Ch. 951..960

Chapter 951

Chapter 951

Sometimes, Zuko would go to the beach alone after school. He would sit by the beach staring at the endless ocean, wondering if Pammy was really sleeping in the sea.

He read about The Little Mermaid and imagined a scenario where the king of the ocean found her and transformed her into a mermaid princess.

However, his smile quickly faded, and a fleeting moment of sadness crossed his innocent face.

He had planned to take Pammy to Southeast Aciatic for her birthday. Why did she end up asleep at the bottom of the sea?

Was she cold? Was she scared?

Would she still remember a friend like him?

He looked down, and a clear tear fell on his cheek. It dispersed in the air as the wind blew.

Many years had passed by. The boy who was at the beach was a man now, but he did not change his habit of staring at the ocean.

"It's late, sir. Let's go home."

Zuko was stunned and raised his head to look at Robert. He glanced at the sunset on the ocean unwillingly before getting up slowly to go with him.

He followed behind him. Watching his back, he reminisced how agile and strong Robert was. His straight back was slightly hunched now. Time was cruel. "Uncle Robert, I'm not done watching..." Zuko kicked the tiny rocks while walking. "What's the rush?"

"Your parents are home, and the entire family is waiting for you to go home for dinner." Robert smiled helplessly. "All you want is to play like a little boy!" Zuko shrugged and asked, "Uncle Robert, do you believe in mermaids?"

"What mermaid?"

"The mermaid princess in the fairytale. She saved the prince and became human. She traded her voice with the witch, and-"

"Sir!" Robert frowned. "You're no longer young. You're 26 now. Why would you still have such weird thoughts? Your father was taking charge of the Hamerton Group when he was 26." Zuko made a silly face behind him before he attempted to sneak away. Unfortunately, Robert was sharp and grabbed him in time!

"Stop giving me trouble, sir! Go home now. Your parents are waiting!"

Zuko was helpless. He could only get into the car like a good boy because he did not have the upper hand since bodyguards were around.

...

Toph was playing a game on the couch and signaled Zuko as soon as he got home.

Zephyr and Cordelia looked serious. The entire house seemed to be suppressed by the low pressure.

Zuko loosened his collar and heaved a sigh.

"You're finally home?" Zephyr was the first to speak.

Zuko was dumbstruck. Hadn't his father ordered Robert to drag him home?

"You better explain what this is!" Zephyr slammed the table, and Toph almost dropped the game console in his hands.

Zuko glanced at the iPad on the table, and an entertainment news headline struck his eye.

"A crow wants to be a peacock? The Hamerton Group's first son was seen with an unpopular model in the middle of the night!"

Zuko revealed a smug smirk. "I don't know this woman at all. At Imperial Media's annual meeting last time-"

"You're still denying it?" Zephyr's face sank as he asked in all seriousness, "How many times has this happened this year? You're changing your gossip object every time. Are you trying to be a playboy!?"

Chapter 952

Chapter 952

"Don't be so mean, dad." Zuko was stubborn.

"Mean?" Zephyr scoffed. "I'm only telling the truth! Zuko, you're the Hamerstons' first son. Are you setting this example for your brother? You want the younger generation to learn this nonsense from you?"

"Dad!" Zuko took a deep breath, trying to suppress his emotions, and explained properly, "Firstly, I don't know that woman. The annual meeting ended late. I was caught off guard when she threw herself at me! "Secondly, I'm not admitting to any of the scandals in the past!"

Zephyr raised his eyebrows. "So, these women were desperate?"

Zuko nodded confidently.

"You-"

"Dad, I still have a third point." Zuko paused for a moment. A glint of seriousness flashed through his eyes when he looked up again. "E-Even if I really have a girlfriend, it's nothing wrong!" "What did you say!?" Zephyr was stunned.

Zuko thought he would just say whatever he had been holding back once and for all. "I know you and mom are still holding onto the promise with the Thompsons for me to marry their daughter. I hope I'll hold onto that too. But she's no longer with us. She has disappeared for 18 years! Why are you guys so stubborn?"

"Shut your mouth!" Zephyr was shocked, furious, and emotional.

Cordelia quickly approached, held, and comforted him while patting his chest softly.

"Stop it, Zuko!" Cordelia blamed him. "Your father is right about you. Why did you talk back? You said that it's fake news, but you've been hanging out with them lately. That's how they managed to get those pictures. We didn't accuse you!"

"Mom..."

Cordelia's voice was shaking as she said, "Also, we didn't find her body. She merely went missing! Uncle Nicholas has been looking for her all these years!"

