Chapter 7

I followed behind Leo.

As we pushed open the mansion's main door, the first thing I saw was Ella, lying comfortably on the sofa.

Jack and Tommy were attending to her. The older one held a plate of cut fruit, using a fork to feed Ella piece by piece.

The younger one sat at Ella's feet, grinning as he massaged her legs.

If those two had tails, they'd probably be wagging them to the sky by now.

Jack turned his head and saw me, immediately putting on a serious face.

His brows furrowed as he picked up some documents from the coffee table and threw them directly at my face.

He stood up, his presence intimidating.

"Mia! I don't mind you throwing tantrums, but you absolutely shouldn't have hurt Ella!"

"Did you enjoy staging this kidnapping to get my attention? If anything had happened to Ella, you'd be in jail!"

I bent down to pick up the scattered papers at my feet.

After reading them carefully, I couldn't help but laugh mockingly.

There was only a self-serving statement from the kidnapper.

If Jack had been willing to trust me even a little and check the bank account number used to transfer money to the kidnapper, he wouldn't have wrongly accused me.

People only see what they want to see.

Seeing my reaction, Ella got up from the sofa.

She seemed afraid I might say something, anxiously grabbing Jack's sleeve.

"Jack, I'm fine. You don't need to be so upset. Mia is a girl, going to jail would be..."

Before she could finish, I slapped her hard across the face.

I used all my strength, the sound of the slap echoing throughout the living room.

Ella looked at me dazedly, not yet recovered from the shock of the slap.

It wasn't just her; almost everyone was stunned.

Jack was the first to react. He lunged at me furiously, his hands gripping my throat, his eyes filled with uncontrollable rage.

The survival instinct made me struggle and twist. I looked up at him contemptuously.

"You think this little evidence is enough to put me in jail? You might be an idiot, but the police aren't."

This statement greatly provoked Jack. He increased the pressure on my throat, allowing less and less air into my lungs.

Death was slowly approaching, but I couldn't control the smile creeping onto my face.

At the critical moment, Leo punched Jack, snapping him out of his rage.

Jack instinctively loosened his grip on my throat.

The lack of oxygen made my legs weak, and in an instant, I collapsed to the ground.

I gasped for air, glaring with slight dissatisfaction at Leo, the culprit who had ruined my two chances at death.

He threw another punch at Jack, still not satisfied.

"Do you realize she was about to die? You nearly choked her to death!"

Jack was dazed from the punches but didn't choose to hit back.

He pushed Leo away and looked at me with a complex expression, only to awkwardly turn his head away after a moment.

"So what if she died? It's her fault for provoking Ella first."