Ex-Husbands Domination - Book 2

Ex-Husbands Domination

Book 2

Previously on Ex-Husband’s Domination ...  

Leon surprised everyone by helping the Elegante Group win a big deal with the powerful Wick family. Ariel watched in shock as Bernard Wick offered Leon generous terms—something no one expected. She started to wonder who Leon really was and what secrets he might be hiding. Now, with the contract signed and new questions rising, Book 2 begins… and Leon’s quiet strength is about to shake things up even more.

Chapter 51

Leon smiled and briefly explained what happened.

“You have medical skills? Really? You’re not fooling me, are you!” Ariel expressed her surprise.

While waiting for the traffic light to turn green at the intersection, she turned her head and looked at Leon with a suspicious expression, as if she looked at an alien.

Leon shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, duh! Do you think I have nothing better to do than to fool you?” Ariel still did not buy it.

“Maybe not, but if you’re so skilled in medicine, why would you choose to work in a company as a small–time secretary instead of as a doctor in a hospital?” She had the feeling that Leon was not entirely telling the truth. Leon drank a lot of wine with Jenson in the hotel earlier, and the drunkenness was slowly getting to him.

His face turned slightly red and he blurted out, “If you don’t believe that I have medical skills, I can prove it to you on the spot!”

“How?” Ariel was very puzzled.

Leon didn’t answer. He leaned close to Ariel and stared intently at her gorgeous face. When Leon approached her, the smell of alcohol–along with a very thick aura of masculinity–crashed into Ariel’s face. Ariel used to be somewhat turned off by the smell of alcohol, but for some reason, the faint alcoholic scent smelled quite pleasant when mixed with Leon’s masculine pheromones. At the very least, she was neither turned off nor averse to it.

“You… Why are you leaning so close to me?”

Ariel blushed because of Leon’s intense gaze and even her heartbeat began to speed up explicitly.

“Miss Summers, if my analysis is correct, you’ve just had your period a few days ago, right?” Leon asked cryptically.

He finally understood why Ariel argued with him over a trivial matter two days ago. As it turned out, Ariel had her premenstrual syndrome in the past few days!

“How do you know?” Ariel was taken aback. Her shock robbed her of her ability to discern that something was not quite right.

“That’s proof of my ability! I was able to tell just by observing your complexion. Aside from having your period, your body tends to suffer from dysmenorrhea… During the days you have your period, you’ll occasionally feel abdominal pain, which can sometimes be so severe that it becomes unbearable…”

Leon then continued, “It’s still manageable now. By the time you lose your virginity and have a steady sex life with your boyfriend, your dysmenorrhea will be more frequent and painful…”

He elucidated it with such eloquence that he almost nearly dragged Ariel into a conversation about the human body’s mysteries. Being the calm and reserved character that he always was, he would generally refrain from making such direct statements.

However, the enjoyable chat he had with Jenson in the hotel earlier unknowingly led him to drink a little more alcohol than usual. That was what changed his demeanor. Under the influence of alcohol, he uttered whatever came to his mind and was no longer sober enough to be aware of decorum.

“Shut up!” Ariel’s pretty face turned red all of a sudden and she finally realized what was so wrong with the conversation. The topic Leo harped on was too private for her.

As a pure woman, she could not bear to hear Leon’s bold and direct comments. It was practically the same as making suggestive comments to tease her!

Although she became impulsive whenever she had her period, she still kept her composure and remained calm. She blushed with shame at that moment and wanted nothing more than to find a hole in the ground to burrow into. Leon was wholly focused on her condition and did not notice the awkward atmosphere at all.

He continued to advise Ariel, “Dysmenorrhea might not be a big problem, Miss Summers, but you shouldn’t ignore it either. There’ s always a possibility that it’ll become more serious in the future, to the extent of affecting your ability to bear a child…”

“But don’t you worry, I’ll write you a prescription now. As long as you follow the instructions and take these herbs for three consecutive days, I guarantee that your condition will be cured…”

Leon saw that there was just a pen and paper in the car, so he grabbed them and jotted down the prescription.

“You… Ugh!”

Ariel was so embarrassed and ashamed that she wanted to just pounce on Leon and bite Leon.

Her suitors came in droves due to her excellence in various aspects, but she was never teased by them until Leon came along!

At this moment, the light turned green at the intersection, and all the cars behind her honked at her to start driving.

Since Ariel was still not in the best frame of mind, she stepped so abruptly on the gas pedal that she nearly rear–ended the car in front.

After finally crossing the intersection, Ariel immediately steered the car to the side of the road and parked there. Leon just finished writing the prescription then. He looked up, glanced out the window, and

looked strangely at Ariel, “Why aren’t you driving, Miss Summers? Why did you stop all of a sudden?”

“You jerk! Get the hell out of the car!” Ariel demanded angrily.

“What? Why are you telling me to get down when we still haven’t reached the company?” Leon was confused.

“Are you going down or not? Don’t blame me for lashing out if you don’t get out of the car!” Ariel’s face turned a bashful red color. She grabbed a bottle of mineral water from within the car and then threw it right at Leon.

Leon dodged the water bottle and did not look too pleased.

“What’s wrong with you, Miss Summers? Why did you go crazy all of a sudden?!”

“You’re the one who’s crazy! Get out!” Ariel became even more incensed and her expression was almost as if she could murder him.

Leon was unable to withstand the intimidation from Ariel’s eyes, so he got out of the car with a sad face.

Ariel did not wait for a second longer as she slammed her foot on the accelerator and drove away.

“Women can be so unreasonable sometimes!” Leon shook his head and had a sullen look on his face. Even then, he failed to understand what he did to offend her.

As far as he was aware, he was kind enough to try and offer a remedy for Ariel’s condition, but rather than appreciate his gesture, she kicked him out of the car instead!

It was simply unreasonable! What made him even more depressed was that Ariel left him while it was in the midst of rush hour, thus making it difficult for him to get a taxi since he was practically on a pedestrian– less strip of road where taxis did not usually stop to take passengers.

Moreover, he did not download any rode–hailing software on his cell phone, which effectively made it impossible to order a ride.

Left without a choice, Leon could only walk in the direction of the company. Luckily, he was able to get a taxi after walking for ten or so minutes

…

Back at the company, Ariel stood at the gate and held the contract in her hand. She waited and waited, but Leon still did not show up. Her emotions calmed down by then, and she could help but feel a little remorseful and worried at the same time. Her biggest regret was that she left him without a ride despite his brave act of getting justice for her when Gilbert tried to slap her back at the Wick Group. She was more worried that Leon was yet to show up after all that time passed. She wondered if he met with some unfortunate circumstances after being left at the side of the road. Just as Ariel got more anxious, a taxi stopped at the company entrance and Leon walked out of the car with a sour expression. Upon seeing that Leon was safe and sound, Ariel secretly breathed a sigh of relief and her anxiousness finally calmed

down.

“What took you so long, Leon? I waited long for you…” Ariel, hurried up to meet him and spoke as if he blamed him slightly.

“The cheek of you to even say that. Everyone’s getting off work and it’s rush hour now. I was lucky to even get a taxi while I was walking here.”