"Why must you lie to yourself?" Zuko felt an ache in his heart. "They would have found her if she was still alive!"

"Zuko!"

"Can you guys be sensible!? Must I keep the marriage promise? You guys would condemn me every time such news came out! Are you telling me that I can never find love since Pammy is gone?" Zuko's words rendered Cordelia speechless.

Meanwhile, Zephyr was so furious that he wanted to slap him, but she softly held his hand.

Cordelia pondered over it, realizing that their son was indeed correct. However, for some reason, she couldn't shake off the guilt she had carried since Pammy had gone missing 18 years ago, a time when Cordelia had two sons.

Nicholas and Linda's first pregnancy had ended up as a miscarriage, and their second child had gone missing.

As their close friends, Cordelia couldn't shake off the guilt that grew within her, contrasting with the happiness she experienced in her own life.

Cordelia recognized that her thinking was misguided, but she was at a loss for how to overcome it. She felt unsure about how to change her strange behavior that stemmed from the burden of guilt.

For instance, although she did not say it out loud, she was against Zuko looking for a girlfriend.

"Zuko, Pammy... She's not dead. Haven't we had clues all these years?" she said softly.

"We do, but we can't find her!" Zuko raised his voice.

Zephyr raised his hand and tossed his cup. A loud clang echoed when it fell on the floor.

Zuko stood aside quietly.

Cordelia looked at Zuko in silence. He had been a good boy since he was young, but he could be stubborn too.

She had witnessed the father and son fight a few times.

He did not only look exactly like Zephyr their temper was similar as well!

One had to exercise caution when conversing with them. They exhibited a stoic demeanor, concealing their emotions and offering no explanations. The determination reflected in their eyes was the same, too. At that moment, a wave of complex emotions washed over her.

Zephyr and Cordelia had always thought they were still young. They could work as hard as the young people in the office. Now that she saw Zuko being like this, she felt as if she had aged.

Her memories were vivid, but she could never go back to the past.

In the end, Zephyr and Cordelia stepped back to end this "battle".

Only Toph dared to show his face. He covered half of his face with the game console and secretly gave Zuko a thumbs-up.

"You're amazing, brother!" He was gloating. "You dare to offend mom and dad!"

Zuko glanced at him and said nothing.

"But to be honest, I think something's wrong with them too." Toph continued playing the game. "Perhaps they're too close with the Thompsons. That's why it feels like they lost their daughter since Pammy disappeared!"

Zuko suddenly asked, "Toph, do you think Pammy is still alive?"

"What?" He was dumbstruck by the question and scratched his head while replying, "I've already forgotten about that a long time ago. I don't even remember what she looks like."

That was right. Neither did Zuko remember her. After all, he was only a little past eight years old when Pammy went missing.

The photo they had taken together was the only thing to remember her by. It was yellowish now.

Zuko felt a little suppressed. It was the first time he thought of running away from home. At Jangasas...

Someone locked the door of the bathroom at Jangasas University from the outside.

People could not go in, but they could hear screams and curses from inside.

The few girls surrounded a girl, intending to teach her a lesson. Although the girl who was surrounded did not have the upper hand, she did not cave. She dodged swiftly when the leading girl slapped her. The latter slipped and slammed into the mirror above the sink.

She was lucky that the glass was solid, or she would have died in there.

"You're seeking death, Lina Jenner!"

"You're the one seeking death." Lina's eyes were cold. "You should thank our university for using high-quality glass! Otherwise, you would have been disfigured by the broken glass!"

"You!"

Since the leader had fallen, the rest dared not move as they wished.

"Let's fight somewhere else next time!" Lina scoffed. "Fight somewhere that you won't slip, at least, so that you can stop embarrassing yourself!"

"Ahh!" Violet Grist could only scream to vent her rage.

The rest moved forward to corner Lina against the sink as she was attempting to leave. She fought them for a while, but she was outnumbered after all. They pressed her against the sink with all that they could.

"Ha, you little b*tch!" Violet pulled her hair. "Do you still dare to make fun of me now? Go ahead!

"Your family sure is daring! How dare they persuade all of the supermarket owners in the entire city to boycott my family's beverage brand? You piece of sh*t!"

Half of Lina's face was slammed against the marble, while Violet was poking the other half. It was painful.

Chapter 953

Chapter 953

"Hey! Who is in there? You guys are loud! Open the door!"

The cleaning lady's voice came from outside as Violet was about to press Lina's head into the pail of water.

