Chapter 44

Aubree’s clear eyes grew misty, her mind growing heavier as the alcohol dragged her consciousness down into the abyss. She was forced to down two whole bottles of liquor. Though she struggled fiercely... Aubree was a total lightweight; even one glass would knock her out.

Matilda tried to intervene, but she’d already been force-fed so much alcohol that just standing was a struggle. When Harlan's thug grabbed her, she couldn’t even break free.

Kneeling on the floor, Aubree coughed violently. Her throat burned with dryness, and all she could think about was how desperately she needed a drink. Her vision grew increasingly hazy. Biting down hard on the tip of her tongue until she drew blood, Aubree forced herself to stay conscious. Through gritted teeth, she said, “No… more… bottle.”

The metallic taste of blood and the sharp pain jolted her back to clarity. Her forehead was beaded with sweat. “Hold on,” she told herself desperately. “If I collapse now, both Matilda and I are finished!”

Gasping for breath, Aubree fixed Harlan with a fierce glare. The sudden intensity radiating from her actually made him flinch momentarily.

Realizing he’d been intimidated by a mere slip of a girl, Harlan cursed under his breath, “Fuck this! Hurry the hell up and force that last bottle down her throat. Let’s see how tough this little bitch really is!”

Harlan’s thug approached with the last bottle of liquor. Truth be told, Aubree looked utterly wrecked, kneeling on the ground, using every ounce of strength just to keep herself from collapsing face first. Her upper body was soaked halfway through with liquor, and her ponytail had somehow come undone, her hair tangled and plastered drunkenly across her face in complete disarray.

Just as the bottle was about to touch her lips, the door to the private room was violently kicked open once more.

Before anyone could react, the thug approaching Aubree with the bottle was kicked flying.

With a loud crash, the bottle hit the floor, spilling liquor everywhere.

Aubree looked up, dazed. When she recognized the man, her eyes instantly welled up with tears. Red-eyed and gritting her teeth, she struggled to her feet, pointed at Harlan, and slurred defiantly, “Go to hell, asshole! My knight in shining armor is here!”

As soon as she finished speaking, her body went limp, and she began to collapse, but Bowen caught her in his arms just in time.

Ollie, who had been anxiously following Bowen, didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when he heard this. He felt that this girl really had Bowen figured out. The cool, calming aura around him made her feel completely at ease. With a contented sigh, she shifted and nestled deeper into his arms, finally able to…

“You’re right on time again…” she mumbled drunkenly, her breath heavy with alcohol. Bowen was torn between anger and sentiment.

Holding her protectively in his arms, Bowen looked down at the disheveled, alcohol-drenched figure. His eyes darkened with a gathering storm of fury as he looked up. “Ethan, Samson, handle them.”

No sooner had he given the order than Ethan and Samson sprang into action, ruthlessly pummeling everyone in the private room and leaving the whole group sprawled and groaning on the floor.

Harlan screamed and struggled as Ethan and Samson forced him to his knees in front of Bowen.

Harlan shouted, “Who the hell are you bastards? Daring to lay hands on me! You got any idea who you’re messing with?”

Ollie leaned forward with a grin and said, “Of course I know you. Aren’t you Harlan? Don’t tell me you don’t recognize...”

“You’re Mr. Lane?” Harlan stammered. He didn’t recognize Bowen, but he knew Ollie. In that instant, it hit him that Aubree must be connected to Ollie.

“Mr. Lane, this was just a terrible misunderstanding. I had no idea the girl was one of yours. How about this? You take all three of them. I’ll return everything, and we’ll call it even, alright?”

Harlan, who had been full of bluster just moments ago, instantly cowered. He couldn’t afford to mess with the Lane family.

Ollie shook his head. “You’re barking up the wrong tree this time. This girl? She’s his.”

Pointing at Bowen, Ollie said with a smirk, “And him? Let me introduce you properly, this is Bowen Turner.”

Bowen shot him a glare, inwardly grumbling, “Since when did he start addressing Bree so intimately?”

At the mention of Bowen’s name, Harlan’s legs went weak. People in Rithol City might not recognize his face, but his name alone was enough to strike fear into anyone who heard it.

Harlan thought he’d only offended Mr. Lane, little did he know he’d crossed paths with someone far more terrifying.

He said, “Mr. Turner, I swear I had no... no idea she was under your protection!”

