The two junior officers were silently praying for Eve Vaughn to let them off the hook.

But Eve Vaughn was clearly not the type to repay evil with kindness.

She stared coldly at the two officers and said, "They tried to force a confession out of me. When I wouldn’t give them the answer they wanted... they burned me with a cigarette."

After hearing this, Mason Lawson’s cold gaze turned sinister as he looked at the two officers.

"I... We..."

One of the officers began to stammer, but Mason Lawson’s glare terrified him into silence, not daring to utter another word of defense.

Bureau Chief Carter wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "My apologies, Mr. Lawson. I failed to manage my subordinates properly. I’ll be sure to punish them severely. Rest assured, I will give you a satisfactory explanation."

"That won’t be necessary, Bureau Chief Carter."

Mason Lawson finished, then said to Eve Vaughn, "Go on, wait outside for a bit. And remember to close the door."

Eve Vaughn froze, looking at him in confusion.

Mason Lawson took the police baton from Bureau Chief Carter’s hand and repeated to Eve Vaughn in a steady voice, "I’ll be out soon. Go."

Eve Vaughn reached out and gently touched his cool fingers. Without a word, she went out.

The moment she closed the door, the agonized screams of the two officers erupted from inside.

Just moments ago, Eve Vaughn had hated those two officers for being bought off, for framing her without a second thought.

But listening to their wails, she felt a genuine flicker of fear.

Because she never knew Mason Lawson had such a ruthless side to him.

A full ten minutes later, Eve Vaughn heard Bureau Chief Carter’s panicked voice. "Mr. Lawson, you have to stop! Any more and you’ll kill them, Mr. Lawson!"

Only then did Mason Lawson toss the baton aside and emerge from the dark, gloomy cell.

The moment he saw Eve Vaughn, the darkness on his handsome face gradually faded. He spoke in the gentlest tone he could manage, "Let’s go."

Her small hand was enveloped in his large one, and she finally felt a sense of security.

Mason Lawson kept holding her hand as he led her to the car, but the man remained silent the entire time.

The cold aura emanating from him made Eve Vaughn’s hair stand on end.

Thinking about the brutality Mason Lawson had just shown those two officers, Eve Vaughn knew he was already treating her exceptionally well, making a huge exception for her.

But then she remembered the recent tabloid stories about him, and she couldn’t tolerate being just one of his many women.

The love she wanted was exclusive and unwavering.

Julian Lawson couldn’t give her that, and a man of Mason Lawson’s status and position was even less likely to.

At this thought, a faint sadness filled her heart. She spoke softly, "Mr. Lawson, you can just pull over and let me out here. I’ve troubled you again today because of my problems."

"More than once? Or do you think you can just sever all ties with me from now on?"

Mason Lawson’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. Though his eyes were on the road, his words were directed at her.

Eve Vaughn’s heart sank, and a pang of sorrow hit her.

’That’s right, how could I forget? My food, my tuition and living expenses, my mother’s medical bills... Mason Lawson is paying for all of it.’

’What right do I have to say it’s over? What right do I have to refuse?’

And so, for the rest of the drive, Eve Vaughn didn’t say another word, letting Mason Lawson take her wherever he pleased.

He took Eve Vaughn to the hospital first.

As the doctor treated the burn on her arm, tears of pain streamed down Eve Vaughn’s face, but she gritted her teeth and refused to cry out.

At that moment, Mason Lawson walked over, placed a large hand on the back of her head, and pressed her into his chest.

As she sank into his warm embrace, Eve Vaughn felt the pain in her arm lessen significantly.

The scratches on her face were tended to personally by the chief of surgery.

Mason Lawson frowned and asked, "Will it scar?"

The chief replied truthfully, "Thankfully, the wounds aren’t deep. With the medication I’m prescribing, there shouldn’t be any scarring."

Only then did Mason Lawson’s expression soften slightly.

As they were leaving the hospital, Eve Vaughn suddenly asked, "Mr. Lawson, if my face had scarred, would you not want me anymore?"

Mason Lawson snorted. "Well, what do you want? For me to want you, or not want you?"

Eve Vaughn: "..."

She was speechless.

After a long moment, she muttered under her breath, "If you do want me, then why didn’t you come find me for so long? You were the one in the wrong first."

Mason Lawson frowned at her. "What did you say?"

"N-Nothing."

Eve Vaughn shook her head, not wanting to make herself seem too pathetic.

Mason Lawson’s dark eyes stared at her for a long moment before he said, "Fine. Now, we can go home and settle our accounts."

"Settle what accounts?"

Completely bewildered, Eve Vaughn was led back home by Mason Lawson in a daze.

The moment they got home, Mason Lawson no longer held back. He made the young woman stand before him and berated her harshly, "Have you gotten so full of yourself you don’t know your own limits? You dare go out and get into a fight? And if you’re going to fight, fine, but at least win! Just look at your face! If those scratches had been any deeper, you’d be disfigured!"

Eve Vaughn retorted indignantly, "What do you mean I didn’t win? I put Charlotte Vaughn in the hospital! She’s in worse shape than I am!"

Mason Lawson glared at her. "So, you think that’s something to be proud of?"

"W-Well, no." Like a rebellious child being scolded by a parent, Eve Vaughn muttered to herself, "Charlotte Vaughn deserved it. If she messes with me again, I’ll hit her again!"

Without another word, Mason Lawson pulled her into his arms, and then, he pulled down her pants.

"Ah! Mr. Lawson! Uncle! What are you doing? Let me go!"

Eve Vaughn was terrified, but more than that, she was mortified.