Chapter 391 - 398 I

Words : 1663 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

Chapter 391: Chapter 398 IFirst, they went to a restaurant for a meal, and then everyone strongly suggested going to karaoke. Left with no choice, James Brown brought everyone to a karaoke lounge. By this time, Lucy Campbell was already a little tipsy but was still enthusiastic. This kind of life, simple and ordinary, was something she had never truly experienced before. Lucy sat next to James, while on her other side sat the chubby David Clark. Lucy, being James’s secretary, was always at his side, so no one felt it was inappropriate. "Manager Johnson, why don’t you kick things off with a song?" In this group, James was the leader, so as soon as they entered the lounge, everyone started encouraging him loudly. Lucy also excitedly egged him on. She had never heard him sing before and was curious to see how he’d perform. Unable to dodge the pressure, James took the microphone and sang *True Hero.* Though his voice wasn’t particularly remarkable, it was strong and full of vigor, giving the song an impressive presence. After all, the original singer, John Long, wasn’t known for his singing voice either, yet the song had become iconic. When James finished, the room erupted in applause. Lucy was clapping so hard her palms made a sharp noise. Her eyes sparkled with an unusual glow. James sat back down, and Lucy immediately handed him a glass of beer. He drank it all in one gulp and said, "Alright, I’ve sung, now it’s your turn. Do whatever you want to have fun." Having heard James sing, everyone’s eyes turned to Lucy. James grinned and said, "Lucy, you’re new today. The team is welcoming you, so it’s only right that you sing for everyone first." Lucy didn’t hesitate and confidently sang a song. James thought her voice was beautiful, though he wasn’t familiar with the song itself. When Lucy finished, the applause lingered long in the air. Her performance captured both admiration for her stunning appearance and genuine appreciation for her incredible singing voice, sounding almost like the original artist herself. Afterward, everyone loosened up. Those who loved singing kept at it, while others sat down to drink and chat. Of course, they didn’t forget to try to charm Lucy. Lucy handled the attention from the male colleagues with notable skill. She neither gave them an opportunity to take advantage nor left anyone feeling neglected. Her tact impressed James immensely. From time to time, James also had to step in to shield her when the guys became too rowdy. It wasn’t until past ten that James suggested wrapping things up. After all, they had work the next day. Although the group was reluctant to part, they acknowledged it was time. Spending such an enjoyable evening with Lucy had been more than fulfilling. As they left the private room and walked down the corridor, a few people emerged from another private room ahead of them. Ordinarily, such encounters wouldn’t lead to anything, with both groups stepping aside to let the other pass. But it was clear that the people from the other room were quite drunk and obnoxiously swaggering about. One of them swayed into David Clark, the chubby guy, bumping into him. David frowned but didn’t intend to make a fuss. However, the man who bumped him glared at him and sneered, "What? Got a problem with it?" Normally, David might have let it slide. But with Lucy present, being treated like that without standing up for himself wouldn’t feel manly. Coupled with the alcohol in his system, he immediately shot back, "What’s your problem? Can’t you watch where you’re going?" "Screw you! Wanna get beaten up?" The man, a burly guy in his thirties, raised his arm and took a swing at David without hesitation. Caught off guard, David took the punch to his chest, stumbling back two steps. Fury ignited within him as he shouted a curse and lunged back at the guy. "You little punk, dare to fight back? I’ll beat the crap out of you!" The drunk man, clearly an experienced brawler, dodged David’s punch with surprising agility, tripping him to the ground with a swift foot sweep. "Haha..." The other group burst into mocking laughter, their jeers filling the hallway. Men have their pride. James’s team included eight people from the HR department, three of whom were women, leaving five men. Seeing that the other group had only four men, the remaining three of James’s male colleagues angrily rushed forward, joining David, who had scrambled back to his feet, swinging wildly at their opponents. James, however, didn’t join the fray immediately. He observed the other group carefully. They appeared agile and adept but no more skilled than regular street thugs, exuding a sense of violence but not true malice. Based on that, James quickly concluded they were just rowdy troublemakers used to getting into fights. Given past incidents—especially the attack on Lucy