Wren Wynter was tied to a chair, but as she listened to the jumbled, vulgar insults, a profound sense of calm washed over her.

She looked at the unhinged man before her, then glanced toward the doorway at Tina Wallace, who stood pale and helpless now that her scheme had been exposed. The tension that had been wound tight in her mind suddenly eased.

’A farce. A complete and utter farce.’

Tina Wallace clearly hadn’t expected Arthur to turn on her at the last minute and reveal everything.

She was trembling with rage. Pointing a finger at Arthur, she shrieked, "Shut up, you lunatic!"

"Oh? So you didn’t ask me to kidnap her? You just asked me to ’invite’ her over and use any means necessary to completely ruin her reputation."

Arthur mimicked her tone, his expression exaggerated and comical. "And am I not helping you? My dear young miss."

"Look, we’ve been caught red-handed. All I have to do is record this and send it out, and by tomorrow, all of Corvidale will know that the esteemed Dr. Wynter secretly meets up with foreign hunks. So wild."

All the color drained from Tina Wallace’s face. "Wren, don’t listen to his nonsense! Everything I did... I just wanted to be your friend."

She knew she had let a wolf into her house, and now this rabid dog had turned and bitten her.

Just as the scene descended into utter chaos, the already rickety door let out a deafening CRACK as it was kicked open from the outside with destructive force.

Amidst the flying splinters of wood, Kaden Xavier’s figure appeared in the doorway.

Behind him stood a stone-faced Assistant Lynch and two burly bodyguards. Kaden’s entire aura was as dark and menacing as an Asura crawling out of hell.

A suppressed rage churned in his eyes, and the moment his gaze swept across the room, the noisy air seemed to freeze solid.

His eyes immediately locked onto Wren, who was still tied to the chair.

Seeing that her clothes were still intact and she was only a little pale, an even more bone-chilling coldness emanated from him.

When Arthur saw Kaden Xavier, the crazed smile on his face froze, replaced by a primal, animalistic terror.

He instinctively took a step back.

Kaden didn’t speak. He simply lifted his chin.

The bodyguards behind him understood at once. They pounced like cheetahs, each grabbing an arm and twisting it behind his back. Before Arthur even had a chance to struggle, he was slammed face-first to the ground, his cheek getting intimately acquainted with the filthy floor.

"Mr.... Mr. Xavier..."

Tina Wallace’s legs went weak with fear, her voice trembling uncontrollably. "I... I came to save Wren! I rushed over as soon as I heard..."

Kaden finally turned his gaze to her. His eyes were utterly devoid of warmth, as if he were looking at an inanimate object.

"Save her?"

He squeezed those two words from between his teeth, then began walking toward her, one step at a time.

Each step landed like a hammer blow on Tina Wallace’s heart, making it nearly impossible for her to breathe.

"It... It was Arthur! He acted on his own! He’s crazy..."

she stammered, her defense incoherent.

Kaden stopped in front of her, his tall frame casting a shadow that completely engulfed her.

He did nothing. He simply stood there, looking down on her. The silent pressure was more terrifying than any curse or blow.

"Tina Wallace."

"Who gave you the nerve,"

Kaden’s voice was soft, yet carried a bloodcurdling calm, "to touch someone of mine?"

The instant the words left his lips, he violently raised his hand and brought it down in a swift, vicious slap across Tina Wallace’s face.

The sharp CRACK of the slap echoed through the room.

Tina Wallace stumbled from the force of the blow. Half of her face immediately swelled up, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.

She clutched her face, staring at Kaden in disbelief as tears of humiliation streamed down her cheeks.

Kaden didn’t spare her another glance. He turned and strode over to Wren’s side, personally untying the ropes that bound her.

His movements were gentle, as if he were afraid of hurting her.

"It’s okay now,"

he said, his voice hoarse with an unconcealable, lingering fear.

Wren flexed her numb wrists, stood up, and gave Kaden a placid look. Then she walked around him and stopped in front of Tina Wallace.

"Why did you do this?"

Tina Wallace clutched her face, fresh tears welling in her eyes. "I just wanted to be friends with you! I didn’t want you all to hate me." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"It’s fine if you don’t want to talk."

Wren’s tone was flat. "The police will get you to."

She turned her head to Assistant Lynch. "Call the police."

Assistant Lynch nodded immediately and took out his phone.

Tina Wallace finally panicked. She lunged forward to grab Wren’s arm but was swatted away by Kaden.

Kaden took off his suit jacket, draped it over Wren’s shoulders, and wrapped an arm around her without waiting for an answer. "I’m taking you home."

Wren didn’t resist. She was truly exhausted.

The two of them walked out of the remote hotel and got into the car.

Kaden started the car without a word. The atmosphere inside was terrifyingly oppressive.

It wasn’t until the car was driving smoothly through the city that Kaden finally spoke, his voice raspy. "I’m sorry."

Wren leaned against the window, watching the dazzling city lights stream by, and didn’t respond.

"I shouldn’t have let you go into danger alone," he said again.

Wren finally turned her head and looked at his tense profile. "You were following me?"

Kaden’s hands tightened on the steering wheel in tacit agreement.

"Kaden Xavier, we’re over."

Wren’s voice was laced with a profound weariness. "My business is none of your concern."

"I can’t do that."

Kaden’s voice was resolute. "As long as you’re still on this soil, it’s impossible for me to just stand by and ignore you."

The car sped along, finally stopping at the entrance to View Gardens.

Wren unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car.

Kaden got out too, standing behind her.

Just as Wren was about to open the gate, a slender, upright figure emerged from the shadows of the courtyard.

The streetlight stretched his shadow long. He wore a simple white shirt with the sleeves casually rolled to his elbows, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on his face.

Behind the lenses, his charming eyes were now fixed sharply on Kaden, filled with unconcealed scrutiny and hostility.

"You’re back, Junior."

The man spoke, his voice clear and resonant, yet tinged with a chill.

"Second Senior Brother?"

Wren was a little surprised. "Shaun Quinn? What are you doing here?"

Shaun Quinn didn’t answer her. He just walked forward, naturally pulling Wren behind him in a protective gesture. Only then did he look up at Kaden, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold smirk. "Mr. Xavier. You’re like a ghost that just won’t leave."

"Where did you abduct my junior sister to in the middle of the night?"

He spoke in a lazy drawl, but each word was like a poison-dipped needle.

Kaden looked at the man who had suddenly appeared, then at the protective way he was shielding Wren, and his eyes instantly darkened.

"Who are you?"

"Who I am is no concern of Mr. Xavier’s."

Shaun Quinn adjusted his glasses, a cold glint flashing off the lenses. "But Mr. Xavier, a man with a fiancée, repeatedly entangling himself with his divorced ex-wife... if word of this got out, would the Xavier Group have any dignity left?"

"Our business is not for an outsider like you to comment on," Kaden’s voice turned cold.

"Outsider?"