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5.55% Loving You Means Having You / Chapter 4: The Unlikely Savior

บท 4: The Unlikely Savior

Aron was in unbearable pain, so intense that he couldn't even recognize his own family. He yelled, "Who's the fool who doesn't realize they're stirring up a hornet's nest?"

Before his words had fully escaped his lips, Lucius swiftly seized Aron's hair at the nape of his neck, yanked it back, and then thrust it forward. A chilling sound of impact and shattering echoed, both dull and sharp. This brutal act made Scarlett, standing nearby, feel a sudden drop in her heart, as if she had just had a profound realization.

Aron moaned, now utterly unable to utter another sound. Lucius, repulsed, gripped the man's collar instead, and murmured, "I've never met anyone more audacious than myself."

Aron mechanically turned his head, his face bloody and bruised, seemingly trying to get a clear look at Lucius. Lucius met his gaze with icy indifference, and after a moment, slammed his head into the glass wall again, snarling, "You're a disgrace."

A feeble sound emerged from Aron's throat, unclear whether it was a plea for mercy or a cry for help. Scarlett watched from a distance, a thought surfacing in her mind: If one wishes to condemn someone, they can always find a reason.

Just as Aron had tormented her, and just as Lucius had chosen to retaliate. The uproar had already drawn the attention of the manager and Madame Song, who, recognizing Lucius, didn't dare to intervene. Instead, they directed the staff to encourage the curious spectators emerging from their private rooms to return, swiftly isolating the scene.

Lucius appeared to be in a foul mood tonight, and Aron had unfortunately become the target of his ire. In no time at all, Aron was left in a pitiful state.

Scarlett remained motionless, observing the unfolding chaos. It was only when someone suddenly touched her that she jumped and turned to see Madame Song draping a coat over her shoulders. With pleading eyes, Madame Song whispered, "Please, try to pacify Mr. Zhou. We can't afford a fatality."

Scarlett's face remained impassive, revealing nothing. Didn't her life matter? What if Lucius hadn't intervened? If she had perished that night, no one would have stood up for her.

Madame Song's gaze was a blend of desperation and anxiety, as if she had been startled by Scarlett's response. At that moment, Lucius, still seething, glanced at Scarlett and ordered, "Go change your clothes and meet me downstairs."

Everyone present looked at Scarlett with a mix of curiosity and apprehension, wondering about her relationship with Lucius and why he had personally stepped in for her.

Unperturbed by the attention, Scarlett turned and walked away.

Uncertain of Lucius' intentions, Scarlett left the scene to change her clothes. To her surprise, he was waiting for her in the lounge area downstairs when she returned. She approached him, stopping a few steps away, and nodded her head in gratitude. "Thank you for intervening."

Lucius' expression remained unreadable as he lit a cigarette and commanded, "Sit."

Scarlett held her ground, not moving. Lucius exhaled a puff of smoke, then looked at her through the haze and said, "Miss Li, please sit."

Her eyes flickered with surprise and caution. Lucius saw right through her thoughts and said bluntly, "Finding a woman is easy for me; I don't need to manipulate or entice anyone. Some people, however, try to exploit me through their connections as tutors. There are too many people with ill intentions these days, so I have to be vigilant."

Scarlett quickly assessed the situation. His explanation made sense, and it was unlikely that he was captivated by her charm at first sight. Realizing this, she quickly transitioned from her initial shock to a sheepish expression. Smiling, she apologized, "I see... I'm sorry, Mr. Zhou. I misunderstood. Please don't take it personally."

Lucius seemed indifferent to her swift change in demeanor and the sincerity of her smile. He offered her an easy way out with a slight smile. Scarlett wasted no time accepting his gesture. She took out her prepared resume and politely placed it in front of him, but he didn't even glance at it. "No need to look at that. I'll give you a one-month trial period. If you can teach, you set your price."

Scarlett smiled and asked, "I've heard that your household changes tutors frequently. If I may ask, is it more often due to the parents or the children?"

