Chapter 62: Scammed

Back at the bar, Tommy and his men had arrived and cleared out all the patrons. The staff huddled together, squatting in a corner.

Hilda's face paled at the sight of the armed men. She shivered, her grip tightening on Jared's arm.

"Don't be afraid," Jared reassured her.

Tommy attempted to approach Jared, but a look from Jared stopped him. Jared didn't want Hilda to know their acquaintance; Tommy had a poor reputation, and her parents would be furious if they learned of their association.

Understanding, Tommy signaled his men to clear a path. Jared and Hilda left, watched by dozens of men.

As they reached the bar's entrance, an agonizing cry echoed from within, followed by the sounds of a struggle.

After hailing a taxi, Jared and Hilda went home. On the way, Hilda tried to explain, but the words wouldn't come.

Finally, Jared asked, "Why are you working in such a place?"

Hilda, head down, rubbed her palms and bit her lip. After a moment, she said, "Jared, please don't tell my mom. She'll be furious."

Jared nodded.

Collecting herself, Hilda continued, "I owe a million dollars in a high-interest loan. I can't repay it without working here, and if I don't, they'll demand it from my mom." Tears streamed down her face.

"How did you get into such debt?" Jared asked, frowning. He knew she came from a poor family and was always thrifty.

Hilda's sobs intensified. Through her tears, she explained, "In university, I had a boyfriend, a senior two years older. After graduation, he used my name to take out a loan for his business. Then, I couldn't contact him again."

Jared immediately realized she'd been scammed.

The taxi driver sighed. "Girls these days are too trusting. A million dollars is a lot. Just two days ago, I heard about a girl who killed herself because of a high-interest loan."

"Hilda, don't cry. We'll find a solution," Jared said, patting her shoulder.

Looking up gratefully, Hilda said, "Jared, you've just been released from prison and don't have a job. How can you help? Just don't tell my mom. I'll figure it out myself. I won't do anything stupid. My mom couldn't bear it if anything happened to me."

Jared smiled faintly. He resolved to help. He still had the card William gave him, containing ten million dollars. If he needed more, he could get it from Tommy; the entire Templar Regiment belonged to him.

Upon arriving home, the taxi driver refused payment, smiling at Hilda. "Miss, don't worry. Everything will be alright."

The taxi drove off. Jared felt relieved; there were still kind people in the world.

The sentence about the website has been removed as it is irrelevant and promotional. The numerical inconsistencies (million dollars vs. one million) have been addressed for consistency. The grammar and punctuation have been corrected throughout for clarity and flow.