Chapter 177: Press conference (part 2)

The men watched in silence as Mia began to explain what had happened to her at the hands of Neil when he took her from Novaria, Liam’s worried frown began to fade and then, slowly, it gave way to an astonished smile as he heard everything she was saying about his friend.

Contrary to his expectations, Neil’s so called hostage was somehow managing to describe her week with him as if it had been an adventure she’d had, she described him as extremely kind instead of a terrifying cold hearted escaped murderer everyone had thought him to be.

When she explained the truth behind her attempted escape at the rest stop when the truck driver had seen them and told of Neil’s quick-witted method of thwarting her, she did it in a way that evoked a ripple of reluctant, admiring laughter from several members of the press. And when she solemnly described her second attempted escape on a snowbike and Neil’s effort to ’rescue’ her from the frozen river, she made him sound like the compassionate hero she clearly believed he was.

At the end of her statement, the room filled with dozens of questions from the press, and Liam and his men tensed at the sharp edge they all had,

"Miss Harrison," a reporter called out, "did Neil Wayner at any time threaten you at gunpoint?"

"I was aware that he had a gun as I had seen it," she answered confidently, smiling. "That alone was sufficient to dissuade me, at least initially, from engaging in any conflict with him or questioning his power."

Laughter erupted in the room followed by more shouted questions. "Miss Harrison! When Wayner is recaptured, will you press kidnapping charges against him?"

With a teasing smile, she shook her head and replied, "No way. I mean, if there were women in the courtroom, they’d release him in a minute, as soon as they heard he did half the cooking and cleaning up when we were together."

"We heard he is a psychopath. Did he rape you?"

She rolled her eyes in amused disbelief. "Now really, I’ve just given you a detailed account of what happened during the entire week, and I specifically said that he did not physically abuse me at any time. I certainly couldn’t have said that if he had even attempted to commit such a despicable act."

"Did he ever threaten to take your life at any point?" Someone demanded.

She laughed, "No."

"Were you afraid of him at any time, Miss Harrison?"

"I was afraid of his gun during the first day." she said carefully, "but when he didn’t shoot me after my attempt to pass a note to a girl in a fast-food restaurant nor after my next two escape attempts, I realized that he wasn’t going to hurt me, no matter how much I provoked him."

Again and again, Liam watched her deflect their questions and manage to begin swaying them from animosity to empathy toward Neil.

After about thirty minutes of relentless questions, the pace began to slow. A reporter called out, "Miss Harrison, do you want to see Neil Wayner captured?"

She turned her face in the direction of the reporter and said, "How could anyone possibly want to see a man who was unjustly imprisoned sent back to prison? I don’t know how a judge ever convicted him, but I do know that he’s no more capable of killing innocent people than I am. If he were capable of it, I would not be standing here now, because as I explained to all of you a few minutes ago, I repeatedly tried to jeopardize his escape. What I’d like to see happen is for this manhunt to be stopped while he has the chance to prove himself."

In a firm, courteous tone, she concluded, "If you have no more questions, ladies and gentlemen, we can end this interview and you can all go back to your homes—"

"I have one more question!" a reporter shouted imperiously. "We know about your engagement with Mr. Sullivan, but we’d like to know if you are in love with Wayner?"

She looked at him, lifted her graceful brows, and disdainfully replied, "I’d expect a question like that from the paparazzi, but not the News channel." Her attempt to sidestep that question got her laughter, but no success this time, because a man from the paparazzi spoke, "Okay, Miss Harrison, we’ll ask the question: Are you in love with Neil Wayner?"

It was the only time Liam saw her falter, and he suddenly felt sorry for her as he watched her struggle to keep her smile in place, and her expression indifferent, but her eyes betrayed her—those huge long-lashed brown eyes turned dark and solemn with an emotion that distinctly resembled tenderness towards his friend.

And just when Liam’s sympathy for her was at its peak, just when he realized the reporters had finally trapped her, she changed tactics and walked willingly into their trap in a way that made him draw in a sharp breath at her courage and confidence,

"At one time or another," she said, "most of the female population of this country has probably imagined themselves in love with the infamous hero of our generation. Now that I’ve known the real him personally with no disguises," she added with a tiny break in her voice, "I think they showed excellent judgment. He—" she hesitated, visibly searching for the right words, and then she said simply, "he is a very easy man for any woman to love."

Without another word she turned away from the bank of microphones and was quickly surrounded by men who Liam presumed were probably her bodyguards who ushered her safely off the stage, the cameras followed her out until she got into her car along with her red haired friend who he’d noticed had stood beside her the whole time.

James pressed the off button on the remote controller just as Liam was about to see the face of the red haired woman up close, and he cursed under his breath as the TV turned blank and directed his glare at James who was completely oblivious to his mistake and asked,

"What do you think of that, I mean Miss Harrison’s words?" James asked.

"I think," Liam said quietly as he over looked the man’s mistake, "that she did well for Neil."

"Do you think Xavier fell in love with that angel while they were together?" James asked, stroking his beardless jaw. He’d known Xavier for all the years he’d been hired to work as a spy in the Galverra Enterprise while he was away doing the military works, but he’d never known his big boss to have any interest in women, he’d never seen him look at any woman more than once or even give them any attention that would require him to entertain them. Nonetheless, since Liam was Xavier’s best friend, only he knew if Xavier had changed through out the years before he was sent to prison.

"No," Liam answered with absolute certainty. "Besides the fact that he’d have had much more pressing things on his mind at the time they were together, Neil is...almost immune to women. He enjoys them sexually, but he doesn’t have much respect for them, which isn’t surprising given his past. We’ve been friends for long, though he might have given Mia a little more attention than most women, but he certainly wouldn’t involve any feelings. In fact, the only real tenderness I’ve ever seen him show is to elder women. He doesn’t like children nor young women."

Shaking his head for emphasis, Liam finished, "Neil would never fall in love with a pretty young woman like Miss Harrison—not in a few years, not even in a few weeks."

"I somehow disagree with that, Sir Liam," James said with a chuckle, "from what I’ve gathered from what Miss Harrison said, I think Xavier has changed. Imagine, why would he want to die when he thought she’d died? That’s not the Xavier I know."

"Are you trying to tell me you know him more than I do, James?" Liam raised a challenging brow. He’d known Neil more than anyone and he knew his friend doesn’t do love, not now and not ever, he’d always say.

James raised his hands in surrender, "No, I am just saying the obvious."

"What’s the obvious because I don’t see it."

"It’s obvious that Mr. Galverra has fallen in love," James argued, making Liam remove his glasses to say, "Alright, how about this, let’s make a bet. I say Neil is not in love with that woman, but you said otherwise. If I were to be proven right, you will work as my driver for a year without a pay, and if you were to be proven right...I will give you whatever you desire as long as I have it."

James looked reluctant for a moment as he didn’t want to work as Liam’s driver knowing full well he’d never be able to get a night’s sleep again because of how the man would work at night with his driver like vampires, he’d also felt sorry for Liam’s driver and the last thing he wanted was to take his place without a pay, but it was worth it to bet because if he were to win, he’d request anything from Liam.

"I agree!"

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read