A wave of satisfaction washed over Mitchell as he whistled, envisioning Olivia in his arms tonight.He remembered Olivia's worn school uniform, a constant reminder of her family's struggles.Her mother's materialism had always been a factor, and now, with Mitchell's newfound status among a gang of thugs, he felt invincible. The sight of Olivia rekindled his desires, and he planned to leverage her mother's fear of trouble by threatening their home if Olivia didn't comply.Meanwhile, Olivia returned to her desk, and the office buzzed around Frederick. His colleagues assumed his summons to the director's office meant a promotion and bombarded him with questions. "Frederick, did Ms. Mallin call you in for a promotion?""Are you the next team leader?""Remember us when you get there!"Frederick's significant contributions and Ivy's public reprimand of Marsh led his colleagues to assume he was in line for a promotion. Frederick couldn't reveal that he was tasked with investigatin
"It'd be a problem if we did it in broad daylight and got caught on camera," Lynara said.Wynne agreed. Lynara had a good point. If the street cameras recorded them attacking Frederick, they'd likely be arrested, and there was a chance they might expose Wynne's involvement.They'd be much safer if they waited to find a private place without cameras.Wynne responded with a thumbs-up emoji and said, "I'm impressed with your professionalism."Lynara was pleased, sensing the important client's satisfaction. He captured a video of the van, revealing seven or eight menacing figures clutching baseball bats. "Rest assured, Mr. Chandler, my reputation on the streets is rock-solid."Witnessing the intimidating sight of the armed thugs, Wynne felt a surge of satisfaction. "Excellent, send me a video once it's done, and I'll throw in a bonus."Oblivious to the impending danger, Frederick strolled into a nearby sandwich shop and ordered eight sandwiches, which he proceeded to devour with gu
After lunch, the workday kicked into high gear. Both Frederick and Olivia were still in the initial learning phase, but a stark contrast emerged.Frederick absorbed every piece of information like a sponge, swiftly mastering tasks and completing them with effortless efficiency. On the other hand, Olivia found herself sweating profusely under the pressure.Olivia had been used to being the brightest star in her academic and social circles. But after encountering Frederick, she realized there were hierarchies out there she couldn't compete with.His intellect dwarfed her own. Learning alongside him, Olivia felt a crushing weight of inadequacy, like a top student from an average school suddenly thrown into a classroom of geniuses. The same task that took Frederick just over an hour to finish required Olivia to toil until the end of the day.He had offered his assistance several times, but Olivia steadfastly refused, determined not to rely on him. It wasn't that she was incompetent; th
Olivia's fear was palpable as she desperately tried to escape the intimidating group of thugs.However, the thugs blocked her path. Her voice trembled with fear as she cried out, "Mitchell, what do you want?"Mitchell smirked and replied lecherously, "What do you think? I'm here to have some fun with you!"Olivia's cheeks flushed with humiliation as Mitchell's vile words echoed through the air, prompting the thugs to burst into laughter.In a desperate attempt to regain control, she said, "My house isn't far. If I scream, my family will hear. Leave now."Unimpressed and well aware of her family dynamics, Mitchell retorted calmly, "I recall your mother's dislike for you and her materialistic nature. Refuse to come quietly, and my boys will tear your house apart. Knowing your mother, she might just hand you over."Olivia's face paled with terror, realizing Mitchell's ruthlessness. In a last-ditch effort, she brandished her phone, warning, "Leave, or I'll call the police!"With a s
Mitchell's sneer deepened as he heard Olivia's words. "Leave? Neither of you is going anywhere. You've walked straight into hell, Frederick, and there's no way out. Today, we'll settle the score!"Mitchell's grudge against Frederick had festered ever since William's attack, blaming him for the ordeal. Two months had passed without a chance for revenge, but now, with Frederick within reach, Mitchell wasn't about to let the opportunity slip through his fingers.He instructed his men, "Boys, beat him up! Break his arms and legs!"The thugs rushed forward at his command. Terrified, Olivia hid in Frederick's arms. Frederick took a long drag from his cigarette and said calmly, "You want to take me on? You'll have to get through my men first."A flicker of caution crossed Mitchell's face as he scanned the surroundings. "Did you bring backup?" he inquired, suspicion lacing his voice.Frederick's voice boomed, "Come out, everyone! We're right here! If you've got the guts, let's have a
