Chapter 270
“You’re the side piece!” Catherine shrieked from behind Vance.
Desmond stared her down. “You think hiding behind that scumbag means I can’t reach you? I’ll slap any filthy mouth I see-man or woman.”
Vance’s eyes burned. “You want to pick a fight, huh?”
“You bet!” Desmond stepped forward, shielding the three women. “And you think you’re any cleaner? I slapped her for her dirty mouth. For a man who reeks as if he fell in a sewer, I’ll do a lot worse.”
Catherine finally understood why Desmond had slapped her. It was for calling Rebecca a cripple.
Vance looked beyond Desmond at Rebecca. “You’re really going to side with the man and insult me?”
Rebecca looked at the way he was protecting Catherine and couldn’t help laughing. “Insulting? Which part? The facts?”
Vance’s face darkened further. “Do you even hear yourself?”
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“I do,” she answered, her eyes stinging. “Aren’t you filthy? Desmond, let’s go. No point dirtying our hands on garbage.”
Vance turned livid. “Rebecca!”
All Rebecca wanted at that moment was to leave that place as soon as possible. The sight of them alone made her sick, and she didn’t want Desmond to get hurt. That would foil their performance schedules.
Yet he refused to leave, demanding an apology. She shook her head, indicating that it was pointless. She no longer cared what people said about her, but she was worried about his safety.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he said. “You’re worried I’ll get hurt and ruin the show. But there are some things a man has to do. Even if I get marked up today, the troupe has an understudy. No matter what, she has to apologize.”
Rebecca knew better. Vance would never allow that.
Sure enough, the tension skyrocketed again.
“We’ve talked about throwing hands for a long time. Let’s settle it today,” Vance declared, turning to Rebecca. “Once I knock him down, you’re coming home with me.”
“For that sentence, you’ve just earned extra punches,” Desmond said, cracking his knuckles. “Let me make one thing clear. This is purely personal. It has nothing to do with Rebecca. She is not a trophy but a whole, independent person. She will not go with anyone. Show your respect.”
A crowd had gathered, mostly tourists. After listening for a while, they understood what was happening. When they heard Desmond’s words, they broke into applause.
Vance’s jaw tightened. “Enough talk!”
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“And stop blocking the sidewalk!” Desmond headed toward the open square.
Clearly, it was going to be a brutal fight. Rebecca and Helia hurried after them but couldn’t catch up.
In the square, the two men started swinging.
Desmond moved fast. He leaped into the air and kicked Vance square in the chest, sending him crashing
to the ground.
The blow, enhanced by his dancing skills, was powerful, but Vance was no weakling, religiously working out at the company’s gym.
In seconds, he rolled and pinned Desmond beneath him.

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