The woman was larger in size, and her voice was loud as well. When she noticed students gathered around a commotion, making loud noises as she cleaned the floor, she immediately sensed that someone was being bullied.

In this elite university, there were some terrible kids who felt entitled to do as they pleased simply because of their wealthy backgrounds. Bullying was a daily occurrence.

Being a person of justice, the woman could not tolerate such behavior. She took her broom and slammed the door in an attempt to intervene and put an end to the bullying.

Violet was scared, so she let go. The moment she let go, Lina got up suddenly, held her wrist, and twisted it!

The former released a painful shriek.

Lina seized the opportunity to run. She could still hear Violet's clique calling her a "little b*tch" as she ran downstairs.

Lina did not have any class in the afternoon, so she asked her best friend, Gia Chapman, to accompany her to the beach.

The beach in Jangasas was comfortable. The sand was fine and smooth, and the sand granules were almost white. It was so clean that it was mesmerizing. It was warm to step on after basking in the sun and had a calming effect on the mind.

It had been a while since Lina had relaxed like this. She shut her eyes to take a deep breath and chuckled.

"You still love the beach so much, huh?" Gia sat next to her and took a deep breath like she did.

Lina smiled at her. "Yeah, I don't know why. I actually have a fear of water, and I dare not get into the sea. But it's different sitting by the beach. It's mood-lifting for me to look at the sea."

"Centrolis is right there." Gia pointed far away. "It's on the other side of the sea. I must go there one day!"

"Are you not going to further your studies?" asked Lina.

"School isn't fun..." Gia pouted. "I'd rather leave Jangasas soon. My family... Ugh, it irritates me to look at them!"

Lina patted her shoulder. She had no idea how to comfort her.

They were girls from a normal family, but their families had sent them to this elite university, making them feel like aliens in the university.

Gia's parents said she must be in the upper-class circle to get a rich husband. That was how they insisted on sending her to university. It was their investment in her, and they wanted her to repay them even more in the future.

However, Lina's parents were different.

They were not well-educated and had been running a small supermarket all their lives. Although they were not wealthy, they were worse off than some but better off than many.

Her parents hoped she could study well and attend the best university. "You get what you pay for" was their mentality, and the same applied to the university she attended.

Instead of sending her to a normal university, they would rather spend money to send her to an elite one.

The university students would be studying at this university for two years in the country and two years abroad. They would then be sent overseas for grad school if they had outstanding grades. That was why Lina's parents had bit the bullet and sent Lina here.

However, Lina was going to study abroad soon, yet she had offended the Grists.

Lina was drawing circles in the sand with her finger. The wound on her face was still stinging, "Gia, do you think I got my parents into trouble?"

"You mean by getting the Grists boycotted?"

Chapter 954

Chapter 954

Gia thought Lina was brave. "You did right, Lina. Someone exposed that their drinks are shady. They use harmful chemicals. If they continue selling it, it'll be terrible for the consumers!"

"But the Grists are powerful. They didn't do anything even after they were exposed. Instead, they're oppressing us." Lina played with her hair stressfully. "I don't care about anything else. I'm just worried that I'll drag my parents and brother down."

Gia held her hand softly.

The Grists were powerful in the business industry in Jangasas. They were rich and powerful. The beverage company under the Grist Group had been achieving No. 1 in sales for many years. They were slowly taking over the market, and some imported brands were eliminated.

As such, the Grist Group was dominant, and they were getting careless with their quality.

The recently exposed product, Rose Dew. was found to be falsely advertised. Despite claims of being healthy and beneficial for the skin, it was discovered that the product contained no natural ingredients. Instead, it consisted of a mixture of artificial flavors, coloring, and chemicals. Not only was it ineffective in providing any benefits, but it was also harmful to the body. As a result, numerous individuals took to the Internet to voice their criticism of the product.

Upon noticing that her family's supermarket was selling the beverage, which was displayed in a prominent location, Lina swiftly removed the product from the shelves.

Driven by impulse, she reported the company and even wrote a letter urging other businesses to boycott the Grists. It was this action that made Lina a target of Violet's hostility at school.

Lina sighed, regretting it a little bit now. How could she be so impulsive? She should have had a bulletproof plan.

Gia grabbed her shoulders, advising her not to think so much. She should think about her own safety for now.

"Violet certainly won't let you go," she said. "You guys are like enemies in school now. She might drag you into the bathroom next time!"

"She failed to do anything to me today. I don't think she'd go for the bathroom again." Lina smiled. "I should be fine if I'm more careful."

Gia nodded. There was nothing that she could do about her.

