Chapter 686 - 322: You Must Live On
Leo looked at the Governor.
He felt a headache coming on.
William’s cologne was so strong it made him want to sneeze.
"Thank you for your concern, William," Leo said weakly. "I’m not going to die."
"Of course you can’t die!"
William exclaimed.
"If you die, who’s going to tell me how to sign all those documents? Bernard just drones on and on; he doesn’t understand my artistic pursuits at all."
William turned and pointed out the window.
"Besides, you’ve seen them. Those people outside are terrifying."
William walked to the window, carefully lifted a corner of the curtain, and peered down.
Down below, several thousand citizens were still gathered.
"When I came in just now, they nearly flipped my car over." William patted his chest, still shaken. "They had the road completely blocked. My driver honked the horn, and someone actually threw a rock at my car window!"
"They’re too fanatical. Leo, you have to do something about them. This is seriously affecting traffic and the city’s appearance. Do you have any idea how much it costs to repair my car’s paint job?"
William turned his head and looked at Leo with a serious expression.
"But, I saw they were all holding your picture. Are they... praying for you?"
"It’s enough to make a man jealous."
William sighed, and his tone was tinged with a genuine hint of sourness.
"I’m the Governor. I’m the boss of this state. But every time I go out, the only people around are reporters trying to get an unflattering picture of me. No one ever lights a candle for me."
"Tell me, if I also found some lunatic to take a shot at me, do you think my approval rating would go up a little?"
Leo couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
’He’s a real genius,’ Roosevelt commented in Leo’s mind.
"That’s enough, William."
A cold voice from the doorway cut off William’s rambling.
Evelyn Saint Cloud walked in.
She was wearing a black business suit and carrying a Hermès Birkin bag.
Her hair was pinned up, revealing a long, slender neck, and she exuded an icy, unapproachable aura.
Her gaze fell directly on Leo’s face, then lingered for a few seconds on his heavily bandaged left arm.
"Move."
Evelyn walked to the bedside and said to William, who was in her way.
William flinched and immediately scurried to the side.
"Go stand by the window and count how many candles are down there," Evelyn said, giving William something to do.
William muttered a few words but went to the window.
Evelyn pulled over a chair and sat down by the bed.
She placed her bag on her lap and folded her hands.
"You look terrible."
Evelyn said, her voice calm and betraying little emotion.
"Thanks for the compliment," Leo responded. "The doctor said if it had been a few centimeters over, I’d be meeting God right now."
"Then you were lucky."
Evelyn reached out, her fingertips lightly touching Leo’s uninjured shoulder.
"Do you know what I was thinking when I heard the news?"
"Wondering if the stock market would crash?" Leo joked.
"That’s right."
Evelyn made no attempt to hide it.
"I was thinking, if you died, what would happen to all the money the Saint Claude Family has invested in the Mutual Aid Alliance? And what about those land development contracts we just signed?"
Evelyn’s gaze turned exceptionally sharp.
"Leo, you aren’t just you anymore."
"Your life is tied to the interests of too many people."
"If you die, the political landscape in Pennsylvania will collapse in an instant, and Governor William’s position will become unstable. Our investments will become bad debt, and our entire strategy will become a joke."
Evelyn leaned forward, and the scent of her expensive perfume finally overpowered William’s cologne.
"Tell me, your brain isn’t damaged, is it? Can you still think? Can you still outmaneuver people?"
Leo looked at this woman.
She was so frank, it was almost cold-blooded.
But behind that coldness, Leo sensed an anxiety that was far more genuine than William’s flamboyant concern.
She was genuinely afraid he would die.
"Don’t worry." Leo pointed to his head. "The bullet didn’t hit here."
"Good."
Evelyn leaned back in her chair.
"I’ve already replaced your security team," she said. "The last bunch of idiots was too unprofessional. I’ve brought in a team from the family’s security firm. They’ll be on a twenty-four-hour rotation. Not even a fly will be able to get in."
"Also, about the shooter."
A vicious glint flashed in Evelyn’s eyes.
"Even though he’s dead, I did a background check on him. He was brainwashed by Pfizer’s PR copy. I’ve already had the legal team prepare a lawsuit. We’re going to sue those media outlets and pharmaceutical companies for incitement to murder."
Leo nodded.
"William," Evelyn called out suddenly.
The Governor, who was by the window counting candles, turned his head. "Huh? What is it? I’ve only counted to three hundred fifty-two."
"Come here." Evelyn beckoned. "Tell Leo what you saw downstairs just now."
William walked over, wearing an expression that seemed to be fishing for praise.
"Oh, right."
William said excitedly.
"Leo, you have no idea how popular you are right now."
"Downstairs, I was about to give a short speech as the Governor to offer my sympathies. But the moment I picked up the microphone, the people below started chanting your name."
William mimicked the crowd’s chants.
"We want to see Wallace! Long live Wallace! Bring down the drug prices!"
William spread his hands with a helpless look on his face.
"No one was listening to me at all. I said I was the Governor, and they said, ’Oh, you’re the guy in the pink suit. Can you give this letter to Leo for us?’"