Grace Bennett originally thought the thief would beg her to open the door, but there was no sound at all. She frowned, pressed her ear against the bathroom door, and tried to listen to what was happening inside.

The moment her ear touched the bathroom door, it suddenly swung open, startling her so much that she shrank back. Looking up, she saw Ryan Brooks standing at the doorway, smiling at her.

Ryan Brooks looked over Grace Bennett, who was now dressed in a police uniform, and only then realized that his tenant was actually a policewoman. No wonder she was so aggressive—her profession probably had something to do with it. To be honest, the police uniform looked quite good on her, but the top was a bit tight, the buttons were straining, and inside... ahem, not suitable for children.

"You... how did you get out?"

Grace Bennett stared at Ryan Brooks in confusion, hardly able to believe her eyes. She was sure she had locked the door just now—how did he open it?

"Didn't you unlock it for me?" Ryan Brooks looked puzzled, drying his hair with a towel as he walked toward his room.

Grace Bennett froze for a moment, then, seeing Ryan Brooks's back to her, lunged forward and threw a punch at his back. "You little thief, trying to slip away right under my nose? Dream on."

In Grace Bennett's mind, attacking from behind meant he definitely couldn't dodge.

Unfortunately for her, she was dealing with Ryan Brooks.

Hearing the sound of a fist cutting through the air behind him, Ryan Brooks instinctively sidestepped, dodging Grace Bennett's punch. Then, with his left hand, he grabbed Grace Bennett's wrist, and with his right hand, counterattacked.

In that instant, Grace Bennett felt a cold, chilling aura envelop her, as if she were facing not a person, but a bloodthirsty beast.

At the same time, Ryan Brooks saw the fear in Grace Bennett's eyes and suddenly remembered that he was back in the city now, and the person in front of him wasn't an enemy, but his tenant.

He quickly changed his move, and instead of attacking, he pulled Grace Bennett into his arms, spun her around, and in the next moment, Grace Bennett was already in his embrace.

But then he noticed something felt off in his hand. Looking down, he saw Grace Bennett's pretty face flushed bright red, and she slapped him across the face. "You jerk, how dare you take advantage of me!"

Chapter 002: So Quick to Get Together

Seeing Grace Bennett's hand coming at him, Ryan Brooks ducked his head and moved his neck slightly, redirecting her force. Grace Bennett's arm ended up wrapping around the back of his neck, making it look as if she was hugging him.

Just then, a surprised voice came from the entrance of the courtyard: "Ryan Brooks, Grace, you two got together this quickly?"

At that moment, Grace Bennett was half-lying in Ryan Brooks's arms, his left hand holding her, his right hand still on her body, while Grace Bennett's arms were around Ryan Brooks's neck. Their posture really did look rather intimate.

Hearing the voice at the door, Grace Bennett quickly pulled her hand back from behind Ryan Brooks's neck, pushed him away, stepped back several paces, and glared at him. "Thief, keep your distance from me, or you'll be sorry."

Ryan Brooks gave a lazy smile, innocently raising the hand that had touched Grace Bennett's right hand. "Sorry, I didn't mean to."

Of course, Grace Bennett didn't believe a word he said. She looked Ryan Brooks up and down, noticing how thin he seemed, her delicate brows furrowing as she thought to herself, "That cold feeling when he turned just now—was it just my imagination?"

Not wanting to dwell on it, Grace Bennett looked toward the entrance of the courtyard, where a woman in a qipao was standing.

It had to be said, this woman was stunningly beautiful, her features so exquisite they looked as if they had been carved in a painting. Her skin was fair with a rosy glow, flawless, and her phoenix eyes seemed to hold endless stories. Her short hair, popular in the Republic era, added a touch of vintage charm.

Her figure, outlined by the qipao, formed an S-shaped curve. None of her measurements were particularly prominent, but together, they created a perfect harmony.

"Emma sis, I finally get to see you! I've missed you so much!"

Under Grace Bennett's astonished gaze, Ryan Brooks walked over and gave Emma Clark a big hug, then leaned in to kiss her on the forehead.

Just as he was about to touch her, a soft hand blocked his lips. Emma Clark looked at Ryan Brooks with affection and smiled, "You're already twenty, how can you still act like a child?"

"Hehe, I haven't seen you in over ten years—I couldn't help myself." Ryan Brooks scratched his head with a grin, looking just like an innocent kid.

If those ruthless killers ever saw Ryan Brooks like this, their worldview would probably be turned upside down. Only when facing Emma Clark did Ryan Brooks ever show this side of himself.

In fact, Emma Clark was the Chen family's servant, nine years older than Ryan Brooks. When Ryan Brooks was little and lived in the courtyard, she always took care of him and treated him very well. Although she was called a servant, her relationship with Ryan Brooks was more like that of siblings, and their bond was very deep.

"Of course, Emma sis is still the prettiest. I've seen so many women in qipaos over the years, but none of them have your charm." Ryan Brooks looked Emma Clark up and down, clicking his tongue in admiration.