C6 He Could Not Guard Anything

"Why? Did you hop in this car with the sole purpose of seducing me?" Jabe's voice was frosty, skepticism etched in his features. It couldn't be a coincidence to run into her twice, could it?

He'd seen every trick in the book from women trying to seduce him.

It was only now that Katie realized she should never have gotten into the car. Her eyes moved from the luxurious interior to his handsome face, and she felt a pang of regret.

The world was teeming with weirdos, and the more she thought about it, the more her anxiety spiked—had she accidentally gotten into a dangerous situation?

Jabe noticed the change in her expression and frowned slightly. He reached out and gently tapped her shoulder. "Have you decided?"

The sight of her looking so pitiful caught him off guard. He had seen his fair share of women pretending to be distressed, but there was something about Katie that triggered an unusual response in him.

"However, the whole 'playing hard to get' act is far from creative," he said, his voice low and edged with irony, as a mocking light danced in his eyes.

Watching her struggle internally, he felt an unexpected twinge of disappointment. He had encountered plenty of women like her; he had just dealt with one, and now here was another.

"What are you insinuating? You're the one without shame. Do you honestly think I'm here to seduce you?" Katie snapped, her anger boiling over. She pulled her arm away, ready to stand her ground in a drawn-out battle.

Her gaze met his, her outrage palpable. Next to his composed presence, she felt like a performing clown. She shot him a scornful glance and said with a huff, "I thought you were a decent guy, but I was wrong. You've helped me twice, and I appreciate that, but if you're on the hunt for a woman, I'm sorry to disappoint... I'm not interested."

After her declaration, she turned her head with a bold gesture, as if to emphasize her exit.

The louder she spoke, the more her confidence surged, eager to shift the conversation away from the recent discomfort.

"Stubborn, aren't you?" Jabe remarked, lightly grasping her wrist. He raised an eyebrow, his fingertips softly playing over her palm, eliciting a fluttery sensation deep within her.

"What's my other option? Bend over backwards to amuse you?" Katie retorted with a firm tone, though the presence of such a handsome man was almost too much to bear.

Jabe watched her reaction, a sly smile creeping onto his lips, his brow creasing as though he were deep in contemplation.

Katie felt a surge of annoyance at his sly grin and fixed him with a steely gaze. "What's the matter, embarrassed into anger?"

She wasn't exactly a knockout, but as the class beauty, her charms weren't to be underestimated.

Volney, who was driving, couldn't hold back a snicker any longer.

A hint of discomfort crossed Jabe's good-looking face. Letting go of her hand, he said with a heavy tone, "You're pushing my limits."

She jerked her hand away and, seizing the moment as the car took a turn, she flung the door open and jumped out, her knees hitting the ground. Despite the pain, she was up and running in an instant.

Volney jerked in surprise at her abrupt departure, while Jabe seemed lost in thought.

"Big deal with your fancy car, huh?" Katie stood under the glow of a streetlight, watching the luxury car disappear in the distance. She lashed out with a kick in its direction, then spun on her heel and made her way to the bus stop.

The car was enveloped in silence.

Volney sat up straight, driving attentively. He turned to Jabe and asked in a serious tone, "Mr. Russell, the gala is in ten minutes. Should we still go?"

They were already behind schedule. If it hadn't been for that woman, Jabe would never have missed such an important social event.

Volney mused to himself. Jabe was known for valuing time as if it were gold. Why then, was he at odds with a young girl tonight?

"Uh-huh," Jabe hummed softly, his eyes briefly flicking to the rearview mirror. He saw Katie's defiant gesture and a faint smile curled his lips.

She was amusingly naive.

Old Street

The usually quiet Old Street was bustling with activity today! Crowds filled the thoroughfare from end to end, almost threatening to topple the walls.

Katie raced back from her place to see people clad in yellow lined up in rows, with several excavators parked by the sidewalk and debris scattered all over the street. The neighborhood residents were at the roadside, arguing fervently with the interlopers.

"This street has stood for over a hundred years. Do you really think you can demolish it just like that?"

"Call your boss over here. We need to talk this through."

"The police have been alerted. You bullies might as well wait."

Katie was stunned. No wonder she had received an urgent call from home this morning, telling her to come back—the whole street was facing demolition. Confused and concerned, she wondered how they could consider tearing down this street. The impact on tourism would be devastating!

"Who says it can't be torn down? I'm going to level this entire street and build a palatial villa right here, with a garden in the back to boot." Suddenly, a coquettish voice rang out, accompanied by the sound of high heels and the overwhelming scent of perfume.

Katie turned slightly and saw a tall figure striding toward her, dressed in a black strapless, body-hugging mini dress, with fiery red 12cm heels accentuating her sensuality and fashion sense. Her makeup was vivid and extravagantly applied.

The woman was none other than Caroline, the campus belle. She had snatched Katie's boyfriend away and embarrassed her in front of the entire school, ensuring that everyone knew Katie had been dumped.

"Caroline, is that you?" Katie's heart sank as she put the pieces together. This persistent woman must have used her father's clout to try and demolish Katie's ancestral home.

Feeling overwhelmed by their presence, Katie felt an urge to confront Caroline and unleash her fury, but as she stood before her, she managed to control her actions, her fists clenched as she fought to maintain her composure.

"Katie, this isn't about Caroline," Waverly said, stepping in front of her, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.

He saw her despondent figure and yearned to embrace her. However, he chose to protect Caroline, not out of affection, but for her family's wealth and influence, which could help him climb the social ladder—a boost Katie couldn't provide.

"Haha... Waverly, playing the knight in shining armor now, are we? Well done! Is this performance worth three hundred thousand? Miss Howard is probably ready to hand out your reward tonight," Katie retorted with sharp sarcasm, her smile widening as she observed Waverly's face turn ashen.

This man! They had been together for four years, from high school through their junior year of college. But he had turned his back on her at the mere beckoning of Caroline. He had thrown away their love, forgotten the promises made, and abandoned the future they had envisioned...

"You're a loser! You can't keep a man, can't secure a job, can't even hold your family together! What makes you think you can compete with me?" Caroline said, closing the distance with bold steps, tilting her head to murmur in Katie's ear. Her taunting words pierced Katie's heart like a dagger.

Caroline had been investigating her all along. Perhaps Katie's job loss had less to do with not adhering to the unspoken rules and more to do with Caroline's meddling.