Take Off Your Shirt

Luca was startled to realize that Vanessa’s strength was comparable to his own stamina 

The car was parked not far away, but the people behind were closing in.  

In the heat of the moment, Luca gave Vanessa a push. “Go start the car.”  

“Got it!”  

Vanessa sprinted towards the car like the wind, fishing the keys out of her pocket as she ran.  

Meanwhile, Luca spun around, raised his right fist, and swung his arm. The first attacker groaned in pain, stumbling back a step.  

Following his gaze, Luca saw another man charging from the side, brandishing a club. Unfazed, he took a calm step back, slammed a punch into the man’s gut, then kicked him hard in the groin.  

In less than a minute, two out of seven were down.  

“Oh wow, not bad at all, huh?”  

The remaining attackers, undeterred, swarmed Luca in unison.  

Even though two fists couldn’t match the power of many hands, Luca still had the upper hand.  

Just then, one of the men he had knocked down earlier gritted his teeth, grabbed a metal pipe, and rushed at him, swinging it fiercely at Luca's back.  

With his hands tied up in the fight, there was no way to dodge!  

Luca let out a muffled groan of pain, dealt with two attackers in front of him, then whirled around and swept the guy with the pipe off his feet. The man collapsed to the ground, barely conscious.  

But the injury to his back began to slow Luca down, tipping the balance of the fight.  

Suddenly, a sharp horn blared through the air. A white SUV skidded to a stop in front of him, and the door flew open from the inside—  

“Get in!”  

Luca swiftly dove into the car.  

Vanessa slammed on the gas, speeding away.  

As the white SUV cruised down the highway, Vanessa gradually eased up on the accelerator.  

She glanced at Luca, noticing that despite everything, only one corner of his suit was slightly wrinkled, and even his hairstyle remained perfectly intact.  

“Damn,” Vanessa muttered in disbelief.  

Luca pretended not to hear, casually pulling out his phone to send a message.  

Before long, the car came to a slow stop outside the town’s police station.  

Vanessa stepped out, phone in hand, and went inside. She handed the video to the officers and got in touch with the lead investigator from the city police department overseeing the case.  

They didn’t need to act so urgently, but since they had been exposed, the culprits were now alerted. Any further delay, and the video might become useless.  

In the end, the two were held for questioning because they had illegally entered the warehouse. They weren’t released until late into the night and even got a stern lecture from the police.  

By the time they stepped out of the police station, it was already five in the morning.  

The two sat under the dim glow of a streetlamp, the air between them heavy with unspoken tension.  

Luca shifted slightly, trying to ease the dull pain radiating from his back.  

The movement didn’t escape Vanessa’s notice. Taking advantage of his distraction, she gave him a light slap on the back.  

Luca let out a low grunt, and his cold, sharp gaze immediately locked onto her. That confirmed it—his back was injured.  

Without a word, Vanessa went back to the car, grabbed a first aid kit, and stood before him. “You gonna do it yourself?”  

Luca looked surprised for a brief moment, but his face remained indifferent. “No need.”  

Vanessa set the kit down beside him and turned to leave.  

Luca’s gaze lingered on the kit, an odd, hard-to-place feeling stirring in his chest.  

From inside the car, Vanessa watched him sit motionless for what felt like forever. Frustrated, she got out and marched back over to him. Her tone was sharp with impatience.  

“Take off your shirt. Hurry up.”  

When Luca still didn’t move, she prepared to step in and handle it herself.  

What kind of karmic debt did she owe in her past life to end up dealing with someone like Luca in this one? If he hadn’t saved her life today, she wouldn’t have bothered going through all this trouble.  

Realizing she was serious about taking action—and knowing that leaving his wound untreated could affect what lay ahead—Luca finally gave in. With swift, deliberate movements, he shrugged off his jacket and shirt.  

The man’s back came into view, his muscles sharply defined. A deep bruise stretched diagonally across his back, the mark left by the steel pipe mottled with faint traces of blood.  

Vanessa let out a cold laugh, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Impressive tolerance, Mr. Kensington.”  

She opened the first aid kit, disinfected the wound with an alcohol swab, and applied some ointment.  

“All done,” she said, packing up the kit.  

“Mm.” After a brief pause, Luca added, “Thanks.”  

“Well, well, imagine hearing those words from you,” Vanessa sneered before turning away and settling into the driver’s seat. She closed her eyes, pretending to rest.  

Meanwhile, in an upscale villa on the outskirts of the city, a short, stocky man paced anxiously in his office.  

“What the hell are we supposed to do now?!”  

A woman seated at the desk shot him an impatient look and said coldly, “Can’t you even handle something this small? Aren’t you the great CEO of VH?”  

Her taunt struck a nerve. The man’s face twisted in anger. “Cut the crap, Beatriz! If I go down, do you think you’ll walk away unscathed?”  

Beatriz’s voice remained calm but sharp. “Instead of threatening me, you should focus on making sure your people clean up properly.”  

“As if I need you to tell me! Damn woman,” the stocky man muttered irritably, then seemed to recall something and stormed out.  

Beatriz watched his retreating figure, her gaze turning cold.  

...  

At daybreak, Luca and Vanessa met with the officers from the city police department.  

After wrapping up the formal statements, Vanessa went home to change into a food delivery uniform. Once dressed, she stepped out, hailed a taxi, and handed the driver an address.  

Half an hour later, she stood at Mariah Hutchson’s door, knocking.  

“Your delivery is here. Don’t forget to leave a five-star review.”  

Mariah stared at the familiar face, a barely noticeable frown forming between her brows. After a brief hesitation, she took the delivery and shut the door.  

***