Chapter 141

Ethan Sullivan had just opened the file when a sharp pain exploded in his leg. He sucked in a breath, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the armrest.

The pain came in relentless waves, growing more intense with each surge.

Cold sweat slid down his temples, soaking the back of his shirt. Trembling, he dialed Evelyn Sullivan's number. The moment he gasped out "Help me," darkness swallowed his vision.

When he opened his eyes again, night had fallen outside the window.

Evelyn was wringing out a warm towel. Seeing him awake, she immediately leaned over to check his forehead. "Still in pain?"

Ethan tried to move his leg but found his entire body weak. Frowning, he glanced at the acupuncture kit by the bed. "Dr. Evan was here?"

"Yes." Evelyn helped him sit up. "The nerve damage in your leg is worse than expected. You need complete bed rest."

After a moment of silence, Ethan suddenly grasped her hand. "Thank you."

Before Evelyn could respond, her phone rang. An unknown number.

"Evelyn! They—"

Sophia Reynolds' scream cut off abruptly, replaced by a man's curses and the dull thud of something heavy hitting the floor.

Evelyn's pupils constricted. She redialed, but the line was dead.

"What happened?" Ethan sensed the shift in her demeanor.

Evelyn was already grabbing her jacket. "Sophia's in danger."

"Wait!" Ethan struggled to get up but was forced back by a wave of dizziness. He immediately called Colin Keller. "Send men after Mrs. Sullivan—now!"

Under the cover of night, Evelyn's sports car shot onto the highway like an arrow. Her phone buzzed with a location—Royal Emperor Club.

She jerked the steering wheel, tires screeching against the pavement.

The eighth-floor hallway was carpeted in deep crimson. The moment Evelyn kicked open the private room door, the stench of alcohol and debauchery hit her.

As the lights flooded the space, she saw Sophia pinned to the couch, her dress torn, blood at the corner of her mouth.

"You're dead!" Evelyn snatched a bottle and smashed it over the attacker's head.

Amid the shattering glass, a one-eyed man shoved the woman in his lap aside and stood. "Who the hell are you?" He licked his gold tooth with a sneer. "Since you're here, you can join the fun."

Evelyn pulled Sophia behind her and cracked her knuckles.

"I'm in a hurry." Her icy gaze swept over the dozen thugs in the room. "Come at me together."