Chapter Seven: Public Enemy
The man sneered. "Don't talk to me like that, you nobody. I doubt you can even afford a drink—let alone buy one for her." He turned to Ruth with a sly smile. "Come with me. You deserve better."
Jaden slammed his palm on the table, his eyes blazing. "Shut your mouth and get lost. If you don't, you'll regret it."
The man's expression darkened. "How dare you raise your voice at me?"
Jaden stood, pointing at the man's face. "Who are you, anyway? And who gave you the right to interrupt us?"
The man slapped Jaden's hand away. "What—do you want to fight me?"
Though he wasn't accompanied by his usual twelve bodyguards, the man didn't seem worried. He had undergone years of private combat training and considered himself more than capable of handling a one-on-one fight. He enjoyed confrontation—especially when he thought he had the upper hand.
Jaden had no bodyguards. He wasn't rich—at least not yet. But he had something else: the tough, disciplined boxing training he'd received during his years at the orphanage. He didn't need backup. He just needed focus.
Without hesitation, Jaden landed a sharp slap across the man's face.
The man staggered, stunned. Then he growled, "How dare you lay your hand on me? I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget!"
He lunged at Jaden, aiming to return the slap, but Jaden dodged. The man then swung an uppercut that connected with Jaden's jaw. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Fired up, Jaden responded with a rapid series of punches—four quick blows to the stomach that left the man gasping. Blood dripped from his lips.
"Hey! What the hell is going on here?" a commanding voice rang out. A man in a tuxedo stormed toward them—it was the restaurant manager.
The fighters froze.
"What's the problem? Why are you two fighting in my restaurant?" the manager demanded, glancing between them.
"I was sitting here, minding my business," Jaden said, pointing at the man, "when he came over and started causing trouble."
The manager looked at them both sternly. "Whatever he said or did, violence is not the solution. This is a public place, not a boxing ring. If the police hear about this, you could both be arrested."
The man wiped the blood from his mouth and glared at Jaden. "This isn't over. You think you're tough? I'll show you who you're messing with." He pointed a trembling finger at Jaden. "I'm not just some random guy."
The manager raised a hand. "I've warned you. I don't want to see any more fighting, or I will call the police." With that, he turned and walked away.
The man muttered something under his breath, then stormed out of the restaurant.
Jaden sat down slowly, wincing as he pressed his side. Ruth leaned closer, concern etched on her face.
"Jaden, I'm so sorry. Please go to the hospital and get yourself checked out."
He gave her a tired nod. "I just need to rest a bit. I didn't come here expecting to fight someone like that. I just wanted to relax... but I guess trouble always finds me."
"I'm really sorry," she said softly. "I brought my car. When you're ready, I'll take you home."
Jaden rested for a few more minutes. Then he stood, steadying himself with a deep breath. "Alright. Let's go."
They left the restaurant together.
Jaden and Ruth stepped out of the restaurant and froze. Standing in front of them was the same man who had fought Jaden earlier—this time flanked by twelve guards.
Jaden instinctively considered retreating into the restaurant, but instead, he straightened his shoulders and walked boldly toward them. Ruth stayed at the entrance, her heart pounding as she watched the scene unfold.
She was terrified they might beat him up, but Jaden's calm and confident demeanor gave her an unexpected sense of reassurance. Maybe he could handle them.
The man, clearly the leader, smirked cruelly and barked a command. "Take him down. Beat him up for me!"
Three guards rushed forward at once, attacking with synchronized strikes. Jaden blocked a punch from the first, grabbed the man's arm, and delivered a swift kick that sent him sprawling. The second came at him with a growl, but Jaden ducked under his swing and landed a powerful uppercut. Blood sprayed, and a tooth flew through the air.
Without hesitation, the leader waved his hand, sending the rest of the guards charging in.
Jaden didn't flinch. He grabbed the third attacker, lifted him effortlessly, and hurled him into the oncoming group. The man crashed into his comrades, knocking several of them down. One of the guards screamed—his arm twisted at an unnatural angle.
Seeing the chaos among his men, the leader stepped forward, his face twisted with fury. Jaden met him head-on.
The leader dodged Jaden's first kick and caught his leg midair, but Jaden reacted swiftly. He leapt and used his free leg to land a crushing kick to the man's mouth, sending him crashing to the ground.
The leader tried to get up, but before he could regain his footing, Jaden closed in and delivered a brutal uppercut that slammed him back down.
Fueled by anger, Jaden grabbed the man by both legs, spun him around, and hurled him several feet away like a sack of sand.
Ruth, now standing beside her car, could hardly believe what she had witnessed. She watched in awe as Jaden walked calmly toward her, his breathing steady despite the chaos he'd just handled.
Without a word, they got into the car. Ruth started the engine and pulled into traffic.
"Let me take you to the hospital," she said, her voice laced with concern as she glanced at him. "You might be hurt worse than you think."
Jaden gave her a faint smile and shook his head. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. I've dealt with guys like that before."
The ride home was quiet. The hum of the engine filled the silence as they each got lost in their own thoughts. Twenty minutes later, they pulled up in front of the Trent family house.
"Thanks for the ride," Jaden said softly, stepping out of the car.
Ruth watched as he walked slowly through the gate and disappeared into the compound.
Inside, the living room buzzed with conversation. Tracy's family sat around, engaged in a heated discussion. As Jaden entered, he greeted them politely and tried to slip away unnoticed toward his room.
"Jaden!" Isabelle's voice rang out, sharp and firm. "Come here. I want to show you something."
Reluctantly, he turned and walked over. Isabelle tapped her phone, then held the screen up for him to see.
It was a video—shaky but clear. Footage of him at the restaurant, sitting with Ruth. Then, the confrontation. The fight. Every punch and slap caught on camera.
Jaden's stomach dropped.
"This is disgraceful," Richard Trent muttered, shaking his head. "I took you in because I believed in you. I didn't know you were a thug. If I had, I never would've let you stay here."
"You've embarrassed the family," Vanessa added sharply, her voice tinged with jealousy. "And I'm sure that girl you were with is your girlfriend. You fought over her, didn't you?"
"No, it's not like that—"
"Shut up," Margaret snapped. "You fought over a woman. In public. Do you know how shameful that is? I should throw you out of this house right now, but I won't. You'll stay—on one condition."