?Chapter 1690:


    Forcing a smile, he said, “Brenna, I’m not bailing. You don’t need to ask people to keep an eye on me. I signed the IOU, and I’m a man of my word.”


    Brenna’s gaze was unyielding, piercing through his false sincerity. “Words are easy. We may be family, but I barely know you. What if you’re just lying to me? This is my money; it didn’t grow on trees.”


    Momentster, Clint Bernard, thewyer Ethan had called, arrived, approaching Ethan with clear respect. “Mr. Mitchell, I hope I’m notte.”


    Ethan handed him the IOU. “You’re right on time. Check this over—see any problems?”


    Turning to Jalen, he said, “This is our corporatewyer. He handles our contracts and can spot a faulty IOU in seconds.”


    Jalen’s nerves spiked, a strained smile masking his unease. “It’s just a small thing—do we really need awyer? Seems a bit much, Mr. Mitchell.”


    Ethan ignored his words.


    Clint, ever professional, scanned the IOU and immediately gged its issues. Three characters in his name looked suspicious, and the amount was vaguely listed as “meal expenses.”


    “This won’t hold up. I’ll draft a proper one. Once he signs and stamps it, we’re set,” Clint said.


    “Do we really have to go this far, Brenna? Are you just unwilling to lend the money to me?” Jalen asked, masking his growing desperation with anger. There was no way out of his debt, and that stung him more than he wanted to admit.


    Brenna crossed her arms and looked at him. “That’s right. I don’t want to lend it to you. If you don’t need my help, then I suppose I’ll just leave.”


    Without waiting for his reply, she turned toward the door.


    Across the room, the restaurant manager exchanged a nce with the security team next to him. The guards stepped forward and closed in on Jalen. Their eyes held no pity. If he resisted, they would not think twice about making him regret it.


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    Seeing that, Jalen quickly reached out and caught Brenna by the arm. “Don’t go. I do need your help. I’ll do as you say.”


    Drafting the IOU by hand, Clint paused and looked up. “Mr. Bentley, right? May I see your social security card, please?”


    Jalen patted down his jacket and dug into his pants pockets, pretending to search for the card. The social security card was right there in his wallet, but he had no ns of showing it.


    Atst, he lifted his eyes to meet Clint’s and said, “I don’t have it with me.”


    “Then we can’t proceed with this today. Please go back and get it,” Clint said with a serious expression.


    Before Jalen could reply, one of the security guards spoke up. “We’ll apany you to get it.”


    Rage simmered within Jalen. Why did they all have to be so sharp? He couldn’t fool them, no matter what he tried.


    With a resigned sigh, he pulled out his wallet, thumbed through its contents, and finally held the card up. “Ah, it seems I do have it on me after all.”


    Clint took the card and examined it. “Mr. Bentley, did you identally misspell your name, or were you trying to trick us?”


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