Chapter 4

After leaving the hospital, I called my lawyer.

"That agreement—when does it take effect?"

"Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. The assets will automatically transfer to your account."

After hanging up, I booked myself a flight out.

My phone buzzed. Eva had sent a message: *"George, stop being angry, okay? I'll spend some money at the hospital, pull some strings to smooth things over."* *"You'll still be the attending physician. No one can touch your position. Just don't hurt Chris."*

I didn't reply. Instead, I deleted all her contact information.

Early the next morning, I was dragging my suitcase to the airport when Eva suddenly appeared, her hand clamping down on my wrist like a vice.

"Was it you?"

Before I could speak, I was roughly shoved into the back seat by her two men.

I was dragged to a mountaintop, yanked from the car like a dead weight.

"You released that surveillance footage online, didn't you? George, when did you become so disobedient? I already told you I'd handle your situation. Why did you have to smear Chris?"

"To teach you not to be so clever in the future, you're going to the bungee platform to cool off!"

I froze. This wasn't my doing at all.

But she gave me no chance to explain, ordering them to tie me up directly.

The rope tightened. I was hoisted up, suspended outside the bungee platform hundreds of meters high.

Terror crashed over me like a tidal wave.

She knew I was afraid of heights.

As a child, when my father's promotion made others jealous, I was kidnapped and pushed from a tall building.

Though there was an air cushion below, the sensation of weightlessness and near-death became a nightmare I couldn't escape for years.

She knew all of this.

"No! Eva! I'm scared! Please!"

I struggled desperately.

She walked coldly to the platform edge, looking down at me.

"George, if you do something wrong, you must accept punishment."

"Do you know? You drove Chris to the point of suicide! If I hadn't discovered it early, he'd be a puddle of flesh right now!"

"I clearly told you how important he is to me. Why do you insist on hurting him?"

She waved her hand.

The next second, I was shoved down hard.

The rope bound to my ankles snapped taut with tremendous force, violently stopping my plummeting body.

Then brutally yanking me back up!

I hadn't finished coughing from breaking the water's surface before the weightless sensation hit again.

I don't know how many times I was tortured like this.

Just as my consciousness was fading, my phone received a text message.

*[Congratulations, George. Your agreement officially took effect today at 9:00 AM. All contracted assets have been transferred to your designated account.]*

I forced out a bitter smile.

Above, Eva seemed satisfied. Before leaving, she instructed her subordinate: "Let him stay here overnight. Release him after he's calmed down."

She left with her people.

As soon as she was gone, the man above began cutting the rope with a knife.

The rope grew thinner and thinner.

It snapped. My entire body crashed toward the water's surface.

Lake water flooded my ears and nose.

Was I going to die?

The next day, at the hospital.

Eva had cared for Chris all night.

Once he fell asleep, she rubbed her temples.

"Release George. One night should be enough for him to clear his head."

Just then, her assistant rushed in, panic written across her face.

"Eva! The sir is missing! We only found cut rope at the bungee platform—the person's gone!"

"Also, the bank urgently notified us that all your accounts, equity, and assets were completely cleared and transferred at nine o'clock this morning! The accounts are empty now!"

The bowl in Eva's hand fell to the floor. All color drained from her face.