Jefferson hesitated to step into the boxing ring-a gentleman didn’t fight a lady. However, considering she was a major client, he forced a smile and climbed in.
Though not exceptionally skilled, Jefferson had trained in boxing before and believed he could handle Jane.
Darnell watched the unfolding scene without saying a word.
As the stirring music began to play, Jefferson’s expression turned serious. He removed his suit jacket, loosened his tie, unbuttoned his shirt, and approached Jane with determination.
Darnell observed the scene with interest.
The music settled into a calm rhythm, like powerful currents hidden beneath a tranquil surface.
Jefferson stretched his neck, then bowed to signal he was ready. “Mrs. Egerton, please.”
“Whoosh!”
Jane threw a punch towards Jefferson’s face, prompting him to quickly raise his hands in defense.
“Wham!”
Unexpectedly, Jane’s move was a feint. By the time Jefferson realized it, her knee had already struck his abdomen heavily!
The impact was so forceful it seemed to compress all his internal organs together.
Jefferson’s breath halted as he endured excruciating pain. Beads of cold sweat immediately appeared on his forehead.
This intense agony spurred him to action. He let out a beast-like growl from his throat and advanced instead of retreating.
He swung one hand fiercely at Jane’s abdomen while the other reached around to grab her thigh.
Jane sidestepped gracefully and kicked Jefferson in the waist.
With a loud crash, the entire room trembled slightly as Jefferson fell to the ground.
Jane swiftly retreated two steps and twisted her neck, maintaining an aggressive stance.
Jefferson struggled to rise while clutching his waist, his eyes fixed intently on Jane.
At this moment, the song reached its peak, lifting emotions higher and higher.
Jane moved forward like lightning and delivered a side kick aimed at Jefferson’s face.
Despite being prepared, he couldn’t dodge her attack since her movements were too swift! Jefferson tilted his head and shielded his face with both hands.
“Bang!”
Jane’s leg still connected, landing on his shoulder and causing him to stoop slightly under the impact.
Jefferson endured the pain and took a deep breath, preparing to attack back.
Jane leaped into the air and kicked him in the chin.
Blood sprayed from Jefferson’s mouth as he staggered back several steps.
His mind went blank due to the dull pain. All he could hear were the piercing song and the cries of several staff members.
“Ah-”
The soprano’s voice soared higher and higher. Amidst this passionate singing, Jane charged forward again with a powerful side kick.
Jefferson had no time to react. His head spun as he collapsed weakly to the ground before being helped up by others.
He pushed away those assisting him and stood beside Darnell with an aggrieved expression.
Jane stood for a moment, quietly listening to the final segment of the song.
Her face remained calm throughout.
Afterward, she rubbed her hands together and reached behind her head to re-tie her hair.
Then she turned calmly towards Darnell. “Mr. Halford, do you know this song?”
“Italian opera-Rigoletto,” Darnell replied casually.
Jane smiled. “My relationship with Luis is like this story.”
Darnell’s expression turned playful. “Are you the girl who gets shot?”
Jane shook her head gently. “No, I am the Duke of Mantua.”
Rigoletto was an opera composed by Verdi based on Hugo’s satirical play “The King Amuses Himself”. The protagonist Rigoletto was ugly and hunchbacked, serving as a jester in court.
The young and handsome Duke of Mantua enjoyed seducing women for pleasure while Rigoletto often assisted him in luring noble wives and daughters-earning people’s resentment.
They plot revenge against him by unwittingly involving him in kidnapping his beloved daughter Gilda. When Rigoletto realized he had handed over his daughter to the duke, he decides to hire assassins to kill him.
When he took the sack from the assassin, believing the assassin had successfully killed the duke, the duke’s triumphant singing suddenly pierced the air. In a panic, he tore open the bag-only to find his own daughter clinging to life, her breath shallow and broken.
It caused him immense grief. Unbeknownst to him, his daughter had fallen deeply in love with the duke and she was willing to sacrifice herself for love.
Jane identified herself as the Duke of Mantua, her meaning clear enough-she was the puppeteer, not the pawn. She would never play the tragic maiden shot by the arrow. This wasn’t just about refusing to be outmaneuvered. It was a veiled ultimatum regarding Luis’s fate.
One thing was certain-she would emerge as the ultimate beneficiary.
“Well then, Duke of Mantua,” Darnell said, vaulting into the ring with a grin as Jefferson stood baffled. “What’s your desired ending?”
Jane eyed him coolly. “Before discussing endings, prove your capability. Only power earns the right to dictate terms.”
Her voice sharpened. “Yesterday, I demonstrated my sincerity by dealing with Uriel for you. Today, it’s your turn to show the Brigade of Light’s worth.”
Her finger snapped toward Jefferson, disdain dripping. “With trash like him, you’re unworthy of five million, let alone five hundred million.”
Jefferson’s face darkened, but he swallowed his rage.
Darnell chuckled, “Our capability exists. The question is-how would you like it demonstrated?”
Jane’s lips curled. “It’s simple.”
Whoosh!
She lunged, her right leg slicing toward Darnell’s ribs.
Yet the moment she moved, Darnell took action, his earlier genteel demeanor vanishing into lethal precision.
His hand caught her ankle mid-kick. Yanking her forward, he swept her standing leg.
“Ah-”
Jane gasped as Darnell hauled her upside down by the waist. Amidst Jefferson’s shocked cries, Darnell was going to slam her forcefully onto the floor.
Whoosh!
It looked like a situation where her brains would splatter. Jefferson and the others were all stunned. Too brutal! Too savage!
Jane, caught off guard by Darnell’s ruthless action, had no time for second thoughts. Her head was now at the level of Darnell’s lower abdomen.
Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around Darnell’s thighs, her pretty face pressing close.
The force of her desperate struggle was immense.
Darnell lost his balance, and his hands, which had been holding Jane’s slender waist, slid down to her thighs.
The two of them tumbled to the floor, the motion seemingly slowed down, with Jefferson’s eyes wide open in a heart-stirring spectacle!
“Bang!”
With a loud noise, the floor shook violently.
At the last moment, Jane twisted her head away, using her back and legs to take the brunt of the impact, avoiding a fatal fall.
With Darnell’s added weight, the collision left her dizzy. She felt as if her heart would leap out of her chest.
Jefferson’s eyes, initially wide, now gaped open, his face a peculiar mix of shock and curiosity, leaving him speechless at the sight before him.
“Mmm!”
Jane lay on the floor, while Darnell collapsed on top of her, their bodies in opposite directions yet tightly gripping each other’s thighs.
Darnell’s face was buried in a soft, fragrant spot where he could smell a sweet scent.
Jane’s head, on the other hand, was pressed between Darnell’s legs…
It took Jane a moment to regain her senses, and upon realizing the awkward situation, she quickly assessed her current predicament.
Seeing Jefferson’s half-smirking gaze, she blushed deeply, feeling an inexplicable sense of unease.