Wren Wynter grabbed Shaun Quinn’s hand and gently shook her head at him.

"This has nothing to do with her."

The hotel’s security guards rushed over and easily restrained the distraught woman. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"Mr. Xavier, how should we handle this person?"

An assistant standing by Kaden Xavier’s side asked.

"Do you even need to ask? Send her to the police, of course! Or do you want her running around free, looking for a chance to hurt me and my child?"

The memory of that madwoman chasing her with a knife still made Seraphina Sutton’s heart pound with fear.

She would only feel safe if the woman was locked up.

She tugged on Kaden Xavier’s sleeve and pouted pitifully. "Kaden, I was so scared just now. I was afraid I’d fail to protect the last of Asher’s bloodline."

Kaden Xavier frowned, knowing full well that Seraphina Sutton was the reason for the woman’s outburst.

He walked over to the woman and gestured for the security guards to let her go.

"My company will not press charges. We will also give you a sum of money as compensation, enough for you and your son to live on for the rest of your lives. I am deeply sorry that your husband had an accident at our company, and we will do our utmost to make amends."

Wren Wynter was surprised. She hadn’t expected Kaden Xavier to not only drop the matter but also offer the woman compensation.

She walked up to the woman and pressed her lips together. "I also promise you, I will do everything in my power to save your son."

"Really?" Only when her son was mentioned did a flicker of emotion cross the woman’s face.

"Really."

"Okay. I’ll trust you."

The woman looked at Wren Wynter with a determined gaze. Shaun Quinn walked over and handed her a business card.

"In three days, go to the address on this card and ask for a man named Alaric. He’ll bring you to us."

The woman took the business card from Shaun Quinn’s hand with trembling fingers, tucking it away as if it were a priceless treasure.

"Thank you, thank you so much!"

Unhappy with how the woman was being handled, Seraphina Sutton stood rooted to the spot, clenching her fists so tightly her face turned livid.

Kaden Xavier had his assistant escort the woman away.

Shaun Quinn took off his jacket and draped it over Wren Wynter’s shoulders. His icy gaze couldn’t help but soften as it fell upon her gentle features.

"Let’s go back."

Wren Wynter nodded. Today was her third senior brother’s special day, and she couldn’t be the one to ruin it.

"Wait!"

Kaden Xavier called out, stopping them. His questioning gaze swept over them as he strode forward and shoved Shaun Quinn out of the way.

"Kaden Xavier, are you out of your mind?"

Wren Wynter tried to help Shaun Quinn up, but Kaden Xavier grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her back.

"Let go of me!"

"Let you go? So you can get tangled up with another man?"

The group of senior brothers, led by Shaun Quinn, looked ready to charge forward and beat up Kaden Xavier, but Wren Wynter took a deep breath and held up a hand to stop them.

’I can’t let my senior brothers get dragged into my marriage with Kaden Xavier.’

"A filthy mind sees filth in everything. Kaden Xavier, don’t assume everyone is just like you!"

Kaden Xavier’s expression was grim. He tightened his grip on Wren Wynter’s hand, his suppressed anger threatening to erupt at any moment.

"Come home with me."

Wren Wynter shook Kaden Xavier’s hand off and said coldly, "I still have things to do in Marinus."

"What could you possibly have to do that’s more important than coming home!"

"It has nothing to do with you."

’It has nothing to do with him. Again.’

Kaden Xavier’s anger instantly flared. Like a stubborn child, he grabbed Wren Wynter’s hand and started dragging her away.

"Kaden Xavier, let me go!"

Wren Wynter bit down hard on Kaden Xavier’s arm, leaving a deep set of teeth marks.

A sharp, stabbing pain shot through Kaden Xavier’s arm, the shock of it instantly pulling him out of his paranoid rage.

He looked down, his brow furrowed slightly, and stared at the bite mark Wren Wynter had left, which was already beading with blood.

’She actually bit me.’

Wren Wynter had used all her strength. The taste of blood filled her mouth. She wiped her lips with the back of her hand, her eyes devoid of any emotion, as if she weren’t the one who had just attacked him.

By now, Shaun Quinn and the others had surrounded them, their faces menacing. They shielded Wren Wynter behind them, looking as if they were ready to tear Kaden Xavier limb from limb at any moment.

"Are you okay?"

Shaun Quinn’s voice was tinged with anger. When he saw the distinct red mark on Wren Wynter’s neck, his fury boiled over.

"Kaden Xavier, are you sick in the head?"

Wren Wynter quickly stopped the enraged Shaun Quinn, shaking her head and gesturing for him and the others to calm down.

She turned around, her eyes now completely tranquil, and her calm gaze fell upon Kaden Xavier.

The sorrow and disappointment had long since left her completely numb.

"Kaden Xavier, do you know why that woman was able to take me hostage just now?"

Kaden Xavier froze, frowning instinctively.

Wren Wynter’s lips twisted into a cold smile. "It’s because that pitiful, useless Miss Sutton you’re so busy protecting didn’t hesitate to shove me in front of her when she saw the attacker charge."

As her words fell, a dead silence descended upon the entire scene.

All the color drained from Seraphina Sutton’s face. She shook her head and rushed to Kaden Xavier’s side, clutching his sleeve as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I didn’t! Kaden, how could I do something like that? Don’t believe her! I didn’t push her. I was scared to death, my mind was a complete mess. But no matter what, I would never do something like that."

"Oh?" Wren Wynter raised an eyebrow. "Whether it’s true or not, the hotel has security cameras. One look and we’ll know."

At the mention of security cameras, Seraphina Sutton’s crying hitched. Her face went deathly pale, and her eyes darted about nervously.

Then she started crying even harder, collapsing limply into Kaden Xavier’s arms.

"Dr. Wynter, I don’t know why you’d say that. Maybe it was just too chaotic... If you say I pushed you, then I guess I pushed you."

"I was so scared... I just wanted to protect the baby in my belly. If it really is like you said, then I swear I didn’t do it on purpose..."

She sobbed, her story shifting from a flat denial to an admission that it "wasn’t on purpose."

’Talk about a guilty conscience.’

Watching this phony woman’s act, Shaun Quinn was so angry the veins on his forehead bulged.

If Leif Shaw and Ho-ran Park hadn’t been holding him back for dear life, he would have charged forward again.

He didn’t make a habit of hitting women.

But this one was so infuriatingly punchable.

"Did you hear that? She admitted it herself!"

Kaden Xavier helped Seraphina Sutton, who was leaning against him, sit up straight. He then looked at the ice-cold Wren Wynter, a wave of irritation washing over him.

He knew Seraphina Sutton was in the wrong, but she was pregnant, after all, and already frightened out of her wits. He told himself whatever she did was unintentional.

"Wren, she was in the wrong on this, but she didn’t mean to. She’s pregnant, and people are bound to make mistakes when they’re nervous. Can’t you be a little more understanding?"

’Those words again.’

’Understanding.’

Heh. Wren Wynter finally laughed, but her eyes held a despair as bleak as shattered ice.

’What on earth was I even expecting?’

’I finally understand. In this man’s heart, any mistake Seraphina Sutton makes can be excused with "she’s pregnant" and "she didn’t mean it." And I, Wren Wynter, am expected to unconditionally endure and forgive.’

’But why should I?’

"Kaden Xavier, if I’m supposed to be understanding of her, then who is supposed to be understanding of me? You?"