Lucius raised an eyebrow, looking at her and counter-questioning, "Is it my right as a parent to conduct interviews, or should I be blamed if they don't pass?"

Scarlett tried not to think about his 'interview' process and replied with a smile, "Of course not. You're the most 'visionary' and responsible parent I've ever met."

Changing the subject, she asked, "Can we talk about your child?"

Mentioning his child, Lucius' eyes filled with a sense of resignation. "He's a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, an age when even dogs find them annoying. In my son's case, dogs don't mind him, but people do. Whether you can handle him depends on your abilities."

Scarlett diplomatically replied, "Being mischievous is a child's nature, and their right."

Lucius said, "I'm hiring you to teach, not to be his playmate or nanny."

A clever person would have sensed danger at this point, but Scarlett remained calm, saying, "Of course, I wouldn't charge this much for being a nanny."

Lucius glanced at her and said indifferently, "I hope you'll be a better teacher than you appear."

Tonight had been a whirlwind, and Scarlett couldn't describe her interview experience as either smooth or rough. But the result was what she hoped for, a new opportunity.

In reality, her conversation with Lucius was brief, lasting only about five minutes. He was a man of few words. After exchanging contact information and scheduling her to start on Monday, he offered her a ride. Scarlett stood up and declined, saying, "Thank you, but my boyfriend is picking me up."

A faint look of disdain crossed Lucius' eyes, likely due to her still being on guard. He didn't take it personally and didn't bother saying anything more. As they left the building, Scarlett received a call on her phone, informing the caller she had finished and was on her way out.

Once outside, Lucius' driver pulled up in a Bentley. Scarlett bid him farewell and walked toward the curb. Lucius glanced over and saw a man in a police uniform approaching Scarlett, speaking to her before they both got into a private car.


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Leevi007 Leevi007

Creation is hard, cheer me up!

บท 5: Survived the Ordeal

Scarlett buckled her seatbelt in the passenger seat. The man at the wheel swiftly shrugged off his police uniform jacket, tossed it onto the backseat, and spoke with a serious tone, "You knew the stakes, yet you walked right into the lion's den."

"Isn't that how we tame the lion?" Scarlett retorted.

"Risking life for money," he grumbled.

"Fortune favors the brave," she countered.

Still rattled, Ryan confessed, "It was a gamble. When I stepped out earlier to grab water, I bumped into a group of cops who acknowledged me. I nearly wet myself, terrified they'd strike up a conversation."

Scarlett chuckled. "It's not your courage that's in question; it's your bladder."

Irritated, Ryan shot her a glare. "I'm donned in a counterfeit police uniform from Amazo. If I were caught, I'd be detained at the very least. But the real concern is, what if something went wrong while I was away? Who would rescue you?"

Seeing his genuine worry, Scarlett softened her tone. "Hey, relax. I made it out unscathed, didn't I?"

Ryan looked away, still upset. "They say women should support women, but our boss is ruthless. She was all smiles when the CEO was around, but the moment he left, she started plotting against you. Look at the clients she's been assigning you for the past month - it's a rogues' gallery. I thought she'd back off once the CEO returned, but now she's sent you to Lucius. She clearly wants you to fail!"

Compared to Ryan's indignation, Scarlett seemed composed and unperturbed. "Well, the CEO is my mentor, and he hired me right after graduation, even promoting me to a senior role. Our boss must be envious of my rapport with him. Women can be harsh in their judgments of each other."

Ryan scoffed disdainfully, then complained, "You should tell the CEO about the terrible clients she's been assigning you. Once you've accumulated ten 'bad reviews,' she'll boot you out."

Scarlett replied, "You think this is like school, where you can just report to the teacher and have everything sorted? We're the ones in charge now. Who are we supposed to report to? The boss already thinks I'm here because of my connections. If I run to the CEO for help with every minor issue, it'll only validate her suspicions. Besides, if I can't handle minor problems on my own, it'd reflect poorly on him too."