Chapter 52

Leon had a resentful expression that looked more like a woman’s than a man’s. “You deserve that for telling me all that stuff…” Ariel chuckled, amused by Leon’s resentful expression. Her pretty face unwittingly became warm when she recalled Leon’s teasing.

“I’ll just consider myself unlucky then. Happy now?” Leon’s expression remained sullen and he walked straight into the company without looking back.

Ariel realized that she was in the wrong for what happened earlier, so she ran up to Leon and pulled his arm, saying, “Okay, okay. I know that I made a mistake. I apologize, okay? Please don’t be angry with me anymore…”

“You’re… apologizing to me? Are you being serious?” Leon was so surprised that he raised his head and looked suspiciously at Ariel. Not once did it ever cross his mind that someone as arrogant as Ariel would take the initiative to apologize to him. It was almost as impossible as seeing the sun rising from the west.

Ariel blushed, “I’m serious. And thanks for helping me at the Wick Group too…”

“No thanks necessary. We’re friends, after all. Friends should help each other.” Leon chuckled. Ariel’s apology was very sincere, and as someone who would not hold grudges so easily, any trace of unhappiness in his heart had all but disappeared.

“Yeah. You’re right. We’re friends.” Ariel smiled so sweetly that it could be likened to the delicate and beautiful blooms of a hundred flowers.

She was the same as Iris in the sense that neither of them had many true friends.

As a result, hearing Leon regard her as a friend and not just an ordinary colleague made her inexplicably happy.

“Come on. Let’s go meet Iris and give her the contract.” Ariel said with a smile.

It was Leon who secured the contract and Ariel had no intention of taking any of his credit. The reason she stood at the company entrance to wait for him was precisely that she wanted to meet Iris together with him.

Leon nodded, and the two of them walked into the office building together.

Although it was already after hours, Leon knew very well that Iris would be working overtime in the company until the cooperation was settled. She would probably be there until at least nine at night.

At the company conference room, Iris got some of the high–level executives to work overtime with her and discuss the cooperation framework.

At that moment, there were only a few days left before the new phase of the cooperation. The company must design a plan as soon as possible so it could be implemented as soon as the contract was signed.

Two plans were being conceived. The first was for cooperation with the Westpraise Group, and the second is for cooperation with the Wick Group.

Nevertheless, everyone knew that there was little hope of reaching cooperation with the Wick Group, hence the pessimism over that direction.

Many people even pointed out that designing a plan around the Wick Group was a complete waste of time and energy. As everyone was busy discussing, the sound of footsteps was heard approaching the conference room. Michael pushed open the door of the room with a document in hand and walked in with a buoyant expression.

“Sorry I came a little late. I just returned from negotiating the cooperation with the Westpraise Group.” Michael smiled smugly and found a place to sit down.

“Mister Duvall, may I ask what was the outcome of the discussion regarding our profits?” One of the high–level executives could not resist asking. Even Iris glanced inquisitively at him. Although she gave Michael and Leon two days to hold their respective negotiations, everyone knew that it was a Friday and that the next two days were weekends. The management of many companies were closed on weekends, and the success rate of negotiating a contract on the weekends were close to zero. The entire half–day that afternoon happened to be the best time to hold the negotiations, because a failure to come to terms would make the situation even bleaker during the weekend.

“I haven’t let you down, Miss Young. After some hard work and persistence, the Westpraise Group finally made a concession. They agreed to our profit reduction of five percent, and their general manager has already signed the contract. It will take effect immediately as long as you sign it!” Michael smiled proudly and presented the document in his hand to Iris. It was none other than a contract with the Westpraise Group.

“Amazing! I didn’t expect Mister Duvall to negotiate this so quickly. He lives up to his reputation as a professional sales talent and the pillar of our company’s future !”

“Indeed. Mister Duvall is very capable, so much so that the general manager of the Westpraise Group is willing to sign it in advance. This isn’t something any random person could achieve!” The company’s executives poured praise on Michael and gave him their stamp of approval.

“You did well, Mister Duvall. Thank you for your hard work.” Iris nodded in affirmation of Michael’s ability.

“You flatter me, Miss Young. This is the least I could do for the company. I can’t take all the credit for how smoothly things went. My success is in no small part due to you as well, Miss Young. Your vision and wisdom are what provided the necessary guidance for me…” Michael smiled modestly and took the opportunity to do a bit of bootlicking.

Everyone loved to listen to compliments, and even though Iris knew that Michael was complimenting her for the sake of it, she still felt somewhat pleased in her heart.

“Victory seems to be within Mister Duvall’s grasp this time!”

“Mister Wolf overestimated his ability in taking up the bet with Mister Duvall!”

“Mister Duvall has already reached a successful negotiation, but there is no news from that kid. How can he even compare himself with Mister Duvall?”

“He’s just waiting to be kicked out of the company!”

Everyone remembered the bet between Leon and Michael, and they all viewed Leon with contempt as they believed that Leon already lost!

Michael basked in the limelight with all smiles, and from his expression, it was clear that he was on cloud nine. The best scenario for him was if Leon showed up right then and there so he could show Leon what looked to be the focus of everyone’s admiration!

“Miss Young, since Mister Duvall has been able to reduce our profit within the minimum range that our company is prepared to bear, I believe we should concentrate our discussions on the plan to cooperate with the Westpraise Group. It’d be a waste of our time if we discuss the plan for the Wick Group too!”

“I agree. Time is of the essence, and it’s taking up too much of our attention to preparing two different plans with different directions. It doesn’t make any sense…” Several of the high–level executives made their proposal, which soon received the support and approval of the other executives.

“Don’t be in such a hurry to dismiss the Wick Group’s cooperation. I’ve promised to give Mister Wolf and Miss Summers two days. It might still be possible for them to secure the cooperation within the time frame…” Iris frowned at their suggestion, but her voice lacked conviction since she was not convinced of their success herself.

“Miss Young, if I may be blunt, we all know that this is impossible. There’s no point having any unrealistic expectations!”

“Yeah, our company spent so much energy and resources two years ago, and we sent a lot of high–level executives, including Mister Duvall, to try and secure a contract with the Wick Group. It still failed.”

“Leon is just a small–time secretary with zero professional knowledge–now. How can he possibly succeed in getting the contract?!”

Everyone offered their views and Iris could only stay silent when she heard that. She knew that everyone was right. Leon and Ariel faced an uphill challenge in achieving a successful negotiation, and the possibility of success was simply too small. If Iris continued to insist on tailoring a plan for that possibility, she would only waste the precious time of everyone in the company.

Chapter 53

As Iris pondered over whether or not to accept everyone’s opinions, Leon and Ariel came back and walked into the conference room after pushing it open.

“Well, well! Mister Wolf’s back. I wonder how the negotiations between you and the Wick Group went? Judging from your red face, you must be super ashamed after achieving nothing in the negotiation!” Michael laughed mockingly.

“That’s a possibility…” Many high–level executives also laughed along with them. Before Leon could answer, several company executives who were closer to him quickly realized that something was wrong.

“Hey, he smells of alcohol!”

That statement was like a bombshell that nearly blew the minds of everyone in the conference room.

“What?”

