Jasper opened his mouth a few times but couldn't squeeze out a single syllable.
He stared blankly at Serena.
His mind was a complete mess.
He simply couldn't reconcile the person standing in front of him with the 'Demon' who had traumatized him so badly he stopped taking contracts.
That terrifying Demon was actually the little sister he had sworn to protect with his life!
Seeing Jasper still glaring dumbly at Serena, Jerrick's temper flared again. "Are you still staring at her?"
Jerrick released the collar and planted a swift kick against the back of Jasper's knees.
"What? Unhappy you missed your shot? Still trying to assassinate your sister?!"
"I'm going to beat you to a pulp, you absolute disgrace! Taking a hit out on Serena? You're not walking out of this room alive!"
Fists rained down relentlessly.
"Ah!"
Jasper yelped, curling his back and dodging nimbly while screaming, "Jerrick, not the face! Damn it, I didn't know the target was Serena!"
"Stop hitting me! Julian, help me! Serena, save me!"
"Still have the nerve to beg Serena for mercy?" Jerrick delivered another kick that sent an entire sofa skidding across the rug.
Realizing things were going south fast, Jasper rolled over and scrambled toward his older brother. "Julian, save me!"
Julian gracefully sidestepped, smoothly picking up his laptop to avoid any collateral damage.
He even offered a mild warning, "Jasper, run all you want, but don't break Serena's fruit bowl."
Jasper felt entirely betrayed.
Was this really his own brother?!
Julian made it very clear that he was exclusively Serena's brother.
Truthfully, as the top bounty hunter on The Obsidian Dark Web, Jasper was no slouch in combat. Even against a Special Forces King like Jerrick, he could hold his own.
But under the absolute bloodline suppression of his older brother, compounded by his own immense guilt, all he could do was scramble for his life.
For a moment, the living room descended into total chaos.
Jerrick chased and swung.
Jasper sprinted, covering his head.
Nicholas stood off to the side, his features refined and his posture relaxed.
"I swear I didn't know it was Serena!"
"Ah—ow ow ow! Serena, help! I was wrong! I know I messed up!"
Serena remained lazily seated on the sofa.
Holding a glass of warm milk, she took a slow sip.
She raised her eyes.
Watching her brother get chased around the room, getting battered but still desperately shielding his face.
A flicker of teasing amusement flashed through her clear, cold eyes.
...
Half an hour later.
The sun had fully risen.
Morning light spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the suite.
Jasper sat bruised and battered, crouching pitifully in the corner of the room.
He clutched his stomach, his face a picture of pure despair.

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