Chapter 36

Chapter 36 Jason abruptly looked up, staring coldly at Eric, his face dark. ‘Did I hear wrong, or did you misspeak?”

Eric swallowed hard, steeling himself. “I didn’t misspeak, and you heard right. He indeed demanded that Mrs. Wilson spend a night with him and promised he’d sign the contract right after that.”

With a loud “bang, Jason’s hand slammed down on the coffee table, rattling the cups on top. ‘Has George lost his mind? With all the young, beautiful ladies around, he goes after a married woman. How dare he make such a demand?

It’s a slap in the face, no man could stand for that,” he thought angrily to himself.

“Did he give any reason? To my knowledge, it’s his first visit to Rathland, and he hasn’t even seen Sophia. How on earth could he take such a liking to her that he’d ask for her in particular?” Jason tried to suppress his rising anger.

Eric glanced down, avoiding those anger–filled eyes, I’ve had someone look into it. Mrs. Wilson spent a good half–year in Eindlo for treatment before marrying you. It was then she met George. As for what happened between them, further investigation is required. Right now, though, we need a plan for how to handle his outrageous demand, especially with how crucial this project is to breaking into the Eekeind and Greland markets.”

“Plant” Jason sneered coldly. “What’s to plan? Am I supposed to send my wife to someone else’s bed? Tell him if he’s earnest about collaborating. that’s great, but if not, then forget it.”

Eric nodded and turned to leave the room.

But just as he reached the door, Jason, still seated on the couch, called out, “Hold on, let me mull this over. Don’t rush with the reply. Tell him I’ll think about it and get back to him in a couple of days”

A hint of surprise flickered in Eric’s eyes. “Mr. Wilson wouldn’t really consider using Mrs. Wilson as a bargaining chip, would he? I get that the partnership is a big deal, but what George is asking for is downright shameless; no self–respecting man would agree to that, he thought.

“Mr. Wilson, are you Before Eric could finish, Jason raised his hand, cutting him off. “Do as I said. No more words necessary.”

Eric left the office in silence. Meanwhile, Jason grabbed the phone from the table and dialed the landline for Classa Garden. The call connected almost instantly. “What’s Sophia doing at home?” he asked.

The maid answered with due respect, “Mrs. Wilson took off at two in the afternoon and hasn’t come back yet. Didn’t you know, Mr. Wilson?”

Jason’s face darkened as he glanced at his watch; it was around six in the evening. “How come nobody told me she went out?

How are you looking after her?”

The maid’s voice trembled as she tried to explain in a rush, “Mrs. Wilson asked us to do a major clean–up at lunchtime. We’ve been tied up with that all day, so...”

“So nobody watched her, and now she’s been out all this time without a word to me? Take three months‘ salary and g waiting for the maid to finish her pleas, Jason hung up and immediately dialed Sophia’s number.

I won’t pay for slackers.” Not “Hello, the subscriber you’ve dialed has powered off. Listening to the automated female voice, he abruptly stood from the sofa and strode toward the door. “Eric, get the car ready. We’re going to Oliver’s place in the west suburbs.”

In Oliver’s villa, Dr. Amanda Cruz was treating Sophia in the bedroom. Sophia lay there with her clothes removed, bruises all over her body.

Amanda carefully inserted several acupuncture needles into the area around her heart, expertly drawing out the stagnant, clotted blood from within.

“Mr. Clark, she’s running out of time. If she doesn’t get a heart transplant soon, I doubt she’ll make it more than a month,” Amanda said.

Oliver stood with his hands behind him, gazing out the floor–to–ceiling window at the snowy scene outside, his expression cold. He was never a good man: any attention he gave Sophia was just to sniff out Jason’s weak spots. If Jason wasn’t as cold toward his wife as he seemed, that would be interesting Oliver always believed the best move to deal with someone was to target their weak point. “Do everything you can to keep her alive,” he said.

s.” Amanda answeard Just then, the sound of car horns came from outside, and several luxury cars approached from afar Oliver’s lips curled unter a smirk when he recognized one of the plates. “He’s finally here, he thought