Chapter 1

Lawrence Hale has been Julia Ware's assistant and lover for seven years, but she's now getting engaged to someone else.

She calls off their engagement during an auction, and he thinks she wants to propose to him. It's only when a face that looks almost identical to him shows up that he realizes he's never been more than a replacement.

Chapter 1

"Lawrence, you're already 30. You're not young anymore. Are you really planning to stay at that company forever? If you're not getting married, just come back for a blind date. Your Aunt Ella found a young lady for you. She's coming back from abroad next month, and she seems nice. Come meet her."

It was nearing the end of the workday when Lawrence Hale received the call from his mother, Maddison Pace.

It wasn't the first time she had called to pressure him about marriage. Usually, he'd hesitate or brush it off. But this time, his answer was different.

"Alright. I'll come back once I quit my job."

On the other end, Maddison went silent for a moment. "You're serious about coming back?"

"Yeah, I'll be back."

After hanging up, Lawrence started packing up his desk to leave when the office phone buzzed.

"Come in."

Lawrence pushed the door open, and his gaze immediately landed on the woman standing by the floor-to-ceiling window.

She had a stunning figure and a beautiful face. Under the golden rays of the setting sun, she looked almost ethereal.

When Lawrence approached Julia Ware, she turned and looped her arms around his neck. She then whispered in his ear, "I'm coming to your place tonight."

"I've got plans tonight," he replied, stepping back.

However, Julia grabbed his wrist. "What plans could you possibly have?"

"I have a meeting with a client." Lawrence rejected her again.

Unfazed, Julia reached out and unbuttoned his collar. The marks beneath his white shirt were enough to make anyone blush.

"You know I don't like men who don't listen to me," she murmured, before leaning in to kiss him.

Lawrence frowned but didn't resist. Her kisses trailed over him, but inside, he felt nothing but emptiness.

The night before, he had delivered some documents to Julia at a bar. That was when he overheard her conversation with a group of socialites.

"Ms. Ware, we heard your grandma's setting you up with a fiancé. What about your boy toy, Lawrence?"

Julia had replied nonchalantly, "What about him? He's just a fling. Do you think I'd actually keep him around? If he hadn't been so attentive, I would've replaced him long ago. I'd never marry him."

Everyone knew Lawrence was head over heels for Julia—so much so that no matter the time or place, he'd drop everything for her.

But he never expected that he was nothing more than a fling in Julia's eyes.

At that moment, Lawrence finally woke up.

That night, he drove Julia home as usual. When they reached her door, she turned and wrapped herself around him, igniting every corner of his body with practiced ease.

She was unusually passionate, but for Lawrence, it felt like pure torment.

After their intimacy, she lay in his arms. "I'm getting engaged."

"I see," he replied.

He didn't have much of a reaction. After all, he had known about it. What was there to react to?

"Aren't you upset?" Julia asked.

She wasn't surprised by his reaction. Ever since the day he started working as her assistant, she had never seen Lawrence show any real emotion.

He was like a robot, seemingly indifferent to everyone and everything. He always knew his place and handled every situation with precision.

Most importantly, his features bore a striking resemblance to that person. That was a crucial reason why Julia chose him.

"No. Go to sleep. I'm tired," Lawrence said. He turned over, putting some space between them.

Julia frowned in displeasure and poked him in the back. "Hug me."

But for the first time, Lawrence didn't respond. He stayed stiff and silent, closing his eyes but unable to rest.

The next morning, Julia woke to find Lawrence already gone.

When she went downstairs, there was no breakfast waiting for her.

Every time she stayed here overnight, Lawrence would have her outfit and matching shoes for the next day ready.

She was picky, and the steak she wanted for breakfast always had to be the freshest.

Lawrence would always head to the market early to pick the best steak and rush back to prepare her meal before she came downstairs.

But this morning, he hadn't laid out her clothes or made breakfast.

