Chapter 44 Rescue

Chapter 44 Rescue
Kingsley's POV:

The moment I hung up Mark's call, the coldness from my fingertips spread through my veins to my heart.

In the engine's roar, I stared at the "call ended" display on my phone screen, my brow bone throbbing.

Something was wrong.

Mark was the most useless one in the Moore family, relying on his family's influence to fool around outside.

But every time he saw me, he didn't even dare look me in the eye, always keeping his distance. How dare he suddenly call me?

And what was this about "a woman who knows me"?

Moreover, when he mentioned that woman, the viciousness in his tone didn't seem fake. It sounded like he was holding back some urge to vent.

I almost instinctively dialed Erin's number again.

The receiver still gave me the cold "The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable."

That woman who knew me? Could it be Erin?

"Boss, we've arrived at the hospital."

The driver's voice pulled my thoughts back to reality.

I looked up at Talia curled up in the passenger seat, her face still pale, hands tightly clutching her abdomen.

I didn't think further, pushing open the car door and walking around to the passenger side to carry Talia horizontally.

She naturally leaned into my arms, her arms gently wrapping around my neck, her voice tearful.

"Kingsley, I'm so scared. The pain just now made me think I was going to die."

I responded expressionlessly, sending her into the emergency room before calling Samuel.

"Check on Mark from the Moore family immediately. I want to know where he is within half an hour. Also, trace Erin's whereabouts, focusing on whether she has any connection with Mark."

I lowered my voice, the urgency in my tone almost breaking.

"Remember, finding Erin is the highest priority."

The doctor's examination results came quickly. All indicators on the report showed normal.

"The patient has no organic lesions."

The doctor pushed his glasses, his tone certain.

"Based on the symptoms, it looks like gastric spasms caused by high mental stress. I'll prescribe some nerve-calming and stomach-nourishing medicine. Rest at home and she'll be fine."

"Since there's nothing wrong, I'll have the driver take you back."

I handed the medicine to Talia and turned to walk toward the door.

Erin's shadow lingered in my mind. Every second of delay made me feel she was one step closer to danger.

"Kingsley!"

Talia suddenly grabbed my wrist, looking at me with tearful eyes.

"I'm scared to go back alone. That pain was so terrifying. I'm afraid it might happen again on the way... Could you take me back? Just this once."

Her fingers were ice cold, her eyes full of pleading, reminding me of how she looked when she risked her life to warn me five years ago.

I closed my eyes, suppressing the anxiety in my heart.

I couldn't ignore the debt from that year, even knowing her current vulnerability might be fake.

"Let's go."

I turned and headed toward the parking lot first, my steps so fast I was almost running.

Just as the car left the hospital gates, Samuel's call came in.

The moment I answered, my knuckles turned white from gripping: "Speak."

"Sir, we found her! Miss Erin is currently in Mark's private apartment!"

Samuel's voice carried urgency.

"And we discovered that the Perez family and Moore family just reached a secret cooperation yesterday. The condition was... to arrange a marriage between Erin and Mark!"

"Bang!" I punched the steering wheel, the horn blaring sharply.

Mark's perverted tendencies were well known throughout high society.

He had tortured at least eight women, if not ten. With Erin in his hands, the consequences were unthinkable!

I suddenly turned to look at Talia in the passenger seat, the coldness in my eyes almost freezing her.

"What the hell is going on?! Did you participate in this cooperation between the Moore family and the Perez?"

Talia trembled all over from my stare, tears instantly flowing out.

"What cooperation? I don't know anything! Kingsley, although I'm from the Moore family, my father never lets me interfere with family business. This kind of cooperation... I've never even heard of it!"

She grabbed my arm, her nails almost digging into my flesh.

"Did my brother and the others do this?"

Looking at her panicked appearance, I remembered how she trembled all over when she ran to find me in the middle of the night five years ago, her eyes full of fear.

She had risked being abandoned by her family to save me then. She probably wouldn't participate in something like this now.

I took a deep breath, suppressing my anger.

"Send me the address, now!"

When the car stopped downstairs at Mark's apartment building, I practically jumped out and rushed in.

During the few seconds the elevator rose, my mind was filled with images of what Erin might be enduring.

My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe.

"Bang!" The people Samuel had arranged in advance kicked open the apartment door.

The living room was in chaos, with scattered clothes and broken glass cups everywhere.

The sounds coming from the bedroom made my eyes instantly turn red.

The moment I rushed in, I saw Mark pressing down on Erin.

Erin's clothes had been torn, revealing arms and back covered with crisscrossing wounds, some still bleeding.

Her eyes were unfocused, but her body kept struggling, weak moans escaping her mouth. The sight made my heart bleed.

"You're dead!"

I grabbed Mark's hair and threw him hard to the ground.

Before he could react, I lifted my foot and kicked toward his chest, using full force with each blow.

Mark's screams rose and fell, quickly turning into pleas for mercy.

"Cousin? Cousin-in-law? Stop hitting me, I was wrong! Cousin Talia, please help me beg for mercy!"

Talia followed me into the room. Seeing the scene in the bedroom, her face instantly turned pale and she instinctively stepped back.

Hearing Mark's plea for help, she bit her lip and shook her head.

"Mark, you did wrong. You should be punished."

I had no mind to deal with their exchange, my eyes only on Erin on the ground.

Only after I beat Mark until he was half-dead, collapsed on the ground without even the strength to groan, did I stop.

I turned and quickly walked to Erin's side.

"Erin, I'm here."

I carefully lifted her up, trying to avoid the wounds on her body.

Her body was very hot, as if she had a fever.

Hearing my voice, she slowly opened her eyes, still unfocused.

But when she saw my face clearly, she suddenly reached out and hooked her arm around my neck.

I quickly carried her to the car. Once in the car, she pressed her entire body into my arms.

Her soft, burning body unconsciously twisted and rubbed against mine.

She looked up and actively kissed me, while her restless little hand repeatedly caressed my penis...