In reality, nobody was willing to take the lead to confront the injustice. However, this rebellious girl had always been a heroine who insisted on claiming justice.

Nevertheless, Lina usually had a plan before she made noise. It was just that this involved her family supermarket's profit, which was worrying for her.

The two girls went home after chatting for a while.

It was not dinner time yet, so Lina dropped by the store first and happened to run into the stockist.

A tall man moved boxes into the store. She inched closer to look and was surprised to find that the boxes contained Rose Dew!

"Hey, what are you doing!?" She charged ahead and blocked the door.

The man looked up.

The face beneath the baseball cap was chiseled. His features were so pretty that it felt as if God carved them Himself.

Lina was stunned. She would secretly read romance novels when she was in middle school, and they would always describe the male lead's eyebrows to be sharp like a sword and eyes big like stars. She thought the description was unrealistic. It must be the authors' imagination!

However, today, at that very moment, she suddenly felt that the description really existed.

The man was approximately 1.9 meters tall. The petite Lina had to lift her head to look at him and couldn't help but notice the subtle display of his chest muscles beneath his white tee. His arms showcased well-defined muscles, exuding strength.

He possessed a unique charisma that set him apart. There was an inherent aura of intimidation surrounding him as if it were ingrained in his very being.

Lina could not help but take a step back.

"Miss, do you not want these?" The man's deep voice was electric, like a cello.

Chapter 955

Chapter 955

Lina was still stupefied.

The man was expressionless as he placed the box in his hands on the concrete floor outside the supermarket.

"Hey, you..." Only then did she react. "Take them away!"

The man froze and tilted his body slightly to look at her.

"You're the Grist Group's driver, right?" She crossed her arms. "We're not selling your problematic beverage. Take all these boxes away!"

The man looked at her quietly, his deep eyes revealing an unfathomable emotion. He said nothing.

"What? Do you not understand what I'm saying?" Lina frowned. "They're doing false advertising on the beverage's ingredients for profit, and such a scandal has come out, yet they want the merchants to sell their product? Dream on!

"Who do we look for when the customers ask for compensation when something happens to them after drinking it?

"Take them, take them away! We'll no longer accept the Grist Group's merchandise! Also, we want them to be compensated for the losses we suffer!"

The man stood still, looking calm.

A strange feeling suddenly surged through Lina.

He would argue with her if he was just a regular truck driver. However, this person was so calm that he did not seem like a driver. He was as cold as ice. "Hey!"

She felt as if she were talking to a wall.

If he did not speak just now, she would really think that he was mute!

Lina blocked the door so that he could not get in, so he placed the boxes at the door. She was dumbstruck. She attempted to move them back to the truck, but her tiny arms could not move the heavy boxes. The man went straight into the truck after he was done unloading the boxes and stepped on the accelerator.

Lina watched the truck from afar with her hands on her waist. She was pissed.

"Forget it, sister." Lina's brother, Dave Jenner, walked over.

The 12th-grade boy was much taller than her. She had just felt short standing in front of that man, and now another person was doing that to her! She heaved a heavy sigh and held back from exploding in rage.

It was an outsider who had offended her, so why should she vent it on her brother?

Dave grabbed her shoulders and smiled. "Sis, if you think they're an eyesore, I'll throw them away for you!"

"But..."

But it was the Grists who made them sell the beverage. They had paid, so they would be throwing money away! "You can't bear to throw them away now, sis?"

"No." She smiled and whispered, "Don't let our parents see when you throw them away."

"Don't worry!"

Lina turned around, entered the store, and got two lollipops from the shelf.

They got one each-it was the tacit understanding they had cultivated since they were young.

"Why were you fighting with him, sis?"

"Him?" She was stunned. "You know him?"

"He's the driver who delivers for the Grists." Dave whispered, "I've only seen him a few times. Every time I look into his eyes, I feel a little... scared."

Lina felt the same when she heard that.

It was not that she was scared, but that man's eyes were too deep. It was rather cold.

"There are some rumors about him, sis!"

"What?"

"I heard from the street merchants that he has been in prison!"

Chapter 956

Chapter 956

Lina was dumbstruck, freezing with the lollipop in her mouth for a long time.

Dave continued. "I heard he was recently released. They say he's skilled in combat. Regular thugs can't match him, and he's doing a great job managing the truck. All the merchandise he delivered has been in good condition.

"But he's always ignoring people! Whenever someone tries to talk to him, he ignores them, so eventually, people stop trying. They say he's either a fool or a pervert!"

He chuckled and added, "Oh, and his name is quite interesting too. It's Zeke Mason!"

