she would miss out on in one year.
"It's a pity that this is all I can offer you," Jane replied calmly.
After that, there was a moment of silence. Both Mrs. Lily and Jane didn't speak at all and were busy with their own thoughts.
"I know you're impatient, and I understand that. But... it seems like you're now in a fairly free position. The people in the house who will only be busy worrying about Mr. Fred won't care too much about your issues. Besides, everything known by Mr. Fred hasn't leaked to anyone yet. It's an advantage for you. I think you can do whatever you want, while I tidy up and prepare everything for you." Jane glanced briefly at Mrs. Lily through the car's rearview mirror.
Mrs. Lily thought for a moment. Jane's words had some truth to them. Perhaps she was too hasty because she was impatient to do what she wanted to do. She was indeed tired of living in hiding. But she realized that the hiding she was doing now was ultimately to her advantage.
"Alright, I'll accept it. When the time comes, please pick me up. I need you to take me to a certain place. When the time is right, please pick me up from there!" Mrs. Lily commanded.
"Yes, Ma'am," Jane replied firmly.
It only took one year to get this mess back to normal. And while waiting for the right time to come, Mrs. Lily had planned something intricate in her mind.
END