Mission: From Divorcee to Millionaire

Scorching blood splattered across her cheeks and clothes, leaving tiny red specks everywhere.

"James!"

Emily's voice trembled with shock as she called out.

Madeline stared in disbelief at James, who had suddenly appeared. His tall frame completely shielded Emily, sacrificing himself without a second thought. She couldn't wrap her mind around it, or maybe she just didn't want to accept it.

"Why?"

Her eyes burned with anger and resentment, her chest heaving with emotion.

"James, how can you be so cold to me but so devoted to Emily? What does she have that I don't?"

"Do you have any idea what that vicious woman did to me? Do you know how hard it was for me to survive and come back to see you? Look at me, James, look at me!"

She screamed hysterically, grabbing at James. His vision blurred, and the searing pain from his wound and heart threatened to knock him over, but he couldn't fall. If he did, Emily would be in danger.

James took a deep breath, summoning every ounce of strength, and suddenly turned, delivering a powerful kick to Madeline's abdomen. He didn't hold back, and Madeline flew back several feet, the knife clattering from her hand. She tried to get up and grab it, but the pain was paralyzing, making her feel like her bones might shatter.

James struggled to tip over a bucket

on the ground, grabbing Emily's wrist to help her crawl out. Then he knelt in front of her, working on untying the ropes around her hands. His hands shook violently, his body swaying uncontrollably, making every movement slow. Emily watched as blood continuously seeped from the wound on his back, staining his white shirt crimson.

Her eyes filled with tears. "James, are you okay?"

Madeline had meant to kill her; the stab was full-force, now buried in James's back, surely excruciating. James slowly shook his head, trying to indicate he was fine.

But how could he possibly be fine? Emily saw blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, and he stayed silent, likely afraid of coughing up more blood. Finally, the ropes were undone, and James couldn't hold on any longer, collapsing.

Emily instinctively caught him. "James, don't sleep, open your eyes!"

She tore a piece of her dress, pressing it against James's back to try to stop the bleeding, knowing he'd be lost if he bled too much. She thought, James must not have come alone to rescue her; others must be nearby. They just needed to meet up with them.

"James, hang in there. I'll get you out of here."noveldrama

Emily quickly freed her feet from the ropes, using all her strength to lift him, draping one of his arms over her shoulder. James's head fell weakly against her shoulder, and Emily's heart trembled violently, too scared to check if he was breathing.

Meanwhile, Madeline managed to push through the suffocating pain, forcing herself to stand. She fixed her gaze on James and Emily, watching their shared struggle and support for one another, recalling the past months of her own forment. She had cried for help to no avail.

Every day, she had hoped that James would come to rescue her. Just like three years ago when her father, a drunkard, had abused her, and James appeared out of nowhere, like a guardian angel. That drunken father, with just a flick of his arm, could fling him far away. James had saved her, taken her to the hospital, found her a new place to live, freeing her from her abusive father. She no longer needed to endure beatings and could finally live her life with dignity.