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🔥🔥Click to read the next chapter for free👉 | "Let me go!" Nicole Malone struggled to break free of the men holding her. She'd been having some drinks with a handsome guy and had excused herself to the restroom when a few unfamiliar men had captured her. She flailed, swinging punches and kicking at them. "How dare you lay a hand on me! Do you know who I am?" The men didn't respond. Nicole continued, "It doesn't matter if you don't. I bet you know who Jett Gustav is, right? Jett Gustav of Ginville City!" The men remained silent. Nicole screamed, "Let me go, or I'll tell him about this! He'll make all of you lose the right to call yourself men!" The men still didn't say anything. Jett was something of a god in Ginville City. He was influential in both business and politics and had the power to do anything he wanted. Everyone knew of him, and everyone feared him. Despite Nicole clamoring the whole way, no one paid her any mind. The men weren't afraid of her at all. They dragged her out of the bar and to a black car. "We've brought her, Mr. Gustav." Mr. Gustav? What? Nicole wondered whether she'd heard them wrong. Only one person in Ginville City could be addressed that way. She raised her eyes and peered into the car. It was dark inside. All she could see was a hand by the window. Nicole gulped. Such a beautiful hand had to belong to someone gorgeous! "Get her in here," a cold voice said. Before Nicole could get a grasp on the situation, she was stuffed into the car. Then, the door slammed shut behind her. "Couldn't you guys have been a little gentler? You were so rough!" she muttered while rubbing her arm. She glanced at the man beside her out of the corner of her eye. His face was shrouded in darkness, so she couldn't tell who he was. Her imagination ran wild as she observed the seemingly endless, long legs. Nicole wanted to get a good look at his face. But before she could lean closer to him, she sensed the iciness he exuded. She couldn't help wondering who the guy was—the dominance he exuded could give Jett a run for his money. There wasn't a single person in Ginville City that she feared. Now, she was genuinely curious to find out who the man was. She boldly leaned close to him to peer at him—it gave her a shock and made her shoot backward, plastering her back to the door. "Oh, my Goodness. It's a g-ghost!" Why did he look just like Jett? Nicole was so terrified that she turned to open the door. As soon as it popped open, she tried to get out. Then, a hand grabbed the back of her collar and pulled her back. "Ouch!" She fell backward and crashed against a hard body. The man chuckled and leaned forward, bringing his face out of the shadows. The dim lighting somewhat accentuated his flawless features. He leaned down to bring his lips close to Nicole's ear. There was a hint of a smile in his voice as he rasped, "Still so scared of me, huh?" It really was Jett! Wasn't he supposed to be in Firenheim? Jett's warm breath made Nicole tremble all over. She was so scared that she stuttered, "J-Jett, w-what are you doing back here?" Close to no one in Ginville City knew that Jett had adopted a little girl many years ago. When Nicole was seven, Jett had brought her out of the slums to the Gustav residence so she could give his grandfather, John Gustav, a blood transfusion. Later, she'd lost her family. Jett had taken pity on her and allowed her to remain at the Gustav residence. 12 years had passed since then. He treated Nicole pretty well. He'd never had her do any chores and even personally taught her to read and write when she was younger. But now that he was busy with work, he'd assigned the housekeeper, Susan Baker, to watch over her. If Nicole had to pick out something that she wasn't happy with, it would be that Jett was too strict with her. She wasn't allowed to play hooky, go drinking, or hang out at bars. She also wasn't allowed to put on thick makeup, dye her hair, paint her nails, or wear anything revealing—even spaghetti straps were out of the question. Nicole also had a 10:00 pm curfew and had to report to him on whoever she went out with. He even wanted to interfere in her love life. But now, aside from dating anybody, she'd done everything Jett had forbidden her from doing. She'd thrown caution to the wind and set herself free while he'd been abroad. Why hadn't anyone informed her that Jett would be back tonight? Judging from how he looked, he must've come straight from the airport to catch her red-handed. What was she going to do? Jett said, "If I were to stay away for any longer, who knows what sort of havoc you would've wreaked?" He lifted her and placed her on his lap. Then, he tilted her head up. The thick makeup she had on concealed her innocent-looking face, which was red from the wine she'd drunk. She had oversized silver hoops dangling from her ears, and her nails were red and long. Her dress was short, though, and it revealed most of her back. She reeked of liquor. Jett's cold gaze was filled with flames, but there was a smile on his lips. "Look at you, Nikki. Were you planning on living out the rest of your days in this bar or something?" His voice was hoarse because he was holding himself back. He placed a hand on the exposed skin of her leg and played with the hem of her dress. "Do you know what the consequences of that are?" Nicole shuddered. "No, wait. I can explain, Mr. Gustav…" She started pushing the blame on everything and everyone she could think of. Then, she pretended to weep. "I'm sorry, Mr. Gustav. I know what I did wrong—I shouldn't have gone to a bar or stayed out so late. I was really only there for some drinks, though…" Jett looked like he was listening to her patiently, but his hands quickly loosened his tie to bind her wrists. As he deftly made a bow out of it, he said, "It's your fault for going drinking, Nikki. What did I tell you before leaving? You have a lot of nerve for going against my orders, don't you think?" Things would've been fine if Jett hadn't mentioned anything. Nicole exploded at his words. "How dare you bring this up! You left for half a year without saying a word to me. I didn't even know whether you were alive! "I thought you wouldn't come back ever! What right do you have to boss me around now that you've suddenly