“Mr. Dane, please follow me to the VIP room to view the property,” the manager said politely. “Alright,” Archer replied, following him. But his steps paused when he heard a woman’s sharp voice. “Clara! How dare you steal money from the Mae family to splurge on yourself! I’m calling the police!” Archer’s gaze instinctively turned toward Clara. Clara’s eyes were cold. “Go ahead. Call the police. I’d like to ask them how many years you’d get for slander!” “You—!” Sylvie fumed. Laura, Clara’s friend, jumped in. “Clara is upright and honest. She’d never stoop to your level, sneaking around with someone else’s man!” “You…!” Sylvie turned to Owen, her voice dripping with sweetness. “Owen, they’re bullying me!” Owen sneered at Clara. “Clara, you shameless woman. What’s the point of buying such a big villa? After sleeping with a diseased gigolo, you won’t live long anyway!” Clara gave them a look as if she were staring at fools. From a distance, Archer, overhearing the exchange, suddenly understood. So yesterday, when Clara had been calling him a “gigolo” with a disease, it was because of this absurd setup. Laura, enraged, grabbed her bag and swung it at the pair. “You despicable couple! How dare you frame Clara! I’ll beat you both to death!” Laura’s relentless assault quickly pushed Owen to his limit. He shoved her away angrily. “Laura, stop it!” “Stop? After what you did to Clara? You deserve to die!” Laura retorted, charging at them again. Clara rubbed her temples, exasperated. “Laura, enough. Stop.” Finally, Laura stopped, but Sylvie, seizing the opportunity, rushed forward and shoved her. “Don’t bully Owen!” “Ah!” “Laura!” Laura staggered backward, and Clara gasped, rushing forward to catch her just in time. Clara’s tone turned icy as she glared at Sylvie. “Sylvie! Laura is pregnant. If something happens to her, can you take responsibility?” Owen, furious, raised his hand to slap Clara. “You filthy woman! Who gave you the right to talk to my wife like that?” But before his hand could land, it was stopped mid-air. Archer had stepped in, grabbing Owen’s wrist firmly. He hadn’t intended to interfere, but seeing Owen about to strike Clara, he moved instinctively. “Who are you?” Sylvie asked, puzzled by his sudden intervention. Clara also looked at him in confusion, having not yet recognized him. But Owen, knowing exactly who Archer was, froze in terror. His boldness evaporated instantly. Archer’s cold gaze bored into him. “Only useless men raise their hands against women.” My woman? Only I have the right to discipline her. No one else. Archer thought. Clara’s jaw dropped. “You?” she exclaimed. Why does he keep showing up everywhere I go? Archer shoved Owen aside. “Get lost,” he commanded coldly. Owen grabbed Sylvie and hurriedly retreated. Sylvie, confused, whispered, “Owen, why are we afraid of him? Why is he helping Clara?” Owen hissed, “That’s Archer, Dane Corp’s CEO. We can’t afford to provoke him. Let’s go!” Sylvie’s eyes widened. Dane Corp’s CEO? How did they know each other? Her heart burned with jealousy. Laura clutched Clara’s hand, her voice trembling with concern. “Clara, it’s bad enough they kicked you out of the Mae family. But setting you up with a diseased gigolo? What will you do?” Clara glanced at Archer and chuckled lightly. “Don’t worry. I got tested. I’m fine.” “Thank goodness!” Laura sighed in relief. Turning to Archer, Clara spoke sincerely. “Mr. Dane, thank you for stepping in just now.” Archer gave her a cold glance but said nothing, turning to leave. Clara quickly followed. “Mr. Dane, I owe you an apology. I misunderstood you before, and I feel truly sorry for that.” Archer halted mid-step, his thoughts racing. She really thought I was a gigolo? In this age of social media, with my face plastered everywhere, she never recognized me? Or was this part of her elaborate act? His lips curled into a sly smile as a plan formed in his mind. Fine. Let’s see where this leads. With a teasing glint in his eyes, he turned to her. “You didn’t misunderstand. I’m just not diseased.”