Chapter 143: Three Minutes

Nathael stared at Maggie silently, his throat bobbing slightly. Maggie, agitated and reckless, soon dashed back to the door, pleading, "Let me peek again! I swear I won't even breathe loudly!" A fierce, one-sided fight raged outside.

Maggie knew Joseph, polished by the Camerons, was no lightweight. He couldn't match Nathael but held his ground. She was astonished, however, when Joseph lasted only minutes against Alex, the usually mild-mannered office worker.

"Wow!" she exclaimed. "I had no idea Mr. Solace, who seems so shy, could fight like that!"

After a moment's thought, Maggie turned to Nathael. "Mr. Solace knows how to throw down, huh? He's a giant in my book—2.8 meters tall!"

Nathael remained calm, secretly wishing he were fighting. Sensing something, Maggie looked at him, her gaze softening. "You, my friend, are a towering 3.8 meters tall in my heart."

A slight grin touched Nathael's lips; amusement twinkled in his eyes. "Mr. Cameron," he said, "I didn't expect you to last more than ten minutes, but here you are."

Alex admired Joseph's resilience but saw him hanging on by a thread. If Joseph quit, it would cause problems. Hoping to buy him some time, Alex reassured him, "I won't drag this out. You can come in after ten minutes."

Despite tasting blood, Joseph wrestled with leaving but decided to endure. He knew Nathael was formidable, but the Camerons, overconfident from past victories, had misjudged the situation.

As Joseph considered this, Alex's fist connected with his face, making his cheek quiver and contort. Within minutes, Joseph was drenched in sweat and blood. Desperate, he scanned for an escape.

A man and woman emerged from a nearby room, clearly startled by Joseph's condition. Relieved, Joseph was taken aback when Alex extended a hand, acting friendly and laughing off the incident as a drunken mishap. But as reality dawned on the bystanders, Joseph tried to explain.

Alex's elbow tightened around Joseph's neck, his face turning crimson, silencing him. As the two disappeared from view, Alex flung Joseph over his shoulder, slamming him hard to the ground. The Camerons weren't known for their kindness.

Maggie dared not provoke Alex; he answered to Mr. Harris, and any retaliation would fall on Joseph. Dizzy from the beating, Joseph grappled with an unprecedented loss, all because of his ties to the Camerons.

Every time Joseph tried to speak, Alex silenced him with another punch, ensuring Nathael's name remained out of the conversation. How could he justify leaving?

After what seemed an eternity, ten minutes passed. Alex sighed, composed himself, and resumed his polite secretary demeanor. Seeing the beating end, Maggie darted into the second bedroom to hide, shoving Joseph's clothes to the back of the wardrobe to mislead him.

Before she knew it, Alex opened the door. Bruised and swollen, Joseph stumbled into the suite, his eyes like those of a panda. A man with impeccable posture sat on the living room sofa, his expression icy and determined, a cigarette burning between his fingers. But Maggie was gone.

Joseph searched the room, his brow furrowing. "Mr. Cameron insisted on meeting me," a deep, intimidating voice echoed. Joseph's heart clenched.

"Mr. Harris? Where's Maggie? What have you done to her?" Joseph, his face bruised, asked Nathael.

Maggie, hidden behind the door, watched Joseph's pitiful state. Unable to resist, she took photos, intending to use them as a mood booster later. The usually handsome man was a mess—covered in blood, his clothes soaked, his eyes swollen.

Nathael glanced at him, his dark pupils like ink. "I'll give you three more minutes."

A sense of dread washed over Joseph. His heart clenched. He blurted out, "I understand Mr. Harris holds immense power, and we Camerons don't want to be on your bad side, but Maggie is my sister. If you've harmed her in any way, I"

Nathael glanced at the clock. "Two minutes and twenty seconds remaining."

"If Maggie offended you, I hope Mr. Harris can forgive her. I"

"One minute and fifty seconds."

Joseph paused, his throat tight, then changed tack: "If you genuinely care for Maggie, we'll fully support you. But if this is a game, she's not that kind of woman."

"One minute," Nathael interrupted.

Anxious, Joseph continued, some words escaping involuntarily: "Maggie approached you with hidden intentions. She's manipulating you for the Camerons! We don't want to be your adversaries, but we can't control Maggie. Be wary, Mr. Harris!"

(The final "Send Gifts" appears to be unrelated and should be removed.)