While Ollie could still smile and say a few words to him, Bowen wouldn’t hold back at all.

Bowen commanded coldly. “Force the liquor down his throat, don’t stop until he needs his stomach pumped. Then throw him in jail.”

“Mark’s calling,” Ollie said to Bowen, glancing at his phone as they stepped out of the private room.

They left so abruptly. Given how close they were, no one took offense, though it did leave everyone wondering what had happened.

“Cover for me, will you? Bree’s had way too much to drink, I’m taking her home now.” Bowen carried Aubree straight toward the door.

Cradled in Bowen’s arms, Aubree’s mind grew increasingly hazy, her thoughts sinking into a drunken fog.

Just as Bowen strode toward the door, he nearly collided with Alvin coming from the other direction. They were both silently wondering, “What’s he doing here?!”

“Alvin?” Bowen asked.

“Bree used my credentials to get in,” Alvin said, belatedly realizing something was off. Worried something might have happened, he’d rushed over immediately.

Alvin’s gaze landed on Aubree, curled up against Bowen’s chest. Her expression was troubled, forehead glistening with sweat, and cheeks flushed. Even from a distance, the pungent stench of alcohol radiated from her.

Alvin felt a surge of self-reproach. He thought bitterly, I was way too careless. I just assumed Aubree could handle everything... a girl going into a club alone, but I didn’t even ask any questions or make sure she’d be safe before letting her go in.

Alvin’s face twisted with self-reproach. “Damn it, I screwed up,” he muttered.

Bowen tightened his protective hold around Bree. “I’m taking her home first. That girl from your team is still here. Deal with her yourself.”

Bowen didn’t blame Alvin at all. After giving him a couple of quick instructions, he hurried off with Bree in his arms.

Barely two minutes after getting in the car, the girl who had been so docile in Bowen’s arms stirred with a soft, dated murmur. Aubree blinked blearily, her once clear eyes now clouded with a drunken haze. Looking up at Bowen, she slurred, “Who are you?”

With that, her body began squirming restlessly in his arms, rubbing against him with desire. Aubree struggled in his arms and slurred drunkenly, “Lemme go…”

Bowen’s head was pounding as the drunken Aubree thrashed in his arms. She was surprisingly strong for her size; he could barely keep her in the seat. “Hey, stop squirming,” he said, exasperated.

He absentmindedly gave her a pat, not even noticing where his hand landed, until the unexpected sensation made Bowen tremble. A soft, springy sensation still lingered in his palm.

Bowen’s ears flushed red as realization dawned. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he looked down, and—

“Pervert! You smacked my butt!” Aubree slurred accusingly.

Ethan, driving up front, suddenly lost his grip on the steering wheel, sending the car into a sharp swerve. The jolt threw Bowen sideways, and Aubree nearly hit her head against the window.

“Mr. Turner, a car just cut in front of us,” Ethan stammered, mortified. He thought, What kind of x-rated talk did I just overhear?

Bowen said, “Raise the partition.”

The privacy partition slid up, sealing off the back seat and turning it into their own secluded world.

Aubree kept staring at Bowen with those fiery, unyielding eyes, making it clear she wasn’t going to let this go until he explained himself.

“I didn’t mean to,” Bowen said, rubbing his nose with a sheepish smile.

Aubree shot back with a playful grin, “Oh sure, you totally meant that!”

Bowen was rendered speechless. He thought, How did this sweet girl turn into such a handful when she was drunk?

Seeing him speechless, Aubree let out a couple of smug hums and declared triumphantly, “I’m not that pushover Aubree anymore! Let me tell you, even if the whole Wilson family showed up now, they wouldn’t get the better of me.”

She seemed so much more childlike than usual. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she boasted, radiating the kind of playful confidence only a girl her age could have.

She slurred, leaning in with drunken solemnity. “Lemme tell you a secret, if you ever start liking Carmen, I’m gonna ignore you.”

Bowen watched her quietly, his gaze fixed on her unusually bright eyes. Even though she was smiling now, all he felt was a pang of heartache.

When she was sober, she bottled everything up inside. Her hatred for the Wilson family and her disgust toward Carmen forced her to mature far beyond her years, desperately pushing herself to grow up fast.

Now that she was drunk, all her pent-up resentment finally spilled out, cloaked in playful teasing.

He thought, How much she must have suffered all these years.