"I'm here precisely because you wouldn't know the real story about your first love if I didn't come!" Vicky said, and her tone laced with determination. Chloe, intrigued by this revelation, subtly moved to the side, ready to observe the drama unfold like an invisible spectator. James' brow furrowed at the mention of Maggie.

Vicky didn't waste a moment and pulled out some documents from her bag, thrusting them towards James. "Take a good look at this. Not only has she been pregnant before, but she's also had a miscarriage!" Vicky thought, "Finally, I've caught Maggie in her true colors!" James scanned the report, visibly shocked, but his mind quickly dismissed its relevance.

"So what if she's had a miscarriage? The child wasn't mine, and neither was it conceived with me. Why are you showing me this?"

Vicky was exasperated. "Didn't you read? It says she has a thin uterine wall and might have trouble conceiving again. If you get involved with her, your family line could end!"

Her frustration was palpable. Maggie's inability to bear children made any future with her inconceivable.

James was taken aback by Vicky's insistence and felt a surge of irritation.

"Vicky, first of all, I have no plans to marry Maggie. Secondly, if my future spouse can't have children, we could always adopt. And third, I don't like you and definitely won't marry you."

Her premature leap into the role of his girlfriend, or even wife, was grating on him.

Despite Vicky's repeated exposure to his lack of interest, hearing it once more was no less painful.

"What's so wrong with me?" Vicky asked, her voice trembling.

She had only ever had eyes for James, had never been in a relationship before, and her feelings were pure and intense.

James replied coldly, "It's about feeling. I just don't feel anything for you."

His words were like a death sentence to Vicky.

The lack of a specific reason, merely the absence of feeling, was more crushing than any detailed criticism could be.

Watching Vicky storm out, Chloe shook her head in sympathy. "She's just a young girl. Could you try not to be so harsh?"

James' expression remained unchanged. "If I sugarcoat things, she might cling on even longer."

He knew that girls could be sensitive, but Vicky was different.

Even with him laying it out as clearly as he did, Vicky kept pressing forward.

James was genuinely afraid that if he showed any sign of weakness, she might interpret it as a chance. And once that happened, he'd be stuck dealing with her for good.

Chloe reluctantly decided to leave it be. Seeing the report Vicky had left behind, she figured bringing up Maggie might not be the best move right now.

The room fell into an uneasy silence.

Half an hour later, James' phone rang, displaying Asher's name.

Assuming it was about his sister, James didn't answer.

Unable to reach him, Asher called Chloe instead.

She picked up the phone, her brow furrowing as she listened. "He says Vicky's gone to the most popular bar in town."

James was momentarily stunned, thinking, "This woman is a real handful."

Chloe, unsure how to handle the situation, handed her phone to James.

Asher said, "James, you need to take this call. I can't manage her on my own. You know how chaotic things can get here at night. She's alone in a bar, and I'm worried. Only you can get her out."

James wasn't supposed to leave the hospital. Even though his stitches were in place and his recovery was progressing well, getting out of bed could risk opening the wound.

So when Asher spoke, Chloe instinctively glanced at James to gauge his reaction.

After ending the call, James handed the phone back to Chloe, and his gaze swept around the room until it landed on his coat, which was hanging by the door.

"You're actually going?" Chloe asked, and her voice tinged with concern.

James gave a curt nod. "You said it yourself. She's just a young girl."

The bar Vicky had gone to was notorious for being the roughest in town. James couldn't fathom why Vicky had chosen such a place.

"Hold on a second. Your wound isn't fully healed yet. Are you sure you want to go out there and look for her now?" holds this content.

Chloe was apprehensive about the bar scene; anything could happen there.

James pressed his lips together, his resolve hardening.

"She's Asher's sister. That makes her almost like my own sister. I can't just ignore this."