What happened next totally stunned everyone-Jason actually stepped forward and helped Denise up.

Denise didn't resist. They had just parted ways that morning, and here they were running into each other at the Montgomerys' place again. Guess fate really had plans for them.

"Ugh, that hurts," Denise winced instantly.

Jason's expression darkened. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, so you're my brother-in-law now? Jason, I'm hurting all over... Dad hit me just now. Can you take me to the hospital?" Denise leaned into Jason, eyes wide and pitiful, looking up at him.

Arthur and Vivian gave each other a look. Meanwhile, Samantha was so mad she looked like her nose was about to go crooked.

That little witch! Acting all weak in front of Jason? She really was pushing it.

Jason smirked faintly. "Sure."

Vivian quickly jumped in. "Jason, Denise is just being dramatic. Don't worry about her-I'll have someone else take her to the hospital."

As a woman, Vivian could see right through Denise's act. Yeah, this girl was clearly eyeing Samantha's man.

Samantha panicked. "Jason, don't believe her! She's totally faking it. This isn't new-my sister's always been like this. Dad barely touched her, really."

Denise had always been prettier than her since they were kids. At nineteen, her looks and figure already outshined Samantha's-and that had always been a sore spot for her.

Jason said calmly, "It's my first time visiting your place. Since we're about to become one family, let's treat each other like family." With that, he just picked Denise up and walked out.

Everyone in the Montgomery family was left speechless. Samantha stomped her foot in frustration.

"Dad, Mom! Look at Denise! She just met Jason and she's already trying to seduce him," she cried, nearly in tears.

Arthur sighed. "Alright, alright. Jason's probably just being polite. Denise's just some teenage girl. Jason's not into little girls. Don't get so jealous. You and Jason are engaged, remember? Show some maturity. The Harringtons won't like it if you act all jealous and petty."

Vivian stepped in, too. "Honey, listen to your father. I've been through this, I know what's up. There's no way I'm letting Denise pull the same stunt her mom did back in the day-seducing your dad like that. I won't let history repeat itself. You've got the ring, Jason's your fiancé, and men don't like it when women fight and act all jealous."

"...I get it, Mom," Samantha mumbled. She was fuming inside, but she held it in.

Outside, Jason finally put Denise down.

"Had enough of your little show?" he asked.

Denise gave him a wide-eyed grin. "What show? I don't get what you mean."

Jason shoved his hands into his pockets. "Denise, I haven't even gotten around to confronting you, and now you're pulling me into your drama?"

"Oh? But what if I tell my sister what happened last night between you and me?" Denise tilted her head, smiling playfully at him.

From this moment on, she was going to get close to this man, seduce him even-just to get back at Arthur and the rest of them.

"Denise, don't be so full of yourself. You really think you can threaten me? Take a look at this," Jason said, pulling a memory card out of his pocket.

Denise's face turned pale the moment she saw it. "W-Why do you still have it?!"

Wasn't that card the one she had tossed out already?

"You thought I didn't back it up? Seriously? If you dare run your mouth to Samantha about us, this video's going viral in seconds."

What a sly bastard.

Denise clenched her teeth. "Then I'll just tell everyone in Seaville that the guy in that video is you!"

Jason sneered. "And you think they'll actually buy it?"

"You..." Denise started to feel the pressure now-this guy wasn't easy to deal with.

"So, what now? Ready to back off? Still trying to mess with me? Please, you're way out of your league," Jason said smugly, clearly enjoying watching her squirm.

Suddenly, Denise burst into tears.

Jason froze. Wait, what? Why the sudden waterworks?

"Hey, aren't you a little too old to be crying like this?" Jason asked, scratching the back of his neck.

"I'm only nineteen, still a freshman! Crying isn't against the law," she huffed through tears.

Jason: "..."

Nineteen? He was literally ten years older than her. Great, now he felt ancient... and she's still a student?

But then Denise sobbed even harder. "Everyone's bullying me... My own dad wants to sell me off to some random guy, my stepmom's always coming at me, even my sister picks on me-and now you too! You're all terrible to me..."

Jason frowned. Her dad was trying to pawn her off to another man? Could that have been related to last night?

She could totally be acting... still, even Jason couldn't help but feel a little bad seeing her like this.

