Chapter 79

Chapter 79

I suddenly remembered that when I tried calling Lucy before, it kept saying the call couldn't go through. I didn't think much of it at the time, assuming she just had a bad signal.

But how could she end up here?

What exactly happened to her?

James looked into my eyes and asked in a flat tone, "Why should I save her?"

That question caught me completely off guard.

James said dismissively, "In this world, everyone has their own survival rules. I have no reason to break someone else's survival rules."

Hearing this, my nose suddenly tingled.

I didn't understand his talk about survival rules. All I knew was that as a friend, I couldn't just stand by and watch Lucy be treated so cruelly.

I gripped James's clothes tightly, and in my desperation, blurted out, "But haven't you been breaking my survival rules all along?"

Hearing that, James's eyes clearly darkened.

I kept pleading stubbornly, "James, please save Lucy, okay? I'm begging you."

If we didn't save Lucy now, it would really be too late.

James gently wiped away the tears spilling from the corner of my eye with his fingertip, but his voice carried no warmth, "Ella, listen to me. With me, don't ever talk to me about your life principles. You need to understand, I am the rule that controls everything about you."

With that, he turned to look at Kai.

Kai understood immediately and walked back to the restaurant.

Ten minutes later, James sat at a spot by the restaurant entrance, with Kai standing beside him.

And dozens of feet away from them, I gently draped my jacket over Lucy's thin shoulders.

"Lucy," I helped tidy the hair falling around her temples, "how did you end up here?"

Looking at her, I realized how much weight Lucy had lost in such a short time. Her face, which used to be so full of life, was now filled with exhaustion and weariness, with bruises still visible on her cheekbones and around her mouth.

Lucy clutched the jacket tightly around herself, her face pale, "Ella, I..."

She hesitated to continue.

I asked worriedly, "What happened?"

Lucy hesitated for a long time before slowly speaking, "I was looking for work before. They said there was a job with good pay, and I really needed money, so I agreed. Then they tricked me into coming here. They forced me to work at bars, scamming customers for money, with daily quotas. If I didn't meet them, I'd get beaten. They also took my passport, so I couldn't escape. I tried calling the police, but the cops here don't care at all. Then they caught me again and kept beating me..."

By the end, Lucy's voice was choked with tears.

Hearing what Lucy went through and seeing the bruises on her face, my heart ached.

Back when Lucy helped out at my studio, she was always so energetic, like she had endless energy.

But now, she was like a flower battered by a storm, fragile and broken.

Seeing Lucy in such a difficult state, I really wanted to comfort her, but didn't know where to start.

I also wanted to help her. After all, she was the first person in Phoenix City who was genuinely kind to me.

But I was trapped myself right now—how could I help her?

If I asked James again, would he agree?

Would he get angry again?

Thinking about this, I couldn't help but bite my lip and sneak a glance at James sitting by the door.

On his stern face, his blue eyes were fixed on me, the emotions in them hard to read.

We weren't that far apart, so he should have heard my conversation with Lucy just now.

Seeing me looking at him, he hopefully knew what I was thinking: "Want to take her with you?"

He asked.

I pressed my lips together and said quietly, "Can I?"

James looked at me, took a deep breath, his tone full of resignation, "Ella, this is the last time I'm allowing you to get involved in other people's business."

I stared at him blankly.

Then he stood up, his tone impatient, "If we don't leave now, it'll be dark by the time we get there."

"Oh, okay." I quickly snapped back to reality and helped Lucy follow him.

James turned and walked out of the lounge.

Kai waited until Lucy and I left before following.

The helicopter landed on the helipad at The Smith Manor.

As soon as we got off, James told Kai to take Lucy away.

Although I was a bit worried that James would get angry, I didn't dare ask questions.

For someone like him who doesn't like getting involved in other people's business, bringing Lucy back was probably already his limit, right?

James had Kai drive me to school.

But that car was way too fancy—I didn't want to be so high-profile on my first day.

I had Kai stop the car about a hundred yards from the school gate.

As soon as the car stopped, I pushed open the door, grabbed my bag, and walked toward the school entrance.

Because James specifically told him to make sure I got to school safely, and we were still some distance from the school, Kai wasn't comfortable with it and got out to follow me.

Just then, I heard a familiar phrase in Astorian.

I immediately turned around and met a pair of surprised eyes. I recognized the person, "Hazel?"

Hazel walked up to me, her voice excited, "It really is you! I thought I was seeing things!"

I nodded, "It's me."

Hazel linked her arm through mine as we walked, but her eyes kept glancing back at Kai.

Hazel asked, "Ella, didn't you say last time you applied for a dorm? Why are you coming from this direction?"

"Well..." I hesitated.

Hazel noticed I seemed uncomfortable and laughed it off, "If it's not convenient to say, that's fine. Forget I asked."

I explained, "It's not that it's inconvenient."

I just didn't know how to explain it or where to start.

When we reached the school gate, I turned back and nodded at Kai to thank him for bringing me.

Kai nodded back at me.

Watching us walk through the gate, he finally left.

Hazel kept turning back as we walked, and only when Kai was out of sight did she ask excitedly, "Ella, who was that handsome guy who brought you here?"

I thought about how to describe our relationship, "I guess... a friend?"

Hazel immediately asked, "Boyfriend?"

I quickly shook my head, "No."

"Does he have a girlfriend?"

I suddenly understood, "Don't tell me you've fallen for him?"

Hazel nodded eagerly, "How can it be such a coincidence—he's exactly my type."

I didn't know how to respond for a moment.

Hazel grabbed my hand, "Ella, tell me quick, does he have a girlfriend or not?"

I paused, "That... I'm not really sure either."

Hazel looked surprised, "What? But aren't you guys friends?"

I said helplessly, "Hazel, our relationship is a bit complicated, not easy to describe."

Hazel pouted, showing she understood, "Okay then."

I frowned, "But I can ask him for you next time if he has a girlfriend."

Hazel's face immediately lit up with a smile, "Really?"

I nodded, and we walked toward the academic building together.

"By the way, Ella," Hazel suddenly remembered something, "who was that person who carried you away at school last time?"