Chapter 4

James's face twisted with rage, but he maintained his air of superiority, glaring at everyone. "Who dares touch me? Don't forget who pays your salaries."

He was still lost in the dream of his brief time running the Monroe Group, dismissing the bodyguards with contempt.

I smirked coldly and waved my hand. The next second, the bodyguards moved in unison, tossing him out like trash in front of everyone.

Back home from the hospital, James couldn't keep up his confident facade anymore. He furiously smashed everything in sight.

Seeing her son like this, his mother, Clara Sterling, slapped her thigh in anger. "That wretch, how dare she treat you this way! She should remember, who else would marry an orphaned woman like her? Once she's married into our family, I'll teach her a lesson for her parents!"

James rubbed his brow irritably, silently agreeing.

His mother was right. I needed to be put in my place.

But I only acted this way because I loved him so much.

Though he was angry, he was still willing to give me a wedding as compensation for waiting for him all these years.

But if I kept being this reckless after marriage, he wouldn't go easy on me.

When Henry got home, it was already dark.

He strode toward me with his long legs, dressed sharply in a suit. Before he could speak, his eyes caught the faint slap mark on my face, and his pupils narrowed sharply.

"Who did this?"

I beckoned him closer with a finger. He hurried over, his fingertips gently brushing my cheek.

"James Sterling," I said flatly.

His fingers trembled faintly. Moments later, he looked up, meeting my gaze. "If I take care of him, will you feel bad?"

I snorted with a laugh. "Feel bad? Not a chance. I'll send him to his grave myself."

Henry's eyes glinted with satisfaction. He grabbed the first-aid kit and knelt beside me, carefully applying ointment. "You lead, I'll follow."

Thinking of James, he lowered his gaze, a cold edge creeping into his expression.

Meanwhile, James was eagerly planning his wedding.

When a mutual friend called, he was caught off guard. "James, did you know Emma's holding a wedding?"

Our friends had heard Henry and I got a marriage license but never held a ceremony, so they thought it was a rumor.

It wasn't until they received my wedding invitation that they believed it.

Those close to James immediately tipped him off.

James got a bit upset. "How can she be so reckless? A wedding is a big deal. The Sterling family hasn't even set a date, and she's spreading the news. So immature. How can I trust her to be Mrs. Sterling?"

His tone was angry, but his eyes betrayed a hint of joy.

He thought to himself that no matter how harsh my words were, I still loved him. The moment marriage came up, I couldn't wait to tell everyone.

That being the case, he could grudgingly forgive my earlier tantrums.

The voice on the other end paused, then spoke with shock. "James, what Mrs. Sterling? Emma's marrying the Galton family heir, Henry Galton!"

James froze. Unease surged in his heart.

Before he could have time to press on, his secretary broke in the house.

"Mr. Sterling, emergency! Galton Group and Monroe Group both announced ending all the cooperation with us!"

The cup in James's hand slipped, shattering into pieces and cutting his calf, but he didn't even notice. "What did you say?"