She was shocked. "What?"

"No, no... Zeke Hamerton!"

"Zeke Hamerton..."

Lina shrugged and forgot about the name after finishing the lollipop.

...

It was considered peaceful in school for the next few days.

Although she would see Violet every day, they would not stir things up.

It was not the first time there was school violence. The school would side with the students with prominent backgrounds most of the time. As long as nobody was severely hurt, everyone would just turn a blind eye.

Lina knew that. Knowing that it was futile, even if she told anyone about that, she chose silence.

She was not giving in but waiting for her opportunity.

It was just that Violet got to her before her opportunity came.

It happened at the school party.

Lina did not want to attend, but the counselor had told her that it was mandatory. She sat quietly in a corner when she arrived.

Violet was dressed up in an exaggerated manner and approached her with a glass of wine.

She said she was apologizing for her bad behavior that day, but Lina merely gave her the cold shoulder. As the saying went: "One who offers unsolicited hospitality must be harboring evil intentions." Lina was sure that something was wrong with the wine.

Violet was pretentious, saying, "Lina, we're fellow students. Are you really not accepting my apology?"

"Why would you hit me if you're sincere about apologizing? How about I hit you back?" retorted Lina.

"You..."

Lina scoffed. The venue was a little warm, so she turned around to leave to get fresh air.

Violet stared at her back fiercely.

She had other ways to fight her if she did not want to drink the wine!

Lina stood in the courtyard. Everyone was at the party, so it was quite empty out there. She looked up to the night sky, happy to have a sky full of stars to be her company.

However, she did not notice the few people approaching her. They had covered her mouth and nose from behind by the time she found out!

Lina fought with all her strength but soon felt herself slipping into unconsciousness. It felt as if her blood was being cut off, causing her limbs to go numb. She closed her eyes, surrendering to the fading of her senses.

When she finally regained consciousness, she found herself lying on something soft.

Surrounded by darkness, Lina struggled in vain to move her limbs, but they remained immobilized. A desperate urge to scream welled up within her, yet she could not open her mouth, stifling any sound that tried to escape her throat.

At that moment, it felt as if her very soul had departed from her body.

Subsequently, she heard Violet's shrill and evil voice. "Get up and hit me, b*tch!"

A loud slap echoed!

Upon sensing the pain, Lina's rage was like a balloon blowing up her heart.

"You're always pissing me off, b*tch! We must teach her a lesson today!

"You, go get Zeke here!"

"What? Miss-"

"Ha, wasn't that fool in prison before?" Violet laughed hysterically, "If this b*tch found out that he slept with her... I wonder how she would feel! Hahaha!

"Oh yeah, you guys!" She added, "None of you should leave. Stay here and film that fool having a good time with her. You hear me?"

Chapter 957

Chapter 957

The few people looked at Lina, who was in bed, and gulped unwillingly.

However, they only dared to dream about sleeping with her in the presence of the Grists' princess. They were only here for a job, so they would have to obey whoever was paying.

Violet smirked in satisfaction before staring at them in disdain.

Zuko was going to take a shower and sleep when the people from the Grists came for him.

The thugs Violet had hired had ill intentions and attacked him from his back!

As he heard the footsteps approaching from behind, his innate sense of alertness kicked in, prompting him to swiftly turn his head. Yet, at that very moment, he felt a sudden impact on his back, as one of them struck him with a rod!

He knelt on the ground, forcing himself not to fall, but they tied him up and shoved him into an old van. It was silent throughout the journey.

Unfazed by the situation, his expression remained stoic and cold. The hooligans instinctively cowered under the overwhelming aura emanating from him, keeping their distance out of fear.

Before long, they escorted him to the hotel.

The ringleader of the thugs wore a sly grin on his face, gestured a thumbs-up to him, and then pointed toward a room. "You're getting lucky tonight, fool!"

Zuko frowned as he saw a girl lying on the bed.

He would always hear those drivers discuss how arrogant the Grists' princess was when he did his delivery. She had drugged a girl that she did not like and had gotten a few thugs to sleep with her. That girl jumped off a condo in the end...

Zuko clenched his fists as these people repulsed him.

"Hey, fool!" A thug suddenly smacked his head. "Are you dumbstruck by your luck?"

"Ha, it makes sense. Anyone would be dumbstruck to have such great luck landing on them!"

"Boss, this fool sure is lucky! Ugh..."

"Get over yourself. I'm warning you!" The leader glared at his underlings. "Ms. Violet gave us a job. Do that!"

They sighed before pushing Zuko inside.

