Chapter 26: Chapter 26 – The Abuse of Power

“My name is Arthur Gardner,” Arthur said slowly, turning to Claudina, who seemed to be silently staring at him.

"Arthur Gardner?" Claudina muttered softly. She was vaguely familiar with the name as if it was tugging at the edges of her memory. Why did it sound so familiar, and why did it seem to be connected to something else?

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Gardner," said Claudina. "But please, just call me Claudina." She smiled gratefully. "I can't thank you enough for all that you've done."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Claudina," replied Arthur, his tone warm and affable.

Arthur smiled at Claudina's words. He was still driving on city streets at the speed limit, keeping in line with the other cars. He kept checking the rearview mirror, trying to make sure no one was following him.

After a few glances, Arthur felt secure enough and hoped that the situation would be resolved quickly. "Let's just hope this matter is over quickly," he said.

However, there was another problem; this time, Arthur was bringing Claudina, a well-known public figure who was undoubtedly going to create a stir. He couldn't leave her alone either since he felt she would be safer in his company. What's more, her manager had even planned to auction off her virginity. 

Arthur clenched his fists around the steering wheel, irritation boiling in his chest as he dwelled on how many people had been corrupted by their pursuit of wealth. He was aware that Leo had gone too far; instead of trapping Claudina, he should have been looking out for her, especially after she had firmly declined the suggestion of the auction.

"Claudina," Arthur said quietly. 

"Yes, hmmm Mr. Gardner?" He answered in a low, gentle voice. 

"I think Arthur is enough," he replied. 

“Hmmm yes, uhmm…. Mr. Arthur?” Claudina said quietly.

Arthur smiled faintly and asked, "Do you have any idea where I could take you? I don't want to commit a crime by taking a public figure like you with me. There will be a lot of people searching for you, or even the police."

Claudina paused thoughtfully in response to Arthur's inquiry.

"Hmmm, I have a place to stay, but...Mr. Leo..."

"Are you afraid of facing him?" Arthur inquired.

Arthur clicked his tongue, disapproval evident in the sound. He felt strongly that someone like Leo needed to be taught a harsh lesson. For the time being, he thought it would be best to provide Claudina with a place to live until her management issues were resolved.

"At least Leo should be fired and given a harsh punishment," Arthur said firmly, "otherwise I'm not willing to let you be under their management."

[I see you're starting to develop a harem-like instinct, host?]

[What gives you the right to not want to see that girl in danger?]

"That's an instinct to do good deeds," thought Arthur, internalizing his words. "And please, shut up, you cringe system!"

"Maybe I'm pushing the boundaries," Arthur continued, "but I think we need to find a way for you to be able to work without discomfort after the incident involving you and Leo."

Up to this point, Arthur was even considering purchasing the company that employed Claudina and, of course, eradicating the mess that had been made there.

In a low voice, Claudina nodded and replied, "I don't mind losing my job, Mr. Arthur."

Claudina paused for a moment before continuing, "I mean, I don't only pursue my profession for the money. It's because I genuinely enjoy it; I love singing. Seeing all the people's faces light up when I sing brings me more joy than any amount of wealth could."

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Claudina nodded in agreement, her face a mix of pleasure and guilt as she admitted to herself that she had grown accustomed to the luxury her career had provided her – a nicer place to live, a reliable car, and top-notch service. But since starting this job, she had lost many of her friends and was not allowed to see them.

"I have a large room in the Golden Chamber," Arthur began, carefully choosing his words so it wouldn't appear that he was taking advantage of the girl. "There are a few rooms on one floor that I rented out. If you wouldn't mind, you could stay there for the night. And, if it would make you more comfortable, I can take you wherever you'd like to stay tonight."

Claudina gazed at Arthur with inquisitive eyes, for it was the first time she had encountered someone of his wealth with such a kind and gentle demeanor. He appeared resolute in his beliefs, yet treated people with great consideration. Moreover, he had taken risks to come to her aid. "He seems so sure of himself," she thought, "yet so caring and generous. He has also done things that endanger himself to help me."

Despite Arthur's lack of an affirmative response to Claudina's earlier query, the man she had encountered and Arthur seemed to bear an uncanny resemblance to one another in terms of facial features and their voices. This had Claudina wondering why the figure was seemingly living in destitution and poverty. "Could it be that he was deliberately masking his identity?" she pondered to herself.

"I will come with you, Mr. Arthur, if you don't mind," Claudina said, her voice shaking slightly. She then bowed her head, and her heart started to tremble violently. With her eyes closed, a faint blush spread across her snow-white face.

She wondered to herself, "Is he going to force me to sleep with him?"

Arthur had invested tens of billions of dollars in her, as well as taking risks that put him in danger. Surely, he must expect something in return, wouldn't he?

"Claudina," Arthur said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "I think I remember now about the person you met in front of the convenience store that night. I recognized Leo's face that night," he added.

Claudina slowly raised her face to look at Arthur, her heart fluttering with anticipation. She felt her heart skip a beat and her hands trembling as the realization dawned on her that he was the one who had helped her that night.

Gradually, the weight on her heart began to lift; he was back to save her from danger once again. "So that's true." she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Claudina was overwhelmed with emotion, her eyes filling with tears of gratitude. "Mr. Arthur, I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done. You have saved me twice and I am forever grateful to you." She tried to express her appreciation once again and said, She tried to express her appreciation once again.

"No need to thank me," Arthur replied kindly. "Just seeing you here and doing well is all the reward I need."

"But I feel so guilty," Claudina insisted. "There must be something I can do to show my appreciation for your kindness."

"No, really," Mr. Arthur insisted gently. "Your gratitude is all I need."

Arthur smiled faintly and then nodded. "Just hearing someone express gratitude for what I do is enough to make me happy," he said. 

"So, don't worry about it too much, Claudina. Instead, I want you to pay more attention to your own desires. Do what you want to do, and never try to please people who don't necessarily care about your own goals. And remember, you always have the choice to fight. You'll have plenty of people standing behind you and supporting you. You have more influence than you think."

Claudina slowly took in Arthur's words, feeling strengthened and reminded of her biggest weakness. 

She nodded and smiled. Her face was illuminated by the street lights, looking so beautiful as if the moon had been joined by night stars. "Yes," she replied softly.

While Arthur and Claudina enjoyed each other's company, exchanging pleasantries and trying to get to know each other, he suddenly heard the sound of sirens getting louder and closer.

He glanced in his rearview mirror and saw several police cars speeding up behind him. He also heard the whirring of a helicopter's blades above, presumably tracking his car. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Mr. Arthur," Claudina exclaimed, her face full of panic. "Mr. Aston has immense power. I'm scared that if we get caught, you'll be thrown in jail for kidnapping me. I know that's not the case, but the laws here tend to favor those with money."

Claudina looked pale, her worry evident as she spoke. "You'd better drop me off and take my car to get away. That might be best for you," she said.

Arthur swallowed hard and clenched his jaw, murmuring quietly. "Looks like I'll have to do some warm-up laps before I take on Marco in the car race later."

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