I signed the special appointment agreement.
I solemnly promised Gillian, saying, "No matter what happened between us, I will work with an objective and fair mindset."
"I trust you, Dr. Norris."
"Thank you."
With the weighty appointment letter in hand, I returned to my place. Nicolas probably still didn't know he lost the position and was basking in the joy of becoming a special consultant of the Ford Pharmaceutical Group.
But his sweet dream was about to shatter.
The next day, I set off two hours early to attend the Premier Medical Summit.
Just as I stepped out of the neighborhood, a hand suddenly covered my mouth and nose and dragged me into a car.
The vehicle sped towards the outskirts, and I was tied up and gagged.
But I recognized the driver. It was Nicolas's assistant, Richard Norris.
He gave me a smile and said, "Nice to see you again, Mrs. Shaw. You hid well. It took me quite an effort to find out where you live."
My eyes widened. Nicolas had found where I lived.
Damn it!
Richard parked the car in front of an abandoned house, and two men dragged me out of the car.
Nicolas was waiting there for me.
He scrutinized me seriously. "I didn't expect that you weren't out living on the streets."
I glared at him defiantly. "What do you want?"
Nicolas's gaze was venomous. "Lorna, only your death will keep you silent forever and ensure you never have the chance to expose me."
He pushed me into the wooden house and drenched the door with gasoline. Then he set it ablaze. "Lorna, take those recordings to your grave."
The thick black smoke choked me and brought tears to my eyes, but I knew I couldn't panic now.
I had to stay calm so that I might have a chance of survival.
I desperately worked to free my bound hands.
I had anticipated that Nicolas might seek revenge, so I had set Jase as my emergency contact.
When I was in danger, pressing the emergency call button on my watch would automatically send my location to Jase.
I had already pressed the emergency button in the car, and Jase should have received my location by now.
I pressed the call button on my smartwatch again, and Jase quickly answered, "Lorna, don't be afraid. I'm on my way."
Hearing his anxious voice, I strangely felt reassured.
I believed Jase was reliable, and he must be rushing over.
True to form, in less than five minutes, he arrived swiftly, guided by the location. I heard someone outside desperately breaking the lock with a stone.
When he rescued me, I saw his fingers were bleeding.
I gave him a grateful look. "Thank you."
"You are welcome," Jase replied, looking at me with concern.
Jase was always a quiet and gentle guy. It was the first time I saw anger on his face.
"He actually tried to kill you." Jase's voice carried undisguised disdain and hostility towards Nicolas.
I said, "He's afraid I'll expose him. He's terrified of losing everything he has now."
Jase glanced at his watch and said, "We can still make it to the venue. I'll drive you there."
"But my face is a mess, and my clothes are a mess."
"I've got a dress for you."
Jase retrieved a high-fashion gown from the trunk, adorned with diamonds and dazzlingly beautiful.
I was amazed. "When did you borrow this dress?"
Jase shook his head and said, "I didn't borrow it. I had it custom-made for you three years ago."
I was even more shocked. "You had it made for me?"
"Three years ago, when I returned from an internship abroad, I wanted to give it to you." Jase looked disappointed. "But I didn't expect you to be married by then, so I didn't disturb you. Now, it finally has a chance to be of use."
He handed me the dress and said, "Try it on and see how it looks."
Jase waited outside the car while I changed into the dress inside. Surprisingly, it fit me perfectly.
Jase wiped the dirt off my face with a wet wipe and said, "You look beautiful. I'll take you to the venue now, Lorna. You can achieve what you set out to do."
"I don't know how to express my gratitude..."
"Then don't." Jase's driving skills were excellent, and he drove us smoothly and quickly to the venue.
