Chapter 236

Chapter 236
Lily's POV
For the next week, my life in James's villa was miserable. He forced me to eat all kinds of food and weighed me regularly, wanting me to gain weight for the blood transfusion surgery.
"Eat more," James pushed a plate toward me, filled with high-calorie cream pasta.
I pushed the plate away in disgust. "I can't eat anymore."
James looked at me coldly. "You'd better cooperate, or else..." His eyes were full of threat.
I thought of the foie gras method and forced myself to eat despite the nausea.
Strangely, no matter how much I ate, my weight didn't increase—it even decreased, which worried me.
"What's going on?" James looked at the numbers on the scale, his face darkening. "Are you doing this deliberately?"
I shook my head. "I've been eating as you instructed."
"Finish all this cream! If I come back and see any left, you know the consequences!" James said before turning and hurrying away.
I sat dejectedly on the sofa, eating bit by bit. The room had cameras, eliminating any possibility of wasting food.
One evening, after completing a blood test, I was lying in bed when the door opened. Instead of the usual housekeeper, a young girl entered.
I watched this stranger cautiously.
The girl had an unhealthy pallor, but her eyes were bright, and her appearance was sweet and pretty.
She quietly closed the door and carefully approached my bed.
"Hello," her voice was soft, with a hint of nervousness. "Who are you? Why are you here?"
I hesitated, deciding to probe: "I should be asking who you are. This is James's villa."
The girl looked surprised. "You know James?"
We questioned each other's identities, and she introduced herself: "Colette Zweigler."
"Colette... that name sounds familiar."
I thought carefully, then suddenly remembered Jackson mentioning the name of James's first love.
When I asked about her relationship with James, she answered without hesitation: "He's my boyfriend."
I immediately guessed: "Are you James's first love?"
She nodded, somewhat shyly. "Yes."
Colette was curious about my situation. "How did you end up here?"
She noticed the shackles on my wrists and ankles, her eyes flashing with fear.
"She doesn't seem to know. Perhaps I can use this."
I deliberately put on a pitiful expression. "I've been locked up. Can you help me?"
"Locked up?" Colette's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at my shackles. "James locked you up here?"
"That bastard James, he actually kidnapped you!" Seeing me about to cry, Colette asked sympathetically: "Don't cry. But can you tell me why he's keeping you here?"
I looked at her with vulnerable eyes and answered in a miserable voice: "Because of you."
Colette was stunned. She stepped back, her face turning pale. "Because of... me?"
"Is he planning to use your blood for my transfusion?" she asked, her voice trembling.
I nodded silently.
"So she really doesn't know. James has been hiding this from her."
"That bastard..." Colette was shocked. "Just yesterday he told me I'd soon have a blood source, from someone terminally ill who volunteered to donate. I never imagined..."
Looking at my wrists, raw from the shackles, Colette was filled with guilt. "Don't worry, I won't use your blood. I'll talk to James about this, I'll make him understand..."
"She's truly kind."
My heart warmed, but I worried James might harm her.
Just as I was about to ask her to unlock my shackles, the door suddenly opened. James stood in the doorway, clearly surprised to see Colette: "Colette, you..."
Colette immediately turned to face James, her voice filled with unprecedented anger: "James Alexander! Are you insane? You kidnapped an innocent girl!"
James's expression became complicated, his eyes moving between Colette and me. "Colette, let me explain..."
Colette angrily demanded to know why James planned to use me for her transfusion. To my surprise, James made no attempt to hide it: "I had no other choice."
"Having no other choice means you can kill someone to save me?" Colette's accusation echoed throughout the room.
I thought silently that if she were truly near death, I might willingly help her, but not by force.
"I could volunteer to donate, but not let them drain me dry."
James walked toward Colette, gently wrapping his arm around her waist as if she were fragile: "Don't worry, I've already bought her life—paid two hundred million. Don't you want to live like a normal person, without medication? I promised I'd cure you, and I won't let anything happen to you."
Colette was in tears: "But this isn't what I want. I do want to live normally, but not at someone else's expense."
James's eyes grew fanatical: "You don't understand. For you, I'd do anything. Besides, she's already terminally ill, almost dead."
