Jack coughed lightly, drawing attention to himself, and then spoke in a shameless, overly casual tone, "We're living together, so yeah, it's exactly the kind of relationship you think it is." He delivered the line with a smirk.
Without hesitation, Jack put his arm around Lena's shoulders in what he pretended was an intimate, comfortable manner, but it was clear to everyone watching that it was a calculated move. He wasn't just trying to help her; he was trying to send a message to Patrick, making his claim on Lena very public.
Lena's cheeks flushed a deep red, her head lowering as she fought back the embarrassment that flooded through her. Her pink fists clenched tightly at her sides, her knuckles whitening as she tried to compose herself.
"You… you bastard!" Patrick spat, his voice trembling with rage. His eyes widened, almost bulging out of his head as he processed the humiliation. The suave, collected gentleman act crumbled in an instant. His fingers tightened around the bouquet, causing the delicate petals to fall like confetti as his grip crushed the stems. Without thinking, he threw the flowers to the ground, the vibrant blossoms now scattered like broken dreams.
Pointing a shaking finger at Lena, he seethed, his voice rising to an indignant shout, "Lena! I really thought you were some pure, innocent woman, but now I see the truth! You've already been rolling around with a random man! Do you even know what you've done? How could you be worthy of someone like me?!"
Lena's face burned, not with embarrassment this time, but with fury. She had enough. Her voice, previously calm and measured, now trembled with anger as she fired back, "Patrick, what the hell are you talking about? My life, my choices, have nothing to do with you! Stop acting like I owe you something. I never led you on, and I never will. You've been deluding yourself this entire time, and I'm done putting up with it!"
Patrick's eyes flared as if Lena's words had lit a fuse. "Bitch!" he roared, his face twisting with a mix of betrayal and unbridled rage. He took a step forward, his arm raising as if he was about to strike her, his hand poised to deliver a blow in the heat of his anger.
Lena gasped, her instincts kicking in as she moved closer to Jack, seeking some kind of refuge. Samantha's face drained of color, her eyes widening in shock as she saw the impending attack. "Lena!" she cried, her voice tinged with panic. She knew that a slap from an enraged man could leave lasting damage.
But before Patrick's hand could even descend, Jack moved. His eyes, sharp and focused, seemed to slow time itself. His instincts were heightened, and his hand shot out with precision, catching Patrick's wrist mid-swing. The grip was firm but controlled,. Jack used the momentum of Patrick's strike to twist the arm slightly, pulling Patrick off balance and causing him to stumble several steps backward.
Patrick barely caught himself from falling, and once he regained his footing, he glared at Jack with a murderous intensity. "You little bastard! How dare you touch me?! Do you have any idea who you're dealing with? Do you know what you've just done?"
Jack met Patrick's gaze with a calm, unwavering expression, his grip still firm on Patrick's wrist before finally releasing him. "You're not as important as you think you are," Jack replied coolly, his voice low but laced with a confidence that made Patrick bristle. "Lena's made it very clear she's not interested. If you keep harassing her, don't be surprised when I step in again. She's my girlfriend, and I won't just stand by and let someone like you get away with this."
Patrick's laughter rang out suddenly, loud and mocking. He threw his head back, laughing as if Jack had just told the most ridiculous joke he had ever heard. His face contorted into a twisted grin as he recovered from his outburst, his eyes narrowing with venomous intent. "Girlfriend?" he sneered, shaking his head. "You think this is over? You think you can just walk away after humiliating me like this?"
His smile faded, replaced by a deadly seriousness. "Listen, kid," he hissed, taking a menacing step forward, "if you don't want to end up in a hospital, you'd better leave a leg behind today. Mark my words, I'll make sure you regret ever crossing me."
Samantha's face went pale as the gravity of the situation set in. She quickly grabbed Jack's arm, pulling him back, her voice a frantic whisper, "Jack, don't escalate this. Take Lena and go, now! You don't know what Patrick's capable of!"
Lena's eyes widened in terror, her earlier anger now replaced with dread. She knew all too well what kind of person Patrick was—and more importantly, what kind of power his family wielded. Her voice trembled as she spoke, "Jack, please… this isn't your fight. He'll come after you next. You need to leave before this gets any worse."
Lena's mind raced, memories flooding back of the rumors she had heard—how Patrick had once brutally beaten a university professor for the smallest slight, how the man had to get stitches and had ultimately been forced to leave the university in disgrace. Patrick's family had covered everything up, of course. Nothing ever stuck to people like him.
Jack, however, didn't move. His eyes remained locked on Patrick. He couldn't understand why a guy like Patrick, who clearly had all the power and wealth he needed to get what he wanted, was wasting time with affection and empty gestures. If he really wanted Lena, he could have just taken her by force, Jack thought grimly. And with his rich family backing him, he'd never face any consequences.
Now that he already throw away his gentleman image, he would probably going to do something to Lena if he left.