Gavin had to head to the company, so Liza chose to get out of the car midway. Her destination was the Black Tide base, where she needed to access some information. The base was located in a remote suburb, far from prying eyes. With no surveillance cameras in the area, it was a perfect spot for discretion. After stepping out of the car, Liza walked through a narrow alley. Unbeknownst to her, a group of people had been lying in wait. "There she is! That b*tch!" one of them snarled. “She made Serena faint from anger. Let’s teach her a lesson and get back at her!” another added viciously. Liza turned a corner and was suddenly jostled by someone. She steadied herself against the wall, but in the commotion, the ring on her finger slipped off. Before she could react, a hand came swinging toward her face.She quickly stepped aside, narrowly dodging the slap. Her eyes turned cold as she took in her surroundings. The alley was a dead end, and there were five of them—blocking her escape from both sides. Liza glanced at them briefly, her expression calm, then bent down to retrieve her fallen ring. "You ruined Serena's life, you wretch! You deserve to die for that!" one of them shouted. "Let's finish her off! There are no cameras here, so no one will ever know," another sneered. As Liza reached for the ring, one of the attackers picked up a brick, aiming not at her but at the ring itself. Her heart sank as the ring—Gavin’s gift—was buried under the shattered debris. They didn’t stop there. Armed with rods, they charged at her, their intent clear.Liza’s gaze turned sharp. She swiftly caught one of the rods mid-swing and yanked it away with a force that sent the assailant stumbling back. “Ahh!” A loud crack followed as the man clutched his wrist, screaming in pain. “She’s fighting back! Don’t let her intimidate you—get her!” one of them shouted. The others joined in, and now two of them drew knives that gleamed under the faint moonlight. One young man, his face twisted with malice, toyed with the blade in his hand. “I get it now. No wonder Mr. Sam was drawn to you. You’ve got the charm to lure men in. But since you made Serena pass out from anger, you’ll pay for it tonight!” Liza pieced together the situation. Mr. Sam and the Sinclair Family had severed their business ties with her, and Serena had fainted as a result. This group was here to avenge her. Keeping her composure, Liza pressed a hidden button on her bag, activating its recording device to document everything. One of the girls in the group clapped her hands, her voice shrill with excitement. “Killing her outright would be too easy! Let’s humiliate her first. We could strip her down, take some photos, and then decide how to finish her off!” Liza’s voice was steady, though laced with warning. “Murder is against the law.” Her words elicited cruel laughter from the group. “Against the law?” one of them jeered. “Who cares? You made Serena unhappy, and that’s all that matters. You’re not leaving this alley alive!” It was clear to Liza now—Serena had orchestrated this, even going as far as manipulating minors to carry out her violent plans. The lengths to which Serena would go were utterly deranged. Amid their taunts, one of them smirked maliciously. “Before we kill you, I’ll make sure to ruin your face and your body. Let’s see how much Gavin or anyone else will care about you then!” Another chimed in, grinning wickedly. “Why waste such a pretty face? Let’s have some fun with her first!” Suppressing her disgust, Liza’s expression hardened. Her icy gaze swept over the group, and her resolve solidified. These people had lost all sense of humanity, and she wasn’t going to let them win. Liza had always known that Serena excelled at putting on a facade, but she hadn’t anticipated the sheer malice behind her actions. This sinister plan was proof of just how far Serena would go to claim what wasn’t hers. If Serena wanted to provoke her, then she couldn’t blame Liza for responding in kind. Amid the tension, one of the older girls in the group stepped forward, her voice filled with venom. “Serena said that everything belongs to her—whether it’s the Sinclair Corperation or any outstanding man. If you dare to take them from her, you deserve to die!”As she spoke, she drew a dagger from her waist and lunged at Liza with alarming speed. A scream tore through the air, but it wasn’t Liza who cried out. A tall figure had appeared, delivering a swift kick to the attacker’s stomach. The force sent her sprawling to the ground, the dagger clattering loudly against the floor. She groaned in pain, her face twisted with anguish. Gavin stood tall, his footsteps deliberate and heavy as he advanced. His commanding presence filled the alley, and his cold, piercing gaze swept over the five individuals. The air seemed to chill as his deep eyes locked onto them, his aura radiating an undeniable sense of danger. One of the boys clenched his jaw, trying to mask his fear. “He’s alone. There’s no reason to be scared! We’ll deal with him, finish him off, and then take Liza. Once we’re done with her, Serena will get us out of trouble, no matter what happens.” His words were barely out when he pulled a small bottle from his pocket. The sinister skull symbol on the bottle immediately caught Liza’s attention. She recognized it instantly—it was a bottle of corrosive liquid. Before the boy could act, Gavin moved with lightning speed. Wrapping an arm securely around Liza’s waist, he spun around and delivered a powerful blow to the boy, sending him staggering backward. The bottle slipped from his grasp, and its contents spilled onto the ground with a sharp, hissing sound as it ate away at the concrete. A few drops splashed onto the boy’s face, and he let out a bloodcurdling scream, clutching at his skin and cursing in agony. Amid the chaos, Liza bent down, her eyes fixed on the ring buried beneath the debris. But before she could reach for it, Gavin tightened his grip around her waist, pulling her close. “Gavin…” she murmured, her voice trembling. “Yeah,” he responded softly, his deep voice steady. For a brief moment, their eyes met. The intensity in his gaze caused her heart to ache. She couldn’t help but let a trace of vulnerability show as she whispered, “Gavin, if you hadn’t come, they would’ve killed me…” To her surprise, Gavin didn’t respond with his usual teasing remarks. Instead, he held her even closer, his arms strong and protective around her. “Don’t be afraid,” he murmured, his voice low and reassuring. “I’m here.”