Chapter 8

"Alas, it was partly my fault. He simply looked too young. Before treating Mr. Kinsley Senior, we had a bit of a disagreement, so I didn't manage to get his contact."

Xena understood where Xander was coming from and couldn't blame him.

No one would believe it when a young man claimed his medical skills were superior to Xander's, one of the top ten healers in the country.

"Thank you, Dr. Fielding. I'll follow up with the Kinsley family."

Some hope was better than none. Compared to the elusive miracle doctor, Xena thought that the mysterious young man was undoubtedly worth pursuing.

…

Felix felt thoroughly satisfied as he left Luxe Dining. The food was delicious, justifying its high price.

Just then, Warren called. Before leaving the Quinston villa, Felix had reluctantly given him his new contact information.

"Uncle Warren, what's up?"

"Felix, come stay at my place tonight."

Felix tried to decline. "No, I—"

"Don't even try to fool me. I've known you since you were a kid. I can read you like a book. So, tell me where you're staying, and I'll come over for a visit."

Felix smiled wryly. He knew he couldn't deceive Warren. However, he really didn't want to face Nattie and Sasha again.

"Okay. I'll come to your place right now."

"That's more like it! Hurry up. You left too soon. This time, we can have a proper drink together."

When he arrived, Nattie and Sasha were both present. Out of respect for Warren, they didn't show any hostility, but they weren't exactly welcoming either.

"Sasha, didn't you mention you're going somewhere with your friends tomorrow afternoon?"

Sasha replied, "Yeah. We're going for outdoor barbecues. Why, Dad?"

Immediately, she sensed something was off.

"Bring Felix along. You two will get married eventually, and he should get to know your friends. It's better for him to meet them early."

Just as Sasha was about to object and find an excuse, Nattie interjected, "Your dad's right, Sasha. You should bring Felix along. But remember. Some of your friends can be quite snobbish. You need to stand up for Felix, got it?"

Sasha smiled at her words. This could be a great opportunity for Felix to see the reality of things. "Actually, I was thinking the same. I just hadn't found the right moment to tell Felix."

Warren was delighted. "That's more like it! Felix, you see that? Your charm is undeniable. My daughter's already falling for you."

Felix had no choice but to smile along. Warren was practically his second father, having saved Matthew's life once. It was out of the question to refuse him.

"Then, I'll be counting on you, Sasha."

…

Early the next morning, Felix finished breakfast and was about to leave when Warren asked, "Felix, where are you off to so early?"

"Oh, I'm heading to Concord Bank to settle some things."

Felix would need money to get the rare herbs needed for Curtis' treatment. So, he had to use the card Leslie had given him.

"Perfect! Sasha needs to handle some company business at Concord Bank, too. You can go together."

Seriously? The more he tried to avoid her, the more they ended up together.

Sasha was clearly not thrilled, either, but she couldn't go against Warren.

As the car pulled away, Sasha looked at Felix with a mischievous smile.

"Felix, do you know what car I'm driving?"

"Porsche Cayenne," Felix replied absentmindedly, staring out the window.

It had been three years since he last returned to Avesburgh, and the changes along the way were strikingly huge from his last trip to the outskirts.

Seemingly prompted by a thought, Sasha said in a different tone, "That's right. I almost forgot your family used to do pretty well in business. Of course you'd recognize a luxury car."

Felix turned to look at Sasha, who never missed a chance to mock him.

"I've told you before. Nothing will happen between us. You don't need to seize every opportunity to ridicule me. It's completely unnecessary."

Frankly speaking, Sasha wasn't even that attractive, especially not when compared to any of his fellow apprentices or Xena. Even Wendy was leagues ahead of her.

"Good. Just wanted to make sure," Sasha retorted.

A moment later, the car abruptly stopped at a corner.

"Get out."

Felix frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You're really something, aren't you? Concord Bank isn't like other banks. It's for the wealthy. With its headquarters overseas, regular customers must maintain a balance of at least a million dollars in their accounts.

"You can't even get through the door. You can pretend all you want in front of my dad. I'll let it slide. But with me, you can drop the act."

Seeing Sasha's disdainful expression, Felix got out of the car.

Did she really think he wanted to ride in her car?

It wasn't far from the bank now, and walking would give him a chance to reminisce about his hometown.

Half an hour later, Sasha finished her business and came down to the lobby of Concord Bank, only to see Felix walking in. Her irritation skyrocketed.

She thought, "Unbelievable! He actually followed me here? Does he think chasing me around will change my attitude? How ridiculous!"

Sasha wore a scowl as she approached Felix.

"You're getting out of line! Enough is enough. Just because my dad looks out for you doesn't mean you can do whatever you want.

"This place is for the rich and influential. Are you trying to embarrass me? Get out of here right now!"

Before the lobby attendant could approach, Sasha made her move first.

She feared that if Felix started talking, the situation would be harder to handle. After all, she was a notable figure in Avesburgh now, and someone might recognize them.

Felix sighed, his tone growing more serious. "Sasha, why are you so full of yourself? What I do and where I go are none of your business. Who are you to tell me what to do? If it weren't for Uncle Warren, I wouldn't waste my breath on you."

Sasha was dumbstruck. Never had she imagined Felix would speak to her like that. Raised in privilege, she had never been treated this way.

Just as she was about to retaliate, Felix turned his attention to Jamie Hamm, the lobby attendant standing nearby. "Hello, where's the VIP section? Please take me there."

Sasha couldn't help but laugh out loud. All she wanted now was to humiliate Felix while ignoring the curious looks coming from others.

"Haha! VIP section? Even the most basic VIP account requires a minimum balance of ten million dollars. Do you even have ten thousand on you, you pauper?"

Judging from Felix's outfit and Sasha's words, Jamie was skeptical that he was a VIP client. According to the rules, they had to verify his identity first.

"Sir, please show your bank card and verify your fingerprint here."

Nodding, Felix handed over Leslie's bank card.

Jamie took it and gasped. "Is this… the Supreme Black Card?"