Georgina spoke sternly as she turned her gaze toward the foul-smelling ditch behind her. I It was filled with decaying garbage mixed with wastewater from a nearby factory, and the sight alone was enough to make her stomach churn. It was a filthy, repugnant mess. "Gag!" A wave of nausea hit her. "Did you hear me? If you don't tell me who gave you the orders, I swear I'll throw every last one of you into that filthy ditch, and not a single one of you will escape," she threatened, her hands on her hips and her tone unyielding. Samuel remained still, as if he hadn't heard a word she said. The men behind him stayed silent, following his lead, showing no sign of fear as they watched the scene unfold. "You're not afraid of that disgusting ditch?" Georgina's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief. If someone had threatened to throw her into such a vile place, she'd be paralyzed with fear. But Samuel and his men just knelt there, motionless. Georgina was at a loss. She had never faced such a large group of criminals before, and she had never harmed anyone. She had only intended for the threats to scare them into talking, but to her frustration, they had no effect. What now? She glanced back at Virginia, who was sitting in the car. On the outside, Virginia appeared calm, but she was deeply anxious internally. Samuel had worked with Troy for a long time; he wouldn't easily betray him. She feared that Samuel, in his foolishness, might accidentally reveal something and expose her. When Georgina wanted to leave the car and confront the thugs, Virginia planned to follow. But seeing Virginia's injured leg, she had kept her from getting out. When Georgina turned to look at Virginia, the latter quickly adopted a practiced, pitiable expression.In this situation, Virginia could only remain silent, using a smile to cover her unease. Georgina's heart softened as she saw Virginia, limping and gazing at her with those imploring eyes. She could feel her resolve weakening. Dealing with these people ... even if it seemed impossible, she had to find a way! But Georgina didn't know how to proceed—she needed help. She glanced at Jim, who had been standing silently to the side, his brow furrowed in displeasure. As soon as he saw Georgina look at him, he understood what she was asking. He sighed. "Ms. Georgina, must you involve yourself in this?" he asked, his tone reluctant. Georgina bit her lip, sensing Jim's reluctance. "Jim, my father always taught me to be kind and to have a sense of justice. How can I turn my back on something so cruel when it's right in front of me? "Am I supposed to just stand by? Was my father wrong?" She pressed, her gaze fixed on him, clearly using her father's authority to push him. Jim's expression immediately changed at this. He quickly spoke up, "Ms. Georgina, we must be careful with our words. Mr. Curtis's teachings are always right." He was only a butler and could not afford to question his employer. "If I didn't help this girl, doesn't that prove my father's words were wrong?" Georgina said, her eyes locking on Jim as she subtly invoked her father's authority. Jim fell silent for a moment before finally giving in. "Ms. Georgina, I'll take care of it." Georgina stepped aside, allowing him to move forward. Jim approached Samuel, giving him a brief nod before turning to face the other men still kneeling behind him. Despite the usual tactic of capturing the leader first, Jim knew that these criminals were likely hired mercenaries—organized and disciplined. It wouldn't be easy to get them to reveal their employer's identity. Especially that troublemaker that is leading the group—trying to extract information from him would be nearly impossible. Therefore, Jim decided to start with the others because he believed it was the best entry point. His experience told him that the man before him, though visibly shaken, was the weakest in the group.The man kneeling on the ground was already trembling, his eyes darting around nervously. When he looked up, he saw a tall, imposing figure standing in front of him. The man's presence was overwhelming, his expression one of cold authority. The kneeling man could only force himself to appear calm, tightening his neck and refusing to speak. Jim didn't waste any time. He raised his arm and gestured to the bodyguard behind him. "Do as Ms. Georgina said. Since they won't talk, throw them all into the ditch," he ordered, pointing at the man in front of him. "Start with him," Jim added. "Yes," the bodyguard replied, his face expressionless, without a hint of hesitation. He immediately grabbed the man from the ground and began dragging him toward the foul-smelling sewer. Without any prior notice, they lifted the man up and made him walk, step by step, toward the stinking water. "No! Samuel, help me!" The man let out a scream, struggling to move forward. Samuel looked back, his teeth clenched. He said nothing, did not move, and didn't respond to the man's cries. In his mind, though the ditch reeked, it wouldn't kill him—it was just a brief discomfort. Without any resistance, the man was quickly thrown into the ditch. A large splash echoed, and his desperate cries were drowned out by the water. The stench hit him like a wave, and he struggled frantically, trying to escape the filthy water. But the more he struggled, the deeper he sank, as if some unknown substance in the water was pulling him down. Georgina instinctively furrowed her brow. The water quickly rose to the man's neck, then to his chin, mouth, and nose—until he was on the verge of total submersion. Overwhelming fear took hold of him. He could no longer think of anything but escaping this suffocating, deathly place. "I'll talk! I'll say everything!" He shouted, his voice trembling as he struggled slightly. Samuel's expression changed immediately. He whirled around, clenching his teeth.Hearing the answer he wanted, Jim raised an eyebrow and waved his hand. "Pull him up." The man was hauled out of the water, gasping for air, his lungs desperate for fresh air. "Speak," Jim said sternly, watching the man take deep breaths. The man was about to speak when Samuel suddenly lunged at him, slamming him back to the ground. "Who told you to talk?" he barked. Jim frowned. The stubborn one was refusing to cooperate. He considered using an example to intimidate the others—make them understand the consequences of disobedience. He signaled to the bodyguards to move on Samuel. But before the bodyguard's fist could land, Samuel quickly turned and shouted, "I'll talk! I'll talk!" Jim was surprised. "What?" "We were hired, but the employer was too mysterious. We never even saw her face. All we know is she's a woman," the man said, his tone serious. "And she wore a talisman, something with the wording of 'Angel' engraved on it. That's all we know," Samuel added, speaking carefully. He wouldn't reveal Troy's identity, but he was willing to share details about the woman. "We're just doing this for money. Please, miss, have mercy and let us go," Samuel pleaded, his voice filled with desperation. He was smart enough to know who was most likely to show mercy—who his words would influence. These men were his closest allies, and he couldn't bear to see them die here. Sure enough, after hearing what she wanted, Georgina spoke immediately. "Fine, as long as you guarantee this is the truth, you can go." She had no intention of harming them. Samuel quickly nodded. "I swear, it's the truth! Absolutely!" A talisman with the word 'Angel' engraved on it? Georgina mulled over Samuel's words, her mind working through the implications.