Chapter 27
Steffen, with his back to the door, didn’t see anyone come in, just felt a chilly breeze on the back of his neck.
Then a warm sensation trickled down the back of his head, and he reached up to touch it.
Blood!
His face went white as a sheet, and he bellowed, “Secretary! Call an ambulance, and get some people over here, I wanna see who the hell has the guts to…”
“Who were you planning to call?” a cold, deep male voice cut him off.
Benedict took long strides, casually placing himself behind Steffen, his gaze nonchalantly sweeping over Kyrell and Heloise.
Steffen tried to turn around, but Quad grabbed the collar of his shirt.
Quad looked like a bookworm but was strong; the average bodyguard was no match for him. No matter how much Steffen struggled to see who had come, he couldn’t move an inch.
Quad was so put off by his booze breath that he tossed him onto the floor with force.
Steffen’s head hit the armrest of the couch, and the blood flowed even faster from the back of his skull. But at that moment, he realized that a bit of bloodshed wasn’t the end of him; it was the dude who had just walked into the private room.
He scrambled backwards in panic, looking back in terror. In the circle of harsh light, the noble and aloof man stood tall, as if he was just passing by.
Yet his towering presence felt like he was looking down on ants, sending a chill down Steffen’s spine. Seeing the jade ring on the man’s left thumb, a symbol of status, he started shivering uncontrollably, “Mr, Mr. Harrington?”
The name Benedict Harrington signified absolute power, and under the weight of such force, Steffen didn’t even dare to breathe heavily, “You were about to call someone?” Benedict repeated his earlier question with an uncharacteristic touch of mercy.
Even the slow–witted Steffen caught on that Benedict seemed to be on Heloise’s side.
But as for what was really going on, he was clueless. All he knew was that his end was near.
His face drained of color, he struggled to his feet, trying to shake hands with Benedict, “Mr. Harrington, it’s all a big misunderstanding, an unfortunate mix–up…”
Quad kicked him square in the chest, spitting out, “Shut your mouth!”
Steffen was sent flying, head spinning, and in his daze, he caught sight of Beverly standing behind Benedict. His face turned from green to white, trembling as he pointed at her, “Ms. Miller, say something, will you?”
“Steffen, you’ve had one too many, haven’t you? How could you treat Heloise like this!”
Beverly, tears brimming in her eyes, rushed to Heloise’s side, concerned, “Lise, are you okay?”
Heloise had been stunned into stillness, only to be scooped up by Kyrell, but now she had regained some strength and told him, “Put me down, I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?” Kyrell was worried.
Heloise nodded, and only then did Kyrell set her down.
“Lise, are you really okay?” Beverly looked guilt–ridden.
Heloise silently gazed at her, then suddenly lifted her hand and slapped Beverly across the face!
1
Smack!
Everyone was taken by surprise.
With no expression on her face, Heloise raised her hand to slap again, but her wrist was caught mid–air. The hand that caught hers was warm and dry, with the soft cool touch unique to jade. Her eyes flickered, and a wave of sourness rushed to her nose.
Benedictwas protecting Beverly.
She didn’t look back, jerking her hand away.
Beverly, slapped so hard her face turned aside, covered her cheek and began to weep, “Lise, why would you do that!”
“Where did you go just now?” Heloise asked coldly.
Beverly explained with a sob, “I just stepped out to take a call, and when I came back, I couldn’t open the door to the room. I immediately contacted the manager, worried something happened to you, and I also called Benny. Thankfully, he was nearby and got here in time.”
She had been hiding in a corner, waiting for Heloise to be assaulted by Steffen before calling Benedict. Once Heloise was tainted, how could Benedict possibly remain interested?
But Kyrell’s unexpected arrival messed up her plan, and to extricate herself, she had to call Benedict ahead of time.
Beverly, clutching her reddened cheek, cried pitifully, “You’ve been wronged and blame me, I understand. I shouldn’t have left you alone in the room, but I had no idea Steffen would dare to do this to you.”
“No, that’s not true!” Steffen protested loudly, “Ms. Miller, what are you implying? Weren’t you the one who said…”
“Steffen!” Beverly let go of her cheek, turned to him with a fleeting warning look in her eyes, “You were drunk and misunderstood something. How could you turn around and blame me?”
Steffen had scaled the ladder of success, navigating through intricate connections and sizable cash investments to ultimately mold himself into the stature he held today.
He was actually just an assistant manager, and since the real manager was transferred, the position had been vacant. He liked to keep up appearances.
But when it came to comparing himself to the Miller family, or even worse, the Harrington family with whom the Millers were to form an alliance, his position as the deputy manager of a company’s business division was worth nothing.
He slumped to the floor in despair, mumbling, “Yes, I got carried away.”
