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Novel Catalog
Chapter 55: Someone Must Be Behind This
Kaitlin approached with a saccharine smile, her voice dripping with false concern. “Ms. Gage, look at your dress. It’s already stained. I just so happen to have an extra dress with me, in case of an accident. Our figures are quite similar, so maybe you’d like to borrow mine?”
Her suggestion was thinly veiled, an attempt to get closer to Serina and gain favor. But Serina, unfazed, simply shook her head. “No need, I have a few dresses waiting for me upstairs.”
She then turned to Ainsley, taking her hand gently. “Come with me, Ainsley.”
Serina wasn’t about to let Ainsley be a target. She’d promised her brother she would protect Ainsley from harm.
Before Ainsley could reply, a waiter approached, bowing respectfully. “Ms. Easton, Mr. Gage would like to see you.”
Serina immediately released Ainsley’s hand. “Go ahead and speak with my brother. I’ll change and be back shortly. Don’t let anyone bother you.”
With that, she shot Kaitlin a glare before turning to ascend the staircase, her dress flowing behind her.
Ainsley gave her a reassuring smile before following the waiter. She didn’t bother with Kaitlin or Kaliyah, choosing to ignore their presence entirely.
Once Ainsley left, Kaitlin’s mask of politeness slipped, revealing her seething jealousy. “I don’t understand what Mr. Gage sees in her. Every time she gets into trouble, he’s quick to come to her rescue.”
Kaliyah, standing beside her, tilted her head and spoke quietly, her voice icy. “It’s not Mr. Gage you need to worry about.”
Kaitlin blinked, her brow furrowing. “What do you mean? Are you behind this?”
Kaliyah’s response was a cold nod. “Just wait and see.”
Ainsley followed the waiter through the sprawling banquet hall and into the quieter, more secluded back garden. It was a stark contrast to the buzz of the party, and Ainsley couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of unease as the door closed behind her.
“Where is Mr. Gage?” she asked, her voice tinged with confusion.
The waiter, however, offered little explanation. “Ms. Easton, Mr. Gage only asked that I bring you here. He didn’t specify what you should do next. Please wait here.”
The door clicked shut, leaving Ainsley alone in the cold, damp air of the garden. Her light dress offered little protection against the chill, and she shivered, rubbing her arms for warmth.
Just as she was about to turn back toward the door, a hand shot out, gripping her arm tightly. “Where do you think you’re going?” a gruff voice demanded.
Ainsley spun around, startled, to face a middle-aged man in a suit. His greasy demeanor and leering expression made her skin crawl. He held her wrist with an unnerving grip.
“Let go of me!” Ainsley tried to pull away, but his hold was like iron.
The man chuckled, his breath rancid and his words dripping with malice. “I know who you are. Cason doesn’t want you anymore, and now you’re after Mr. Gage, huh? But I think you should stop dreaming. Why don’t you try me instead? After all, you just want money, don’t you? And I have plenty of it.”
Ainsley’s stomach turned. She could feel his foul breath on her skin, and his words were a disgusting, intrusive invasion of her space. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
“Let me go,” she said, her voice low and controlled. “If you know who I am, then you should know whose female companion I am tonight. If you try anything, Mr. Gage will make sure you regret it.”
The man’s laugh was cruel. “Mr. Gage? Please, do you really think he’ll care about a woman like you? Men like him don’t care about loyalty or emotions. Don’t kid yourself. All men like me want is something real. And you, my dear, are just a pretty face.”
The man moved closer, his hand creeping toward her shoulder. Ainsley recoiled, her heart pounding in her chest as she struggled to break free.
Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded in her chest. Without thinking, she lifted her leg and kicked the man squarely between the legs. He gasped and stumbled back, clutching himself in agony, but he still refused to release her wrist.
His grip tightened even more, as if determined to claim victory in some twisted game. “You’ll regret that,” he hissed through clenched teeth. “I’ll make you pay for this.”
Ainsley’s wrist burned with the pressure, the pain radiating up her arm. Desperation surged within her as she screamed, “Let go of me! Let go!”
The man, his face contorted with rage, pressed his hand over her mouth to silence her. “Don’t scream,” he growled, his other hand reaching for her with malicious intent.
“Help!” she cried out, her voice muffled beneath his palm as she struggled against his iron grip. She clawed at his hand, her nails digging into his skin, but he didn’t budge.
Then, just as the man raised his hand to strike her, a voice rang out, cold and commanding.
“Let her go.”
Ainsley’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t need to look to know who it was. Manuel’s voice cut through the night air like a blade, and the man froze, his body stiffening in terror.
The man spun around, his face draining of color when he saw who had spoken. “Mr. Gage! I—”
Manuel’s eyes were icy, his face a mask of fury. “Let. Her. Go.”
Ainsley, her pulse racing, took a step back and walked quickly to stand behind Manuel, her breath ragged. “Call the police, please,” she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear.
Manuel’s expression hardened even more, his voice low but filled with authority. “I’ll handle this.”
The man, still trying to make excuses, blurted out, “Mr. Gage, you don’t understand! I’ve done business with your family! I just—”
“Shut up.” Manuel cut him off sharply, stepping closer to the man. “You don’t get to speak. Not anymore.”
The man’s eyes widened as Manuel took off his coat and wrapped it around Ainsley’s shoulders. Without hesitation, he raised his fist and struck the man across the face with a swift, brutal punch. The man collapsed to the ground with a sickening thud.
“Mr. Gage, please!” the man pleaded, his voice a mix of panic and pain. “You don’t understand! She’s a liar! She’s trying to deceive you!”
Manuel turned to face him, his expression cold and unyielding. “From now on, you’re no longer welcome in Seattle.”
The man opened his mouth to protest, but before he could get another word out, Manuel raised his foot and stepped on the man’s leg. There was a sickening crack, and the man howled in pain.
“Ahh! Please, Mr. Gage! I was wrong! I won’t do it again!” he screamed.
Security guards appeared, rushing forward to seize the man, dragging him away as he begged for mercy.
Manuel turned to Ainsley, his anger and protectiveness shifting to concern. He gently reached out and placed a hand on her arm. “I’m sorry. It was my negligence.”
Ainsley, still shaken, glanced down at her wrist. The bruise was already starting to form, a dark mark against her pale skin. “Mr. Gage,” she said, her voice steady but serious, “someone must be behind this.”
Manuel’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. “We’ll get to the bottom of this,” he vowed. “I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”
