Mark remained utterly composed. “What do you mean?”
Arnold sneered, “Dexter, Mark is practically your father-in-law. He risked his life to come here, yet you continue to deceive him. Is that really appropriate?”
Dexter turned to his side, seemingly puzzled. “What did I supposedly lie about?”
“Josie didn’t die, and you used this fact to lure Mark. If Josie knew, she would probably hate you even more, wouldn’t she?” Arnold turned off the loudspeaker so he was audible only to a few people around him.
Dexter stared at him. “Do you dare to tell him and everyone, then? Do you have the courage? Once you do, you’ll lose all your leverage. Is it worth it?”
He gradually began to laugh. “Is it worth it to expose someone as notorious as me?”
Arnold looked into his eyes, filled with a potent mix of hatred and an inevitable sense of resignation. Impatient, Mark interrupted, “Enough with the chatter. I’m giving you two options, Arnold. You live, or you die. Your choice, one word.”
That left Arnold with no room to retreat.
Josephine watched the spectacle unfolding before her, her legs turning to jelly. She shook her head. “Robyn, just hand them over. Survival is what matters.”
Initially, she assumed that Josie was just an ordinary person. Little did she know that Josie had such a powerful support system behind her!
“Shut up! Do you really think that handing over a person would guarantee our survival? Dexter-” Arnold raised an eyebrow, suddenly saying, “What I detest most is your air of superiority, as if you have everything under control.”
Upon hearing those words, Josie felt a sudden sense of foreboding washed over her.
Indeed, under Dexter’s watchful gaze, Arnold suddenly pulled out his cell phone.
“Mr. Dalton.” His voice was languid yet resolute. “It seems I can’t get out of this last deal unscathed. Do it.”
“No good! He’s planning to go down with the ship,” Josie exclaimed in despair. “Can any of you stop him?”
The two people behind her wore expressions of difficulty. The angle was tricky, making it impossible for them to make a move on Arnold. “We can only rely on our colleagues on Mr. Dalton’s side,”
Meanwhile, at the dock, Wayne’s vehicle was unable to leave safely. It was stopped at the checkpoint under the pretense of a safety inspection.
He leaned against the side as Scott began to frisk him. Wayne scoffed, “What’s your rank to think you have the right to be searching me?”
Scott glared at him with a look of deep-seated hatred. “No matter how impressive you think you are, you still have to hide behind a mask, too afraid to show your true face. You’re even more despicable than a sewer rat!”
Wayne didn’t get angry. Instead, he lazily glanced toward Caleb, who was not too far away. “Mr. Zabinski, your people lack manners.”
He was a big shot in Rivodia, his influence rippling through every corner. Caleb dared not slack off in Wayne’s presence. With an impatient gesture toward Scott, he said, “Let me handle this.”
After a thorough search of Wayne, no contraband was found. Instead, it was his cell phone, tucked away in his pocket, that made a sound.
After hearing Arnold’s words, Wayne understood why he was stopped. He turned his back, letting out a soft sigh. “Arnold… It wasn’t as if you were at your wit’s end. Why did you have to go to such lengths?”
Under the scorching sun, Mark’s gun didn’t discriminate.
Arnold stood tall, his spine rigid. “There’s no other choice. Consider this my final grand gift to you.”
The devastation would be great and the losses heavy. Once the choice was made, there truly was no turning back.
“Give me ten minutes to think it over,” Wayne said, hanging up the phone.
Mark’s ship had already drawn near. It was only when it was close enough that Josie could clearly see Mark. Two years had passed, and many wrinkles had etched themselves onto his face. He no longer possessed the robustness of his past. Instead, he seemed hunched and aged.
“It seems that Mr. Dalton didn’t give you a satisfactory answer,” Dexter said with a faint smile. It was the kind of smile that spoke of a deep understanding.