Chapter 2

As Julia walked downstairs, she saw Lawrence lounging in the garden under the sun. There was a rare smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Where's my breakfast?" she asked as she approached him.

The moment Lawrence heard her voice, his smile vanished. "I didn't make it."

"Why not? You know I always want your breakfast in the morning." Julia frowned. She could sense something was off about Lawrence today.

"I'm heading out to meet a client and don't have time. You can ask the maid to make it."

Lawrence turned to leave, but Julia grabbed his arm.

"What's wrong?" Noticing his odd behavior, she softened her tone.

"Is it because I'm getting engaged? That's what my family wants, and I haven't agreed to it yet."

"You misunderstood, Ms. Ware. Who you marry is your choice. No matter what, you told me from the start that our relationship is purely physical with no emotional strings attached."

He shrugged off her hand and walked away without looking back.

When Lawrence returned to the office, he noticed a gift box on his desk.

One of his colleagues, Elliot Wyatt, walked by and teased, "Mr. Hale, another admirer sending you a gift?"

Lawrence opened it nonchalantly. Inside was a limited-edition tie—the third one exactly like the others he had received.

He knew exactly who it was from. The gift was typical of Julia. After every intimate encounter, a new tie would appear on his desk.

He once mentioned liking ties, so every gift Julia gave him was a tie.

She would give him different colors of the same style, various versions from the same collection, or even the exact same tie over and over again.

At first, Lawrence had loved them, even though he knew she hadn't put any thought into them. But now, he wasn't interested anymore.

"Do you want it? You can have it."

He handed the tie to Elliot, who excitedly put it on around his neck. "Really? This is a limited-edition tie, Mr. Hale! You're so generous!"

Elliot proudly walked around showing off the tie. Just then, Julia stepped off the elevator.

Seeing him give away the gift she had given him made her furious.

She pulled Lawrence into her office. "What's going on with you, Lawrence? I told you from the start that I won't be marrying you."

"I know," Lawrence responded quietly. "I know very well, Ms. Ware."

"Then what are you trying to do?"

"Nothing. I already have three of the exact same tie. I'm tired of them. I don't want another one."

Julia was taken aback. Had she really given him three identical ties?

They were all the latest designs, limited editions, and expensive. She had bought them casually, thinking he'd love them.

"I'll buy you something else next time."

"No need. There won't be a next time." Lawrence glanced at his watch. "Ms. Ware, it's 9:00 am. You should be in your meeting."

As he walked away, Julia stood there, lost in thought.

Later, when Lawrence was preparing some materials for Julia's meeting, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach.

In the past, he would have pushed through it.

But this time, he called a hospital and made an appointment without hesitation. He was going to take the day off and see a doctor.

Julia wasn't paying attention during the meeting. Her thoughts were consumed with Lawrence. Her dark eyes were fixed on him, but through the entire meeting, he didn't even spare her a glance.

When lunchtime came, Julia went to look for him, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Lawrence?" she asked.

"Didn't Mr. Hale tell you? He's on leave this afternoon."

"Where did he go?"

On leave? He'd never taken a sick day before. Even when he was burning with fever and close to fainting, he never took time off.

Why would he suddenly take a day off without telling her?

"I don't know."

"Find out. I want to know where he went," Julia ordered.

…

At the hospital, the doctor told Lawrence that his stomach issues were caused by not eating properly for too long.

Indeed, these years of working for Julia had made him forget what it felt like to sit down and enjoy a proper meal.

After the appointment, Lawrence didn't rush back to the office. Instead, he found a quiet spot to sit and relax.

The afternoon sun was warm. Sitting by the window, he sipped his coffee leisurely.

It had been a long time since he had the chance to sit and enjoy the moment.

These past years working for Julia had drained him completely. It was time for him to start living for himself.

Just then, his phone vibrated. He looked down and saw a call from Julia. He glanced at it and didn't answer.

Julia, growing anxious, called him again and again.