Although Zuko's face was still cold, a glint of shock flashed through his deep, grim eyes when he saw who that girl was. 'It's her? That girl I met at the supermarket, who asked me to take the stock away?'

Zuko was stunned.

Meanwhile, the people behind kept pushing him. "Quickly now, you fool!"

Zuko saw them holding their phones, ready to film everything, and scoffed upon understanding what was happening now. "Hey, can you do it or not?" asked someone.

The rest started laughing too. "Look at this dumb*ss. It's a waste that he has all this great strength. Haha...:

"Hey, should I demonstrate for you?" The thug started taking off his clothes as he spoke.

Zuko glared at him, and the fleeting cold gleam caused him to stop moving.

"I know what to do," said Zuko.

They looked at each other. "So he speaks?"

"Then do you know how to do it?"

"How do I do it when you guys are here?" Zuko's voice was cold, like his facial expression.

The people fell into silence for a second before laughing hysterically.

"Okay, okay. Quickly, then! I'll need to send the video after this! Ms. Violet hasn't paid us half of the fee!"

Zuko saw them recording and pointing at the person on the bed.

Chapter 958

Chapter 958

Zuko was expressionless as he turned his face to look at the thugs and asked, "You can film, but my face will be exposed. Are you going to pay me or what?"

"What did you say?" The leader frowned. "Ha, so you're not stupid!"

"You'll have to buy a ticket to watch the movie," said Zuko.

"Do it now, I'm warning you! Or I'll cripple you and then throw you onto her. My job will be done!" snarled the leader.

Ignoring the man's presence, Zuko fixed his gaze directly on him. After a moment, a chuckle escaped his lips.

His chuckle sent shivers down their spines. As they prepared to teach him a lesson, he swiftly dodged their attack with remarkable agility. With a quick turn, he delivered a powerful kick to the person behind him, precisely targeting a vital point.

"Ah!" The leader rolled on the ground in pain. When the rest saw that, they dared not go forward and looked at Zuko nervously.

Zuko fought with the thugs in the small room.

Meanwhile, Lina, hearing the chaos and commotion around her, struggled to regain consciousness on the bed. She tried to get up, but the burning desire in her body was getting out of control...

As the fight gradually died down, leaving a scene of scattered people on the floor, Zuko's cold voice echoed. "Get out."

The thugs stumbled out clumsily, leaving their phones behind. Zuko picked up the devices and tossed them out the window. As he brushed off the dirt from his clothes, he suddenly remembered Lina lying on the bed and approached her slowly.

The girl's cheeks turned rosy, her breath quickening. Her eyes were closed, adorned with thick, curled lashes that added to her beauty. A cute tear mole adorned the corner of her left eye.

Zuko's gaze drifted into the distance for a moment before he snapped back to reality. He quickly surmised that Violet must have drugged her.

Though he initially didn't want to get involved, he approached nonetheless. After a brief moment of hesitation, he gently patted her face, his touch soft and reassuring. "Wake up, miss," he said.

Lina was getting more and more uncomfortable as she felt someone touching her. Her body was burning, and the hand that was touching her was the only cold thing. She grabbed the cold hand as if she was hanging onto dear life.

Zuko was shocked. He quickly grabbed her wrist as he watched her shoving his hand underneath her clothes.

"I'm hot... I'm so hot..." muttered Lina.

Zuko pursed his lips and frowned.

"I don't feel well..." The girl's voice was slightly hoarse. It was lazy like a kitten.

Lina's allure shone in the dimly lit room. Zuko took a deep breath and, feeling her grasp, gently scooped her up, her arms instinctively finding their place around his neck.

In her dazed state, she felt as if she were floating, held securely in his arms.

Carrying her effortlessly, Zuko left the hotel, fading into the night.

As Lina regained consciousness, the strong scent of disinfectant filled her nostrils, triggering a wave of fear that had haunted her since childhood. She knew that the smell was associated with injections and medicine, causing her heart to tighten with anxiety.

Struggling to open her eyes, she was greeted by the sterile white surroundings of the ward. Her limbs felt heavy, and her head throbbed with discomfort, leaving her feeling utterly miserable. "You can go home after the drip. Remember to drink more water."

Lina was stunned and looked toward the source of the voice. She then saw the nurses' disdainful eyes.

"Young people nowadays sure are creative!" The nurses discussed this while walking away after checking the patients. "Aren't they scared of taking such a drug?"

"Hey, it's fun for them. What do you know?"

"Fun... Ha! She's been admitted to the hospital now. How fun is that?"

