Chapter 676

“Um…” The woman hesitated to speak as if she had difficulty expressing her thoughts.

“If you’re in any trouble, just let me know. I’ll shoulder the consequences for you. But if you insist on protecting a bad person, then I won’t care about you!”

Renee was a little angry when she saw how the pitiful woman so quickly shouldered the blame when she’d done nothing wrong.

It was precisely because of their weakness that the evil had become so rampant.

After all, it would “cost” nothing to be evil.

“No, you’ve misunderstood! I’m not trying to protect a bad person! I just…”

The woman took a deep breath and mustered up her courage before continuing, “Fine. I don’t want you to misunderstand Mr. Q, so I’ll be honest. I’m a single mother, and it’s been hard raising my child all alone. At one point, I couldn’t even afford to eat. I had to work in a nightclub, which was filled with bad hats. I unknowingly got involved with them.

“One time, a client tricked me. Mr. Q and Chase saved me. They gave me a job and let me live a normal life. But… I’d developed an addiction. I sometimes spent my money on it and couldn’t make ends meet.

Eventually, I lost my mind momentarily and stole a treasure from Carmine Pawnshop, and that was when you bumped into me…”

“I know about that part. Weren’t you punished after that? Did they imprison you because of what happened?” Renee was extremely shocked after listening to the woman’s story.

“No!” the woman denied. “Mr. Q has a soft heart. He said if I was really punished, my son wouldn’t have a mother by now. He gave me a way out. As for the imprisonment… it was at my own request.”

“You asked for it?” Renee was even more surprised.

“Yes!” the woman nodded rapidly, her eyes red, and said bitterly, “I want to get over my addiction, and this was the only way I could think of. I’ve endured it for many days, and I feel like I only need a little more effort before I can quit for good.

“During this time, Mr. Q has been taking care of my son, and I’m very grateful to him. Mr. Q is the best person I’ve ever met! He’s not at all like the rumors say, and I won’t allow anyone to slander him!”

After that, the woman knelt before Mr. Q and said in a firm voice, “Mr. Q, I can never repay your kindness. If possible, I’m willing to give my life to protect you!”

Mr. Q looked down at the kneeling woman like a king sitting on a throne, high above everyone else. “I don’t need you to protect me. You just need to take care of yourself and your child.”

“Thank you, Mr. Q. Rest assured, I won’t disappoint you. I’ll succeed this time and won’t ask to be let out again!”

After bowing to Renee, the woman returned to the small dark room and closed the door behind her.

Renee stood rooted to the spot, stunned. She looked at the closed door, lost in thought. She never expected things to turn out this way!

Chase sighed with annoyance and frustration before looking at Renee with a somewhat disappointed look, expressing his displeasure.

“Miss Everheart, I thought we were friends, especially since the boss cares about you and is so good to your children. He has been cooped up in the kitchen recently to improve his cooking skills just to make delicious food for all of you…

“But instead of appreciating him, you thought so poorly of him. Is there any trust between us now?”

Renee knew she was in the wrong and awkwardly lowered her head.

“I’m sorry, I let my thoughts run too far. After all, you don’t have the best of reputations.”

“You would rather believe in rumors than what you’ve actually seen. When our boss was with you, did you feel he was a bad person? What did he do to harm you? Don’t you think-“

“Shut up, Chase!” Mr. Q coldly interrupted Chase’s rant.

He stood with his hands in his pockets and said flatly, “I’m not a good person. There’s no need to praise me and place me on a pedestal. I only have no ill intentions toward Adie and Abby. I only want them to be happy.”

The man’s words touched Renee. Besides Margaret and the Osborne siblings, who else was sincerely nice to her two children?

Mr. Q’s “love” truly touched her.

“Mommy, see? I didn’t lie to you. Q really is a good man, so you don’t have to be on guard with him. Try to get along with him, and let him protect and care for you,” Aiden said as he held the warm hands of Renee and Mr. Q.