Chapter 167
Alexander didn't even glance at him. He seized the man's wrist and twisted hard.
A scream tore through the air as the arm bent at a grotesque angle—clearly broken.
Alexander shot a cool look at Butcher, whose face contorted in pain as his body involuntarily buckled to his knees. Eyes narrowing slightly, Alexander snatched the iron rod from his hand and swung it without hesitation, slamming it hard into the man's body.
"Ugh!"
The instant the searing pain hit, Butcher's expression changed. He collapsed to the ground.
After dealing with him, Alexander didn't spare him another glance. He walked straight toward Charlotte.
Charlotte watched as Alexander drew closer, and her entire body gradually relaxed.
She had to admit—she was genuinely surprised he'd gotten here so fast.
She opened her mouth, about to say something, when suddenly she felt herself sway.
Probably because she'd finally let her guard down, a wave of dizziness from deep in her brain made her stumble.
The next moment, a strong, steady arm caught her just in time, pulling her into an embrace.
Breathing in the faint fragrance mixed with the metallic tang of blood on her, Alexander felt a strange sense of having found something he'd lost.
"Am I... too late again? Are you—"
His voice was hoarse and strained. Looking down at her paper-white face, he reached out to touch her but hesitated, afraid of hurting her. His hand hung in midair.
Charlotte sensed his fear and worry. She pressed her lips together, her expression somewhat awkward.
Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to break free from the heavy atmosphere and lightly patted his shoulder.
"I'm fine. We should check on those... kids first. They're in bad shape."
Hearing her words, his gaze shifted to the children huddled in the corner, trembling.
Seeing them so thin and terrified, his eyes darkened further.
These people were worse than animals.
With that thought, Alexander clenched his jaw.
"Rhett."
A man in black tactical gear with a stern face walked over and bowed his head respectfully.
"Mr. Harris..."
"Contact the police and medical teams. Get the kids out safely and have doctors check them thoroughly."
Alexander's expression was deadly serious, his words coming fast.
"Also, look into each of their family backgrounds. If we can send them home, do it."
"If we can't find their families, send them to foster care. The Harris Group Foundation will cover everything they need."
"Yes, Mr. Harris."
Rhett nodded and hurried off.
After arranging everything, Alexander still didn't let go of Charlotte. Instead, he held her even tighter.
Right now, Alexander was shaken.
This time, Charlotte didn't struggle. The drug was still in her system, her legs weak, so she desperately needed something—someone—to lean on for now.
She rested against Alexander's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. Strangely, it calmed her. Her whole body relaxed.
"Who are these people?"
Hearing his question, Charlotte pressed her lips together, her eyes darkening.
"They're members of an organization called Bloodaxe. The leader's name is Butcher."
"Chloe worked with them. She had them kidnap me at the wedding."
Hearing 'Chloe's' name, Alexander's expression turned stormy. He hadn't expected that woman to still be making moves.
Rage surged through him, and his arms around Charlotte instinctively tightened. She let out a pained grunt, and Alexander immediately loosened his grip, his face full of regret.
"Did I hurt you?"
Charlotte shook her head. "I'm fine."
"Chloe also told them to sell me overseas—to make me disappear for good."
At those words, the fury in Alexander's heart could no longer be contained. A storm brewed in his dark eyes as his fists slowly clenched.
"Perfect. Chloe."
Charlotte heard the fury in his voice and knew Alexander was truly, genuinely angry this time.
And when he got angry, the consequences were unthinkable.
Soon, all the thugs were tied up, and the children were wrapped in blankets and carried out by the bodyguards.
At the dock, sirens and ambulances approached from the distance. The scene quickly became an organized flurry of activity.
Just then, Rhett hurried over, his expression grim.
"Mr. Harris, there's a hidden passage in the warehouse. That leader, Butcher... he got away."
Hearing this, Charlotte's brow furrowed immediately. She was clearly surprised.
"Butcher is ruthless and well-connected in the underworld."
"If he gets away, he could become a serious problem down the line."
Alexander knew Charlotte was worried. He gently rubbed her back.
"It's fine. Don't worry."
"He's just a rat in the gutter. He won't cause any real trouble."
"I'll handle this. You don't need to worry about it."
"But—"
Charlotte only got two words out before Alexander scooped her up in a bridal carry.
"The only thing you need to do right now is go to the hospital."
His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.
Charlotte had no choice but to let him have his way.
---
An hour later, in a super VIP suite at Imperial City's most exclusive private hospital.
Dr. Morris, the Harris family's personal physician, held a rush-ordered test report, his expression deeply serious.
He stared at it for a long moment, confirming he hadn't misread anything, before finally speaking.
"Mr. Harris, Ms. Johnson was injected with a specially modified neural inhibitor."
"In the underground world, this drug is called 'Ghost's Kiss.'"
"Its effects are extremely aggressive. It forcibly disrupts neural transmission, causing the victim to lose motor function in a short time, and their consciousness gradually fades."
"Most importantly, it has the potential to cause severe damage to the central nervous system."
Dr. Morris pushed up his glasses, his tone grave.
"Fortunately, Ms. Johnson got to the hospital in time. We immediately performed blood purification and administered blocking agents."
"If she'd arrived even an hour later, even if we'd saved her, there would have been a high probability of permanent side effects."
Alexander listened quietly. Though his back was to the light, his figure shrouded in shadow, the cold aura radiating from him was impossible to ignore.
"Thank you, Dr. Morris. I understand."
After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse.
"I'll leave her follow-up care in your hands."
"You're too kind, Mr. Harris. This is my job. Ms. Johnson has a strong constitution. With proper rest and care, she'll be fine."
Dr. Morris finished speaking and left the room with the nurses and attending physicians.
The door closed. Alexander walked to the bedside.
Charlotte was already asleep, but her sleep was restless, her brow furrowed.
The blood on her face had been completely cleaned away. Likely due to blood loss and the drug, her complexion was ghostly pale, and she looked utterly exhausted.
Alexander gazed at her in silence for a long time before slowly reaching out to touch her.
But his fingertips stopped just a centimeter from her cheek. His hand trembled slightly before he finally pulled it back.
Thinking back to what Dr. Morris had said, the rage in Alexander's chest boiled hotter and hotter, threatening to consume his sanity entirely.
He clenched his jaw and pulled out his phone, dialing a number.
"Did you find out?"