Chapter 4 Dwayne For Rescue

Chapter 4

Dwayne for rescue

A greasy hand slid up Ariana's arm, making her recoil in disgust. She struggled fiercely, her voice sharp with fear.

"Let go! If you don't, I'll scream!"

Her heart pounded as she glanced around-desperate for help-but she had unknowingly run into a secluded area. A few people passed by, yet no one intervened.

"Don't be so cold, beautiful," the man sneered, tightening his grip. "I can give you a good life. I make fifty to sixty thousand dollars a month, own a house, a car... Stick with me, and you'll live in luxury."

His foul breath fanned over her face as he leaned in, his intention sickeningly clear.

Disgust churned in her stomach. No way.

Ariana lashed out, her nails raking across his oily, bloated face.

"Argh!" The man yowled, jerking back in pain, his hold on her loosening.

Now!

Without hesitation, Ariana broke free and bolted.

But she had switched to three inch heels for her usher's outfit tonight, and the tight slit of the dress made it hard to move quickly.

She had barely made it a few steps before he caught up again.

"Insolent little tramp!" he snarled, grabbing her roughly by the arm. "You dare scratch me? Even nightclubs wouldn't want someone like you! You need to be taught a lesson!"

His meaty hand swung back, ready to strike.

Ariana twisted and struggled, but his grip was like iron. Her eyes burned with fury, sharp as daggers.

No, no, no!

Then-just as the palm was about to land-

A strong, defined hand shot out, gripping the man's wrist mid-air.

"What the hell-" the man turned, ready to curse, but the words died in his throat.

A sickening snap echoed through the air.

A scream tore from his throat as his wrist twisted unnaturally.

A second later, his body slammed onto the ground.

His cries filled the alley, high-pitched and pitiful-like a pig being dragged to slaughter. He clutched his injured wrist, writhing in agony.

A chilling voice, low and laced with murderous intent, drifted through the air.

"You? " Dwayne's lips curled into a cold, disdainful smirk. "You're not even worthy."

Ariana's breath hitched.

She slowly looked up.

Dwayne stood there, tall and unshaken, his expression completely blank.

Her legs trembled, giving out beneath her.

"Un... Uncle Dwayne..." her voice wavered.

She quickly lowered her gaze, avoiding his piercing stare.

Dwayne's tone was flat, yet unquestionably commanding.

"We'll settle this later."

Then, without another word, he strode toward the cowering man.

The man was just scrambling to his feet, still spewing curses-

Until Dwayne's fist drove into his gut.

The man let out a choked wheeze, his beer belly rippling from the impact before he toppled over again.

This time, he couldn't get up.

He flailed uselessly, like a turtle flipped onto its back, gasping for air.

Dwayne unfastened the top button of his shirt, rolling up his sleeves as he approached again.

The man's bravado cracked. Fear seeped into his greasy face.

Still, he forced himself to sneer. "Do you even know who I am? Lay another finger on me, and you'll be screwed over in Los Angeles!"

Dwayne merely smirked.

"Oh?" He tilted his head, his expression almost bored. "Who exactly are you?"

"I'm John Dalton! The manager of Brilliant Company!" the man spat, puffing up his chest. "Our boss is Morgan!"

At the name, Dwayne's expression didn't change.

He simply stepped forward-

And stomped down hard on the man's right hand-the same one he had raised to hit Ariana moments before.

A loud, agonized howl rang through the alley.

Dwayne's voice was calm, but laced with ice.

"Listen carefully."

"My name is Dwayne Rickshaw."

The moment the words left his lips, John's face drained of color.

In Los Angeles, there were many important figures with the surname Rickshaw.

But there was only one named Dwayne.

The son of Gale Rickshaw.

The man who could make people disappear with a single word.

John's entire body went stiff.

He had provoked a demon.

And now, he was doomed.

My niece

The Rickshaw Family-a prestigious lineage with a centuries-old legacy-had endured its share of turbulence before finally rising to unparalleled heights under Gale Rickshaw. His leadership had transformed the family into the wealthiest dynasty in LA, solidifying their influence across industries.

Naturally, all eyes were on his only son, Dwayne-the heir to the Rickshaw Corporation worth hundreds of billions.

Yet, to everyone's shock, instead of stepping into his father's empire, Dwayne made an unexpected choice.

At just sixteen, he had enrolled in a military academy.

