His Contractual Mistress

Liam shrunk the pupils in his eyes, reaching for his abdomen after Vincent's kick landed on his body. He got him good. Now he wants to beat him up! 

"Vincent Shen!" Liam shoots Vincent a ferocious stare, clenches his palm into a fist, and prepares to throw heavy punches at him. 

"You messed up the wrong city, Liam Huo." Vincent pursed his lips into a smirk that annoys Liam even more. 

Soon, the two men resume punching each other, even after a few of them landed well on their faces; however, Vincent mostly dodged Liam's blows. He proved how strong it is, so he has to avoid hitting it, or else his face is probably swelling for sure by now. 

Downstairs... They were halfway down the staircase; she stops and leans on the wall, heaving a long sigh. Hailey tried to calm herself down. Then she reached her forehead and rubbed her temple. 

"Thank you, Professor Carl. I'm fine from here. I can't let Liam harm Vincent. Can you help Vincent fight, Liam, instead?" she begged Carl. 

"I promised Vincent that I would keep you safe once he and Liam Huo face each other. Now, we must leave the coffee shop." 

Hailey looks at Carl and scrutinizes him. It seems like Vincent knows about Liam, who is after her. Why does she have a feeling that everything is not a coincidence? She looks downstairs. Half of her knights are now gathering in the coffee shop. 

"Princess, are you alright?" Pitt queried the moment he approached them. He scanned Hailey and breathed with a sigh of relief after he saw that she looked fine.

After he received a report that Liam landed on the Shen Tower rooftop, even though he was attending the MCGC meeting, he quickly left the HQ and drove back to the company. 

"Pitt, I'm glad you're here! Where are Gigi and Tom? What happened to them?" Hailey asked worriedly. She failed to make Liam confess where Galvin took Gigi. Bruce reported to her that Liam's plane wasn't in Metro City. She began panicking, thinking how she could help Gigi. 

"Keith and Hansen are in pursuit of Galvin. Fraine is safe now. Rodney kept an eye on her when Galvin took Gigi, and she brought in a different place." 

Hailey sighed with relief. She mumbled, "I'm glad. I prayed they would safely save Gigi and Tom."

"Don't worry, Princess. The city SWAT Team is helping in pursuit." Pitt assures her. 

"The city police knew?" It surprised her. The mayor of this city. But seeing that Vincent and Carl were here, then it's possible they ask their uncle's help. 

Pitt nodded. So many things happened today. He knew that Liam Huo would make a move anytime. Gladly, Vincent Shen and his cousins got involved in keeping Hailey's safe.

They're also lucky that Carl Johnson is Vincent's cousin, and he was around in the same city. If ever, it will be a bloody fight between them and Liam. Probably, things would just keep repeating. 

"The Interpol and CIA are here as well. Matt is coming in soon, Princess. The operation today is a secret. So then, the customers must escort out." Upon saying this, Pitt glanced at Carl. 

"Matt? Do you mean brother Matthew is here?" It surprised her. Then, what Shun meant when he phoned her is about capturing Liam soon. 

"In these passing years, Liam has been involved in an organization that does illegal activities for a decade already. In later years, Liam funded this organization to strengthen his control in many countries. So then, the International Law and Mafia Association have been eyeing him for a couple of years now. Since Liam appears in Metro City and still after you, Shun gives to Interpol all the information and evidence the Mafia Association has kept all these years." Pitt explained. 

It rendered Hailey speechless. Now she understood why Liam is too bold in pursuing her, even doing it violently. His way is merciless. 

"Professor Carl, can you escort and explain to the girls why they have to leave now? But they must not know the real reason. Also, can you drive them back to school or drop them at their house? I'm sorry to ask you too much." 

"What are you saying? But, of course, I would be glad to help. They are my precious students, after all." Carl said with pride displaying on his face. 

"Tsh! I still can't believe that being a professor is the career you will choose after you leave the association." 

"Shut up! Senior!"

"It was you who should shut up! I still look younger than you!" Pitt growled at Carl. 

Hailey giggled, watching these two men mocked at each other. She could still not believe that Professor Carl is an ex-mafia Lord. 

"Don't embarrass me in front of my student, Senior!" He continues taunting Pitt. And before Pitt could smack him, he descended to the stairs with a rush. 