“So his face is red because he was drinking? And not because he’s ashamed?”

Everyone exchanged stunned looks with each other until they finally came to understand what transpired.

“Is he serious? He went out for a drink under the guise of having a negotiation?”

“This is unprofessional!”

“I couldn’t agree more! How bold of him to be drinking during work hours!” Everyone was so outraged that they hurled criticism after criticism toward Leon.

Although it was already after hours, even the daftest of employees could conclude that Leon got drunk while on the job!

“What’s your problem, Leon? I told you to go with Ariel to the Wick Group and discuss the cooperation with them. I didn’t tell you to sneak out and get some drinks !” Iris trembled with anger, and her face was as ugly as it ever was.

She knew that Leon lacked experience in the business world and did not expect him to be successful in securing cooperation with the Wick Group. Nevertheless, she never would have dreamed that Leon would do something even worse!

Drinking while on the job was utterly inexcusable behavior, considering how bad of an influence and impact it would have! One could imagine how angry she was!

“I…” Leon was dumbfounded, for he never foresaw that drinking a little wine would elicit such public outrage.

He was speechless for a moment and did not know how to answer. Fortunately, Ariel’s mind was much clearer than his.

“Miss Young, isn’t it normal to have a meal and some drinks when negotiating a business deal with clients? What’s wrong with a bit of socializing?” Ariel was very puzzled over why Iris would make such a big fuss all of a sudden for no apparent reason.

“You…” Iris looked at Ariel incredulously. She could not understand why Ariel would try to defend Leon, not to mention allowing him to drink and make mischief without even bothering to stop his shenanigans. Iris wanted to know what on earth was going on! She could still accept it if Leon were to go crazy, but it was utterly ludicrous for Ariel to join him too!

“Don’t try and twist the situation, Miss Summers! While a client’s invitation to a meal is within the scope of normal socializing, it usually indicates one of two things. Either the two parties have reached a consensus, or that cooperation is certain due to their longstanding business relationship!”

“Neither of you secured the right to cooperate with the Wick Group, and let’s be honest, you’re both miles away from actually achieving anything. What right do you have to abuse your position and enjoy yourselves on company time!” Several high– level executives yelled angrily as they slammed the table and stood up.

“Yeah, why are you even socializing when you haven’t even negotiated the deal?”

“Miss Young, what Leon did is not just a waste of the company’s resources and time. It’s also a serious violation of the company’s rules and regulations. I suggest that he should be fired immediately so a precedent could be set!” Michael seized the right moment to stand up and looked at Leon with the utmost contempt.

Since Leon volunteered to die this time, he did not mind giving Leon what Leon wanted!

“That’s right!”

“What happened is bad. We have to fire him!”

“Otherwise, how’s the company supposed to operate in the future if our employees learn from his example?!” The higher–ups were all furious, and they echoed what Leon said. Iris had a sour expression on her face. Leon was her savior after all. She did not want to fire Leon over such a small matter.

However, it was hard to deal with everyone’s anger. If she continued to protect Leon, how would she face the higher–ups of the company?!

“Shut up!”

“Who told you Leon failed to get the partnership with the Wick Group?”

“You’re just assuming things for yourselves!” Ariel shouted angrily in Leon’s defense.

“What?”

“Have you guys already secured a partnership with the Wick Group?” Everyone was shocked. All of them looked at each other in doubt and confusion.

The noisy meeting room suddenly fell into a strange silence.

“That’s right, Miss Summers and I have already managed to discuss a collaboration!

“Mister Wick was the one who invited us out for food. We managed to sign the agreement at the dinner table. It was just normal business expenses!

“I never used company funds for myself, nor did I violate any of the company’s rules or regulations!” Leon voiced out indignantly.

Before that, Leon felt like he was a little in the wrong, but after what Ariel said, he finally responded. He already secured the agreement. Eating and drinking were just in the realm of regular business expenses. He did not violate anything!

“Haha…”

“The Wick Group chairman invited you all for a meal? Do my ears deceive me?!”

“Miss Summers, are you still drunk?!”

“What a joke!”

After a moment of silence, there was an uproar of laughter and mockery.

They were intimidated by Ariel earlier and thought that Ariel and Leon managed to secure a partnership with the Wick Group.

It seemed like Leon was just speaking a bunch of nonsense!

How could someone on the level of the Wick Group’s chairman invite an insignificant secretary for a meal? Was that not a joke?!

“What are you laughing at? Everything I say is true!

“I can tell you that, not only did Mister Wick sign the agreement, but he was also willing to give our company a ten percent discount off the price. He even promised to extend the contract once every three years!”

“This is the agreement!” Leon angrily took out the document and gave it to Iris.

“Haha…”

“A ten percent discount and an extension? I can’t believe something so amazing would exist in the world!”

“Mister Wolf, who do you think you are? Don’t you think you’ve embarrassed yourself enough?!”

“If you’re still not sober, I’d suggest that Miss Young give you a permanent holiday. That way, you’d be able to sleep better at home!” Michael laughed in an incredibly exaggerated manner as if he heard the funniest joke in the world. The other executives were laughing crazily as well. All of them held their stomachs and leaned forwards, almost losing their breath. Iris had a dark expression on her face. She thought Leon was just drunk and did not believe Leon’s words. However, she trusted Ariel a lot. She felt like there was no way Ariel would speak so rashly.

After that, as everyone laughed, she patiently flipped through the contract in detail. Her expression turned into one of shock. After that, it turned into surprise and excitement!

“Hey, i–is this contract real?”

Chapter 54

Iris could not believe her eyes. “Absolutely!” Ariel nodded and said.

She was very shocked when Elder Wick suggested those terms as well. She could understand how Iris felt at that moment!

“Good, very good. This is amazing!"

“Ariel, you’re terrific. You secured an agreement with the Wick Group! "

“Y–you created a miracle!”

Iris, who was always incredibly calm, actually jumped up in excitement. She immediately enveloped Ariel in a big hug in front of everyone else.

She knew that Leon lacked any business acumen, and was not a professional. There was no way she would think that Leon secured the deal!

She thought that it was all Ariel’s work!

“What? Could the agreement be real?!” Michael was dumbfounded. All of the other executives were dumbfounded as well.

“That’s impossible! Miss Young, could you be mistaken?!” Michael had an expression of disbelief. He hurriedly picked the contract up from the table and took a few looks.

When he saw that it was personally signed by Elder Wick, as well as the Wick Group’s company stamp, he looked like he was struck by lightning. He stood rooted on the spot.

“Let us take a look too…” The other higher–ups did not believe it. They took the contract from Michael’s hands and passed it around.

“The contract is real!”

“The wick Group didn’t just agree to an extension, they even gave us a ten percent discount, no strings attached!”

“I–Isn’t that too unbelievable?!”

Everyone had their eyes wide. All of them had their mouths open so wide that they were practically touching the ground. They were all shocked by the contents of the contract!

They were all professionals. All of them understood how much the contract benefitted the company!

At that moment, all of the laughing and mockery stopped. The whole scene was trapped in a strange silence!

“Ariel, you did so well this time! You’ve done very well for the company!” iris was ecstatic. The smile on her face was incredibly wide.