"Damn, that kid's strong," Mitchell cursed, snatching a stone and lunging to strike Lynara. The brawl intensified, both sides turning anything into a weapon.The scene was brutal. Hidden nearby, Olivia gasped as she was covering her mouth. "Frederick, are these your men?"Frederick shrugged casually. "I have never seen them before."Olivia stared at Frederick in confusion. Why were they fighting for him?Sensing her confusion, Frederick explained, "I just utilized them. We need to go before they realize." Taking Olivia's hand, he pulled her toward her house.Reaching her doorstep, he reassured her, "Don't worry about Mitchell anymore. I'll handle it."Olivia felt a warm blush spread across her cheeks as she was touched by Frederick's actions.Why was he always so considerate? Could he possibly harbor feelings for her? But Frederick was so remarkable, admired by many women in the company… Could he truly be interested in someone like her?…Meanwhile, the battle between Lyn
Sensing Wynne's fear, Lynara quickly added, "Mr. Chandler, look at my men. They're seriously injured and can't protect you. How about you transfer us ten thousand dollars so we can recover in the hospital? Then I'll gather more men to deal with Frederick."Wynne didn't hesitate, immediately transferring the ten thousand dollars. "Fine, get well soon and then find that bastard. I won't feel safe until he's taken care of!"Receiving the money, Lynara couldn't suppress a grin. But he was also determined to avenge his injured men.Hanging up, he addressed his gang. "Let's recover first, then we'll go after that bastard again!"The sight of the money made the thugs excited, each hoping for a few thousand dollars.Just then, a calm voice cut through the air. "No need to bother tracking me down. I'm already here!"Everyone turned to see Frederick with his hands in his pockets and a cigarette dangling from his lips.He walked toward them with a casual, mocking smile.The thugs' eyes bu
"No, we didn't. You brought others to fight us."A faint smile touched Frederick's lips. "So, if you didn't land a hit, why accept the money from him? Does that align with the underworld's code of honor?"Confusion etched itself on Lynara's face. "So... Should I return the money to him?"Frederick shook his head. "Return it to me."Lynara's eyes widened in shock, a cough threatening to bring up blood.Frederick's gaze hardened as he tightened his grip. "Do you disagree?"Pain wracked Lynara's body as he cried out, "I agree, I agree! I'll transfer the money right now!"Upon receiving the transfer and confirming the new balance in his account, a smile bloomed on Frederick's face. This money would be put to good use rather than remaining in the hands of these thugs.As Frederick walked away, Lynara glared at his retreating figure, teeth gritted in a vow of vengeance.…Meanwhile, Mitchell arrived at his new home, a modest three-bedroom apartment replacing his once-grand villa.
Mary's case was the most severe, while Ivan's symptoms were the mildest, and Frederick could roughly deduce the sequence of transmissions among them. It was clear that Mary infected Nigel, who then passed it to Kimberly, then finally passed it to Ivan. Frederick also saw that Ivan was actually a decent person who unfortunately ended up being betrayed and infected. However, Nigel was primarily worried that Ivan might start trusting Frederick, as he wanted Ivan to believe in his capabilities to carry out his plan.Originally, he intended for Mary to insult Frederick for being poor and unskilled, but she ended up attacking him for having an unpleasant odor, which backfired when Frederick exposed her for contracting syphilis. Now, Nigel had no choice but to take matters into his own hands, he then said to Frederick, "Hehe, Frederick. We all know Ivy is a director, what exactly do you do to be worthy of her?"Nigel assumed that Frederick was just a low-level salesperson, something
Hearing Frederick's words, Kimberly jumped with joy and stopped crying. While wiping her tears, she pointed at Mary, laughing and said, "You're covered in syphilis, yet you're making fun of me.""Slut, I wonder how many people you've slept with!" After being pointed and insulted, Mary was furious and she was ready to fight Kimberly. "You bitch! I am going to teach you a lesson!" At this moment, Nigel felt terrible. If Mary was diseased, he'd be the first victim. He grabbed Mary and shouted, "Bitch, let me teach you a lesson first. Now I know why you always wanted the lights off! I thought you were shy, but you just didn't want me to find out."In a fit of anger, Nigel slapped Mary hard across the face. Just as Mary was about to explain, she was interrupted by another slap. Holding her face, she yelled angrily, "Nigel, how dare you hit me?! Do you want me to expose all your little schemes and tricks?"Nigel froze in horror; if Mary exposed him, it would have been disastrous.
