Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Hazel and I were sitting in a dessert shop, enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

The shop was filled with a sweet aroma. I stirred the ice cream in front of me, chatting and laughing with Hazel.

Suddenly, the shop door was kicked open, and a group of thugs rushed in.

Before I could even look up, I heard the chaotic sounds of a fight.

I turned to look and saw George and Raymond already surrounded by several men.

They fought back hard, but the other side had more people and guns. The two were quickly losing ground.

I watched all this, and my mind went blank. Before I could figure out what was happening, I felt someone grab me from behind.

A cloth with a sharp smell covered my nose and mouth. I struggled a few times, then everything went black.

When I woke up again, I found myself in a dark, abandoned factory.

The air was filled with a mix of rust and rot, gloomy and oppressive.

I looked around and saw five big, muscular men staring at me with bad intentions, their eyes full of naked greed.

I secretly bit my tongue to force myself to stay calm. "Who... who are you?"

I couldn't panic now. I had to stall for time and wait for James to rescue me.

One of the men with tattoos all over his arms spat to the side and cursed: "The kind that'll rock your world so hard you'll never forget it!"

After saying that, he bent down, reached out his rough hands, and pressed down on my shoulders.

I suppressed my disgust and pretended to be submissive, saying softly: "Sir, don't rush... There are so many of you, I'll definitely give in, but can you let me catch my breath first? I'm so scared..."

The tattooed man paused, probably not expecting me to give in so quickly.

He looked me over, loosened his grip a bit, and showed a lewd smile: "Alright, pretty girl, be smart, and you'll suffer less."

I took a deep breath to make my voice sound more gentle: "Sir, how did you find me?"

While talking, I quietly observed my surroundings, looking for a chance to escape.

The tattooed man said proudly: "Someone dropped ten million bucks for us to give you some real special 'attention'."

I kept chatting with them like this, and time slowly passed.

Finally, their patience ran out.

The tattooed man said impatiently, "Damn it, I've been talking to you for so long, stop playing innocent!"

He reached out again to tear my clothes.

My heart tightened. As he got close, I suddenly used all my strength and bit down hard on his hand.

The tattooed man cried out in pain and cursed: "You bitch!"

He raised his hand and slapped me.

My head jerked to the side from the hit. Ignoring the pain, I saw my chance and raised my knee to hit him in the groin.

They were enraged by this and rushed at me together, punching and kicking.

Sharp pain came from all over my body. I held onto someone's ear tightly and bit down with all my strength, my mouth filling with the taste of blood.

The man screamed in pain and kicked me away.

I fell hard to the ground, with several new injuries on my body. My hair was messy and my clothes were torn.

They didn't stop and continued punching and kicking me. Each kick felt like it would kill me.

James's POV

I had just finished listening to Kai's work report when his phone rang.

Kai turned to answer the call. After hearing just one sentence from the other end, his expression immediately became serious.

He looked at me and said quickly: "Mr. Smith, Ms. Thorne has been kidnapped."

Hearing this, my hand holding the cup trembled violently, and hot water spilled onto the table.

In an abandoned factory somewhere in Phoenix City.

A sharp gunshot broke the silence.

Then came a man's painful scream.

A bullet shot out and hit the tattooed man's shoulder precisely.

Bright red blood spurted from his shoulder, and a few drops splattered on Ella's face.

Ella, on the verge of collapse, looked toward the sound. Her gaze passed over those men and saw me standing behind them.

I stood there with my right hand raised, gripping a gun tightly.

Seeing her face covered in injuries, my heart ached.

It was all my fault for being useless. I said I would protect her, but I let her fall into danger again and again.

The moment she saw me, Ella's emotions completely broke down, and tears poured from her eyes like a dam bursting.

The tattooed man's arm was shot. In pain, he instinctively let go of Ella beneath him.

Breaking free, she immediately rolled over and ran toward me desperately.

Her soft cry of "James" seemed to carry endless grievance, piercing straight through my chest and hitting my heart.

I put away the gun in my right hand and reached out to hold this frightened woman tightly.

Ella buried her head in my chest, her body trembling slightly, letting out low sobs.

I gently wiped the blood from her face with my sleeve, my voice hoarse: "Sweetie, I'm sorry, I came too late."

At this moment, Kai rushed over with people and quickly restrained the five men who had tried to assault Ella.

I rubbed Ella's head, my gaze coldly sweeping over those five men.

My pupils contracted slightly, and a sharp, cold light flashed in my eyes.

After confirming she wasn't seriously hurt, I said softly to her in my arms, "You go back with Kai first to get bandaged up. I still have some things to handle."

Ella pulled away from my embrace and nodded with pursed lips.

Kai walked over and led Ella outside.

Only after they had gone far did I slowly walk toward those five men, radiating intense killing intent.

I stomped down hard, stepping directly on the tattooed man's head and grinding his face against the ground.

The rough ground was quickly stained red with splotches of blood.

"I can't even bear to touch a hair on her head."

"You sons of bitches are really asking for death!"

The surroundings instantly fell silent, and endless murderous intent spread through the air.

"Who sent you?" I looked at those men, the anger in my voice barely contained.

They all trembled but didn't dare make a sound.

I pressed the gun against the tattooed man's head, veins bulging on the back of my hand.

A pool of fresh blood gushed out, staining the ground at my feet red.

The bullet pierced the tattooed man's head, and he died on the spot.

"I'll ask one more time," I pressed the gun barrel against the head of the man next to him, "Who sent you?"

The man with the gun to his head cried out in fear: "Catherine."

My right hand gripping the gun tightened, my knuckles turning a cold white. "What did she tell you to do?"

"She told us to catch that woman, no matter what," the man swallowed and continued, "and torture her to death."

I roared at those behind me: "Go bring her here!"

George and Raymond responded in unison.

Half an hour later, Catherine was brought to the abandoned factory.

She glanced at the tattooed man with his head blown off on the ground, then turned to look at me. "James, what are you going to do?"

"What am I going to do?" I laughed coldly, my smile extremely dark. "I'd like to ask you, what did you want to do?"

Catherine still looked at me calmly, even showing a charming smile on her face.

She twisted her waist and walked toward me, her voice deliberately soft and sweet: "James, since we last met, I've been thinking about you constantly. It's like I'm possessed."

She got closer and closer, and a heavy perfume smell came with her.

Catherine's hand touched my arm, her fingertips tracing over it.

"I know a man as irresistible and charming as you must have no shortage of women."

"I thought you were cold and heartless to everyone, but I didn't expect you to care so much about that woman from Astoria, even taking her everywhere you go."

Catherine looked up at me, her eyes somewhat fanatical: "You always bring her along, but what does she know? She doesn't understand you at all. Everything I've done is because I like you too much."

"Only I deserve you. James, give me a chance to prove it to you."

After speaking, Catherine leaned forward, almost pressing against me, showing off her full chest. She had a confident smile on her face, waiting for me to speak.