Lawrence grew irritated and turned off his phone.

Chapter 3

When Julia discovered that Lawrence had turned off his phone, she was so furious that she nearly smashed it.

He had spent the entire afternoon at a café. For the first time, he felt like time truly belonged to him.

It wasn't until dark that he turned his phone back on. Dozens of missed calls and countless messages flooded in.

"Where are you?

"I'm waiting for you at your place. Come back now.

"Lawrence, I'm giving you half an hour. Come back now."

The last message was sent at 3:00 pm, and now it was 6:00 pm.

Looking at her messages, Lawrence sneered. Just by reading these, he could imagine how angry Julia must be at that moment.

He wandered around, ate some of his favorite foods, and then returned home leisurely.

The apartment was pitch dark when he walked in. He bent down to change his shoes. As he flicked on the lights, he saw Julia sitting on the couch.

Seeing him come back so late, Julia was seething. "Where have you been? Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you?"

Lawrence ignored her. He walked over to the kitchen island and poured himself a glass of water.

In the past, he would have been the one waiting there.

Whenever Julia said she would visit him, he'd sit on the couch waiting, no matter how late it was.

If she said she would arrive at 10:00 pm, he would be anticipating it from 6:00 pm.

If she said she would come the next day, he would prepare everything perfectly.

Since Julia mentioned liking the smell of sun, Lawrence would change the bed sheets. The duvet would be aired out before he put a fresh cover on it and made the bed.

But now, he was tired. He wouldn't wait for her anymore.

"I'm talking to you, Lawrence. Can't you hear me?" She grabbed his hand. Her dark eyes were filled with fury.

Lawrence remained calm. "I had things to do. If you didn't want to wait, you could have left."

"What's going on with you? You've been acting strange all day."

"I'm fine."

Lawrence moved around her and started heading upstairs.

At this moment, Julia's suppressed anger finally boiled over. "Lawrence Hale, remember your place. No one has ever made me wait this long. Don't forget. You're just my—"

"Your what?" he interrupted her. "Fling?"

Julia froze. "You heard what I said that night?" She finally realized why he had changed. "I was just saying it for fun. I didn't mean it."

"Then tell me. What am I to you?" Lawrence looked up at her. His sharp gaze locked with hers.

Julia fell silent, not knowing what to say.

"I'm tired. You should go now."

For the first time, he dismissed her. He went to his room, took a warm shower, changed, and prepared to sleep.

Downstairs, Julia leaned against her car and stared up at the apartment for a long time.

Lawrence ignored her. He pulled the curtains shut, turned off the lights, and quickly fell asleep.

The next morning, before he was even fully awake, his phone started ringing.

"Lawrence, turn on the news! Julia just publicly broke off her engagement! Is it because of you?"

Lawrence jumped out of bed and turned on the TV.

Sure enough, he saw Julia telling reporters that she was canceling her engagement because there was someone more important to her now.

His heart skipped a beat. Seeing the determined look in Julia's eyes, Lawrence felt a rush of excitement.

"Congratulations, Lawrence! Looks like you finally won Julia's heart."

After hanging up, Lawrence was still filled with emotions.

He wanted to call Julia and ask what she really meant by those words. Was she truly canceling her engagement for him?

But before he could dial her number, he received a message from Julia. "Come to Moore Hotel at 8:00 pm. There's a party. Dress well."

After reading her message, Lawrence finally smiled.

She rarely invited him to parties. In the past, she almost never took him anywhere. But now, she was inviting him to a party.

He quickly texted his friend, David Gardner, who responded excitedly, "Is Julia ready to go public with you? It looks like you've finally got your chance."

Lawrence bit his lip. A sense of anticipation crept into his chest.

In his mind, he quietly repeated that this would be the last time—the final chance he would give to both Julia and himself.

He went to a mall, bought an expensive suit, and then went to a stylist and makeup artist to get himself ready.