Chapter 959

Chapter 959

The ringing in Lina's ears persisted, distracting her as she stared blankly at the ceiling.

Clutching the sheet tightly, she felt her heart ache, replaying the disturbing events in her mind. Violet had framed her, using a drug-laced handkerchief to incapacitate her.

The realization left her in disbelief and filled her with anger.

Tears welled up in Lina's eyes, falling silently into the pillow as the weight of the situation overwhelmed her. Sleep eluded her that night.

She received calls from her family and Gia, but she couldn't bring herself to reveal the truth. Instead, she put on a brave face, assuring them that everything was fine and attributing her absence to exhaustion and a minor cold.

When Lina finally spoke to Gia, her voice trembled with emotions. Unable to contain herself any longer, she confided in her friend, pouring out the painful details of what had happened.

"That's ridiculous!" Gia was roaring. "Don't let Violet go!"

Lina forced a smile. How should she "not let her go"? Should she report it to the police?

Frankly, she was scared. After all, it was something shady. If everyone found out, she would be troubled by rumors forever.

However, Lina would feel injustice if she did not.

"Lina, shouldn't you find out... Who was the man who harassed you?" asked Gia.

"I..." Lina bit her lip. "I don't know."

"Then who sent you to the hospital?" asked Gia.

Lina was stunned. 'That's right! How did I end up at the hospital? Did someone from the hotel send me?'

However, if the hotel staff had found out that she had been sexually harassed, they would have definitely reported it to the police before sending her to the hospital.

The police never came, and from what the two nurses had said, her "boyfriend" had sent her there.

Lina had an epiphany and quickly got off the bed!

She shone her phone's torchlight on the registration card at the bedhead. Apart from her name, the nurse's name was on it, as well as a family member's name. She looked at it while pointing with the tip of her finger.

Zeke Hamerton!

Lina widened her eyes. As if something heavy hit her heart, her mind went blank.

Lina was discharged from the hospital the following day and returned home. It was her routine to spend weekends at home while studying at the university.

In the morning, her parents went out to buy her favorite dishes. They had closed their store for the day. Dave, her brother, had taken leave from his tuition class and eagerly awaited her arrival, ready to assist with household chores and spend time together.

Usually, Sundays at the Jenners' felt like a festive celebration, with Lina being treated like a princess, pampered and cared for by her family. The love and warmth enveloped her, making her feel secure and cherished.

Lina deeply loved her family, and their love for her was evident in their actions. Whenever she faced difficulties or hardships, her first instinct was to seek solace in the embrace of her family. Their home was her sanctuary, a place of comfort and safety.

However, today the atmosphere was different. Despite her parents serving her favorite dishes, the usually lively dinner table was filled with an unusual silence. Dave kept his head down, eating quietly, occasionally stealing glances at Lina before lowering his gaze again.

"What's... wrong?"

Lina set down her utensils. She couldn't shake off the feeling that this silence was somehow connected to her.

Putting on a forced smile, she looked at her parents and asked, "Are you keeping something from me? Is this because I went to school?"

Her parents exchanged concerned glances, their expressions filled with worry.

Lina purposely pouted. "I won't eat until you tell me!"

After a moment of hesitation, Lina's father sighed heavily and turned to her mother. "Let's tell her... She'll find out eventually."

The atmosphere grew even more tense as Lina anxiously waited for her parents to reveal the secret that had cast a shadow over the dinner table.

"No!" Her mother's eyes were red. "I can't say that out loud!"

"Melissa Jones! You..."

"Jesse! Nobody should do that to our daughter! I've never heard of anything like that!"

"You..."

Jesse stared at Melissa, but he could not say a word.

Lina was confused. She could not help but become nervous. "What are you guys talking about?"

Melissa could not help it and sobbed. "I disagree no matter what! We have money, so why can't we protect our darling daughter!? If the Grists keep forcing us like that, I'll fight them!" "Mom!" Lina hugged her tightly while Melissa cried like a baby in her embrace.

Dave sighed. "Sis, the Grists dropped by before you came. They insisted on an arranged marriage. If you disagree, they'll..."

Lina frowned. "What?"

"They'll close our supermarket!" said Dave.

"What!?" Lina was panting.

The nightmare from the previous night was still fresh, yet Violet did something even filthier today!

Dave said with teary eyes, "Sis, don't agree to that! The Grists are bullies and are using marriage as a threat!"

"That's right. Who do they think they are?" Melissa looked up and wiped her tears away.

"Nobody should play with my daughter like this! Losing the supermarket is okay, but... nobody should touch my daughter!

"Jesse, say something!"

