"What a small world for enemies to meet!" Emma Bollock slammed down her wine glass and stood up, glaring down at Amanda Jenkins, grinding her teeth hard, "Let's see who can protect her tonight!"
"Emma, don't be impulsive!" Anastasia Jenkins quickly grabbed her, "This is still a public place, after all. If you make a scene, it will be all over Brocade City tomorrow, and it won't be good for your reputation either."
"I can't care about that now!" Emma Bollock took a deep breath in anger, pouting with grievance, "I met Brother Lucas when I was twelve, and I've never seen him smile at anyone like that. Yesterday, just for Amanda, he even told me to get lost? Did you hear that? He actually told me to get lost! Who dares to treat me like this? I'm so angry, so angry!"
Emma Bollock stamped her foot in a fit of frenzy.
"I know you feel wronged." Anastasia Jenkins comforted her gently, "Rest assured, I know a way to deal with her."
"How are you going to deal with her?"
Anastasia Jenkins curled her lips slightly, a chilly smile appearing in her eyes, "Just wait and watch the show."
Amanda Jenkins usually never came to this kind of place, but tonight was a good opportunity; she wouldn't let her walk out clean and unscathed.
"No, I can't wait any longer! I must confront her and ask her exactly how far things have gone with my Brother Lucas!"
With a fiery temper and a straightforward nature, Emma Bollock couldn't contain her anger. Ignoring Anastasia's attempts to stop her, she stumbled drunkenly downstairs.
Anastasia Jenkins, feeling helpless, had no choice but to follow quickly.
Downstairs, Jesslyn Derei was still pestering Amanda Jenkins with questions.
"Amanda, do you really still consider me a good friend? You weren't like this before. Since you disappeared for a year and came back, it feels like you've changed completely," Jesslyn Derei looked at Amanda Jenkins with concern, "You always smile so brightly in front of others, but I know there's something troubling you that you keep to yourself. It's not that I'm nosy, but I genuinely want to share your burden. We are best friends, after all."
Amanda Jenkins felt somewhat touched.
Alcohol indeed makes people vulnerable and sensitive.
Usually, Jesslyn Derei was a caring friend, and she would not pry into Amanda's affairs if they weren't mentioned.
But now, after a few drinks, she was relentless in her questioning.
"Derei, I'm really thankful for you. But I'm serious when I say that I'm not close with Lucas Griffin."
"Alright then." Jesslyn Derei leaned her head affectionately on Amanda's shoulder, "But speaking of which, Young Lord Griffin is really handsome, the most handsome man I've ever seen. You should really consider it."
Amanda couldn't help but chuckle, "You little infatuated girl, I remember you used to say that my brother was the most handsome man in the world."
"Brother Ethan is indeed handsome too, haha, they're tied for the most handsome. It's just a pity..." Jesslyn Derei's mood fell again upon mentioning Ethan, she looked up at Amanda with sadness in her eyes, "Still no news from Brother Ethan?"
Amanda Jenkins lowered her eyes and shook her head.
They both fell silent, and the air seemed to fill with sadness.
"I will definitely find my brother!" Amanda suddenly lifted her head, her eyes sparking with a bright light, her voice firm, "No matter what it takes, I must find him!"
"Yes!" Jesslyn Derei nodded emphatically, "A toast to finding Brother Ethan!"
"To finding him!"
Amanda Jenkins took a big gulp of her drink, hiding the despair in her heart behind a radiant smile.
Her brother had disappeared five years ago.
For five long years, she had never stopped searching, yet there was still no news.
"Look, that's Amanda Jenkins," a man and woman who had just arrived at the next table pointed at Amanda and whispered, "I'm telling you, she was quite a sight last night."
People at the other tables overheard and also turned to look toward Amanda.
"Derei, let's go back," Amanda stood up, suddenly feeling dizzy.
Jesslyn Derei was also a bit drunk, and woozily supported Amanda as they started to walk away, only to be blocked by someone.
Amanda raised her somewhat blurry eyes and met the furious gaze of Emma Bollock.
