Meanwhile, Daniel and Alec hurried towards Michelle.
Daniel hugged her before Alec could.
"Don't you ever do something so foolhardy ever again. I'd be a soulless body if anything happens to you."
He continued to hold on to his daughter for a while before letting go.
It was Alec's turn to hug her, he wrapped her tightly in his arms as if she might disappear.
"Why did you step forward when he asked for me? Don't ever do that again"
"I'll always do everything I can to protect you." She instinctively replied.
But Daniel's eyes darkened as she said those words. He blamed Alec for the way Michelle put her life at risk.
He saw Michelle pressing the side of her neck.
"What happened there?" his voice turned stern.
Even Alec's attention was moved to her neck, he slowly moved her hand away and his eyes widened as he saw the cut on the side of his neck,
"We need to get you to an emergency room."
"I'm fine, it's nothing." She casually replied.
"I'll take care of it." Mark said as he took out a mini first aid box and disinfected and bandaged the cut.
"Mark" Daniel called him.
"Mr. Ford."
"Arrange higher security for Michelle. I don't want her to face any harm ever again."
"Yes Mr.Ford."
"Dad, please…"
Daniel glared at her, making her stop at her efforts to refute.
Dwane was eyeing all of it from afar, he only let out an inaudible scoff at them.
"Let's go." Alec held her hand.
"You can't go Mr. Wilson, you are the prime funder here." Mr. White requested.
"Not anymore." Alec replied sternly.
"I'm no longer associating myself with you or your campaign. It is because of your corrupt affairs that my wife's life was in danger today. I had turned a blind eye to it before, but not anymore."
Listening to Alec's words everyone else started gossiping and heading out the event hall.
"You should come with us." Daniel said putting her in a state of dilemma of choosing between her husband and father.
Daniel considered Alec unworthy of Michelle, which is why he disregarded him and unknowingly put Michelle in a state of quandary.
"Um.. Ricky, I hope your dinner offer still stands." She chose to not go with either of them for now.
"Uh.. yes, sure." Ricky clumsily replied.
"Are you sure you want to go there?" Alec was skeptical given her injured state.
However, Michelle nodded.
"Mind if I join you guys?" Isobelle chimed in flashing a flirtatious smile at Ricky.
"Sure." Michelle replied and the four of them saw their way out.
'Do I look like someone who is afraid of Death.'
were the words that reverberated in the minds of most people close to Michelle and surprisingly Dwane was also one of them.
No matter how reluctant he was, the scene and her words repeatedly ran in his mind.
At Rags and Riches, Ricky had hired a new chef, which is why he had invited Alec and Michelle for dinner. Fortunately for him, Isobelle had joined them too.
Michelle stepped out of the private room to go to the loo, on her way she saw Dwane, sitting alone as he drank his whiskey.
She stood still at a place watching him, sensing someone around Dwane looked up and their eyes met for a brief second before Michelle walked away.
Only after a single drink and a few bites Michelle fell asleep on Alec's shoulder out of sheer physical and mental exhaustion.
"Would you like to try some scallops?" The chef asked them.
"Um… fine." Isobelle accepted with hesitation.
Alec accepted too while Ricky denied.
Isobelle touched her spoon to the scallops and looked at it intriguingly,
"What's wrong?" Alec asked.
"I've hardly eaten seafood, Michelle's allergic to it, so is Mom. Which is why they don't make seafood at home."
Looking at Ricky's plate, she asked "aren't you having any?"
"I'm allergic too." He replied.
"You should try it, it's delicious." Alec suggested.
Isobelle nodded and reluctantly took a bite.
"Umm..yes.. it does taste good."
The trio continued to have their dinner, while Michelle rested on Alec's shoulder.
Few minutes later Isobelle excused herself to the ladies room. Alec stroked Michelle's hair as a saddened sour expression grew on his face,
"It's all my fault," he whispered.
"You weren't aware." Ricky tried to talk him out of it.
"You know what the worst thing is?" He paused for a deep breath and then continued,
"Dwane warned me about Mr. White."
Ricky's eyes widened at his words. It was ironic how Michelle wouldn't have to risk her life if Alec paid heed to Dwane's words.
"I was too ignorant to take him seriously."
"Stop blaming yourself, the only thing you can do is to be careful in future."
"I'm worried for her. You heard what she told that man, didn't you?" He had a soft concerned expression as he continued stroking her hair.
Ricky remembered her words about not caring for her own life.
"You don't need to. She is smart and a strong woman." Ricky replied firmly as he assured Alec and appreciated Michelle at the same time.
Alec saw Isobelle coming back and also noticed that it was getting late.
"I must leave, will you drop Isobelle back to Ford's Villa?"
Ricky nodded.
Alec picked Michelle in his arms and saw himself out.
Meanwhile at Ford's Villa,
Lyla laid on Daniel's right side. She turned to her side and saw his worried face. The fact that Michelle didn't even fear for her life concerned him deeply.
"Thinking about Michelle?" Lyla asked.
"Hm.."
"Our baby has grown into a strong, fearless woman and that scares me," Daniel confessed.
"She can protect herself Hun, there is not a single thing we should be worried about now. Our baby has done well for herself." Lyla smiled and hugged Daniel who laid straight on his back.
"A father never stops worrying for his children." He said as he gently placed his right hand around her shoulder and they both drifted to sleep.