Chapter 236: Please Don’t Die! (2)
Katie’s sobs didn’t ease, even as Nick held her close, his hand stroking her back in gentle circles. He crouched lower to help Georgia to her feet, steadying her carefully. Just as he reached for his pocket to offer her a handkerchief, the unexpected happened.
"Come inside," the woman’s voice rang out, firm yet filled with concern. "You’d better wash that wound with water before it gets infected. I’d feel guilty as hell if it got worse just because I turned you away."
Katie’s tears came harder at that, her little voice breaking with panic. "Will my aunt die? WAAAH!"
The woman’s face contorted, as though she was fighting to keep a straight expression, her laughter threatening to break free. Georgia and Nick weren’t immune either—the corners of their lips twitched despite the situation.
The woman gently patted Katie’s back. "No, sweetheart, your aunt won’t die. It’s just a scratch. Yes, it’s bleeding, but it’s not deep. By tomorrow, the blood will be gone like magic."
She softened her tone further, offering the girl a warm smile. "My name’s Colleen. Why don’t you come inside and play with my niece while we clean your aunt’s wound?"
With Nick’s help, Katie sniffled and wiped her tears. She finally gave a tiny nod, reaching out to take Colleen’s hand.
"Let’s go?" Colleen coaxed with a smile before turning back to Nick and Georgia. "The bathroom’s the first door on the right. Wash it there while I grab the first aid kit."
And with that, Colleen led Katie into the house, her voice carrying softly as she spoke to the child, leaving Nick and Georgia exchanging a glance filled with both relief and hopeful thoughts, wishing Colleen would finally talk to them and answer their questions.
Inside, the house was modest but warm. Georgia sat on a chair near the kitchen table while Nick hovered protectively at her side, his hand resting on the back of her chair as though she would disappear if he didn’t.
Colleen returned quickly with a small tin box and a bottle of antiseptic. Kneeling in front of Georgia, she clicked the box open and began cleaning the scrape carefully. "Why did you bring your niece here when you’re this clumsy?" she asked dryly, though her tone wasn’t unkind.
Georgia winced at the sting of the antiseptic but forced herself to meet Colleen’s eyes. "I’m usually not this clumsy," she admitted softly. "But I was desperate to talk to you. And I didn’t intentionally bring my niece... I gave her nanny the day off since she couldn’t take it last weekend. And our lawyer said you refused to talk to him. So, I had no choice but to bring her with me; I’m all she’s got."
Colleen paused mid-motion, her brows knitting as she slowly looked up at Georgia. "Where are her parents?"
Georgia’s throat tightened. She hesitated before answering, her voice breaking slightly. "Her mom died of illness when she was just a baby... and her father was—" She swallowed hard, her pulse quickening. "We believe he was pushed overboard. It wasn’t really an accident."
Colleen dabbed ointment onto Georgia’s knee, her hand moving almost automatically as her mind seemed to wander. "Just like you," she murmured under her breath.
Nick’s gaze sharpened instantly, catching the words. Georgia’s eyes widened, too.
Colleen froze, realizing what she had said. Her expression shifted in a flash, carefully neutral, but the slip had already betrayed her. Clearing her throat, she tried to cover it quickly. "The investigator told me you were looking for some witness about that incident..."
But it was too late. The flicker in her eyes, the slip of her tongue—Nick and Georgia had both seen it. They didn’t need confirmation. Colleen knew something.
Colleen’s hands paused over the bandage for a beat too long, and Georgia took the silence as an opening to spill the rest—words that had been lodged in her throat for months.
"Right... I was pushed overboard by my brother’s ex-girlfriend after I caught her kissing my ex-fiancé in his suite the night before our wedding," Georgia said, voice raw.
The memory made her fingers clench. "By some miracle I was rescued. Imagine if I hadn’t been—Katie would’ve been left all alone."
Colleen pressed the sterile pad down and began winding the gauze. "That’s why I’m desperate to know if there were any witnesses," Georgia went on. "That woman is still out there, free. Last Saturday she even dragged me into a room—"
"She did?!" Nick’s face went hard, fury snapping into his tone. "Why am I hearing this only now?"
Georgia squeezed his hand, soft but urgent. "Because nothing happened—Reagan was there and pulled her off me."
Colleen rose and glanced toward where Katie and her niece were absorbed in a game of dolls. The woman’s shoulders tightened; she let out a breath and pursed her lips. Her small gestures—an averted look, the heavy sigh—did not escape Nick and Georgia.
"I’m sorry, but I can’t help," Colleen said finally, eyes fixed on the two children. "What you’re asking... it’s dangerous. Like your niece, my niece is all I have. If anything happened to me—if I’m gone like her mother was—she’d be alone. Her father isn’t in the picture ever since. I can’t risk that."
Georgia tilted her head. "Why is it dangerous? Who’s making it dangerous?"
Colleen hesitated, a tightness around her mouth. She looked back and forth between Georgia and Nick, the conflict plain on her face: she wanted to help, but something—fear, pressure, a threat—kept her tongue tied. Whatever it was, Nick and Georgia knew there was something that was stopping her, keeping he mouth shut.
Before she could answer, Nick reached into his wallet and laid a business card in front of her. He met her eyes with a steadiness that was almost gentle.
"I’m sorry, we didn’t introduce ourselves properly. She is Georgia Lewis, and I’m Nicholas Knight," he said. "CEO of Knight Fleet Maritime, heir to the Knight Group of Companies. If you’re worried about safety, about retaliation, we’ll protect you. I’ll make sure you and your niece are safe. I’ll compensate you, whatever you need. Help us find the truth. I’m even willing to make sure your niece’s education is covered until college. Help us get justice. You won’t regret this."
The offer hung in the warm air between them: a promise of power, protection, and a life without fear. Colleen’s fingers hovered over the card, the muscles around her jaw working as she weighed the risk against the hope in Nick’s voice.