"Bro, no one can bully us anymore. I'll protect you!"
"No, Natalie, they have powerful connections," Aidan Jennings, though with the intellect of a three-year-old, still knew to protect his sister. "Don't worry about me, you have to survive!"
Natalie Jennings felt uneasy. Who exactly were the "they" her brother spoke of?
Suddenly, footsteps came from behind.
"Uncle?"
Peter Lowe looked at her, surprised: "Why is it you? Haven't you become someone's mistress by now?"
Natalie Jennings was about to explain, but Aidan stepped in front of her, watching Peter warily. "Natalie, don't be afraid, your brother is here. Bad people can't hurt you. When you get the chance, run!"
"Bro, are the bad people you're talking about... Uncle?"
"Yes! It was Peter Lowe who hired people to fake being debt collectors and tried to have me killed, so that the only man in the Jennings family—"
"Natalie," Peter interrupted, "the doctors say your brother's already crazy, how can you trust anything he says? He's mentally unstable, everyone he sees he says is after him."
Aidan's face went red in anxiety: "Natalie, you have to believe me!"
Natalie Jennings definitely believed her own brother.
But she couldn't act rashly.
She gently patted her brother's hand to comfort him, then smiled: "Uncle, how have you been lately?"
"Not bad," Peter scanned Natalie up and down, seeing her grown into such a stunning beauty, a sinister thought flashed through his mind. "Natalie, perfect timing, let's have a meal together."
"Sure. But I have a few words to say to my brother first, Uncle, could you wait outside for me?"
Peter didn't take her seriously at all, only focused on his own plans, and nodded as he went out.
"Bro," Natalie squeezed his hand, "Leave everything to me. Just focus on getting better."
If the Jennings family went bankrupt and the truth was buried, she would stop at nothing to expose it, to let her parents rest in peace!
Aidan said, "Natalie, Peter has someone powerful behind him, I overheard him on the phone."
"What did he say?"
"He said..." Aidan scratched his head, trying to recall, "Something about... The Sheffield family in Southedge."
The Sheffield family?!
Now it's tied to the Sheffield family too?
"Natalie, are you done?" Peter knocked on the door, urging, "I've already booked the restaurant."
"Coming, Uncle."
Natalie didn't have time to think it over, and followed Peter to the restaurant.
She didn't expect that besides Peter and his son Leo, there were several greasy middle-aged men at the table.
Natalie immediately sensed that this dinner was off!
"Gentlemen, this is my niece," Peter raised his wine glass and introduced, "Hope you all take good care of her."
Natalie smiled politely.
She stayed alert the whole time, not eating a bite, nor touching any alcohol. But unexpectedly, as she rose to leave the private room, her vision suddenly blurred...
Natalie's knees gave out and she collapsed to the floor.
Leo caught her in his arms: "Dad, you really know your stuff, she never saw it coming."
"At her age, how could she possibly outplay me? Hurry, get her to Mr. Porter's room."
In the hotel room, a faint, strange fragrance filled the air—the smell made her parched and weak all over...
This fragrance—something's wrong!
She'd been set up!
Natalie lay on the bed, both her hands and feet bound tightly.
A strong stench of alcohol came with a rough voice: "Hey, pretty, I'm here. Please me well, and I'll make sure you get your reward."
"Let me go!" Natalie stared at the bald, obese Mr. Porter, her stomach roiling. "Stay away from me, get out!"
Mr. Porter eagerly rubbed his hands. "Peter sent you to me; you'd better behave and do as you're told."
So it really was Peter who planned all this—looks like this uncle is something else!
She was going to investigate all of it!
Mr. Porter reached for her bare, fair shoulder. Natalie knew she was drugged—she couldn't rely on force, she needed to use her wits!
"Mr. Porter," Natalie purred, her voice full of seduction, "With me tied up like this, how are you going to have your fun? Loosen me up, and I'll know how to serve you properly."
"Good point. But if you try anything smart..."
"You're so funny. I don't even have strength now; you could hold me down with just one finger."
Mr. Porter immediately untied her.
As soon as she was free, Natalie kicked Mr. Porter hard between the legs and ran out without a glance back!
Mr. Porter screamed in agony: "Bitch! My people are everywhere—you'll never get away!"
Just as she was about to be caught, the door of the room next door creaked open.
A cold, rebellious man walked out—custom-made dress pants hugging his long legs, polished shoes spotless, and the cufflinks of his shirt gleaming sharply.
Natalie lunged toward him, gripping his shirt hem tightly: "Help... help me..."
"Run, go ahead and run," Mr. Porter gasped, catching up. "Natalie Jennings, tonight I'm going to ruin you!"
At the sound of that name, the man's lips pressed tight: "You?"
Natalie froze, too.
She looked up and locked eyes with Hayden Sheffield's deep, penetrating gaze.
In that instant, Natalie wanted to just disappear!
They hadn't seen each other for days, and she absolutely did not want their reunion to be like this!
She actually knew some self-defense, and was an expert with fragrances, but now—so useless...
This wasn't like her at all!
One of the henchmen snapped impatiently, "Who the hell are you? This is Mr. Porter's business—ah!"
Mr. Porter immediately kicked him hard. "You blind idiot, you don't even recognize President Sheffield? Get lost!"
Then, Mr. Porter put on a fawning smile: "President Sheffield, sorry, I'll take this woman right away."
"Take her away?" Hayden Sheffield replied coldly, "She's with me. Where exactly do you want to take her?"
Mr. Porter was stunned.
This—she's President Sheffield's woman? Peter never mentioned this!
"President Sheffield..."
He spat out a single icy word: "Get out!"
Mr. Porter stumbled away in terror.
Hayden Sheffield bent down, his arm circling Natalie's slender waist: "Mrs. Sheffield, we haven't seen each other for a few days, and you give me such a big surprise?"
"An accident. Totally an accident..."
His gaze narrowed. "Why is it that every time I see you, you're in such a mess? Natalie Jennings, you'd better have an explanation for this!"
"I was set up," Natalie said, "Otherwise, those guys—I could've knocked them all down with one hand."
He bent down, whispering in her ear: "I don't interfere in your personal matters, but know your limits. That's what I told you from the very first day—understand?"
"Understood!"
Hayden let go of her and headed for the elevator. "Take Mrs. Sheffield home."
William answered, "Yes, President Sheffield."
"Wait!" Natalie called after his retreating figure. "I have something to ask you."
Hayden paused ever so slightly. "Speak."
"Do you know... about the Jennings family bankruptcy and the takeover of our company?"
"No idea."
With that, Hayden quickly disappeared from Natalie's sight.
She bit her lip, her heart filled with confusion.
With Hayden's status, he had no need to lie to her—plus he denied it so directly, as if it meant nothing to him.
Was her brother's information wrong?
Or... was it someone else in the Sheffield family?
Or maybe... Hayden just didn't want to admit what he'd done.
William had heard about the Jennings family before, and something seemed vaguely familiar.
He took out his tablet and found that half a year ago, a top-secret document had been delivered to the CEO's secretary's office—
"Resource conflict between the Jennings family and The Sheffield Group. Eliminate?"
At the bottom of the document, Hayden Sheffield's handwritten signature—"Yes!"