Gavin Valentine pushed open the door of VIP Room 999. Tristan Ashcroft had been waiting inside for quite some time.

"Mr. Roscente." Tristan stood up respectfully, raising his glass in two consecutive toasts. "You asked to see me?"

Ethan Roscente slid a cigarette from his case and offered it to him.

"Thank you, Mr. Roscente." Tristan accepted it hastily, pulling out his lighter to light Ethan's cigarette first before his own.

Amid the swirling smoke, Ethan's piercing gaze fixed on Tristan. "Why is Jenna Roland's brother here?"

Tristan's heart skipped a beat.

He'd anticipated this question, but not the bluntness.

Jenna's importance to Ethan was greater than he'd imagined.

"Here's what happened..." Tristan recounted Milo Roland's visit to the club in detail.

Gavin suddenly cut in, "Who told the kid his sister works here?"

Tristan shook his head. "He didn't say."

Then he remembered the incident with Jenna's cousin two nights prior.

Could it have been him?

Ethan immediately noticed Tristan's shift in expression. "Speak."

Tristan stiffened.

This man was terrifying—reading his thoughts before he even voiced them.

"Jenna's cousin caused a scene here the other night..." Tristan relayed the events.

"Damn it!" Gavin slammed the table. "What kind of monster slanders his own cousin?"

Miles Valentine smirked coldly. "If I ever run into that bastard..."

Tristan stole a glance at Ethan.

The man continued smoking in silence, but his eyes had turned glacial.

Tristan stubbed out his cigarette. "Milo was adamant about stopping his sister from working here. It took everything I had to calm him down. Those siblings have it rough—orphaned, with no reliable relatives, the kid still in school, and from what I hear, battling a serious illness..."

Ethan's fingers paused mid-drag.

So Jenna had approached Grandma Blanche for money?

A shadow flickered in his eyes.

If she dared exploit the old woman...

Studio 54 was packed that Friday night.

Jenna Roland didn't finish serving the last guests until 3 AM.

Her high alcohol tolerance was the only thing keeping her upright.

In the staff lounge, Milo lay curled asleep on the couch.

Jenna changed clothes quietly before gently shaking him awake.

"Sis..." Rubbing his eyes, Milo sat up hoarsely. "Done for the night?"

"Yeah. Let's go home."

She grabbed his phone, checked out with the manager, and the siblings vanished into the darkness.