"This ungracious junior of mine! I should have made your training harder in the past!" Pitt roared. 

Hailey tried to suppress her laugh. Glancing at her, Pitt sighs with relief. It made him happy that she looks better now. He heard the knights' conversation, including Vincent. 

"Princess, I'll escort you now, back to your office."

"But I need some explanation here. I have a feeling that I missed something," she told Pitt, glaring at him suspiciously. 

"Let's go back to your company. It's dangerous if we stay here while Matt and Carlos from Interpol will catch Liam soon. We have to be cautious; his men might resist. However, we promise to your boyfriend that we will keep you safe." Pitt persuades her.

For a moment, Hailey ponders. In the past, her knights successfully kept her safe. However, it always paid for life among her knights. How if something happens again, and this time is Vincent? 

"Princess... I know you were still thinking about the past. But it's different now. We made sure that Liam would not win this time. He could harm no one, unlike before. I believe in Mr. Shen to beat him. Besides, if Liam killed someone today, Interpol and the CIA are on standby. They won't let him go no matter what this time."

Hailey pressed her lips. She lifted her gaze at Pitt and said, "Pitt... I don't want to lose him."

"Don't worry, Princess. The Lopezes sent out more police around. The SWAT is also on standby. They've already taken the bombs and successfully defused them. The SWAT took the bombs away by now." 

Upon hearing that, her face lightened up. Now she felt relieved. She's worried that Liam still has the last card against them to threaten them and ask to let him escape with her. 

"I'm glad that this building is safe now." However, it concerns her that more innocent people would die because of her. How could she forgive herself if that happens?

"That's right, Princess. Thanks to the Lopez family. With their influence, we are able to handle everything easily." 

Vincent's cousin always backs him up with his fights. It always impressed her with the brotherhood they were giving to each other. 

"Pitt… I'm sorry…." Hailey apologized—that it confused the guy. 

"Princess!" 

*

Meanwhile, Vincent is still going on fighting with Liam. He punches back when Liam kicks him. Vincent dodges or guards up his face using his arms. 

Then, when he found a perfect moment, he jumps and gives Liam a hard punch on the front. The moment his foot landed on the floor, he spun his body and stretched his leg, throwing a heavy kick at Liam's body. The guy pushed backward and collapsed on the coffee table. 

The furniture breaks its legs, and the glass shatters after Liam lands on it. Liam attempts to get up, but three gunshots echo in the room. He shrieked in pain. But what makes it even more painful is to be shot by the woman he loves his entire life. 

"Sweetheart…" Liam struggles to speak; his gaze softens, staring at the door. 

Hailey dropped the gun on the floor after she shot Liam both of his knees and one on his shoulder. Still, killing him is an easy punishment. Making him suffer for the rest of his life is what he deserves. 

It started with her… Then things should end with her. It was what Hailey thought all this time.

"Princess…" Brent found himself speechless after Hailey took Vincent's gun from his hand. 

On the other hand, it surprised Vincent when someone shot a gun. But what shocked him more was to find out that it was Hailey who shot Liam.

"Wifey…" He looked at Hailey with a loving gaze. He knew clearly that it was against her will. Still, she's done this for him. 

Liam gritted his teeth not to scream from pain because it's not only his body that is aching but also his heart. 

"You are too serious about getting rid of me, huh?" he smiled bitterly. 

Hailey covered her mouth as tears fell down her cheeks. It shouldn't be this way. But Liam never accepts the fact that he could never win her heart, no matter what he'll do. Even if Liam properly pursues her, however, her heart only beats to one person. 

Knowing that he wants to harm that person, she would not just stand and hide. So she'll end it here for good. 

Hailey meets Liam's eyes as she makes her speech. "It has to end here, Liam. I love Vincent. I would never let you harm him or any of my friends anymore." 

She covered her mouth harder. But as she's looking at Liam's bloodied knees and shoulder, it makes her sick even more. 

Hailey runs toward the powder room. She throws up everything from her stomach, even though nothing comes out in her mouth. 

Following her in the powder room, Vincent was too worried about watching Hailey continue vomiting in the washbasin, even though nothing came out. 

He lifted his arm, then stroked Hailey's back. 

"Wifey? Are you okay?" he asked with too much concern in his voice.