At precisely 8:00 pm, he arrived at Moore Hotel.

He had heard a little about the event. It was an auction for the high society, full of influential people.

Standing outside the entrance, Lawrence took a deep breath. He subconsciously reached into his suit pants pocket to feel the small box before stepping inside the ballroom.

The grand hall was filled with people, everyone dressed to impress.

Amidst the sea of beauty and glamour, Lawrence immediately spotted the woman he had been thinking about.

He began walking toward her but overheard someone say, "I didn't expect Ms. Ware to bring a partner tonight."

"I heard it's her beloved man who finally came back from being abroad."

"No wonder she held a press conference this morning to break off her engagement to Mr. Horne. Turns out, her first love has returned."

Lawrence's smile froze. First love? What were they talking about?

Chapter 4

As Julia turned, the man beside her followed suit.

Lawrence's eyes widened when he saw a face strikingly similar to his own. At that moment, every drop of blood in his body seemed to freeze.

Who was the man standing next to Julia? Her first love?

Lawrence had been with Julia for seven years and never knew she had a man she couldn't forget.

A sharp pain pierced his chest. As he turned to leave, Julia called out to him, "Lawrence, you're here!"

At his words, the crowd stared at Lawrence and whispered among themselves.

"Lawrence? Julia's assistant?"

"Why does he look so much like Patrick?"

"Didn't you know? He's the substitute. I heard that while Patrick was away for those seven years, Julia found someone to fill in for him. I guess that's him."

Their words kept rushing into his ears. Lawrence felt as if someone had wrapped their hands around his neck and was choking the breath out of him.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Hale." Julia's first love, Patrick Harrison, approached Lawrence and looked him up and down.

"Sorry, I heard Jules say you don't like attending events like this. But I really wanted to meet you, so I had her invite you."

Noticing the challenge in Patrick's eyes, Lawrence clenched his fists at his sides. "You wanted to meet me?"

He now realized that Julia hadn't canceled her engagement because of him, but because Patrick had returned.

The reason she had him dress up for the banquet was to let Patrick see what he—the substitute—looked like.

The pain in his heart was overwhelming. Lawrence felt his legs go weak, as if he could barely keep himself standing.

"I heard someone say that you look a bit like me. Jules, do you think we look alike?" Patrick tilted his head and asked Julia.

Smiling, Julia casually replied, "It's just a coincidence. He can't compare to you."

Lawrence's heart broke even more at her words. He staggered a step back.

He turned to leave, but Patrick blocked his way.

"Mr. Hale, I haven't had a drink with you yet. Thank you for taking care of Jules all this time. She's a bit spoiled, so I'm sure you've had it tough."

Patrick's condescending tone made him seem like the rightful partner, while Lawrence felt like the other man.

The crowd's eyes were all on him. They were watching him like a joke.

Lawrence forced a smile. "It's my job. I get paid to do it. It's not hard."

"I'm sure you've done more than just your job." Patrick raised his voice and laughed boisterously. "But now that I'm back, there are some things you don't have to take care of anymore."

Lawrence looked up at Julia, but she stood there with a blank expression. She didn't even spare him a glance.

It was as if everything happening right now was none of her business.

Lawrence nodded in disappointment. "Alright, I understand."

He turned to leave but accidentally bumped into a waiter holding a glass of wine.

The red wine spilled all over him, ruining the expensive suit he had bought for the event.

Patrick was startled. "Are you okay, Mr. Hale? Your suit is ruined! Let me get the waiter to bring you a new one so you can change."

"I'm fine."

Compared to Patrick, Lawrence looked utterly pathetic at this moment.

When Julia saw his clothes were ruined and he nearly tripped, she reached out to help him. However, Patrick stepped in first and grabbed her hand.

"Jules, since Mr. Hale doesn't need my help, let's go in. The auction is about to start."

Julia nodded. She retracted her hand and cast a quick glance at Lawrence. "You should go back and change your clothes. Be careful not to catch a cold."

