"Kris…"
The moment Finn spoke, Kristen grabbed the water cup and hurled it. "Get out!"
If not for the lack of hard proof, she'd have called the police already. How dare he show his face.
Finn didn't dodge. The cup struck his forehead and shattered on the floor, a welt rising immediately.
"Finn…" Grace's eyes reddened at once. Seeing the bruise on his brow, her heart ached. "Kristen, Finn didn't expect the villa to catch fire. He's really worried about you…"
"You, get out too!" Kristen lifted her gaze to her, eyes like blades. "I'll count to three. If you're still in front of me, I'll have the photos posted online."
"One, two—"
"Kris, nothing said now will reach you. Rest well. I'll visit in a couple of days."
"Three!"
Finn finished and pulled Grace by the wrist out of the room.
Kristen's taut nerves slackened. She sank back against the headboard and exhaled a long breath.
Martin bristled. "Those two shameless scum still dare to show up! Can't we just post it online already? This is unbearable!"
"Who said we can't post?" Kristen looked up at him.
"Huh?"
Kristen's smile turned bright. "Didn't you say, with Jason's backing, we can walk sideways across the Capital?"
"Sure, but Jason and Scumbag Gu are close friends. If he finds out, will he still shield us?" Martin worried aloud.
Kristen looked at the twin red punctures on the back of her hand. They didn't throb like yesterday, but her heart still did.
Pain that bad needs sharing.
"Then we'll find a way to make him shield us."
Let that plastic brotherhood shatter once and for all!
"Finn, your head…" Grace stared at his forehead, eyes full of pain and guilt.
Finn touched it and winced. "It's fine. Compared to what Kris went through, this is nothing."
"It was just an accident. You didn't mean for that to happen," Grace soothed, biting her lip. "It's all my fault. If it hadn't been for me—"
"Grace." Finn cut her off. "Let's stop."
Grace nodded and changed the subject. "I wonder who saved Kristen and brought her to this hospital. I heard the doctors here are top-tier—and very expensive."
Her words made Finn frown, doubt flickering in his eyes.
Very few people knew about his suburban villa. The place wasn't even in use—so why a sudden fire? And the nearby surveillance just happened to be out; nothing could be traced.
So who saved her?
As they walked, Finn's gaze snagged on a familiar figure seated on a bench across the lawn.
"Jason." Finn led Grace over to greet him.
At the sight of Jason, Grace instinctively hid behind Finn, whispering timidly, "Mr. Jin."
Jason sat, one long leg crossed over the other, something pinched between his fingers. He lifted his lashes and sent them a faint glance.
Finn was used to his languid arrogance. The man had earned the right.
"Jason, what are you doing here?"
Jason exhaled a slow ribbon of smoke, voice cool. "A friend's hospitalized. I came to look in—and needed a smoke."
He raised the cigarette, burned nearly to the filter.
Finn knew his habit. Hospitals didn't allow smoking.
"What a coincidence. Kris is admitted here too," Finn said with a smile. "Too bad she's resting. Otherwise I'd have her say hello."
Jason's expression stayed placid; he didn't puncture the lie. "Want me to have Dr. Yan take a look?"
"Kris just has a minor issue—no need to trouble the imperial physician," Finn quipped.
Whenever Jason had so much as a headache, Dr. Yan was the one to see him—and other than Jason, no one could summon him. So Finn and Ethan Qin had given Dr. Yan the nickname "Imperial Physician Yan."
"Mm," Jason replied, then shifted topic. "Found a new chef with real skills. Drop by Qixiyun in a couple of days for a taste."
He paused, and his ink-dark eyes cut sharp toward Grace behind Finn.
"Miss Grace. You too."
( End of Chapter )