Chapter 70

"Tony's had a thing for Lally since they were kids. Ever since she and Duke moved to Sand Village, he's been all about her," Tom said.

Taking a drag from his cigarette, Tom squinted and smirked, "He never says it, but it's so obvious. At first, he thought Lally and Duke were siblings. When he found out the truth, he tried to keep his distance, but I know he's still into her."

So that was how it was. Duke probably picked up on it too. When he caused that mess at Tony's company earlier this year, it wasn't just because he was high; there was more to it.

Thinking about the photo Lally showed me of her and Tony, with Tony flashing a 'V' sign, it was clear that with his usually reserved personality, he must've been really happy to smile like that.

Tom went on, "Even later, when Lally was getting bullied, he stepped in and carried her out of there. His feelings never changed."

I asked, "You mean when Lally was sexually assaulted by those people, right?"

The photos Lally hid under the tiles of her nightstand, the last three were proof of her being sexually assaulted.

Tom looked a bit surprised, his eyes flickered, and he sighed, "Seems like Lally told you quite a bit. How much do you know?"

After a moment, he smiled, "I was just startled. If you knew everything, you wouldn't be here talking to me."

I stayed quiet. He quickly figured out how much I knew. This guy was sharp.

"Let's get back to Lally," Tom said, steering the conversation. "Do you think Lally and Anna look alike?"

I thought about it. Lally had delicate features and a gentle vibe, kind of like a quiet girl. Lally's features were more refined, and she knew how to dress up, making her stand out. But they didn't seem to have much in common.

Could Anna and Lally be related somehow?

Tom seemed to read my mind and smiled, "No, they don't. Tony just said Anna and Lally look a bit alike. I never saw it."

"Maybe it's their vibe or experiences," I suggested.

"Maybe." Tom nodded thoughtfully, then grinned at me, "Mrs. Smith, don't try to get info out of me."

Since he caught on, I didn't feel embarrassed and shrugged, "If you told me straight up, I wouldn't have to beat around the bush. Why did Frank insure Ms. Martinez? Where's the child trafficking camp? Are the main players from back then still in touch with you? Is Alan's death connected to this?"

Since Tom was being direct, I laid it all out. "You're playing with fire. Even if you get revenge, you won't escape the law. Trust me, I can handle it. I'm not just doing this for Alan, but for you and everyone close to him. I don't want anyone else to suffer. Lally's missing, Tony's missing, aren't you worried at all?"

"I didn't come here to talk about this, Mrs. Smith. Don't ask anymore."

A flash of sadness crossed Tom's face, and he continued, "It's okay to tell you about Anna. You know she had a sketchy relationship with a shareholder of Digital Leap Technologies, right? She thought she could control everything with her looks, but she was just a toy for the rich. The poor girl was sexually assaulted by a group of people in a house. If Tony hadn't saved her, she'd be done for."

Tom's breathing got heavy, and he was clearly upset, "Tony said she and Lally are very similar. I don't get romantic feelings, but today I understand. Is his sympathy that cheap?"

"Or maybe you're just too heartless?" I shot back coldly.

"Heartless?" Tom sneered, "With her background, did she really think she could fit into my family's world? I changed her identity and background. I helped her so my mom would think she was just a young girl who'd gone astray. If it weren't for Tony begging, I wouldn't have cared if she died."

"I thought she was grateful, that after causing enough trouble, she wanted to settle down with Tony. But I didn't expect her to know about the insurance policy."

Tom's eyes gleamed with malice, and he sneered, "She won't leave Silverlight City."

"Are you planning to make her disappear too? Let me warn you, the police are also looking for Anna. If you know anything, you should tell me now to avoid getting caught. The law doesn't care if you're a company president or a rich guy."

I was getting impatient. This was my first real conversation with Tom, and he was so self-centered, even arrogant.

This guy thought he was in control of everything from the start, even saying in front of me that Anna wouldn't leave Silverlight City.

I sneered, "Tell me, is the shareholder of Digital Leap Technologies part of the child trafficking ring? Is this your revenge?"

Since Anna knew about the insurance policy, someone must have told her. It couldn't be Tony or Tammy, and it certainly couldn't be Tom. The person who knew their situation best must be their enemy.

Tom realized he had been too aggressive and didn't respond. He lit another cigarette and smoked for a long time, "The shareholder has nothing to do with those people. You don't need to investigate further."

After saying that, he stood up and said, "I've said enough. Please pass this information to the police on behalf of the victim's family. I won't go to the police station. I'll hire a caregiver for my mom."

I asked, "What does Frank have to do with this? Are you the mastermind behind the whole plan?"

Tony said in his text message that this matter couldn't be hidden any longer, and that both of these people were crazy. Who were these two people? Were they Frank and Tom?

Tom didn't turn around, "I don't know. Don't ask anymore. As for Frank's insurance, I asked Frank, and he said no. Maybe someone else did it in his name. I went to the insurance company that day to investigate, but I couldn't find out who did it. Maybe Frank's information was stolen."

"Also, Mrs. Smith, I suggest you leave Silverlight City. If you're worried about your job, I can help you find a better company with better benefits. Since you care about us on behalf of Alan, I'll do something for you too."