Upon graduation, he voluntarily joined the special forces, starting from the bottom ranks.

And in less than a decade, he had ascended to become the youngest Major, relying solely on his own merit.

A living legend.

In LA, who didn't know his name?

The thug's face turned ashen, his greasy forehead beading with cold sweat.

He had unknowingly offended Dwayne Rickshaw-a man feared and respected by all.

If chopping himself into pieces could appease him, he would have done it without hesitation.

"Mr. Rickshaw, I-I was wrong! Please, have mercy. I was blind-utterly blind!" the man groveled, his voice trembling. "I swear, I'll never-never make this mistake again!"

Dwayne didn't spare him a glance. Unmoved. Indifferent.

Instead, he reached for Ariana's hand and spoke in a low, steady voice.

"Let's go."

Though his tone wasn't forceful, it carried an authority that sent a shiver down Ariana's spine.

She didn't dare resist and silently followed him out of the alley.

The moment they stepped into the open, Dwayne abruptly stopped.

His grip loosened, releasing her wrist.

Then, his stern voice rang out.

"Are you short on money?"

Ariana's pulse quickened.

"No..."

As she met his piercing gaze, her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. The intensity of his stare made her instinctively lower her head.

"Look at me."

His deep voice left no room for disobedience.

Ariana swallowed her nerves and slowly lifted her gaze.

Dwayne's eyes narrowed. His handsome face-sharp as a blade-held a cold scrutiny.

"If you're not struggling financially, then why dress like this?"

His voice carried a subtle edge, as if he found the entire situation unbearable.

"Do you find it amusing?"

Ariana bit her lip. "I just wanted to earn a bit more money to support my living costs."

Dwayne's brows furrowed. "Didn't I tell you-if you need money, just ask me?"

Ariana hesitated, then mumbled, "I'm not used to... asking other people for money..."

Her voice grew softer toward the end, as faint as a mosquito's whimper.

At the phrase "other people", a flicker of darkness passed through Dwayne's gaze.

The air around him turned chillingly cold.

"Other people?"

His voice was dangerously quiet.

"Your mother and I grew up together. Our bond was deeper than blood."

His gaze bore into her, unwavering.

"If she were still here and saw you like this, she would be heartbroken."

Ariana's throat tightened.

His voice was devoid of emotion, yet each word struck deep.

"I know you think I'm an unfit guardian. But for your mother's sake, I would never abandon you."

Ariana's eyes reddened.

Just as she was feeling a swell of emotion, his next words struck like a thunderclap.

"I'll be moving into your apartment in a couple of days."

Ariana's head snapped up, eyes wide with disbelief.

"From then on, you'd better behave," he continued, his voice calm but firm. "If I catch you stepping out of line, I'll take over your mother's duty of disciplining you."

Ariana: "..."

Was this some kind of joke?

Her lips parted in shock. "Uncle... you're joking, right?"

Dwayne simply looked at her. Expressionless. Silent. Dead serious.

Before Ariana could respond, a carefree voice cut through the air.

"Ah, Dwayne! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

A tall, well-dressed man strode over, his easygoing grin never fading.

It was Morgan.

"Let's go, man. Time for dinner!" Morgan clapped a hand on Dwayne's shoulder, then paused.

His eyes flicked past Dwayne and landed on Ariana.

She seemed... familiar.

Morgan's brows furrowed slightly.

Then it clicked-she was the girl standing by the runway earlier!

A knowing smirk crept onto his lips.

"Oh? So you've already made your move?" He chuckled, nudging Dwayne. "Damn, you move fast-"

Thwack!

Before he could finish his sentence, Dwayne's fist drove into his stomach.

Morgan doubled over, choking on air.

"Cough, cough-!"

He wheezed, clutching his abdomen, his face twisted in pain.

"The hell, man?" he gasped.

Dwayne, unfazed, spoke in a low, unreadable voice.

"She's my niece."

Morgan's eyes bulged.

"...Niece?"

His mind raced back to what he had just said.

Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

He had just implied something utterly inappropriate-about Dwayne's own niece.

A sharp chill ran down his spine.

Morgan forced a nervous laugh, trying to backtrack.

"Ahaha... Y-you should've told me sooner, man..."

Dwayne simply stared at him.

Unsmiling. Unforgiving.

Morgan gulped.

Dead. He was so dead.