“Miss Young, you’ve misunderstood things. The partnership with the Wick Group was all thanks to Mister Wolf! I didn’t do anything. I wouldn’t dare to take the credit!” Ariel shook her head.

“What?”

“Ariel, stop joking around! Leon isn’t a professional. How could this be his work?!” Iris was shocked and full of disbelief.

“That’s right! Miss Summers, are you trying to give the credit to Mister Wolf?!” Michael’s expression was incredibly sour. He remembered his bet with Leon very w ell. If Ariel was the one to secure the bet, he would at least still have some room for discussion. However, if the agreement was secured by Leon, then he was done for!

“Miss Summers, we’re all professionals here. We should do things by the book!”

“Are you purposely helping Mister Wolf because of the bet?!”

“That would be unfair to Mister Duvall!”

“If you don’t believe me, take a look at the whole signing of the back of the contract!” Ariel coldly scoffed. Everyone doubtfully flipped over to the back of the contract. Sure enough, the person representing the Elegante Group, in the end, was Leon!

“That…” Everyone was stunned into silence, unable to say a word .

They knew very well that there was no way Leon’s signature would be the only one there if it was Ariel who secured the agreement.

However, they still found it hard to believe. Leon was just a mere secretary without any business sense. Yet, he managed to secure the Wick Group’s cooperation, and the Wick Group willingly gave them so many benefits as well! It was practically impossible!

“There shouldn’t be anyone doubting me and this contract anymore, right?” Leon said calmly, sweeping his gaze across everyone again.

He was helpless and unable to defend himself with his words earlier and suffered an onslaught of ridicule.

Yet, he managed to prove himself, tossing the agreement in everyone’s faces. He felt incredibly elated!

“Mister Wolf, you must be kidding. The agreement is undoubtedly real…”

The higher–ups were all incredibly awkward. It was as if they were slapped in the face in public. Their faces burned, and no one dared to meet Leon’s gaze.

“Leon, I can’t believe you’re so capable! It looks like I underestimated you before this!" Iris smiled as her eyes sparkled.

Before that, she always thought that Leon lacked any substance, and would not be useful when it came to business. If Leon was not so concerned about this with all his questions the night before, she would not even have had Leon participate in the meeting.

However, the results far exceeded her expectations. Leon created a miracle!

It caused her to look at Leon differently!

“That’s too much praise, Miss Young. I just happened to be lucky,” Leon was incredibly spirited. He was ecstatic that he earned Iris’s‘ praise and acknowledgment. To him, as long as it was for Iris, any amount of effort was worth it. At the very least, he was willing to do anything!

“Luck is a part of skill as well! Even though I don’t know how you did it, it’s still a representation of your skills!

“You’ve done well this time. You’ve contributed greatly to the company. I’ll make sure to properly reward you,” Iris nodded. It was the first time she praised Leon’s abilities so much.

“Mister Wolf, you’re amazing”

“You didn’t just secure the Wick Group’s cooperation for the company, you even got them to give us a ten percent discount. It’s not something anyone else would be able to do. I am in awe of your abilities!”

“That’s right. You’re so young as well. You’ll be a pillar of the company in the future. You’ll be indispensable to Miss Young…”

All of the higher–ups were full of praise for Leon, trying their best to give out flattering smiles. All of them were acting completely differently, and the praise never ended. They were all experienced social climbers. Since Leon got a big win for the company and earned Iris‘ praise, his future was limitless. There was nothing to lose from them taking the chance to get closer to Leon! Suddenly, Leon was in the limelight. It was as if he became a superstar, shining brightly in the meeting room! Seeing all of that, Michael had an incredibly sour expression on his face. His fists were clenched tightly, and his teeth almost cracked with how hard he clenched them! The spotlight and all that praise were about him, but Leon stole all of it. The worse part of it was the fact that he thought about how he would show off in front of Leon before this, but the tables turned!

Chapter 55

It was obvious how he felt about that!

“Mister Duvall, you’ve lost the bet! You shouldn’t be a sore loser. Do you have anything else to say?!” Leon looked right at Michael.

“I…” Michael paled, and his expression sank greatly. With things as they were, even an idiot could tell that he did not just lose, but Leon wiped the floor with him!

Based on the bet, the loser would have to leave the company. It was not something he could accept.

After all, it was incredibly difficult for him to climb into the higher ranks of the company. In two years, he put in so much effort and suffered so much. There was no way he would willingly leave in such a pathetic manner!

"Miss Young, Mister Wolf won the bet this time."

“But the bet was just a show. It shouldn’t be taken seriously. Surely we can’t have Mister Duvall leave the company over a joke?”

“That’s right. Mister Duvall has contributed quite a lot to the company over the years. He’s put in a lot of effort. I think we should forget about the bet…”

A few of the higher–ups who were closer to Leon tried to plead for mercy in his stead.

“Forget about it? If Leon was the one who lost this time, would you have tried to defend him?!” Ariel scoffed as she looked at them with disdain.

“That…” The higher–ups were all shut up by Ariel.

“Miss Young, they’re right. I was just joking with Mister Wolf before this. I didn’t mean anything by it…” Michael thickened his skin as he tried to figure out a way to save himself.

Even though it was embarrassing going against his word in front of so many people, it was still better than being chased out of the company.

.

“How shameless!” Ariel scoffed. A loser should just accept defeat. Michael was the one to suggest the bet in the first place, but he tried to avoid bearing the consequences of the bet. He did not act like a man at all.

She looked at Michael with even more disdain!

“Mister Duvall, since everyone is trying to help you, I’ll treat this bet as a joke!

“However, the fact that you constantly doubted and mocked Mister Wolf is still undeniable.

“If you apologize to him in front of everyone, I’ll let the matter rest!” Iris said calmly.

Michael was the director of the sales department. His skills left no room for doubt. Furthermore, he contributed a lot to the company in two years. She was not willing to kick someone as talented as Michael out for a small bet like this.

“Miss Young, you…” Leon looked at Iris in disbelief, feeling incredibly unhappy about it. It was not like he had some massive grudge against Michael, or that he needed Michael out of the company. It was just

that he did not like the fact that Iris seemed to be on Michael’s side. Michael was ecstatic. There was no way he would give up on such a good chance. He hurriedly apologized to Leon, “Mister Wolf, everything that happened before was my fault. Let me apologize…”

“Mister Duvall, you have to at least act like you’re apologizing. Be more sincere!” Iris said coldly.

“Yes, yes…”

“Mister Wolf, I’m sorry,” Michael clenched his teeth and bowed deeply in front of Leon.

“Whatever, since Miss Young said so, let’s let things rest right here! I hope you know what to do in the future!” Leon said unhappily.

Looking at Leon’s long face, Iris was both frustrated and amused, “I officially announce that our company has secured a partnership with the Wick Group. Everyone, just make sure you focus on discussing the plan for our partnership with the Wick Group.”

“Miss Summers, help me conduct the meeting for the moment. Try to quickly establish a direction for this partnership.”

After that, Iris paused for a moment as she looked at Leon, “Mister Wolf, come with me to the office. I have something to ask you.”

“Oh, I understand,” Leon answered feebly before he followed Iris into her office.