shown up again?" He was wrong if he thought he could have the upper hand in this and push her around. Two could play at this game. Jett watched as she exploded and smiled faintly. "Are you that resentful? I guess I won't be going anywhere else after this." What? He wasn't going anywhere else? Wouldn't that be the end of her days of freedom? No, she couldn't let that happen. Nicole immediately settled down and let her anger go. She smiled sweetly and said, "I was just complaining a little, Mr. Gustav. It doesn't matter what I think, really. Your work's what matters most." Jett hummed in agreement, then said, "I heard from Henry that you were dancing with your arms around another man tonight. Have you found yourself a boyfriend, Nikki?" Nicole paused, then shook her head diffidently. "You know best that I've been single for the past 19 years, Mr. Gustav. Henry must've been mistaken. That couldn't have been me!" "Ha!" Jett smirked mockingly and gripped her jaw. "Aren't you afraid that I'll hurt that boy if you keep lying to me?" She shrunk back fearfully. "W-What are you up to?" Jett's smile was cold and ruthless. It scared her. Still, she couldn't go against him and could only allow him to carry her out of the car. The atmosphere in the bar was lively. Suddenly, a bunch of bodyguards swarmed the place, making the main hall seem especially packed. The music stopped abruptly. Before everyone realized what was happening, a tall, toned man strode into the bar. Standing head and shoulders above the crowd, his dark and imposing coat made him noticeable. He had a dark suit on underneath and was carrying a young woman in a black dress with one arm. She perched on his arm like a canary. Chapter 2 Jett sat at a clean table and placed Nicole on his lap. He stroked her nose and asked, "Who drank with you, Nikki?" She pursed her lips nervously. Jett continued, "Not confessing, are you?" He looked up. "Trash the place, then." The bodyguards immediately got to work and started destroying things. "Wait, stop!" Nicole frantically grabbed Jett's arm. "I'm sorry, Mr. Gustav. I recognize my mistake now, really. I won't do it again…" Jett held up a hand to stop the bodyguards. He smirked at the sight of her teary eyes. She was still so scared of him. He took on a sterner tone and said, "I'll ask you one more time. Who was it who drank with you?" Nicole stuttered, "I-I had a little too much to drink, so I don't remember anymore." Jett smiled kindly and caressed her head dotingly. "Oh, I see. You're not to blame, then." In the next second, he had someone drag the manager, Brian Marley, over. "M-Mr. Gustav!" A thin man stood before Jett and trembled in his boots. "W-What can I do for you?" "I want someone from you." Brian immediately understood what Jett meant. He had his people search for the gigolo who'd been drinking with Nicole earlier. But after a round of searching, Brian could only say, "I've asked around, Mr. Gustav. The guy isn't one of my employees. He seemed to have been a customer here." Jett's face was devoid of emotion. "I want to see him. If you can't find him, you'll die in his place. Do you understand me?" Brian shuddered in fear, then forced out a smile. "How am I going to find someone for you when there are so many people on this earth, Mr. Gustav? You're putting me in a tough spot here." Jett smiled. "Is that so?" His expression abruptly became frosty. "Take him away, Henry!" Brian collapsed to the floor as his knees gave out due to his terror. Henry Sullivan dragged him out heartlessly. He cried while struggling, "Help me! Mr. Gustav, please, have mercy! Mr. Gustav!" "Stop!" Nicole shouted. She glanced at Brian, who was begging for mercy on his knees. "What has he done to deserve this? I'm the only one at fault here. Why are you taking it out on someone who has nothing to do with this?" "He shouldn't even have allowed you into the bar!" Jett concealed his ruthlessness as he turned to look at her. He smiled gently and continued, "I'll let him go as long as you can find the brat, Nikki." He was threatening her. Nicole got up from his lap and stood before him with her head bowed, looking like a child who was in trouble. "I only had a few drinks with some guy, Mr. Gustav. We didn't do anything else. Can we go home now, please?" Only had a few drinks? "The surveillance cameras caught him touching you." Jett dragged her back to him as he exuded iciness. "Where did he touch you?" He'd seen all the surveillance footage on his way to the bar from the airport. Throughout the journey, his driver and assistant hadn't even dared to breathe loudly. "N-Nowhere." "Have you learned to lie to me, Nikki?" Her rebuttal only made Jett angrier. "Mr. Gustav…" Nicole turned pale with fright. "Do you know how mad I was when I saw you with your arms around that brat?" Nicole couldn't help shuddering. Jett's chilly fingers brushed her soft lips. His eyes were a little bloodshot. She met his gaze but didn't dare to speak. Suddenly, his hand moved to settle behind her ear. Jett dragged her forward with a hand on the back of her neck. He lifted his head slightly so that his lips were pressed to her ear. "Looks like you haven't taken any of my warnings seriously!" His tone was ice-cold. Nicole shuddered. She'd been drunk and out of it earlier. She hadn't stopped the guy from dragging her onto the dance floor. Indeed, they'd danced together, but that was the extent of it. After all, Jett had forbidden her from coming into contact with anyone of the opposite gender since she was a child. He wouldn't even allow any boys with crushes on her to hold her hand. Bad things would happen to them if he were to find out about them doing anything to Nicole. The guy from tonight was someone from her college, so she couldn't rat him out. Otherwise, knowing Jett, she was certain the guy would meet a horrible end. Nicole broke free from Jett's grasp. "I'm already 19, Mr. Gustav. Could you stop keeping me on such a tight leash?" "You want me to stop controlling you?" Jett's gaze darkened. He pulled Nicole back to him and placed a hand on her waist. "Say that again." A chill ran down Nicole's spine. She took a deep breath and forced herself to remain steadfast as she said, "Legally, my guardian's right to manage and control me would've ended when I turned 18. "Now that I'm 19, it's