Chapter 24
“Let go of me!” Nadia struggled with all her might.
Edric, towering and powerful, simply pressed down on her back with one hand while pulling her shoulder toward his private
room.
A passing waiter looked over curiously. Wilfrid, smiling, explained, “She’s just drunk. Nothing to worry about…
Kate, timing her arrival to coincide with Nadia’s, saw Nadia being harassed and, seizing a wine bottle from a waiter, smashed it over the head of Edric. “Keep your filthy hands to yourself!”
Wilfrid caught the bottle mid–air, scolding her, “Are you crazy? That’s Edric from Hadio Construction!”
Red wine spilled back along Kate’s wrists, staining her sleeves and dress red.
Wiping herself haphazardly, she angrily retorted, “I don’t care who he is. If anyone wants to touch Nadia, over my dead body?”
Wilfrid held Kate back as Edric continued dragging Nadia toward the private room. With her hand captured, Nadia had no choice but to strike Edric’s chin with the back of her head.
Her hairpin dug into his skin, leaving a bloody gash.
“Ahhh!” Edric roared in anger, twisting Nadia’s arm fiercely. “You dare to rough me up? I could dislocate your arm, you know!* With that, he kicked open the door to the private room and pushed her inside.
Nadia twisted along with his force, managing to slap him hard across the face with her free hand.
The reason she could hit Edric was that he froze in shock as he called out, “Mr. Black…”
Nadia’s head snapped up, and to her astonishment, the man sitting right in the middle of the sofa was Jason.
His eyes were cold. He took a puff of his cigarette.
All the blood in Nadia’s body seemed to freeze; her fingertips trembled uncontrollably. ‘He actually watches me being bullied like this without lifting a finger.
As for Edric’s business partner, he vanished somewhere, leaving Edric with no choice but to greet this unexpected guest with a smile.
He quickly said, “Mr. Black, your domestic help here has been earning some extra money on the side. She recognized me from when I visited your place before, hoping I could introduce her to some clients. We… We just couldn’t agree on the
terms…”
It was such a clean pass off the blame.
“Yes, yes, that’s right,” Wilfrid surprisingly backed the story. “She asked me to make the connection. She wanted to work with Edric.
I didn’t! They waylaid us halfway and even bullied my friend,” Nadia retorted.
Wilfrid put on a broad grin. In his line of work, he knew well how to curry favor with the powerful and trample on the weak. Between a debutante singer and a regional construction company, he knew exactly whom he should fawn over.
“You’re both my people. How could 1 bully you? Look at what you did to Edric. The fact that he’s not holding it against you should be enough to settle this. He hoped to smooth things over.
Nadia realized they were all in cahoots, a den of thieves. ‘But Pier Club is such an exclusive place. For the safety of its guests. there must be security cameras…
“I’m calling the police. The hallway cameras must have recorded everything, she declared, making her way out only to be blocked by Wilfrid at the door.
He said. “Do you know where the Pier Club is? You can’t just request security footage. Our guests value their privacy?
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Chapter 24
In other words, without anyone to vouch for Nadia, she was bound to suffer this silent loss. If she played her cards right and apologized to Edric, maybe there could be a different outcome.
But she would not do that.
Jason shifted his crossed legs to the other side, his chiseled features were cold. ‘She saw me but didn’t even bother to greet… She knows these two are scheming against her, yet she doesn’t think about asking for my help…
‘If she had just asked, I would have definitely helped her access the security footage, definitely avenged her. But not only did she refrain from seeking help, she didn’t even spare a glance in my direction upon seeing me here.
‘Nadia, you’re impressive, so full of pride. Let’s see how stubborn you can be.
Wilfrid discreetly signaled Nadia with his eyes. ‘A woman without connections, only by obediently submitting can you resolve today’s crisis.’
“Since you’re here, why don’t you accompany Edric for a drink?” As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed Edric’s face turn a deathly pallor.
