Chapter 43

Chapter 43

I bit down hard on my lower lip, trying my best not to let the tears fall.

Cade glared at me viciously, "Think you can act all high and mighty in front of me just because you're pretty? I'll show you today who you shouldn't mess with!"

I took a deep breath, "You'd better let me go. There are people you really shouldn't mess with."

I wanted to call for help, but my phone had broken when I dropped it in the chaos.

I didn't know if James would come back looking for me.

Right now, he was my only hope.

The man sneered, and instantly my scalp burned with pain, "How dare you talk back in front of Cade?"

Cade snorted. He looked at me with complete disdain, "I want to see who it is that I supposedly shouldn't mess with!"

I bit down on my lower lip. The taste of blood spread through my mouth.

My feet were a bloody mess, leaving bloody footprints with every step.

But the physical pain was nothing compared to the fear in my heart.

Car headlights approached from far away—it was Cade's driver.

No, I couldn't let them take me!

My whole body trembled. Taking advantage of the moment when both men looked toward the vehicle, I suddenly raised my hand and smashed the rock hard against Cade's forehead!

Blood gushed out instantly, and Cade collapsed limply to the ground.

"Cade!"

The other man panicked immediately and rushed over to him.

I was so scared by what I'd done that I shook all over, completely drained of strength. My legs gave out and I fell awkwardly to the ground.

My heart was racing. Fear made it impossible to see clearly what was happening in front of me.

Through the blur, I saw Cade lying on the ground, covered in blood, alive or dead, I couldn't tell.

I wanted to run, but in my extreme fear, I had no strength at all. I tried several times but failed.

"You're done for, completely done for!"

The other man's voice was full of panic.

Soon after, another car screeched to a stop beside me.

I felt dazed.

Who was it?

Had the police come to arrest me?

Had I really killed Cade?

I looked down at my blood-covered hands.

This wasn't my blood—it was Cade's.

I hadn't meant to kill anyone. I just wanted to escape.

As my thoughts spiraled, a familiar and urgent voice called out, "Anna!"

I looked up blankly to see James's anxious face.

"James? Is it really you? Did you come to save me? Are the police here? Did they come too?"

The tears I'd been holding back finally fell.

James's hands trembled slightly.

He wiped the tears from my face almost frantically, then scooped me up and strode toward the car.

I curled up silently in James's arms. My tense nerves relaxed, and my mind went blank.

We soon arrived at the hospital emergency room.

Once I knew I was completely safe, I closed my eyes.

As my whole body relaxed, exhaustion washed over me.

In a daze, I felt pain in the soles of my feet, then something cool and wet sprayed on them, easing the pain.

"James..."

I couldn't help but furrow my brow and murmur softly.

After that, I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I only saw the pure white ceiling above and smelled the disinfectant in the air.

I didn't like that smell and frowned.

I wanted to move, but as soon as I did, my whole body burned with pain.

"You're finally awake! Don't move, don't move! Don't rub off the medicine!"

A young nurse pushed the door open just as I was frowning and trying to get up.

She rushed over in three quick steps and pressed down on my shoulder.

I looked up at her and froze for a moment.

I hadn't expected to see a familiar face.

It was the same young nurse who had taken care of me last time.

"Thank you."

I smiled gently, but my mind was still on Cade, whom I'd hit in the head with a rock.

Was he really dead?

If he died, would I go to prison?

Just thinking that I might have killed someone made me tremble with fear.

The nurse patted the back of my hand comfortingly and said softly, "Don't be scared. Mr. Smith has left. He won't bully you anymore."

James?

Bully me?

I looked at her in surprise.

But the nurse had an expression that said, "I understand everything, don't worry."

"No, you've got it wrong."

I shook my head helplessly and explained, "Last night on my way home, I ran into some bad guys. Luckily, he showed up in time."

Otherwise, I really didn't know what I would have done.

In the state I was in, there was no way I could have escaped.

The nurse's eyes widened. She poured me a glass of warm water and asked with concern, "You ran into bad guys? No wonder you were covered in injuries when they brought you in yesterday."

When I woke up feeling pain all over, I knew I must have been badly hurt.

The place on my face where I'd been slapped still hurt, not to mention my feet and scalp.

I took the water and sipped it slowly, "Two drunks."

As for the rest, I didn't want to talk about it.

Last night's experience was too terrifying. Just remembering it made me extremely uncomfortable.

The nurse looked at me with sympathy and didn't ask any more questions.

"Well, you rest up. I'll head out now. Just press the button if you need anything. Oh, and Mr. Smith said before he left that he'd be back in an hour at most, and told you not to be scared."

After that, the nurse did a quick check on me, and once she confirmed everything was fine, she left quickly.

I paused mid-sip.

So I hadn't been mistaken last night—the person I saw at the end really was James.

He really came back.

Warmth spread through my heart, and I couldn't help but smile.

Meanwhile.

James sat expressionless on a leather sofa, his long legs crossed, leaning back as he looked down at Cade and his father, Dash, across from him.

Cade still had bandages wrapped around his head, and his body trembled slightly with fear.

He never imagined that just because I looked pretty and he wanted to mess around with me, I would turn out to be James's wife.

When did the legendary James get married?

How had they not heard a single word about it?

Dash was equally uneasy. He spoke humbly, "James, my boy, didn't know any better. He was blind and dared to offend Mrs. Smith. How about this—we'll cover all of Mrs. Smith's medical and care expenses, plus an additional six hundred thousand dollars for emotional distress. Would that work?"

Dash's face was full of pleading as he said this.

This was his only son. No matter how much of a screw-up he was, Dash was counting on him to inherit the business and carry on the family line.

If he went to prison, his life would be ruined!

James kept a cold face and said nothing.

Dash's heart sank deeper and deeper.

He dropped to his knees, "Please have mercy, James. We know we were wrong. You're a big man—please let us off this time!"

As Dash spoke, he forcefully pulled at Cade, making him kneel too.

"Dad!"

Cade's face was pale, and there was still some defiance in his tone.

He couldn't understand why, when I was the one who hit him, he was the one who had to kneel and apologize and pay for emotional distress.

No matter how powerful James was, could he really control everything?

"Get down on your knees!"

Dash raised his voice and shouted, "You idiot! Don't you know there's always someone more powerful than you!"

Cade stiffened his neck, his face flushed red, and reluctantly knelt at James's feet, utterly humiliated.

James sneered, "Do you know what happened to your accomplice from last night?"