Eric picked up Molly's mobile phone instantly and curiously read it. 'Just tell me the truth, I can handle
it: Is the damage so bad that from now on I am dumb?'
Emotions clearly reflected in Eric's eyes as her read the message. Molly's words hurt him badly, it felt
like he was repeatedly stabbed by a blunt knife. His heart was bleeding, only with emotions he could
not express. However, he had to betray his feelings and thoughts while answering to her. With a forced
smile, he spoke to Molly," Now you're just imaging things. I agree, the current scenario is unexpected
and scary, but that doesn't mean your worst fears will come true. Be strong and calm! Hahahah... Little
Molly, even if you become dumb, well it's better for the rest of us because then you'll never argue with
me," he cracked a joke to make light of the moment.
Molly couldn't help but frown as she wondered how Eric was joking in such a tense moment. Perhaps
he was just pretending to be complacent as he imaged what the life would be if she couldn't talk any
more. Then, she began to doubt her assumption.
Eric felt increasingly uncomfortable right then. The previous night, had he inquired further when he
found the shells weren't real, the accident wouldn't have occur to begin with, Molly wouldn't have gotten
drugged and harmed. He was to blamed for all this.
He sighed with overburdening guilt. Pretending to be composed and relaxed defying his actual
thoughts, he tenderly tapped Molly's forehead. Seeing Molly snarl furiously, he couldn't help but smile.
"Just eat your food. Otherwise, you will starve, and become a dead dumb girl," said Eric.
Molly wrinkled her nose and gave a snort out of sheer contempt. Looking away from Eric, she decided
to ignore Eric's bid of cracking jokes. She knew that if she treated Eric nicely, he certainly would find
her ungraceful and meek.
Molly and Eric were eating food in a relatively relaxed manner as they became to embrace silence.
However, Brian, from time to time, glanced over his shoulder and looked at them as he could not
contain his curiosity. During most of his abrupt glances, his sharp eyes were fixed on Molly.
"Who is that woman sitting across right over there? Is she important for Mr. Brian Long?" Aaron gazed
at Molly who was eating in a calm manner. Despite asking this question aloud, the answer was already
there in his heart.
"She is nothing more than a toy to me." Brian said indifferently trying to drive the message across. His
stern face showed no extra emotions. However, his cold and wicked smile across his smug face
suggested otherwise.
"A toy?" Aaron asked curiously. "Would Mr. Brian Long really be so kind, affectionate and attentive
towards a toy? Well I don't think so."
Brian didn't notice the apparent disdain in Aaron's tone. Instead, he answered rather aggressively,"
Even though she's a toy for me, I don't like her being considered and treated in that manner. My
possessions can never be touched by other people."
The delicate voice gave away the burden of enormous pressure which always made people around feel
suffocating. Ken, standing behind Aaron, looked at Brian warily. He had seen him a couple of times.
But every time they met, he could sense the difference and something unusual about him. As far as he
was concerned, his master was unparalleled in the world without a shadow of doubt. However, Mr.
Brian Long... he was special, uncontrollable and also unfathomable.
Aaron's mouth then broke out into a humorless smile. "Well, you overreacted last night. Did you realize
that?"
Brian withdrew his fixed gaze from Molly, despite his secret lust for Molly's sweet smile. However, the
smile on his face had completely disappeared too as he raised his head and looked at Aaron. "Is that
your take on this issue?" he asked in cold tone.
Aaron sneered, but remained calm and composed. "Philip's death is overwhelming for me to handle
with. But... you simply cannot embarrass me at QY Island and I can't be pushed beyond a certain limit.
Are we clear on that?"
Brian casually picked up the cup and sipped his coffee silently. He didn't respond to Aaron's command.
He always seemed so arrogant and superior, almost like he was looking down upon everybody. "Now
just clearly tell me what you want."
"Yesterday, Philip's body and that entire debacle was handled well, and nobody noticed how and when
it disappeared. The whereabouts of his body will remain a mystery forever, you can rest assured."
Aaron looked at Brian sharply. "This professionalism reminds me of an organization."
"Oh, does it now?" Brian let out a little chuckle.
Aaron frowned disapprovingly. He was ultimately quite a cold-blooded man, but he got an impressing
that Brian was worse, which further worried him.
Human beings are complicated creatures. Friends can turn against each other, grow apart as foes
when their virtues and advantages are belittled. They fight, and compete against each other like they
share no mutual past of understanding, love and sincerity.
Despite his other overpowering characteristics, Aaron was a man with great patience. When he came
inside and saw Brian's aggressive expression, he chose not to respond. As uncomfortable as he was,
he refrained from letting his emotional control him. "Earlier I was informed that... there are only five
organizations in the entire world which are capable of killing people in the manner it was. After ruling
out all the other options based on what happened, I'm sure it must be XK!"
Aaron said slowly and confidently as he exhumed the plot, and maintained eye contact with Brian. He
wanted to uncover some thing, anything useful, from Brian's eyes. But he failed. Mr. Brian Long was
prudent and skilled at hiding his emotions and thoughts from others. There were counted people who
had the ability to sense emotional changes from his countenance. He was indeed a genius, because
even people much older, experienced and more prudent than him couldn't succeed at this feat.
"Well, I couldn't agree with your investigation any more." Brian answered blatantly. He was adept at
reading people's mind and feelings. He had largely guessed what Aaron was thinking of right now. He
would grow more suspicious if the problem was deliberately avoided. So, he bluntly asked," Is Shawn
still at the QY Island now?"
Aaron's brow furrowed upon hearing his question. Last night, he wondered about the same thing. XK
Intelligence Agency couldn't be accessed easily. Last time he took great efforts and pulled strings to
reach an agreement with XL eventually. But Mr. Brian Long might have been acquainted with it, since
XL wasn't the force that he could employ without paying a great price.
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