Chapter 210: Chapter 210
At that moment, James raised his trembling voice again, trying to steady his emotions. His face was red, and his shirt was stained from tears and sweat. "Cora... I’m really, really serious about this," he said, his hands pressed tightly together like he was begging for his life.
"Please don’t look at me like I’m a joke. I know I messed up, I know I hurt you, but I’m not playing games here. My life is on the line now... just because I chose you. Just because I told them I wouldn’t betray you again. Do you even understand what that means?"
Cora stood quietly on the steps, her arms folded tightly across her chest. Her eyes didn’t blink. She didn’t say a word. The only sound was the rain starting to patter lightly on the roof and James’s voice cracking under pressure.
"I didn’t want anything to hurt you... not anymore," James added. "I was wrong before, I was blind, and I let people get into my head. But now? Now they want me dead. I don’t know how long I have left. But before anything happens, I just want to tell you... I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry. And there are things so many things I’ve been meaning to say to you. But I don’t even know if I have the right to anymore."
He sniffled hard, trying to catch his breath.
Giovanni looked at Brown briefly, as if waiting for Cora’s signal. They both remained alert, watching James carefully but not moving yet.
But just as James took a step forward, a little hope flickering in his eyes, Cora slowly turned her head toward them.
"Giovanni. Brown," she called out calmly.
"Yes, ma’am?" they both replied almost at the same time.
"Mark his face now," she said firmly. "Do you hear me clearly?"
They both nodded slowly.
"I don’t ever want to see him around this property again. If either of you ever allows him to step one foot near this place... you’re both fired. And I’m not joking."
James’s heart sank.
"Cora please just give me a chance just one," he cried, dropping to his knees.
But Cora had already turned her back to him.
"Throw him out. Package him. I don’t want to see him."
She didn’t wait to hear more. She started walking back toward the door.
"Cora!" James cried again, louder this time, the pain in his voice almost childlike. "Please forgive me! It was just a mistake! A stupid, stupid mistake!"
But she didn’t turn back. Not even once.
Without wasting anymore time Giovanni and Brown moved quickly. Brown grabbed James from the shoulder while Giovanni helped lift his legs. James was still struggling, still calling Cora’s name, but they didn’t stop. They picked him up like he was a newborn child kicking, crying, pleading, and carried him straight off the property without a second of hesitation.
Immediately they dropped James on the floor, his body hit the ground with a dull thud, and the dust that followed made him cough as he lay there for a second, completely stunned. His palms scraped against the gravel, and his clothes picked up patches of dirt and rough sand. He looked up slowly, just in time to see Brown walking over to him with quiet but terrifying steps.
Brown’s expression was cold deadly serious. There was no sympathy in his eyes, only finality.
Then, without raising his voice, Brown said to James, "This is not just a threat." He paused. "And this is not me trying to deflect anything."
He crouched slightly to meet James at eye level, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air.
"Just like what Lady Cora has said..." Brown’s voice was slow, like he wanted every word to cut deep, "...this should be the very first and last time you ever show yourself on this property."
James blinked, trying to swallow down his fear, but Brown didn’t stop.
"And if this is not the last time... If you ever show yourself again, in the presence of Cora or even anywhere around her just once more..." Brown leaned in closer, his tone sharper now, "...that day will be the day you lose something so important to you... something you’ll never get back."
James didn’t dare move. His heart was pounding fast. He thought he could handle Brown, but hearing this he knew the man wasn’t bluffing.
"I will deal with you," Brown continued. "Mercilessly. Severely. You should take this as your only warning."
James could hear the conviction in his voice. There was no space for forgiveness. No space for negotiation.
"But next time," Brown added, standing back to his full height, "if you try anything like this again, you’re going to have yourself to blame. Not me. Not us."
That was it. That was the end of it.
At that moment, Brown didn’t look at him again. He turned around like James no longer existed. Giovanni had been watching silently, standing in the background like a shadow, but once Brown turned, Giovanni followed too. No one even gave James another glance.
They were done with him.
And then... silence, James remained there for a moment, stunned and shaking slightly. The air felt heavier than before. Everything around him was quiet, but inside, it was chaos.
He finally pushed himself up slowly. His knees ached, and his elbows were scraped. He stood there for a few seconds, swaying slightly before brushing some dirt from his shirt. His fingers trembled. He looked around like he expected someone to call him back, but no one did.
No one cared. he was hungry. His stomach growled painfully, but worse than that was what he felt inside.
Sadness, he was deeply, deeply sad.
Not just because of the physical pain, but because he honestly didn’t believe this would be the outcome. He had built up a fantasy in his head a scene where Cora, seeing him cry, would break her a little. Maybe not run into his arms, but at least... look at him. At least show that she still cared, even just a little.
He thought... she would fall for it, but she didn’t. She didn’t even blink.
She had walked away with her chin up like he was nothing but dust under her shoes.
"She’s very, very strong-hearted," he muttered under his breath, looking down again. "Very, very adamant."
It finally hit him there was no going back. Not with her, she wasn’t going to forgive him. Not now. Not ever. So what’s next? His breathing slowed. His eyes narrowed. He knew what was next.
He was going to do what was best for him, he had to save his head and not let everything crash down on him.
He had no other choice, but to actually do what Abigail asked if him.