Chapter 73: The Threat at the Bowling Alley
CRASH! A loud roar echoed through the empty alley as the pins were struck down.
Evelyn hobbled in. The searing pain in her ankle nearly brought her to her knees, but she ignored it.
“Damian! Stop it!”
Ethan was standing directly in front of Damian. Evelyn tried to rush forward to shield him, just as he had done for her countless times. But the moment she took a step, two shadows—bodyguards—flashed out from behind Damian and instantly gripped her shoulders.
“Let go of me!” The powerful grip pinned her still, practically crushing her bones. The injury to her ankle worsened with the struggle, and cold sweat immediately drenched her back.
Damian didn't even glance back at her. He deliberately stood up, walked around the table, and slowly approached Ethan.
“Dr. Ethan Hall,” Damian said, “I hear you have extremely steady hands—the kind that can perform complex surgeries few other doctors attempt.”
Before he finished, he lunged, grabbed Ethan’s collar, and slammed him hard against the nearby lane barrier. THUD! Ethan’s back hit the hard metal. He stifled a grunt of pain, his face instantly draining of color.
“No! Damian!” Evelyn struggled frantically, but the bodyguards' strength was overwhelming. Her resistance was useless.
Damian ignored her screaming. He leaned down and whispered into Ethan’s ear, “What happens if I break your hands, making sure you never hold a scalpel again? Hmm?” His fingers slid up and tightened around Ethan’s right wrist—the hands of a surgeon who had saved countless lives.
“Don't you dare touch him! I will make you pay!” Evelyn shrieked.
Damian finally turned his head, giving her a look of utter contempt. “See how much my wife cares about you?” He turned back to the pale Ethan. “What rubbish did you feed her to make her think she could file for divorce? Who the hell do you think you are? A damned doctor daring to touch what belongs to me?”
“Stop it! Damian, you bastard! This has nothing to do with him!” Evelyn yelled.
Ethan’s breathing was shallow, but he forced himself to stay calm. His gaze flickered past Damian's shoulder to the terrified Evelyn, and his heart clenched in pain at her desperation.
“Mr. Green,” Ethan said, seizing the critical moment, “What you need right now is not to vent your anger, but to solve a problem.”
Damian froze, narrowing his eyes as he assessed the weight of the statement.
“The news is everywhere, and Omni Group’s stock is falling,” Ethan continued. “Harming me here will only make things worse. What will the media say? That the Omni CEO assaulted someone in public because of his wife’s affair? Will that help your company or your reputation?”
Damian’s eyes narrowed, but the grip on Ethan’s collar didn’t loosen.
“I have a solution,” Ethan announced loudly, ensuring everyone present could hear him. “I will immediately contact Sophie and announce that we are dating, even though it's fake. Then, we will release a joint statement, clarifying that Evelyn and I are just friends and that all the photos were misunderstood. I will cooperate fully to spin this whole damn scandal into a narrative of... devoted marriage and public misunderstanding, saving the Omni Group's reputation.”
He finished, his chest slightly rising and falling. He had formulated this plan before arriving. It was the only way to protect Evelyn’s reputation and cool Damian’s insane fury.
Silence fell over the bowling alley, broken only by the intermittent clatter of pins in the distance. Damian stared at Ethan, like a predator eyeing interesting prey. He slowly released Ethan’s collar and smiled—a slow, chilling smile that was utterly unnerving.
“A solution? Well said, Doctor.” He clapped Ethan’s shoulder. “You’re smart. You know how to save your hands.”
Then, he turned and walked toward Evelyn, his eyes fixed on her. “The choice isn't yours, though. The decision rests with… my dear wife.” He used his fingertip to lift Evelyn’s chin, forcing her to look at him.
“Evelyn, you have a choice now. Either you shut up and continue to play the role of Mrs. Green. We are still a loving couple, and the divorce and scandal were just you throwing a small tantrum. Then, I will spare your ‘dear friend.’”
His gaze shifted to Ethan, the curve of his mouth turning colder.
“Or, you insist on your ridiculous divorce. Fine, I’ll grant it. But the moment you walk out that door, I will have his hands broken, ensuring he never touches an operating table again!”
The air froze. Evelyn’s body trembled as she stared, heartbroken, at the man she had once loved. There was no trace of a joke in his eyes, only cold, calculated madness. She knew he meant every word.
She lifted her head, looking over Damian's shoulder toward Ethan. Another bodyguard had walked over and now held Ethan still. He wasn't struggling, but his pale face and tightly pressed lips betrayed his fear. He subtly, almost imperceptibly, shook his head—don't compromise for me.
But how could Evelyn stand by and watch him get hurt?