up to me who I want to drink with. Look at those other women who'd already been through several boyfriends even before they turned 18…" Jett shot to his feet. His tall stature made him loom over Nicole. "So, you want to get a boyfriend?" Nicole was scared by the look on his face and took a step back. "Mr. Gustav—" He gripped her jaw. "You're forbidden from dating before you're 20. Or have you forgotten the rules I set for you?" He looked down at her and took in the fear in her eyes. "I'll find him myself. I don't want to hear you pleading on his behalf when the time comes." Nicole moved her lips, wanting to say something. But Jett released her and turned to leave. He seemed to make everything darker and colder everywhere he went. "Let him go." Brian looked like he'd been saved from certain death. "Thank you, Mr. Gustav!" Jett left without another look back. Nicole sagged in relief once he was gone. There wasn't anyone to oppress her anymore. Brian hurried over to her. "Thank you for saving me, Ms. Malone. I really owe you one for this. If you come again in the future, please don't hang around with guys anymore. Bring your girlfriends along. Your drinks will be on the house." Nicole glared at him. "Did you just have to mention that? Aren't you worried that Jett will tear your bar down?" "I can just ask him for compensation if he does. My bar's in need of some renovation, anyway." Brian nudged her, looking somewhat exultant over her misfortune. "What's with the misery, princess? Mr. Gustav's just jealous. All you need to do is coax him a little." "Jealous? What are you talking about? He just thinks I've challenged his authority by disobeying him." Jett was a control freak who wouldn't allow anyone to say or do anything against him. Nicole saw that he was almost gone. After a brief moment of hesitance, she followed him while biting her lip. … Nicole had just exited the bar when she saw Jett getting into the car. She thought he would leave without her, but the car remained parked by the roadside. The driver didn't even start the engine. She shuffled over to the car and pulled the door to find it was locked. She stood outside awkwardly. Just then, Henry approached her. "Could you unlock the door, Henry? Jett's locked himself inside. He does this every time he's mad. How can I explain if he won't let me in?" Nicole tugged her hair irritably. Henry was Jett's personal bodyguard and secretary. Wherever Jett went, he would be there. He tried to unlock the door with the car keys, then knocked on the window. Nothing worked. Nicole couldn't help muttering, "He gets mad just because of a couple of retorts. Don't you think he's too petty, Henry? It's fine if he doesn't let me into the car, but why is he locking you out as well?" Henry gave her a side-eye. "The windows may be sound-proof, but I'd advise you to hold your tongue, Ms. Malone. Mr. Gustav hurried over here immediately after getting off the plane and even turned down a dinner appointment just so he could see you. He hasn't eaten anything so far." Nicole pouted. Jett hadn't come here to see her—he was here to punish her! Still, she shut up and waited for Jett to calm down. Little did she know that it would take half an hour. She only had a skimpy dress on. The night breeze made her shiver. So be it—if he refused to let her into the car, she wouldn't just stand around and freeze to death. She would take a cab home. Nicole turned around huffily to leave. "Take another step if you dare," a cold voice rang out behind her. Chapter 3 Nicole stiffened and turned back. The car's window had been rolled down. Jett sat by it and watched her icily. Nicole was scared. It was rare to see Jett, who was usually so gentle, look so cold. She walked over to him and said in an aggrieved tone, "Are you finally willing to talk to me, Mr. Gustav? I've been standing out here for so long that my legs hurt." Jett took in her face, which was red from the cold, but didn't respond. He frowned slightly and said, "Henry." Henry pulled out a lighter. Seeing this, Nicole snatched it from him and bent down so that she was at eye level with Jett. "I'll get that for you, Mr. Gustav." Jett glanced at her. The night breeze had messed up her hair. She sniffled as she blocked the wind with a hand. Her teary eyes shimmered in the light of the lighter's flame. The sight of her made one feel sorry for her. Finally, Jett leaned over to her. Nicole hurriedly leaned forward. Then she said cheekily, "Can I get in the car now, Mr. Gustav? It's freezing out here. What will we do if I catch a cold?" Jett snorted. "I'll kick you to the curb if you do." His words were cold, but the doors unlocked in the next second. Nicole knew this trick would work every time. She flung the lighter back at Henry and hurriedly got into the car. Once inside, she sneezed a few times. A cozy blanket was thrown over her head. "Wrap yourself up. I'll throw you out of the car if you have the nerve to fall sick." Nicole tugged the blanket down and looked at Jett in surprise, but the latter averted his gaze. He rolled up the window, and leaned back. He shut his eyes, still looking irritated. Nicole held the blanket. It oozed Jett's scent and enveloped her with warmth. The car stopped before a large mansion. After getting out, Nicole followed Jett inside with her head bowed the whole time. Suddenly, she rammed into his back. She rubbed her head while baring her teeth in pain. "What the heck?" Jett turned around to give her a menacing smile. "You're smart, Nikki. You changed the locks while I was away." She'd forgotten about that! The house belonged to Jett. The original pin had been Nicole's birthday. Jett was always away on business trips. Sometimes, he would be gone for half a year at a time. He was afraid of Nicole getting up to all sorts of hijinks when she was alone at home, so he'd left Susan behind to keep an eye on her while also taking care of her daily needs. Susan had gone home for one night, so Nicole had taken the opportunity to have some drinks at a bar with her best friend, Cindy Lowe. To prevent anyone from catching her off guard, she'd changed the locks. Nicole giggled and said, "I don't know what happened to them today, but the locks wouldn't work. I had to get them changed." "They've worked fine for more than a decade. Something just