Chapter 469: In Trouble
Carter’s gaze fell on Luther. “Do you know him?”
“Yeah, the doctor drove me to the hospital earlier today. But what’s he doing at the Finance Academy?”
“He’s the largest shareholder of this academy.”
I understood that wealthy people often had interests in many businesses, but I couldn’t shake off a certain unease. Lowering my voice, I frowned. “Carl, he’s an orthopedic doctor who also knows holistic medicine. I wouldn’t have known I was pregnant if he hadn’t checked my pulse and told me. He knows about the pregnancy.”
I felt like I was turning into a paranoid wreck—panicking at every little unexpected change. The timing of this pregnancy couldn’t have been worse. While not entirely unlucky, it was fraught with uncertainty and potential danger.
“I’ll have Damian look into him, just to be safe.”
“Alright.”
I couldn’t ignore someone I’d encountered twice in one day, so I held Carter back for a moment and refrained from intervening to help Whitney. Instead, I decided to observe Luther more closely.
The man in black-rimmed glasses blocked Whitney’s path just as she was about to leave.
“Starling, don’t be so aloof. I want to be friends.”
As his hand reached out to grab Whitney’s shoulder, a slender, defined hand caught his wrist in midair.
Crack! With an effortless move, the man’s wrist was dislocated. The classroom erupted in gasps and murmurs. Most people here were finance professionals—sharp and pragmatic. None of them wanted to invite trouble, so instead of intervening, they scattered like scared rabbits.
The man with glasses cursed, “Damn!” He swung his other fist straight at Luther’s face, but Luther sidestepped, raising his knee to drive it hard into the man’s stomach. The man crumpled to the floor, still cursing. “I’m going to sue you and make sure you go to jail!”
The next second, Luther calmly reset the man’s dislocated wrist. Before we could even react, he smiled, a cold, detached glint in his eyes. “Sure, go ahead.” Then, without warning, he dislocated the wrist again.
Is this his job? Dislocating joints? Luther had clearly initiated the fight, and if the man reported him, his medical license would be at risk. If they couldn’t settle privately, jail time wasn’t out of the question. But judging by the situation, Luther, as a doctor, knew his limits. The man’s injuries likely wouldn’t even qualify as minor harm after a medical examination, leaving the courts little to act on.
Looking down at the man, Luther sneered, “Want to guess how many more joints in your body I can dislocate?” Fear flickered in the man’s eyes. It was obvious he’d underestimated the trouble he’d stumbled into. Luther seemed ready to dislocate every bone in his body, only to reset them again. As long as the police didn’t show up, Luther could keep playing his twisted game of bone rearrangement.
The man quickly realized this, his demeanor changing entirely. “Bro, I might’ve raised my voice earlier. Let’s drop this, okay? Please let me go.”
“Oh, that won’t do.” With a flick of his wrist, Luther dislocated the man’s jaw. Watching the man drool uncontrollably, I couldn’t help but think—offending a doctor is probably the worst idea.
Pointing to Whitney, Luther said, “Apologize to her.” The man nodded frantically, his eyes wide with terror. Only then did Luther reset the man’s jaw. Without even bothering to wipe himself, the man hurriedly apologized to Whitney and bolted out of the room.
But he wasn’t getting away that easily. If we hadn’t been here today—hadn’t run into Luther—I shudder to think what this man might have done to Whitney. If he was bold enough to harass her in a classroom full of people, who’s to say he wouldn’t have dragged her into some secluded corner if no one was around? People like him don’t walk away unscathed when they cross me.
I gave Damian a subtle signal. Understanding instantly, he slipped out silently to follow the man. Whitney gave Luther a cool, detached “thank you.”
“If anyone bothers you again, just call security. This is a school, not a brothel. Men like that, who have ill intentions, deserve a lesson,” Luther said, flashing her a grin. “Let me introduce myself. I’m the chairman of this academy. When I founded it, the goal was to help more people understand financial knowledge, but it seems some individuals have ulterior motives. If you ever need anything, feel free to contact me directly.”
With that, he handed Whitney a business card, which she accepted without much enthusiasm. Though he had come to her defense, she didn’t seem at all moved by his heroics. From start to finish, her expression remained indifferent.
But the moment she stepped outside and saw me, her eyes finally lit up. Even though my identity was no longer a secret, she still exercised restraint in public.
“Mr. Bolton, Mrs. Bolton,” Whitney greeted politely.
When Luther turned around and spotted me, his gaze lingered. “What a coincidence, Zoey. We meet again.”
I gave him a nod. “I didn’t expect to see you here at the academy instead of the hospital.”
“I’m an investor in this school,” he replied, his eyes shifting to Carter’s leg. “Your leg has healed?”
Carter responded with a simple, “Yes.”
“You know each other?”
“I met him before while shadowing my mentor,” Luther explained. “I watched my mentor treat his leg—it was in terrible condition back then. The fact that he can walk now is nothing short of a miracle. I’d love to meet the doctor who made it happen and learn from them.”
“Matthew,” Carter said casually.
I blinked in surprise. The same Dr. Quigley who treated my throat? He was the one who healed Carter’s leg?
Luther’s lips curved into a faint, meaningful smile. “Dr. Quigley, huh? No wonder. With skills like his… But, Mr. Bolton, are you acquainted with this young lady?”
Carter’s tone was light but firm. “Yes, she’s the daughter of a relative. We’ve been asked to look out for her. I came by to check how she was doing at school. I heard you helped my wife today. When do you have time? I’d like to take you to dinner to show my gratitude.”
“That’s not necessary. It was a small matter,” Luther replied, declining without hesitation.
I didn’t press the issue and left it at that, but I couldn’t help feeling puzzled as we walked away. If Luther knew who Carter was, why would he turn down such an opportunity? The Boltons’ status was untouchable—most people would jump at the chance to curry favor. Was he pretending not to care?
Once we got into the car, I noticed Damian discreetly steering the bespectacled man into a quiet alleyway, avoiding the surveillance cameras. Whitney leaned into me, a stark contrast from her aloof demeanor moments earlier.
“Sis,” she said softly.
I stroked her head. “How was school today?”
“Not bad.”
“If you ever feel out of place, Carter can arrange for private tutors to give you more personalized guidance. You might be better suited than Greg to take over the Sanders family business someday,” I said with a smile.
She laughed shyly. “That’s not necessary. I want to integrate into society as quickly as I can. I’ve learned some self-defense techniques, so I can handle most men on my own. Besides, with cameras everywhere, he wouldn’t have dared touch me even if you hadn’t shown up. As for taking over the Sanders family business, there’s no rush. Let me take my time and learn first.”
Taylor had taken good care of her. Unlike those horror stories of women being abducted and hidden away for years, Whitney had been given opportunities to grow. While Taylor restricted her freedom, he made sure she was well-educated. She had private tutors for academics and learned to dance, play instruments, paint, and even defend herself. Before her heart condition worsened, he had taken her skydiving, scuba diving, skiing, and other extreme sports. Because of that, Whitney was not only independent but also calm and composed, with a mind of her own.
Just as I was about to say something, Carter’s phone rang. The car was silent, so we all overheard snippets of the conversation. When we caught the name mentioned, we instinctively turned to look at him. After ending the call, Carter’s expression turned grim. “The Carlyns are in trouble,” he said darkly.