Chapter 4
I woke in a hospital bed, my assistant Lauren Dent slumped in the chair beside me, her eyes so swollen she looked like she'd been crying for hours.
"Ms. Carter, you're awake!" She leaned forward, relief washing over his tired face. "The doctor said you collapsed from exhaustion and low blood sugar."
Trying to move my fingers, I felt hollow, as if all my strength had been siphoned away.
Every failed system task was stealing my life, the countdown shrinking faster than I could bear.
Passive waiting wasn't an option anymore.
My first act after discharge was to leverage the millions from my previous investment to force my way into a resort development project James' company was spearheading in the city's western outskirts.
As the lead investor, I had the perfect excuse for an on-site inspection and moved into the hotel adjacent to the construction zone.
Coincidentally, James had taken up residence in the same hotel for work convenience.
Even more coincidentally, Emily had recently moved in to stay with him.
Watching the two of them always together, I started plotting my next move.
Since subtlety and force had both failed, it was time to try something unconventional.
From a high-end wellness boutique, I procured an assortment of top-tier supplements touted for boosting energy, enhancing focus, combating fatigue, and regulating bodily rhythms.
Then, I discreetly bribed the hotel's kitchen staff to add a little something extra to James and Emily's daily meals—a vitality booster in the soup one day, an endurance blend sprinkled over their entrees the next.
And to make sure nothing went wrong, I personally hovered around the kitchen, supervising every step.
One afternoon, I was hovering near the kitchen entrance, watching as a chef ladled a dark, fragrant herbal broth into a thermal carafe destined for James' suite.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over me.
"Rebecca, what are you doing here?" James demanded.
I spun around to find James towering over me, his expression one of pure, unadulterated suspicion.
My heart leaped into my throat. I hastily shoved the bag of supplements behind my back. "Nothing! Just... checking on the project catering. Making sure everything's up to standard."
His gaze shifted past me, narrowing on the steaming carafe. "And that is?"
The chef, eager to please, chimed in, "That's the special tonic soup Ms. Carter arranged for you and Mrs. Sterling, sir. Full of nourishing ingredients."
James' eyes sharpened into blades. He closed the distance, backing me against the cool tile wall.
"A special tonic? What's your game this time, Rebecca? Poison?"
I retorted, my voice tighter than I intended, "Don't be ridiculous! It's all beneficial—for stamina, for vitality! I'm trying to help you!" And save my own skin.
"Help me?" A cold laugh escaped him. He grasped my chin, forcing my head up until our eyes met. His breath was warm against my skin. "Are you trying to kill me, or are you trying to..."
He left the sentence hanging, but the implication in his gaze was unmistakable.
We were way too close, our breaths almost mixing. I could see his long lashes up close and the storm of emotions hidden deep in his eyes.
My heart skipped a beat.
"What is going on here?" Emily's voice suddenly sliced through the tension like a shard of ice.
She stood a few paces away, her face bloodless. The fruit tray in her hands slipped, crashing to the floor. Oranges scattered, rolling across the tiles.
James released me instantly, turning toward her. "Emily, it's not what it looks like," he said, his tone urgent.
Emily didn't even look at him. Her eyes were fixed on me—full of shock, hurt, and a hint of despair I couldn't quite place.
"Rebecca, I thought... I thought you just wanted to beat him in business. I never imagined you would..." she whispered, her voice shaking.
Her words dissolved into a choked silence. Turning around, she fled down the corridor.
"Emily!" James shouted, rushing after her.
Once again, I was left behind, feeling like a foolish clown standing alone.
Inside my head, the system's alarm went off, shrill and piercing.
"Warning! Warning! Target has had an emotional meltdown! Unknown system error! Recalibrating mission.
"New mission: Uncover what's really going on with Emily's health."
What health issue? Wasn't the mission about getting them to have a baby?
Why did this suddenly turn into a mystery investigation?
As I stood there, still confused, James' assistant came rushing over, clearly in a panic.
"Ms. Carter, bad news! Ms. Lane... she just passed out! They've already rushed her to the hospital!"
*****
My head buzzed, like I'd just been hit with a shockwave.
When I rushed to the hospital with his assistant, James was sitting outside the ER, looking like his soul had been sucked out. He was slumped on a bench, completely defeated.
The usual cold, intimidating aura around him was gone, replaced by a kind of vulnerability and helplessness I'd never seen before.
At the sight of me, his head snapped up. His eyes burned, crimson threads lacing the whites, and an aura of fierce desperation clung to him—the look of a man with his back to the wall.
He stormed over and grabbed me by the collar, his voice rough and hoarse.
"Was it you? What the hell did you do to her?" James demanded.
His hands were shaking, but his grip was surprisingly strong.
"I didn't do anything!" I choked out, struggling to breathe. "What I gave her... it was just supplements!"
"Supplements?" He let out a hollow, bitter laugh. "She can't take things like that—don't you understand?"
I was totally lost. I couldn't even process what was happening.
Just then, the ER doors swung open. A doctor stepped out, mask lowered, expression grave.
"Mr. James, the patient's condition is serious. She has a congenital myocardial bridge—she must avoid all stimulants and blood-thinning agents. This episode triggered acute heart failure. Fortunately, she arrived in time," he said quietly.
The doctor paused, then looked James straight in the eye and added, "With her health, getting pregnant or having a child could put her life at serious risk. You... need to be ready for that."
James swayed on his feet, barely able to stay upright.
I was struck dumb, frozen in place like I'd just been hit by lightning.
She couldn't get pregnant? 'So my system mission was doomed from the very beginning?
James turned to face me, his eyes hollow and haunted.
There was no anger left—just a bleak, hopeless emptiness.
He released me and stepped back, as if every ounce of strength had drained from his body. Then, with all he had left, he said, "Get out."
My mind was wiped clean, and the only thing I could hear was the system's icy voice in my head.
Core mission logic error. Rebooting system... Detected key hidden info... Unlocking..."
I stumbled out of the hospital, lost in the crowd on the busy street, feeling like my whole world was spinning out of control.
Just then, my phone buzzed—a text from an unknown number.
I opened it, and my breath caught.
Two words stared back: [Help me.]
The sender was Emily.