Shaun Quinn smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. "Wren Wynter is my junior. Her business is my business. Unlike some people, who only bring her trouble and danger."

He grabbed Wren Wynter’s wrist, turned, and started walking into the courtyard. Without looking back, he tossed a sentence over his shoulder: "Mr. Xavier, please leave. You’re not welcome at View Gardens."

The gate SLAMMED shut in Kaden Xavier’s face.

Inside the courtyard, Shaun Quinn released Wren Wynter’s hand. The lazy, sarcastic look on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a grave expression.

"So, spill. What happened? How did you get tangled up with him again?"

He frowned, his tone full of reproach. "Have you forgotten how this man hurt you? Scars heal and the pain is forgotten, is that it?"

The questions gave Wren Wynter a headache. She rubbed the bridge of her nose and briefly recounted the recent events—from the medical dispute at the hospital and the accident at the stables, to tonight’s kidnapping.

The more Shaun Quinn heard, the darker his expression became.

"Tina Wallace?"

After hearing the story, he let out a cold laugh. "These rats in the gutter really have a lot of tricks up their sleeves."

He looked at Wren Wynter’s exhausted face, a flash of sympathy in his eyes, but his tone remained sharp. "You’re a fool, too. You knew it was a trap and you still went alone? You really think you’re invincible?"

Wren Wynter didn’t have the energy to argue with him.

"Alright, stop dawdling out here. Go inside."

Shaun Quinn sighed and pushed her toward the house. "Leave this to me. I’ll investigate. Don’t you go anywhere for the next few days. Just stay home and behave."

"And remember, stay away from that jinx Kaden Xavier. You hear me?"

Wren Wynter didn’t sleep well that night.

Shaun Quinn’s warnings and the look of lingering fear in Kaden Xavier’s eyes played over and over in her mind, leaving her restless.

The next morning, she came downstairs with faint dark circles under her eyes. Butler Chandler had already prepared breakfast.

"Miss Wynter, did you not sleep well last night? Would you like to go back up and rest for a while?"

"There’s no need, Butler Chandler." Wren Wynter shook her head, listlessly sipping her congee.

She was worried about Seraphina Sutton. Feeling uneasy, she decided to go to Moonwater Villa and tell her teacher, Julian Hawthorne, about the situation.

Her teacher was well-connected and worldly-wise; perhaps he could offer some advice.

After breakfast, she changed her clothes, grabbed her car keys, and prepared to leave.

The moment she pulled open the main gate, she froze.

Kaden Xavier’s black Bentley was parked under the shade of a tree not far from the gate.

And he himself was leaning against the car door, a nearly burnt-out cigarette pinched between his fingers.

He was still wearing last night’s suit. The collar of his shirt was wrinkled, and a layer of bluish stubble had appeared on his chin. He looked travel-worn and possessed an indescribable air of dejection.

When he saw Wren Wynter come out, he immediately extinguished his cigarette and stood up straight.

"You..." Wren Wynter looked at his bloodshot eyes, a thought flashing through her mind. "You didn’t leave all night?"

Kaden Xavier didn’t answer, simply pulling open the car door. "Get in. I’ll give you a ride."

"No, thank you." Wren Wynter walked around him toward her own car. "I have my own."

But Kaden Xavier grabbed her wrist, his grip firm.

"Wren Wynter," he looked at her, his voice painfully hoarse. "Please, stop rejecting me. Can you do that?"

"I admit it, I was a bastard. I was a piece of shit. I hurt you beyond repair."

A storm of emotions churned in his eyes, like a long-suppressed volcano. "But now, all I want is to protect you. I don’t want to see you get hurt ever again."

"Give me a chance. A chance to make it up to you."

His words threw Wren Wynter’s heart into turmoil. She forcefully pulled her hand back and took a step away, putting distance between them.

"Kaden Xavier, the word ’chance’ ceased to exist between us a long time ago."

She looked at him, her gaze clear and resolute. "Our collaboration is over. From now on, you go your way and I’ll go mine. We have nothing to do with each other."

With that, she refused to look at him again, got straight into her car, started the engine, and sped away.

Kaden Xavier stood frozen, watching her car disappear at the end of the road. His tall frame looked particularly desolate in the morning sun.

「Moonwater Villa.」

When Wren Wynter arrived, Shaun Quinn was surprisingly there as well.

He was in the courtyard, playing chess with Julian Hawthorne.

Seeing Wren Wynter, Julian Hawthorne stroked his beard and said with a hearty laugh, "Ah, the girl is here! Come, come, take a look at your second brother, this terrible chess player. I’ve crushed him completely again."

Shaun Quinn shrugged nonchalantly. "Respect the old and cherish the young, ever heard of it? I was just letting you win, old man."

Wren Wynter walked over, greeted her teacher, and then gave a detailed report on the successful completion of the project.

Julian Hawthorne listened and nodded in satisfaction. "Well done. You haven’t disgraced me."

He glanced at Wren Wynter, a hint of fatherly affection in his eyes. "You’ve gotten thinner, though. Don’t work yourself too hard. Your health is what’s important."

A warmth spread through Wren Wynter’s heart.

As they left the study, Shaun Quinn followed behind her.

"What? Did my lecture last night send you running to our teacher for comfort?"

His hands were stuffed in his pockets, and he spoke in that same punchable tone.

Wren Wynter ignored him.

But Shaun Quinn pulled an exquisite velvet box from his pocket and held it out to her.

"Here. This is for you."

Wren Wynter paused. "What is this?"

"Open it and you’ll see."

Wren Wynter took it suspiciously. She opened the box to find a jadeite bracelet lying quietly inside.

The bracelet was of the finest ice-type jadeite, a vibrant green throughout. It was highly translucent and glowed with a gentle luster in the sunlight.

"You..."

"Happy birthday, little junior."

Shaun Quinn cut her off, a rare, gentle smile gracing his lips. "I almost forgot, today’s your birthday."

’Birthday?’

Wren Wynter was completely stunned.

She had been so busy she’d lost track of the days, completely forgetting her own birthday.

She never expected that her second brother, usually the one with the sharpest tongue, would remember it so clearly.

A warm current surged through her heart, washing away the gloom that had plagued her for days.

"Thank you, second brother."

"Alright, enough with the mushy stuff."

Her gaze made Shaun Quinn a little uncomfortable, and he reverted to his usual lazy demeanor. "Come on. Your brother will take you out for a good meal to celebrate."

The two of them went to a famous private kitchen restaurant in the city center.

The restaurant’s ambiance was elegant. Shaun Quinn was clearly a regular, as the manager personally led them to a private room with a window.

After ordering, Shaun Quinn poured her a cup of tea. "So, spill. You came to see the teacher today, but was there something else?"

Wren Wynter nodded. Just as she was about to tell him about Seraphina Sutton, the door to their private room was pushed open from the outside.

"What a coincidence, Dr. Quinn, Miss Wynter. Are you eating here too?"

A face with exquisite makeup peeked in. It was none other than Tina Wallace.

And behind her followed Kaden Xavier, his face dark and sullen.