Chapter 586: A Lesson Learned

Cynthia Keaton saw Cecilia Vaughn intimidate those troublesome guests, her eyes filled with tears, both of unbearable shame and a hint of relief.

"Miss Vaughn..."

If Cecilia hadn’t come over, she really didn’t know what she and Evan Vaughn would do.

Coming to Elysian Fields All-Nighter City for a job was not something she wanted, but it was a choice she made voluntarily. After all, she was young and unwilling to earn money against her conscience, relying mainly on selling drinks and earning some commission. The guests knew some rules, at most only teasing with words and lightly with hands, which could be endured.

There were faster ways to earn money, but Cynthia Keaton absolutely refused to engage in them.

Who knew that Evan Vaughn heard from somewhere that her earnings were improper and ended up skipping classes to follow her to Elysian Fields All-Nighter City.

...

Cynthia Keaton had no way out, but the drinks had already been designated by the bartender to be delivered to this table of guests.

She only thought that the other party would be difficult, and if she was a little smart, she could avoid it. Who knew that guest, taking advantage of being drunk, would act crazy, pulling her and saying he wanted to keep her, buy her a house in the city.

As long as she became his woman, living the good life, eating well, drinking well, living in a villa, and driving a BMW were within reach.

But Cynthia Keaton wasn’t tempted at all. She was here selling drinks only because she was forced by life, and never thought about becoming someone else’s kept Canary.

However, the old man pretending to be drunk had a strong grip, and she couldn’t break free for a moment. Unexpectedly, this scene was witnessed by Evan Vaughn, who had followed her.

...

This was unprecedented; Cynthia Keaton had never seen Evan Vaughn, such a refined young man, get physical. After all, in school, Evan Vaughn never even uttered a dirty word.

Yet Evan Vaughn swore and then punched the old drunkard in the face.

In an instant, a crowd gathered to watch.

Although the old drunkard wasn’t a big shot like Lord Zane, he was still a fellow guest in the box drinking with him. Lord Zane enjoyed bullying young girls for fun, and now, with a reason, directly restrained Evan Vaughn.

Evan Vaughn’s health was poor, and besides, even for a fierce adult man, he could not fight against many.

Lord Zane wasn’t much to look at himself; when he was younger, he was mocked as a toad lusting for swan meat. It wasn’t until he got rich later and had relatives in business pull him up that he gained his current power.

Lord Zane despised pretty boys, or rather, young handsome men.

Seeing Evan Vaughn stand up for Cynthia Keaton, he immediately had him tied up. With things having escalated to this point, Cynthia Keaton was scared out of her wits and had no choice but to agree to play dice games with this gang of slick elders.

Whether it was bad luck or they rigged the game in secret, she ended up losing three rounds, and with the stakes now so high, she felt like hitting her head against the wall.

But they also used Evan Vaughn to threaten her, leaving Cynthia Keaton torn between two impossible choices, unable to decide what to do.

Fortunately... Cecilia Vaughn arrived.

...

Cynthia Keaton looked up at Cecilia Vaughn with both shame and admiration, her mind in a mess.

Cecilia Vaughn glanced at Cynthia Keaton, nodding slightly.

"It’s okay, you should put on your jacket first."

Even though the sailor uniform jacket was barely better than nothing, it was still better than showing her bare back.

Who on earth designed such clothes, making young girls wear them?

Cecilia Vaughn silently cursed in her heart, seeing Cynthia Keaton’s bright and pitiful eyes, her head throbbed.

She wasn’t Cynthia Keaton and couldn’t fully understand the difficulties she endured to come to such a sordid place to make quick money.

But putting herself in her shoes, if she had just finished three years in prison with nowhere to go, and no legitimate company would hire her, might she have one day chosen such a desperate path?

Cecilia Vaughn felt some sympathy, realizing Cynthia Keaton wasn’t the kind of girl driven by greed, and not wanting to expose her scars in public, she decided to shield the young girl behind her.

"Lord Zane, why don’t you say something? How should we resolve this? I believe both of these kids are still in school. If you don’t mind, I will cover everyone’s tab tonight, and we’ll consider this matter closed. What do you think?"

"Letting a little woman pay the bill, how could a Zane like me feel comfortable with that..."

Lord Zane looked at Cecilia Vaughn with ill intent, obviously unwilling to accept this condition.

Actually, their spendings here tonight, just on drinks, ran into the ten-thousands. If Cecilia Vaughn were to pay the bill, it would be more than enough as an apology, and someone more generous might take the chance to defuse the situation, but the other party wasn’t obliging.

...

Those watching were waiting for Lord Zane’s cue, initially thinking Cecilia Vaughn’s suggestion wasn’t bad, but since Lord Zane wouldn’t budge, they heckled even more enthusiastically.

"Oh my, exactly! Miss Vaughn, the way you talk, it sounds as if Lord Zane can’t even afford to entertain his buddies."

"That’s right, having a woman pay, what a loss of face!"

Cecilia Vaughn had a headache listening.

But she wasn’t inclined to argue with this pack of cunning old wolves.

"Everyone misunderstood, I just believe it’s better to resolve conflict than escalate it. So is there any better solution?"

...

Lord Zane leered at Cecilia Vaughn, showing an unpleasant smile.

"Miss Vaughn, I’ve said, if you’re willing to play the game little Cynthia played earlier, we’re ready to admit defeat, how about it?"

"Of course, if you lose, no one would blame us for getting an eyeful."

"..."

Cecilia Vaughn frowned once more.

"Sorry, I also don’t like that kind of game, and my husband wouldn’t want me to do this sort of thing either."

"How can a young woman like you have so many rules?"

Hearing the words "my husband," the middle-aged man named Zane suddenly came to his senses.

"You’re married?"

Who could have guessed...tsk, originally thought she was just a college girl, but playing with someone else’s wife, that seems even more exciting.

"So Miss Vaughn has a husband, huh? Oh, I wonder which man is so lucky to be Miss Vaughn’s warm bed. I, Zane, would love to try it myself."

Lord Zane sleazily laughed, then tentatively reached out a hand, trying to touch Cecilia Vaughn’s waist.

Because Cecilia Vaughn had spent three years in prison, she already had a trigger for her fight-or-flight response. Initially, she didn’t want to get physical with these folks, but this guy named Zane was truly clueless.

"Try your luck with something else!"

Cecilia Vaughn shouted sharply, then swiftly grabbed the old man’s hand, twisted his arm behind his back, and pinned it on the table.

"Do you enjoy harassing young girls that much?"