CHAPTER 23: CHAPTER 23: HARASSED AT THE BAR

Talia asked, "Let The Jennings Family adopt Selina Hughes?"

Winter Donovan shook her head, leaned in closer, and whispered, "Not just that, she initially suggested to Mrs. Jennings that Adrian Jennings should marry Selina Hughes in the future."

Upon hearing this, Talia widened her eyes in shock.

"Wow, that’s explosive!" Yvonne Coleman raised her voice, "She really dared to say that!"

Winter Donovan said, "Later, I’m not sure what Mrs. Jennings said to her, but that nanny accepted the idea of The Jennings Family adopting her daughter as a way to repay them."

Yvonne Coleman said scornfully, "Well, Mrs. Jennings only has this one son, there’s no way she’d let him marry a nanny’s daughter."

Winter Donovan: "Exactly, Adrian is The Jennings Family’s sole heir, there’s no way he’d marry a nanny’s daughter."

Talia took a sip of fruit wine, lost in thought.

The group chatted about gossip, unaware of a woman not far behind them staring at them with a vicious gaze.

Talia drank several cups of fruit wine; its low alcohol content ensured she wouldn’t get drunk.

After chatting with her two girlfriends for a while, Talia stood up, "I’m going to the restroom."

In the corridor outside the restroom.

Talia came out after using the restroom and found her way blocked by two men.

One man was stocky, bald, wearing a black vest, showing off his tattoo-covered arms.

He whistled, grinning lecherously, "Hey beautiful, wanna hang out with me?"

Talia was replying to messages on her phone when she heard this; she glanced at the man, casually switched to the recording mode, and started recording.

She then slipped her phone into her pocket.

The other man was lanky, with dyed yellow hair and a cigarette dangling from his mouth, "You look pretty, bet you’d be great to bang."

Talia responded coldly, "Did you just eat your fill in the bathroom? Your mouth stinks."

The yellow-haired guy smirked, "How much for a night? Name your price."

The corridor was narrow, and these two men blocked her way completely.

She calmly stood with her arms crossed, speaking with indifference, "Five thousand a night for a wake vigil, an extra two thousand for mourning, two thousand eight hundred for a suona band, basic cremation costs four hundred ninety-nine, add five hundred for a paper coffin, and if bones aren’t crushed after cremation, an additional twelve hundred for manual crushing. Who in your family died? Discounts for two or more deceased, ten percent off for ten thousand or more."

The yellow-haired guy, incensed, spat, "You filthy bitch! You think you’re better than us?"

The tattoo-covered guy advanced, unbuckling his belt, "What’s with the innocent act? You’ve long been used by others, haven’t you? Keep pretending, I’ll take you here today!"

With that, he nodded at the yellow-haired guy, "Let’s drag her to the men’s restroom for some fun."

As he approached Talia, she swiftly lifted her foot and kicked him in the groin with full force.

The kick was executed with tenfold strength.

"Ah—"

The tattoo-covered guy screamed in agony, clutching his groin and collapsing to the ground.

His body curled up, convulsing in pain.

The lanky yellow-haired guy saw this and angrily swung his fist, intending to attack.

Talia grabbed his arm and twisted it forcefully, with a "crack" sound, dislocating his arm.

The corridor filled instantly with screams.

Talia smirked, her eyes slightly narrowing, "Is that all? None of you are worth fighting."

She disdainfully drew out a tissue to wipe her hands, "What a coincidence, I’m somewhat skilled in grappling and martial arts; it’s been a while since I exercised, this’ll be a good practice."

Her words were not very harmful, but extremely insulting.

The yellow-haired guy raised his other hand to attack again, but Talia hit him with a shoulder throw, slamming him to the ground.

Her high heel ground against the yellow-haired guy’s face like crushing an ant, "Practice more and come back."

"Help! Help!" The tattoo-covered guy cried out in anguish, holding his groin and screaming desperately.

Talia turned her head to see blood oozing from his crotch.

Hmm, maybe she didn’t control her strength; did she rupture his thing?

Soon, the bar staff arrived upon hearing the commotion, and were stunned by the scene, a bit at a loss.

The tattoo-covered guy lay on the ground with cold sweat on his forehead, "I’m in agony, why are you standing there? Call 120, I’m dying from the pain."

The disturbance here was too big, a crowd quickly gathered.

Yvonne Coleman and Winter Donovan were worried when Talia didn’t come back from the restroom after so long, so they came to check.

What they saw was something else.

"Holy crap!" Yvonne Coleman exclaimed, running over, "Talia, your Phantom Shadowless Kick and Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms are back in action?"

Winter Donovan glanced at the two men writhing on the ground in agony, "Tsk," she turned to Talia, "Talia, you alright?"

Talia brushed back her hair, "Nothing, they didn’t even touch a strand of my hair."

"You’re amazing, my Talia!" Yvonne Coleman looked at her with admiration, "I wish I’d joined you in learning martial arts back then."

The bar staff reported to the police and called 120.

The two men were taken to the hospital by ambulance; police took Talia Rhodes and the bar manager to the station.

Winter Donovan and Yvonne Coleman followed them.

The onlookers dispersed.

Selina Hughes, hidden behind a pillar, slowly stepped out, a cold glint in her eyes.

What useless trash.

Even two against one, Talia Rhodes remained unscathed.

Who would’ve thought this slim-looking, seemingly fragile Talia Rhodes was actually skilled?

Clearly, regular thugs aren’t a match for her.

Next time, I’ll have to bring more people, professionals to deal with her.

...

When Adrian Jennings arrived, Talia was making a statement.

The police reviewed surveillance footage and confirmed that the two men provoked and attacked first; Talia’s actions were self-defense.

However, the hospital reported that the tattoo-covered guy was seriously injured, with a ruptured testicle, requiring an injury assessment.

Talia Rhodes’ act of self-defense is likely to have exceeded the necessary limit, constituting excessive self-defense.

The police said they couldn’t release her.

Adrian Jennings was about to call in favors to get Talia out.

Talia stopped him, calmly saying to the police, "One ruptured testicle is a minor injury, two is severe; if both are ruptured and removed, I might indeed be guilty of excessive self-defense, leading to an investigation under intentional injury."

This falls into Talia’s expertise.

"But—" Talia took out her phone and played an audio recording.

She had completely recorded what those two men said in the corridor.

Talia’s gaze was steady, "Officer, I have evidence to prove these two intended to commit rape; in response to such violent crime, my resistance was justified and won’t constitute excessive self-defense."

Talia placed the phone on the table, her expression serious, "I’m officially reporting that they intended to rape me."