Christina’s POV
Two years ago, those words might have made cry. But now they just made want to roll my eyes.
I straightened my shoulders. "Niall, thank you. But it’s better if we don’t see each other again."
He grabbed my hand. "No. I don’t want to be cut out of your life. Will you at least let help you with this Franklin situation? To keep you safe?"
I pulled my hand away firmly. "No."
At that exact mont, I heard the distinct sound of a cara shutter.
"You shaless hussy!" snapped a woman’s voice.
She looked to be in her fifties, dressed in a cream Chanel suit, but her words were anything but refined.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"Who am I? You little tramp—you steal my daughter’s man, and now you’re here fooling around with soone else? Have you no decency?" she shouted, her voice ringing across the restaurant.
It was the middle of the dinner rush, and the place was packed. Every head turned in our direction, eager for dinner and a show.
"Great, another drama queen," Akira muttered. "Like mother, like daughter."
"Show so respect, ma’am. You’re old enough to know better than to make baseless accusations," Niall said coldly.
"Respect?" The woman raised her hand. "I’ll show you what you deserve."
I saw the slap coming and leaned back just in ti, avoiding her hand. But though I dodged, her long pinky nail grazed my cheek, and I felt a sharp sting. She’d definitely broken the skin.
"I’m Genevieve’s mother. And you deserved that," she spat, jabbing a finger in my direction.
"Now I see where your daughter gets her appalling manners," I shot back. "She’s the one chasing after my husband, but you have the nerve to co after ? How pathetic."
"You’re the one who’s pathetic! Only a shaless howrecker like you would have the gall to say that. You say you’re married, yet here you are, cosying up to another man. Have you no decency? What kind of parents raised you?" Her tone dripped with scorn.
"How my parents raised is none of your business. Having a al with a friend doesn’t make shaless. Maybe you should be asking why your daughter keeps throwing herself at a married man instead of lecturing . Or does that not embarrass you?"
"You—!"
"And since when is having dinner with a man a cri? Have you never had a al with a male friend, colleague, or relative? If your mind imdiately goes to affairs, maybe that says more about you than ," I added.
Too angry to respond, she raised her hand to slap again. This ti, I caught her wrist firmly and pushed her back.
She stumbled several steps, nearly losing her balance. "You... you slut! You’ll get what’s coming to you!"
"If anyone’s headed for karma, it’s your daughter. Ask her about all the horrible things she’s done."
"Want to throw her out?" Niall asked.
I shook my head. "I’m done with her."
He shot her a final glare before following out of the restaurant.
I pulled my hand free. "Thank you for the flash drive, but I have to go."
"Where are you going? Let drive you. And that cut on your face—we should get it looked at."
"It’s fine," I said without looking at him.
Just then, a taxi pulled up. I got in and left.
As the cab drove off, my phone rang.
I answered, "Hi, Naomi."
"Are you finished yet?" she asked. "I’m so bored on my own. You need to co and keep company. They won’t let drink anything but juice. It’s so dull."
"I’m on my way. Should be there in about ten minutes," I said, glancing at the traffic outside.
About ten minutes later, I pulled up outside the bar. The mont I got out of the car, I saw Hudson walking towards .
Had he been waiting outside for ?
When he saw , his eyes turned colder than the Highrise City winter. He quickened his pace, covering the ground in a few long strides until he was right beside . His brows were drawn tightly together. "What happened to your face?"
"Oh, that? Just scraped it by accident," I said.
Hudson took my hand. "Tell who did this to you."
"Can we please just drop it?"
I didn’t want to create more drama or put Hudson in an awkward position. Plus, rehashing the whole incident with Genevieve’s mother would only ruin my mood again. What would he even do about it anyway?
"Tell ," he insisted.
I looked up and t his frustrated gaze.
"Just tell him," Akira urged. "Let’s see what he does about it."
"Fine," I sighed. "It was Genevieve’s mother. She accused of stealing her daughter’s boyfriend, tried to teach a lesson with a slap, and her nail caught my cheek. Happy now?"
"Co on." He took my hand and led firmly toward the parking lot.
"Where are you taking ?"
He pulled out his phone and made a quick call.
"Ryan, sothing’s co up. I have to go. Put everything on my tab."
Ryan must have asked why because Hudson replied with deadly calm, "I’m settling a score for my wife."
"Ooh, this is gonna be good," Akira purred with anticipation.
"You’re really going to confront Genevieve’s mother?" I asked after he hung up. "She hit , yes, but I pushed her back. What exactly are you planning to do?"
"Get justice for you," he said simply.
"How, exactly?"
"You’ll see. But I won’t let anyone treat you this way."
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