Ryan was momentarily speechless. After a pause, he said, "The boss probably didn't expect you'd actually go to Lucius Zhou. There was a rumor about a female tutor who was thrown out of the Zhou residence half-dressed by their driver. She had to walk for hours to get back to the city, and no one dared to report it. Now, whenever the Zhou family is mentioned, everyone avoids them. Except for you, that is."

Scarlett stared ahead, her expression inscrutable in the dimly lit car. Her calm voice replied, "Well, we survived that ordeal, didn't we?"

Just as she finished speaking, her phone beeped. She pulled it out to see a text from an unknown number. It read, "The police uniform is convincing. He needs to work on his acting, though."

Upon seeing the message, Scarlett couldn't help but envision Lucius' face, his expression, and even his voice as he said those words. One moment she felt relief, but the next her heart sank.

She stared at her phone for a few seconds, typing and deleting messages, eventually settling on a simple response: "Thank you for the advice, Mr. Zhou." She waited for a while, but Zhou didn't reply, and she figured he wouldn't. She tucked her phone back into her bag, trying to quell the growing unease in her heart.

Noticing Scarlett deep in thought, Ryan decided to shift gears. "What are you in the mood for?" he asked.

Simultaneously, Scarlett also asked, "What do you feel like eating?"

"I'm easy; it's your call. Regardless of the quality, at least we can toast to our victory," Ryan said.

"Let's head home," Scarlett suggested. "I'll whip up something special as a thank you for your support tonight."

Ryan, who had known Scarlett for six years, admired her not only for her academic prowess but also for her culinary magic. Hearing she would cook, he drove home at breakneck speed, pushing the car to its limits.

Neither Scarlett nor Ryan were natives of the city. They rented apartments across from each other after they began working here. While Ryan went home to shower and stash away his police uniform, Scarlett had already prepared lamb skewers, potato slices, and two bowls of dumpling soup.

Ryan arrived just as Scarlett was pulling out two ice-cold beers from the fridge. He couldn't help but admire her, "Wow, you've really outdone yourself this time!"

Scarlett popped open a beer and handed it to him. "Of course, I have to cater to your Northeastern roots – 'big gold chain, small gold watch, and barbecue three times a day.'"

The two of them gathered around the coffee table, enjoying their beer and barbecue. Ryan had a low alcohol tolerance, and after two beers, he started to feel tipsy. Scarlett quickly escorted him back to his apartment before cleaning up the mess and getting ready for bed.

As Scarlett undressed and showered, she noticed several deep red marks on her arm. It took her a few seconds to realize they were from being grabbed by Aron at DK. The memory of DK and Lucius' brutal actions replayed in her mind.

Shaken, Scarlett quickly finished her shower, dried off, and went to bed. That night, she had a nightmare where a faceless man was violently assaulting a woman with anything he could find. Scarlett wanted to help, but she was paralyzed, unable to even scream for help. She awoke in a cold sweat, her face streaked with tears.

Exhausted, Scarlett rose at 5:30 am and took another shower to wash away the cold sweat. She dialed a contact named Mia Chan on her phone.

A woman answered excitedly, "You're calling right on time! I just landed. Ten seconds earlier and I wouldn't have turned on my phone."

Scarlett replied, "Keep it down and don't complain later."

The woman teased, "You're clearly smitten, but you're masking it with indifference."

Scarlett said, "As long as you're safe, get some sleep and call me when you wake up."

Mia responded, "Sleep? I've scheduled meetings with clients, I'm picking up invitations from my father, and attending a business cocktail party tonight."

Scarlett jokingly replied, "You're worth billions, why not just enjoy being a wealthy heiress instead of striving for independence? What's the point?"

Mia retorted, "So that if my dad goes bankrupt, I can still be a wealthy self-made woman."

Scarlett suggested, "Maybe you should get your paranoia checked out."

Mia changed the subject, "Don't dodge the topic. You're coming with me tonight."

Scarlett raised an eyebrow, "Why should I?"

Mia responded with a hint of intrigue, "Well, because of Leo. I heard he's going to be there too. Are you in or out?"

On the other end of the phone, Scarlett suddenly fell silent.


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