Chapter 15 Saving Ivana

In the end, after much insistence from the boss, Sherman reluctantly accepted the 250 dollars gift the man offered. A free meal and 250 dollars—what could be better? Having eaten just enough to feel satisfied, Sherman stood up, intending to go and greet Ivana. But as soon as he rose, he saw Reggie push the door open and enter the private room where Ivana and the others were. Inside, Jessica eagerly served Ivana food. As Ivana looked away for a moment, Jessica secretly slipped a small pill into her dish. It dissolved almost immediately. "Ivana, try this, it's really delicious." Ivana took a bite but felt uneasy. "You seem a little off today. What's going on?" "No, not at all. You're just imagining things. Hurry up, it's really tasty," Jessica urged. Ivana couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something wasn't quite right, though she couldn't pinpoint what it was. She reached for her utensil to grab another piece of meat, but suddenly, a wave of exhaustion hit her. The fork slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor. Bang! Bang! Just then, a knock echoed through the room. Jessica quickly stood to answer it and ushered Reggie inside. Ivana felt a wave of unease creep up her spine, but she forced a polite smile. "Reggie, what are you doing here?" "Just passing by," Reggie answered, his eyes openly scanning Ivana. She was breathtaking, her beauty so striking that even women couldn't help but stare. Reggie swallowed hard. He had been after Ivana for a long time. In the past, he had been hesitant, knowing that someone was always watching over her—her capable bodyguard, protecting her in the shadows. But recently, he'd heard that her bodyguard had left to attend some affair. Now was his chance. Ivana, with her traditional values, was the perfect target. Once he had her, whether she consented or not, she would have no choice but to marry him. This would satisfy his desires and also grant him a connection with the Pearsons, raising the Diller family's status and influence. A rising sense of panic filled Ivana. She realized that Reggie had changed—he was no longer pretending to be something he wasn't. He was a predator, no longer hiding behind a facade. She realized something and turned to Jessica, her voice shaky. "Did you ... drug my food?" Jessica didn't even try to deny it. "That's right. Mr. Diller is a great man, and he's so devoted to you. You two belong together. I'm just helping you along." Ivana felt a mixture of anger and betrayal. "How could you do this to me? I thought of you as my sister ... why would you hurt me like this?" Jessica smirked coldly, ignoring Ivana's affliction. She turned to Reggie. "Mr. Diller, you can take it from here. I'll stand guard at the door. Do you mind if I watch the action?" Reggie laughed loudly. "No problem. If you want to join in, feel free to do so." With that, he quickly shed his coat and moved toward Ivana. "Stay away from me! Please, get away ... I will scream!" Ivana's voice trembled, weak from the drug, and barely loud enough to be heard. Reggie's grin widened as he approached her. "Scream all you want. The louder you scream, the more excited I get. Hahaha!" He yanked Ivana's jacket off, and she slumped helplessly in her chair, drained of strength, her eyes wide with fear. "Please ... don't do this. I beg you." Reggie's excitement only grew with her pleas. "You ignored me for so long, but now you're finally mine. Watch how I take what's mine." He reached out for Ivana, his hand just inches from her chest. Ivana closed her eyes in despair, knowing it was over. She had no strength left to fight. Bang! At the critical moment, the door crashed open. Jessica, who had been standing by the door, was thrown forward, crashing to the floor. Sherman, upon seeing the scene, slammed the door shut and flicked his finger. A silver needle shot out, striking Reggie's pressure point. Reggie froze, his hand only less than an inch from Ivana's chest. His body went limp and he collapsed to the floor. Sherman rushed over to Ivana, gently taking her hand to check her pulse. Ivana shuddered, and at the sound of a movement, she opened her eyes. When she saw Sherman standing there, she froze. She had already given up hope, but in that critical moment, a handsome stranger had appeared to save her. A rush of gratitude filled her, overwhelming her with emotion. Sherman was like a ray of sunlight cutting through the darkness. "Thank you ... for saving me," Ivana whispered. "Don't speak yet. Let me help you regain your strength," Sherman replied. He quickly took out his silver needles and some disinfectant. After sterilizing the needles, he began the needle treatment on Ivana. Before long, Ivana felt her energy return. She looked at Sherman with newfound awe. "Thank you! You know medicine? Is this traditional medicine? It's amazing!" At this moment, she found herself deeply intrigued by Sherman. Sherman nodded. "Yes, it is traditional medicine." He paused, then asked, "What are you going to do with these two?" Ivana's expression was conflicted. Her gaze fell on Jessica. She still couldn't believe what had happened. Her so-called best friend had betrayed her. "Forget it. Maybe Jessica had her reasons. Let's go," Ivana said, her voice soft with compassion. Her kind-hearted nature wouldn't allow her to harm Jessica. "You j*rk! What did you do to me?!" Reggie shouted, struggled to rise, but failed repeatedly. In horror, he realized that he can't feel his lower body. Sherman crouched beside him and slapped him sharply across the face. "You have to pay the price for your wrongdoings." Sherman took another silver needle and drove it into Reggie's pressure points without bothering to disinfect it. Once the needle was removed, Reggie stood up, only to feel something was terribly wrong. "What did you do to me?" he demanded. "Aren't you fond of preying on women? Well, I have made sure you'll never use that ability again!" Sherman declared. "What?!" Reggie's face filled with terror. "That's impossible! I don't believe you could actually do this!" Sherman smirked but didn't answer. He grabbed Ivana's hand and began walking toward the door. Ivana's face flushed red. It was the first time a man—other than her father—had held her hand, and her heart raced in response. Half-conscious, she allowed Sherman to guide her out of the soup shop. Inside the room, Reggie desperately tried to summon his willpower to make it stand, but soon, despair set in. Nothing worked. Before, he only needed to think of Ivana to make it happen. A cold, invisible presence surrounded him. Reggie began to panic. He noticed Jessica's motionless body on the floor and rushed to her. Grabbing her hair, he yanked her head back and barked, "Open your mouth!"