Chapter 17. Saved by the Devil

“Lucas, don’t be soft. If the company loses half its assets because of her, we’re finished,” Chloe snapped.

Evelyn glared at them. “What do you really want from me?”

“It’s simple,” Chloe said, pulling a document out of her bag. “Sign this statement. It says you give up every share of Callahan. Once you sign, Lucas and I will let you go. Right, Lucas?”

Lucas let out a long sigh, his voice almost soothing. “Evelyn, we’ve been married for three years. We don’t have to destroy each other like this. I’m doing this for your own good. You’ll never win in court. But if you drop the case and sign, I’ll give you part of my assets. Enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life.”

Evelyn let out a dry laugh, more bitter than angry. “So I should be thanking you?”

“Don’t be stubborn, Evelyn. This is the best deal you’ll ever get.”

Chloe stepped closer, thrusting the papers into her hand. “Just sign it.”

Evelyn stared at the document. She knew she was trapped, cornered by the cruel pair. It felt like there was no way out. Chloe’s smirk showed her confidence, Evelyn had no choice.

Slowly, Evelyn reached for the papers. Lucas and Chloe exchanged a look of victory. But suddenly, Evelyn raised her arm.

The sharp crack of the folder slamming into Chloe’s face echoed through the night.

“Argh!” Chloe shrieked, clutching her cheek, staring at Evelyn in shock. “You hit me?”

Evelyn hurled the pen at her. “Trash like you deserves to be slapped by anyone. You have no right to control me!”

Chloe’s face flushed with rage. “What are you waiting for? Grab her!”

The driver, who had been leaning in the corner smoking, flicked away his cigarette and moved toward Evelyn.

“Wait.”

Lucas’s voice froze them in place. Chloe turned to him, furious.

“Lucas, you know better than anyone. If you let her walk away now, we’ll pay for it later.”

Lucas’s face hardened. Without another word, he turned and disappeared into the woods. His voice was cold as he left them behind. “Finish it.”

Out of sight, out of mind.

With Lucas gone, Chloe became even more ruthless.

The driver twisted Evelyn’s arms behind her back. Chloe seized her throat and pressed a small knife under the moonlight against her skin. “See, Evelyn? Lucas doesn’t care if you live or die. Other than signing, what choice do you think you have?”

She smirked, pressing the blade closer. “Or maybe I should make you feel something so you’ll finally understand I’m not bluffing.”

The icy touch of the knife slid along Evelyn’s cheek, sending chills racing across her skin.

Her face went pale. “Do you even realize what you’re doing? This is illegal! You’ll go to prison. Even if I die, I’ll never let you rest, not even as a ghost!”

Chloe gave a low laugh. “I’ve lived my whole life like this. Who cares what happens after I’m gone?” She pushed the blade harder into Evelyn’s skin. “You know what happens if one spouse dies while still married? There’s no fight over the assets.”

Evelyn’s chest tightened. Was Chloe really planning to kill her?

Before the knife could cut deeper, Evelyn screamed, “Fine! I’ll sign! I’ll sign!”

Survival came first.

Chloe smirked as if she’d expected nothing less. She nodded at the driver, who released Evelyn’s arms.

The papers and pen had fallen to the ground. With trembling hands, Evelyn crouched, picked them up, and signed the final page in front of Chloe.

“Smart woman knows when to surrender,” Chloe said, smiling with venom. “But don’t think this is over. We still have unfinished business.”

Before Evelyn could move, the driver yanked her arms again. Chloe pulled out the knife once more, waving it in front of Evelyn’s face.

“You humiliated me in front of everyone. If I don’t get my revenge, I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

Her eyes glinted with a deadly promise. “You’re beautiful, Evelyn. How would you like to live without a face worth showing ever again?”

The words slithered into Evelyn’s ears like poison, making her heart pound with terror.

“No! Let me go!”

Evelyn thrashed, panicked, but the driver shoved her against the hood of the car. Her back slammed into the metal, her face forced upward to the night sky.

