Chapter 6

Tessa's voice finally snapped Sebastian and Ronald back to their senses. They stopped immediately, but not before shooting one last warning at the bruised thug on the ground. "Apologize to Tessa, or next time we see you, it'll be worse!" By now, the thug had sobered up enough to realize he was outmatched. Trembling, he scrambled to his feet and muttered a clumsy apology. Only after being told to get lost did he scurry away as fast as he could. Once he was gone, Sebastian and Ronald turned to Tessa, fear and anger mingling in their eyes. They wanted to scold her, but the thought of her getting hurt held them back—all they could do was sigh. "Why are you working in a place like this?" She lowered her head timidly and quietly muttered, "I haven't saved enough for tuition…" "We'll pay for you!" The words burst from them both at once. With their family backgrounds, why would she need to earn it herself? They yanked off her apron immediately, their tone leaving no room for argument. "This place is a mess. You're not coming back here." They were about to lead her out when something occurred to them. Turning, they finally noticed Bella had walked over at some point. Seeing her made them stiffen, remembering how abruptly they'd left her side. "Bella, don't get the wrong idea. We're all classmates, and we'll be at the same college soon. We just don't want her to go down the wrong path…" "My life has nothing to do with you!" Their words somehow struck a nerve in Tessa. Her eyes reddened, and she stomped her foot before running straight out of the bar. Sebastian and Ronald barely had time to react, and without another word to Bella, they dashed after Tessa. Having seen enough, Bella had completely lost interest. She was about to call a cab when a hand suddenly clamped over her mouth. Despite her struggles, she was dragged into the restroom, and the door was locked behind her. It was then she saw who it was—the same thug Sebastian and Ronald had just beaten. "Help! Somebody!" She screamed in panic. This was a bar; there should've been people everywhere, but no one answered. The thug didn't look worried at all. If anything, he seemed relaxed. "Go ahead and scream all you want. I hung an 'out of order' sign outside. No one's coming. "Lucky me—running into a college student who paid me to come after you. I get money and have my fun. Why wouldn't I take the deal?" Hearing that, Bella's heart sank. Of course, this thug had been hired by Tessa. The earlier assault had been staged. Her real target wasn't Sebastian or Ronald—it was her. As the thug lunged, trying to tear at her clothes, Bella scrambled into a stall. Desperate, she dialed for help. The police would take too long to arrive. There wasn't time for that. Sebastian and Ronald hadn't gone far. If they came back, they could save her. She called Sebastian first. The phone rang until it disconnected. He didn't pick up. She then tried Ronald's number again and again. Once, twice, thrice… Over ten attempts and all went unanswered. At the same time, the stall door was forced open. The thug lunged with a twisted grin. A wave of despair washed over her. Just as he charged, she shoved past him and searched wildly for anything she could use as a weapon. Her eyes landed on a candle holder beside the sink. A loud crack followed. … Covered in blood, Bella ran out of the restroom. When she stepped outside the bar, she saw Sebastian, Ronald, and Tessa still standing there. "Bella called you so many times. Are you really not going to call her back?" Tessa's eyes held a strange glint. She sounded concerned on the surface, but unmistakable disdain lay beneath. Sebastian frowned and let out a cold huff. "What could she possibly need? You're what matters right now. Promise me you'll never come to a place like this again." Ronald turned off his phone, his tone utterly indifferent. "She could drop dead, and it'd have nothing to do with me. The only person I care about is you. Stop worrying about her. What you need to do right now is quit this job immediately."