Chapter 72

"Tom just left, and here you are. What kind of day is this? People I didn't want to see before, but now that I do, I'm actually happy. People are so contradictory, driven by emotions and memories," Frank said.

Frank was slouched in his wheelchair, so thin he looked like a walking skeleton. At first glance, it was pretty terrifying.

This guy was clearly the weakest, looking like he was on death's door. His voice was soft and frail, but his words were crystal clear, like a whisper carried by the wind, sending chills down my spine.

"Guess it's true what they say, dying people speak kindly," I said flatly, without any expression.

From the very beginning, when we first investigated Frank, he cried his heart out, overwhelmed with grief. As we continued to dig deeper, it unexpectedly led us back to Frank. Tony and Lally vanished, Tom was closely tied to him, and Frank was the end of the line, the key to all the mysteries.

I had no kind words, and I wasn't about to show any goodwill just because he was related to Alan or because he was dying. His scheming ran too deep. This seemingly weak guy was probably the mastermind behind the whole plan. I couldn't believe it, over twenty years of plotting, and he was still at it.

Frank said, "Push me for a walk, I want to feel the sun."

I watched him coldly, not moving an inch.

Frank continued, "Back in college, I came to this hospital for treatment too. Alan used to push me around. Those were the best days of my life. But for a while, it wasn't Alan who came, it was Laura."

Frank coughed a few times, then stopped, glanced at me, and then at the wheelchair's handle. The meaning was clear: he knew my suspicions. If I wanted to know about the grievances between them and Laura, I would have to push him for a while.

I stepped forward and slowly pushed the wheelchair. He was so light, it was like pushing a kid.

"Close my eyes; it feels like Alan is still here and the speed is just right. I remember this feeling." Frank closed his eyes contentedly and spoke softly. He didn't say anything more, like he was about to fall asleep.

After a while, his body suddenly trembled, like he had a nightmare right after falling asleep. His breathing was rapid, but he was too weak to move. Being awake was torture, and sleeping was still torture.

I didn't disturb him before, but seeing him wake up all dazed, my heart softened, and I said, "Why bother... let go of the hatred and enjoy the rest of your life."

Frank tilted his head, closed his eyes to regain his composure, and said softly, "You don't understand... never mind, you met Tom today, didn't you? He mentioned you."

I replied, "Yeah, he mentioned Anna and Tony."

Frank nodded, "Even though they're not related by blood, their bond is closer than that of real brothers. Back then, during the Sand Village demolition fight, Tony got hurt. It was supposed to be a city planning project, but our group had investments in it too. Tom came to me, saying Tony deserved compensation no matter what. I helped."

"Wasn't the Sand Village demolition led by Tom? How were you involved?" I asked, puzzled. I didn't get the whole commercial investment thing, but I didn't expect Frank to be mixed up in it.

"Don't worry," Frank waved his hand dismissively. "It wasn't me who found those people, it was someone else, that person..."

As he spoke, Frank started coughing violently, gripping the wheelchair's handle tightly. His pale cheeks turned red, like a demon from hell crawling out of a coffin.

"Laura?" I asked.

Frank nodded, still coughing, now without any sound, just dry heaving with his mouth open.

"I'll get a doctor, wait here!" I said.

"No... no... I won't die, it's a normal reaction to the medication." Frank caught his breath, waving his hand repeatedly.

When I looked at him again, his complexion was much better, his breathing louder, significantly better than his near-death state earlier. "Temporarily not dying."

After a while, Frank's demeanor was completely different from before. I was a bit surprised. Could there really be such medication in this world that could restore someone to such a natural state in a short time?

"Over the years, I've been working hard in business. Although I haven't achieved the success of an entrepreneur, my savings here are enough to keep me alive for now. I use imported medication. If this matter isn't resolved, I won't die in peace." Frank panted, laughing heartily.

I asked, "What did Laura do to make you hate her so much?"

"Where were we? Tony and Anna's marriage, Tom said the shareholders behind Digital Leap Technologies Company had nothing to do with those bastards from back then, right?"

Frank smiled, "He lied to you, he hid it from you, but I won't. That old-fashioned guy is still thinking about Tony. In this day and age, he's still stuck in his old-fashioned thinking."

"You're puzzled about how Anna knew about the insurance policy Tony and Tom took out for Tammy, right? It's simple, she knew Laura, and Laura told her. Laura knew about the policy because I helped with it." Frank said.

Suddenly, it all clicked. Tom said the shareholders behind Digital Leap Technologies Company had nothing to do with the child trafficking ring, not to hide the truth, but to protect Tony, or maybe because of his own traditional thinking.

In other words, the mysterious investor shareholder behind Digital Leap Technologies Company, who was always rumored but never surfaced, was actually Laura!

"Laura and Anna are..." I asked.

"Yes, that kind of relationship." Frank nodded indifferently.

Wait, wasn't Laura with Frank during their college years? That would mean her sexual orientation should be normal, so how could she be with Anna?

"All evil stems from her." Frank glared, his voice hoarse, "Sexual orientation means nothing. In her eyes, people are just playthings. She has a face that makes every man fall for her. She despises the men who pursue her, but goes to great lengths to get the men who ignore her..."

"Laura has no emotions, she's a born demon. After playing with men, she started playing with women. She has no sexual orientation, only the desire to manipulate."

Frank chuckled, "Anna is vain, willing to be ruined by Laura for money, but would Laura think the same?"