“The restroom’s full! Go somewhere else!” Talon Jett barked at a guest trying to enter the bathroom.
The guest, intimidated by Talon’s aggressive demeanor and the glint of his million-dollar Patek Philippe 6102 watch, quickly backed away, muttering under his breath as he shuffled off.
Talon lit a cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke with a sly grin. He and Brody Brightmoon shared similar tastes-both had a penchant for older women. Brody had promised to take some photos for him to enjoy later. Talon leaned against the wall, waiting with anticipation.
Inside the restroom, chaos erupted.
Mabel was violently dragged into the men’s bathroom, terror etched across her face. She tried to scream, but Brody Brightmoon’s hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her cries.
“Mabel, you’re so beautiful. I can’t wait until tonight. Let me have you now,” Brody sneered, his eyes alight with predatory lust as he stood over her. His gaze fixated on her chest, his hand reaching out to grope her.
But before he could, a sharp pain shot through his palm. Reflexively, he shoved Mabel to the ground and kicked her in the back.
“Ah!” Mabel cried out, clutching her lower back as she hit the cold tile floor.
“You ungrateful wench! Do you know what this is?” Brody hissed, throwing a photograph at her face.
Confused and in pain, Mabel picked up the picture. Her mind went blank, and her body trembled.
It was a photograph of her-stripped naked, pregnant, in the freezing cold-taken 23 years ago at Duffy family’s dock.
“You monster! Who took this? Who?!” Mabel’s voice cracked as she screamed, her eyes welling with tears of humiliation and rage.
“My mother took it,” Brody replied, his sinister grin widening. “I found it in her room and made over a hundred copies.”
He leaned in closer, his voice dripping with malice. “Satisfy me, and I’ll spare your daughter. Otherwise, these pictures will be everywhere. You know what that means…”
“Why?!” Mabel roared, her voice filled with despair. “I was her friend, her confidant! Why would Viola Brightmoon do this to me?!”
Her mind raced back to those dark days. Viola’s cruelty knew no bounds. Even after Mabel had lost a hand, endured permanent injury, and watched her family, the Duffy family, fall into ruin, Viola still sought to humiliate her.
“Why?!” Mabel demanded, her voice hoarse.
Brody grabbed her face, his grip like iron. “Because of what you did for Adrianna all those years ago. Do you have any idea how much damage you caused us?”
“Our six-month plan-ruined!” he spat. “Do you know how much we spent on hitmen and allies? Five billion! That was 23 years ago. Do you even understand how much that’s worth now?”
“Five billion… all because of you!” Brody roared, shoving her back to the ground. Her head slammed against the floor, leaving her dazed.
Back then, the Brightmoon family had laid a perfect trap to destroy Adrianna and anyone who helped her escape from the Clark family. But Mabel had risked everything-her family, her future-to save Adrianna.
The result? The Brightmoon family suffered catastrophic losses, missing out on the medical book they had coveted for so long. Viola’s hatred burned deep, and her son, Brody, had inherited that venom.
“Mr. Brightmoon, I beg you,” Mabel sobbed, her forehead pressed to the ground. “Please let me go. I saved your mother once. Please!”
Her voice cracked as she pleaded, tears streaming down her face. The once-proud Mabel, who had been fearless in her youth, now knelt in despair before a younger man.
“Relax, Mabel. I’m helping you, aren’t I?” Brody sneered. “Just stop resisting, and I’ll make you feel like you’re floating in heaven.”
He lunged at her, trying to tear her clothes off.
“Stop! You animal! Brody Brightmoon, you’re a beast!” Mabel screamed, struggling against him, but her strength was no match for his. Buttons flew off her blouse, exposing her undergarments.
Brody’s eyes gleamed with lust as he pinned her down, trying to pull off her pants.
Outside the bathroom, Talon Jett pressed his ear against the door, grinning lecherously. “Sounds like it’s getting good in there,” he muttered, itching to join in.
At that moment, Flynn arrived upstairs from the hall. He noticed Talon’s suspicious behavior and frowned. Something about Talon seemed familiar. Then it clicked-Talon was part of the Purple Rose private room group, and Brody had been ogling Mabel earlier.
Flynn’s senses sharpened. He focused and heard Mabel’s muffled cries from inside.
Rage exploded within him.
“What are you doing?!” Flynn roared, grabbing Talon by the neck. With a single motion, he hurled him seven or eight meters down the hall. Talon crashed into the wall and crumpled to the ground, writhing in pain.
Without hesitation, Flynn kicked open the bathroom door.
The scene before him ignited his fury.
Brody was sprawled over Mabel, his hands groping her legs while she sobbed, desperately trying to push him away.
“You’re dead!” Flynn growled, his voice like thunder.
In three strides, he reached Brody, grabbed him by the collar, and flung him across the room. Brody slammed into the wall and collapsed in a heap.
Flynn quickly took off his coat and draped it over Mabel, helping her to her feet.
“Mabel, step aside,” Flynn said, his voice trembling with barely contained rage. “I don’t want his blood to stain you.”
Mabel, his savior-the woman who had cared for him and his mother when they had nothing-was now a victim of this vile man. Flynn’s eyes burned red, his presence so intense that the air seemed to freeze around him.
“Flynn, don’t!” Mabel begged. “He’s Viola’s son, and Paxton supports them. We can’t afford to provoke them!”
“Mabel,” Flynn said, his voice cold and resolute, “even if he were the emperor himself, I’d kill him today.”
Brody groaned, staggering to his feet. When he saw Flynn, his anger flared. “You worthless dog! You dare ruin my fun? I’ll kill y-”
“Boom!”
Flynn’s kick landed squarely between Brody’s legs. The force sent him flying out of the restroom, crashing into the hallway wall before collapsing to the ground.
Killing him outright would be mercy.
Flynn wanted him to feel pain so excruciating that he would beg for death but never find it.