Kimberly heard her laughter, and body odor had always been a sensitive issue for her; a wound she'd tried to cover up over the years. For Frederick to bring it up in front of everyone felt like rubbing salt into an open wound. Yet what hurt even more was Mary's laughter; as a fellow woman, it felt like salt to the wound, then roasting it. Kimberly was furious, pointed at Mary and said, "What are you laughing at? Do you want me to come over there and shut you up?"Mary felt wronged, she had only let out a reflexive laugh, but now Kimberly's anger was directed at her. "Did I laugh at you? What proof do you have that I laughed at you?""You're the one with body odor, yet you're taking it out on others. You're such an unreasonable woman!"Kimberly grew even angrier after hearing Mary's retort. "You're the one with body odor, your whole family has it!" "Look at what you're wearing, it's like you just threw on two pillowcases. You're a shameless woman, just trying to show off t
When everyone heard Ivy's words, they laughed even more. Her words effectively confirmed that Frederick did indeed have an unpleasant odor. It wasn't entirely her fault as Kimberly's words had been a bit of a trap. "Haha, if you smell, just take a shower and don't embarrass yourself here.""With all that cheap stuff on, no wonder he has a smell."Hearing this, Frederick simply gave a slight smile and then asked Mary and Kimberly, "Are two really that fragrant?"Mary and Kimberly lifted their heads proudly after hearing Frederick's words. "Why don't you ask everyone here, ask them if we smell good or not?""Exactly, go ahead and ask."Both of them considered themselves beautiful, and of course, they would smell pleasant. The men around them quickly chimed in, especially those eager to admire Mary, who was dressed in a way that gave them a bit of eye candy. "Of course, they smell good. How could these two beautiful ladies not smell good?""Hehe, Frederick with his cheap, th
In a hidden corner, Nigel said to Mary, "Damn it, that bumpkin Frederick keeps stealing my spotlight. I am worried that our plan won't go well later.""You should help me humiliate him properly, and Ivan's girlfriend will back you up."Mary pursed her lips and said to Nigel, "Every time something comes up, you just ask me to handle it. My bag hasn't been bought yet, and you've lost 300 thousand dollars"Although Nigel was annoyed by Mary hitting a sore spot, he kept his tone calm and replied, "Help me humiliate Frederick and talk him down in front of Ivan. After that, leave the rest to me. Once it's done, I'll get you more than one bag, I could get you ten bags and it wouldn't be a problem. I don't care about that small amount of money. You saw that Porsche just now, right? I wouldn't mind burning it if I had to." Hearing this, Mary was delighted and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, babe." She hadn't realized that Nigel was so wealthy and even had a Porsche. Up until th
Knowing Martin as someone who knew a lot about wood, everyone immediately looked as though they were ready for a good show. They were convinced that the Saint George statue couldn’t possibly be made of anything valuable.Martin let out a strange exclamation. "What the hell!"Kimberly, thinking that Martin was angry, quickly said, "Mr. Lawson, tell us what’s so disastrous about this wood. Are you saying it’s just a piece of junk?"Contrary to expectations, Martin replied angrily, "I’m saying that whoever preserved this Saint George statue was a jerk. This is genuine sandalwood, and yet it’s completely neglected, covered in dust."Most of the group had no idea what sandalwood was worth, but judging by the name alone, it sounded impressive.Kimberly asked curiously, "Mr. Lawson, are you saying this is really antique wood?"Martin examined the statue carefully, scrutinizing every detail. "Judging by the texture, this carving must have been made at least 150 years ago."Everyone was
"The Saint George statue was indeed a fitting choice for a karaoke." Nigel chuckled, turning to Ivy.“Why didn’t you just go on Amazon and buy a new one for a few dozen bucks? This one is obviously second-hand. Or was it picked up from some junk stall?”Frederick heard Nigel’s mockery and nodded in agreement, a faint smile on his lips. “You’re not wrong. This statue actually was picked up from a street stall.”“At the Treasure Hall in the antique trade market, no less. And yes, it’s an antique.”The truth was, the statue was from the Victorian era. Even the owner of Treasure Hall, Dominic, had recognized its age but dismissed it as worthless, tossing it onto a stall outside.Frederick had picked it up casually, thinking it would come in handy one day, and now it was the perfect gift for Ivan.Hearing this, Nigel burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. “An antique? Treasure Hall? You’re really trying to fool us.”Kimberly chimed in, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she glance
The group’s attention was fully captured by Frederick’s words, their eyes all on him. Nigel, knowing that Kimberly had informed Ivy at the last minute and that she likely didn’t have a gift, sneered at Frederick."Well, if you’ve got a gift, go ahead and show it.""Considering Ivy and Kimberly’s relationship, the gift should be pretty decent, right?"Everyone was now staring at Frederick with anticipation, curious to see what kind of gift he could produce.Ivy, on the other hand, was completely flustered. She hadn’t handed any gift to Frederick, though she understood he was trying to help her out of a tough spot. But wasn’t this making things even more awkward?Nigel continued to press him, "Where’s the gift? Come on, take it out already.""After all this time, you still can’t take it out. Don’t tell me you don’t even have one."Frederick glanced at Nigel with a calm smile. "Oh? Are you planning to bet 300 grand with me again?"Nigel froze. There was no way he had another 300 t
Ivan was deeply moved, feeling as though all the unpleasantness from their school days had been swept away. A sense of childhood nostalgia, unique to old classmates, welled up within him.The crowd continued to shower Nigel with praise, giving him thumbs up one after another."A gift worth 10 grand is no small amount. Nigel is truly generous.""That’s right. These days, even classmates hesitate to prepare gifts, but Nigel has shown such generosity.."Most of the attendees had come because of their connection with Kimberly. Each had prepared gifts with costs ranging from a few hundred dollars. Compared to Nigel’s grandiose gift worth 10 thousand, their contributions paled in comparison.Hearing the compliments, Nigel waved his hand dismissively, feigning modesty. "It’s nothing, really. After all, Ivan and I are good friends from way back."Then, Nigel’s expression shifted slightly as he added, "Speaking of good friends, I’m sure it’s not just me and Ivan here who share a special b