Chapter 29
Jessica sat in the living room, carefully coloring her picture book.
Jason had bought it for her.
She loved it and would draw whenever she had time.
Lily and I were preparing ingredients for hot pot together.
I glanced at her glowing face and couldn't help but smile. "This trip really did you good - you look so much better."
"Of course! I slept with a cute guy over there for a night."
Lily's words made me drop the potato in my hand back into the sink.
Seeing my shock, Lily just waved her hand dismissively. "Sex is totally normal. Just like men, we women have needs to satisfy too."
As if remembering something, Lily's face flushed slightly. "And honestly, that night was really good."
I blinked very slowly, then realized. "Just sleeping together? Not planning to develop anything more?"
Lily understood what I meant, but she quickly shook her head with absolute certainty. "This is enough. I hate jerks now, and I avoid regular guys too. Romance is too much of a luxury for me."
I nodded understandingly and asked, "So what are your plans now that you're back?"
Lily said, "I'm going to write a new book. My phone is full of messages from my editor asking for the manuscript."
Lily stuck out her tongue, then looked at me curiously. "Enough about me - what about you? You told me Jason helped with the kid while you were on that business trip. What's going on with you two?"
My hands paused almost imperceptibly, and I gave a helpless smile. "What could be going on? We broke up ages ago. Now it's just because he's Jessica's dad."
That's right, Jessica was our only connection.
Jessica, whose true identity Jason didn't know.
Lily squinted at me and said, "Sue, if you ask me, you should find yourself a cute guy too. Maybe you could even get married."
"I have a kid - people would rather avoid me," I said with a bitter smile.
Lily's eyes rolled as she said, "Why don't you just send Jessica to Jason? He's Jessica's real father - it's only natural for him to raise his daughter! Then you'd be free to find a boyfriend."
But I still shook my head. "No, I don't want Jessica to leave me."
Lily didn't say more, just looked at me with sympathy in her eyes.
I knew what she felt sorry about.
I admitted it. I couldn't let go of Jason, and I could never go looking for some cute guy.
We'd barely started eating the hot pot when Brian called.
I told Lily and Jessica to keep eating while I went to the balcony to answer. "Mr. Ethan, what's up?"
"Hello, Mr. Ethan is drunk at the Bayflower Club. Could you please come pick him up as soon as possible?"
I agreed.
As I put on my coat, I had to ask Lily to watch Jessica for me.
Lily readily agreed and waved her hand. "Drive safe, take it slow at night."
"Okay."
Bayflower Club was a top-tier VIP venue in Seaside City - you couldn't even get in without a membership card.
The staff member who called was already waiting for me at the entrance. Seeing me arrive, they immediately led me inside.
"It's room 320 up ahead." The staff member brought me to the third floor and then left.
I searched room by room. Before I reached room 320, I unexpectedly ran into Jason.
Two men were following behind Jason.
"What are you doing here?" Jason frowned slightly, seeing me alone.
"I'm here to pick someone up." I answered honestly, just wanting to avoid Jason pestering me further.
"Picking up a drunkard?"
"...Yes."
Someone who couldn't even call me themselves - what else would they be but a drunkard?
Brian came out of room 320 on his own.
Seeing me, he immediately stumbled forward and raised his hand to put it around my shoulder.
I frowned slightly and slapped his hand away, instead supporting Brian by the arm. "Mr. Ethan, you're drunk. I'm here to take you back."
Before Brian could speak, one of the men behind Jason spoke up instead. "Ms. Wilson, if you're looking for a rich man, Brian's the wrong choice. If we're talking money, our buddy here is way better."
He made no effort to hide the hostility in his eyes as he looked me up and down. "No matter how hard you try, Brian will never marry you. You should just give up!"
My hand supporting Brian unconsciously tightened.
In Jason's mind, I was just a material girl who'd do anything for money.
That's why his friends looked at me this way.
I ignored the man and just looked up at Jason.
I really wanted to ask Jason if he thought the same way.
But when I met Jason's cold gaze, all my questions stuck in my throat.
Such disgusted eyes.
I didn't need to ask. The answer was right in front of me.
Brian's drunk brain finally caught up, and he greeted them. "Mr. Cooper, Mr. Scott, Mr. Allen, what a coincidence seeing you all here."
Richard's lips curved in a cold smile. "Brian, your taste is terrible. Don't say I didn't warn you - this little secretary of yours has ulterior motives."
"Shut up!" Before he finished speaking, Jason's palm struck Richard hard across the face!
The sharp slap stunned everyone present.
Richard covered his face in disbelief, but in the end just moved his lips twice and obediently stepped aside.
Brian's expression gradually darkened, too. "Ms. Wilson is capable and professional - an excellent employee. I think my judgment is excellent."
With that, Brian patted my shoulder. "Let's go back."
I nodded slightly. Just as I took a step to support Brian, a gust of wind came from behind.
"Ah!" Before I could react, Brian's scream rang out.
Only then did I see that Jason had grabbed Brian's hand and forcibly broken it!
I looked at Jason in disbelief, as if he were a complete stranger. "Are you crazy?!"
Brian's voice trembled with pain as he stared at Jason's dark expression.
Jason's thin lips curved in a mocking arc.
His low, pleasant voice now sounded like a predator's declaration before the hunt. "I am crazy. If you dare touch her, I don't mind showing you what happens when you piss off a crazy person."
Brian looked down at his hand, twisted at an unnatural angle. "I just asked her to take me home!"
Jason remained silent, staring straight at Brian's broken hand, as if this wasn't enough - as if he needed to chop it off entirely to be satisfied.
Brian stepped back two paces.
Jason said flatly, "You guys take him to the hospital."
Richard and Ryan had already been scared senseless by this scene.
They quickly nodded and ran off with Brian.
I watched their retreating figures, instinctively wanting to run too.
The next moment, my wrist tightened, and a strong force pulled me.
After a dizzying spin, Jason dragged me into the private room and pinned me hard against the door!