"Alright, alright. I'll take you to the hospital, okay?" he said helplessly.

"Yay! Thanks, Jason!" Denise perked up instantly.

Knew it-fake crying. This girl was a handful, but she was way more lively than her sister. Honestly... kinda more likeable.

At the hospital, the doctor checked her over-nothing major, just bruises and scratches. Cleaned up and bandaged, she was fine.

Jason couldn't help but furrow his brows seeing the injuries on her back. Arthur and Vivian had totally downplayed it. This wasn't discipline-this was abuse.

The bruises looked brutal. For some reason, Jason suddenly felt unsettled. What kind of life was she even living at that house?

Stepping out into the hallway, he grabbed his phone and called Ben. "Run a full check on the Montgomerys' second daughter-Denise. Now."

Back inside, Denise lay on her stomach in bed, the doctor having finished treating her.

"Keep the area dry for a week," the doctor reminded her.

"Thanks for earlier, Jason. If you hadn't shown up, Arthur might've really beaten me to death."

"Oh, so that's how you're thanking me?" Jason raised a brow and pulled out the IOU slip.

Denise froze, clearly caught off guard.

"Denise, you better explain yourself. Is that really all I'm worth to you?" Jason asked, holding the paper up dramatically.

"This... I've never hired a guy before, so I seriously have no clue what the going rate is. How much do you want?" Denise pouted. She was being honest!

Jason practically flared his nostrils in anger-talking about market prices? Did she think he was for sale?

"Denise!" he growled through clenched teeth.

Seeing he was mad, Denise quickly tiptoed and kissed him on the lips, then gave a cheeky grin. "Come on, Jason, don't be mad. I'm just a broke student here. Two hundred's all I've got left after budgeting my living expenses."

Jason's temples started throbbing. Was this girl for real? But after that one little kiss, all his anger somehow vanished.

"Denise, do you even realize what you're starting? You know what happens if you mess with me, right?" he said seriously, his voice low.

Of course he saw through her little act.

"But Jason, didn't you kind of enjoy it too? You didn't exactly push me away when I kissed you." Denise leaned in closer, her fingers suddenly slipping under his shirt.

"Denise!" Jason warned again, voice tight.

"Oh please, stop pretending. After all that went down yesterday-everything that was seen and touched... and now you're putting on this noble act?" Denise threw his own words from earlier right back at him, with a smirk.

Jason was completely at a loss with this cunning little fox.

After they left the hospital, Jason told Denise to make her own way home. He had work at the office. Besides, if he dropped her off personally, who knows what the Montgomery family would think.

Once Jason left, Denise dropped the playful front. Her smile vanished, and her eyes were filled with cold hatred.

She was getting close to Jason on purpose. Her goal? Steal Samantha's fiancé and hit them where it hurt most.

Just as Denise was about to head off, someone called out behind her-Justin Montgomery.

"Hey sis, I heard you got hit again. Are you okay?" Justin asked anxiously. He had just heard what happened.

"I'm fine. It's not a big deal anymore."

But when Justin saw how pale and worn-out she looked, he exploded. "I'm going to make them pay for this!"

"Justin, no! Don't go. I'll deal with them when the time is right," Denise quickly blocked his path, terrified he'd do something reckless.

He wasn't strong enough yet to take them on.

Since they were kids, she and Justin had only had each other. He was her only family now.

"Don't worry, sis. I'm already sixteen now. I'll protect you." There was determination in Justin's eyes.

Denise looked at her little brother-over 1.7 meters tall already. He was turning into a real man. Yeah, he was growing up fast.

Back at the Harrington Corporation, Jason sat down in his chair as Ben handed him a folder.

"Sir, these are all the details we could find on Denise."

Jason took the file and flipped through it. Ben's efficiency never disappointed. It hadn't taken long at all to gather this info.

The report said Denise's mother, Grace Wilson, was Arthur's mistress back in Seaville-not his legal wife. Later, the legal wife, Vivian, showed up with two kids-Samantha and Alexander Montgomery-and had been suppressing Grace ever since. Eventually, Grace fell ill and died, leaving behind Denise and an adopted son, Justin.

Samantha's biological brother, Alexander, was currently studying abroad. Arthur doted on him and was clearly grooming him to take over the family business someday.