He drew closer, his presence almost completely enveloping her.
Annelise Valentine suddenly raised her hand, breaking free from his grip. Jett Westgate hadn't intended to truly restrain her and let go accordingly.
She took a step back, putting distance between them. "What do you think you're doing? Men and women should keep their distance!"
He took half a step forward. He didn't touch her again, but his powerful aura bore down on her once more.
"Trying to get my attention by smashing my things? Our engagement is in three days, Miss Valentine... there's no need to be so impatient."
"You... Jett Westgate! Don't be so full of yourself! Who wants your attention?!" Annelise Valentine's cheeks flushed with anger at his deliberate misinterpretation.
"Oh?" Jett Westgate looked into her bright eyes. "So you smashed the screen on purpose?"
Annelise Valentine met his gaze and said provocatively, "What, is Mr. Westgate afraid I can't afford to pay for it?"
She immediately raised her voice. "Manager!"
The manager came jogging over at once.
"How much for this broken screen?" Annelise Valentine asked bluntly.
The manager glanced cautiously at Jett Westgate before stammering, "M-Miss Valentine, this is an imported, custom 7D flexible screen. Including installation and the system..."
"Cut the crap," Annelise Valentine interrupted impatiently. "Just give me the price!"
"...Th-thirty million."
As soon as the number was spoken, a collective gasp echoed through the crowd.
Annelise Valentine said crisply, "Just thirty million? I'll pay by card!"
As she spoke, she habitually reached for her wallet, only for her heart to sink. 'Shit, I was in such a hurry I forgot my wallet.'
In that moment of subtle hesitation, a hand reached out from the side.
"Use this."
Zane Patterson had approached at some point, and now he dangled a black card between two fingers in front of the manager.
The manager froze, saying instinctively, "Sir, this card... didn't you just give it to me?"
Zane Patterson tilted his head. "Oh, you mean that one."
He paused, then pulled out several more black cards of the same quality from his wallet.
"Cards like this..." He looked up and said casually, "I have eight of them."
His gaze shifted to Annelise Valentine, his eyes instantly softening as he said indulgently, "See if our young miss wants to smash—or buy—anything else. We'll charge it all at once to save time."
Annelise Valentine gave a wicked grin. "Zane, Sean, everything of value in here... SMASH. IT. ALL. FOR. ME."
Zane Patterson casually touched two fingers to his temple in a flippant salute. "As you command, my lady."
Sean Conrad was a little intimidated at first, but when he saw Annelise Valentine's "if-you-don't-smash-it-you're-not-with-me" look, he gritted his teeth, rolled up his sleeves, and yelled, "Fuck it! Let's do this!"
Zane Patterson moved quickly, his whole demeanor becoming dangerous and excited.
Without a word, he grabbed a bar stool and hurled it at the row of spotlights in front of the DJ booth.
Sparks flew, and the entire row of lights went dark in an instant.
Jett Westgate stood his ground, showing no intention of stopping them. He simply spoke calmly:
"Klausland intelligent tracking spotlight system. Custom model. Twenty-six million. Finn, charge the card."
The manager didn't dare to delay. He quickly took Zane Patterson's black card, keyed the price into the POS machine, and swiped it with a BEEP.
Zane Patterson didn't stop. He turned and set his sights on the liquor cabinet inlaid with LED strips.
Jett Westgate's gaze swept over the mess. "Vondel crystal glass liquor cabinet, including the eighty-seven bottles of collector-grade Bordeaux and Burgundy inside. Thirty-four million. Charge the card."
BEEP—another one. Thirty-four million, gone in an instant.
On the other side, Sean Conrad kicked over a set of genuine leather booth sofas.
Jett Westgate: "Freyenne handcrafted cowhide sofas. Eight hundred thousand. Charge the card."
Jett Westgate stood in the center of the wreckage, not angry in the slightest. In fact, he seemed to be appreciating some kind of performance art.
He even raised a hand and gestured toward the massive champagne tower by the pool.
Zane Patterson landed a direct kick on the supporting leg of the champagne tower's table.
CR-A-A-A-A-S-S-H—!!! The champagne tower came crashing down.
Jett Westgate: "Custom celebration tower, including service fees and a contingency for damages. Eight million. Charge the card."
BEEP—
"Two million four hundred thousand. Charge the card."
BEEP—
"Six million. Charge the card."
BEEP—
...
The air was thick with the smell of alcohol and burning money.
The scene was absurd to the extreme, and arrogant to the extreme.
The ones smashing things were gleeful, the one calling out prices was cold and merciless, and the one paying didn't care how much was being spent.
Only the onlookers stared, dumbfounded, their hushed whispers never ceasing.
"Holy shit... they're really smashing everything. Who the hell are these people? This is insane!"
"Speaking of which, that black card has been charged for, what, almost a hundred million now, and it's still not maxed out?"
"Isn't the real point the owner of Nivelis?! Oh my god, he's so handsome! The way he calls out the prices is just... wow! But why isn't he stopping them? Doesn't he care about the cost?"
"Care? Does he look like he cares?"
A few moments later, pretty much everything of value in Nivelis had been smashed by Zane Patterson and Sean Conrad.
Zane Patterson shook out his slightly sore wrist, cracked his neck, and stretched his muscles.
'Ah, that felt good!'
He looked in Jett Westgate's direction and said provocatively, "You're welcome."
"Nivelis's decor is lifeless. It's boring."
"I suggest you visit Skyline in Veridia when you have the time. Learn what a real top-tier nightclub looks like."
After saying this, he even added helpfully, "Of course, if you can't find a suitable designer, for Annelise's sake, I can introduce you to a few."
Watching Zane Patterson's arrogant display, Annelise Valentine felt incredibly vindicated.
'He's really making me look good!'
She immediately straightened her back and followed Zane's lead. "Zane is right. Your club really could use a renovation."
She blinked. "How about this: for the next three days, don't worry about preparing for the engagement party. Just focus on finding a designer."
After she finished, she even shook her head with mock sympathy, as if she were genuinely concerned for him.
Everyone held their breath and looked at Jett Westgate.
Amidst the dead silence and the wreckage, Jett Westgate finally moved.
He advanced on Annelise Valentine, his gaze fixed on her bright, defiant face. He was terrifyingly calm, showing no trace of anger or agitation.
Even the hint of cold amusement had vanished from his expression.
He just stood there, staring at her silently for a full three seconds.
Then, his thin lips parted, and he uttered a single word: "Fine."
No anger, no rebuttal, no threat. Just one word, delivered lightly.
The clueless onlookers were a bit confused. 'Is that it? All thunder and no rain?'
But that one word sent a chill through the hearts of everyone who truly knew Jett Westgate.
Leo Lennox pushed up his glasses, his expression incredibly complex, and whispered in a near-sigh, "It's over..."
When Jett Westgate said "Fine" in that strangely calm tone, it didn't mean he was compromising or admitting defeat.
It meant he was holding a grudge.
Annelise Valentine was done for.
Not right now, but she wasn't far from being "done for."
Annelise Valentine was also taken aback by his reaction. The sarcasm and rage she'd expected never came.
'How is this man so different from the ruthless, insane Jett Westgate from the rumors? He doesn't care if I wreck his club, he's not angry about being publicly mocked... could the rumors be false?'