Chapter 324 Nothing Left to Lose

Elsie had told herself she’d buy the shares back once her finances were back in order.

But the moment the scruffy man finished flipping through the documents, he wrinkled his nose and looked disgusted. “I’m not taking this. It’s not even worth anything.”

Elsie’s heart dropped. “Didn’t you say you buy shares?”

“I do,” he replied lazily. “But only if they’re worth something. I invest in stocks with potential. I’m not a junkyard. Powell Corporation’s stock has been tanking. What would I want with this?”

Elsie’s face went pale on the spot.

She had thought she could sell the shares for a good price—maybe it would pull her out of her current crisis, even temporarily.

But now, not only was the man not buying, he casually lit a cigarette and added, “That hospital of yours? Old, outdated, and barely standing. Silverburgh’s building the biggest hospital in Northvale soon. Little places like yours? Destined for foreclosure. You won’t be able to sell that thing even if you beg.”

Elsie’s expression darkened. She didn’t know what to say.

The man took another drag and shrugged. “Still, you’ve been a long-time client. I can give you a hand.”

He held up a hand, fingers spread slightly apart. “Eight million. I’ll take your shares for eight million.”

“Eight million?” Elsie’s voice rose in disbelief. She snatched the documents back from him. “Are you kidding me?”

Eight million? That was the price of a few of her handbags. And he wanted to buy 10% of Saunders Hospital with that?

This was daylight robbery!

Elsie turned and walked away slowly, hoping the man would stop her and offer more.

But he didn’t.

When she glanced back, he was already swinging a leg over his motorcycle, clearly ready to take off.

Elsie gritted her teeth. No. She couldn’t sell for eight million.

It was too cheap.

And what could eight million even do for her now? It wouldn’t last her two days.

She reached for her car door—but just then, a figure lunged out from the alley, grabbed her by the collar, and yanked her straight out of the car.

Elsie screamed, stumbling backward—and looked up into the crazed face of Jason’s wife.

In just a few days, the woman looked like she’d completely lost it. Disheveled, wild-eyed—clearly suffering after what her husband did with the money, possibly going half-mad from the stress.

And worst of all—Elsie still hadn’t paid her back that five million.

Jason’s wife slammed Elsie to the ground, flicked open a switchblade, and pressed it against her cheek. “Five million. You paying me back or not? If not, I’ll carve up your face. Let’s see how you seduce my husband after that!”

Elsie cried out as the woman yanked her hair. Her scalp burned, her eyes watered from the pain. “Who the hell wants your man! That loser isn’t even my type!”

“Then why did you take his money? Why!”

The blade relaxed a little, but the woman still clung to her, refusing to let go.

Elsie wanted to call Owen to come help, but the woman wouldn’t let her touch her phone. She was afraid she’d try to run.

Instead, she demanded Elsie pay her back with her own savings.

But what savings? Elsie didn’t have any.

With the knife still dangerously close, Elsie had no choice but to call the scruffy man again and say she agreed to sell the shares.

He showed up quickly. Elsie gave him frantic looks, desperate for him to help her—report this, do something.

But no matter how desperately she batted her lashes or twisted her face, the man might as well have been blind. He didn’t even blink at the knife against her face.

Biting down on his cigarette, he drawled, “What’s this? Finally changed your mind?”

Elsie was sweating bullets, her eyes darting in every direction. But this alley was too hidden. No one would just wander by.

The knife nicked her cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.

Elsie couldn’t afford to wait anymore. Trembling, she signed her name on the share transfer documents.

The man took the file, then grabbed her phone, transferred eight million into her account, and even wrote a receipt on the spot.

When he handed the phone back to her, Jason’s wife snatched it away in one quick motion.

She immediately used Elsie’s phone to transfer herself five million.

Elsie shouted, “You’re stealing from me!”

Jason’s wife pressed the blade against her again. “Put in your password.”

Elsie gritted her teeth, but with no other choice, typed it in.

As soon as the transfer went through, Jason’s wife bolted.

Elsie shot up off the ground and immediately called the police. Then she turned to find the scruffy man.

She was going to tell him she was taking the shares back.

But when she turned around—

He was gone.

She called his number, only to be met with a robotic voice. “The number you have dialed is no longer in service.”

That’s when it finally hit her.

How the hell did Jason’s wife know where to find her?