"You're lying!" Colette grew angrier. "She doesn't look terminally ill at all!"
"She is, Colette, she is." James's tone softened. "She doesn't have long to live. I'm just using this opportunity to save your life. Her death won't be in vain."
"This madman!"
I cursed inwardly, but also admired Colette's kindness and sense of justice.
As Colette continued protesting, James suddenly knocked her unconscious. He carried her limp body, his eyes full of affection: "She's just too kind-hearted. I will save her, no matter the cost."
"What did you do to her?"
James gave me a cold look: "Don't worry, just letting her rest. She shouldn't see what happens next."
He carried Colette out, leaving me alone to wait in fear.
After that, Colette never appeared again.
Finally, my weight reached James's required standard for surgery.
They gave me a bath, then placed me on the operating table.
"William, where are you?" I thought desperately, hoping William would find me in time.
In the operating room, several people in white coats surrounded me, preparing various instruments. James stood nearby with a twisted smile.
With my hands and feet bound, I couldn't move, only desperately waiting for rescue. Watching the needle about to pierce my skin, I closed my eyes, waiting for the pain.
The expected pain didn't come. Instead, there was a violent bang as the door was forced open.
I opened my eyes to see William standing at the door with a group of people. His face was ashen, his eyes cold and filled with barely controlled fury.
"William! He's finally here!" Hope surged within me.
"William, you're so slow," James, wearing loose medical garb, immediately grabbed a scalpel from a doctor and pressed it against my throat as William entered.
"It took me a week to investigate your 108 properties," William panted, the dark circles under his eyes showing he hadn't rested properly for days. "But I made it in time, didn't I?"
"A week? Have I been locked up that long?" I felt disoriented; time had lost all meaning in this villa.
James grinned maliciously, pressing the scalpel harder against my throat: "In time? I doubt that. What I set out to do, I accomplish. If today's surgery fails, Lily won't live either."
I felt a sharp pain at my throat, the cold metal pressing against my skin.
"He's serious. He really will kill me..."
William's gaze grew sharper: "James, let her go. You're surrounded. There's no escape."
"Escape?" James laughed. "I never need an escape. I only need to achieve my goal."
During their standoff, James suddenly made a small cut across my throat. Blood began flowing.
I felt a wave of terror as warm liquid trickled down my neck.
I tried to stay calm, but fear had taken over.
"Stop!" William roared, taking a step forward.
James pressed the blade harder: "One more step and I'll slash her throat."
At that moment, a familiar figure appeared beside William—Colette, still unconscious, carried in by William's men.
This sight instantly changed James's expression. His face transformed from ferocity to terror, and the knife in his hand began to tremble.
"Colette..." James's voice became hoarse. "What have you done to her?"
William calmly replied: "Nothing. She's just sleeping, perfectly safe."
"Put down the knife, James," William continued. "You have two choices—either release Lily, and we can find appropriate treatment for Colette; or persist with your plan, but I can't guarantee what will happen to Colette."
James's eyes grew wild: "You dare threaten me?"
"It's not a threat. It's a fact," William's voice was ice-cold. "Put down the knife. This is your only chance."
James looked at the unconscious Colette, his hand trembling more violently. I felt the blade against my throat loosening slightly.
"His love for Colette is real," I thought. "It's the only thing that can stop him."
"Don't hurt her..." James's voice held unprecedented pleading. "I'll put down the knife, but you must guarantee Colette's safety."
William nodded: "I promise. We'll find the best doctors for her, try every possible treatment."
James slowly lowered the knife and staggered toward Colette. At that moment, William's men quickly restrained him, forcing him to the ground.
"Colette!" James struggled and shouted. "Don't hurt her!"
William came to my side, quickly examining my wound: "Lily, are you alright?"
I nodded weakly: "I'm okay... the cut isn't deep..."
William carefully removed my restraints and lifted me into his arms: "We need to get you to a hospital immediately."
Looking at the subdued James, I couldn't help asking: "What about Colette? Her illness..."
William said softly: "I'll keep my promise and find the best treatment for her. But not at your expense."
I leaned against William's chest, finally feeling safe. "It's finally over."
"William..." I said weakly, "thank you for finding me."
William held me tightly: "I would never give up looking for you, Lily. Never."