Chapter 214: Chapter 214: Who Takes Her Home
Kaden Xavier and Shaun Quinn’s gazes collided in mid-air. One was determined to win, the other refused to give an inch.
An unconscious whimper from Wren Wynter in his arms, and the reek of alcohol wafting from her, reminded them of their current situation.
"I’ll take her." Kaden Xavier was the first to break the stalemate, his voice leaving no room for argument.
"On what grounds?" Shaun Quinn sneered, pushing up the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose. Behind the lenses, his charming eyes were laced with ice.
"Mr. Xavier, in what capacity are you saying that? As her ex-husband? Or as a troublemaker who can’t let go?"
"Shaun Quinn, do you really have to run your mouth at a time like this?" Kaden Xavier’s patience ran out, his arms tightening around Wren Wynter.
Shaun Quinn took a step forward, gesturing as if to snatch her away. "Give her to me. I’m taking her back to View Gardens."
"View Gardens?" Kaden Xavier scoffed. "You live at View Gardens?"
"It’s my junior’s home. Why can’t I stay there?" Shaun Quinn’s reply was flawless, even carrying a hint of righteous, provocative confidence.
Seeing that the two were about to escalate from a war of words to a physical fight, Felix Vance, caught in the middle, felt a massive headache coming on.
He looked at one, then the other, and finally steeled himself and pulled out his phone. "Gentlemen, since you’re both so eager to play the hero, why don’t I take a picture and post it online for everyone to judge who gets to be the knight in shining armor tonight?"
The moment he said that, both Kaden Xavier and Shaun Quinn’s faces darkened.
In the end, Shaun Quinn won.
No matter how unwilling Kaden Xavier was, he could only watch helplessly as Shaun Quinn carried Wren Wynter away and tucked her into that familiar car.
He stood frozen to the spot until the car’s taillights vanished into the depths of the night, only then turning to get back into his own car.
A nameless rage flared in Kaden Xavier’s heart whenever he thought about last night. The internet had exploded over it now, and he was certain there was a mastermind pulling the strings.
Kaden Xavier didn’t answer, just rubbing his brow in frustration.
「View Gardens.」
No matter how Wren Wynter tried to wrack her brain, she couldn’t get the answers she wanted. The memories of last night were well and truly gone.
Her head was splitting from the hangover, so Wren Wynter slowly drank a glass of warm water.
Even with the room’s excellent soundproofing, she could still hear the furious cursing and shouting from downstairs.
"Wren Wynter, you shameless woman, get out here!"
"Shameless woman, you’re ruining Elder Hawthorne’s reputation!"
"Get out of Corvidale!"
The curses from outside grew clearer, mingled with the dull thud of something hitting the gate.
Wren Wynter’s heart tightened. She threw off the covers, walked to the window, and parted a corner of the curtains to look outside.
A single glance was enough to make her freeze.
Outside the gates of View Gardens, a crowd had gathered at some point—men and women, old and young, holding all sorts of offensive banners.
The ground was littered with rotten vegetables and smelly eggs, a complete mess.
A few agitated people were frantically shaking the iron gate, looking as if they wanted to tear her limb from limb.
Because of the trending topic, a number of extremists had come to block the entrance to View Gardens.
She picked up her phone, intending to call Butler Chandler, but found the screen flooded with countless news notifications.
With a trembling finger, she tapped one open. The glaring headline instantly seared her eyes, and countless notifications streamed onto her phone like a flood.
#FamousDoctorsWithoutBordersPhysicianHasMidnightTrystWithThreeYoungHeartthrobs#
#ElderHawthorne’sStudent’sMessyPrivateLife,Ex-HusbandAndNewFlameBothOnTheScene#
Several headlines were trending prominently.
Beneath the headline was a high-definition photo.
The angle was tricky, the lighting ambiguous.
"I’m gonna puke. I thought she was some life-saving angel in white, but it turns out she’s just a party girl."
"I feel sorry for Mr. Xavier. He was cheated on for three years, and even after the divorce, he’s still being dragged out to be her backup."
"The guy with the glasses is so hot! But his eyes don’t look like a good guy’s. He has that whole ’gentlemanly scoundrel’ vibe."
"Am I the only one who noticed the handsome guy next to them in a pilot’s uniform? What kind of heavenly Asura battlefield is this?"
"Julian Hawthorne’s reputation is ruined in his old age. How could he take on a disciple like this!"
Malicious speculation and filthy language surged like a tide. Wren Wynter felt the world spin, and her phone fell to the carpet with a soft THUD.
Two consecutive days of explosive revelations had pushed her directly into the eye of the storm.
"Wren."
There was a knock on the door. Finn Wynter’s voice sounded from outside, filled with suppressed anger and worry.
Wren Wynter walked over and opened the door. Seeing her pale face and red-rimmed eyes, Finn Wynter’s heart ached beyond words.
He said nothing, simply stepping forward and pulling his sister into a tight embrace.
"Finn, I..." Wren Wynter had been through so much, but no matter how strong she was, seeing all this baseless slander online, especially in front of her brother, she couldn’t help but feel wronged.
Her voice was choked with tears, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. "I don’t know what happened that night. I blacked out. I don’t remember any of it."
"I know. I believe you. Don’t pay any mind to what they’re saying online. These keyboard warriors will believe anything they hear; they have no idea what the truth is."
"There’s no need to be heartbroken over this."
Finn Wynter patted her back, but his eyes were as cold as ice. "I will get to the bottom of this. Whoever is pulling the strings, I’ll drag them out for you. Don’t worry."
After comforting Wren Wynter, he turned and went downstairs, his entire aura changing.
He made a call, his voice devoid of any warmth. "What’s the status of the investigation?"
"President Wynter, we’re still looking into it. The other party is very cautious and hasn’t left any clues."
"Keep digging! I don’t care what methods you use, you will find them for me!"
Finn Wynter’s cold face was filled with killing intent. Wren Wynter was his only sister. Even if they weren’t related by blood, she was family, an inseparable part of his life.
He would never allow anyone to hurt her!
However, the situation escalated faster than he had imagined.
Public opinion online had spiraled completely out of control. The crowd at the gates of View Gardens was growing, and there were even reporters mixed in, trying to livestream the event.
Just as Finn Wynter was preparing to use more forceful measures, several black sedans pulled up silently not far from View Gardens.
Kaden Xavier stepped out of the lead car. He was wearing a black trench coat, his expression so dark it looked like it could drip water.
He glanced at the farce at the gate, and without a moment’s hesitation, walked straight toward it.
"Mr. Xavier?" The reporters had sharp eyes and immediately swarmed him.
"Mr. Xavier, what are your thoughts on your ex-wife’s private life?"
"Is that you in the photo? Are you and Dr. Wynter getting back together?"
Kaden Xavier stopped in his tracks, his gaze sweeping coldly across the entire crowd.
The sheer pressure in his eyes silenced the rowdy crowd in an instant.
"No comment," he said. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried clearly to everyone’s ears. He glanced at the mess on the ground, his eyes growing even colder. "Unlawful assembly and defamation have legal consequences. Assistant Lynch."
Assistant Lynch immediately stepped forward, followed by a team of well-trained bodyguards.
"We have collected all the evidence. The police are on their way."
