Ch. 280: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life chapter 280

Chapter 280

The red-haired woman couldn't comprehend what had just transpired. After working with Jace for years, she had never seen him act this way—so unpredictable, so unyielding.

Jace didn’t utter another word. He gently placed Norah in the backseat of his car and drove away without looking back.

Standing alone in the night, the red-haired woman watched his car disappear into the distance. She clenched her fists, her fiery hair blowing in the night breeze as she muttered to herself, Has he really lost all concern for his own survival?

Yet, despite her confusion and frustration, she couldn't bear the thought of letting Jace meet his demise. After a moment of quiet resolve, she shook off her thoughts, tucked her emotions away, and slipped into her car, leaving the scene as if nothing had ever happened.

Jace brought Norah to his own apartment, unable to access her home without her passcode. He carefully placed her on the couch, checked for any injuries, and sat down nearby, waiting for her to wake up.

His brown eyes remained fixed on her face, studying her delicate features as if they held the answers to unspoken questions. The room was as quiet as his thoughts, filled only with the sterile scent of disinfectant.

An hour later, Norah stirred. A sharp pain throbbed in her neck, and she instantly recalled the attack in the taxi. She bolted upright, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar room.

“You’re awake,” Jace said, his voice calm yet intense.

Norah flinched at the sight of him. She instinctively backed away, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. “What do you want from me?”

Jace's heart sank at her distrust, but he couldn’t blame her. “You’re safe now. That’s all you need to know.”

Her gaze darted around the room, quickly recognizing the layout. She realized she wasn’t in her own apartment, but in Jace’s—the unit right next to hers.

“Why am I here?” she demanded. “I remember being in a taxi. There was a female driver. What’s your connection to her?”

Jace hesitated, the weight of her questions pressing on him. He wanted to protect her from the truth, but he couldn’t bring himself to lie. Instead, he offered a faint smile. “I followed you tonight. You didn’t notice.”

“That’s it?” Norah challenged.

“No,” Jace admitted, meeting her eyes. His gaze was steady, unyielding, but devoid of malice.

Norah searched his face for answers, trying to discern if he was a savior or a threat. “That woman wanted to hurt me, but you saved me. How do I know this isn’t some elaborate trick?”

“I won’t hurt you,” Jace said firmly, his voice unwavering.

Norah’s instincts screamed at her to stay guarded. “I don’t know if I can trust you,” she said, taking a step back. “I think it’s best if we keep our distance.”

Her words cut deeper than he expected, but Jace didn’t protest. Instead, he reached for a basket of freshly picked strawberries and held them out to her. “I picked these today. I thought you’d like them.”

Norah glanced at the basket but didn’t take it. “Thanks, but no thanks,” she said curtly before rushing out of his apartment.

Her heart raced as she returned to her own home, locking the door behind her. She leaned against it, her palms damp with sweat. Every nerve in her body screamed that something was wrong.

She couldn’t ignore the danger anymore. The female driver’s intentions, Jace’s mysterious involvement—it was all too much. Should I move? she wondered. The thought lingered as she slid to the floor, trembling.

In a dimly lit room elsewhere, the red-haired woman knelt on one knee, her cheek swollen from a vicious slap. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth as she clenched her fists, trembling with rage and shame.

“You couldn’t even capture one woman,” the man standing before her sneered. “What use are you?”

The man, in his forties, had a cold, commanding presence. Dressed in a black tunic, his scarred face only heightened the menace in his sharp, calculating eyes.

“I underestimated the situation,” the red-haired woman, Karina, admitted through gritted teeth. “Give me one more week, and I’ll finish the job.”

The man’s gaze was piercing. “You used to be reliable, Karina. Lately, you’ve been slipping.”

Karina lowered her head, her voice resolute. “I’ll handle it. Jace has been busy with surgeries, but I’ll deliver her to him. This time, there won’t be any mistakes.”

The man’s tone darkened. “The boss is coming back soon. You’d better have results by then. Failure isn’t an option.”

Karina’s heart raced at the mention of their boss. “When is he returning?”

“When the heat dies down,” the man replied. “He’ll find you when he’s ready.”

“I won’t disappoint him,” Karina vowed, despite the cold sweat forming on her brow.

The man leaned in, his voice a low growl. “If you fail again, neither of us will survive his wrath.”

Karina swallowed hard, steeling herself. “Understood.”

As the man left, the weight of her mission pressed down on her. She couldn’t afford another mistake—not with her life on the line.