Excited about the chance to network and promote her artists, Bianca arrived at Room 502 in good spirits.
But when she opened the door, she was blasted by loud music. Inside, several burly men sat around a table, drinking and having a good time.
Thinking she’d made a mistake, Bianca turned to leave. But one of the men stopped her, asking, “Are you Bianca Scott?”
Surprised, Bianca paused and nodded cautiously.
“Step inside. We’ve been expecting you.”
Feeling uneasy, Bianca inquired, “Is Mr. Crawford here?”
The man smirked and replied, “Yes, he’s in the restroom. He told us to let you in and wait for him.”
It seemed like the right room, but these men didn’t seem like a film crew. They looked more like street thugs.
Before Bianca could rethink her decision, the man put his arm around her and pulled her inside.
Bianca managed to break free and stopped abruptly. She crouched down and cautiously said, “I think I’ll wait for Mr. Crawford by the door.”
As Bianca spoke, she turned to leave quickly. But before she could even take a couple of steps, the man grabbed her arm and forcefully pulled her back!
Bianca stumbled and fell into his arms. He held her tightly, trapping her in a suffocating hug.
“What are you doing?! Let me go!”
Realizing how serious the situation was, Bianca fought back with all her strength.
But the man was much stronger than her. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t break free.
He forced her onto the sofa in the private room.
“Stop wasting your energy. Just relax and have fun! If you keep fighting, you might get hurt!”
Then he instructed the other men, “Guys, get your phones out and record everything, got it?”
The thugs in the room were surprised that their target was an attractive woman. They all leered at Bianca, eager to strip her naked.
“Let me go, you creep!” Bianca screamed in despair. In a moment of desperation, she bit the man who was undressing her and kicked him in the groin as hard as she could.
The man screamed in agony, giving Bianca a chance to break free. Without hesitation, she sprinted for the door and burst out of the room.
“What are you waiting for? Go after her!”
The other men quickly followed.
Bianca ran for her life. She could hear them yelling behind her, but she didn’t dare to glance back. She kicked off her high heels and ran as fast as she could.
As Bianca rushed out of the karaoke bar, she collided with someone. She caught a whiff of a familiar, comforting scent, but fear drove her forward. She tried to keep running, but the person grabbed her arm and stopped her.
Panicked, Bianca looked up, ready to scream. To her relief, the man holding her was Dave.
“Mr. Evans! Thank goodness! You have to help me!”
Her face was pale with fear, and her body trembled from adrenaline. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she recognized Dave.
Seeing Bianca’s disheveled appearance, Dave acted swiftly. He removed his black jacket, put it around her shoulders, and pulled her into a comforting hug. With one hand, he wiped away her tears, his touch offering reassurance, although his eyes remained cold.
“Don’t be scared. I’m here.”
The thugs quickly caught up to Bianca, and when they saw Dave holding her, they prepared for a fight. Meanwhile, more men emerged from the alley behind Dave, blocking the only way out.
The karaoke bar was in a suburban area with many dark alleys. Gang fights often happened here, and bystanders would usually run away if they stumbled upon one. In other words, no one would dare to intervene.
“Oh, it seems that someone is looking for trouble.”
The ringleader of the thugs sneered at Dave. This was their turf, and anyone who crossed it would meet a grisly end.
“Okay. Break this guy’s legs and toss his body into the sea for the sharks, but be careful with the girl. I have other plans for her.”
Terrified, Bianca buried her face in Dave’s chest and cried. Dave held her tight and shielded her eyes with one hand.
Throughout the tense situation, Dave remained calm, his gaze icy.
“Bang!” Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, shattering the silence.
Bianca trembled violently at the unexpected noise, whimpering softly as she buried her face deeper.
In the blink of an eye, several men in black appeared from the shadows, encircling the thugs.
One of the men in black held a silver pistol, its barrel still smoking.
The thugs were too frightened to speak. The gunshot had drained all their courage. They exchanged terrified glances and quickly raised their hands in surrender.
“Who… Who are you?” the ringleader stammered, his voice trembling.
The man with the gun remained silent, simply nodding to his men, who swiftly moved in. Within moments, the thugs were subdued and pinned to the ground.
In a coordinated move, each man in black struck the back of the thugs’ necks, rendering them unconscious without a chance to cry out.
Afterward, all the men in black turned to Dave, who stood between the chaos. It was as if they were soldiers awaiting their commander’s orders.
With one hand still protecting Bianca, Dave gestured casually with his free hand.
The men nodded and efficiently removed the thugs, disappearing into the darkness.
Bianca continued to tremble in Dave’s embrace. He gently stroked her hair and whispered, “You’re safe now.”
His soothing tone had a magical effect on her, instantly calming her nerves.
Bianca slowly lifted her head, timidly scanning their surroundings. To her surprise, they were alone.
“Mr. Evans, w-what happened? I thought I heard a gunshot,” Bianca said, looking up at Dave in disbelief. She had been convinced she was going to die.
Cupping her cheeks gently, Dave caressed her face with his thumb.
“We were fortunate. Some undercover cops were nearby, and they came in and arrested the bad guys.”
Hearing this, Bianca looked around in astonishment. Dave was correct; they were indeed fortunate!
The gunshot must have been from one of the undercover cops trying to scare off the thugs.
“Are you injured?” Dave examined Bianca closely.
She shook her head. “I’m okay.”
When he confirmed she wasn’t hurt, Dave focused on her trembling lashes. Bianca looked like a stressed-out cat, still clearly scared.
“Don’t worry. Those thugs won’t trouble you again.”
“Thank you… But Mr. Evans, why were you here?” Bianca pushed aside her fear, trying to think logically.
“I had dinner with my boss nearby. After leaving him, I coincidentally saw you as I walked by.”
Bianca nodded and didn’t ask any more questions.
“Who were those people?” Dave asked, frowning.