Chapter 184

Chapter 185

There were two seconds of silence on the other end, then James's voice came through, very cold: "Ms. Faith, why are you calling me?"

"Mr. Smith, I want to see you, but you keep refusing me, saying you have no time. So I had to find another way to meet you."

James said impatiently: "Cut the crap."

"Haven't you noticed that Sophia is gone?"

James reacted almost immediately: "Where is she? What did you do to her?"

"I just invited her for coffee; I didn't do anything to her." Savannah gave him an address. "Mr. Smith, why don't you come have a cup of coffee too?"

James didn't say anything.

"Mr. Smith, don't rush to refuse. Come over, and we can talk. I'm very reasonable - as long as you're willing to come, we can discuss anything."

"Let's sit down, have coffee, and have a good chat. Maybe you'll find I'm more suitable for you than that Ms. Brown."

She hung up and looked at me.

"You heard that just now. I was right - you still have quite an impact on him." She was smiling as she spoke to me, but her smile gave me chills.

I looked at her without saying anything.

The private room was very quiet, except for the sound of water boiling on the stove.

Savannah stopped talking, too, just slowly sipping her coffee. She occasionally glanced at me, her eyes full of contempt.

I don't know how long we waited - maybe half an hour, maybe longer.

The door finally opened.

James walked in.

He saw me, his eyes swept over me from top to bottom, head to toe. After confirming I was okay, he turned to Savannah.

"I'm here. You can let her go now."

Savannah rested her chin on her hand, looking at him with infatuated eyes.

"Mr. Smith, haven't seen you for a few days - you seem even more handsome."

"What's the point of going through all this trouble to grab Sophia and lure me here?"

Savannah looked at him leisurely: "You know what I want."

James didn't even think about it and refused directly: "Impossible."

Savannah sighed.

"Mr. Smith, why do you have to be like this?" She stood up and walked in front of him. "I like you, I can give you so much."

"Our families are well-matched. A marriage alliance would bring many benefits to both you and me."

She reached out to touch his chest.

James stepped back.

Her hand hung in mid-air. She wasn't embarrassed, just pulled it back.

James looked at her: "Are you done talking?"

Savannah was stunned.

"If you're done, let her go now, or don't blame me for not being polite."

Savannah's expression changed.

She stepped back, looking at him with anger in her eyes: "James, how can someone be as stupid as you?"

"Marriage between us would benefit both of us. Why won't you agree?"

"This woman you love is so ordinary - what can she give you?"

He didn't say anything, just walked to my side and pulled me up from the chair.

His hand was very hot, gripping tightly.

Savannah watched him protect me, her eyes darkening.

Then she laughed, a cold laugh: "Fine, then don't blame me."

She clapped her hands.

Those two men in black walked in again.

"Close the door."

The door was closed.

Savannah retreated to a corner, watching us.

"Mr. Smith, since you won't agree, don't blame me."

She raised her hand and covered her nose and mouth with a handkerchief.

At the same time, a faint smoke began to fill the room.

Before I could react, James had already pulled me into his arms, using his clothes to cover my nose and mouth.

"Hold your breath."

The smoke got thicker and thicker.

I leaned against James, feeling my eyelids getting heavier and heavier, my limbs going soft, as if all my strength had been drained.

He covered my nose and mouth with his clothes, but I still breathed some in.

My consciousness began to fade, and my body felt soft and hot. It was so uncomfortable.

I felt like millions of ants were gnawing inside my body.

So itchy... I wanted...

I tried hard to keep my eyes open and look at him. My lips moved, but I couldn't say a word.

I bit my tongue hard. It hurt a lot, but it worked - my consciousness cleared up immediately.

James had no protection. His condition was even worse; his eyes were already unfocused, but he still forced himself to stay alert and comfort me.

"Don't be afraid," he said. "I'll get you home safely."

Then he put me in a corner, letting me sit against the wall.

I wanted to grab him, but I couldn't lift my hand.

I could only watch him stand up with his back to me.

Then I saw him raise his hand and punch himself hard in the back.

That punch was heavy. I heard the dull thud.

He groaned, his body swayed, but he didn't fall.

He kept hitting his back, right where the wound hadn't fully healed yet.

I stared at him wide-eyed, wanting to tell him to stop, wanting to say, "Are you crazy?" but I couldn't make a sound.

Blood seeped out.

From his back, spreading out, getting bigger and bigger.

The dark bloodstain was especially striking on his gray suit, from his shoulder blade down - his entire back was soaked with blood.

He was using pain to keep himself conscious.

Savannah stood not far away, watching this scene, the smile frozen on her face.

"Are you crazy?" Her voice trembled a bit, filled with disbelief.

James ignored her and kept walking forward.

He walked up to Savannah and grabbed her throat.

Savannah screamed and tried to break free, but couldn't. Her hands desperately slapped his arm, her nails scratching bloody marks on the back of his hand, but he didn't let go.

"Tell them to open the door, or I'll let you die here."

Savannah was being choked so hard she couldn't breathe. Her face turned red, tears streaming down, ruining her delicate makeup.

"Open... open the door..."

The two men in black looked at each other, not moving.

James tightened his grip.

Savannah's struggles got weaker and weaker. Her eyes reddened, tears covering her face, the veins on her neck bulging. Her feet kicked wildly on the ground, her high heels flew off, and her voice got louder: "You two idiots, open the door!"

"Open the door now, or I'll kill you!"

The men in black finally heard and opened the door.

James still didn't let go.

He gripped Savannah's throat with one hand and picked me up with the other, taking me out.

Only when we got outside did he release Savannah. She collapsed on the ground, clutching her throat and coughing violently, coughing her heart out, curled up in a ball.

She coughed for a long time, coughing until tears and snot ran together.

James wasn't much better. Blood was still flowing from his back, running down his clothes and dripping on the ground.

He held me in his arms: "Sophia, we're going home."

I looked at him and tried hard to speak.

"You're bleeding." I reached out to touch his back, but he grabbed my hand.

Savannah sat on the ground, looking up at him with red eyes. Her neck had shocking red marks, her hair was messy, and she looked completely disheveled.

"James, you can't leave."

He ignored her and carried me out.

"If you dare leave today, I'll have my family pull their investment!" she shouted from behind, her voice hoarse beyond recognition. "That project, worth over a billion dollars - is it not worth as much as this woman?"