Ten minutes later, the electrifying pole dance came to an end, with Serena Sterling’s creamy skin glistening with a sheen of sweat, like dew gliding over rose petals, tempting and alluring. The crowd erupted in cheers, utterly thrilled. Standing on stage, Serena’s captivating amber eyes slowly scanned the room, finally settling on that dimly lit corner where Hayden Crawford’s tall and straight figure stood. But she only glanced at him, quickly shifting her gaze away, dismounting the stage amid the commotion. A few of the executives, watching from afar, were utterly astonished by Serena’s beauty. "I never expected this little maid to appear so pure, yet dance such a seductive and sultry pole dance." "She’s simply irresistible, makes me adore her endlessly." "But this little maid has high standards, you see, she walked away without acknowledging us." "This little maid is really interesting." Hayden Crawford’s deep, narrow eyes also landed on Serena’s charming figure. Indeed, she was ethereal, pure, and enchanting, embodying a charm that captivated men completely. Moreover, her standards were extraordinarily high, she hadn’t even spared him a second glance. Melody Ashworth was fuming, digging her nails into her palms. She intended to make a fool of Serena, but instead, Serena stole all the limelight with her pole dance. Just then, one of the executives exclaimed, "Look, someone’s surrounding that little maid." Hayden Crawford glanced up to see a drunken heir appearing in front of Serena, blocking her path. "Hey, beautiful," the heir leered at Serena, "your pole dance was amazing, I’ll give you ten million to perform it again for me." Serena had intended to leave, uninterested in entertaining these drunks and lechers, so she lifted her foot to walk away. But another drunken executive jumped out, "Hey, beautiful, I’ll give you thirty million to have dinner with me tonight." "Who do you think you are? Ever heard of first come, first served? This little beauty is mine, I’ll pay fifty million for a night with her." "You dare snatch the woman I’ve laid my eyes on? Do you want a fight?" The heir and executive were both drunk, eyes only for Serena, tensions boiled as both prepared to brawl. Melody Ashworth was consumed with jealousy watching this scene. Despite having Serena’s stunning face, the spotlight remained fixated on Serena. No matter past or present, she was always the supporting act. Melody looked at Hayden Crawford beside her, "I told you, my little maid is incredibly charming. Look, those two men are ready to fight over her." Hayden Crawford pressed his thin lips together, his hawk-like eyes dark and brooding, fixated on Serena. "Come with me, beautiful!" "You’re mine, beautiful!" Then, both the heir and executive reached out, grabbing Serena’s delicate wrists simultaneously. Serena’s delicate skin quickly turned red where she was grasped, and she furrowed her elegant brows. The heir pointed angrily at the executive, "Let go of her, now!" The heir threw a punch directly at the executive. The two men began fighting, and Serena was pushed aside, staggering unsteadily, about to fall. At that moment, a strong arm looped around, grasping her slender waist, pulling her into a warm, muscular embrace. Serena lifted her bright eyes, and the next second, Hayden’s handsome face came crashing into her vision. Hayden Crawford had come! Serena’s pupils contracted, he actually came! The heir and the executive, now furious with the interruption, charged at Hayden, fists raised, "Let go of the beautiful one or else we’ll waste you!" Seeing them charging, Serena’s heart clenched, "Watch out!" Hayden cradled Serena in his arms, gripping the heir’s wrist with a decisive twist, then kicked the executive’s lower half, swiftly taking the pair down. The two men howled like pigs being slaughtered, "Someone, come quickly, waste this guy, and you’ll be richly rewarded." This private yacht was filled with prominent figures, and drunk, the heir and executive didn’t recognize Hayden, though they had many bodyguards with them. Suddenly, a bunch of bodyguards rushed in, grabbing bottles from tables and charging at Hayden. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novelFɪre.net Serena’s bright pupils shrank as she quickly clutched Hayden’s sleeve, her face innocent and worried, Mr. Crawford, you’re in trouble! Hayden pulled her to the side, his deep narrow eyes bursting with a murderous, bloodthirsty aura, "Stay put, don’t move!" The bodyguards rushed in, and Hayden, with agile posture, fought them off. Serena had never seen him fight before, each of his moves was seamless, leaving the opponents defenseless. If Serena were a little younger, she might find herself screaming like a fan girl over his handsomeness. The scene was chaotic, beer bottles flying everywhere; many were fleeing, while Melody stood in shock watching Hayden. Known globally for his wealth and bearing, she’d never seen him fight for a woman before. Just as she’d finished speaking, he had risen, striding towards Serena. Now he was fighting for her! At that moment, Leah Thorne walked in, taken aback by the chaos, hurriedly searching for Serena. Just then, a furious bodyguard swung a bottle towards Leah’s head, causing her pupils to shrink. At a critical moment, a clean, fair hand reached out, securing her waist, pulling her into an embrace. Looking up, it was Justin Xavier. Justin appeared calm and elegant as ever, yet his dark eyes were chillingly cold as he glanced at the bodyguard, "Wanna keep fighting?" The bodyguard, intimidated by the aura Justin exuded, trembled violently, "S-sorry." The bodyguard directly smashed the beer bottle against his own head. Justin coldly watched the blood trickle down from the bodyguard’s head before pulling out his phone to make a call, slowly giving instructions, "Shut all the ship’s doors, anyone daring to cause trouble here, deal with them accordingly!"