Edric struggled to swallow, and in front of Jason, he asked Jason’s servant to join him in drinking, which made him somewhat reluctant.
He went to No. 8 Crest Manor to give a gift that day and heard that the neighbor next door wanted to poach Nadia; however, the neighbor’s company’s financial chain suddenly broke, forcing him to sell his house to pay off debts; he was never seen again.
With a half–hearted smile, Edric glanced at Jason, unsure of how much Jason had overheard, but it seemed certain that Jason had indeed dismissed this employee. “Mr…. Mr. Black. It seems we’ve entered the wrong private room…”
Jason slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, his cold gaze returning to Nadia.
Nadia, fumbling with her phone, was about to dial a number when Wilfrid snatched it away. “If you want to call the police, do it outside. Don’t disrupt the other guests‘ relaxation.” With that, he attempted to usher Nadia out.
She deftly sidestepped and swiftly reclaimed her phone. “I’m also a guest here. I have the right to enjoy protection.”
Jason tapped the ash from his cigarette and stood up, his voice cold as he declared, “It seems I’ve entered the wrong private room.” He began to stride toward the exit.
His presence was imposing as he approached step by step. Nadia, standing in the doorway, couldn’t ignore him and was forced to look up.
Jason, cigarette between his teeth, his gaze intense as if he was saying, “Beg me for help.”
Nadia bit her lip, her attitude unwavering. ‘No.‘
She quickly flipped through her contacts, skipping over Jason’s name, and stopped at a university senior named Ken Salazar working in Askon. Just as she was about to dial, Jason grabbed her arm, phone still in hand, and pulled her toward him.
Without a word, he led her out, Nadia’s shoulder crashing into the door frame, tears welling up from the pain. “Jason, let go! Release me!” said she.,
While Kate was being held back by Wilfrid, she got a face full of liquor, her cheeks now flushed red as she slumped onto the sofa, her mind hazy.
“Kate is allergic to alcohol; we need to take her to the hospital!” Nadia cried out.
“Paul!” Jason’s command echoed, startling both Edric and Wilfrid, who were following them.
They wondered, ‘Isn’t she just a domestic help? Why is Mr. Black so furious?‘
“Edric, as for your shoddy construction project, Mr. Black has already given his instructions.” Paul’s voice floated leisurely, then he turned to Wilfrid, sneering, “Trash should behave like trash.”
With that, Edric and Wilfrid were manhandled and dragged away.
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Chapter 21
Nadia was ushered into the exclusive room on the top floor. Her collar, having been tugged and pulled, now lay torn, exposing her shoulder.
She stumbled onto the sofa and just as she tried to rise, Jason pinned her down.
He forcefully pried the phone from Nadia’s grip, opening the contact list, his eyes burning with anger as they scanned it. “Ken? This time, you thought of seeking help from your precious senior, Ken, huh?”
Nadia’s fingers, scraped raw by his grip, found no strength to push back against his mountainous frame.
The more she stubbornly refused to speak, the tighter Jason’s grip became around her chin, their locked gazes kindling a fierce fire of anger.
It wasn’t until her eyes glistened with moisture, her lips curling in a look of grievance, that Jason slowly eased his grip, speaking in a hushed tone near her ear. “Edric, that bastard, had to crawl into No. 8 Crest Manor. Have you forgotten what position you hold, or do you not care?”
“Jason, you’re smothering me.” Nadia tried to push him away again, but failed. All she could do was turn her face away from his breath. Her neck’s scattered hair stirred by his breath, making her feel warm and oddly ticklish.
She continued, “We’re in the process of getting a divorce. Your future wife probably wouldn’t want to hear about this misunderstanding.”
“You called me this morning, saying you wanted to see me, even mentioned bringing me lunch… Then you run off to Askon to sing, drink, and flirt with men. Nadia, are you fooling me around?” Jason’s tone carried a clear note of irritation.
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