Chapter 15 What It Truly Means to Have Nothing At All

In the office, hearing Anna's words, Michael froze for a sec.

Anna seized the moment, yanking herself free from his grip with all her might. She stormed to the door and pointed outside, "Get out!"

Michael stared at Anna standing by the door, his face a mix of emotions.

He walked towards her, each step heavy with tension, his vibe as unpredictable as his expression, making the air thick with anxiety.

Michael stopped just a step away, the fake gentleness on his face gone. Only darkness lingered in his eyes.

"Anna, you should know, even if you don't divorce him, I can make the Percy family ditch you. And think hard, Anna. If you cross me again, if you keep being a pain, your parents' scandal will be all over the news."

Anna scoffed, "Threatening me? Michael, I've got nothing left. What else can you use against me?"

"Nothing?" Michael echoed, his fingers curling into fists, "Really?"

Before he finished, he lunged forward. Grabbing her arm, he kicked the door shut.

He pinned Anna against the door. "Anna, let me show you what it really means to have nothing!"

With that, he lowered his head, holding her struggling wrists, trying to force a kiss.

Anna clenched her teeth, turning her head away.

After several failed attempts, Michael's eyes narrowed, anger flashing. He grabbed her chin, forcing her to face him. Just as his lips were about to touch hers, Anna bit down hard.

Blood immediately trickled down.

Her bite left a deep wound on Michael's mouth. A drop of blood stained Anna's lips.

Michael froze, and in that moment, Anna shoved him away.

She slapped him hard across the face.

Michael turned his head, his tongue pressing against his burning cheek.

The room fell into a tense silence.

Just then, a knock sounded from outside.

A dignified yet kind voice followed, "Anya, are you there? Come to my office. I need to talk to you."

It was Jasper Bell, the director of Radiant Life Hospital.

Anna wiped the blood from her mouth in disgust and said, "I'm here. I'll be right there."

She didn't look at Michael again and opened the door.

Outside, Jasper was still there. When the door opened, he immediately saw Michael inside.

Jasper, having seen it all in his years as the director of the top hospital, knew what had happened between Anna and Michael. His eyes shifted, and he waved to Anna with a kind smile, "Come here, Anya, I need to talk to you."

He looked at Michael, "Mr. Tudor, feel free to stay. I'll take Dr. Howard with me."

Though Jasper was sixty, he was full of energy and spirit. He had lived a life of integrity and kindness, helping countless people.

Back then, Anna's parents, Wesley and Odette, were his most prized colleagues.  Sadly, they died in the line of duty early on, leaving behind a fifteen-year-old Anna, alone in the world

Jasper had planned to raise Anna and protect her as she grew up. But Michael had whisked her away abroad first.

In the director's office.

Jasper reopened the contract Anna had signed when she joined Radiant Life Hospital. He pulled out a hidden agreement from it and handed it to Anna.

"Anya, take a look at this."

Anna took it, and it was a breach of contract agreement.

Anna looked at the last two lines, which clearly stated.

If she unilaterally breached the contract within three years, she would need to pay twenty times the breach of contract fee to terminate her employment with Radiant Life Hospital.

Half a month ago, Radiant Life Hospital paid $7 million to hire her.

So twenty times that amount would be $140 million.

When Anna signed the contract, she hadn't noticed this breach of contract agreement.

Today, while arranging Anna's contract, Jasper coincidentally opened it and found this obviously abnormal breach of the contract agreement.

"Anya, a $140 million breach of contract fee is clearly a trap." Jasper sighed in self-blame, "This is my fault. I thought keeping you by my side would allow me to take better care of you, but I didn't expect it to turn out like this."

Anna remained relatively calm. She handed the breach of contract agreement back to Jasper and said,

"Dr. Bell, you don't need to blame yourself. Even without you, there would have been someone else."

There was no room for compassion once Michael decided to go after her. Otherwise, he wouldn't have torn off his disguise right after she signed the contract with Radiant Life Hospital a week ago.

The three-year contract with Radiant Life Hospital and the high breach of contract fee were enough to bind her, making it impossible for her to leave Crystal City for at least three years.

And thus, she couldn't escape his control.

"Dr. Bell, I want to ask you, eight years ago, what exactly happened when my parents died?"

Back then, she only knew that her parents had died in Radiant Life Hospital, but she didn't know what had happened at that time. She had asked many people, and everyone told her the same answer: your parents were heroes. They died in the line of duty.

But no one was willing to explain the details of what had happened.

Listening to Anna's words, a hint of struggle flashed in Jasper's eyes.

But after hesitating for two seconds, he only said, "Anya, you are a strong girl. You just need to remember that your parents lived to save others, and they were true heroes. That's enough."

Anna wanted to ask more, but Jasper continued, "Anya, I understand your feelings, but when we lack the ability to protect ourselves, knowing too much will only lead us into endless danger and repeated self-doubt and blame. All the events from eight years ago, when the time is right, Anya, someone will tell you."

With the conversation reaching this point, Anna gave up on asking further.

Jasper recalled the scene he had witnessed in Room 308 with Michael earlier and then looked at the high breach of contract fee in front of him.

He sighed deeply and asked, "Anna, what are your plans next?"

Anna lowered her eyes and replied, "After the matters in Crystal City are mostly resolved, I plan to go back abroad."

Jasper didn't stop her.

"That might be for the best." He looked out the window, "For many people, their homeland is indeed their home. But if all you experience here is pain and suffering, it might be better to go abroad. Although you may not know many people there, at least you can escape these predicaments."