With that, they turned and walked away without looking back.

The crowd began to disperse, but Lawrence stood there, unmoving.

At that moment, he was completely and utterly disillusioned with Julia.

Chapter 5

Lawrence had never known he was just a substitute. The moment he saw Patrick, many things he hadn't understood before suddenly became clear.

He now understood why Julia had always loved giving him that particular tie. It was the one Patrick wore.

Looking down, Lawrence felt his eyes begin to tear up.

Back at his apartment, still wearing the ruined suit, Lawrence threw the ring he had so joyfully chosen for Julia onto the table. He stared blankly at the moon outside the window.

He remembered the first time he met Julia. It was at a bar seven years ago.

He had been short on money and worked there as a waiter. Then, he met her. Julia had immediately taken an interest in him and hired him as her assistant.

Over time, Lawrence developed feelings for her. Perhaps sensing this, Julia had invited him to become her lover.

At that time, she hadn't made their relationship public, and he thought it was just a matter of time before it happened.

But now, he understood that he would never be her boyfriend or husband.

This realization brought him to a decision—he would leave her.

The next morning, Lawrence woke up early to resign.

As he headed downstairs, he saw Julia. She had come early in the morning. Knowing he would be asleep, she didn't want to disturb him.

She remembered that his favorite breakfast was the stuffed bread from Auburn Street, so she had stood in line to get it for him.

Seeing her, Lawrence didn't react much.

"Morning!" Julia greeted him enthusiastically. "I bought your favorite stuffed bread. I waited in line for ages. My feet are killing me."

"I'm not hungry," Lawrence replied. He bent down to change his shoes, ready to leave.

Noticing his attitude, Julia was furious. "What's with you now? Do you know how long I had to wait for this?"

"I didn't ask you to do this, Ms. Ware. I need to go now. I don't have time to argue."

She grabbed his arm. "Are you mad because of Patrick?"

Lawrence bit his lip and didn't answer.

Julia sneered. "We were never going to get married anyway. Does it really matter that you're just a substitute?"

Her words cut deeply.

Lawrence shook his head. "It doesn't matter, Ms. Ware. It's getting late. I need to go to work. Let go of me."

At the office, Lawrence sat down at his desk and immediately began typing up his resignation letter.

Once printed, he intended to hand it to Julia, but she wasn't in the office. Her driver came by to pick up some things, so Lawrence handed the letter to him.

"Please give this to Julia," he said.

When Julia received the resignation letter, she was initially shocked, but then she just smiled. "Where would he go without me? Lawrence can't live without me. He's just throwing a tantrum because Patrick came back. He'll get over it. Don't worry."

After resigning, Lawrence felt a sense of relief.

He took a cab home but suddenly realized that this apartment wasn't really his home. It was a gift from Julia, or rather, a place she had used to vent her desires.

Now that he had decided to cut ties with her, he didn't want the apartment anymore.

As Lawrence entered the apartment, he immediately noticed someone had been there. He walked quickly into the living room and found a man sitting on his couch.

"Patrick."

"Hi, Mr. Hale."

Patrick was in his apartment, sitting on his couch, with Lawrence's tie placed in front of him.

"This is my home, Mr. Harrison. Don't you think it's inappropriate to just barge in?" Lawrence's tone was hostile as he stared at Patrick.

He hated it when people showed up uninvited.

"Your home?" Patrick laughed and shook the keys in his hand. "If it were your home, how could I have a key?"

He stood and walked over to Lawrence. "Mr. Hale, don't tell me you don't know that this apartment was a gift from Jules to me. I didn't want it, so she gave it to you."

Looking at Patrick, Lawrence pressed his lips together and clenched his fists.

Even this apartment was Patrick's?

"And this tie…"

"Mr. Harrison, do you have a habit of touching other people's things?"

Lawrence reached for the tie, but Patrick easily dodged his attempt. "How do you know this tie is yours and not mine?

