Chapter 931 Cut from the Same Cloth
In that moment, Ethan's heart raced with anxiety as he looked nervously at Jasmine. "Honey, shall we head home?"
Jasmine replied coolly, "No thanks. I've made dinner plans with friends."
"Friends? Which friends? Do I know them?" Ethan asked, his guilt making him feign ignorance.
Jasmine shot him a look. "Since when do I need your approval for who I have dinner with?"
Ethan took a deep breath, his mind racing to find a response that wouldn't upset Jasmine further.
"Mr. Douglas, we're the ones taking Jasmine out to dinner, so don't worry," Selene interjected with a smile.
Liam quickly nodded in agreement. "That's right, I'll be there too. Nothing to worry about."
Ethan glared at Liam, thinking, 'You're exactly why I am worried.'
"Is Mr. Douglas really this controlling? Are you that insecure?" Maeve asked with mock surprise. "Maybe you should just go home, Jasmine, since your husband doesn't trust you."
Her tone dripped with sarcasm.
Ethan took another deep breath and forced a smile. "Not at all. You all go and have fun."
Relieved, Liam, Selene, and Maeve nodded happily before making their escape.
Ethan anxiously grabbed Jasmine's arm and whispered, "Honey, you still love me, right?"
Jasmine looked at him suspiciously. "I'm just going to dinner. What's wrong with you? Have you done something I should know about?"
Brandon cleared his throat nervously, glancing at Bradley who was still watching the drama unfold. "Come with me," he muttered to Bradley.
"Answer me first," Ethan insisted, still worried.
"Of course I love you," Jasmine replied innocently.
"Then why did you stop smiling when you saw me earlier?" Ethan asked, his feelings genuinely hurt.
"It wasn't because of you—it was because of Brandon," Jasmine pulled Ethan aside to gossip. "You have no idea how terribly Brandon treated Bradley before. He once chained him to a bed—it was insane! He's completely obsessive, and that's not all..."
Jasmine looked around to make sure no one was listening. "He once tricked Bradley into going to a hotel, made him strip naked, then humiliated him and left without doing anything. It was cruel, degrading, and absolutely humiliating!"
By now, Jasmine was fuming with righteous indignation.
Ethan felt a moment of sympathy for Brandon—Jasmine's disapproving look earlier had been merciful by comparison.
Still, Ethan was shocked. "Bradley actually told you all this? You guys discuss such intimate topics?"
Ethan was shocked. Apparently, when friends got together, nothing was off-limits.
He could understand the girls talking this way, but Bradley joining in?
This had to be Liam's influence.
Ethan ground his teeth, plotting revenge against Liam.
Meanwhile, the completely innocent Liam sneezed suddenly.
"Honey, you don't gossip about me like that, do you?" Ethan asked, trembling slightly. Years of business battles had never made him this afraid.
"Of course not. My husband is perfect," Jasmine assured him with complete conviction.
Ethan remained skeptical but didn't want to stop her from going, fearing the girls would think he was controlling.
He'd just have to wait at home, hoping Jasmine would still love him when she returned from dinner.
Back in the office, Brandon pulled Bradley aside and whispered, "I haven't done anything to upset you, have I? I've been on my best behavior lately."
Bradley huffed, clearly still annoyed.
Brandon took a deep breath, looking anxiously at Bradley. "Bradley, if I've done something wrong, just tell me. You're scaring me. Hell, you can even hit me if it helps."
"I won't hit you. Everyone says it would just dirty my hands," Bradley replied haughtily.
Brandon's internal alarm bells went off. Had his reputation really sunk that low?
"Seriously, what did I do?" Brandon asked desperately.
"You chained me up, you forced me to the edge of jumping off a building, you tricked me into going to a hotel and then wouldn't touch me," Bradley began listing old grievances.
Brandon's heart pounded, thinking, 'This is bad.'
"You got engaged to someone else, and you walked right past me holding hands with another woman."
Brandon swallowed hard, at a loss for how to explain himself.
"Bradley, can we maybe not hang out with those girls? They don't know me. I'm completely devoted to you now—I wouldn't dare cross you. We need to focus on our future to be happy, right?" Brandon attempted to change Bradley's perspective.
"Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it," Bradley pushed Brandon away. "I need to reconsider whether we're really compatible."
Brandon collapsed onto the sofa, feeling utterly defeated.
He thought, 'This is it. My punishment has arrived.'
"I'm having dinner with Jasmine, Liam and the others tonight. Don't wait up," Bradley announced defiantly.
Brandon sat up straight, suddenly alert. "Bradley, please don't stir up trouble between Jasmine and Ethan. If she starts acting like you, Ethan isn't like me—he holds grudges."
Bradley scoffed. "You're cut from the same cloth, all of you."
Brandon was stunned, silently mourning for Ethan. He'd been lumped into the same category as him.
Clearly, their household was in for a turbulent night as well.
At the Bellagio Hotel, Vincent entered with Lily following behind. "Vincent," she called.
Vincent ignored her, still angry.
Lily caught up to him, her eyes red-rimmed. "Vincent, I've already reported it to the police and provided evidence. Beck has made major concessions to settle this privately. I've had the company PR team issue an emergency statement cutting all ties with the Murray family."
Lily continued, her voice breaking, "Vincent, please trust me this once. Nothing like this will ever happen again."
"Lily, I'm angry because you don't respect yourself!" Vincent turned to her, visibly upset.
But he'd already achieved his goal. Lily had severed ties with the Murray family, leaving them isolated and vulnerable.
With a slight smirk, Vincent moved toward the elevator.
"Vincent... I..." Lily tried to follow, grabbing his arm just as the elevator doors opened.
Inside were Jasmine and her friends, returning from dinner at the rooftop restaurant.
Jasmine looked furious, Bradley was sullen, and the entire group appeared tense.
Seeing Lily, Jasmine's expression hardened further.
Lily hesitated, instinctively hiding behind Vincent.
Vincent raised an eyebrow, wondering if Ethan had angered Jasmine. Her fury was plainly visible.
"Move aside," Jasmine snapped, demanding that Vincent and Lily step out of the way.
Vincent, feeling mischievous, made no move to comply.
Lily frowned, defending him. "Vincent didn't mean to block your way—we're just waiting for the elevator."
Liam, spotting Vincent, grew even angrier. He rolled up his sleeves as if preparing for a fight.
But he didn't actually dare. Instead, he winked at Selene, putting on a show. "Don't hold me back, any of you!"
Selene immediately caught on and grabbed his arm.
Maeve, however, missed the cue and gave Liam a push that sent him stumbling right into Vincent.
Vincent looked down at Liam, who had crashed against him, and asked in a low voice, "Looking for a fight?"
Maeve continued stirring the pot, "Come on, Liam! Don't be a coward! Hit him!"
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