In the office, Iris motioned for Leon to sit on the sofa. When she saw how dispirited Leon seem to be, she could not help but purse her lips into a smile, “What? Are you angry at me?”

“I’m not…” Leon said he was not, but it was obvious to anyone that he was not too happy.

“I know you’re angry because I sided with Michael, but I’m the president of the company. I have my considerations.”

Iris smiled slightly as she sat down next to Leon, “When you made the bet with Michael, I was asked to be the witness. Do you know why I didn’t agree back then?”

“Why?” Leon found it strange as well, finally remembering that Iris had never acknowledged the bet.

“I wanted to make sure you had a way out. I was worried that you’d lose!”

Iris smiled, “To be honest, even if you were the one who lost this time, I wouldn’t have kicked you out of the company either.”

“Do you understand what I’m saying?” Iris looked at Leon with a glint in her eyes. She intended to protect Leon, but she never expected Leon to be so capable that he pulled off a miracle!

“So that’s what happened!” Leon had a look of realization as indescribable happiness surfaced in hi s heart.

He found out that Iris’s initial goal had been to protect him. The anger in his heart. immediately disappeared.

“Are you still angry at me?” Iris had a false smile on her face.

“I’m not, but I misunderstood you…”

His face was red, but it was not because of anger. Instead, he felt quite pleasant in his heart.

Iris smiled as she changed the topic and said, “Leon, I’m curious… How did you manage to get the Wick Group’s cooperation? What exactly happened?”

“It’s actually like this…” Leon told her everything about him saving Bernard in the garden.

“I can’t believe your medical skills proved to be so useful!” Iris was very surprised. She knew that Leon knew medicine.

However, she always thought that Leon only had a minimal understanding of medicine and that he only saved her grandfather out of luck. However, it seemed like she had not only underestimated Leon’s abilities but his medical skills as well!

“Of course. My medical skills are quite good!” Leon said in a pleased manner. After going through so much, he gained more confidence in his medical skills and the ancient manuals in his mind. He no longer

lacked confidence like before.

“Alright, I know you’re good. You don’t have to toot your own horn!"

Iris rolled her eyes at Leon, “Basically, this agreement is all thanks to you.”

“Tell me, what kind of reward do you want? Do you want a promotion or a higher salary?”

“I don’t want either of that…” Leon shook his head. He still had a lot of money in that account, so he did not need any more at that moment. Promotions or increments meant nothing to him.

“Then what do you want?” Iris was very surprised.

“If it’s possible, I want you to take a break during the weekend. Don’t exhaust yourself so much. I want to bring you on a ride on my bike to relax…”

Chapter 56

Leon mustered up the courage and said all of that, but his heart was beating frantically.

His greatest wish the past few days was to drive Iris around in that beloved motorcycle of his. The chance was finally here, there was no way he could pass it up!

“That’s all?” Iris was surprised. Leon refused any rewards and was just concerned for her body, not wanting her to overwork herself. She could not help but be touched by that. At that moment, she felt like it was amazing having someone care for her.

Of course, she did not know that, while Leon truly was concerned about her on one hand, he was plotting something on the other.

If she knew of Leon’s dirty thoughts, she would probably not be happy at all!

“Iris, will you do it?” Leon asked with a look of hope, incredibly worried that Iris would refuse.

“Yes, I agree!” Iris nodded with a smile.

The partnership was already confirmed anyway. There was nothing wrong with giving herself two days of rest.

As for the planning, she already arranged things. The planning department would have to work a bit harder during the weekend and pull overtime work, but the other departments would all have both days off.

The next morning, after having breakfast, Leon and Iris arrived at the villa’s garage. They prepared to go on a ride together like what was promised the day before to relax.

Leon got on his bike and happily said, “Iris, come. Get on.”

“You’re motorcycle is way too small. Let’s just drive my car,” Iris pointed and her beloved car and said.

“How could we do that?!”

“It’s so hot today. It’d be too stuffy in the car!” Leon said indignantly.

Iris thought he was being serious, and smiled before she said, “It’s fine. I have some convertible sports cars among all my cars. If you think it’ll be stuffy, we can take one of those.”

“That…” Leon was taken aback, and he had a look of awkwardness on his face. He did not know what to say at that moment. It was so hard for him to get a chance to get closer to Iris, there was no way he would give up on it.

“Iris, you know how the traffic is nowadays. It’d be so inconvenient if we meet a traffic jam after we drive out. Also, I want to bring you on the bike this time. Didn’t you agree to it?” Leon said stubbornly.

“Oh, alright then,” Iris thought about it for a moment. She did not think too much about it, and agreed with Leon quickly, getting on the bike. Leon was incredibly happy as he started the gas, riding the bike out.

At a red light, Leon did an emergency brake and Iris fell forward onto his back. He felt her soft chest on his back.

It was so soft and it felt so good! It felt a lot better than he thought! Leon groaned silently, and his blood started to boil. He experienced it with Lily before, but for some reason, Lily and iris felt completely different to him. It was probably because he treated Lily as a normal friend, so he did not have many thoughts of that nature when it came to Lily. Even if he had some thoughts at the time, it was just a natural bodily reaction from being a man. However, Iris was different. Iris gave him a sense of excitement and longing. It was not just his body that was happy about it; even his spirit was invigorated. In truth, Leon knew that it was possible that he liked Iris a bit, but he also knew very well that Iris and himself were from different worlds.

He was also a divorcee without anything remarkable about himself. He was in no way worthy of a goddess as pretty and noble as Iris!

He was satisfied as long as he could stay by Iris’s side every day, getting close to her when he got the chance. He would not dare to dream of anything else!

“Leon, the light’s green. Hurry up and start the bike, why are you in a daze for?” Leon heard Iris’s beautiful voice.

Leon immediately snapped back to reality and sped up quickly.

Initially, Iris did not realize anything, but as it happened more and more, she quickly realized that something was wrong. Her cheeks suddenly turned red.

“Leon, a–are you doing this on purpose?!” Iris said angrily.

“O–of course not…” Leon’s face reddened as well, and there was some guilt in his heart. It was an accident with Lily. However, it was difficult to say when it came to Iris. His heart told him not to do it, but his body acted differently. It kept on wanting to slam the brakes at every moment. He could not control it.

“No wonder you insisted on riding your bike, you had ill intentions…” Iris’s face was half–red as she forcefully pinched the soft part of Leon’s waist.

Leon hissed in pain, but he felt quite happy.

“Iris, where do you want to go to relax? I’ll go with you,” Leon hurriedly changed the topic.

“I’m fine with anywhere.”

“Why don’t we go watch a movie?”

“Wouldn’t that be a date? Dream on. I won’t go!” Iris rolled her eyes at Leon.

Leon was a bit disappointed as he said, “Why don’t I go shopping for clothes with you?”

“I don’t need any clothes, and what’s the point of a man like you going shopping with me? Other than help me carry my bags, you won’t be able to give me any opinions:”

Leon was getting a little frustrated, “Then where do you want to go?”

“I’m fine with anywhere.”

Leon was speechless. His face darkened as he lamented that women were all the same in his heart! Even Iris was no exception. She was the same as Ariel. It was impossible to guess what they thought! After that, Leon decided to stop asking Iris for her opinion. He rode the bike and brought Iris to the outskirts.