had to go wrong with them today, huh?" Jett retorted. He tugged her to him and gave her a chilling smile. "Were you afraid that I would suddenly return and catch you hiding a man at home, Nikki?" "You're overthinking this, Mr. Gustav. There's no way there'd be another male species in the house aside from you, let alone another man. Even the mosquitoes have to be female!" Afraid that Jett wouldn't let the matter slide, Nicole hurried forward to unlock the door with her thumbprint. The door swung open to reveal a dark house. Nicole seemed to hear something, though. Then, she heard something clatter. She was so frightened that she turned and threw her arms around Jett. "T-There's a ghost, Mr. Gustav!" Jett frowned. He'd heard the noise as well. Had someone broken into the house? He flipped the lights on. A sound came from the couch. Jett and Nicole looked in its direction. Then, Nicole screamed and clapped her hands over her eyes. Why was there a bared man on the couch? "This is what you meant when you said there wouldn't be another male species in the house, huh?" Jett pulled Nicole's hands down. She looked dumbfounded. She had no idea what was happening. "Back already, Nikki?" the guy said amorously. Nicole faltered, then turned to look at him. She almost had the daylights scared out of her. What was Frankie York doing here? Wasn't he the guy who'd drunk and danced with her earlier? He was Callie Lennox's latest rumored boyfriend. Nicole had run into him and Callie at the bar earlier. The latter had had her arm in his as she'd mocked Nicole for being single and unlovable. She'd also mocked Nicole for being so desperate that she was at the bar to find herself a man. Callie had even gone as far as to throw popcorn at Nicole, making her the laughingstock of the bar. How could Nicole possibly let Callie get away with that? She'd deliberately invited Frankie to drink with her, then led him over to her table with Callie watching them the whole time. Still, what was Frankie doing in Gustav Mansion? How had he gotten in? The situation was so creepy! Frankie was lying spread-eagled on the couch with his legs propped on the coffee table. He looked so comfortable that it was as if he was back in his own home. More importantly, he had a pair of Jett's pajamas laid out underneath him. He was even drinking a bottle of wine that Jett had stashed away for years! Goodness, was he trying to murder her? Only the heavens knew how much effort Nicole had put into appeasing Jett earlier. She was doomed! She hurriedly looked up. Sure enough, there was a murderous look on Jett's handsome face. He looked like he was going to explode. "Uh, I need to make something clear first. I don't know him." Nicole quickly drew a line between herself and Frankie. If Jett were to find out how they were involved with each other, she and Frankie were both dead meat! Still, Frankie had called her "Nikki" earlier. Jett wasn't deaf. He scowled and took a step forward to approach Frankie. Nicole grabbed him and blinked earnestly at him. "You have to believe me, Mr. Gustav. I have no idea where this freak came from. Thank God you were here. Otherwise, who knows what he would've done to—" Before she could finish, Frankie said, "I've been waiting for you for ages, Nikki. I missed you, babe. What took you so long to get home?" Nicole's knees almost gave out. Jett grabbed her and wrapped an arm around her waist. He smiled dangerously and said, "No wonder you had the locks changed, Nikki. You had such a huge surprise waiting to welcome me home." "No, that's not it. Listen to me, Mr. Gustav. I—" "Why aren't you coming over here, Nikki? I can't wait to have fun with you!" Frankie got to his feet and stumbled over to Nicole. Nicole was panicking so badly that she was close to throwing out expletives. She gripped Jett tightly and said, "Let's call the cops, Mr. Gustav. What if this freak does something crazy? I don't want him to hurt you." Frankie stopped before Nicole. He reeked of wine. He reached out to pull Nicole into his arms. But before he could touch her, a hand gripped his wrist tightly. He immediately turned pale from the pain. "Ouch! Let go! You're going to break my wrist!" Jett flung him aside. He staggered backward. Only then did Frankie notice Jett behind Nicole. He roared, "Who are you?" Jett gave him an icy look. "And who are you, you shameless?" "How dare you call me that! You—" "Shut up, Frankie!" Nicole glared at him and deliberately raised her voice. "What are you doing? What right do you have to shout at him? Get out of my house right now!" She could only pray that Frankie would take heed and leave immediately. God knew how scary Jett was when he was really mad. Frankie's eyes turned red after Nicole had shouted at him. He pointed at Jett in disbelief and exclaimed, "I can't believe you're chasing me away for him, Nikki. Didn't you say you've had a crush on me for ages?" "I…" Nicole felt a headache coming on. She had no way to explain the situation. "Wait, no. What does that have to do with you coming over to my place for no reason?" "No reason? Were you just playing me, Nicole? Didn't we agree to meet at your place so that we could give each other essential oil massages? You suddenly disappeared at the bar after telling me you were going to the restroom!" Frankie continued, "I searched high and low for you there. Since everyone was leaving, I came over to your place to look for you. I never would've expected you to cheat on me, though!" His voice reverberated around the spacious mansion. Nicole's heart sank. What was this about a massage and cheating on him? She'd only said those things to him to piss Callie off! In fact, she was all talk and no action. She never would've expected Frankie to take her seriously and even come all the way here. Didn't the idiot know Jett was looking all over for him? He'd served himself on a silver platter! What was she going to do now? The way things were at the moment, she and Frankie were both doomed! "Ha." Suddenly, a sneer rang out behind her. Chapter 4 Nicole shuddered and stopped Jett, who looked like he wanted to get physical. "This is all just a misunderstanding, Mr. Gustav. Don't listen to his crap…" Jett pushed her away. "I was wondering why we couldn't find him who was drinking with you despite scouring the bar." He