Chapter 423: Chapter 423: Taken Advantage of by This Damn Pervert
Sean Quinn had chosen to wear all black today: a black shirt with matching black trousers. His students were all whispering about his mysterious, ascetic vibe.
After his last class ended, he heard a specific notification from his phone. A smile touched his lips as he walked to a quiet corner, pulled out his phone, and checked the message.
The blazing sun seared the surface of the Sea of Lycoris, making it shimmer like millions of tiny, sparkling diamonds.
Sean Quinn was very pleased. "Such a good girl, Stella. Brother Shawn is coming to find you right now."
He slipped the phone into his pants pocket, stepped out into the sunlight, and slowly walked toward the cafeteria.
"Damn it!" Sawyer said, annoyed, after seeing the photo from Kyle Morgan. "He makes ’Stella’ wait out here while he’s inside the cafeteria eating in the air conditioning? Unbelievable!"
If it wasn’t us here today, but a real victim, she could have died from heatstroke out here.
Henry Stark’s expression was calm. "He has no humanity to speak of."
Renee Jennings pursed her lips, saying nothing.
Henry Stark glanced over at her. "Are you hungry?"
"Not really." Perhaps it was because the sunlight outside the window looked so harsh, but Renee Jennings didn’t have much of an appetite right now. "How’s Sawyer?"
"I’m too angry to be hungry," Sawyer retorted. She then raised her hand and, with a cupped palm, began patting her armpit. "Can’t get angry, can’t get angry. It’s bad for the girls."
Renee Jennings laughed at her antics and copied the motion.
An hour later, a message came from Zachary Conway: Sean Quinn had left the school.
They had planted a tracker on his car and shared the feed in their group chat.
They had expected Sean Quinn to drive straight to the Sea of Lycoris. Instead, he first stopped at a flower shop. He was inside for about ten minutes before emerging with a bouquet of red roses.
"He stops to buy flowers before a murder?" Kyle Morgan said, gripping the steering wheel, his face a mask of disbelief.
"There’s more," Zachary Conway said, screwing the cap back onto his water bottle. "He’s going into a cake shop."
Kyle Morgan’s mouth twitched. "What the hell is he playing at?"
Zachary Conway’s expression turned grim. "Don’t tell me... it’s for a celebration?"
"Celebrating killing another person?" Kyle Morgan asked, his brow deeply furrowed.
"He’s coming out."
"The bastard."
Sean Quinn placed the red roses and the cake on the passenger seat before walking around the front of the car and getting behind the wheel.
About a minute later, the car started to move.
Kyle Morgan checked the GPS. "It’s a two-hour drive to the Sea of Lycoris from here."
He called Sawyer. "We’re on our way. We’ll be there in two hours."
Henry Stark needed to move their car beforehand to avoid arousing suspicion.
Before he left, he handed a bulletproof vest to Renee Jennings. "Put this on."
"Maybe I should be Stella instead?" Sawyer was worried Sean Quinn would snap and something would happen to Renee Jennings.
"The only thing I’m worried about is him recognizing me. I can handle the rest, so don’t worry." Renee Jennings had already made a deal with the System: as soon as Sean Quinn arrived, it would help her redeem some Combat Power.
Sawyer knew Renee Jennings well enough to trust her. She was a level-headed person; if she said she could handle it, she must be confident.
She nodded. "Alright. I’ll be close by. Yell or text me if you need anything."
"Okay, I will," Renee Jennings replied earnestly.
She put the bulletproof vest on under her T-shirt while still in the car.
Henry Stark drove off, and Sawyer concealed herself nearby.
All was quiet.
Renee Jennings sat cross-legged under a large tree. After a moment’s thought, she drew her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around them, and did her best to look fragile, hurt, and sad.
After what felt like a long time, Renee Jennings heard the sound of a car engine.
She pressed her lips together, her brow furrowing slightly.
A moment later, a low, disturbingly gentle voice spoke from behind her. "Stella."
At the sound of his voice, Renee Jennings turned her head. "Are you... Brother Shawn?"
[System 009: Congratulations on completing the Level 4 mission: Find the True Culprit. Reward granted: 300 points, 3 million cash.]
[System 009: You have spent 100 points and successfully redeemed the one-hour "Super Strongman" item.]
The man held a bouquet in one hand and a birthday cake in the other.
"I am." He walked over and crouched in front of her, his voice gentle. "Stella, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting."
"It’s okay," Renee Jennings said, shaking her head from beneath her baseball cap. "I’m just happy you’re here to keep me company."
"Stella, you’re so mature it breaks my heart," Sean Quinn said, handing her the red roses. "A small gift for our first meeting. I hope you like them."
"For me?" Renee Jennings asked in a tone of disbelief. "Really?"
"Really," Sean Quinn said, pressing the roses into her hands. "Do you like them?"
"I love them," Renee Jennings nodded, her gaze shifting to the strawberry cake. "Is that... for me, too?"
"Yes," Sean Quinn nodded. "That’s for you, too."
Renee Jennings secretly pinched herself, and her eyes welled with tears. "I haven’t had a birthday cake in such a long, long time."
"Don’t worry. You have me now." Sean Quinn opened the cake box, placed a candle on top, and lit it with a lighter. "Make a wish."
Renee Jennings clasped her hands together and stared at him, cursing him internally. ’You sick bastard. I hope you’re ready for prison.’
She blew out the candle and said, her voice filled with emotion, "Thank you. Why are you being so good to me?"
Sean Quinn reached out to cup her face, his voice full of affection. "Stella, it’s because I love you."
He leaned in to kiss her, but found the baseball cap on her head was getting in the way.
Sean Quinn took the baseball cap off her head. As his eyes fell upon her face, he froze.
Renee Jennings hadn’t expected him to suddenly snatch her cap off, and her brows knitted together.
Sean Quinn snapped out of it and murmured, "Stella, you’re so beautiful."
He’d thought she was just an ordinary college student, nothing special. He never expected her to be so strikingly beautiful.
This sparked a certain desire within him.
"What good is a pretty face..." Renee Jennings said with self-deprecating scorn. "My fate isn’t pretty, and my life is a mess."
"Don’t worry," Sean Quinn said softly. "I’ll make everything better for you."
"Really?" Renee Jennings asked, looking at him with a lost expression.
Sean Quinn raised a hand and gently stroked her hair. "Of course it’s true. Brother Shawn would never, ever lie to you."
Renee Jennings was thoroughly repulsed, but she forced herself to bear it.
But she hadn’t expected him to get bolder and actually try to kiss her.
Hidden nearby, Sawyer and the others saw this and grew frantic.
’Is Renee Jennings really going to be taken advantage of by this sicko?’
"Aren’t we going to cut the cake?" Renee Jennings asked, lifting the cake at just the right moment. The man’s lips landed right in the frosting.
A vicious glint flashed in Sean Quinn’s eyes before vanishing just as quickly. He smiled. "Yes. Let’s cut the cake now."
From the packet of cutlery that came with the cake, he took out a sharp fruit knife.
Seeing this, Renee Jennings asked in feigned surprise, "...Are we going to use that knife to cut the cake?"
"Yes," Sean Quinn nodded. "The cake tastes better when you cut it this way."
Renee Jennings put on a look of sudden understanding. "Oh, I see."
Sean Quinn cut a slice of cake and handed it to her, but noticed she was only staring at it, not eating. "Stella, what’s wrong?"
"I can’t bring myself to eat it," Renee Jennings said. In truth, she didn’t dare.
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