The slap was hard, and Ranita felt dizyy.
“Ranita, that evens the score!” Chole sneered, her eyes full of disdain.
Jedidiah gasped. “Chole, are you crazy? How can you hit her like that?” Especially in front of him.
Chole’s eyes turned red as she was scolded. She shouted back in protest, “So if I get burned by hot water, it doesn’t hurt? If she apologizes to me, then she admits fault…”
“Shut up!” A voice as cold as ice interrupted her. The tone was icy and dangerous, making everyone present jump with fright.
Especially Chole who felt like a terrifying beast had locked onto her; the hair on the back of her neck stood up.
“Brendon?” Ranita stared blankly at the man who grabbed hold of her wrist.
Brendon’s face was cold as he stood between Chole and them all; his gaze fixed on Chole, “Did you hit her?”
“I…” Chole was scared out of her wits; tears welled up in her eyes as she clung to Jedidiah’s shirt for help, “Brother!”
Jedidiah shifted his anger from Brendon when he saw him, “What are you doing?”
“I don’t hit women! But since you hit Ranita… I’ll make an exception!” Brendon moved so fast that there were afterimages left behind his hand before it landed loudly on Chole’s face.
The strength of a man is undoubtedly greater. Chole’s face twisted from the beating, and it took her a while to regain her senses, looking at Brendon in disbelief before bursting into sobs.
“Brother, he hit me…”
“Brendon, that’s enough!” Jedidiah couldn’t hold back and reached out to grab Brendon by the collar. “You shouldn’t have laid a hand on my sister.”
“My sister? Ha… Ha… Your sister can hit Ranita, but I can’t hit her?” Brendon’s lips curled into a sinister and icy smile. “Now we’re even.”
“Ranita, come with me!”
Ranita was forcefully dragged away as Brendon seethed with anger, behaving like an enraged bear. She was pulled into the stairwell, and as the fire door closed, he pressed her against the wall, roaring, “Ranita, what are you trying to achieve? His sister bullies you, and he doesn’t help you, yet you insist on staying by his side. Are you insane?”
In Brendon’s eyes, Ranita was emotionally stable, competent at work, and had a beautiful face. Just like when she decisively divorced and left with her child, Ranita shouldn’t compromise for Jedidiah.
Brendon found his heart aching.
Is it because he likes her so much that he doesn’t mind anything?
Ranita looked up at the man’s slightly red eyes, her emotions churning back and forth. After finally stabilizing herself, she gently pushed his hand away. “Brendon, whether I’m crazy or not has nothing to do with you!”
“I don’t need you to stand up for me when someone bullies me.” Pausing for a moment, Ranita pursed her lips, her expression bleak. “The slap you gave Chole will only make things harder for me.”
“You!” Brendon helplessly grabbed his own hair. “Ranita, are you trying to drive me crazy?”
“Brendon, why can’t you understand! I don’t want any involvement with you, so please stop meddling in my affairs.”
Ranita’s emotions couldn’t be suppressed as she yelled at Brendon in anger.
The atmosphere grew cold.
The only sounds in the air were the breaths of the two of them.
“Ungrateful!” Brendon snorted coldly and turned to leave.
The fire door was forcefully pulled open and closed again.
Ranita leaned against the wall, her eyes red, and her face burning with pain.
“Creak!” Suddenly, the fire door was pushed open again, and the man returned, striding towards her. His voice was icy as he asked, “Does your face hurt?”