gave Frankie a nasty look. "It turned out you were at my home the whole time." "Your home? How shameless can you be? This is Nikki's home, and it'll be my home in the future!" Frankie snarled. He was brimming with confidence despite being a head shorter than Jett. "Your home?" Jett snorted and glanced at Nicole. "Looks like my house would've ended up becoming someone else's if I hadn't returned in time." Nicole felt like there was a hand around her throat. She urgently gave Frankie a look. "Stop digging your grave here! Hurry up and go home!" Frankie didn't listen, though. He continued to poke the sleeping bear. "You look like you're getting on in years, old man. Don't tell me you're thinking of taking a young wife at your age! "There's no way Nikki would like someone like you. If I were you, I'd back out while it's not too late. You should really know your place…" "Frankie, I'm begging you. Please, stop talking." Nicole tugged on Frankie's sleeve with her head bowed. "Go home, please! We can talk about this tomorrow!" "Don't be scared, Nikki! I'm not afraid of him at all! I'll protect you!" Frankie whipped out a golf club from the stand nearby and pointed it at Jett. "Return Nikki to me, or I'll have no choice but to resort to violence!" "Wait, put the golf club down, Frankie!" Nicole's heart leaped to her throat. She shouted, "He's my uncle, and this is his house! You can't treat him like this!" "What?" Frankie looked dumbfounded. After a long silence, he tugged on the silk robe he had on. "So this is his?" She couldn't believe this was what he was focusing on. "Not only is the robe his, but also the wine you drank. Even the golf club you're holding is his. Everything here belongs to him! He only needs to say the word to get you kicked out of here!" Frankie was dumbstruck. It took him several seconds to wrap his mind around the situation. "Why didn't you say so earlier?" He put the club down and said, "We're on the same side here, sir, so don't be mad at me. I'm Nicole's boyfriend. We'll be a happy family in the future." Boyfriend? A family? Frankie didn't notice the grim look on Jett's face at all. He even shook Jett's hand and continued, "I'm not going to disturb you any longer since you've just returned tonight. I'll treat you to a meal some other day." Nicole was so embarrassed that she wanted to slap herself. "He's drunk, Mr. Gustav. I'll have him head home first before I explain everything to you…" She wanted to tug Frankie's hand away but found that Jett was holding on to it. She couldn't get it out of Jett's grasp at all. "You like Nikki?" Jett stared at Frankie. The latter nodded seriously. "I hope you'll allow us to be together." "I raised Nikki. If you want to be her boyfriend…" Jett paused here and smiled eerily. "Shouldn't you get on your knees and beg me for permission?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the air seemed to turn to ice. "W-What?" Before Frankie could return to his senses, Jett kicked him behind the legs, making him plop onto his knees. Nicole's eyes widened. "Mr. Gustav!" Frankie struggled to get up. Jett held him down and sneered. "This is the man you were trying to protect, Nikki. No, he can't be considered an actual man." Frankie howled in pain as Jett looked up at Nicole. "How do you want him to die? You choose, Nikki." Nicole's jaw dropped as she stared at him. He was scarier and more powerful than she'd imagined. … Frankie was flung into the swimming pool with a loud splash. He choked and flailed in the water. As soon as his head came above the water, a bodyguard would push him back under. Jett stood by the pool and he watched Frankie emotionlessly. Then, he said to Henry, "Get a few burlier men over here. Show him a good time." "Yes, sir." Nicole watched them from a window on the second floor. She watched as the men pushed Frankie under the water. Suddenly, Jett turned around and met her gaze. She shrunk back and hurriedly drew the curtains. Then, she returned to her room and paced it. If Jett wouldn't let Frankie off the hook, would he do the same to her? She quickly lifted the sheets and got into bed, pretending to be asleep. Soon, someone opened her room door. She had her back to the door and squeezed her eyes shut. There was a short pause at the door before some footsteps rang out. Jett stood by Nicole's bed for a while before bending down and straightening Nicole's body out of her curled-up position. Then, he pulled the sheets around her, turned on the A/C, and left. That was odd. Had he let her off the hook just like that? It wasn't like him. Nicole lifted the sheets and sat up before turning on the bedside lamp. As soon as the room was lit, she screamed in fear. She stared at Jett, who stood by the door. Under the dim lighting, he looked absolutely terrifying. Nicole shuddered. "M-Mr. Gustav, what are you still doing here?" "I wanted to see how long you could keep the act up." Jett remained by the door, looking menacing. "I'll give you ten minutes to explain yourself." "I'm sleepy, Mr. Gustav. Could we talk about this tomorrow?" "Sure." Jett strode over to her and lifted her from the bed. "How could you keep me in the dark after getting yourself a boyfriend, Nikki? Didn't I tell you that you weren't allowed to date anyone before turning 20?" Then, he pinned her face down on the bed and lifted the hem of her nightgown. "What are you doing, Jett Gustav? You—" Nicole panicked. Before she could finish her sentence, a bolt of pain shot through her, starting from her behind. She widened her eyes in shock. "Y-You—" Jett smacked her again. Nicole's face turned red as she struggled. She felt humiliated. "How dare you hit me on the beihind, Jett! You shameless man! You… You…" Jett kept a hold on her neck and rasped, "Did you forget what you said at the bar? I've gone easy on you for far too long, Nicole. Let's settle the score in one go!" Nicole was so infuriated that she forgot to keep up the innocent act. She flailed and yelled at the top of her lungs. For as long as she could remember, Jett had never laid a hand on her. The only time he'd done anything remotely close to that was when she'd held hands with a boy as a child. He'd smacked her on the palm back then. For that, she'd given him the cold shoulder for a week. Now, she couldn't move with him pinning her to the