She wasn't some naive girl who didn't understand the stakes.

She knew that if she left with these men, her fate would be sealed.

The looks of fear and deference on their faces told her that Jerrold was the only one in the room who held any real power.

He was her last and only chance.

Without hesitation, she clung to the fabric of Jerrold's tailored suit jacket. Tears, borne of physical pain and helpless desperation, welled up in her eyes as she looked at him pleadingly.

"Please, she whispered, her voice trembling. "Help me."

Jerrold lowered his gaze and looked at the woman draped across his lap. Her hands clutched his jacket tightly, as if it were the only lifeline keeping her afloat.

His eyes lingered for a moment on the red string tied around her delicate wrist, and his expression flickered, though it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

To Lin Shao and his companions, however, Jerrold's silence was damning. They exchanged nervous glances, interpreting his gaze as a sign of displeasure at having his suit wrinkled.

Lin Shao, desperate to avoid further trouble, signaled one of his men to act.

The man stepped forward, reaching out to pull Catherine away.

But before he could touch her, Jerrold's sharp eyes turned to him. Without a word, Jerrold tapped the neck of a nearby wine bottle with his long fingers, the sound crisp and deliberate, as he gestured for the man to proceed. The man froze in place, his hand retracting as if burned.The room seemed to grow colder, the air thick with unspoken tension.

"Jerrold, what do you mean by this?"

"Finish this entire bottle, Jerrold's voice was devoid of emotion, as if he were simply making the most casual of requests.

However, Lin, glancing at the bottle, swallowed hard.

If someone drank all of that, they'd probably end up in the hospital.

Jerrold's attitude was clear—he was protecting this woman.

Lin's mind raced, and he quickly grabbed the person beside him.

"Jerrold, please have mercy. He's had too much to drink already. I'll take him out to sober up right away."

As he spoke, he glanced at Jerrold's expression.

Jerrold remained silent, and only then did Lin dare to act.

He pulled the troublemakers away, leaving the room to Jerrold and Catherine.

Catherine hadn't expected that the man before her would actually step in to save her.

But the reaction of Lin and his companions made her realize that there wasn't much difference between being at the mercy of those men earlier and being here now.