Chapter 71
"You don't want to see me wronged—you want to see me humiliated, right?" I cut her off, my tone full of pressure. "Amelia, I suggest you mind your own business and stop pulling these little tricks behind my back."
"Hide your dirty tricks well. If I catch you, you're done for."
I didn't look at her again, nor did I care what James thought after hearing what I said. I turned and walked into the Smith Mansion.
Fortunately, Amelia stayed quiet during dinner. Otherwise, the meal would have been unbearable again.
After attending classes for several days, I finally got used to college life.
After class, while I was packing up my things, a girl came over holding a pile of stuff. "Hi, could you please help me with something?"
I didn't say anything.
"My stomach hurts a bit. Could you please help me deliver this to the professor?"
"I'm really in a rush. Please, I'm begging you."
The girl kept pleading with me. Seeing how helpless she looked, I softened. "Where do I take it?"
"Room 6207."
The girl shoved everything she was holding into my arms, then ran off, clutching her stomach.
I gathered my things and headed to the lab building.
Room 6207 was located in a corner of the campus, surrounded by tall trees that blocked out the sunlight, making it look dark and somewhat creepy.
It was class time, so the hallway was empty and so quiet I could hear my own footsteps.
I found room 6207. The door was slightly ajar.
I gently pushed it open and called out, "Is anyone here? I'm here to deliver some materials."
The classroom was empty—not a soul in sight.
Sunlight filtered through the dusty windows, casting mottled shadows on the floor. The air was filled with a musty smell.
The desks and chairs in the classroom were old and worn, covered in dust. It looked like no one had used them in a long time.
My heart jumped. Something felt wrong. I turned to leave, but the door behind me suddenly slammed shut, followed by the sound of a lock clicking.
"Who's there?" I spun around, but only saw the closed door.
"Sophia, you must be scared right now. Why don't you beg me? Maybe I'll let you out. Otherwise, you can stay in there until you die." A familiar voice came from outside the door, dripping with malice.
"No way."
"Fine. Since you won't give in, stay there. I hope you starve to death, you little bitch."
"It's you?" I laughed coldly. "You deliberately tricked me into coming here?"
I finally recognized her voice—it was the girl who had asked me for help earlier.
"What do you want?" I tried turning the doorknob, but the door was locked tight.
"Can't you tell? I want to teach you a lesson." The girl's voice grew more distant. "The air conditioning in that classroom is broken—it only blows cold air, and it's set to the lowest temperature. Enjoy yourself in there."
"I hope you're still alive the next time I come."
My heart sank. I looked down at the air conditioner in the corner.
Sure enough, the indicator light was on, blowing cold air. A bone-chilling coldness instantly spread through the room, making me shiver involuntarily.
I quickly pulled out my phone to call for help, only to find there was no signal.
The lab building was already pretty isolated, and this classroom was on the sixth floor—the signal was terrible.
"Damn it." I cursed under my breath and walked to the window, trying to open it.
But the window was nailed shut. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't open it.
The temperature in the classroom kept dropping. The cold wind cut into me like knives.
I was wearing only a thin jacket, which couldn't protect me from this kind of cold at all.
I hugged my arms, constantly rubbing them, trying to warm up. But the cold kept coming from all directions, making my teeth chatter.
What was worse—my body wasn't in good shape to begin with.
After my miscarriage, I hadn't rested properly and developed a sensitivity to cold. Whenever it got cold, my hands and feet would freeze easily, and I'd feel terrible all over.
Being trapped in such a cold place, it wasn't long before I felt dizzy and weak, with a dull pain in my lower abdomen.
I slowly slid down against the wall, curling up into a ball, trying to keep myself warm.
But the cold wind kept blowing.
My consciousness gradually began to blur. I thought of many things—my days at the orphanage, all the things that happened after I married James...
Memories flashed by one after another. Suddenly, I remembered—I hadn't divorced James yet.
Did this mean I couldn't escape James even in death?
I knew I couldn't just collapse like this. I had to find a way to call for help.
I struggled to stand up and used all my strength to keep pounding on the door, shouting, "Is anyone there? Open the door! Is anyone out there?"
I don't know how much time passed. I felt burning hot all over, yet my hands and feet were still ice-cold, and my consciousness grew more and more blurred.
My voice became hoarse and weak from the fever.
Who could hear me? Who would come save me?
I leaned against the door in despair and slowly slid to the ground.
I was both cold and hot, in unbearable pain.
I felt like I couldn't hold on much longer. Everything in front of me grew darker and darker until I completely lost consciousness.
When I woke up again, I saw Andrew's injured face.
James was also injured, just like Andrew.
"Sophia, you're awake. Are you thirsty? Hungry?" Andrew asked me with concern.
I opened my mouth. "How are you here?"
Andrew said he had something to discuss with me yesterday and tried calling me for a long time with no answer.
He got worried and came to school looking for me, only to find out I'd finished class long ago.
He kept calling while searching for me. After looking for a long time without finding me, he went to find James. They got into a fight, and James brought people to conduct a thorough search of the school before they finally found me.
I coughed a few times. "Someone deliberately sent me there. They wanted to hurt me."
"Do you remember what that person looked like?"
I nodded.
Andrew said, "Tell me, and I'll draw it."
He took out a blank notebook and a pencil and drew according to my description.
"I'll have someone take this sketch and find the person." Andrew made a phone call and called his assistant over.
James asked, "You're not going with them?"
Andrew looked at him. "I need to stay here and take care of Sophia."
"My wife isn't your responsibility to take care of." James emphasized the word "wife."
Andrew said sarcastically, "Is this how you take care of her as her husband? Look at how much she's suffered lately."
"What I do isn't for you to criticize."
They were at each other's throats, about to argue again. I shouted, "Shut up! If you want to fight, go outside."
"Sophia..."
"Andrew, I want to rest."
Andrew closed his mouth. "Mr. Smith, what are you still standing here for? Didn't you hear Sophia wants to rest?"
James gave me a meaningful look, then left with Andrew.
I really was tired. I closed my eyes and fell asleep again shortly after.