Chapter 460: We’ll Get You Justice
Ruediger rested his chin on Lariette’s shoulder. He whispered, guilt heavy in his voice, "I’m sorry, Lettie. I should’ve been here. I shouldn’t have let you meet him alone."
Everything came so suddenly. Before Ruediger could register everything about Mr. Eastwood as told by Declan, Lariette had a private meeting with the man himself.
"N-no... It’s not your fault," she struggled for air, her fingers clutching his back, "I thought... I’d meet him as a former colleague... But... He tricked me. All this time... he has deceived us."
It was neither her nor his fault. None of them had anticipated this kind of deceit to come from someone they trusted.
Ruediger pulled back slightly. He brushed a damp strand of hair from Lariette’s face.
His voice was low and steady, but grief shadowed his eyes, "It was his choice to deceive you. It’s not your fault."
Lariette looked up at him. Her tears had ceased flowing. She managed a small yet pained smile, "Sometimes, the monsters aren’t strangers, right? They can be people we believe in."
"Yes," he nodded, his thumb grazing under her swollen right eye, "The most hideous monsters are people who tricked us into believing them. Lettie, we’ll find justice. I promise you that."
She didn’t answer as she leaned back into his embrace. Exhausted, her body heavy from the weight of all she had just learned.
Outside, the light snow had stopped falling. Inside, her sobs had subsided. Her heart was bruised and world broken, but his warmth held her together.
Then, Ruediger brought Lariette home. There was no sign of Mr. Eastwood outside the restaurant. He told her that Declan’s people had followed the older man as he left earlier, afraid of him slipping away again.
When they stepped into the apartment, he asked, "Do you want him detained? Declan can do that for you."
Ruediger didn’t voice out that he had the same desire. If possible, he wanted to capture Mr. Eastwood and turn him over to the authorities immediately.
But his wish wasn’t as important as hers. She might have another thing in mind.
Lariette rubbed her temples, feeling a headache. She answered listlessly, "I’m not sure. I can’t... think properly. Just tell Dec to do whatever he wants. But no violence. I don’t want the police to have anything on Dec or you."
Ruediger held back from sneering, "I’ll tell him that."
As Lariette took a bath, Ruediger contacted Declan. He mentioned everything that he knew about her meeting with Mr. Eastwood. He also brought up her concern.
Fortunately, Declan’s response wasn’t disappointing, "No violence, huh? I understand."
Ruediger smiled, his eyes glinting with frost. Declan could be shrewd if he wanted to. The latter would ensure no ’visible’ violence befall Mr. Eastwood.
After Declan asked Ruediger to look after Lariette, especially the state of her mental well-being, he ended the call. He had more important things to do on his side.
Ruediger was reheating the snow fungus dessert soup when Lariette stepped out, already in her nightgown. Her eyes were still swollen, but she looked relatively better.
"My sweetheart smells nice," he brought her into his arms, a smile lacing his voice as he kissed her hair, "How do you feel now?"
She blinked slowly, seemingly in a daze. As she looked up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and tiptoed. Her soft lips were pressed over his.
"Kinda numb, but better."
"Wait outside," he returned the soft, fleeting kiss, "I’ll bring the soup over for you. Crave anything for dinner?"
"It’s fine. I’ll have the soup," she smiled faintly, "Not much appetite."
He didn’t press any longer. With a pat on her back, he urged her to go to the longue.
She looked at him a few times before finally leaving the kitchen. The sight of her cautious gaze tore his heart.
When Ruediger brought a bowl of soup to the lounge, he saw Lariette crouching on the couch, her head lowered. As he approached closer, he noticed her figure was shivering.
He put the ceramic bowl on the coffee table before sitting by her side. Then, he pulled her into his embrace. Her dam broke again, filling the lounge with her sobs.
Once again, Ruediger held Lariette close.
He didn’t tell her to stop crying, nor did he curse the man who had caused this misery to her. He was simply there, providing her the comfort of his quiet yet steady presence.
The soup, untouched, had long cooled down when her tears slowed. The horizon outside had darkened, welcoming another winter night.
Throughout the weekend, Ruediger watched over Lariette closely. She wasn’t as saddened as before on Saturday, and she seemed even better when Sunday arrived.
To prevent Lariette from thinking too much about Mr. Eastwood and even blaming herself for everything, Ruediger brought her out for a stroll in the nearby park. She refused when he suggested going to the aquarium or theme park, saying the crowds would be too great.
By now, Lariette had already known that Declan had confined Mr. Eastwood at one of his luxury villas. Tens of intimidating bodyguards were stationed there to keep the older man from escaping.
Declan didn’t commit any harsh violence. He simply locked Mr. Eastwood in the villa after confiscating any devices.
To be honest, the older man lived rather well there. Aside from not being allowed to go out, he could move freely and was even fed with decent meals.
Declan had already informed Chairman Delaney of the new finding, including the identity of the culprit. The elderly man was too enraged that his blood pressure spiked. Fortunately, nothing dangerous happened.
Came Sunday evening, Chairman Delaney called Lariette. His anxious voice rang from the end of the line. The sound reverberated in the lounge as she turned on the loudspeaker.
"Lari, my dear, we’ll get justice for you. The Eastwoods won’t bother even if we turn him over to the authorities. My dear, just tell me what you want to do."
Lariette’s eyes shifted to Ruediger. At the sight of his calm smile, she said, "I have an idea, but I’m not sure how to do this. Will you listen to me, Grandpa?"
Everything came as a shock, but she still wanted to continue her peaceful life. After deciding to love herself more, she no longer wanted to be burdened with anything that made her unhappy.
"Yes," Chairman Delaney quickly agreed, "Just tell me anything."
Lariette exhaled, "Grandpa, let’s meet later. I think it’s best if I talk about this face-to-face."