Chapter 47: Stranger

As the sun set in the evening, a black SUV slowly came to a stop, and a few graceful figures jumped out of the car.
Monica had been feeling a bit dizzy from the car ride, so as soon as she got out, she supported her head and leaned against the car with Lily and Lisa, feeling groggy.
Lily wore sunglasses and looked at the man waiting beside him, smiling mischievously, "We're coming along to join in on the fun, and will Mr. Lawrence Liang mind?"
"Why would I?" Lawrence picked up their luggage and put them in his own car, smiling.
"The more, the merrier. With all of you accompanying us, Monica will feel more relaxed. We've been driving all day today, so let's go to the hotel and rest."
On the way to the hotel, Lisa noticed that Monica was still looking at her phone with a pensive look.
She couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"
"Nothing." Monica coughed lightly and put her phone back in her pocket.
"Remember to think of me." Steven's words kept replaying in her mind. Even when she arrived in Lake George, she couldn't escape from these four words.
She tried to push him out of her mind but failed, so she could only lean back in her seat, close her eyes, and choose to sleep.
Nighttime, in a private room in the bar.
Not far away, a group of people were drinking and having a jolly time. Steven and Eric stood by the window, chatting absentmindedly.
Eric looked down at his phone and chuckled, "Even though she almost got carsick, she still insists on posting on social media. She's really something."
Steven didn't respond, he just lowered his head and took a drag of his cigarette. The smoke dispersed, hiding his handsome profile and making it hard to discern his expression.
Eric glanced at him and spoke leisurely, "I've advised you before, take it slow. Don't be fooled by my sister's tough act. She may seem fierce and invincible, but she's actually just a paper tiger, ready to retreat at the slightest hint of strength."
"The more you hold on tightly, the more she resists," Steven said.
"No need," Steven extinguished his cigarette, leaving small ashes scattered on the ground.
He could certainly pretend to be a gentle gentleman, step by step, restrain himself and win her favor.
But what's the use? That would not be the real him at all. Since he would eventually expose himself in front of her, it would be better to let her see clearly from the beginning.
His dominant style and intense possessiveness towards her.
This is who he truly is.
"Alright then, call me 'brother' once, let me take a look at the souvenir Monica brought for me, I pity you, let me show it to you, how about that?"
Steven's expression remained calm. "Get lost."
"Well, after all, you went on the trip with Lawrence, so the gifts were probably picked out together with Lawrence," Eric said casually."
This hit a sore spot with Steven. He raised his gaze and gave Eric a deep, intense look.
Eric was very satisfied with Steven's reaction. He toyed with his phone between his fingertips and asked,
"So, what are you planning to do now?"
"I had my assistant book a plane ticket," Steven replied.
Eric was somewhat surprised. "Are you going to bring her back? Stop the filming?"
"Of course not, filming is her choice, and I fully respect that." Steven put his fingers in his pocket.
"However, I have never been one to sit idly by and wait."
Her sudden trip disrupted the original plan, forcing him to rethink his next steps.
But just thinking about her traveling with other men...
Steven pressed his temple, unable to control the heavy feeling of jealousy in his heart.
In the midst of their conversation, the door to the private room suddenly swung open. The duty manager, dressed in a black suit, rushed in with a nervous expression and whispered a few words to Ryan, who was not far away.
Upon hearing this, Ryan furrowed his brow and spoke irritably, "Why is it him again? He keeps causing trouble here time and time again. If it weren't for his brother's face, I really want to kick him out."
Eric turned around and asked, "What happened?"
"That little son of the Xu family got into a conflict downstairs." Ryan stood up. "He's gone mad, and they couldn't forcefully drag him away."
"The Xu family? Xu Pharmaceuticals?" Steven had a good memory. "I've met Mr. Xu twice. He's an outstanding leader of the company."
"How can the little son of the Xu family compare to his older brother? His mother was a mistress who climbed her way up, eventually causing the death of the original wife before marrying into the family. The younger son has been spoiled rotten, useless, and only good for eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling. Anyway, I'll go check the situation."
Ryan adjusted his coat and turned to leave with his men.
People love to watch a scene, especially when it involves the Xu family. Eric and Steven also followed out of the private room. In the dimly lit night of the bar, leaning against the railing on the second floor, they casually looked down -
"Who the fuck do you think you are? Daring to hit me?"
The music in the bar had long stopped, and a heavily intoxicated man had a slap mark on his face, clutching a bottle of alcohol as he aggressively smashed it on a nearby table.
He pointed at the person in front of him as a show of dominance.
"I took a liking to you; do you know that I'm doing you a favor?"
The sharp, broken edge of the bottle pointed directly at the woman in front of him, but she remained calm, showing no signs of fear.
The bar was dimly lit, obscuring their faces and expressions.
Vaguely illuminated her tall, thin figure. With long black hair, a sharp chin and black and white eyes, he was looking at the man without fluctuation.
Ryan exclaimed angrily, "What are you laughing at again?!"
"Ryan, shouldn't you go and console the victims? With so many people watching, be careful of someone reporting this bar of yours."
Eric flipped through the phone book casually and added, "At the very least, you should safely send these people home."
Ryan cursed under his breath and walked out.
The noisy scene in the lobby gradually came to an end. The girl with short hair emerged from behind her, chokingly apologizing, "Lisa, I'm really sorry. I just chatted with him for a few minutes... I didn't know he was like this..."
"It's alright, it's not your fault to be harassed." Sheryl Carlson patted her shoulder and spoke in a gentle tone, "Go back and rest early."
The girl looked at Sheryl Carlson as she glanced at the empty second-floor stairs and asked with doubt.
"Those people on the second floor just now... seemed quite powerful. I saw one person staring at us the whole time. Lisa, do you know them?"
Sheryl Carlson paused as she reached for her bag, then straightened up and calmly replied, "I don't know them."