Chapter 478

I'd never been around this kind of bloody, violent mess before; it was way out of my comfort zone. But honestly, after seeing how disgusting and arrogant Richie was earlier, I hated his guts. So watching him get beat down like that? I couldn’t help but feel a twisted sense of satisfaction.

I stayed silent, and the manager sent a hard kick to Richie’s back. “Apologize again!”

Richie was on the verge of tears, blood trickling from his lips. I bet he was wishing he’d never messed with me, his voice all choked up as he begged for forgiveness again and again.

Coldly, I stared him down, refusing to forgive him just yet.

Just as I thought–if I kept my mouth shut, they’d keep working him over. It didn’t take long before Richie got beaten senseless and passed out all over again.

Edward’s face was half-lit by the shifting light, his gaze never leaving me as he watched every reaction I made.

Richie got hit with another bucket of ice water, snapping him awake. He looked utterly desperate, like he’d completely lost all hope.

“Miss, please, I’m begging you–spare me! I didn’t know who I was messing with. Please, just let me live, I swear I’ll never do it again!” Richie pleaded, his voice shaking with fear.

I watched him crawl toward me, unable to even stand, dragging himself across the floor with his hands. Right then, I realized how both frightening and strangely addictive it was to have someone’s fate in my hands.

Seeing the club manager about to go in for another hit, I said coolly, “Let it go. He’s learned his lesson.”

“Get out!” Edward barked, his voice low and commanding.

The manager and a few staff members practically dragged Richie out of the room at top speed, barely giving him a chance to catch his breath.

The bodyguards spun around and headed out just as quickly, leaving the room in silence.

I stood by the coffee table, staring at the bloodstain on the thick carpet. My heart was pounding and I was trembling.

Edward got up and walked over, towering over me with that commanding look. “Scared?” he asked.

I bit my lip and shook my head. “No. Thanks for having my back.”

“Oh?” Edward raised an eyebrow. “If I told you I followed you here, you wouldn’t be mad, would you?”

Victoria was startled, her eyes snapping to him. “You followed me?”

Edward replied in a calm voice, “Well, I wouldn’t call it stalking. It’s just that… before you leave for Braylin, I feel like it’s my duty to look after you–for Ryan’s sake.”

I looked at him, surprised. “What do you mean by that, Mr. Jennings?”

Edward’s face went cold as he turned away, eyes fixed on the liquor cabinet. “I heard this place was trouble even before you showed up–lots of women have gotten burned here. I couldn’t stop you from coming, so I figured I’d better keep an eye on you. Turns out you really know how to draw a crowd; those bastards were all over you.”

A shiver ran through me. I never imagined Edward had come here just to look out for me because he knew how sketchy this place was.

Edward turned to face me, his eyes dark and impossible to read. “If I hadn’t stepped in just now, you’d already be at someone else’s mercy. The world is full of danger, Victoria–trouble can find you anywhere, anytime. You have what it takes to attract men, but you need to watch yourself from now on.”

Jared’s warning echoed in my mind–he once told me that if I wasn’t careful, I’d end up as nothing more than a man’s plaything.

“Mr. Jennings, I swear I didn’t flirt with him or give him any signals,” I protested, feeling totally innocent and frustrated.

Edward advanced on me, step by step, until he was standing so close I could feel the intensity radiating off him.

His eyes roamed over my face, sharp and unyielding. “You don’t have to do a thing. Just existing is enough to tempt them.”

I just stared at him, speechless.

Edward’s voice was icy as he said, “Don’t give men too much credit when it comes to their animal instincts. A woman like you–top-tier beauty–is the rarest kind of prize. If this were ancient times, you’d be at risk of getting snatched up every single day. Even now, just walking around on your own is enough to make men’s primal instincts kick in and start fighting over you.”

I really never realized that my looks could actually bring about such a nightmare.

“I never thought I was that much of a beauty,” I protested under my breath, but before I could finish, a wave of dizziness crashed over me. My heels nearly gave out, and my body tipped sideways before I even knew what was happening.

With a gasp, Edward caught me in his arms before I could fall, and my forehead bumped right into his chin.

The alcohol was really messing with me now–I could barely control myself. Panicked, I tried to pull away from him.

But the dizziness just got worse. The whole room spun, and I felt like I was about to hit the floor. Desperate, I clung to him, holding on for dear life.

“Victoria, open your eyes and look at me–do you even know who’s holding you?” Edward’s voice was low and a little pissed, right next to my ear.