C11 You Are Shameless

After sleeping with her, he had the audacity to just throw her out?

That was beyond ungentlemanly.

But the memories of last night sent a wave of heat across her cheeks.

Damn it, why was she indulging in these fanciful thoughts now of all times?

"Miss, be wise," Volney said coldly, his voice a clear threat. Despite not knowing her background, it was clear that crossing Jabe was a bad idea.

"You creep, I'm warning you, I might already be pregnant with your child..." Katie retorted with scathing sarcasm, turning to confront him loudly.

Jabe swiftly grabbed her hand, his palm burning like a brand on her heart. Startled, Katie watched as Volney took the cue and quietly left the hall.

"Listen, if you help me, we're square. If not, emperor or not, I... I'll find a way to make you wish you had," she said, her voice faltering, her gaze unable to hold his.

She inwardly cursed her own cowardice.

Insults were just not her strong suit.

Jabe seemed to ignore her completely. With a sudden push, he trapped her against the wall, his arms like steel bars on either side of her. His icy stare pinned her down, as sharp and cold as a sword.

"Want to try again? Hmm?" he murmured, his voice low and steady, as he casually lifted her chin and toyed with her hair, sniffing it lightly.

"I... you're shameless," Katie stammered, her back against the wall, her heart racing so fiercely she could hardly stand.

His dominating aura, that unmistakable masculine scent, made it hard for her to breathe, and she could almost hear the strong beat of his heart, feel the heat of his body through the close proximity.

Her face turned a defiant shade of red as she met his gaze head-on.

"You've got a thing for Brother Thirteen, right? Hmm?" he whispered maliciously, his mouth hovering near her ear, his breath teasing her senses. She could distinctly hear the pounding of her own heart.

Was this insufferable man actually trying to charm her?

"Why don't we revisit that moment?" Jabe insisted, his hold on her chin forcing her to look up at him.

Her face was ashen, her eyes welling with the sting of humiliation.

"Mr. Russell, I came all this way for you, and you... you've given me nothing. I'm pleading with you, and you've left me with nothing, completely bullied. How am I supposed to live like this? I'm just asking you to step in and help me... I know it seems insignificant to you, but... ahhh..." Her tears glistened as she poked his chest with her finger, then hung her head and buried her face in his embrace, staining his shirt with her tears.

Her hot tears seeped through his clothing, searing his skin. Jabe was momentarily taken aback, his handsome brow furrowed as he watched the woman who had been crying nonstop since dawn.

"Why are you crying?" he inquired. Was the situation truly worth a morning of tears?

Women, it seemed, were indeed made of water.

They could cry through an entire morning, with or without cause.

After another half-hour of tears, she checked her wristwatch.

"Have you ever seen a woman more pitiful than me?" she choked out, stepping forward to grab his sleeve, wiping her eyes once more.

Volney stood nearby, his mouth twitching as he looked to the sky...

Was Mr. Russell actually tolerating this? Could it be an omen of red rain?

How did Katie get out of the villa? Volney had thrown her out without a second thought.

Twenty minutes later...

Katie stood outside the villa, a picture of disarray, only to see Nancy sitting in a pit, her face grimy, her beautiful hair in disarray as if she'd been robbed.

"Nan, what's going on? What happened?" Katie, shocked by her friend's plight, rushed to her side. Nancy's purse lay scattered, her phone broken into pieces.

Nancy looked up at Katie, who was wearing a shirt that was hardly in better shape.

As Katie approached, Nancy climbed out of the pit, dirt-streaked, and threw herself into Katie's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Katie, I did everything I could! The police came and went, I even got some thugs involved, but they were all thrown out. I was nearly bitten by a dog..." Nancy's frustration and helplessness were palpable as she clung to Katie, unable to get into the villa.

Last night, she repeatedly tried to reach Katie on her phone, but it kept ringing unanswered until it finally shut off.

Afterward, she called the police, who showed up quickly. However, they quickly realized that the villa's owner was not someone to be trifled with and left after giving her a piece of their mind.

She made several attempts to crawl inside, but each was unsuccessful.

In the end, she was attacked and bitten by a dog, forcing her to jump into a pit to avoid further harm.

"I was bitten by a dog too!" Katie exclaimed, sitting dejectedly on the ground. The thought of her disheveled state made her desperately wish for a place to hide.

She had thought that by showing weakness, he would relent, but after her tears had dried, she found herself thrown out.

"You didn't get those marks from him, did you?" She glanced at the marks on Katie's neck, standing up with a resolve to confront the villa's owner.

"It's fine, let's just go back," Katie insisted, avoiding further discussion. She needed to calm down; her mind was a whirlwind of chaos.

She had not only compromised her dignity but now feared he had discovered the footage she had taken.

The dread that he might retaliate and possibly seek to destroy her was overwhelming.

This was a bitter lesson in the risks of overreaching—one that cost her more than she bargained for.

As Katie walked down the old street, she was surrounded by the familiar scenes of her childhood and the comforting protection of her father.

Regrettably, she knew that this sanctuary was on the verge of being lost.

At home, her mother and brother had erupted into another argument about the incident, pushing her emotional state to rock bottom. If it weren't for the house being her father's legacy, she would have left it all behind without a second thought.

Looking up at the glaring sun, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure approaching. Startled, Katie quickly turned away.

"Katie," Waverly called out, striding toward her and standing with an authoritative presence, giving her a brief, assessing look.

There was no denying Katie's beauty, and for a fleeting second, Waverly was entranced by her.

Her aura was pure, yet it was her stubbornness that proved to be her undoing.

"Hey there, Uncle Chen, what's up?" Katie flashed a relaxed smile, her gaze resting on her former flame. She felt remarkably calm, especially seeing him with Caroline—it just made her skin crawl.

"Just apologize to Caroline, and maybe you can save your old street. Can stubbornness put food on the table?" Waverly looked at Katie, puzzled, especially by her proud posture. Why did he always feel a pang of guilt?

He knew he was the one at fault, but he still wanted to leave himself a way out.

Being adored and desired is every man's dream, isn't it?

"When did you suddenly develop a conscience? What's the matter, has your arm candy lost its charm?" Katie chuckled coldly, giving Waverly a scornful once-over.

Waverly's face turned a nauseating shade of pale. He hadn't expected Katie's defiant spirit to be as strong as ever.