bed. Ultimately, all she could do was cry and beg for mercy. "I know I made a mistake, Mr. Gustav. Please, stop. I really know where I went wrong now!" Nicole's perky behind was now red from Jett spanking it. Underneath the dim lights, it looked like a ripe peach. Jett's palm seemed to heat up at the sight. His throat constricted. Chapter 5 Jett knew things would get out of hand if he and Nicole were to continue like this. He pulled the hem of her nightgown down and flipped her around to face him. Then, he gripped her jaw and glared at her. "Do you know how much effort I put into raising you? Look at you, throwing yourself at a brat who's still wet behind the ears. How cheap do you think you are?" He was so angry that his words came out harsher than usual. Once, at a function meant for the upper crust, someone in the know had approached Jett. He wanted to introduce his son to Nicole as a way of forming a relationship with Jett. At the time, Jett had snorted disdainfully. "Honestly, even a piece of trash thinks he has the right to become in-laws with me. Do you think any Tom, Peter, and Harry is a good match for the young lady that I raised?" He'd even gone so far as to claim that he wanted to marry Nicole off to the best men in Ginville City. "How dare you humiliate me like that, Jett! H-How could you hit me on the behind like that?" Nicole cried. "Because you're a fool! Don't you know your own worth? You're a member of the Gustav family. How can you get together with a brat like that? He even said he was going to be a family with me in the future. Is he worthy?" Jett was starting to lose control. Nicole was humiliated by his treatment of her and yelled angrily, "If he isn't worthy, are you?" Jett stiffened. The anger in his eyes seemed to be extinguished by her words. As he stared at her red face, he said hoarsely, "Break up with him. You're not allowed to have anything to do with him in the future. If you don't do as I say, I'll either tie you up or make him disappear from this world!" With that, he hastily wiped her tears away before pulling the sheets around her. Then, he hurried off. "You shameless, Jett!" Nicole shouted. Then, she wrapped the sheets around herself and sobbed, feeling ashamed. She wasn't a child anymore. How could he spank her like he'd done when she was a kid? He was shameless. Utterly shameless! … Nicole didn't manage to get any sleep that night. The next day, she went to college with dark circles under her eyes. She was a sophomore this year. Thanks to Jett's "nurturing", she'd skipped two grades in elementary school and was now the youngest in her year. She was an architecture major. It was tougher for women to excel in this major, and it also wasn't easy to find work. Nicole had only picked it because Jett had been against it. When she arrived at the classroom, she walked over to Cindy and flopped onto her seat after throwing her bag down. She slumped onto the table. "What's wrong with you? You look like you've got withdrawal symptoms or something. Why so down?" A classmate sitting in front of them turned around, looking concerned. Cindy was painting her nails. She said flippantly, "I bet she had an impulsion from seeing someone handsome." "Uh…" The classmate looked awkward. She knew Cindy had always been the type to run her mouth, so she didn't take the latter seriously. Nicole sighed three times in succession. Cindy leaned close to her. "What's wrong? Come on. Tell me how things went between you and Frankie last night." "Let me catch up on my sleep first. I'll fill you in when I wake up." By the time Nicole woke up, the classroom was already empty. "Finally awake, are you?" Cindy asked. Nicole raised her head. There were marks on her face from pressing it against her hands. She saw Cindy admiring her freshly painted nails. Cindy said, "Spit it out. Did you win Frankie over last night?" Nicole told her about everything that had happened. "Wait, Jett's back?" Cindy's expression stiffened. "No wonder you suddenly went missing last night. He didn't do anything to you, did he?" She and Nicole had been friends for so long that she knew how strict Jett was with Nicole. That, coupled with the fact that she was also terrified of Jett… Whenever Nicole got into trouble, Jett would teach Cindy a lesson after teaching Nicole one. "Don't even mention that. I don't know what got into Frankie to make him just go over to my place like that. Hold up!" Nicole gave Cindy a suspicious look. "How did he know where I live? I just changed the locks yesterday, so you and I are the only ones who know the new pin. Were you the one who told him?" Cindy's eyes darted around. "You were the one who said you wanted to win him over, didn't you? When you disappeared after heading to the restroom last night, Frankie panicked. "He said he wanted to go to your place to look for you. I was drunk, so I gave him the pin. I didn't expect him to actually be crazy enough to head over there!" Nicole glared at her. "I was wondering what he was doing at my place. Turns out you sold me out!" "Ahem. Don't be mad, babe. I was drunk!" Cindy quickly changed the topic. "Look at how glum you are. Come on, I'll take you to a café for some drinks." They packed their bags and stood up to leave the classroom. Just then, a figure charged toward them and stood in their way. "Nicole!" Before Nicole even saw who it was, the person swung a hand at her face. Cindy quickly tugged Nicole back, making the person miss the mark. The person raised her hand to slap Nicole again. Cindy quickly caught her by the wrist. "Try that again, Callie, and I'll rip your throat out!" Cindy flung Callie aside. Callie staggered backward before steadying herself. She glared daggers at Nicole, looking like she wanted to spit fire. "You're a shameless girl, Nicole!" Nicole frowned. "What are you acting all crazy about this time?" "How dare you call me crazy! I've yet to settle the score with you for taking Frankie away before my very eyes last night!" Nicole looked at her emotionlessly. "You were the one who insulted me first, weren't you?" "Hmph! So what if I did? Wasn't that what you deserved? It's all your fault for disgusting me!" Callie was Nicole's nemesis at university. They'd never gotten along. There had been rumors recently about Callie having a crush on Frankie. He was