Chapter 263 My Innocence Is Important Too, Alright?
"It's about you making my daughter cry."
Lorne looked surprised by this statement.
When did I make your daughter cry? Could it be Hazel, who told her father about me catching her that day?
Lorne subtly glanced at Councilor Macht opposite him, noticing that the other man's face indeed showed a hint of suppressed anger, as if he was trying hard to control his emotions.
"What makes you say that?" Lorne forced an innocent smile, "Mr. Macht, I don't think I've ever done anything to displease Miss Hazel."
"Really? Think about it carefully again?" Councilor Macht adopted a posture Lorne detested the most.
This was just like his teachers in school, calling him to the office but never saying what mistake he had made, only telling him to confess. And what to confess, they would never say, leaving it entirely up to him to guess.
No—if he really knew about me catching Hazel, then he should also know that I have photos that could ruin his political career. In that situation, he wouldn't be talking to me with such a condescending attitude—
Seeing Lorne fall silent, Mori Macht gently shook his head, a hint of clear disappointment in his eyes.
"Mr. Scott, a man must be responsible. I won't help a man who isn't responsible."
Responsible? What the hell—Lorne completely failed to understand the meaning behind the other's words.
Could it be—Hazel set me up? She didn't even tell her father about asking him for help? Or rather, her message wasn't conveyed properly during the transmission—
"Excuse me, Mr. Macht, did Hazel tell you the purpose of my visit today?" Lorne asked, puzzled.
"She did."
Lorne subtly let out a sigh of relief.
But then, he heard Councilor Macht add: "What she didn't say, I've already guessed."
The breath Lorne had just let out instantly hitched again.
What do you mean, you guessed? I feel like both of you, father and daughter, have some issues with your thought processes—
"Ah—" Councilor Macht sighed, saying in an "I've seen through everything" tone, "Hazel sometimes sneaks out at night, you should know about this, right?"
Is she out exploring sewers—Lorne understood inwardly, nodding slightly. That must be about her secretly going out to study mysticism, right—
It seems Hazel has been discovered by her parents.
Just as he was considering whether to say a few good words for Hazel and help cover for her.
"You know? Then what more is there to say?" Councilor Macht's tone became even more certain.
Even he and Liana had only recently learned about their daughter often climbing over the wall at night for dates. He had already ordered all the bodyguards at home to keep their mouths shut. Those were professional bodyguards who had been with their family for several years, and they were very tight-lipped.
But this James Scott, he actually knew about it too! Doesn't that clearly show he's guilty?
Sneaking out for dates and such—young people nowadays are truly bold, much bolder than he was in his youth.
After mentally labeling James Scott as "stubborn," Councilor Macht took a deep breath and asked with a scrutinizing gaze: "How far have you and Hazel progressed?"
Lorne's pupils constricted slightly.
"Don't tell me, you're just toying with Hazel?" Councilor Macht's tone grew heavier, and the commanding aura he had honed in the army instantly burst forth.
Lorne's mouth couldn't help but twitch.
He now probably, possibly, perhaps—understood what the other party's previous words had meant.
The other party actually thought that he and Hazel were—were that kind of relationship!
Damn it! Why would this happen—
Although his relationship with Hazel might seem suspicious to outsiders.
But judging by the other party's tone, it seemed he thought that he and Hazel were not just ordinary Lovers, but that he had already… with Hazel, and not just once—
Now Councilor Macht thought he was eating and wiping his mouth clean without admitting it—
No, my innocence is just gone—he had never been so speechless, not even with Tracy.
"Um—Mr. Macht," for the sake of his innocence, Lorne tried to explain, "Miss Hazel and I are truly just ordinary, pure friends."
"I said, I won't help a man who isn't responsible." Councilor Macht's face instantly darkened a few shades.
Damn it!
You preset an answer, and then forced me to admit it, I'm so—
For a moment, the two people in the study, one thought the other was an emotional swindler who had abandoned someone after having their way, and the other thought the other party had something wrong with his head.
Just as the atmosphere gradually dropped to freezing point.
"Dad! Why did you meet him directly? Didn't I say to tell me first?" Hazel's anxious voice came from outside the Door, and she quickly ran in.
"Hazel, I'm currently talking to your friend about the two of you." Councilor Macht said meaningfully.
Lorne also turned his gaze at the opportune moment, giving her a look full of confusion and questioning.
"This—" Hazel immediately understood that her father, like her mother, must have misunderstood something—
"Anyway, you come with me first—" She couldn't care less about that now, reaching out and pointing at Lorne, telling him to follow her.
"This—" Lorne glanced at Councilor Macht, and seeing that the other party didn't object, he stood up, nodded slightly to the Councilor, and then followed Hazel out of the study.
Sure enough, there's something fishy—watching the two leave, Councilor Macht gently shook his head.
The two returned to the small reception room from last time.
"Young Miss, what exactly did you tell your father?" Before Hazel could speak, Lorne questioned her first.
"I—" Hazel didn't know how to explain, so she could only shift the blame, "It's all your fault!"
"My fault—"
"Young Miss, even if you don't care about your own reputation, I care about mine! If any bad rumors get out, I'll be very troubled~"
"Besides, I don't even like your type~"
"What?! How can you say such a thing!" Lorne's innocent appearance, as if he were the victim, made Hazel so angry she almost couldn't breathe.
You don't like my type, well, I don't fancy you either.
Before Hazel could erupt, Lorne asked again: "Did you tell your father about the help?"
"I did." Hazel gave him an annoyed glance, "I'm not the kind of person who breaks promises."
"That's good. Let's still find a way to clarify our relationship with your father, it's good for both you and me." Lorne said.
That's a reasonable thing to say—Hazel nodded.
"Otherwise, what if my reputation is ruined?" Lorne added quietly.
A man's innocence is important too, alright.
What?! I, a lady, haven't even blamed you for ruining my reputation, and you're actually turning the tables and blaming me for ruining yours?!
"You—!"
Just a second before Hazel was about to explode, Lorne suddenly leaned in closer and lowered his voice, "What do you think? Miss Marauder."
He—how did he know?!
Lorne's light remark left the previously furious Hazel stunned.
How could he know I'm a "Marauder"? No, no, this must be a coincidence! He's using the incident where I stole from him last time to threaten me! It must be like this!
"Hmph! Don't call me a thief! Last time—last time was just an accident!" Hazel retorted, feigning composure.
Lorne watched Hazel's cute reaction, first flustered, then forcibly composed, and a hint of understanding flashed in his heart.
She is definitely a Beyonder of the Marauder Pathway, no doubt about it.
"Alright then, Miss Hazel, let's go find your father first and resolve the main issue."
"The sooner it's over, the sooner I can leave. Or do you want to keep me for lunch?"
"Who would want to keep you for lunch!" Hazel turned her head away.
All her emotions were written on her face—Lorne looked at Hazel's reaction and sighed silently in his heart.
If only the thoughts of Tracy, Cattelya, and Fors were so easy to guess—