Nelson had disliked this man from the start. Seeing him step forward now only intensified his discomfort.
"Janelle, I've said all I need to say. If you keep associating with this kind of lowlife scum, no one will be able to save you."
"Lowlife scum? Who exactly are you calling lowlife scum?" Erik's gaze swept over Nelson. He'd disliked him for a while.
"Whoever fits the description," Nelson retorted, staring straight back at Erik.
Erik smiled, but the smile sent chills down the spine.
"Then I see no need to hold back." With that, Erik's fist connected squarely with Nelson's face.
"Ahhh!" Lillie shrieked, instinctively jumping back.
Nelson was completely blindsided. He hadn't expected the man to resort to violence outright, especially in a restaurant owned by the Hills.
Watching the scumbag get punched filled Sara with profound satisfaction. That bastard Nelson! He'd chased after Janelle relentlessly back then, only to betray her in the end. He'd hooked up with Lillie during Janelle's darkest hour. And now, even engaged to Lillie, he still came blabbering in front of Janelle. It was utterly disgusting.
Sara linked her arm through Janelle's. "He's got a certain... intensity. Too bad he's from the Imperial Capital," she murmured, sounding genuinely regretful.
Janelle remained noncommittal. She had no desire for anything with Erik; where he was from was irrelevant. Though, she had to admit, he looked incredibly striking when he fought.
Nelson clutched his face. It was just one punch, yet the pain was excruciating, forcing tears to his eyes. Feeling something foreign in his mouth, he spat – a tooth, along with blood, landed on the floor.
Seeing the tooth and blood, Lillie rushed over. "Nelson! Are you okay? Are you hurt? I'll take you to the hospital!" she cried, frantic.
Nelson roughly shoved Lillie away. She stumbled, barely keeping her balance.
"Nelson, let me take you to the hospital! You lost a tooth!" Lillie pleaded, heart aching for him.
"Leave me alone! I'm teaching him a lesson today!" Nelson snarled.
Since childhood, Nelson had been Graham City's golden boy. No one had ever dared lay a finger on him here. And now this damned man, not only stealing Janelle away but also humiliating him by hitting him in front of everyone? It was intolerable.
Nelson shrugged off his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves.
"Nelson!" Lillie was genuinely worried. He clearly wasn't this man's match. "Janelle!" she turned, commanding, "You always liked Nelson, didn't you? Help him!"
Janelle let out a cold laugh. "Heh."
"Lillie, he's your fiancé. So what if he gets beaten to death? What does it have to do with me?"
"Sara, how can you be so shameless?!" Sara chimed in, disgusted. "Daring to ask Janelle for help!" She'd seen shameless acts, but this took the cake.
"Janelle, that's your boyfriend! If he seriously injures someone, do you think the Hills will let him get away with it?" Lillie was desperate. If Nelson was badly hurt, what would become of her?
"His affairs are none of my business," Janelle stated flatly.
The Hills? Forget the Hills. Even if all the wealthy families in Graham City combined their forces, they probably wouldn't be a match for Erik.
Hearing her words, Erik chuckled. "You can make it your business," he said, granting her face. "Just say the word, and I'll listen."
Janelle wanted nothing to do with that kind of deference. "Do as you please."
"Then I won't hold back."
"..." Lillie was speechless.
Seeing the manager arrive, she immediately ordered, "Get security up here! Now!"
"No!" Nelson stopped them, pride flaring. "This is a duel between men." Especially in front of Janelle, how could he need help? "Lillie, do you think I can't beat him?" He was deeply offended. No man wanted to be seen as weak.
"Nelson, I'm just worried about you," Lillie insisted. The man looked formidable. Why subject himself to this humiliation? And the crowd of onlookers was growing. Didn't he care about her face?
"I don't need your worry!" Nelson pushed her aside again and launched himself at Erik.
As the Hills heir, Nelson had trained in Taekwondo and Karate since childhood. He'd lost his tooth earlier only because Erik had struck without warning.
Facing Nelson's attack, Erik looked utterly unconcerned. His gaze remained fixed on Janelle. However, just as Nelson's fist was about to connect with his face, Erik's hand shot out, catching Nelson's fist mid-air.
Nelson tried to pull back, to strike again, but his fist was trapped, immovable.
In the next instant, Erik wrenched it backward.
Crack!
A sharp, sickening snap echoed through the restaurant, followed by Nelson's agonized scream.
"Nelson!" Lillie rushed to his side, supporting his sagging body. "How bad is it?"
She'd known Nelson was no match! Why had he been so recklessly arrogant?
"What's going on? Nelson's engaged to Lillie, right? Why is he fighting over Janelle?"
"Must be unresolved feelings! Didn't Nelson and Janelle date before?"
"Two men fighting over one woman? Take one guess why!"
"Poor Lillie! She finally managed to get engaged to Nelson, and now this? Barely engaged, and he's already brawling over another woman... worst of all, it's her own sister!"
The whispers cut through Lillie like knives, her face twisting with humiliation.
"Manager!" she shrieked, directing all her fury at Erik and Janelle. "Call the police! Have him arrested!" It was all their fault. If they hadn't come here to eat, she wouldn't be suffering this disgrace.
The manager immediately dialed the police.
Seeing them call the authorities, Sara tugged Janelle's hand. "Janelle, what do we do? With the Hills' current standing in Graham City, Erik could end up locked up!" The man certainly seemed imposing, but she knew nothing of his background.
Janelle glanced at the man calmly wiping his hands with a napkin. Would calling the police even make a difference?
"Let's go. He can handle it himself," Janelle said, uninterested in getting involved. She had other matters to attend to.
But Lillie blocked her path. "You think you can just leave? You're in on this! You don't get to walk away after assaulting someone!" Hatred burned in her eyes.
Janelle met her gaze with icy contempt. "What? Want me to hit you too? That can be arranged."
Hearing this, Lillie scrambled back a step.
"Everyone here just witnessed it!" Lillie appealed to the crowd. "That man assaulted Nelson! When the police arrive, you all must testify for Nelson!" She looked around at the wealthy and influential patrons filling the restaurant. They knew exactly whose side to take.