considered a genius in their major. Naturally, many female students had crushes on him. Callie had only managed to ask him out because of her status as the daughter of the Lennox family. Last night, at the bar, Nicole had been minding her own business when Callie had stormed over to her and humiliated her for no reason. She'd even gotten someone to pour popcorn all over Nicole to make Frankie laugh and have everyone else make fun of her. "Oh. Well, I could say the same to you. So what if I took Frankie away from you? Don't you deserve to have your man snatched from under your very nose? It's your fault that you're not as pretty as I am!" Nicole gave Callie a taste of her own medicine. Callie snorted scornfully. "I can't believe you have the nerve to say something like that. Do you think you're a goddess or something just because you have a few people chasing after you? You're still a single girl that no one wants. "Look at you, not having even dated anyone despite already being 19. And you claim to be prettier than me! I don't know where you get your confidence from." Callie crossed her arms. "Did those guys chasing after you—they're bad-looking as heck, by the way—make you think you're better than you are? Honestly, take a look at yourself in the mirror." She leaned close to Nicole and said haughtily, "You bumpkin!" "You're asking for it, Callie!" Cindy wanted to slap Callie, but Nicole stopped her. "It's just a waste of my time and breath arguing with you, Callie. It won't change the fact that Frankie doesn't want you." Nicole smacked her lips, seemingly reminiscing about what had happened last night. She continued, "He's got a pretty good body, really. He might be lacking in length and stamina, but that's okay. I can help him train up on that." "What? Did you guys get a room last night?" Callie's expression changed. "Do you even need to ask?" "How dare you sleep with the man I'm interested in! I'll give you a punch!" Callie trembled with rage. If not for Cindy keeping her at arm's length, she would've charged forward to rip Nicole's throat out. "I'd advise you to watch out for your image, Callie. There are people everywhere here. You wouldn't want them to see that the daughter of the Lennox family is no different from a shrew, would you?" Callie gnashed her teeth. She looked murderous as she snarled, "I wanted to remind you about something—Frankie isn't here today." Nicole raised an eyebrow. "So you came to me to ask where he is?" "Ha. Judging from the way you look, you have no idea where he is, either." Callie sneered. "Didn't you guys sign up for the architectural competition? If he can't participate, there's no way your group will win anything!" With that, she turned and stormed off, leaving Nicole to gape at her. The architectural competition Callie had mentioned was organized by Dykas University. The team that won first place would win the right to compete for a slot in a student exchange program. But there was also a rule that if someone were to participate as an individual, they would be accepted as a student at Dykas University. Nicole wanted to leave the country, but Jett had forbade her. She had to get that slot in the student exchange program through this competition. There was only one problem—the final product was with Frankie, and today was the deadline for submission. Nicole called Frankie, but the call couldn't go through. She ran over to Frankie's dorm to look for him, but his dormmate informed her that he hadn't seen Frankie since last night. He was missing. There was probably only one person who knew where he was—Jett. A chill ran down Nicole's spine as she thought about what Jett had said. She told Cindy, "I can't get coffee with you, Cindy. I have something important to attend to." "What is it? Why are you in such a rush?" "It's something that will affect the rest of my life!" Chapter 6 After bidding Cindy farewell, Nicole called Henry. She didn't dare to call Jett. As soon as the call was connected, she asked, "Is Jett at the office, Henry?" "Yes, Ms. Malone. He's having a meeting. Did you need him for something?" Nicole didn't say anything. She hung up and took a cab to Gustav Tower. But she was stopped by a security guard as soon as she stepped inside. "Hold it, young lady. Who are you here for?" "Jett Gustav." The security guard appraised her. She was a brave one, bursting into the building and demanding to see Jett like that. But did she think Jett was someone she could see whenever she wanted? "You're not the first woman to come here and demand to see Mr. Gustav, young lady. Wait in line!" He pointed behind him. There were a bunch of people in the lounge, and they were all women. Jett had just returned to the country. Were they that desperate to see him? "I need to see him about something urgent. Could you let me—" Before Nicole could finish, the security guard cut her off. "No can do, miss! I'm a professional security guard, and I have a work ethic. Acting coquettish with me won't work!" Nicole was at a loss for words. She hadn't been coquettish at all. In truth, Nicole's petite stature, innocent-looking face, and sweet voice had given the security guard the wrong idea. He said, "If I let you in and you disturb Mr. Gustav, I'll lose my job, young lady. Please, don't make things hard for me!" He didn't know who Nicole was and refused to let her in without an appointment. Left with no choice, Nicole called Henry. Yet the call couldn't go through. Why did things have to go wrong at the most critical juncture? She could only wait in the lounge. Before she even sat down, a piercing voice rang out. "My, my. Where did this brat come from? This just shows how Mr. Gustav's charm knows no end—even a brat is here to fight for a piece of the pie! Does she think he'll fall for that flat body of hers? He wouldn't even be interested!" A long-haired woman with thick makeup mocked Nicole scornfully. Nicole pretended to be naive as she asked, "Are all of you here to see Jett Gustav?" "Why else would we be at Gustav Corporation?" The woman snorted. "You're so rude, brat. How can you just address Mr. Gustav by his full name?" Everyone in Ginville City knew to address Jett as "Mr. Gustav". On the other hand, Nicole had always addressed Jett by his name. She only called him "Mr. Gustav" whenever she wanted to butter