"Sammy Shandon?" Wilbur was surprised. "What's up?"
Sammy sounded beside herself with panic as she said, "Sir, my brother insisted on getting back at Ria after we returned to Zealand, but Ria ended up getting him arrested not long after saying we were falsely accusing her. Now she's demanding a public apology and compensation, or I'm never going to see my brother again."
Wilbur fell silent after listening to Sammy.
Sammy had found Wilbur after being cursed by Ria, and Wilbur had broken that very curse. There was nothing either of them owed to each other anymore.
Now she was begging him for help again, and Wilbur did not really want to help if he was being honest.
There was already too much happening in the world, and Wilbur could hardly afford to tend to every single thing. Yet the Shandons had gifted him with their family treasure, and he could not find it in him to turn down helping them.
Sammy began to panic at Wilbur's silence. "Sir, Ria's really too much. My brother's been beaten black and blue. You have to save him."
"Well, can't you just apologize and compensate Ria as she demanded?" Wilbur asked.
Sammy said, "I'm more than willing to apologize, but Ria's insisting I do it on national media for fifteen days in a row. I can still grin and bear through that. I'll just quit performing altogether. However, she wants a billion dollars in compensation, and we really don't have that much money."
"A billion dollars? Is that woman out of her mind?" Wilbur frowned.
Sammy was beginning to tear up. "She said I had damaged her acting career terribly, and a billion dollars is the minimum she's asking for."
Wilbur's frown deepened. Ria was really crossing the line.
It was bad enough that she had cursed Sammy before, and now she was trying to squeeze more out of Sammy after that was settled. How utterly despicable.
Sammy sobbed, "Sir, I know you're the only one who can save my brother now. Please help me. I'll promise half of the Shandons' shares to you as long as you get him out."
Wilbur said, "No. This isn't a matter of money. I'm doing it only because it's unfair to you. I'll be there by tomorrow. Send me the address and tell me the details once I get there."
"Yes, of course. Thank you, sir. Thank you so much!"
"You're welcome." Wilbur hung up the phone and shook his head. He pulled up an airline website and saw that the earliest flight was at eight o'clock at night. It would be past midnight by the time he got there.
He gave it some thought and bought the tickets before returning to his room to continue meditating.
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