Third person's POV
Forrest's account seemed flawless at first glance, but Tabitha's heart was filled with doubts.
This was not a small sum. It was three hundred million dollars, not three thousand or thirty thousand.
Moreover, before the auction, no one could predict the final price, so the amount Wilmot would need to borrow would certainly far exceed three hundred million.
Orson, though well-off, could hardly come up with hundreds of millions in liquid funds.
Besides, she and he were merely friends, not lovers.
And how could he have access to mercenaries?
It wasn't that Orson couldn't do these things, but everything seemed unlikely for him.
Yet, aside from Orson, who else could have lent a helping hand?
It couldn't be Derek... As soon as she thought of him, Tabitha shook her head.
Derek was supposedly still in Africa. He couldn't have rushed over so quickly.
Even if it were him, he would have taken her away by now instead of leaving her and Ayla outside.
"The situation was extremely critical, something you can't even imagine. Wilmot and I racked our brains to gather funds, and Dr. Romero was anxious. Without him running around to raise money, there was no way we could have rescued you," Forrest said with a grave expression.
Hearing this, Tabitha couldn't help but be shocked. "Such a huge sum of money..."
"That's why Dr. Romero is truly reliable, not backing down in such a critical moment. You were in such danger. If someone else had bid on you, we would have been powerless," Forrest continued, vividly describing the thrilling events of that night as if they were unfolding before their eyes.
Tabitha only knew she had been rescued but was unaware that the luxurious cruise ship had now become scrap metal.
She also didn't know what had happened to the people on the ship, especially Derek, who had taken revenge on the men who had spoken ill of Tabitha, leaving them bedridden for weeks after disembarking.
"Where is Wil... Wilmot?" Tabitha finally asked the question she couldn't hold back.
Forrest scratched his head, looking a bit uncomfortable as he said, "Wilmot said that his agreement with you was to part ways once they reached a safe place. He asked me to protect you and left to honor that agreement."
Tabitha understood that Wilmot did this for her sake, probably fearing she would feel awkward upon waking to see him, thus choosing to leave at this moment.
Her feelings towards him were mixed. She couldn't quite put them into words.
"Thank you," Tabitha said softly.
"Hey, Ms. Hartley, it's my pleasure. Wilmot and I are close friends, and I'm getting paid to take care of you. It's a win-win situation," Forrest responded with a smile.
Tabitha took out her phone and immediately dialed Orson's number.
She was eager to resolve the many questions in her heart.
"Tabitha," Orson's gentle voice came through the receiver, "How are you? Are you alright? Last night, Wilmot suddenly contacted me. I'm not clear about what happened on your end. It's just terrifying."
Could it really have been Orson who helped? Tabitha wondered to herself.
"How did you manage to get so much money?" Tabitha asked directly.
"I borrowed some from the Weaver family. Money is just an external thing. As long as you are safe and sound, that's all that matters," Orson replied calmly.
Tabitha frowned, her tone firm, "Give me your bank account number. I'll transfer all the money back to you later."
"You're in Seattle now. If you move such a large sum, Derek will definitely notice," Olson warned.
"So what if he finds out? I can't hide forever. Besides, I can't let you pay out so much money. It's not a matter of two or three hundred dollars," Tabitha said.
This was a substantial amount of money. If it caused a break in Orson's cash flow or if he had borrowed from a loan shark, the daily interest would be astronomical.
Moreover, during her half-year of recuperation and the months adrift on the ship, all expenses had been covered by Orson.
Orson was not related to her and was not in the charity business. Tabitha had long felt guilty about this.
"I really am fine. Your current safety is the most important thing," Orson persuaded.
"Give me the account number. If you don't, I'll just send the money to Mr. Romero's place," Tabitha's attitude was very resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.