CHAPTER 53: CHAPTER 53: "YOU REALLY CAME TO RESTRAIN ME.

Renee was about to politely decline, but before she could speak, Autumn Lowell picked up a glass of wine and splashed it on the Mohawk-red-haired man, cursing, "Get lost!"

The atmosphere suddenly froze.

Renee was startled and quickly apologized, "I’m sorry..."

But it was already too late.

The man was Ethan Lund, the true owner of the bar.

Ethan Lund grabbed Autumn Lowell’s hair, smacked her across the face, then forcefully pressed her head onto the table, growling, "You bitch, are you looking to die!"

"Ah!" Autumn Lowell screamed.

Renee had never seen such a scene, she was so scared she was frozen on the spot.

The bar suddenly quieted down, everyone looked in their direction.

Seeing that Ethan Lund was about to smash a bottle on Autumn Lowell’s head, Renee snapped back to reality, hurriedly pulled the man’s arm, forcing herself to stay calm and said, "I’m sorry, bro, I’m sorry. My friend is drunk and mistook you for her boyfriend. Her boyfriend cheated on her, she’s in a bad mood, that’s why she said those things. Please let her go."

Ethan Lund leered at Renee, his gaze swept from her face down to her chest, and he laughed mischievously, "Want me to let your friend go?"

Renee forced a smile despite discomfort, "Yes, I beg you to let my friend go."

"Alright then."

Ethan Lund released his grip, pulled out a chair, sat down, propped his elbow on his thigh, and grinned nonchalantly at Renee, saying slyly, "I can let your friend go, but only if you spend the night with me."

Autumn Lowell grabbed Renee’s hand, "Renee, get out, don’t worry about me."

Renee instead pulled Autumn Lowell behind her, smiled at Ethan Lund, and said, "Alright, I agree, but can I make a phone call to my family first?"

Someone chuckled, "Pfft."

Renee looked over, it was a man dressed in a white shirt and black pants.

The man was Patrick Thorne, exuding a carefree aura, his shirt worn loosely, with three buttons undone showing a wide expanse of chest, a jacket draped over his arm, walking towards Renee.

"Young girl, aren’t you quite brave," Patrick Thorne walked up, smiling at Renee, "Not even afraid of Second Young Master Lund."

Renee wasn’t unafraid, just putting up a front. She looked at Ethan Lund, and asked softly, "May I?"

Patrick Thorne also pulled out a chair to sit down, spread his legs, leaned lazily against the chair back, and tapped the table lightly with his hand, "Are you an adult yet?"

Renee ignored Patrick Thorne, continued to ask Ethan Lund, "May I make a call to my family to let them know I won’t be home tonight?"

Her tone was sincere, her eyes clear and innocent, like a deer lost in the forest.

Ethan Lund became even more interested, nodded with a smile, "Go ahead."

Renee took out her phone and openly called Jack Yates.

Meanwhile, at the old mansion of The Yates Family.

Jack Yates walked into the first-floor living room with a stern face, glancing at Sean Yates sitting on the sofa.

Sean Yates was twelve years older than Jack, forty years old this year, yet he looked like a man barely over thirty.

"Old Third," Sean Yates stood up immediately upon seeing Jack, without any elder brotherly demeanor, instead behaving like a younger brother, smiling obsequiously and respectfully.

Jack sat across from Sean, crossed one leg over the other, and looked at him indifferently, "Does Big Brother truly consider himself the Crown Prince?"

Sean Yates was frightened and waved his hands repeatedly, "No, no, no, Old Third, don’t joke about Big Brother, Big Brother would never have such thoughts."

Jack coldly tugged at his lips, "I thought Big Brother was treating himself like the Crown Prince."

"Old Third, you’re joking, Big Brother could never have such outrageous thoughts." Sean Yates dared not stand tall, yet dared not sit down either, hunched over in a servile manner.

Jack raised his hand, "Sit down."

Only then did Sean sit sheepishly, legs together, hands on his knees, looking extremely restrained.

In contrast, Jack sat with his legs wide apart, his posture imposing and aggressive, yet with a hint of roguish wildness, intimidating to behold.

Sean Yates sat facing him, not daring to breathe.

Jack picked up the Mount Taishon Buddha Light Tin Can on the table, premium cigarettes, a can costing nearly twenty thousand.

His long, well-jointed hand shook out a cigarette from the golden Little God Hand can, using a dragon-patterned glow-in-the-dark lighter to ignite it, thin lips held the cigarette end as he took a strong puff.

With a click—

The lighter was tossed onto the table, Jack held the cigarette with two fingers, leaned forward, and asked seriously, "Tell me, what’s going on?"

Sean Yates was a university professor, in his years of teaching, sleeping with female students had become an everyday affair.

Last semester, he was involved with a female student from the history department; when the new semester started, he took an interest in another from the English department, so he wanted to get rid of the history student.

But he didn’t expect the history student to be a quiet and elegant girl, was actually not someone to be trifled with.

The girl said breaking up was fine, but give her half a million or she’d expose their affair to the whole school.

Sean Yates didn’t want to pay half a million; to him, that was too much, he was willing to give fifty thousand at most. But he also didn’t want the scandal blown out of proportion; amid his dilemma, unexpectedly the girl found a supporter, or rather, the supporter found her.

With the supporter’s instigation, the affair between the history girl and Sean Yates quickly became a trending search, but the headline stated he was harassing and raping students, complete with chat records and videos.