The moonlight flashed against the blade as it swung toward her.

“Ahhh!”

Her scream ripped through the night.

By the time Lucas stepped out of the woods, it was too late.

Suddenly, screeching brakes shattered the silence. Headlights flooded the clearing, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.

Car doors slammed. Heavy footsteps rushed closer.

“Don’t move!”

“Drop everything!”

Evelyn’s ears filled with chaos, shouts, panicked cries, the pounding rush of blood.

Then something warm and heavy draped over her shoulders. She was lifted up, and only then did she realize her whole body was shaking.

A familiar voice cut through the terror. Sebastian.

He didn’t look at her. His face was carved in ice, radiating such cold fury that no one dared meet his gaze. Normally he was detached, even stoic. But now, his eyes burned like frozen steel, terrifying in their intensity.

In the pale moonlight, Evelyn stared at him as if she were still trapped in a dream. The wind stung her wounded neck, dragging her back to reality.

“Aah…” She whimpered as the cold air bit into her skin.

Sebastian’s brows furrowed. Without a word, he guided her into the car. His long fingers tilted her chin, examining the cut at her throat.

“Don’t,” Evelyn whispered, trying to pull away.

“Don’t move.”

The command was quiet, but it rooted her in place. She froze, watching his face so close to hers, breathing in the faint scent of his cologne. It yanked her back to a night of tangled heat and confusion.

God, what was she thinking?

“Hold this, stop the bleeding. I’ll take you to the hospital,” Sebastian said, handing her his handkerchief.

“Oh… okay.”

Seeing her still trembling, he took her hand, steadying it with his own. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here. This won’t happen again.”

Evelyn’s vision blurred with tears. Her breathing came in ragged bursts.

Meanwhile, Daniel’s men pinned Chloe and the hired brute against the car.

“Let me go!” Chloe screamed, thrashing.

“Shut up,” one of the men barked.

Lucas, CEO of Callahan Group, wasn’t touched, but he was surrounded, held back from getting closer. His face twisted when he saw Chloe restrained. “Let her go!” he demanded.

“Let her go? So she can wave her knife at someone else?” Sebastian’s voice sliced through the night, low and lethal.

Lucas turned, dread crawling up his spine as Sebastian stepped out of the car. Even fear couldn’t stop him from speaking. “Sebastian… Mr. Reed. This is my family’s business. You shouldn’t interfere.”

“I don’t care about your family business. I just happened to be passing by, saw a kidnapping, and decided to get involved.”

Lucas’s eyes narrowed. “Just happened to be passing by? Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think anyone will believe that?”

“Oh? So you think no one will believe me?”

Sebastian’s gaze darkened, his presence pressing down like a storm. Even from several feet away, his power was suffocating.

The rhetorical question left Lucas speechless. Everyone in Boston knew Sebastian Reed could bend the media, twist public opinion, with a single sentence. He could spin this however he wanted.

“Lucas, help me!” Chloe cried, tears streaking her face.

Lucas took a step forward, only to be shoved back by Daniel’s men. “Stay put, Mr. Callahan.”

“Sebastian, if you don’t want to get dragged into this, just stop now. Pretend you didn’t see anything, okay?” Lucas’s jaw clenched. His voice dropped lower. “The contract between Callahan and Reed Corporation, I’ll cut our margin by two percent.”

Sebastian’s expression didn’t flicker. “You really think I need two percent?”

“That’s not what I meant, I..”

“I’m not interested in what you meant. You can leave now.”

Relief flickered across Lucas’s face, until Sebastian added, voice sharp as a blade, “Before I change my mind, I suggest you leave quickly.”

Lucas stiffened. His gaze darted to Chloe, still pinned to the car. His jaw clenched tight, and finally, he turned his back.

“Lucas! You can’t be serious!” Chloe screamed, disbelief cracking her voice.

But Lucas didn’t look back. He walked away, leaving her to face the consequences alone.