Chapter 347
Fiona Douglas’s voice was completely swallowed by her own scream.
Her right shoulder felt like it had exploded—
as if someone had swung a steel hammer straight into it, hard enough to snap her arm clean off.
Her face turned ghost?white, and tears streamed down uncontrollably.
Lisette Cavendish paused, a little stunned.
She’d been thinking about testing the stun baton her third brother gave her on Fiona, just to see how well it worked. But before she could even lift a finger, Hannah Jameson had rushed in out of nowhere and landed a brutal blow on Fiona instead.
Captain Fiona was crying so hard it could win awards.
Looks like the baton would have to wait.
Lisette just watched quietly, saying nothing.
Fiona’s little entourage froze for a second. Then, almost in perfect tacit understanding, most of them took a big step back from Hannah. No one wanted to provoke the cute?face brute who hit like a truck. Out of all her friends, only one girl hesitated, then finally stepped forward.
She asked, voice trembling with concern, “Xiaoxiao, are you okay p>
“Hurts p>
Fiona squeezed out the word with visible effort.
The girl looked left, looked right, hands hovering awkwardly in the air, too scared to touch her. She stood there fidgeting, completely lost on what to do.
Maybe she was too flustered, because she didn’t even think to call emergency services. Her eyes blinked rapidly as she glanced at Tobias Hastings, lips opening like she wanted to say something but didn’t dare finish.
Tobias and Lisette didn’t even look at her.
Whatever she wanted to say—or didn’t say—had nothing to do with them.
They were both calm to an infuriating degree.
Sure enough, the girl couldn’t hold it in for long. She finally blurted out, “Young Master Hastings, Xiaoxiao is still your cousin. She got hit by a… by a little assistant! Isn’t that basically slapping your face in public? You’re really not going to step in p>
Tobias’s voice was icy as ever.
“I’m not God. She walked herself right into this. She can’t blame anyone else p>
The woman hesitated.
She’d always known Tobias Hastings could be cold, but seeing him this icy up close still made her heart skip like it’d been yanked hard.
This was the same man who was always so gentle to Lisette Cavendish?
“And one more thing p>
Tobias spoke again, and her attention snapped right back to him. “I hate people who stick their noses where they don’t belong p>
Her shoulders trembled.
Was the mighty Mr. Hastings… warning her?
Her stomach dropped. Whatever he meant by that, she no longer dared to make a sound.
The moment the scuffle broke out, the bodyguards who came with Fiona Douglas and the other heiresses stormed in.
These rich girls practically lived with an entourage—partly for safety, mostly for show. With so many of them crowding in together, the number of bodyguards was ridiculous. A whole wave of men in black rushed inside, instantly blocking every exit and surrounding Lisette’s group.
“What now, you guys planning to start a fight p>
Curtis Cavendish and Bryce Cavendish—who’d just changed—walked over one after the other, instinctively stepping in front of Lisette.
Both men were in great shape, and after being forced by Marshall Cavendish to train since they were kids, they weren’t afraid of being outnumbered. The moment they let out even a fraction of their aura—paired with Tobias’s overwhelming presence—the three of them completely crushed the confidence of the bodyguards.
Fiona’s bodyguards froze, not daring to move.
Scarlett Graham crossed her arms and smirked. “Haven’t stretched my muscles in a while. These guys look pretty sturdy—perfect warm-up material p>
The bodyguards: p>
Being stared down by a stunning woman who basically announced she wanted to beat them senseless p>
Honestly? It was embarrassing, a bit funny, and weirdly… kind of exciting.
Fiona was in so much pain she was on the verge of losing it, but she still knew the rules—some people you never touch, others you can step on however you like.
Tobias and Lisette were untouchable, backed by the Hastings family. She couldn’t take them on even if she wanted to.
But Hannah Jameson? Just a lowly assistant who’d hit her first? No way Fiona was letting that go.
She jabbed a finger at Hannah and screeched at her bodyguards, “Grab her! Now p>
“Yes p>
The moment their boss spoke, the bodyguards answered in unison.
Just as they were about to move, a man squeezed in from outside, juggling several cups of milk tea.
