Chapter 24

The moment the button was pressed, a muffled groan escaped from James through his clenched teeth. The veins on his arms bulged involuntarily. Cold sweat poured down his face, and his teeth chattered uncontrollably. As the intensity of the electric shock increased, even the machine began to shake uncontrollably. The current was frighteningly strong. "Sir! We really can't keep going with this!" someone shouted. But James looked up and said, "Continue. If no one presses the button, none of you will receive the pay you're owed." His words left everyone exchanging uneasy glances. The bodyguards, emotionless and duty-bound, showed no hesitation. But the men who followed James for years—people who were like sworn brothers to him—couldn't hide their concern. "Sir, Ms. Summers had indeed suffered terribly, but if she had told you earlier, this tragedy could've been avoided." "Yeah! This isn't entirely your fault!" His men quickly chimed in, trying their best to persuade him. But James