"Where did this niece of yours come from? We've been friends for years, yet I've never seen her before," Morgan remarked, his usual playful smirk fading slightly.

Dwayne responded matter-of-factly, "She's Claire's daughter-Ariana." Even he hadn't expected An Claire's daughter to have grown so much without him noticing.

Morgan arched an eyebrow before quickly switching to a more cheerful tone. "Ariana, nice to meet you. I'm Morgan, your uncle's close friend. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask. No need to be shy."

Ariana offered a sweet smile. "Nice to meet you, Uncle Morgan."

Morgan froze. "...Uncle?"

Did he really look that old? Though, considering their age difference and relationship, she wasn't exactly wrong. With a resigned sigh, he let it slide. "Alright, let's go. It's late. How about a meal? Ariana, you should join us-I'll introduce you to some new friends."

Ariana hadn't even had the chance to decline before Dwayne decisively added, "Let's go. You can greet everyone properly once we're there."

With no room for argument, Ariana had no choice but to follow the two men.

The private dining room was on the 27th floor of an upscale restaurant. As Morgan pushed the door open, the lively chatter inside came to a halt, and all eyes turned toward them.

Among the group, a man with a mischievous grin called out, "Morgan, Dwayne, what took you guys so long? We've been waiting-oh, wait a minute. Who's this little beauty? Who brought her?"

Ariana glanced around. Six people were lounging on the leather sofas-three men, three women-all staring at her with keen interest.

"This is my niece, Ariana," Dwayne introduced in his usual brief manner before guiding her to a seat in the corner. "Sit."

Morgan followed, grinning. "She's Claire's daughter. We caught her sneaking into a press conference as a courtesy hostess, so we brought her here to meet everyone."

With that, he went around introducing the people in the room.

Ariana had mild prosopagnosia, making it difficult for her to remember faces she had just met. However, everyone here had such striking features that it was impossible not to take note. By the time the introductions were over, she had at least committed most of them to memory.

Just as she was exchanging greetings, the door to the private room swung open again.

A woman with wine-red hair and an alluring black open back dress strode in. The moment her gaze landed on Ariana, a flicker of displeasure flashed across her eyes. Still, she masked it with a charming smile.

"Who is this?"

"Ariana," the young woman answered coolly, glancing up. "He's my uncle."

Sensing the woman's subtle hostility, Ariana instinctively clarified their relationship.

The woman's lips curled slightly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Victoria."

"Nice to meet you," Ariana replied politely.

Without missing a beat, Victoria moved to sit beside Dwayne. Her voice turned soft and sweet. "Dwayne, where have you been? I was looking all over for you."

Dwayne's brows furrowed. His response was curt, his tone frigid. "Do I need to report my whereabouts to you?"

The rejection was blunt-unyielding.

Victoria's face stiffened, but instead of snapping back, she forced a smile. "Come on, I was just worried about you. Anyway, let's not just sit here-let's celebrate. I'm covering everything tonight in honor of Morgan's successful product launch!"

With that, the room's atmosphere quickly shifted. Drinks were poured, laughter resumed, and soon, the party was in full swing.

Ariana, however, remained in her corner, quietly sipping her juice.

Victoria slid closer to her, an unreadable expression in her eyes. "So, you're An Claire's daughter?"

"Yes."

A fleeting shadow passed over Victoria's face before she remarked casually, "I met Claire before. Such a shame she passed so young... Women should really be more careful about who they trust when they remarry. Otherwise-"

Clink.

The sound of glass hitting the table cut her off.

Dwayne's fingers still rested on the wine glass, his eyes dark as midnight. His voice was low but sharp as a blade.

"Victoria, are you deliberately trying to test my patience tonight?"

In the dimly lit room, where shadows danced under the soft glow of chandeliers, his piercing gaze sent a shiver through everyone present.

Victoria clenched her right hand, falling silent.

The rest of the group exchanged wary glances, sensing the rising tension.

Finally, Morgan interjected, flashing a disarming grin. "Alright, enough of that. Come on, let's drink." He smoothly redirected Dwayne back toward the drinks table, and the atmosphere soon lightened again.

Ariana, however, remained in her seat, lost in thought. As the night wore on, her eyelids grew heavy. Eventually, exhaustion took over, and her head tilted to the side, landing against something solid and warm.

A soft hum of contentment left her lips before she drifted into sleep.