Chương 290: Dilemma

Hugo was at a loss. He knew that the child Michael Jackson trusted the most, was the one who had taken away the last trace of brilliance from Michael's world.

The purest children in Michael's heart had all distanced themselves from him, causing both his spirit and body to teeter on the edge of collapse. The prolonged trial had taken a toll on his health. His reliance on drugs had worsened, and his mental state continued to deteriorate. Just four years after the conclusion of the second child abuse case, the great king of pop suddenly departed from this world.

In reality, both cases of child abuse were entirely fabricated by the media.

In the first case, Jordan Chandler, driven by his father's financial interests, purposefully attempted to extort Michael. They collaborated with the media to brew this storm. Throughout the entire process, the media intentionally or unintentionally placed the blame on Michael, all for the sake of boosting newspaper sales. Jordan, under his father's guidance, stubbornly stuck to his accusations against Michael. At a crucial moment, Michael's second sister also stood against him, joining in the persecution under her husband's coercion, ultimately leading to this tragedy.

Ironically, although the Chandler family obtained a settlement of 22 million dollars from extorting Michael, the torment of their conscience never ceased. Shortly after Michael's death, Jordan's father committed suicide by shooting himself, putting an end to his own life. Jordan publicly admitted to the media that it was all a lie, fabricated by his father. He had merely lied according to his father's instructions, unaware of the severe consequences it would have on Michael.

The second case was even more absurd. The Arvizo family, who had received unconditional financial support from Michael, became entangled in a child abuse case due to reckless speculation by the media. Initially, the Arvizo family vehemently defended Michael, emphasizing that no sexual assault had occurred. However, later on, because they did not want to leave Michael's Neverland Ranch, clearly desiring to live a life relying on Michael's generosity, the Arvizo family changed their testimony, pointing their fingers at Michael with a pile of fabricated lies.

This time, the media took center stage in the events. The Arvizo family's testimony was riddled with loopholes, yet the media continued to portray Michael as guilty, even pronouncing him guilty before the trial began. In order to gain attention, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office, despite insufficient evidence, collaborated with the media and proceeded with the litigation. This was reminiscent of the Rodney King incident, and ultimately, the media succeeded in sending Michael to prison and putting him on trial.

Unfortunately, the testimony full of holes was exposed. After enduring a lengthy trial, Michael was acquitted.

It can be said that in these two cases, the media's malicious pursuit of news regarding public figures played a decisive role, while the children and their families driven by self-interest were the main culprits. A person who had immense love for children ultimately became a victim of his love for them. He was caught, attacked, slandered, and "killed". This was undeniably the greatest irony in Michael Jackson's life, as well as a scathing critique of the coldness of American society.

Hugo knew all of this. He knew what was about to unfold this summer. He knew what Michael was about to face. So, what should Hugo do? Should he warn Michael?

Hugo knew that he was not a saint and had no responsibility or obligation to save others, but he didn't want to witness the great King of Pop, Michael Jackson, being consumed by such vile, shameless, and disgusting slander. He didn't want to see Michael's musical talent gradually eroded by this nauseating gossip. He definitely didn't want to witness the scenes of worldwide mourning when the tragic news came on June 26, 2009...

In fact, Hugo had always been aware of the inevitability of history. The so-called butterfly effect would be magnified infinitely in the river of history. Films like "The Butterfly Effect" and "Looper" illustrate this point. Simply put, if Hugo went back to the 1980s and prevented his parents from meeting, there would be no Chen Yuguo, and consequently, no Hugo traveling through time.

Therefore, Hugo was now standing at a pivotal point in history. Based on his knowledge of the next twenty years, he could change history, but would it alter the entire course of history and potentially erase his own existence? These were uncertain factors.

However, on the other hand, Hugo knew that this history he was familiar with had already changed. For example, the original actor of "Dead Poets Society" was not Hugo Lancaster. Moreover, over the past year, Hugo had already altered many historical events, such as the actors in "Scent of a Woman" and "A Few Good Men".

Furthermore, even if he took a step back, Hugo didn't want to passively watch as Michael fell into a trap. Although he had just met Michael and Michael was not the guiding figure of a rock band like Death or Glory, Hugo couldn't deny his admiration and idolization of Michael. He didn't want to witness the downfall of his idol once again.

