Chapter 489
Chapter 489:
Panicking, he waved his hands frantically. “Oh no, no need for that! I can see you’re busy. Just give me ten thousand, and we’ll call it even, okay?”
But Ashton’s smile only deepened, a cold edge creeping into it. “Absolutely not. Whether you care or not, I do. This medicine is supposed to save your life, isn’t it? I can’t let you walk away with such a terrible loss.” Turning to the crowd, Ashton added, “Everyone, could you stay here and keep an eye on things? Just in case something happens. Miss Smith, would you mind coming with me to the hospital to verify the medication? I wouldn’t want anyone questioning my intentions.”
Alisha, ever eager to see justice done, gave Ashton an approving nod, a satisfied smile on her lips. “You’ve got some sense after all,” she said. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you pay more than you should. I just want to make sure the medicine really costs that much.”
Nikolas, now fully aware that his scam was on the brink of collapse, rose from the ground abruptly. The pitiful expression he had worn vanished, replaced by anger. “You’re lucky,” he spat, his voice seething with venom. “There’re too many people around today, and I’m too tired to waste my time on this nonsense. Don’t show your face in front of me again. Or I won’t let you go next.”
His outburst only deepened the crowd’s doubts, their suspicious murmurs growing louder. As Nikolas tried to slink away, several people moved to block his path.
He might have been small, but Nikolas was quick on his feet. With a burst of speed, he darted through the crowd like a slippery fish, narrowly avoiding capture.
As he fled, he turned back to flip Ashton a rude gesture. But just as he was about to vanish, he crashed straight into a towering figure.
Nikolas, winded and irritated, raised his head, ready to curse the man blocking his escape. But when his eyes met those of the stranger, his face drained of color.
Standing before him was a stern, middle-aged police officer, exuding an air of authority that made Nikolas’ blood run cold.
gⱯlnσν𝓮𝓁s﹒𝓬𝗈𝗺, the heart of fiction
The officer regarded him with icy disdain. “Nikolas,” he said, voice steady as a judge’s gavel, “you were released from prison just three months ago, after serving time for extortion and blackmail. And now you’re at it again? This time, you won’t be slipping away so easily.”
Without hesitation, the officer clamped the handcuffs around Nikolas’ wrists, his fate sealed.
Alisha’s face immediately brightened with surprise at the sight of the middle-aged policeman. She quickly approached him, her steps brisk with excitement, and greeted him warmly.
“Dad, what a coincidence! Are you working on a case around here too?” Alisha inquired, her voice tinged with curiosity.
The middle-aged man efficiently subdued Nikolas, who was struggling and resisting, before handing him over to another officer standing nearby.
With a smile, he patted Alisha on the head and spoke in a relaxed, teasing tone. “I just finished an errand and was on my way back to the station when I noticed the crowd gathered here. I thought I’d stop by and check it out. If I hadn’t, my daughter might have almost let this criminal slip away!”
Alisha blushed with embarrassment, bowed her head apologetically, and remained silent.