Chapter 2

The entire banquet hall fell dead silent in an instant, every single eye in the room locking onto me.

Julian’s face darkened completely. The second his gaze shifted past me and landed on Avery, his eyes flared with pure rage.

“Avery! What the hell are you doing here?” Julian barked. “Didn’t I tell you to get lost and stay away from me?!”

The woman beside him, Cynthia Miller, also spotted Avery. She quickly covered her mouth, putting on an act of absolute shock.

“Oh my gosh, Julian, isn’t that the charity case from that poor background you used to sponsor?” Cynthia sneered. “How did she even track you down all the way here?”

She glanced at me, her lip curling. “And she brought someone carrying a sledgehammer? What is this, some kind of new-age begging?”

The corner of my mouth turned up, and I spoke directly toward the microphone’s direction.

“We aren’t here to beg. We’re here to collect a debt.”

I let my voice carry across the room. “Julian, you conned my friend using a fake deed to her house, and then you drugged her to try and kill her unborn child. We’re going to settle that score today, down to the last penny.”

Julian’s face drained of color. He lunged down the steps of the stage and thrust a finger directly in front of my face.

“Who the fuck are you? What kind of absolute bullshit are you spewing here?” he roared. “Security! Where the hell is security? Get these two lunatics out of here right now!”

Cynthia chimed in right behind him, her voice screeching through the hall. “I knew it! You’re just here to extort us! Julian, call the police immediately and have them thrown behind bars!”

Julian’s mother marched over as well, her eyes scanning me up and down with sharp, bitter malice.

“Who do you think you are? Did you put Avery up to this?” she snapped. “You look like total trash. I see you’ve stepped up your game, Avery. We haven’t seen you in a few days, and you’ve already reeled in some random thug to play your little knight in shining armor.”

As she spoke, she lunged forward, raising a hand to viciously shove Avery out of the way.

The exact millisecond her hand was about to make contact, I moved.

I lashed out and caught her by the wrist. I didn’t even use that much force, but she was instantly locked in place, unable to wrench herself free.

Julian’s mother let out a sharp cry of pain, the flesh on her face trembling. “What do you think you’re doing? Let go of me! You lowlife scum, how dare you lay a hand on me?!”

Seeing this, Julian let out a furious roar and swung a wild fist straight at my face.

“You’re fucking dead!”

I didn’t even let go of his mother. I simply lifted my other hand and effortlessly caught his incoming fist mid-air.

With a cold scoff, I twisted my wrist. Julian let out a pathetic shriek as the bone-crushing leverage forced him straight down onto his knees on the hard marble floor.

“All that shouting, and this is all the strength you’ve got?”

I tossed his hand aside, reached into my pocket, and pulled out a few crumpled ten-dollar bills, slapping them right against his face.

“Here’s your medical compensation. Is that enough?”

Cynthia scrambled a step back in sheer terror, pointing a shaking finger at me as she screamed, “Do you have any idea who I am? My dad is the chairman of the Miller Group! You dare cross me?!”

I slowly lifted my eyelids, fixing a dead-eyed stare on her.

“The Miller Group? The ones in construction supplies?” I asked dryly. “I heard your company was recently dragged into federal court for cutting corners and using counterfeit materials on a massive contract. Is that true?”

Cynthia’s face went completely pale. “You're lying! You’re making things up!”

Julian finally managed to scramble back to his feet, clutching his throbbing wrist. He glared at me with pure venom before turning his fury entirely back on Avery.

“Avery, so this is the little thug you brought along?” Julian snarled, his voice dripping with malice. “I really underestimated you. You actually learned how to find a man to back you up.”

He took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. “Didn’t I tell you to be a good, obedient girl? Do you seriously want me to have your father kicked straight out of the ICU before you’re finally satisfied?”

Avery’s entire body violently shuddered. Tears flooded her eyes all over again as she bit her lower lip so hard it nearly bled, terror completely freezing her tongue.

I reached back and pulled her firmly behind my utility belt, but that sudden movement caused her sleeve to slide up a fraction.

Her arm was covered in terrible bruises of different colors. New marks from recent beatings were layered over older, deep bruises, showing she had been abused again and again. It was horrifying to see.

The gaze in my eyes went completely cold. “Julian, not only did you scam her, but you’ve been physically abusing her too?”

A smirk twisted onto Julian’s face as he let out a dark, mocking laugh. “I’m just domesticating my own woman. What the fuck does that have to do with a broke contractor like you?”

He stepped up, trying to tower over me. “Take my advice and mind your own business. Otherwise, I will make sure you are utterly ruined in this city.”

I just smiled.