Mist cloud Mountain was a tall mountain that was full of lush greenery. It was also a famous tourist attraction in Springfield City.

Leon heard of Mist cloud Mountain before, but never went there. Since this was a rare chance, he decided to hike up the mountain with Iris to relax.

When they got near the mountain, a blue Cadillac turned to the right, suddenly blocking Leon’s bike. Leon was caught off guard as he hurriedly stopped the bike, almost flying into it.

The window wound down, and a young man with colorful hair and earrings on his ear poked his head out.

“Watch where you’re going, didn’t you see someone next to you?” Leon shouted angrily.

“You’re just driving a motorcycle, so stop trying to act like you’re something! I can drive how I want. What do you have to say about it?!” The man looked at Leon with disdain. After that, he looked toward Iris behind him before he smiled, “Pretty girl, are you planning on hiking up the mountain?”

“You look so pretty, and you have such a nice figure. It must be demeaning sitting on a bike!”

“Why don’t you get in my car? I’ll bring you up…

“Shut your filthy mouth!”

“I’ll give you another chance, get lost right now!” Leon shouted angrily. His face darkened in a terrifying manner. He was not dumb, it was obvious that the man deliberately stopped his bike because Iris caught the man’s eye.

Chapter 57

Iris was his weak point. He was furious that the man teased Iris! He already showed a lot of restraint by not blowing up on the spot!

“What? How dare you talk to me like that?! Do you want to die?! Say that again if you have the guts to!” The man got angry.

Right after he said that the window at the back of the car dropped. Two men dressed like hooligans looked out. Another man sat in the passenger seat in front as well. A total of four of them glared at Leon fiercely.

“I can say that again if you want. I asked you to get lose…” Leon was calm and not scared at all. Before he could finish, Iris suddenly pulled his arm and stopped him.

“Leon, forget it. Just ignore them. Let’s not let our good mood get ruined because of them,” Iris shook her head.

She would always illicit strange looks wherever she went because she was too pretty. She was already used to it…

Furthermore, there were four of them. Leon was only one person. If a fight broke out, Leon would not be at an advantage.

“I guess you’re lucky today!” Leon sneered. It was incredibly difficult for him to get the chance to be alone with Iris, and he did not want a few pieces of trash to ruin his mood. So, he drove the bike around the car and headed right to the entrance of Mist cloud Mountain.

“Crap, he sure knows how to run away fast!” The man with the earrings slammed the steering wheel angrily.

 “Joe, this guy is too much!”

“Let’s go. Follow them and look for a chance to teach him a lesson!”

“That’s right. I don’t know how he got so lucky, but that girl with him was way too pretty. I’ve never seen a woman as beautiful as that!”

“Once we teach him a lesson, let’s snatch that girl over and give her some drugs. Then, we’ll have a good time!” The three other men had cold smiles on their faces.

At the mention of Iris’s good looks, the three of them were incredibly excited. All of them had predatory looks in their eyes.

“Good idea!”

“That guy only had a bike, he’s no one special. Even if we play with his woman, he won ’t be able to do anything about us!”

The man with the earrings immediately stepped on the gas. When they walked into the scenic area, it was a large road made of large stones, going past the foot of Mist Cloud Mountain.

Both sides of the road were full of greenery. The trees were green and lush, and flowers were everywhere. It was an absolutely beautiful sight. It was a Saturday, so there were a lot of people at Mist Cloud Mountain. There were young couples and groups of friends and families. It was bustling.Looking at Leon’s dejected expression, Iris could not help but smile as she said, ”Leon, what is it? Are you still angry about what happened just now?”

“Don’t bring it up anymore. Those pieces of trash dared to speak to you like that. If you didn’t hold me back, I would’ve taught them a lesson!” Leon said angrily. He was still dwelling on the matter.

“Alright, don’t brag so much! There were so many of them, could you have beaten them alone?!” Iris rolled her eyes at Leon.

“I wasn’t bragging!”

“If this happened before, I would’ve been no match for them, but right now, they wouldn’t be able to touch me!” Leon sniffed.

With his current level at the middle stage of energy refinement, he would not even be bothered with eight people, let alone four!

“Alright, I’ll admit that you’re stronger. Is that enough?” Iris said with a smile. She saw Leon’s skills before. The first time she met Leon, he was almost killed by two thugs by the river to save her. The second time, he was badly beaten up by Brody’s bodyguards and pressed to the ground. Leon was lucky she appeared just in time to save him. After those two experiences, she knew that Leon was just a very ordinary man, outside of having some courage and ruthlessness. It would be hard for him to stand up against four people, so how could he make an enemy out of those people?

However, men were very particular about their dignity. Even if she did not believe him, she could not expose him.

“Let’s forget about that. Let’s go hike up the mountain!” Leon took a deep breath and composed himself before heading up the mountain with Iris.

The foot of the mountain was the most well–decorated part of the scenic area, and it was the place with the most people as well. There were plenty of things to eat and play with.

There was a street of stalls comprised of a lot of food and snacks, and there were also some entertainment facilities like merry–go–rounds and bumper cars.

The moment Iris appeared, her amazing looks and noble air immediately garnered a lot of attention. Quite a few guests, whether they were men or women, shot looks of admiration over.

Thankfully, most of the people in attendance were either couples or families.

On top of that, Leon was like a protector next to Iris, so no one dared to walk forward and try to flirt with her.

In truth, Iris was used to being alone since she was young. She was a little caught off guard by how many people there were here.

Only, she did not actually like being alone, so she hoped that she would be able to merge into the crowd. With Leon, the two of them walked around everywhere, buying some accessories and souvenirs. The scenery was incredibly beautiful, and there was laughter all around. It was a contagious atmosphere, and Iris quickly got used to it. She had a pure smile on her face. The happier Iris was, the happier Leon got. The two of them were never so relaxed and comfortable before.

“Iris, there’s some ice cream over there. Just wait for me here, I’ll go get some,” L eon said with a smile.

“Leon, it’s fine. I…” Iris opened her mouth to speak but stopped there.

“What is it? Do you not like ice cream?” Leon asked curiously.

“That’s not it, it’s just that I don’t eat these things much,” Iris said after some hesitation.

“It’s fine, as long s you like it,” Leon smiled and walked to the ice cream stall to queue.

Leon just walked over when a young couple walked over as well.

The girl looked quite good. She seemed to be a traveling streamer. She was recording all the scenery on the phone as she walked.

Behind Iris was a rockery with flowing water. There was also a fountain that shot out half a meter high. The streamer walked in Iris’s direction as she talked about the scenery with her fans. The camera happened to brush past Iris, and the fans immediately started to talk about her in shock!

“Look!”

“That girl looked so pretty just now!”

“Yeah, I’ve never seen someone so beautiful before. Even a lot of celebrities seem ugly compared to her!”

“Jess, point your camera over there. We want to see her!”

The fans were in an uproar and started to give her various gifts. The streamer, Jess, was elated. She hurriedly pointed the camera at Iris, and the fans started to give her more and more.