He then begged Heloise, “I’m sorry, Ms. Beaumont. Please forgive me. I didn’t really do anything, right? Forgive me, and name your price, I’ll compensate you.”
Heloise, fighting back disgust, thought ironically that just moments ago, those same words from his mouth were laced with obscenities. She couldn’t even spare him an extra glance.
But right then, he could only beg Heloise.
Beverly had threatened Steffen, and he didn’t dare bother Benedict. Groveling on the ground, Steffen inched toward Heloise, but Quad kicked him over, “This is Miss Harrington. You could sell your soul and still not afford a single hair from her head!”
Steffen was stunned. Miss Harrington? But she clearly said her last name was Beaumont!
No, wait, the Harrington family… there was one adopted daughter from outside the family, the stepdaughter of the late Simeon.
Even if the Harrington family gave her the cold shoulder, she’s still Benedict’s legit cousin!
-Steffen’s world went black, and he hit the deck, out for the count.
Quad stepped forward to check, “Mr. Harrington, he’s passed out.”
Benedict glanced over with a frosty look and headed for the door.
Heloise said to Kyrell, “I’m gonna hit the restroom.”
Her hair was a mess, her clothes disheveled, and her hands were sticky with soup – she wasn’t about to strut out of the restaurant looking like a hot mess.
Kyrell couldn’t join her, so he hung back by the private room’s door while Beverly approached, “Lise, let me come with you.”
Heloise ignored her but didn’t stop her from tagging along.
The restroom door shut behind them.
Heloise turned on the faucet to wash her hands.
Beverly sniffled, “Lise, you’ye totally misunderstood me.”
“Cut it out, will you? You’re making me wanna hurl,” Heloise snapped off the tap.
“I’m asking you one more time, where did you run off to just now?”
Beverly was desperate, “Didn’t I tell you I went to take a call?”
Heloise scoffed, mimicking Jenkin’s tone, “What a load of crap!”
Beverly didn’t expect such a blunt comeback, her face turning blushed.
“Beverly, drop the act, I know you did it on purpose, tonight was your setup!”
Beverly didn’t bother to pretend anymore, her expression shifting in a second, and she smirked with disdain, “So what if it was? Got any proof?”
“You want to see me crash and burn, what’s your game?”
“What’s my game?” Beverly shot back, moving in close, her voice laced with venom, “Benny is my fiancé, you know damn well what went down in that changing room, have you no shame?”
Heloise looked at her, her suspicions confirmed; Beverly indeed knew something.
Though what happened that day wasn’t her choice, she felt a twinge of guilt towards Beverly, but now, it was gone with the wind.
“Why don’t you ask Benedict about his shame?”
“Bitch!” Beverly lost it, hurling a tissue roll at her, “How dare you seduce your own cousin and get in his bed!”
Heloise looked down at the tissue roll by her feet; Beverly had a point.
She silently adjusted her blouse.
“Cat got your tongue?” Beverly cackled with triumph, “Benny’s mine, it’s legit when he’s with me. You? You’re just a plaything for his spare time, never fit to see the light of day!”
Heloise ignored her gloating, pulled open the restroom door, and left. Beverly quickly switched back to her sweet and cultured facade and followed right behind.
Seemed like something had happened to Steffen, a server was mopping up, the lingering stench of blood in the air made Heloise feel queasy.
Benedict was waiting at the entrance to the room, “What, not leaving?”
Beverly hurried to catch up, hooking her arm through his, but Benedict didn’t budge.
“Benny?” Beverly looked up at him.
“Heloise.” Benedict suddenly broke the silence.
Chapter 27
Though what happened that day wasn’t her choice, she felt a twinge of guilt towards Beverly, but now, it was gone with the wind.
“Why don’t you ask Benedict about his shame?”
“Bitch!” Beverly lost it, hurling a tissue roll at her, “How dare you seduce your own cousin and get in his bed!”
Heloise looked down at the tissue roll by her feet; Beverly had a point.
She silently adjusted her blouse.
“Cat got your tongue?” Beverly cackled with triumph, “Benny’s mine, it’s legit when he’s with me. You? You’re just a plaything for his spare time, never fit to see the light of day!”
Heloise ignored her gloating, pulled open the restroom door, and left. Beverly quickly switched back to her sweet and cultured facade and followed right behind.
Seemed like something had happened to Steffen, a server was mopping up, the lingering stench of blood in the air made Heloise feel queasy.
Benedict was waiting at the entrance to the room, “What, not leaving?”
Beverly hurried to catch up, hooking her arm through his, but Benedict didn’t budge.
“Benny?” Beverly looked up at him.
“Heloise.” Benedict suddenly broke the silence.
Chapter 28