him up. When she was a kid, Jett would tell her off for addressing him by name. She didn't even know when things had changed, but he'd stopped reprimanding her for being rude and had allowed her to do as she wished. Nicole snapped out of her reverie. "Why are you all here to see him?" "Once, a woman tripped and fell before Mr. Gustav's eyes. He carried her into his car and even gave her a million as compensation. What do you think we're here for?" Nicole looked thoughtful. "It's my first time hearing that he's so generous." "He's always treated women gently and with magnanimity." "That's nonsense. He's not as good as you think he is. He's a devil!" Nicole muttered to herself. Still, the woman heard her. "Stop making it sound like you know him!" She snorted and strutted off to touch up her hair and makeup. It was a mystery as to how these women had gotten wind of Jett's return to the country. As soon as he was back, they'd filled the lounge to the brim. Countless women wanted to win his heart, yet none had succeeded. His friends had even made fun of him for being celibate. Indeed, it was weird. Throughout the years, Nicole hadn't seen him with another woman. He was already in his 30s, yet he only hung out with men. Wasn't there something abnormal about that? Then again, that wasn't her concern. She had to find out where Frankie was so she could get her hands on their final product and submit it for the competition. Nicole sat in a quiet corner. After a while, she saw everyone else stand on their feet and charge toward the elevator. "It's Mr. Gustav. He's here!" Jett was surrounded by a bunch of senior executives as he strode out of the elevator. His bodyguards immediately kept the crazed women away from him. "Mr. Gustav, it's me! We met each other two nights ago. You said I looked like your first love!" "Look at me, too, Mr. Gustav! We had a meal together once!" "Mr. Gustav, I'm expecting! The baby's yours!" "Mr. Gustav, Mr. Gustav…" The women threw themselves at Jett like their lives depended on it, and their voices were more shrill than the others. If not for the bodyguards keeping them at bay, they probably would've swallowed Jett whole. Nicole pursed her lips and watched him from afar. He looked calm and unruffled. His eyes were on the path he wanted to take. His gaze didn't flit around or focus on anyone else. He was regal, noble, and arrogant. Describing him with these words was the most fitting choice. Nicole suddenly wanted to prank him a little. She cocked her head as she wondered what she could do to make herself stand out among the crowd. How could she get Jett to notice her? After some thought, she stood up and approached the crowd. She used her petite stature to her advantage and squeezed through the crowd. Then, she sneaked underneath the bodyguard's arms and charged toward Jett. Then, she plopped onto her knees before him and grabbed his pant leg. She cried, "Dad, don't you want me anymore?" Silence descended upon the crowd at her cry. Everyone was forced to stop. The crowd's attention moved from Jett's face to Nicole's. No one could believe their ears. The other women had already gone to such lengths to catch Jett's attention, yet Nicole was more far-fetched than they were. How dare she claim Jett was her father? "Where did you come from, you crazy kid? How dare you spout nonsense like that! What are you guys still standing around for? Kick her out!" a senior executive roared. He was worried Nicole would piss Jett off. A bodyguard hurried forward to pull Nicole away, but a slender hand stopped him. He faltered and looked up to meet a cold, imposing gaze. Jett kept the bodyguard away from Nicole, then waved a hand to dismiss him. The senior executives watched Jett, feeling dumbstruck. "I've finally found you, Dad. It's me, Nikki. Don't you remember me anymore?" Nicole tugged on Jett's pants and rubbed her nose on the leg. Everyone clenched their fists at the sight of her wiping her snot on Jett's pants. They looked like they were going to explode. No, they couldn't stand for this. How could someone treat the almighty Jett Gustav like that? "How dare you wipe your snot on Mr. Gustav's pants?" someone roared as they pointed at Nicole. Henry gave them an icy look, making them step back in fright. Did the guy have a death wish? What audacity he had to point a finger at Jett's precious treasure! Jett lowered his head and tilted Nicole's face up. "What did you just call me?" Nicole met his gaze. Tears pooled in her red eyes as she called out in an aggrieved tone, "Dad!" Her voice reverberated around the spacious lobby. How daring of her to have raised her voice! Just as everyone thought Jett was going to throw her out, he released her jaw and caressed her head. "That's a good girl." He mussed up her hair. Nicole was dumbfounded, as were the senior executives. The crowd was equally astonished. Jett continued, "It's cold on the floor. Get up." Nicole couldn't return to her senses. Her original plan had been to prank Jett and humiliate him in public. It was his punishment for spanking her behind last night and making her lose sleep. To her surprise, not only had he responded to her without a trace of anger, but he'd also acted so naturally! Seeing that Nicole was dumbstruck, Jett sighed and bent down to pick her up. She was so petite that it was almost as if he were truly carrying a child in his arms. He wiped her crocodile tears away and said, "Are you hungry, Nikki? What do you want to have? I'll buy it for you." Nicole stiffened. She lowered her voice and asked, "Are you being serious, Jett?" Jett looked at her and smirked lazily. "What's wrong, my precious daughter? You're the one who got on your knees and called me your father, right?" He'd pressed his lips to her ear. When he spoke, his warm breath fanned over it. It made her goosebumps rise, and she laughed awkwardly. "I was just joking with you, Mr. Gustav. The way you're acting… Aren't you worried you'll affect your image as Gustav Corporation's president?" He raised an eyebrow. "I couldn't care less about that." He didn't care about his image and reputation? Nicole felt like she'd made the wrong call. Jett hadn't walked into her trap at all. "Since you're here, Nikki, I have something I need you to do." 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