Chapter 3

The air in the private lounge froze instantly.

Serena stared at me, her chest heaving violently.

She strode over and grabbed my collar, pulling it so hard she nearly ripped my shirt apart.

"Are you really that desperate for money? To the point of throwing away your dignity?"

Forced to look up, I met her furious gaze.

"Can dignity pay for my sister's life?"

"If it can, Ms. Vance, give me a price. I’ll sell it to you by the pound."

Serena’s pupils dilated.

She let go of me instantly, as if she had been burned.

"Get him down," she ordered the bodyguards, her voice sounding raspy.

The moment the ropes were untied, my legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the floor.

The wound on my left shoulder was still bleeding, staining the expensive carpet.

Serena pulled out a checkbook, quickly scribbled a check for one million dollars, and walked over to me.

She didn't hand it to me.

Instead, she let it go. The check fluttered down, landing right in an ashtray filled with sharp, broken glass shards.

"Get it yourself," she said, looking down at me from above.

I didn't say a word.

Pushing myself up from the floor, I reached out my right hand and shoved it directly into the ashtray.

The sharp glass sliced into my fingers. Blood and ash mixed together instantly.

But I felt the paper.

I gripped the check tightly in my fist.

"Thank you for the charity, Ms. Vance."

Struggling to stay upright, I clutched my bleeding shoulder and took slow steps toward the exit.

"Hold on," Christian suddenly spoke up.

He stood up and walked over to block my path, a sneer on his face.

"Ethan, you got your dirty blood all over Serena's carpet. Do you really think you can just walk away?"

"Get on your knees and clean the carpet."

I stopped and looked back at Serena.

She stood in the shadows, making no attempt to stop him.

She was allowing it.

I looked down at the blood-stained check in my hand.

One million dollars.

My sister Lily was waiting for this money in the ICU to stay alive.

I closed my eyes, and my knees slowly began to bend.

Just as my knees were about to hit the floor, the heavy door of the VIP lounge was kicked open with a loud bang.

Fiona Sterling strode in, wearing a long black trench coat, carrying the cold wind of the storm with her.

She immediately saw me swaying on my feet, and the shocking amount of blood on my shoulder.

"Ethan!"

Fiona rushed over, catching me before I fell, and pressed her trench coat against my bleeding shoulder to stop the bleeding.

She spun around, glaring at Serena with eyes like daggers.

"Serena Vance, do you even have a soul?!"

Seeing Fiona holding me, Serena's eyes turned to ice instantly.

"Fiona, this is a private matter between Ethan and me. It's none of your business."

"Private?" Fiona sneered. "You mutilated him! This is aggravated assault! Ethan, let’s go. We’re calling the cops."

I grabbed Fiona’s arm and shook my head weakly.

"Fiona, please... take me to the hospital."

"My sister is waiting."

I couldn't call the police.

If the police got involved, Serena had a hundred ways to make sure that check got frozen, and I would never see a single dime.

Fiona looked at my pale face, a flash of deep heartache in her eyes.

She wrapped my arm around her shoulder and helped me walk out.

"Ethan Reed! If you walk out that door with her tonight, you won’t get a single penny of this money!" Serena’s furious voice roared from behind us.

Leaning against Fiona, I didn’t look back.

"Ms. Vance, I already have the check."

"The transaction is complete. We owe each other nothing."