"Don't you know? This tie is my favorite, and the collection in your closet is also my favorite. Let me remind you. Jules doesn't love you. She loves me."

With that, Patrick left.

Lawrence was left alone in the apartment. At that moment, he felt that the apartment was a cage. And he was the little sparrow, trapped inside because of his lack of money.

Patrick was right. It was time for him to wake up.

Lawrence threw away all the gifts Julia had given him, except for the ties.

He had already found a new place to live and was ready to move out.

His colleagues knew he was leaving, and some of them were reluctant to see him go. They organized a farewell gathering at a karaoke bar.

At 8:00 pm, Lawrence arrived at Echo Chamber.

As soon as he walked into the private room, his eyes immediately spotted Julia and Patrick sitting beside each other.

Chapter 6

"Mr. Hale is here!" one of Lawrence's colleagues shouted.

Seeing Julia and Patrick, Lawrence wanted to leave, but it was too late. He was already dragged into the room.

"Mr. Hale, you're quite influential. Even Ms. Ware came!" someone joked.

Lawrence frowned. Had he known she would be there, he wouldn't have come.

"Ms. Ware, who's this by your side? Care to introduce?" one of Julia's long-time colleagues asked.

Lawrence lifted his eyes and saw Julia holding Patrick's hand.

"Oops, I forgot to introduce him. This is my boyfriend, Patrick Harrison. He just returned from being abroad."

At that moment, Lawrence thought he heard the sound of his own heart breaking.

He had waited for seven years, hoping Julia would finally acknowledge him as her boyfriend. But now, she was officially announcing another man as her partner.

The mood in the room grew awkward. Everyone looked at Lawrence.

Over the years, he had always been by Julia's side. His contributions to her and her company were well known.

Everyone had assumed that he would marry Julia one day. Lawrence had even believed it himself.

"Come on. Let's all raise a glass to our future boss!" someone suggested.

The crowd started to cheer. Julia glanced at Lawrence. "What about you? You're resigning. Aren't you going to drink?"

Lawrence had developed a stomach problem due to Julia. The doctor had advised him against drinking.

"I can't drink." He then picked up a glass of water from the table. "I'll drink to you with water instead, boss."

He emphasized the word "boss" with bitterness before draining the glass in one go.

However, Julia was not pleased. "What now? Now that you've resigned, you can't even have a drink? You're really testing my patience, Lawrence."

His resignation letter was still in her car. Every time she thought of how Lawrence was acting out of spite, she felt a sharp pang of discomfort.

"Jules, don't do this. Today is Mr. Hale's farewell party. How about this? Mr. Hale, let me toast to you. Thank you for everything you've done for Jules and the company all these years."

Patrick wanted to drink, but Julia stopped him.

"What are you drinking for? Your stomach isn't good. What if you get sick again tonight?"

"That was seven years ago. You still remember? My stomach's fine now."

Julia was insistent. "He won't drink, so why should you?"

Her words were like daggers, piercing Lawrence's heart over and over again. She didn't know about his stomach problems, but she remembered Patrick's from seven years ago.

Lawrence couldn't bear to look at them any longer. He grabbed a bottle of beer from the table, opened it, and began drinking with a frown.

Julia glanced over at him. Seeing him drinking, she couldn't help but speak up, "You said you can't drink, but now you're drinking nonstop. Why do you have to be like this, Lawrence?"

She sneered. "You won't even toast to Patrick, but now you're drinking away. When did you become so petty?"

With that, she stormed out of the room. But before she could get far, a few burly men blocked her path. "Well, well, what a beauty!"

Frowning, Julia tried to walk around them, but they stopped her.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"What do we want? You tell us." The man at the front, Brandon Foster, waved his hand, and the others immediately stepped forward to restrain her.

Just as Julia was about to call for help, Lawrence appeared.

"Let her go!" he commanded.

