Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Lucy threw out a parting shot and stormed off in her high heels.

I watched her figure disappear into the distance, and only then did the tears I'd been holding back finally slide down from the corners of my eyes.

My heart ached so much, like it was about to shatter into pieces.

I couldn't stop myself from thinking.

If everything Lucy said was true, then James must have guessed what happened last night.

But he still just left me on the side of the road like that.

Was it to punish me?

Or did he deliberately set up this whole hero-to-the-rescue scene?

The suffocating, terrifying images from that night gradually surfaced in my mind, and my body trembled slightly.

Fear wrapped around me silently and completely, making it hard to breathe.

I felt my hands and feet turning ice-cold from extreme fear.

I wanted to call for help, but didn't know who to reach out to.

I quietly recovered from my injuries in the hospital.

During this time, James offered several times to take me back home.

But I refused him each time, using the excuse that my mom was also in the hospital and I could visit her often.

Even though I tried my best to forget what Lucy had said.

Her words were like a curse, haunting me relentlessly.

This made me even more unsure of how to face James.

Like an ostrich, I hid away in the hospital.

The only comfort I had was being able to visit my mom.

Before each visit, I would change my clothes and spray some perfume to cover up the smell of medicine on me.

After staying in the hospital for about two weeks, the wounds on my feet had scabbed over.

James brought up taking me back to the villa again.

I wanted to refuse, but James stared straight at me and asked dangerously, "Are you sure you want to keep staying in the hospital?"

He was clearly asking a question, but his tone left no room for discussion.

I had no doubt that if I really insisted on continuing to stay in the hospital, he could just flip out and drag me back.

James had been relatively easy to talk to during this time, so I shouldn't push my luck.

So I moved back to the villa.

The villa was empty, and my heart felt empty too. I didn't know how to react.

This wasn't my home.

James was very busy, leaving early and coming back late every day.

Lucy, on the other hand, would show up from time to time, appearing in front of me to provoke me.

But I remained indifferent.

What was there to be provoked about?

I was just a pet James was keeping on a whim.

Whenever he got tired of me, I'd be free.

This day, James came back from outside with Lucy following behind him.

I just gave them a cold glance before returning my attention to my phone.

This wasn't the first day these two had come back together.

Or rather, this place was practically Lucy's second home now.

James strode up to me, his tall figure looming over me.

I froze for a moment before slowly looking up to meet his dark, cold voice.

"I've agreed."

"What?"

I didn't catch on right away.

James frowned slightly, his handsome brows furrowing, "Didn't you want to go out and work? You can go."

My heart leaped with joy, and my eyes brightened a bit, "Are you serious? I can go to work?"

I never expected James would actually be willing to let me go to work!

A strange look flashed in James's eyes, but his words remained cold and hard.

"If you don't want to go, forget it."

"I want to go!"

I didn't hesitate, "I want to go!"

Finally, I could leave this cage that was suffocating me.

Even if it was just during work hours.

Even though this was once the home James and I shared, I didn't want to be trapped here day and night, staring at the calendar and counting the days, waiting endlessly for James to get tired and let me go.

Seeing me clearly cheer up, James's expression softened at first, then hardened again.

From the corner of my eye, I caught Lucy barely able to keep the smile on her face, with jealousy particularly obvious in her eyes.

How interesting.

She had just mocked me for being James's caged canary.

And now James had agreed to let me go to work.

After James stopped blocking me, I sent out several more resumes.

This time, unlike before when they disappeared without a trace, I quickly received interview messages.

On the day of the interview, I got up extra early, put on delicate makeup, and changed into professional attire, making myself look sharp and capable.

When I came downstairs, Victoria's eyes went wide when she saw me.

She looked me up and down with admiration in her eyes, "Mrs. Smith, you seem very happy today."

I sat down at the dining table and nodded while eating breakfast, "Yes, I'm going out for an interview today!"

Victoria smiled and responded, "Work is good. Work gives you energy."

Ever since I came back from the hospital last time, I'd been listless every day, which had worried Victoria sick.

Now that she finally saw me with some energy, she was naturally happy.

I was happy too, and chatted casually with Victoria for a bit before hurrying out after breakfast.

Arriving at the interview company, I triple-checked that everything was fine before walking in with my head held high.

At the same time, at Smith Corporation.

James leaned back in his leather chair, arms crossed over his chest, his tone revealing neither pleasure nor anger, "She went to the interview?"

Jesse nodded, "Mrs. Smith went..."

"Don't tell me which company she's at. I don't care about that."

James waved his hand impatiently, his face full of resistance.

Thinking about how I was so happy like an idiot when I learned I could go out to work, completely ignoring his feelings, filled him with frustration!

Did he have no presence at all?

Jesse wisely shut his mouth, unable to help complaining internally, 'Mr. Smith, oh Mr. Smith, you're the one who didn't want to know. If you regret it later, don't blame me!'

Seeing Jesse still standing in front of him, James instinctively wanted to ask where I went for the interview.

But he'd already said what he said, so it wasn't easy to ask now.

James irritably dismissed him, "You can go."

Jesse walked to the door, then suddenly turned back and asked, "Boss, are you really not curious?"

"Get out!"

I had no idea that James was angry at Jesse because he was curious about where I was working but too embarrassed to ask.

My interview went very smoothly. All the interviewers were very satisfied with me.

Although I had no work experience in the country, I had rich professional knowledge and had participated in and won many projects abroad before.

When facing the interviewers' tricky questions, I could answer them smoothly.

Coming out of the interview company, a cool breeze blew across my face.

I contentedly stretched and exhaled the frustration that had been stuck in my heart for so long.

What a comfortable breeze!

Sure enough, the happiness that freedom brings is unmatched!

Two days later, I received a call from the interview company asking me to report for work on Monday.

I immediately agreed.

In such a good mood, even when James came home that evening, I rarely gave him a smile.

James kept a cold face and ignored me.

I shrugged, didn't take it to heart, and turned back to chat with Victoria.

When James wasn't home, Victoria was the one who kept me company.

After spending this time together, Victoria and I had become quite close.

James's expression grew even darker. He stared at me coldly, his lips moving slightly.