and the kidnapping attempt on Sarah Grandy as a trap for him—James had become cautious in such situations. The last thing he wanted was to fall victim to some ambush. Besides, he wasn’t just looking out for himself anymore; he was a married man with responsibilities. Within moments, David and the others were taking a beating, each one of them suffering a few hits. If not for the alcohol fueling their courage and Lucy watching them, they might have already fled in defeat. "Are you going to help or not?" Lucy smirked and winked at James. James decided he didn’t want to waste more time and nodded, finally stepping in. This time, however, he didn’t take down the four opponents as efficiently as he could have. Instead, he made it appear as though he was only slightly stronger than them. Pretending to take a couple of punches, he knocked one of them to the ground. With that, the odds shifted, and it became five against three, quickly turning the tide. The remaining opponents were soon also subdued. David and the others, unaccustomed to fighting, didn’t stop after bringing their opponents down, continuing to rain punches and kicks. Seeing that things might escalate too far, James noticed the venue’s security guards approaching. He immediately called out to his team, and they all made a run for it. At the reception area, they found a line of security guards barring their way. Without missing a beat, James pulled out One Thousand Bucks and tossed it to them. The guards, clearly more concerned about unpaid bills than the brawl, let them through. "Hurry up and get in a cab to head home. Those guys might bring reinforcements," James urged. His words sobered up his colleagues, who had been so bold earlier. They quickly piled into taxis and took off, leaving only James and Lucy behind. Since James had been drinking, he hadn’t brought his car, so they waited for a taxi. However, no cabs showed up, and a group of about seven or eight people emerged behind them—four from the earlier fight and some additional reinforcements. Lucy, still unfazed, smiled brightly and asked, "What now?" James chuckled, "Run!" "Alright, let’s run!" Lucy responded eagerly. James grabbed Lucy’s hand, and they took off running. Behind them, the group chased after them, shouting curses and threats as they went. Truthfully, James could’ve easily handled even eighty of them, let alone eight. But the street was lined with surveillance cameras, and going all out could bring unnecessary trouble. Added to that, Lucy was with him, making him cautious about drawing attention. So, he chose to run instead. To his amusement, Lucy, despite the chaos, seemed to enjoy the thrill of the chase. Unfortunately, Lucy’s high heels soon became an issue, causing her to almost twist her ankle. She let out a sharp cry. "Carry me!" Lucy suggested boldly. Without hesitation, James hoisted Lucy onto his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her chest pressed against his back. She seemed to enjoy the ride, leaning close and holding on tightly. Even with Lucy on his back, James didn’t slow down. In fact, he sped up, quickly ditching their pursuers by ducking into a small alley. "Alright, we’re safe," James informed Lucy. "I’m so sleepy. Let me nap for a bit," Lucy murmured groggily. Her lips even made a cute smacking sound. "No way, you’re actually falling asleep?" James muttered with an exasperated expression. "Be nice, James. Don’t put me down. I feel dizzy and just want to sleep," Lucy responded in a soft, coquettish voice. James felt a slight flutter in his heart but chuckled wryly. "We’re quite far from your place. I can’t carry you all the way home." "I live next door to you now," Lucy replied. James paused in surprise. "Next door?" "Yep, the building where you and Gina live now. I bought the two adjacent apartments—one for me and one for Emily. I’m too tired to explain further, just take me home." She hugged his neck tighter, resting her cheek against him before drifting off to sleep. James was left speechless. What was Lucy up to? Even if she wanted to move into the same neighborhood, there was no need to become his literal neighbor. Clearly, the families who previously lived next to him and Gina must’ve received generous offers to move out so quickly. It was hard to believe the apartments had changed hands in just one day. Judging by their location, home wasn’t too far away. Feeling resigned, James continued to carry Lucy without hailing a cab. On the quiet streets at night, a young man carried a stunningly beautiful woman on his back. The scene was both romantic and serene—at least, that’s what Lucy, who was pretending to sleep, thought. Soon enough, though, her pretense turned into genuine slumber. She found James’s back more comforting than her own bed. Sёarch* The ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Chapter 391 - 398 I

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