"Lawrence, save me!" Julia was scared. Although she was used to being decisive in the business world, she was still a woman, and this situation naturally made her nervous.

"Who the hell are you? I suggest you stay out of this!" Brandon growled.

As soon as he said that, Lawrence had already raised his fist and landed a punch right on Brandon's face.

"Let her go!" Lawrence shouted again as he delivered a powerful kick to Brandon's stomach.

Anger flashed in Brandon's eyes at once. "Mr. Hale! Punching me once is fine, but you should know when to stop! I'll be charging extra money for this!"

Chapter 7

In the chaos, Julia, just freed from her restraints, rubbed her red wrists. She asked in confusion, "What money?"

"It's nothing." Brandon sneered. "This gentleman said if we abducted you and he came to the rescue, he could force you to marry him. What's wrong? Now you want to back out?"

Julia's anger exploded as soon as she heard that. "Lawrence Hale! You actually had someone abduct me? Are you out of your mind?"

Lawrence looked at Julia and put on a mocking smile. "Can't you tell? I don't even know these people. Besides, do you think I'm that kind of person?"

Just then, Patrick appeared at the perfect moment. Julia rushed into his arms, almost on the verge of tears. "I was so scared, Patrick. I never thought Lawrence would be like this!"

"It's okay. It's fine now. You're too much, Lawrence. Are you even a man?"

Although Patrick was scolding him, Lawrence saw a flash of amusement and provocation in Patrick's eyes.

Suddenly, he understood.

These people were hired by Patrick.

"Why are you framing me? Patrick? You hired them, didn't you? I don't know these people!" Lawrence shouted.

"Enough!" Julia snapped. "You're really pathetic, Lawrence!"

"Let's get you out of here, Jules." Patrick took Julia's hand, ready to leave.

Before they walked out, Julia looked back at Lawrence. "You've really disappointed me. Since you hired these people, we shouldn't let them come for nothing. You guys, beat him up. I'll pay you."

With that, she left decisively.

As Lawrence watched her walk away, his heart broke completely.

"Guys, we're in for some fun today! We get to make money from both sides and beat someone up! We should work with Mr. Harrison again," Brandon said excitedly.

Mr. Harrison?

Lawrence almost laughed. He had guessed right. This was all part of Patrick's elaborate scheme. His acting was so poor, yet Julia couldn't see through it.

A few men blocked Lawrence's path and dragged him into a private room.

Lawrence struggled for a moment, but it was futile. He couldn't win against four people. In his struggle, he hopelessly called out to Julia's retreating figure. His last hope shattered as he saw her remain indifferent.

"Turn on the music! Don't let anyone outside hear. Guys, beat him hard!" Brandon ordered.

They charged at Lawrence, throwing punches and kicks.

The lights blurred before his eyes. He glanced around and spotted a beer bottle on the table. A hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.

…

Later, when Julia was asleep, she had nightmares. "No!" she screamed in fear.

Seeing her terrified, Patrick held her tightly. "It's okay, Jules. It's all over now."

"Why did Lawrence do this to me?" Julia's face hardened.

"Yeah, I never expected him to do that. Is he mad that I returned? Is he afraid I'll take you from him, so he staged all this?"

"He has no right to blame you. Don't worry. I'll make him apologize," Julia said.

After calming Patrick down, she angrily headed to Lawrence's apartment. But when she arrived, the place was empty. She called her secretary, Lena Noble.

"Find out where Lawrence is."

As she waited, her anger grew wilder. How dare he stay out all night?

"Ms. Ware, Mr. Hale…" Lena hesitated.

"What? You'd better have him come back right now. I want an explanation for what happened yesterday!"

"We found Mr. Hale's personal belongings at Echo Chamber, but he's missing. There was a violent altercation there last night. The police have sealed off the area. There's blood everywhere. They say... someone died."

"What?" Julia trembled violently. "Say that again?"

"The police said the person who died was likely Mr. Hale."