Chapter 220

Reno couldn’t help but twitch her lips, a bad premonition creeping up on her.

The very next second, Zane was sent flying with a single kick, crashing hard to the ground. He clutched his chest in agony, wriggling on the ground like a maggot.

“Where’d this punk come from? Got a death wish, challenging us like this?” one of the thugs jeered.

“You guys! Two against one! That’s not fair. I demand a fair fight,” Zane shouted, pushing himself up, shooting them a glare and pointing at the two of them in obvious protest.

“Did you hear that? Not fair? Alright then, let us show you what fair really looks like,” one of the thugs sneered.

Reno took a deep breath and closed her eyes in exasperation, just about to make her move. But before she could do anything, the two thugs heading for Zane suddenly started foaming at the mouth.

In just a few seconds, they hit the ground, twitching and writhing in agony for over ten seconds before finally going still. The whole time, their mouths were wide open, but not a single sound came out.

Zane casually dusted himself off and, with a perfectly straight face, said to the two of them, “Told you it wasn’t fair. Oh, and I forgot to mention one thing. I have a habit of poisoning people. My poison’s expensive. Honestly, both your lives together couldn’t even pay for it. Consider yourselves getting a bargain.”

“Quit talking and help me look for Miss Vivian,” Reno said impatiently.

“Why are you in such a hurry? My hair’s a mess,” Zane grumbled.

As he spoke, Zane started fishing out his trusty pocket mirror, ready to fix his hair. He could forget anything when he was out and about, but never his appearance. After all, that’s his signature.

Reno finally lost her patience and socked him right in the face.

Thirty seconds later, Zane was sprinting after Reno, with half his face puffed up and red as a tomato.

“That savage woman,” Zane grumbled to himself. “I’m so telling Sienna to cut off all her salary and bonuses. She totally deserves it.”

“I’m here to rescue you, Vivian. Don’t make a sound,” a voice whispered.

Nathan quietly slipped behind Vivian and quickly untied the ropes binding her.

Vivian heard a voice that was both unfamiliar and strangely familiar. For a moment, she couldn’t quite place it. When she turned and saw Nathan’s face, a vague memory surfaced in her mind.

“Are you Nathan?” Vivian whispered, her voice uncertain.

No one was watching.

“Yeah, it’s me,” Nathan answered with a faint smile. He gently took her by the wrist, glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then quietly started edging them backward.

“Come with me. I found a spot where you’ll be safe until Sienna’s people get here,” he said in a low voice.

“How did you know I was here?” Vivian asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Not the time to explain. Let’s go,” Nathan replied, his tone urgent.

Vivian followed him, only to stop short when she saw the garbage truck up ahead. “Wait? Don’t tell me this is your so-called safe spot?”

Nathan saw her expression and thought she was grossed out. He scratched his head, looking embarrassed. “Yeah, I know it’s not great, but things are crazy right now. This was the best I could manage.”

Nathan hadn’t even finished talking before Vivian slipped right in without hesitation.

Seeing Nathan still standing there like a statue, Vivian waved him over and whispered, “Come on! What are you spacing out for? Get in here.”

Nathan froze for a second. Alright, guess I totally misjudged her. I thought she was the delicate type, he admitted to himself. He honestly thought she’d turn up her nose at the idea.

“Vivian, I figured you’d need to psych yourself up for this,” Nathan whispered, keeping his voice low.

She was a girl who’d been pampered since birth. Asking her to hide in a garbage truck was really asking a lot.

Vivian just waved it off. “Why would I need to psych myself up? I used to go dumpster diving all the time.”

Back when Vivian first started college, every cent she made from part-time jobs went straight to tuition. She was so broke she couldn’t even afford to eat, so she would collect bottles to sell.

Sometimes that was the only way she could scrape together enough for a few days’ meals.

“Seriously?” Nathan stared at Vivian, completely stunned and unable to believe what he was hearing.

Dumpster diving! Nathan thought, his mind spinning. Her!

Vivian just shrugged, her expression calm. “Yeah, I collected bottles to sell for cash.”

Nathan’s eyes widened in disbelief, confusion and curiosity all over his face. He stammered, “Aren’t you the daughter of the Hart family!”

How could Vivian end up picking up bottles for cash? he thought, completely baffled.

Vivian just raised an eyebrow, a gentle and natural smile blooming on her innocent face, as if she were talking about something as normal as the weather.

Vivian’s beauty was undeniable, but it wasn’t the kind of breathtaking, dazzling beauty that Sienna had. Hers was a softer, more fragile kind of charm, a beauty that made people want to cherish and protect her.

Vivian was like the angel in everyone’s heart, that gentle, unattainable goddess, the one one could only admire from afar. She was gentle and endearing, with a delicate, broken aura about her.

“Get a stepmom, get a stepdad, right?” Vivian said lightly, as if it was nothing. “But never mind that. Why are you helping me?”

Nathan didn’t bother hiding anything. He came right out with it. “The one who kidnapped you is my father, Henry.”