Elena's heart raced. The panic she had tried to hide was now visible to everyone.

"James," she managed to say, trying to keep her voice steady.

Clara looked at the man with suspicion, her eyes narrowing.

"Who is he, Elena?"

James smiled, but his eyes remained cold.

"A friend. I was passing by and saw you. Thought I'd say hi."

The man's light eyes, however, were cold as ice. The Wolves' mascot could see every dark thought passing through his mind in detail. Punished. Elena would be punished for trying to betray them. The idea of being tortured again hit her hard, leaving her so terrified that it was impossible to hide.

"Friend?" Clara asked, her voice full of doubt.

Elena knew she couldn't get out of this easily.

"Yes, Clara, he is... a friend."

James looked at Clara, the analysis and slight mockery evident in his eyes.

"And you must be her sister. Clara, right? Elena talks about you a lot."

The woman with long locks kept her gaze steady.

"I didn't know my sister had friends like that."

She was obviously referring to the obvious wealth James flaunted, probably because of his designer clothes.

James chuckled softly, but the sound seemed more threatening than friendly.

"Life is full of surprises, isn't it? Now, Elena, we need to talk."

"I'm in the middle of a conversation with my sister," Elena replied, trying to buy time. "Can it wait a bit?"

The man narrowed his eyes, his smile fading.

"We have urgent matters. I'm sure Clara understands."

Clara looked from Elena to James, clearly worried and intrigued.

"Elena, what's going on? Who is this man?"

Elena felt cornered. She couldn't let Clara know the truth, but she couldn't ignore James either.

"Clara, I promise I'll explain everything later," she said, trying to stay calm. "Please, trust me."

Clara opened her mouth to protest, but James intervened, his voice firm.

"It will be better if you listen to your sister. She knows what she's doing."

Elena stood up slowly, feeling the weight of the situation.

"Let's go, James. Let's talk."

James nodded and began to lead her out of the café. Before leaving, Elena turned to Clara, her eyes full of despair and urgency.

"I'll find a way to help, I promise."

Clara nodded slowly, but the confusion and concern on her face were evident.

"Please, Elena. Don't take too long."

When they were finally out of the establishment, walking aimlessly, James attacked:

"We left you out of our watch for five minutes and you already try to betray us? How unpleasant, pet."

"Please, don't call me that."

He laughed.

"I'll call you whatever I want. Imagine how Evan will react when—"

Elena abruptly stopped walking.

"Please. Not now."

James's gaze hardened, filled with cruelty.

"Have you forgotten your position, girl?"

"No. I haven't forgotten. But I just... I just want..."

Tears began to stream down the journalist's face.

"It's my mother."

James stopped, his expression shifting from mockery to something darker. He looked at Elena for a moment before speaking.

"Your mother?" The coldness in his voice was cutting. "And what exactly do you think you can do for her, being in the position you're in?"

Elena tried to control her tears, knowing that any sign of weakness would only be used against her. However, she couldn't.

Fool. She was a desperate fool pleading for mercy from men who knew no such word.

"She's sick, James. Hospitalized. My sister came to get me because our mother needs us."

James sighed as if he were considering the situation.

"What does she have?"

"I don't know. Clara just said she was weak, sick, and that apparently it's something serious. Look, she and I... We never really got along, you know? Actually, for a long time, I was the black sheep of the family. They left the city and left me here alone as a way to punish me."

"I see."

And it could be Elena's mind, the way emotions were messing with her head, but it really seemed like James understood. She continued her story:

"The fact that she came here to ask for my help, especially in person, only shows that the situation is much more serious than it seems."

"And you think we should care about this?"

Elena knew she was treading on dangerous ground, but she couldn't give up.

"Please. I just need a little time to help my family. I promise I won't try anything. I just want... to be there for her."

James studied Elena's face, and for a moment, she saw something that resembled a spark of understanding in his eyes. But quickly, he returned to his ruthless expression.

"You are in a very weak bargaining position, Elena. And you know it."

"I know," she whispered, her body trembling. "But I'm begging you. Just a little time."

James looked away, seeming to consider his options. Then, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Evan," he said after a few seconds. "Yes, I'm with her. We need to discuss something."

He walked a few steps away, speaking too low for Elena to hear. She waited, her heart pounding in her chest, each second passing slowly.

When James returned, his expression was as ruthless as before.

"Evan agrees to let you go, under one condition."

Elena swallowed hard, feeling a new wave of fear.

"What condition?"

"You will be accompanied at all times by one of us. No attempts to escape, no attempts to contact anyone outside your family. And if anything seems suspicious, anything, you will be severely punished. Understood?"

Elena nodded quickly, hope beginning to emerge amidst the despair.

"Understood. I'll do anything."

Slowly, as if testing the imposed limits, the blond-haired man approached the journalist. He stared at her for long seconds, as if searching for something in her eyes—something he himself didn't know he was looking for.

Surprised and curious, Elena obediently held his gaze, just contemplating James's blue irises.

"Elena."

His voice... It was different, wasn't it? Or was it just in her head?

"Yes?"

The billionaire took a deep breath before saying what was on his mind, but then his expression changed.

"Go talk to your sister. Then come back here. I'll take you home, and Evan and I will arrange the details of your trip."

The woman nodded, still somewhat intrigued, but turned back to the café.

On the short walk back, she couldn't help but think about James's soft yet firm hand on her chin. And about how much she had liked it.