Chapter 58

Jess had a vibrant smile on her face. She quickly walked in front of Iris and gave a friendly greeting, “Hello, I’m Jess. I’m a travel streamer. You look so pretty. Can I take a picture with you?”

“That…” Iris did not like interacting with strangers, but the other girl seemed to be very friendly and did not seem to have any bad intentions.

She hesitated for a moment before forcing out a nod in the end.

After the two of them took a photo, the camera zoomed in. The fans got a close– up look and found Iris even more beautiful close up.

“Wow, she’s just too pretty. Her figure and temperament seem perfect too. She looks like a goddess!”

“That’s right. She’s probably one of the most beautiful girls ever!”

“Jess, I’ll send you some money first. Please ask this beautiful girl what her name is. If you manage to get any of her contact methods, I’ll give you more!”

“Same here. If you get her contact method, I’ll send you a lot of money!”

The fans in the chat were incredibly excited as they discussed things, and various donations started to pop up on the stream! Jess started to get even more excited. Just the gifts from the last few minutes were about to match her income for the past few days. A lot of fans were even talking about giving more as long as she got Iris‘ contact. Everything totaled up might even beat her monthly income!

“Hey, what’s your name?”

“My fans like you. Could you say hello to everyone and drop your contact?” Jess said with a smile.

“I’m sorry, I’m not interested!” Iris shook her head. Just taking a photo with that girl was her limit. Her contact was personal. It was something she could not tell anyone else.

Jess’s smile froze, but she refused to relent as she said, “It’s rare for my fans to like someone so much. You don’t have to reject them…”

“That’s right, just tell everyone your contact. We just want to be friends. It won’t be bad for you at all,” The man next to Jess hurriedly said as he shot an exciting look at Iris. Someone who looked as amazing as Iris was a sight to behold.

Just being able to meet her that day was incredibly rare. He wanted to get her contact. That way, he might be able to have a beautiful romance in private!

“I’ve already made it very clear. I’m not interested!” Iris frowned as she started to look annoyed.

“Please, you just look a bit prettier than usual. Why are you acting so high and mighty?!” Jess started to panic. If Iris was not willing to give out her contact, she would lose a lot of money. She started to get a bit angry.

“There’s no room for negotiations!” Iris‘ face turned cold as she got up to leave, not wanting to deal with them anymore.

“Hey, don’t be in such a hurry to leave. We can talk about this…” Jess and the guy were not willing to let up at all. The two of them hurriedly chased after Iris. Leon happened to have just bought the ice cream at that moment. He happened to see a young couple pestering Iris, which triggered his anger as he rushed forward to shield Iris behind him.

“Who are you two? What do you want?!”

“Get lost!” Leon said angrily. He looked incredibly impressive. He seemed like he would start fighting at any moment. The other two froze at the sight. Both of them took a few steps back.

“Sir, don’t misunderstand. We were just asking for her contact. We weren’t trying to do anything else.”

The man had an apologetic smile on.

“That’s right, we weren’t trying to do anything to her. Why are you being so fierce?!” Just coldly snorted, clearly not intimidated.

Even though Leon was taller than the guy, Leon was quite skinny. He did not look as well built as the guy at all. If Leon wanted to fight, he would not be able to beat the man. So, she had nothing to be afraid of! “I don’t care if you were trying to do anything or not. Just leave!”

“If you pester Iris again, then don’t blame me for being rude!” Leon said angrily, still not relenting.

“Leon, it’s fine. They don’t have any ill intentions. We should just leave,” Iris pulled at Leon’s arm and said.

At that moment, Leon seemed incredibly handsome as he protected her. He looked very manly. She felt a sweet feeling in her heart at that. Leon nodded and shot the two of them a look of warning before he turned around and left with Iris.

“Crap!”

“All that money has gone up in smoke!”

Looking at Leon and Iris leave, Jess stamped her feet on the ground angrily, but there was nothing she could do.

“That’s right!”

“That guy doesn’t look that good, and he’s not as buff as me either. I don’t know how he got so lucky to find such a pretty girlfriend!”

The man’s face was full of envy. He mistook Leon for Iris’s boyfriend, which left a sour taste in his heart.

The fans looking at the broadcast were more or less the same as well. Even though Leon had a masculine look about him, he was still a huge difference from how much of a goddess iris was. The goddess was apparently already taken and looked like a flower on top

of a pile of manure.

As the fans lamented how lucky Leon was, they started to feel jealousy and envy toward Leon as well.

“You’re just all talk!”

“He was acting so arrogantly just now. Why didn’t you just teach him a lesson?!”

“Just look at you. Were you scared by him?!” Jess glared at the man angrily.

“I was not scared. I just didn’t know what to do at the time…”

“If I see him again, I’ll definitely knock the teeth out of his mouth!” The man’s face reddened as he realized that he was definitely taken aback by Leon’s aura just now. At the same time, he could not help but feel embarrassed and angry. He even told himself in his heart that he would definitely find a way to gain back his dignity if he ever met Leon again. He would let that girl see how strong and manly he was as well! As they left the more packed areas of the mountain, Leon and Iris walked up the stairs.

“Iris, it’s pretty hot today. Have some ice cream to cool down,” Leon gave one of the two ice creams he bought earlier to Iris.

Iris accepted it and elegantly took a small bite.

“How does it taste? Is it any good?” Leon asked expectantly, looking like a child waiting for his reward.

“Yes, it’s not too sweet. It’s vanilla flavored, which I like,” Iris let out a faint smile.

“As long as you like it,” Leon was ecstatic. It was as if he was willing to do anything as long as he got a word of praise from Iris.

“Can you stop being so dramatic?!” Iris could not help but laugh, amused by Leon’s expression. She was always incredibly cold at serious in the company, acting as the famous frosty president of Springfield City’s business world.

Chapter 59

For some reason, ever since she met Leon, she started to smile more and more.

It was probably Leon’s sunny disposition that was slowly soothing the loneliness in her heart.

It was also possibly because she treated Leon as a good friend like she treated Ariel. In front of Leon, she could drop her act, and live very freely and honestly!

Hiking was something incredibly exhausting. In truth, most tourists gathered at the foot of the mountain. Not many of them were willing to hike up.

There were just some couples and a few young adults in groups. There were incredibly few figures on the stairs. It was much quieter than on the foot of the mountain. Leon and Iris hiked up the mountain, laughing as they talked. They did not notice the four figures sneakily following behind them at all. In the middle of the mountain, there was an open field. There were a few pavilions built there for the tourists to rest and admire the view. That was the border for most hikers. The way up was incredibly steep, and not easy for ordinary people to climb.

Most tourists would stop there, sitting at the pavilions to look down at the scenery. They could have a complete view of the bottom of the mountain.

“Iris, are we going to continue up?” Leon asked.

“Oh, let’s continue! I heard that the clouds and the mist make for an amazing sight on the top of the mountain. I want to see what it’s like,” Iris said after some hesitation. The origin of the name Mist cloud mountain came from the breathtaking sights on the top of the mountain. It was an incredibly rare and beautiful sight.

