Chapter <b>405 </b>
<b>Mirabe’s </b><b>expression </b><b>darkened </b><b>the </b>moment she heard <b>the </b><b>old </b>man’s <b>tant </b>lie.
<b>Why </b><b>on </b>earth <b>had </b>she reached <b>out </b><b>to </b><b>help him</b><b>? </b>She <b>hadn’t </b>even pocketed <b>the </b><b>five </b>million <b>from </b><b>the ad deal </b>yet, and was <b>this </b><b>already </b><b>shaping </b><b>up </b><b>to </b>be a <b>financial </b>fiasco?
<b>“</b>Sir, this is a <b>school</b><b>, </b><b>and there </b><b>are </b>cameras <b>everywhere</b>. Your scam is <b>pointless</b><b>!</b>” Mirabe <b>ground </b><b>out </b><b>through </b>clenched teeth.
<b>The old </b>man’s eyes widened then narrowed, his voice whining and <b>wheezing</b><b>, </b><b>“</b><b>Oh</b>, <b>my </b><b>head </b><b>is </b><b>spinning</b>… I feel <b>so </b>unwell… <b>You </b>can’t <b>just </b>walk away after knocking me <b>over</b><b>…</b><b>” </b>
Mirabe was speechless.
There <b>weren’t </b>many students milling about the campus at this time. Still, <b>the </b>few who were there hesitated to approach, seeing Mirabe holding onto the elderly man who wasining <b>of </b>feeling unwell. Nheless, a responsible student quickly whipped out their phone and dialed for an ambnce.
<b>Unable </b><b>to </b>free herself without seeming forceful, Mirabe found herself inexplicably roped <b>into </b>the old man’s charade. Before she knew it, she was being tugged into the ambnce alongside him.
Even when they arrived at the hospital for a check–up, the man wouldn’t let go of her hand, iming he feared she might flee.
<b>In </b><b>the </b>hospital room, post–examination.
Mirabe sat stone–faced, gazing at the old man who was now making himself <bfortable </b>in the hospital bed, still clutching her clothes.
<b>“</b><b>I </b><b>want </b>some fruit sd; you better go get me some,” the old man demanded with no hint <b>of </b>politeness.
<b>“</b><b>I’m </b>broke<b>, </b><b>got </b><b>nothing</b><b>, </b><b>so </b>forget about it!” Mirabe replied coldly.
<b>“You </b><b>knocked </b>me down, and you’re still so brash, not a shred of respect <b>for </b><b>the old </b>man huffed, <b>trying </b><b>to </b>provoke her.
your elders!”
“<b>Sorry</b><b>, </b>but in all my years, I’ve never seen someone as audacious and scammy as you,” <b>Mirabe </b>shot back.
A flicker <b>of </b><b>guilt </b>crossed the <b>old </b>man’s eyes<b>, </b><b>but </b><b>his </b><b>face </b>remained <b>defiant</b><b>. </b>“<b>I </b><b>don’t </b><b>care</b><b>. </b><b>You </b><b>hit me</b><b>, </b><b>and </b><b>it’s </b>your job <b>to </b>take <b>care </b><b>of </b><b>me </b><b>now</b>.”
<b>He </b><b>paused</b><b>, </b>then <b>added</b><b>, </b><b>“</b><b>Otherwise</b><b>, </b><b>I’ll </b><b>go </b><b>to </b><b>your </b><b>school </b><b>and </b>make <b>a </b>scene <b>every </b><b>day</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>“</b><b>Be </b><b>my </b><b>guest</b>!” Mirabe <b>shrugged </b>nonchntly<b>, </b>then <b>stood </b><b>up</b><b>, </b>easily <b>pulling </b><b>her </b><b>clothing </b>
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<b>from </b><b>his </b><b>grasp</b>.
<b>The </b><b>old </b><b>man </b><b>sat </b><b>upright </b><b>in </b><b>rm</b><b>, </b><b>pursing </b><b>his </b><b>lips </b><b>and </b>staring at Mirabe, “Trying to make a <b>run for </b><b>it</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
<b>Mirabe </b><b>nced </b>back at <b>him </b>emotionlessly <b>and </b><b>said</b>, <b>“</b>Yes.” After smoothing out her <b>clothes</b>, she added, “Taking <b>you </b><b>to </b><b>the </b>hospital was purely out of goodwill. Don’t think for <b>a </b>moment that you’ve got <b>one </b>over <b>on </b>me.”
<b>She </b><b>pulled </b>out her phone, tapped on the keypad with thest ounce of her patience, and asked, “So<b>, </b>what’s your family’s phone number?”
<b>At </b><b>that</b>, <b>the </b>old man lying in the bed fell silent. He slid down, pulled the nket over <b>himself</b><b>, </b>and turned his back to Mirabe.
“Just leave me be. Let this lonely old man fade away on his own,” he mumbled miserably.
Mirabe massaged her temples. In the past, she would’ve walked away without a second thought, but now she was somehow letting this man take advantage of her.
Checking the time, she gave him onest look and said, “Well, you take care. I’ve got sses to attend.” With that, she strode out of the room.
The sound of the door closing echoed through the hall.
Was she really gone?
The old man’s eyes shot open, and after a moment of silence, he suddenly threw off the nket and sat up with surprising agility.
Had Mirabe been there, she would have seen that the old man had none of the frailty he had feigned earlier. His movements were quick and nothing like the slow<i>, </i>shuffling gait he <b>had </b>pretended to have.