In the crowded upper-deck cabin, a shrill scream rang out.
When Cal — who could not subdue Jack on his own — was struck back, the butler Spicer at once showed astonishing form: he swung a chair in a full arc and brought it down on Jack's head.
“Aagh!”
A cry of pain went up. Jack had never imagined anyone could fight so dirty.
But Spicer gave him no chance to regret it. The heavy chair came smashing down again and again. “You damned mongrel — how dare you lay hands on my young master!”
“Nicely done, Spicer!”
Cal, himself in a sorry state, gave Spicer a thumbs-up and offered his praise.
“Only doing my duty, young master!”
Spicer nodded, his face full of pride.
Liu Ren blinked, blank with astonishment. He really had not expected this master and servant to be so polite.
Because what the hell was this? This was a “homewrecker” bust. Even if the two of you want to be courteous to each other, could you beat him to death first?
“Enough! Stop it, stop it! You're murdering him!”
Rose rushed forward in fury, and her heart ached at the sight of Jack covered in bruises.
And when Rose planted herself in front of Spicer, the old butler no longer knew what to do.
Cal fixed her with an angry stare. “Is this you trying to protect him? Huh? Rose...”
“Jack did nothing wrong — you're just petty, Cal!”
Rose roared at him, her face so furious that one might almost have thought she was the one to blame for all of it.
Watching this open-mouthed, even Liu Ren, who was only here for the show, was stunned — because a punch like that had to have twenty years behind it.
But at that moment Liu Ren spoke up: “Sir, a cuckold's hat comes in no shades!”
“What?”
Cal stared at Liu Ren, his face full of incomprehension.
Hearing Liu Ren's words, Spicer immediately caught on. “Young master, she is insulting you! The Hockley family will not tolerate such a disgrace!”
Understanding hit Cal all at once, and he swung his hand and slapped Rose hard across the face. “Fuck, you damned bitch!”
Smack!
A dull yet crisp slap cracked across Rose's cheek. She was instantly dazed by the blow, staggering back in disbelief.
And watching Cal deliver that slap, Liu Ren could not help shouting in his heart: “Yes!”
When he had watched this “epic” of a film years ago, something had felt off to him.
After all, what kind of story encourages a homewrecker?
Rose's mother had said all along that only by marrying Cal could the family survive.
But what did Rose do? Never mind the ugly word for it — if she had simply cast Cal aside and gone off with Jack, Liu Ren would not have said a word.
The problem was that this woman enjoyed the luxury Cal provided while yearning for the love Jack offered. Wasn't that having a foot in each of two boats?
And the worst of it was that she treated the Hockley family's Tear of the Ocean as “her own” private property. That was no longer a matter of character; that was moral rot.
Never mind that Cal, frantic with rage, wanted to kill Jack and Rose when the ship went down — even a normal man would want to kill these two cheaters!
As the old saying goes: a cuckold's hat comes in no shades; green is green.
“Rose!”
Shocked to see Rose struck, Jack surged to his feet in fury and lunged at Cal.
Spicer, who had been keeping a wary eye on Jack, kicked him, then bore him down hard onto the floor and hammered him with fists like cannonballs.
Bang, bang, bang!
Blow after blow landed on Jack's cheeks. Spicer's movements were clean and efficient, brimming with brutality.
But watching the old butler's fists, Liu Ren frowned — there was not a trace of killing intent in them. How could punches like that kill a man?
Just as Liu Ren was worrying that Spicer would not beat Jack to death, the stewards, hearing the noise, came running.
But when they saw the state of the room, they were shocked.
Seeing the state her daughter was in, Mrs. Bukater gasped, “My God, what on earth has happened here?”
Cal glared at her furiously. “You should ask your daughter, madam. She is shaming my family in the filthiest way imaginable!”
At those words, Mrs. Bukater instantly grasped something, and looked at Rose in disbelief. “Rose, how dare you do this? My God!”
“Mother, it's not like that! I—”
Rose tried to explain to her mother, still wanting to argue, but a slap landed straight across her face.
Glaring at her daughter, Mrs. Bukater roared, “Good breeding never taught you to lie!”
Slapped in turn by Cal and then by her own mother, Rose shouted angrily, “You bastards, you have no idea what I want!”
Hearing her outburst, Cal turned, and said through gritted teeth, “Madam, I think we should renegotiate the engagement.”
“No, no, no, Cal, believe me, this may just be an unfortunate misunderstanding!”
Hearing Cal speak of renegotiating the engagement, Mrs. Bukater was so frightened she did not know what to do.
Because all her family had left was that shred of reputation. If Rose destroyed it completely, what would be left for mother and daughter?
After all, in New York across the ocean, a title was no match for a dollar bill! That was why she had pushed her daughter at Cal.
One was a steel tycoon whose billions made him “approachable”; the other was a passably handsome poor boy. Any normal person knew which to choose.
Yet now Rose had taken a winning hand and smashed it to pieces. How could Mrs. Bukater possibly accept that?
“Enough, madam! This is no longer a matter between Rose and me.”
Looking at Spicer beside him, Cal said with utter resolve, “Take back the Tear of the Ocean! It belongs to the Hockley family!”
He turned and left without a flicker of hesitation — because this had been a “business” marriage from the start. Now that Rose did not even have her last shred of reputation value, what was there left to consider?
Standing before Rose, Spicer held out his hand. “Miss Rose, kindly hand over the Tear of the Ocean.”
Seeing that Spicer was not joking, Rose clutched the Tear of the Ocean at her breast, unwilling to give it up.
Spicer barked, “Give it to me!”
Her fingers trembling, Rose unfastened the Tear of the Ocean and reluctantly handed the gem to Spicer.
“Throw him out!”
Pointing coldly at Jack, Spicer ordered the sailors nearby.
And when Mrs. Bukater wanted to go and say something to Cal, Spicer blocked her way. “You may keep your cabin until we dock, but this ends here, madam!”
Mrs. Bukater stared at him in disbelief, tried to say more, and was blocked again.
Gazing into Spicer's cold eyes, Mrs. Bukater understood: this affair had made the Hockley family a laughingstock. Everyone aboard was rich or titled; a little asking around and anyone could learn what had happened.
And the last bit of her family's reputation was gone now...
After everyone had left, Liu Ren, smiling, made to leave. But the next second, Spicer stepped up, took out his wallet, and drew out dollar bills — about two thousand — saying, “Thank you for your help, Liu. The Hockley family does not forget its friends!”
“I take the money, I do the work!”
Liu Ren smiled at Spicer, the corner of his mouth lifting.
He had seen the show and he had made his money. What more could he want?
Chapter 5