He Hongwen trembled violently, his teeth chattering. "I...I paid for her."

"Oh?" Ethan Roscente narrowed his eyes, his voice icy. "From whom?"

Just as He Hongwen opened his mouth, Jenna Roland peeked out from behind Ethan. "Was it Victor and Fiona Roland?"

He Hongwen swallowed hard, sweat beading on his forehead. "No...it was some guy named Qin Zhengjun."

"Qin Zhengjun?" Jenna's pupils constricted sharply. "Who's that?"

"I just bought her." He Hongwen shrank back. "I don't know where he got you from."

Jenna suddenly grabbed his collar. "I asked you who Qin Zhengjun is!"

"Talk." Ethan spat the single word.

Trapped between two murderous glares, He Hongwen recoiled. "I really don't know! I've only heard the name!"

Qin Zhengjun?

Jenna released him, her nails digging deep into her palms. She'd spent over a decade with the Roland family and had never heard that name.

Besides Sophia Merouin recently, she hadn't offended anyone else.

Could it be someone from the club holding a grudge?

Ethan didn't waste words. His fist smashed into He Hongwen's face. A hook followed, then a brutal kick between the legs.

"Ah—!" He Hongwen curled into a fetal position, his face contorted in agony.

Ethan looked down at him coldly. "Be grateful you didn't touch her. Otherwise..." He ground his shoe slightly. "Sterilization would've been the least of your worries."

"Let's go." He turned to Jenna.

She grabbed her bag, casting one last glance at the moaning man on the floor.

The elevator doors slid shut.

Jenna stared at the descending floor numbers. "Thank you."

Ethan frowned at his bruised knuckles. "Disgusting."

Her body stiffened, fingers tightening around her bag strap. Was he calling her dirty?

"Not you." Ethan noticed her whitened knuckles.

Her shoulders relaxed slightly. "Sorry for dragging you into this."

"What happened?" Ethan turned to her, his gaze sharp as a blade. "Why were you brought to a hotel?"