Chapter 124 Not Someone To Be Tangled With
Marvin returned home and immediately spotted Jarrod sitting on the sofa, his stern expression telling Marvin that a lesson was about to be delivered.
“Jarrod…” Marvin called out, his voice tinged with nervousness.
“Explain yourself,” Jarrod said flatly, his eyes locked on Marvin
“Well…” Marvin hesitated. He had seen the trending topics online. With so many media reporters and live streamers outside the hotel, it was inevitable that he and Renee would make headlines.
Although neither of them was in showbiz, he was Jarrod’s brother–the renowned business prodigy–and Renee was William’s ex–wife.
Both Marvin and Renee had notorious reputations, and naturally, their association would stir up gossip.
“30 seconds,” Jarrod said, glancing at his watch.
“Jarrod, it was just a coincidence,” Marvin quickly explained. “We ran into each other and Renee just wanted to save her sister. There’s nothing going
on between us.”
Jarrod’s gaze remained fixed on Marvin for a full ten seconds. Seeing no signs of deceit in Marvin’s expression, he finally decided to let it go.
“You better be telling the truth,” Jarrod warned, his voice cold. “Renee’s not someone to be tangled with.”
“I know,” Marvin said, trying to lighten the mood. “Are you heading back tonight? Why not stay here?”
He offered, trying to please Jarrod by pouring him a glass of water.
Jarrod took the glass, sipped from it, and then set it down. “I’ve got other things to do. I’m leaving.”
“What? Already? Why not stay a bit longer?” Marvin pretended to protest, and a big smile was already blooming on his face.
Jarrod didn’t comment on Marvin’s attempt to flatter him. Instead, he gave him a playful punch on the shoulder and stood up to leave. As he reached the door, he turned back with one last piece of advice. “Keep your distance from Shaun these days.”
Marvin was used to the constant competition between Jarrod and Shaun. Often caught in the middle, it could be frustrating, but he knew better than to get involved. No matter how heated their arguments became, they never dragged him into the fray. His role was to remain neutral and keep his distance.
So, when Jarrod spoke, Marvin simply nodded. “I see.”
Jarrod, despite knowing Marvin wouldn’t actually follow his advice, said nothing further and just left.
Driving himself, as always, Jarrod preferred to keep his schedule private and never used a driver.
As Jarrod drove smoothly through the city center, his mind lingered on Marvin’s situation. He had always been deeply involved in his little brother’s life, ever since they were children. Normally, Marvin’s antics were something Jarrod could overlook, but today was different.
Renee was involved, and that complicated matters.
Jarrod was distracted, his thoughts drifting, and as he turned into the right -turn lane, he failed to notice a pedestrian crossing. By the time he saw the figure in his peripheral vision, it was already too late. The car struck
someone.
He snapped back to reality, his heart racing, and immediately got out of the car to check on the pedestrian.
As he crouched down to help the woman up, he froze.
“Miss Payne? Are you alright?” he asked, concern evident in his voice.
Sylvia shifted slightly, wincing as she frowned. “I think my calf got scratched.”
“I’ll take you to the hospital,” Jarrod insisted, carefully lifting Sylvia and placing her in the back seat.
After getting back into the driver’s seat, he started the car and apologized again, his voice sincere. “I’m really sorry. I was distracted while driving. We’ll go to the hospital first. I’ll cover the costs, and we can discuss compensation later.”
Despite the pain, Sylvia let out a soft chuckle, her eyes reflecting a mixture of amusement and discomfort.
Confused by her reaction, Jarrod glanced at her through the rearview mirror. Their eyes met for a brief moment.
Sylvia’s lips curled into a faint smile as she said, “Mr. Doyle, I always thought you were a stern, mature, and unyielding man. But it turns out…”
“Yeah?” he prompted, curious.
“It turns out that like everyone else, you get nervous too when you hit someone with your car.”