Chapter 181 An Act Well Played Joshs eyes widened in shock , disbelief written all over his face .
What the hell was going on ? Did I Y get so drunk last night that I lost control ? 4 % Finished He frantically denied the possibility in his mind .
Absolutely not .
Im that kind of man .
But the security footage was right in front of him .
It was a solid proof that could not be ignored .
Whether he wanted to admit it or not , the truth was staring him in the face .
Josh did not know what to say .
He had to find that girl and get to the bottom of this .
After getting out of bed , he washed up , changed into fresh clothes , and prepared to head out .
But as he reached the entrance , his gaze landed on a Maitrise umbrella resting on the cabinet .
Faint memories recalled some fragments of a conversation outside the bar .
It seemed like I had asked her to take me home ? Josh was speechless .
Getting drunk really made him reckless .
He had actually let a girl he had only met twice , someone whose name he did not even know , drive him home .
He stared at the umbrella for a long moment before finally stepping out the door .
Inside the elevator , the hushed conversation between two middle aged women reached his ears .
Did you hear ? Last night , a girl was nearly assaulted right outside our building .
Its all over the neighborhood chat group .
Girls really shouldnt be out alone so late at night .
Its too dangerous .
The first woman said .
What was she even doing outside at ten oclock at night ? The second woman answered .
Josh froze .
Could they be talking about the girl who had taken me home ? Had she been attacked because she was returning from dropping me off ? A wave of guilt crashed over him .
Without a second thought , he rushed downstairs to check the security footage .
It was Mia .
In the video , she looked utterly helpless , her terror palpable .
Josh felt a tight squeeze in his chest .
He immediately drove to Hoverdale Tech University , intending to find her .
But then , a realization struck .
He did not even know her full name .
So instead , he went straight to the police station .
From the police officers , he learned that Mia had indeed been nearly assaulted the night before .
Fortunately , the police had arrived just in time to save her .
Josh also managed to get her name and phone number from the police officer .
In the café across from the university , warm sunlight streamed through the windows , casting golden 1/2 Chapter 181 An Act Well Played 64 % Finished Josh sat across from Mia .
She looked tense , her hands clutching the hem of her sweater so tightly that her knuckles turned white .
Her wide , anxious eyes darted around as if searching for an escape .
Clearly , she was still traumatized by the previous nights events .
Seeing Mia like this , so fragile and shaken , tugged at Joshs heart .
Im sorry about last night , he said , his voice deep and laced with guilt .
Mias breathing hitched .
She lifted her trembling hands to pick up her coffee , hoping to steady herself .
But she was shaking so badly that the cup clinked against the saucer , the sound crisp and telling .
That sight made Josh feel even worse .
She was almost assaulted twice in one night .
No wonder she was terrified .
Even though he had not meant for any of this to happen , she had suffered because of him .
If he had not asked her to take him home , she would not have been out so late and would not have run into those men .
Josh rubbed his temples , heavy with remorse .
I drank too much last night , he admitted , his voice tinged with regret .
Its okay , Mia stammered , her voice barely above a whisper .
I know youre a good person … She said she was fine , but her eyes glistened with unshed tears , her vulnerability striking a chord deep within him .
Josh sighed .
No amount of apology could undo the fear she had endured .
Reaching into his pocket , he pulled out a bank card and slid it across the table .
Theres 140,000 dollars on this card .
Take it as compensation for everything youve been through because of me .
Mia lowered her head even further , her long bangs falling over her face , concealing the flicker of emotion in her eyes .
Josh assumed she felt insulted and offended that he was trying to use money to make up for what had happened .
What he did not know was that , at that very moment , Mia was fighting back the urge to cheer .
Inside , she was celebrating .
Finally ! All that acting last night wasnt for nothing ! Lauren , Im about to get rich ! Ill take the money today and leave tomorrow .
You stay home , and Ill study abroad .
Our little family will live happily ever after .
The only regret she had was that the man in front of her was actually her cup of tea .
Too bad she had not gotten the chance to have a taste .
But it did not matter .
No man could ever compare to her precious Lauren .
Golden light spilled through the floor to ceiling windows in the afternoon , casting soft , scattered reflections on the polished floor .
Josh studied Mias lowered head , her hair veiling most of her face .
She remained silent for a long time .