Chapter 247 Unusual
The sensation of being watched sent a chill down James's spine. He knew well this person had been lurking and observing for a while.
His blood ran cold as he realized the horrifying implication: the entire scene with Harmony, the toxin extraction, everything... All this had been photographed.
If those photos surfaced, he was done for. The sheer impropriety of the situation, the intimacy... no explanation would ever suffice. His own reputation was the least of his worries; if Jennifer ever found out, he was as good as dead.
Panic seized him. He shoved Harmony away, not unkindly, but with an urgency that brooked no argument and charged towards the hidden intruder. Whoever it was, those photos couldn't see the light of day.
The person, caught off guard, reacted with surprising agility. Sensing the shift in the situation, he bolted.
Harmony, thrown onto the soft grass, watched in stunned silence. A wave of hurt washed over her, quickly followed by a bitter disappointment.
'Was I truly that unappealing in James's eyes?'
Oblivious to her turmoil, James was already in hot pursuit. He closed the distance in a flash, grabbing a fistful of the man's hair and yanking him back with brutal force. The man slammed onto the ground, the camera flying from his grasp. James, not taking any chances, delivered a swift kick to the ribs and pinned him down with a foot on his chest.
"Talk," James growled, his voice dangerously low. "Who sent you?"
His gaze was glacial as he scooped up the camera and began scrolling through the photos. His heart sank as he saw the intimate shots of him and Harmony, including the damning toxin extraction scene... There were over a hundred incriminating images. If these went public, the result would be catastrophic.
Before today, the damage would have been minimal, contained to his own circle. But the exchange meeting had changed everything. He was a public figure now, and his name was synonymous with traditional medicine. The release of these photos wouldn't just ruin him; it would tarnish the reputation of an entire medical tradition. The consequences were unthinkable.
The man under his foot, Cassian Thornfield, was around thirty, wiry and quick. If it hadn't been for James's uncanny speed, he might have gotten away.
Cassian looked up at him, his face a mixture of shock and fear. James's speed was simply inhuman. He'd barely taken a few steps before being caught. And now, pinned under that unrelenting foot, he felt like a bug under a titan's boot.
"Dr. Smith, please! It's a misunderstanding!" Cassian babbled, his voice high-pitched with panic. "I'm a journalist. I just happened to be passing by and saw you. I wasn't trying to take compromising photos, I swear!"
James stared down at him, scrutinizing his every word, every micro-expression. The lie was palpable. This man was no journalist.
He pressed his foot down harder, a silent promise of pain to come. "Three seconds. Tell me who sent you to take those photos."
"Dr. Smith, you're hurting me!" Cassian gasped, his face contorted in pain. He patted at James's leg, a pathetic attempt to appease the wrath bearing down on him.
"Time's ticking," James said, his voice devoid of emotion.
Cassian sucked in a sharp breath. "It was...it was the organizers. They wanted candid shots of you, for, you know, promotional material. To get a better understanding of you." He forced a pleading look into his eyes. "Dr. Smith, I was wrong, I admit it. I don't even want these photos anymore. Just let me go, please. I beg you."
His act was convincing, his pleas for mercy laced with genuine terror.
James held his gaze, searching for any flicker of deceit. It was then that he heard footsteps approaching. It was Harmony. The distraction was enough for him to miss the flash of cunning that flickered across Cassian's face.
"James, who is this?" Harmony asked, her brow furrowed as she noticed the camera in James's hand. Her eyes widened in realization. "Wait, was he taking pictures of us?"
"He was." James confirmed, handing her the camera.
Harmony scrolled through the photos, her face a mask of horror and then mortification. The images were explicit, brazen even to her eyes. The one with her sprawled on the ground, her body arched as James worked, was particularly jarring. It was more than just shocking; it had an undeniable erotic undertone.
"Please, let me go," Cassian whimpered, his voice thick with feigned remorse. "I made a terrible mistake! I swear I won't breathe a word of this to anyone. Just let me go, please!"
His pathetic display tugged at Harmony's heartstrings. She turned to James, her voice softening. "The photos haven't been shared yet. Maybe we should just let him go? He seems genuinely sorry."
James frowned, unconvinced. This entire situation reeked of something more sinister.
The secluded location, the sudden appearance of the venomous snakes, the photographer lying in wait...it was too much of a coincidence. Yet, he couldn't pinpoint anything concrete in the man's demeanor.
After a moment of deliberation, James decided to let him go. It wasn't about mercy; it was about damage control. The fewer people knew about his entanglement with Harmony, the better. Besides, he had the camera; the immediate threat was contained.
"Go," he said curtly.
"Dr. Smith, about my camera..." Cassian began, but James cut him off with a withering glare. "Get lost."
Cassian didn't need to be told twice. He scrambled to his feet and fled.
James turned back to find Harmony engrossed in the photos, her cheeks flushed. Anger flared in his gut. He reached for the camera, intent on destroying it.
"What are you doing?!" Harmony cried, grabbing his arm.
"What does it look like? I'm getting rid of this," James growled, his voice tight with frustration.
A wave of nausea hit him. It wasn't life-threatening, but the discomfort was a stark reminder that he needed medical attention sooner rather than later.
"But the camera's perfectly fine," Harmony protested, trying to pry the device from his grasp.
"I'll format it. That's good enough," James said, his patience wearing thin.
"Wait!" Harmony exclaimed.
"What now?" James snapped, his frustration mounting. This woman was proving to be more troublesome than he'd anticipated.
Harmony bit her lip, her eyes darting away for a moment. "Let me format it. I'm more tech-savvy."
She reached for the camera again.
Alarm bells went off in James's head. Something wasn't right.
He dodged her hand and fixed her with a suspicious stare. "Ms. Brown, what are you really up to?"
Harmony's composure faltered, a flicker of panic crossing her features. "What do you mean? I just want to format the camera. Now give it to me, I need to get to a hospital for that antivenom."
Then it hit him. "You're planning on keeping the photos, aren't you?" he accused, his voice low and dangerous.
Harmony's face flushed crimson, betraying her true intentions. She stammered, unable to deny the accusation.
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