"Amanda Jenkins, tell me, when did you start hooking up with my Brother Lucas!"
Amanda Jenkins ignored Emma Bollock and walked past her with Jesslyn Derei in tow.
"Hey! Amanda Jenkins, I am talking to you!" Emma Bollock called out again.
Amanda Jenkins still paid no attention to her. How could she afford to provoke such a delicate young lady? She could always at least try to avoid her, right?
Then came the voice of Anastasia Jenkins from behind, "Emma, just stop calling her. My sister has always been too proud to care about anyone. She even dared to hit Young Master Griffin last night, so how could she possibly pay attention to you?"
Anastasia Jenkins's words only added fuel to the fire.
Emma Bollock was used to being surrounded by admirers wherever she went; she couldn't stand being ignored like this.
She ran up, gripped Amanda Jenkins's arm forcefully, "I am talking to you, do you hear me? Shameless thing! You have the guts to seduce my Brother Lucas, but no guts to admit it?"
Emma Bollock was very strong, and Amanda Jenkins felt some pain from her grip. She frowned, "Let go!"
"If you don't explain yourself, you're not getting out of here today!" Emma Bollock was relentless.
"Emma Bollock, don't push people too far!" Jesslyn Derei pushed Emma Bollock away forcefully.
Having drunk a bit, Emma Bollock was already a little tipsy. Derei's shove made her fall to the ground with a thud.
Amanda Jenkins was startled and wanted to reach out to Emma Bollock but wasn't quick enough.
"Jesslyn Derei, you've got some nerve!" Anastasia Jenkins raised her voice deliberately, "Do you even know who this is? This is the Miss of the Bollock family! How dare you treat her like that!"
The bar was noisy, and people who hadn't noticed the commotion started to look over when they heard Anastasia Jenkins's voice.
Amanda Jenkins glared at Anastasia Jenkins. She had just been standing behind Emma Bollock and clearly could have caught her but deliberately stepped aside, and now she was making a scene with her loud voice. She really had an ulterior motive!
Emma Bollock had never suffered such humiliation, and with Anastasia Jenkins making such a fuss, onlookers gathered, leaving her feeling utterly embarrassed. She quickly got up from the ground and, without waiting for anyone else to react, lunged forward and harshly slapped Jesslyn Derei's face.
"Emma Bollock!" Amanda Jenkins quickly grabbed Emma Bollock, "Stop it!"
Emma Bollock shook Amanda Jenkins off, tackled Jesslyn Derei to the ground, and landed a hook punch that made Derei spit out blood.
Amanda Jenkins was so anxious that she rushed forward to pull them apart, but Emma Bollock had been practicing martial arts since childhoold and Amanda Jenkins couldn't get the better of her.
Watching Jesslyn Derei being beaten without the ability to fight back, in a moment of desperation, Amanda Jenkins grabbed a beer bottle from a nearby table and smashed it hard against the back of Emma Bollock's head.
A muffled "crack" sounded as the bottle shattered on Emma Bollock's head.
Emma Bollock froze for a moment, then turned around in disbelief, "You... you dared to hit me!"
Blood flowed down from Emma Bollock's forehead, staining her originally beautiful face with a fierce and terrifying appearance.
Amanda Jenkins shivered with fright, her mind going completely blank.
Anastasia Jenkins was also stunned, never expecting the usually timid Amanda Jenkins to take such an action.
"Emm..." Emma Bollock didn't finish her sentence before she fell down.
"Ah!" Anastasia Jenkins screamed, "Murder! Amanda Jenkins, you've committed murder!"
Soon after, both police and ambulance vehicles arrived.
An hour later...
Jonas Jox anxiously waited at the police station entrance and finally saw an Aston Martin approaching.
The screech of the brakes pierced the night.
Then, the car door opened, and Lucas Griffin stepped out of the vehicle.
He was draped in a black coat, striding forward with long legs, his coat tails fluttering against the night like the deep darkness that trailed him.
Like Satan, he arrived, treading through the night...