Chapter 166: Didn't You Say We Were Friends?
"What are you dawdling for? Do you have blood to spare? Hurry up and get in the car to go to the hospital!"
Mia knew what James was thinking. She grabbed his hand and snapped at him impatiently.
She bent down and got into the car first.
Her tone was fierce, but it was obvious she was worried about him.
James's lips curved up. He wasn't upset about being scolded. His eyes stayed on Mia's face, reluctant to look away, until she pulled him into the car with her.
The car left the hotel and headed toward the hospital.
Mia could feel his gaze constantly on her face, but she didn't look at him again.
Until James's body went limp and he suddenly leaned toward her, his head resting on her shoulder.
"James?"
Mia turned her head to look and saw James's eyelids drooping as he weakly murmured her name, "Mia—"
Mia panicked.
Except for that time he had a high fever, she had never seen him this weak.
Had he been forcing himself to hold on this whole time?
"Robert, drive faster."
Mia spoke, her words barely hiding her anxiety.
……
Azure Palace Hotel
Benjamin walked into the private room. The two men who had forced Mia to drink earlier struck first, playing the victim.
"Mr. White, we just asked your secretary to have a few drinks with us. Not only did she refuse to show us respect, she even called someone to beat us up like this. Tell us, how should we handle this?"
Hearing this, Benjamin slowly walked toward the two men and said with a light laugh, "How would you two like to handle it?"
"Hand her over to us for one night, and we'll let this go..."
Before the man could finish his sleazy words, Benjamin suddenly kicked him in the shin.
The man cried out in pain, his knee buckled, and he dropped to one knee on the ground.
Benjamin lifted his leg and delivered another kick, his heel striking the man's neck, knocking him flat on the ground.
His whole face hit the floor—it looked painful just watching.
His expression unchanged, Benjamin stepped down, pressing his leather shoe on the man's face, pinning him to the ground.
"Mr. White..."
The other man didn't get a chance to speak either. Benjamin grabbed him by the back of the neck and slammed him hard onto the table.
The others didn't dare to breathe.
Throughout all this, Benjamin maintained a slight smile on his face.
He bent down slightly, glancing at both terrified faces, and continued with a light laugh, "Didn't I tell you that Mia doesn't drink at business dinners?"
They had all taken it as a joke—who knew he was serious!
She's just a secretary, is this really necessary?
Pretty secretaries are brought along to drink with clients, aren't they?
After drinking, they sleep with them too—it's common at business dinners.
They didn't understand!
What was Benjamin doing?
Their thoughts were written all over their faces.
Benjamin saw this, withdrew his hands and feet, and sat down in the chair Jasper had pulled out for him.
He picked up a towel from the table and wiped his hands methodically while instructing, "Jasper, these two gentlemen really enjoy drinking. Make sure to treat them well."
"Yes, Mr. White."
Jasper responded and immediately called the waitstaff to bring in more alcohol.
All high-proof liquor.
The two men had just gotten up from the floor, and their legs went even weaker.
"Sit."
Benjamin smiled at them both.
But that smile somehow made them feel cold.
They didn't dare resist and sat down.
They watched as the waitstaff brought in the alcohol and immediately left.
Jasper was very courteous. He took a wine glass, opened the bottles for them, and filled their glasses without batting an eye. "Gentlemen, please."
The two men looked at Benjamin sitting across from them, still smiling, and picked up their wine glasses with trembling hands.
After finishing one glass, Jasper immediately refilled it.
The two men were "treated" until they drank themselves into stomach bleeding and were sent to the hospital, but they didn't dare complain.
How could they forget the rumors—Benjamin was able to establish himself so quickly in Imperial City, with abundant financial resources and never lacking funds.
It was because he was from the White Family, a family with serious connections.
……
Hospital
James was wheeled into the operating room while Mia waited outside.
After a long time, he was finally wheeled out.
He lay on the hospital gurney, unconscious.
His head was wrapped tightly in gauze, preventing Mia from seeing the actual injury.
James was wheeled into a VIP room and lifted onto the hospital bed, still unconscious.
Mia looked at Louis, who had followed them in. "Louis, is James's condition very serious? Why hasn't he woken up yet?"
Despite her efforts to stay calm, her voice couldn't hide her worry.
He had leaned on her shoulder in the car and passed out shortly after.
More than two hours had passed, and he still hadn't woken up.
"James just had over twenty stitches on the back of his head. His condition is okay, there's no danger to his life.
As for why he hasn't woken up yet, it could be temporary unconsciousness from excessive blood loss.
We'll need to wait for the test results to know for sure... Mia, you don't need to worry."
Louis said it was okay, but his expression didn't look okay at all.
Telling her not to worry—with James in this state, it was hard not to worry.
Hearing this, Mia's already furrowed brows deepened.
"Let him rest well for now. I'll come check on him later."
Louis left in a hurry. Mia stood by the bed, looking at the unconscious James, and couldn't help but raise her hand.
Before her hand could touch his face, the hospital room door suddenly opened from outside.
Hearing the sound, Mia quickly withdrew her raised hand, stepped back, and turned to look.
It was a young nurse holding blue and white striped patient clothes. "Hello, I'm here to bring clothes for your boyfriend."
She said "boyfriend" out loud, but kept saying in her heart, please don't be, please don't be.
"He's not my boyfriend."
Mia instinctively explained and distanced herself from James.
Just now she had almost lost control and was about to tenderly touch his face.
This was wrong.
She and James were already divorced. She shouldn't be doing anything intimate with him beyond what friends would do.
"We're just friends."
Hearing "just friends," the young nurse's eyes clearly brightened.
She had been somewhat restrained when she wasn't sure about Mia and James's relationship, but hearing they were just friends, her eyes were glued to James lying in the bed.
"If you're just friends, wouldn't it be inconvenient for you to help him change clothes?"
"What?"
Mia was in the middle of an internal struggle and didn't react immediately.
"I mean, if it's inconvenient for you, I can help—"
Mia looked up at her, seeing that look in the young nurse's eyes. She was too familiar with that look—clearly interested in James.
James's appearance was too exceptional. Even with gauze wrapped around his head, which would make other men look disheveled, it didn't diminish his charm at all.
The young nurse noticed Mia's gaze and tried to cover up her intentions with an explanation. "I'm a nurse, and he's a patient—"
Mia looked at the young nurse's intentions, which were practically written on her face. Even though it had nothing to do with her, she felt inexplicably uncomfortable.
You're already divorced.
You have no relationship with him.
Whoever is interested in him has nothing to do with you.
"Okay, thank you for your help."
Mia smiled at the young nurse and walked toward the bathroom.
The excited young nurse's face clearly stiffened.
Why was that smile so creepy?
Didn't she say they were just friends?