If the lips are gone, the teeth feel the cold. If the Hills were destroyed, could she possibly have a good life?
Larry Lorenz hadn't even stepped into the elevator when Elora caught up to him.
"Larry, something's happened at home. Could you make a call?" Elora asked, swallowing her pride.
"What's wrong?" Elora had been serving him well; he was willing to do her a small favor.
Elora briefly explained the situation at home. Larry Lorenz agreed to look into it.
Back in Graham City...
Bryan was still recuperating in the hospital. Erik, having nothing else to do, dropped by to see him.
"Erik, no need to accompany Janelle today?"
"She has company. Doesn't need me." Even though it was another girl, Erik still felt a twinge of annoyance.
Hearing his tone, Bryan almost laughed, but afraid of angering Erik, he suppressed it, making his wounds ache.
Just then, Bryan received a call from his subordinate. "Erik, the eldest young master is looking into the Hills situation."
Erik raised an eyebrow. "Larry Lorenz and the Hills? What's their connection?" Erik never paid attention to such trash and didn't know Larry Lorenz's ties to the Hills. Bryan, having been away in Imperial Capital, didn't know either.
He made a couple of calls and quickly learned about Elora hooking up with Larry Lorenz. Larry Lorenz had put the call on speaker; Erik heard everything.
"Erik, how to handle this?"
"If he's so idle, dump him straight into Africa." Erik glanced at the time. Already past eleven.
"What reason?" If they really threw Larry Lorenz into Africa, his mother would likely throw a fit.
"Anything." Did they really need him to think of a reason? "Rest well. I'm leaving."
"Where to?"
"To be Miss Rovella's chauffeur."
Erik drove straight to Nightfall.
Before he arrived, Nelson had also shown up. The group of wealthy heirs were shocked to see Nelson dare to appear before Janelle.
"What's he doing here? Still not humiliated enough?"
"Do you think the real-name report might be linked to Janelle?"
"If it is, Miss Rovella is seriously fierce!"
Nelson naturally heard these whispers. He shot a glare at the gossiping heirs. They immediately fell silent. The situation was still unclear; no one knew how things would unfold. They couldn't afford to offend the Hills just yet.
Sara was thoroughly drunk. Janelle was just about to take her home when she looked up and spotted Nelson.
Seeing Nelson, the drunk Sara stumbled over to him. "You scumbag! Daring to show your face! Look how much you hurt our Janelle!" Sara had terrible drunk manners. She grabbed Nelson by the collar.
Nelson, uncomfortable being manhandled by a young woman, was about to push her away when Janelle's gaze locked onto him. It was the same beautiful pair of eyes from five years ago, but now they held only ice... and a clear threat.
"Try touching her," Janelle warned. She was fiercely protective of those she considered hers.
Feeling emboldened by Janelle's support, Sara grew bolder. She slapped Nelson across the face.
"Sara! Stop this nonsense!" How dare this woman hit him?
"You're Nelson, right?" Sara swayed, barely able to stand.
"Yes."
"Then I hit the right person! That slap was meant for you, Nelson! You shamelessly chased after Janelle back then! And what did you do? Betrayed her! You scumbag! You bastard!" Whether it was Westin or Nelson, they had both stabbed Janelle in the back, making her unable to trust love now.
"Janelle, we need to talk," Nelson pleaded. He felt things shouldn't have ended up like this between them.
Janelle couldn't even be bothered to look at him. What gave him the audacity? "Get lost."
Nelson frowned. "Janelle, are you the one targeting the Hills?"
Sara slapped him again.
Nelson finally lost his temper. He shoved Sara hard. Wearing high heels, Sara nearly fell, but Janelle swiftly caught her around the waist, steadying her.
"You dare touch her?" Janelle settled Sara back onto the couch, then stood up.
Nelson instinctively backed away. "Janelle, I came here tonight just to resolve things, you—"
Before he could finish, Janelle seized the arm he had used to push Sara. With brutal force, she snapped it.
CRACK.
Even though it was almost midnight, Nightfall was still buzzing with noise. Yet, witnessing such sudden violence, the crowd fell silent.
"You—!" Nelson tried to resist, but he never learned. How could this girl be so strong? With just one hand, Janelle immobilized him; he couldn't move.
Seeing Janelle's prowess, Sara drunkenly cheered and clapped. "Janelle! You're amazing! Seriously, my idol! Nelson, you're so weak!"
Hearing Sara's shout, Nelson's face turned even uglier. He was pale with pain.
Just then, Erik arrived. The crowd instinctively parted for him. The man possessed that kind of aura. Despite this being Nightfall, filled with Graham City's prominent heirs, they were still cowed by his presence.
Bruce Aleen was also at Nightfall. He'd wanted to intervene when Nelson confronted them, but he'd just witnessed Janelle break Nelson's arm with one hand. It was his first time seeing this violent side of Janelle, yet it only made him more infatuated. Seeing Erik appear now filled him with a pang of sadness; he felt an invisible barrier between himself and Janelle that he couldn't cross.
Erik walked straight to Janelle's side. "He bothered you."
"Hmm." Janelle released Nelson. He staggered, barely staying upright. His arm was broken—again. At this rate, it would be permanently ruined by Janelle.
Sara took the opportunity to kick Nelson. "Scumbag! Filthy scumbag!" Sara might not be the sharpest, but some things were crystal clear to her. If not for Janelle's current ability to protect herself, neither the Hills nor the Rovellas would have let her be. And this man, who once claimed to love Janelle, had even suggested making her his secret mistress.
Nelson grimaced in agony. But with Erik and Janelle there, he didn't dare retaliate.
Janelle went to support the swaying Sara. "We're leaving," she said to Erik.
Nelson still tried to block their way.