In the video, the girl cried "No," "Sir, don’t do this," "I’m scared," and other suggestive words, along with his hoarse voice uttering vulgarities; these revelations caused an instant uproar.

Initially, these were just normal flirting words between him and the girl in bed, but once they were deliberately edited and released, they became evidence of his rape.

Sean Yates spread his hands, putting on a victim’s innocent tone: "Third brother, I was really wronged. Though I’m a bit of a playboy, I never force anyone and would never do such a thing of taking by force..."

Halfway through, Sean Yates realized he had misspoken, and quickly stopped his words.

Jack Yates sneered: "Was big brother pointing at me?"

Sean Yates’s expression changed dramatically: "No, no, third brother, don’t overthink it, that wasn’t my intention."

Jack Yates stood up: "I’ll have Kevin Lynch handle this, but..." He stubbed out his half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray, looking sharply at Sean Yates, "Big brother doesn’t have the ability to smooth things over, better behave yourself, don’t cause any more trouble. Otherwise next time, even if you’re falsely accused of murder, you’ll have to face the consequences yourself."

After speaking, Jack Yates picked up his coat from the sofa and walked out.

He had just stepped out the door when he saw Chloe Bell returning from a walk accompanied by the caregiver.

Chloe Bell raised her hand, and the caregiver tactfully left.

Jack Yates said: "Mom, I have things to do, I’ll be going now."

Chloe Bell gave him a playful glare: "There’s an old saying, once you have a wife you forget your mother, and it’s really true."

Jack Yates’s lips curled slightly: "Do you believe that yourself?"

Chloe Bell stopped teasing him, speaking seriously: "With the election imminent, not only should Sean avoid any bad rumors, but so should you. That girl is alright, mom went to the school to see her, she seems like a decent person for now. But you can’t be careless, enjoy yourself, but make sure she doesn’t have any hold against you, and don’t be stingy when it’s time to send her off, any problem solvable with money isn’t really a problem."

Just as Jack Yates was about to speak, his phone rang. Seeing the word "Baby" on the caller ID, he said to Chloe Bell: "Mom, I have to go."

After walking off a good distance, he answered the call: "Hello, Renee, what’s up."

Bar lobby.

Renee Winslow sobbed as soon as she heard Jack Yates’s voice: "Wah wah wah, Jack, I’m in danger. A man named Second Young Master Lund wants me to accompany him for the night."

Ethan Lund: "..."

Patrick Thorne couldn’t suppress a laugh.

Jack Yates: "Where are you?"

Renee Winslow provided the address, and said to Jack Yates: "Jack, should you give Second Young Master Lund a word? I’m afraid they’ll bully me if you don’t come."

Jack Yates gritted his teeth: "Give him the phone."

Renee Winslow handed the phone to Ethan Lund: "Second Young Master Lund, my boyfriend wants to speak with you."

Ethan Lund took Renee Winslow’s pink phone with trembling hands, his voice shaking: "Th... Third Brother, it’s... it’s a misunderstanding."

Jack Yates’s voice was cold: "You have guts."

Ethan Lund broke out in a cold sweat: "Misunderstanding, misunderstanding, Third Brother don’t be angry, I’ll apologize to Sister-in-law right away."

Jack Yates: "Wait for me to come over."

Half an hour later, Jack Yates walked into the bar with a commanding presence.

By this time, Ethan Lund had cleared the bar, leaving only internal staff and the few of them.

As Jack Yates walked in with the red and blue lights overlapping, everyone led by Ethan Lund stood up.

Renee Winslow emerged from behind the table, ran up to Jack Yates, and hugged his lean waist, trying to charm him before he got angry: "Third Brother, I’m so scared."

Jack Yates looked down at her, though very angry, he still affectionately ruffled her hair: "I see you’re very bold, daring to come to the bar behind my back at night."

Renee Winslow raised her head from his arms, pouted: "I really just came to hang out with my friends, but didn’t expect to run into this kind of thing, and I reported to you in advance, you better not get mad at me when we go back."

Jack Yates suppressed his irritability, pinching her earlobe: "You’re here just to mess with me."

He led Renee Winslow to the seats.

Ethan Lund respectfully pulled out a chair: "Third Brother, please sit."

Patrick Thorne smiled and called out: "Third Brother."

Others respectfully called "Third Brother" as well.

Jack Yates sat unceremoniously in the chair, glancing at Ethan Lund: "Second Young Master Lund has quite the nerve."

Ethan Lund raised his hand and slapped himself: "It’s my loose tongue, Third Brother don’t be angry."

Jack Yates lowered his eyes, slowly rolling up his sleeves to reveal a section of his well-muscled arm, then rested his hand on the table, lightly tapping his fingers, and said calmly: "Half of The North Second Ring is Second Young Master Lund’s territory, indeed, you’ve got the confidence to be arrogant.

With a sharp crack——

Ethan Lund promptly slapped himself on the cheek, at the same time his knees buckled, and he knelt in front of Jack Yates: "Third Brother, I was wrong."

Jack Yates looked at Patrick Thorne: "Trouble Eldest Young Master Thorne, could you take my wife to the room to rest."

Patrick Thorne: "You are too kind."

Renee Winslow didn’t want to leave, she hugged Jack Yates’s arm, softly pleaded: "Third Brother."

Jack Yates raised a hand to pat her back: "Be good, go rest in the room for a while."

Ethan Lund was shaking all over, knowing that tonight, he’d be peeling skin even if he didn’t die.