The men by the doorway lay in a groaning heap.
Wade stood to the side, a silent sentinel.
Ethan merely glared at the girl, who immediately scrambled away and huddled in a corner. He sat down next to Maya, his gaze sweeping over the men on the floor. "Who's the manager here?"
"B-brother..." A man in his thirties with a crew cut spoke up, wincing in pain. "This is Autumn's place!"
"I know," Ethan nodded. "Go get Autumn. Tell her Ethan Chen is here for a drink."
The manager wasn't stupid enough to yell back asking who the hell Ethan Chen was or that Autumn wouldn't know him. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he struggled to his feet.
"Right away, boss."
He then scurried out of the private room.
Fourth Floor, Office, Western Majesty Club
Autumn was in her office, adjusting the seam of a red-trimmed stocking.
"Young Master He," she said, her voice laced with concern. "I've heard things about this Ethan Chen. Cracked Lucas and Gwendolyn's heads open at The Dynasty, took a trophy from Jack Zhao... He's young, but he's vicious. You're the one who told me to do this. If this blows up, you have to cover for me. He's got The Boss's backing; I can't afford to cross him."
Sitting across from her was Tyler He.
Tyler puffed on a cigar, a smug smile on his face. "Relax. Don't forget, that casino is my father's operation too. If I take some money from my own father's place, what can that punk Chen even say? Let's be real, he's just a watchdog my father and The Boss keep on a leash to guard their property. Besides, wasn't the whole point to get him to come here?"
Autumn still looked worried. "Young Master He, if The Boss finds out we're setting Ethan up like this... are you sure it'll be okay?"
Tyler snorted, pulling Autumn into his lap. His hands began wandering over her body. "Are you doubting me?"
Autumn let out a few soft moans, melting against him. "No, of course not. I'm just nervous, that's all. Young Master He, if I end up in the hospital for you, you can't forget about me, okay?"
"How could I forget a vixen like you?" Tyler tore her blouse open.
Just as Tyler was getting thoroughly worked up, the office door was knocked on.
"Autumn... There's a guy named Ethan Chen downstairs. He trashed the place. Says he wants to see you."
Autumn started, quickly extricating herself from Tyler's grasp and looking at him for direction.
Annoyance flashed across Tyler's face. "The bastard has shit timing. Go handle it. Stick to the plan. The bigger the scene he causes, the better for us!"
Autumn nodded, grabbing a jacket to cover herself before striding out the door.
Back in the Private Room
Ethan sat calmly. The other kids had all shrunk into a corner, too scared to sit or leave. The men who had come in with the manager had gotten back to their feet but stayed silent, though their eyes burned with resentment as they watched Ethan, waiting for Autumn to arrive.
The private room door opened again, and the voluptuous, thirty-something Autumn walked in.
A collective sigh of relief went through the room. They all knew Autumn. Don't let her gender fool you; she'd been in the game since her teens. She'd climbed her way up, backed by who knows how many powerful men. Plenty had looked down on her, thinking she was just a woman. And where were they now? All raising glasses to her respectfully!
This guy was probably just some rich kid with a tough bodyguard. Did he really think that gave him the right to disrespect Autumn?
Just as everyone expected Autumn to explode with her usual fury—
"Well, hello there, handsome! You should've told your big sister you were coming." Autumn's voice was sugary sweet. She swayed her hips over and sat right next to Ethan, her hand immediately landing on his thigh and stroking it. "Look at you, all worked up. Was that really necessary?"
Her reaction stunned the onlookers.
Ethan snorted coldly. "Autumn, what you're doing now makes things difficult for me. It's not how things are done."
"Rules are rigid, people are flexible," Autumn purred, her other arm snaking around him. "Handsome, everyone hits a rough patch now and then, right?"
Ethan shook his head. "Autumn, you need to give me an explanation for this. Otherwise, don't blame me for not being understanding."
Hearing this, Autumn sighed. She released Ethan, stood up, and pulled a chair to sit directly opposite him. "Ethan, I'm talking to you nicely, and you come to my place to disrespect me? What, do you think I've been giving you too much face?"
Her attitude had done a complete one-eighty.
Ethan wasn't surprised in the least. This woman had been scheming from the very beginning.
"Ethan, let me make this clear. Some things, I do because the boss behind me tells me to. And that boss is someone you can't afford to cross. Understand?"
"Not really," Ethan shook his head. "Autumn, let's just settle this matter quickly."
A fierce glint appeared in Autumn's eyes. She slapped the table hard. "And what if I say no?"
"Then I'll have no choice but to take you to see The Boss."
"Is that so?" A cold light flashed in Autumn's eyes. With a wave of her hand, she swept a glass from the table, sending it shattering on the floor. "And what if I don't want to go with you?"
The private room door was flung open, and a stream of men poured in, all armed.
"Ethan, do you really think hiding behind The Boss's authority gives you the right to strut around in front of me? Do you have the actual strength to back it up?"
One of Autumn's hands had already closed around the neck of a beer bottle.
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Are you planning to keep me here?"
Wade hadn't moved, but with his skills, he could easily subdue Autumn before any of those men could get close.
"What I do next, Ethan, depends on you," Autumn said.
Ethan smiled. He picked up a bottle opener, popped the cap off a beer, then took a clean, sanitized glass from the side, leisurely pouring himself a drink. Then, he threw the entire contents of the glass into Autumn's face.
Autumn froze. The men behind her surged forward.
Wade shifted sideways, blocking their path.
Autumn, her face dripping with beer, wiped it away with her hand.
Ethan smiled and asked, "Autumn, feeling clearer now?"
Autumn gritted her teeth. "Ethan, you brought this on yourself! Get them!"
At her command, the men at the door charged. The one in front raised his club, but Wade sent him flying back with a single kick, knocking over several others.
"Nobody move!" Wade grabbed Autumn, his hand clamping around her neck. "Anyone comes closer, I'll break her!"
"He won't dare! Do it! Get them!" Autumn screamed.
Wade's expression tightened. He shoved Autumn away and met the oncoming thugs head-on.
The private room was small. With Wade blocking the way, the club's enforcers couldn't get through. Ethan sat there, observing the situation. Something felt off.
This was too strange!
Especially Autumn's behavior!
Logically, someone who owed a debt, even if they didn't want to pay, would only use delaying tactics.
Yet from start to finish, Autumn had adopted a stance of outright defiance!
It was abnormal!
Looking at the scene, while it seemed chaotic, only the few men right at the door were actually fighting. The rest of the enforcers hung back, not joining the fray but shouting and making a racket.
Just then, one of the enforcers suddenly—and very deliberately—stumbled and crashed through the door of the adjacent private room, making it look like he'd been kicked in.
A few seconds later, the man was thrown back out. Simultaneously, a short but stout man stepped out of the room, his voice booming with authority.
"Everyone, stop this fucking nonsense right now!"
Ethan saw a smile spread across Autumn's face.