Chapter 5

The throbbing pain in my palm made me frown.

Seeing the blood, Ethan’s face changed instantly.

He instinctively took a step toward me, trying to help me up.

"Sera!"

There was genuine panic in his voice.

But before he could touch me, Tiffany grabbed his arm tightly.

"Ethan! If you dare help her today, the Vance family's hundred-million-dollar investment is canceled!"

Ethan's hand froze in mid-air.

He looked at my bleeding hand, then at the furious Tiffany. His eyes were torn with conflict.

Patricia rushed over, locking her arms around Ethan’s other side.

"Ethan! Don't be a fool!"

"She fell because she didn't watch where she was going! What does that have to do with you?"

"If you offend Miss Vance for an outsider, our company is finished!"

Ethan closed his eyes in agony.

When he opened them again, there was no warmth left.

He stood there, looking down at me, his voice dry.

"Sera, I'm sorry."

"Just bear with it. Go to the hospital and get it bandaged."

"I'll pay for the medical bill."

In the face of a hundred million dollars, his pathetic version of love was ultimately worthless.

Sitting on the dirty ground, I felt deeply disgusted.

Seeing Ethan's choice, Tiffany smiled triumphantly.

She stepped forward, and her sharp stiletto heel came down right on my bleeding hand, grinding down hard.

"Seraphina, learn your place."

"A useless trash who can't even open a water bottle cap dares to fight me for a man?"

"You think you can play with me?"

She bent down, lowering her voice.

"Do you believe that with one phone call, I can make sure you disappear from New York forever?"

I stared at her foot on my hand and didn't say a word.

I just suddenly yanked my hand back with brute force, throwing her off balance.

Tiffany stumbled, and just as she was about to snap, Julian, who was held by the bodyguards, suddenly exploded with strength.

He kicked the bodyguard in front of him straight in the chest, breaking free, and rushed to my side.

He knelt on one knee, gently cradled my injured hand, and pulled a pristine white silk handkerchief from his pocket to wrap it.

His eyes, usually so bright and innocent, were now cold enough to freeze water.

"Ms. Sterling, I am deeply sorry for this lapse in security."

Julian's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to everyone's ears.

Ethan froze.

"Ms. Sterling?"

"What do you mean, Ms. Sterling?"

Before anyone could react, the deafening roar of high-performance engines echoed from both ends of the street.

A dozen blacked-out Rolls-Royces with low-digit vanity plates swerved in, completely blocking off the street.

The doors opened in perfect unison.

Dozens of elite, highly trained bodyguards in tactical suits rushed out, securing the entire perimeter.

Tiffany's thugs looked at this military-grade security force and didn't even dare to breathe.

From the middle Rolls-Royce, a chubby, middle-aged man climbed out.

He didn't even bother to wipe the cold sweat pouring down his face as he stumbled through the crowd.

*Thud!*

He dropped straight to his knees right in front of me.

When Tiffany saw the man, she gasped, her voice cracking in pure terror.