Chapter 3

The slap knocked Natasha's head to the side, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

"You brat, this isn't up to you!" Henry grabbed her by the hair and started dragging her toward Shaun.

"Toby," I uttered coldly.

"Understood." Striding forward, Toby seized Henry by the wrist and twisted it back in the opposite direction.

Henry howled in pain, his face contorting. He let go of Natasha, and she slumped backward, all strength gone from her body.

I reached out and caught her steadily by the back.

She turned her head in shock and met my eyes.

"Spencer Garrison?" she called out, completely dumbfounded.

The sight of her bleeding lips made my blood boil.

"That's right, it's me."

Natasha stared at me in disbelief. Then she instinctively stepped back, trying to pull free of my hand.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in a slightly trembling voice.

Instead of replying, I simply pulled her behind me. Then, I swept my gaze over Henry, who was still on the ground, before letting it settle on Shaun.

"Who the hell are you?" Shaun frowned, sizing me up.

I was dressed very casually today in an ordinary black trench coat, with no accessories that signaled status.

Shaun clearly didn't think much of me and let out a cold snort.

"Where did this punk come from? And how dare he meddle in my business?"

Henry scrambled up from the ground, clutching his wrist and groaning in pain.

"Mr. Buchanan, he's probably one of Natasha's old flames. She acts all pure and innocent on the surface, but who knows how many men she's been fooling around with behind our backs!"

Shaking with rage, Natasha pointed at Henry. "That's a lie!"

Henry glared at her viciously. "Oh, really? Then how come he showed up out of nowhere?"

Shaun's expression darkened. He walked up to me and jabbed his finger against my shoulder.

"Dude, I don't care what you two had going on before. But right now, she's the woman I've set my sights on. If you know what's good for you, you'll get lost. Otherwise, I'll make sure you're run out of this town."

I stared at the finger poking my shoulder, my gaze turning ice-cold.

"Take your filthy hand off me."

Shaun was taken aback for a moment, then burst into arrogant laughter.

"Well, well, aren't you a cocky one? Do you even know who I am?" He thumped his chest. "I'm the boss of Legend Building Materials. I've got dozens of men under me. Who the hell do you think you are?"

I quickly ran the name Legend Building Materials through my mind. There seemed to be a sub-tier contractor by that name on the company's supplier list.

I ignored him and turned to look at Natasha. "How much are you still short for the dialysis payments?"

Natasha froze, biting her lower lip and saying nothing.

"Answer me," I said, my tone hardening.

"It's not only that." She lowered her head, her voice barely a whisper. "The hospital has already issued a final ultimatum. If I don't pay them 100,000 dollars for the deposit by this afternoon, they'll stop my mom's treatment."

100,000 dollars?

I closed my eyes.

Eight years ago, Natasha hadn't hesitated to give me 300,000 dollars. Yet now she was being forced to the point of selling herself for over 100,000 dollars.

I pulled the faded bank card out of my pocket and handed it to her.

"The password is your birthday. Go pay the bill."

When she saw the card, Natasha jolted as if struck.

It was the very same card she had given me all those years ago.

"I can't take this." She stepped back, shaking her head vigorously. "Spencer, just go. This isn't something you can handle."

"Take it." I stepped forward and forced the card into her hand. "This is the money I owe you."

"Owe me?" Natasha let out a bitter laugh. "Spencer, back then you were forced to work in a factory, so how much money could possibly be in this card? 1,000 dollars? 2,000 dollars?"

She drew a deep breath, her eyes rimmed red. "100,000 dollars isn't something you can come up with. Don't get yourself into trouble with these people over me."

She still thought I was the same broke student from back then, the one who couldn't even afford a proper meal.