Chapter 3
I saw Upton again at a bar.
It was our hospital’s department party. Our private room happened to be right next to Upton’s group.
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My colleague Lucas Roberts, after drinking, saw Donna passing by in the hallway and asked for her contact information. Donna slapped him directly across the face.
This brought everyone out of both private rooms.
In the crowd, I immediately spotted Upton, who commanded everyone’s automatic deference.
Donna immediately threw herself into his arms, saying, “Upton, someone was harassing me.”
Lucas protested, “I just wanted your contact information, miss. Why did you hit me? You could have just refused.”
Upton, leading the opposing group, looked furious.
I clenched my fists tightly.
Our supervisor Tom finally recognized that the other party was Upton and quickly stepped forward to restrain Lucas.
This is Mr. Collins, CEO of Collins Group. Apologize to
“Shut up.
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Miss Edwards immediately.”
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After being scolded, Lucas sobered up considerably, but he was still too young and continued defending himself.
“Mr. Collins, I don’t think I need to apologize. I didn’t harm Miss Edwards. I swear, I’m telling the truth.”
I was very worried about Lucas. He didn’t know that every word he spoke could cost him dearly.
“Is that so? You’re saying Donna is framing you?” Upton asked displeasedly.
Upton’s anger was terrifying. No one in the entire hallway dared
to move.
“Apologize quickly.” Tom scolded Lucas, then bowed apologetically to Upton, “Mr. Collins, he just graduated and has an impulsive personality.”
But Lucas stubbornly refused to apologize.
“Take him to our room,” Upton instructed the people beside him.
Lucas said, “What are you going to do? Let me go.”
Lucas hadn’t been inside for even a minute when agonized screams came from within.
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Tom panicked but still couldn’t stop Upton. The others didn’t dare speak up either. No one dared offend New York’s most powerful businessman.
When I started work, Lucas had helped me with procedures. Though I sympathized with Lucas, I was powerless to help.
Unexpectedly, Upton released Donna, glanced at me, walked up to me, and stared at me intently.
He asked, “Hailey, what’s going on here?”
I didn’t understand what he meant, but I still believed Lucas and wanted to take this chance to save him.
I said, “Mr. Collins, I believe what Lucas said. He’s already been slapped. He doesn’t need to apologize anymore, does he?”
After speaking, I felt nothing but fear.
Upton smiled. I thought he was willing to believe my words, but instead he said, “Hailey, you instructed him to harass Donna, didn’t you? You still haven’t changed, always scheming to harm others. If we hadn’t been here today, what would your drunk colleague have done to Donna?”
I was stunned. Not only did Upton not believe my words, he even thought Lucas’s behavior was my doing.
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Upton’s aggressive presence made me unsteady on my feet.
“Mr. Collins, I wouldn’t dare,” I managed to stand, saying with a bitter smile.
But Upton still wouldn’t let me go. He stared directly into my eyes, and I felt some pain in my abdomen.
Upton said, “Three years ago, you dared to push Donna down the stairs. Three years later, you’re just pretending to be weak. You can’t fool me.”
He pressed my head directly against the wall. I couldn’t move.
My colleagues were stunned. Tom stepped forward, but Upton shouted harshly, “Get lost.”
No one dared approach anymore.
I looked at those familiar friends behind me. Three years ago when Upton kicked me to the ground, they had watched me with the same cold indifference.
Looking at the person in front of me who seemed to want to kill me, I suddenly felt so tired. I laughed and simply admitted it.
“Yes, Mr. Collins. I instructed Lucas, so stop beating him and let him out. Let me go in instead. Just beat me to death.”
I became more agitated as I spoke. Lucas’s screams grew louder
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and louder.
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I stared directly into his eyes and said, “Did you hear that? I said
I instructed Lucas. Come hit me then.”
Though I was so angry, I kept crying.
My plan didn’t succeed. Lucas was beaten badly.
On my way back, I walked along the riverside.
A car suddenly stopped beside me, and I was dragged into it.
Three tall, burly men sat in the car.
I screamed for help, but someone knocked me unconscious with a slap.
When I woke up, I found myself in a strange, cold villa.
“Where is this? Who are you?”
There were people in the room, but no one answered me.
I reached for my phone. It was still there. I quickly pulled out my phone.
But my first instinct wasn’t to call the police–instead, I sent an email to that online friend with the black avatar.
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a f f f
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Chapter 3
I was trembling all over.
“Mr. Collins, she’s not using her phone to call the police, is she?”
I nervously looked up and saw that the person who entered was actually Upton.
I was stunned.
He walked over coldly. I became even more frightened and hurriedly sent another email.
But I got no response.
My phone was snatched away.
“What are you sending?”
I had locked my phone screen. Without my fingerprint, Upton couldn’t unlock my phone.
I demanded, “Upton, why did you kidnap me and bring me here?”
He just stared at me coldly.
Upton was too tall. Trapped on the sofa, I noticed my clothes had slipped down to my shoulders. I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination, but I felt him staring intently at my shoulders.
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I quickly pulled my clothes tight and said angrily, “What are you looking at?”
Perhaps this was the first time I’d spoken so harshly to Upton since I’d started liking him.
I was truly terrified.
I thought, “Where is this place? What does he want to do?”
But he completely ignored me and headed straight upstairs.
I grabbed the phone from the table and was about to run outside.
The bodyguard at the door blocked me.
I turned back to look.
Upton stood in the middle of the staircase, watching me.
He said, “Don’t waste your energy. This is my territory. Without my permission, you can’t leave.”
I said helplessly, “What exactly do you want? It’s late now, I need to go home.”
Upton said, “I told Richard I needed to see you about something. He agreed.”
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Richard actually knew I’d been taken away by Upton.