The mother and son were pumped up with justice while Jesse silently held his head low.

Naturally, he did not want to trade her daughter with the supermarket.

However, he knew how powerful the Grists were. The supermarket was small, and they sold low to mid-level daily necessities, but it was the family's source of income! The supermarket was all they had.

If they did not accept the Grists' condition, not only would they lose their money, but they would also not have security in Jangasas.

Would the family have to leave their home like they were running for their lives? Was that what they wanted to see?

"Jesse!" Melissa smacked his head. "Say something!"

"What do you want me to say?" He was annoyed and mumbled while putting out the cigarette in the ashtray, "D-Do you have a better solution? We... can't afford to offend the Grists."

"Can you be a man!?" Melissa said furiously. "We can't afford to offend the Grists, but we're not to be offended either! Without the wealthy Jenners in Jangasas many years ago, the Grists wouldn't have achieved what they have today!"

"Yes, I'm just a very distant relative..."

Jesse lit another cigarette, took a long puff, and the smoke lingered around his sad and helpless face.

Chapter 960

Chapter 960

Jesse was also a Jenner, but he was tens of thousands of miles apart from the Jenners.

Back then, William, whose eyes were on top of his head, did not even spare a glance at broke relatives like Jesse, a distant one especially.

After Jesse's first attempt to seek refuge with William failed, he decided to rely on his own efforts. He started by setting up a stall on the night market street and eventually saved enough money to open a shop, which had now become this small supermarket. It had been a journey of hardships and struggles, waking up early and working late, and only those who had experienced it firsthand could truly understand.

This small supermarket was more important to him than his own life. Now, he had to make a choice between his life and his daughter.

"Jesse, have you lost your voice?" Melissa hugged Lina in her arms, patting her head just like when she was a child, with tears streaming down her face.

"Anyway... I disagree! Is there no justice in this world anymore? How dare the Grists meddle in my daughter's lifelong affair!? Are the rich and powerful to bully people?"

"That's right, I disagree too!" Dave slammed the table and stood up. "Sis, you have no idea how arrogant Violet was today. The person she found for you is a notorious playboy who has ruined countless girls. You mustn't marry him!"

Lina was upset and silently shed tears.

The entire family's gaze turned to Jesse.

Jesse kept his head down, silent and depressed, the cigarette between his fingers burning shorter and shorter. The smell of nicotine filled the small living room, and Lina's heart grew even more suppressed. "Yes, you can't marry him!" Jesse suddenly roared after a while.

His voice trembled, but every word he uttered was firm and resolute.

"If I can't even protect my own daughter, what kind of father am I!?"

"Dad..."

"Lina, don't worry. Tomorrow, you and your mom pack up the things in the house. We can always find another place to live!" he said.

Lina could not utter a word.

In fact, she was the main culprit behind this whole thing.

If she had not interfered and reported the Grists and had not united all the merchants to boycott the inferior products of the Grists, she would not have incurred Violet's resentment. Her hardworking parents would not have to give up their lifelong efforts for her.

In the end, she was just a troublemaker!

The dinner was awkward, with everyone forcing a smile.

Lina did not dare to cry in front of her parents. When she returned to her room, she buried her head in the blanket and cried her heart out.

The next day, Zuko arrived on the street again to make deliveries.

He drove the truck steadily without turning on the air conditioning. Even with the windows rolled down, the outside breeze was not enough to make him feel cool. His mediocre-quality T-shirt was slightly damp with sweat.

After parking the truck, he reached for the tumbler he carried with him and gulped down some room-temperature water-this kind of large-capacity plastic tumbler was probably a standard accessory for every truck driver.

Zuko glanced at the order list.

Clearly, there were significantly fewer supermarkets to be serviced today compared to the previous period. He had also heard about the incident where Lina assembled the merchants to boycotting the Grist Group's beverages.

Before deciding to come to Jangasas, Toph had jokingly told him, "Bro, I heard that Uncle Fredric's law firm in Jangasas is busy with the Grists' lawsuit lately. Why don't you just go work for the Grists and act as an undercover agent to gather evidence for him?"

Zuko rested his hand on the steering wheel, chuckled softly, and took out his phone to capture the order details. Regardless of whether it would be useful or not, he would gather any information related to the Grist Group with utmost dedication.

After keeping his phone, he opened the door, jumped out of the car, opened the cargo compartment, and skillfully unloaded the boxes of goods from inside. Those few small supermarkets that needed deliveries were also forced to stock up because of the Grist Group's threats. Zuko helped them arrange the goods properly.