The atmosphere at the scene was relatively quiet, so the sound of that slap was exceptionally jarring.
Everyone's gaze was drawn toward the table where Jessica was sitting.
Jessica was seen clutching her flushed cheek, tears streaming uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes.
"You've been staring at him ever since we sat down! If you love looking at him so much, why don't you go back and live with him?"
Brad was trying his best to suppress his anger, speaking in a low, vicious voice to Jessica.
After the two of them sat down, Jessica had been absent-minded the entire time. Even when ordering, her eyes kept darting elsewhere. Brad followed her gaze and saw Marcus and Sofia, who were sweet, happy, and chatting away. In contrast, Jessica wore a look of resentment.
Brad had originally intended to let it go, but he hadn't expected that even while she was talking to him just now, Jessica's eyes still unconsciously drifted toward Marcus.
Brad was inherently extremely possessive, and this behavior from Jessica made him unable to endure it any longer, so he raised his hand and slapped her across the face.
Seeing this scene, Marcus frowned slightly, his expression showing some displeasure.
"Feeling sorry for her?"
Sofia asked jokingly.
Marcus shook his head decisively.
"Sorry my ass. I just can't stand men hitting women."
After saying that, Marcus continued eating the food in front of him.
Anyway, he had already broken up with Jessica. The life she had now was her own choice, so she should bear the corresponding consequences herself. Marcus didn't consider himself the kind of saint who would jump in to help an ex-girlfriend being bullied. It was already quite conscientious of him not to go over and mock Jessica right now.
The other onlookers nearby were also disgusted by this scene. In a public place, for a man to slap a woman was, no matter how you looked at it, a very ungentlemanly act. Those who came here to eat were basically people of some status, so naturally, they found such behavior extremely contemptible. However, everyone also knew that it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble, so no one stepped forward to stop it.
Just then, Morgana walked up and handed Jessica a tissue.
"Miss, would you like me to call the police for you?"
The sudden concern from a stranger made Jessica feel even more aggrieved, and she even began to sob.
Seeing this, Morgana took out her phone, ready to call the police.
Brad pushed back his chair and stood up, snatched the phone away, and with a "crack," smashed it heavily onto the ground.
"Do I need you sticking your nose into other people's business here?"
Brad had originally been involved with the underworld, and although he had gone straight, the temper in his bones couldn't be changed. Now, with his anger flaring up, his vicious nature was fully revealed.
Looking at Brad's bloodshot eyes and fleshy, menacing face, Morgana instantly felt a trace of fear.
At this moment, the manager hurried over, jogging and wearing an apologetic smile to smooth things over.
"Sir, I'm sorry! Our server here is new and doesn't know the rules. You are a big man with a generous heart; please don't lower yourself to her level! How about this: I'll waive the bill for the two of you today. What do you think?"
The manager bowed and scraped, hoping that Brad would let it go at that.
Unexpectedly, Brad did not appreciate the gesture at all. He let out a cold snort and sat back down in his seat with a grim expression.
"Do you think I'm short on the money for this meal?"
Brad's tone was icy, looking exactly like a demon.
The manager quickly crouched down in front of Brad and continued to apologize.
"Sorry, sir, I didn't mean that... It really is our employee who was ignorant and disturbed your meal. Then, how do you think... this matter... should be resolved?"
The manager was also an old hand; he could tell at a glance that Brad was a tough nut to crack. At a time like this, rather than constantly lowering his bottom line to please the other party, it was better to first test the waters.
Brad looked down at the manager from his high position, then raised his eyes to size up Morgana, who was so nervous that her body was trembling slightly.
"I want her to apologize to me."
Brad pointed at Morgana and said.
Upon hearing that the problem could be solved just by an apology, the manager immediately nodded in agreement. In the service industry, apologizing to customers was practically a daily occurrence. The request Brad made could be said to have absolutely no element of difficulty in it.
The manager immediately shot a look at Morgana, signaling her to come over and apologize to the customer.
Although Morgana felt aggrieved, she had no choice but to walk slowly in front of Brad due to her job.
Just as she was about to bow and apologize, Brad raised his hand.
"I meant, make her kneel before me and kowtow to apologize!"
Brad pointed at the ground with his short, thick fingers, wearing the face of a petty man who had gotten his way.
Having lost face and suffered anger here today, Brad naturally treated the hotel server as his punching bag.
Hearing Brad's words, Morgana, who had been ready to bow and apologize, froze, looking toward the manager with a pleading gaze.
The manager did not hesitate at all, winking and gesturing for Morgana to hurry up and do it without dawdling. In the manager's view, kowtowing to apologize was nothing more than losing a bit of face. In the service industry, who needed pride anyway! As long as it could solve the problem and minimize the impact on the hotel, he would even be able to call Brad "Daddy" right now.
But Morgana was only eighteen, an age when one's self-esteem was at its strongest. Asking her to kowtow and apologize now was equivalent to rubbing her dignity into the ground. Besides, it was Brad who had started it by hitting someone, and he had also smashed her phone. She was only standing up for the girl who had been hit; where was she wrong?
Thinking of this, Morgana became even more defiant.
"Sir, then what about you smashing my phone? Do you plan on giving me an explanation?"
Fear, anger, and grievance — these emotions were mixed in Morgana's heart. This caused her voice to tremble when she said this.
Once these words were out, the manager was shocked. He had been on the verge of coaxing Brad into a good mood, and this sentence from Morgana was equivalent to reigniting a flame that was about to go out.
Just as the manager was about to get up to reprimand Morgana, Brad stepped in front of her first.
"Say that again? I didn't hear you clearly just now."
Brad tilted his ear toward Morgana, his gaze turning sinister.
Morgana pursed her lips, as if gathering all her courage, and said in a firm tone.
"I said, you smashed my phone, so you should also..."
Before she could finish her sentence, the furious Brad shoved Morgana away hard.
Losing her balance, Morgana fell backward, and in her panic, she grabbed a large emerald-green vase behind her. The vase, hit by this sudden impact, toppled over and shattered into pieces all over the floor.
Morgana landed on the pile of debris, her palms pierced by the sharp shards, and blood began to seep out.
"You fucking dare to talk back! You still want me to pay for your phone, huh? A fucking server, and you think you're something special!"
Brad, fuming with anger, rolled up his sleeves and walked relentlessly toward Morgana, who had fallen to the ground.
Seeing this, Marcus did not hesitate at all; he immediately stood up and, in one stride, blocked the path in front of Morgana.