Marcus instinctively glanced at Ivy. It was the first time he had ever made a fool of himself in front of such a beautiful woman.
He stood up, stubbornly shouting, “You bastard, you just wait!” Then, he made a hasty retreat toward the door. However, after taking only a couple of steps, Kayden called out, “Stop!”
Marcus shuddered and turned back, asking, “What now?”
“Leave your phone behind,” Kayden demanded coldly.
Marcus froze momentarily, then pulled out his phone. “Are you afraid I’ll call someone for backup?” he sneered.
Kayden suddenly closed the distance between them, raising his hand in a swift motion. A red line appeared on Marcus’s face, a shallow cut from a knife. Marcus screamed, stumbling back a few steps.
Glaring furiously, he roared, “How dare you!”
Before he could say anything further, Kayden snatched the phone from his grasp. “You should consider it an honor that I left a mark on your face. From now on, stay away from them-you’re not worthy! Now, get lost!” Kayden said indifferently.
Marcus was left speechless with rage. Not only had this man taken the beautiful woman from him, but he had also been beaten and humiliated. He hadn’t gained a single benefit, only to end up like this. Yet, sometimes retreating was the only option.
With this thought in mind, Marcus stormed out of the restaurant.
Watching him leave, the little girl named Vivian clapped her hands and said, “Daddy is so amazing! Daddy is the best!”
Kayden simply smiled, saying nothing as he turned to face Ivy. No sooner had he turned than Ivy angrily slapped him across the face.
The slap caught Kayden entirely off guard, landing solidly on his cheek. Stunned, he looked at Ivy, bewildered. Were it not for little Vivian’s presence, Kayden would have hit back, but he didn’t want to leave a traumatic memory for the cute girl.
“Are you crazy? Do I even know you? What do you mean, ‘stay away from my daughter and me’? Do you really think you’re her father?” Ivy raged.
“Vivian, come here!” Ivy grabbed the little girl, holding her tightly.
She had been chatting Marcus online for some time and had grown feelings for him. But this stranger ruined everything. Ivy couldn’t forgive him.
“Have you looked at yourself? Do you think you’re worthy of being my daughter’s father?” Ivy lashed out, hurling words meant to wound Kayden’s pride.
Kayden touched his cheek, mumbling, “Do you even realize that no one in all of Seclela has ever dared to hit me like that?”
Without waiting for her response, he lowered his head and unlocked Marcus’s phone. He handed it to Ivy, saying, “Next time, be more vigilant when dealing with men. See for yourself what that guy did.”
Not caring if she took the phone, he turned and left the room.
“Daddy, Daddy!” Vivian called after Kayden, crying as she did.
Still seething, Ivy picked up the phone. The screen displayed the video section of the photo album. She clicked on a video and, upon watching it, was instantly struck with realization.
“Shameless!” Ivy cursed, immediately understanding she had wrongly accused the man earlier. He really had been trying to help her. Yet, she had slapped him and said those vicious words.
Ivy wasn’t a spiteful woman; her earlier words had been spoken in the heat of the moment. It was the first time she had said something so hurtful, and ironically, it had been directed at a good person.
Realizing her mistake, she rushed out, determined to apologize. But by the time she reached the door, he was already gone.
Regret flooded her. She had to find that man and apologize properly. He had stepped in to help her because that man saw what Marcus had done to her at first.
Meanwhile, in a Lincoln, Kayden absentmindedly touched his cheek. Greedy Wolf, the driver, glanced at him and asked, “Defender, did someone hit you?”
Kayden shook his head slightly but then replied, “Just a woman.”
Greedy Wolf pondered for a moment before saying, “With your status, a woman dared to hit you? I’ll kill her immediately!”
“Forget it,” Kayden waved it off dismissively.
The slap meant little to him. It was just a woman; it didn’t hurt, and it wasn’t a big deal. Things like pride and honor were meaningless to him.
“Greedy Wolf,” Kayden continued, “don’t resort to violence so easily. We’re not on the battlefield anymore. Learn to handle things differently.”
Greedy Wolf bowed his head, replying, “Understood, Defender.”
Despite agreeing, doubts surfaced in Greedy Wolf’s mind. This wasn’t like the Defender he knew. The Defender of the past was ruthless, considering human lives as insignificant as ants, killing people without hesitation. But now, he seemed different. Could it be that Defender had lost his previous resolve?
Although he had his suspicions, Greedy Wolf was well aware that he wasn’t in a position to question Defender. So, he kept his thoughts to himself as they drove on in silence.
They had just reached a spot near the hillside apartment when Kayden’s car was forced to a halt. A crowd had gathered near the villa, blocking the way.
A quick glance revealed the streets were lined with cars, most of them luxury models. Nearby, a small sandwich shop, usually deserted, was packed with people waiting in line.
An eight-dollar sandwich was now selling for eighty-a record for the shop. The owner and his wife were busy beyond measure.
“What’s going on? It’s just a sandwich shop. Could it really be that good?” Greedy Wolf muttered in confusion.
“They’re probably not here for the sandwiches,” Kayden replied calmly.
One glance, and he immediately understood the situation. Sariah had come here, attracting this crowd. Previously, Nathan’s domineering presence had deterred people from approaching Sariah. But now, with news of Nathan’s death spreading, everyone had rushed to find Sariah. Some came to pursue her; others, having heard of her beauty, came just for a glimpse.