So, Hugo felt that he should warn Michael.

But the problem was, how should he do it? Hugo found this question to be quite challenging.

Should he directly and openly warn Michael, saying, "Hey, you should be careful of that Jordan Chandler. He will falsely accuse you with lies"? Leaving aside whether Michael would be willing to believe Hugo, simply stating such a thing would make no one take it seriously. After Hugo said it, Michael would probably think Hugo was crazy.

Moreover, Hugo was someone whom Michael had just met and couldn't even be considered a friend. On the other hand, Jordan Chandler had known Michael for over half a year and was the child Michael trusted the most. It was a simple choice for Michael to decide who to believe.

Furthermore, Hugo couldn't forget that Michael was a person with a strong sense of caution. The fact that he was willing to engage in conversation with Hugo was already unprecedented. In his usual style, Michael probably wouldn't stay for even a second and would simply turn and leave, as if he would rather be late than enter the theater quietly in the darkness.

This was the first time Hugo and Michael were meeting, and Hugo had to warn him about a future danger that hadn't even happened yet. Hugo couldn't help but think that Michael would consider him a lunatic. It didn't matter if he was regarded as crazy, but the crucial point was that his warning wouldn't have any effect, and Michael would still be in danger. That would be terrible.

Hugo suddenly felt powerless. He was now in a dilemma and couldn't find a better solution.

Seeing Michael's gentle smile when talking about children, Hugo decided to give it a try. Michael had just said, "Perhaps, in this world, only children don't know how to lie", and Hugo carefully considered it, nodding in agreement. "Of course, children are like angels. They always see the purest side of this world." This was a fact, and Hugo's words were acknowledged by Michael with a slight nod.

Then, Hugo continued, "So, parents play a vital role in the education of children because parents are the ones children learn from. It's like drawing on a blank sheet of paper. Whatever color the crayons in the parents' hands are, the child will show the same colors." These words made Michael pause, as it reminded him of his strict and harsh father. Hugo's words continued, "Often, children don't understand much and can only obey their parents' instructions."

Hugo discreetly observed Michael's reaction and tried to maintain a calm tone, as if engaging in casual conversation. He continued, "I've heard before that some parents exploit their children's innocence to steal or even commit crimes. People hardly suspect children, making it easy for them to succeed." Although such incidents became more rampant in the 21st century, they were not uncommon throughout history, providing some basis for the statement. "Perhaps, children are the purest, but parents, as adults, are not. When parents are blinded by their own interests, they can influence children to do unexpected things. Perhaps, this is a tragedy of society and also a reason why education is important."

Michael fell silent, and Hugo couldn't determine if it was a good or bad sign. He had discreetly conveyed the warning, but Michael's calm expression revealed nothing. In fact, not only Michael but even Joseph sensed that something was amiss.

Usually, Hugo was not someone who lacked tact, but today, it seemed impolite to delve into such profound and serious topics during his first meeting with Michael. Joseph discreetly tugged at Hugo's sleeve, widening his eyes as if asking, "What are you doing?"

However, Hugo couldn't answer Joseph and could only furrow his brow slightly, indicating that he knew what he was doing.

Seeing Hugo's serious expression, Joseph was taken aback. Was Hugo planning something?

Hugo was well aware of his recklessness, but this was already the least impactful version. He and Michael were not friends, and he didn't know if they would have another chance to meet in the future, especially considering Michael's seclusion in his dream mansion in Beverly Hills. Who knew when their next encounter would be, perhaps after the Jordan Chandler incident. Therefore, Hugo had to take the risk. He also had his own hardships.

At this moment, Hugo truly felt that an individual's power was truly insignificant in the grand river of history. It was like how he knew about the 9/11 attacks, but he was still powerless. He wasn't Superman or a heroic figure from American comics, let alone the incarnation of Jesus. He didn't have the power to save the world, nor could he change the fate of others.

Hugo could clearly sense that after hearing his words, Michael's emotions calmed down noticeably. Although there was no physical change in the distance between them, the psychological distance seemed to silently widen. It seemed that Michael's internal guard was building walls again. Was it going to end in failure like this?