Elliot Jameson was finally back.
Both his hands were full, plastic bags rustling as he elbowed his way in. Amber West slipped in behind him, and the second she saw a whole crowd of women plus an even bigger crowd of bodyguards surrounding Tobias Hastings and Lisette Cavendish—looking like a fight was about to break out—her eyes went wide.
Elliot instantly stepped forward, milk teas dangling, shielding Tobias and Lisette.
Amber might not be able to fight, but she was sharp; she hurried over too, trying to show where her loyalty stood by sticking close to Lisette.
Elliot scanned the place. “What the heck happened here p>
Right across from him was Fiona Douglas.
She was clutching her shoulder, eyes red like she’d just cried.
Around them, the girls who’d been watching stared at Hannah Jameson, then at Fiona, then kept darting looks between Tobias and Lisette—obviously waiting to see how the drama unfolded.
Two bodyguards raised their heavy fists at Hannah and asked, “You giving yourself up, or are we doing this the hard way p>
Hannah said, “Cut the crap, just do it p>
Elliot’s mouth twitched.
Nobody knew his sister better than he did. Judging from the scene, he had a pretty good guess: she’d caused trouble again.
He lifted one hand and signaled Fiona’s bodyguards to stand down, then turned to Hannah. “What happened p>
His baby?faced sister frowned, looking a bit deflated. “She was too noisy. Messed with my chicken feet moment. So I hit her p>
Elliot glanced at Fiona, who looked one second away from blowing up, then lowered his voice, That’s your reason for hitting someone? Can you switch it up a little? Something not related to food? Give your brother some variety p>
Hannah thought hard. “Actually, there’s another reason p>
“What is it p>
Elliot Jameson stared at his foodie little sister like he was waiting for some grand reveal.
Say it.
Come on, say it.
Let your brother be impressed for once.
Hannah Jameson announced, “Last time at Nocturne, she pissed off Lisette Cavendish. I was too busy eating and forgot to smack her. Just now I saw her yelling like crazy, suddenly remembered it, so I ran over to make up for that missed punch p>
As she finished, something flashed across her mind. Her eyes lit up. “Oh right, I haven’t even added interest yet p>
Her knuckles cracked loudly as she clenched her fists.
Elliot’s mouth twitched. “That reason is… surprisingly creative. Yeah, I’m definitely shocked p>
And he wasn’t the only one stunned—Fiona Douglas was too.
Hannah didn’t bother lowering her voice. Basically everyone in the shop heard her. Fiona rolled her eyes so hard it was a miracle they stayed in her skull. Seriously? There’s such a thing as follow?up punches now?
“Unbelievable p>
The moment the words hit her, Fiona’s pain and fury mixed, and she let out a scream so sharp it made Elliot almost drop the milk tea in his hand.
Captain Fiona might be a regular visitor of the Hastings family and some distant relative of Eleanor Hastings, but Hannah had zero sense of consequences—acted purely by mood, wanted to hit someone and just did it.
But Elliot couldn’t do that.
He was Tobias Hastings’s top assistant. He couldn’t go around causing trouble—he had to be smooth, polite, and proper.
Steadying the milk tea, he spoke to Fiona with forced courtesy. “Miss Douglas, Hannah’s just young and straightforward. She means no harm, so please don’t take it to heart p>
And before Fiona could even snap back, he neatly cut off her chance to continue, “You don’t look well. I’ll arrange someone to take you to the hospital right away p>
“I don’t need your fake concern p>
Fiona Douglas shot a look at Elliot Jameson, the exact same look she’d just thrown at Hannah Jameson.
Both of them were just… ugh, the worst.
But she couldn’t do anything to Elliot. He was Tobias Hastings’ right-hand man, and she wasn’t stupid enough to pick that fight.
So she swung her gaze to the store clerk, clearly trying to dump the whole mess onto him.
“I’m a guest personally invited by the Crown Prince, and this woman hit me. You decide what to do with that p>
The clerk, who suddenly got dragged into the drama, froze.
He was still struggling for words when a sharp, icy laugh cut through the air—
Lisette Cavendish had finally spoken.