It was just that the way to the top was too steep. It was not just hard to hike up, but there were a lot of dangers as well. Usually, the scenic area restricted anyone from going up to the top. The way up was only opened at the end of the year when there were a lot of tourists. They would hire. professional guides to bring up tourists after taking all the necessary precautions.

Iris heard about the top of the mountain before, but she did not know that it was only open at the end of the year. Otherwise, there was no way she would have made that suggestion. Even Iris did not know anything about it, so there was no way Leon would.

“Since you want to take a look up there, then let’s continue,” Leon said with a smile. The two of them did not rest for a single moment. They continued walking up the stairs, not noticing a sign that said no entry behind one of the pavilions. The two of them continued for a while before they heard footsteps behind them. At that moment, there were no other guests around them. The two of them finally noticed something was wrong. When they turned around to look, they saw four young men following them with cold smiles on their faces. Those four young men were not random people but were the group outside the scenic area that was in the Cadillac.

“It’s them!” iris was surprised, immediately recognizing them. Leon was surprised as well. After thinking about it, he immediately knew that they probably followed the two of them.

“Brat, I bet you never expected us to meet again so soon!” the man in the earrings sneered as he shot his companions a look. They quickly hurried over. In truth, they already saw Leon and Iris at the foot of the mountain. It was just that there were too many people around for them to do anything. As their luck would have it, Leon and Iris chose to go toward the top, where there were no other guests at all. They had nothing else to worry about!

“This isn’t good!”

“Leon, let’s run!”

Iris’s heart sank. She knew that the group did not have good intentions. He hurriedly pulled Leon’s arm and ran toward the top. However, she was in too much of a panic. Her foot slipped on the step, and she staggered before she fell toward the stone steps.

“Iris, careful!” Leon was shocked. Thankfully, he was quick as he reached out and grabbed Iris’s soft and delicate waist, pulling her into his arms.

“It hurts…” Iris shouted out in pain. The slip twisted her ankle, and a stabbing pain shot from her foot. It hurt so much that she almost shed tears up.

“Iris, are you okay? Where are you hurt?” Leon’s expression changed as he hurriedly held Iris out from his arms and anxiously checked on Iris’s condition.

“I think I sprained my ankle…” Iris’s face was pale. She bit her lips to withstand the pain.

“Despicable!” Leon was furious. He suddenly shot a sharp look at the four men. If Iris was not startled by them, she would not have sprained her ankle.

It was as simple as that. It did not matter if they planned for it or not, there was no way he would let them off easily! However, it was not the time for him to settle their debts. To stop Iris from getting hurt again, he hurriedly picked Iris up into a princess carry. After that, he jumped off the steps as Iris shouted out in surprise. He ran toward the little forest by the path.

“You’re trying to run?”

“It won’t be that easy!” The man with the earrings sneered as he called his men to give chase.

Both sides of the stone path were surrounded by dense trees, forming little forests.

Even though the ground was steep, there was a lot of empty ground behind the trees. There was a lot of soft grass there as well. Comparatively, it was much safer than the bare stone steps.

When he reached an empty spot, Leon put Iris down carefully, worried that he would hurt her.

At that moment, the four men already caught up. They surrounded Leon and Iris.

“Brat, aren’t you good at running?”

“Let’s see where you can run to now!” The man in the earrings let out a laugh as he looked at Leon in amusement. It was like a cat toying with a mouse.

Before Leon could answer, Iris shouted, “What are you trying to do?!”

“What are we doing? What do you think?!”

“This guy was rude to us outside, so we’re planning on teaching him a lesson today. I’ll teach him that there are some people he should never offend!” The man in the earrings said with a cold laugh.

“Please, with just you guys? You don’t even have the right to teach me a lesson!” Leon looked at them in disdain.

“You’re about to die, but you’re still being so stubborn!”

“Brat, since you want to die, we’ll grant you your wish today!” The man in the earrings was furious as he motioned to his companions to attack.

“Hold it!”

“I’m warning you! T his is a lawful society. If you dare to pull anything, I’ll call the cops! Iris pulled out her phone and shouted at them with a stern expression.

“Haha…” All of them were amused by Iris’s words. All of them started to laugh out loud.

“Girl, are you joking?”

“We’re in the mountains. Do you think your phone even has any reception?!”

“Also, we’re not idiots here. Even if you have reception on your phone, do you think we’d give you the chance to call the cops?!” The man in the earrings said mockingly.

“That…”

Chapter 60

Iris lowered her head and looked at her phone. It clearly said that there was no internet or reception. She was thoroughly stunned by that.

She thought that she would be able to use the police to threaten the other side, but she never expected that there would be no access to the internet or reception at all. How was she supposed to call the police?!

“W– what are you trying to do?”

“If you want money, I can give you money. As long as you give me a number, I’ll do my best to get you that money,” Iris took a deep breath, trying her best to calm herself.

“How could a little girl like you have any money?!”

“We don’t care about what little you have!”

The man with the earrings let out a disdainful laugh. He saw Iris on that motorcycle. The two of them were too poor to even afford a car. It would already be impressive if their assets were in the thousands. How could he care a bout that little amount of money?

“However, it’s not like you can’t protect this guy! As long as you agree to one thing, we’ll not touch him at all!” The man in the earrings added with a sinister smile.

“What’s the condition?” Iris asked.

“My brothers and I have been very lonely all these years. You’re so pretty, we like you!" The man in the earrings let out a sinister smile, baring his fans.

There was no way Iris could tolerate that. Her eyes darkened, and her anger soared.

“Shut up!”

“How dare you insult Iris like that? I’ll kill you!” Leon exploded in anger. His eyes reddened, wanting nothing more than to rip that man apart.

However, his arms were held tightly by Iris. he was worried that Iris would get hurt again, so he did not dare to force his way out, “Iris, let me go. I ’m going to beat up that filthy mouth of his right now!”

“Brat, just accept our kindness!”

“If you’re sick of living, we don’t mind killing you right here!”

“Of course, don’t think that we wouldn’t dare to kill you!”

“We’ve been through a lot of bloodshed!”

“There’s no one here anyway. Even if we kill the both of you, there won’t be any traces or clues left behind as long as we bury you behind the mountain!” The man sneered.

He did not do anything to Leon because he was planning on using Leon to threaten Iris. Otherwise, there was no way he would even bother talking to Leon with the attitude Leon showed him. He would have killed Leon on the spot!

“You’re right, this is a good place for killing! Iris, please let me go.” Leon spoke with murderous intent. It was the first time he was truly angry in his life. All of them had to die! Even though Iris was not his girlfriend, he could not allow anyone else to taint Iris for some reason. It was something he held firmly in his heart!

“Leon, don’t be reckless! They have more men. You’re no match for them!” Iris was incredibly worried.

After that, she whispered to Leon, “Just listen to me. Run down the mountain right now. Run as far as you can. Just leave me…"

“How could I do that?!”

“There’s no way I can just leave you behind!” Leon rejected it firmly. Even if his life was actually in danger, there was no way he would leave Iris behind and run away himself, let alone face those minnows.

“Can you not act so stupidly?!”

Iris glared at Leon before she whispered, “Just think about it. As long as you’re able to escape and contact the police or my family immediately, they wouldn’t dare to do anything to me!”

Iris was someone who went through a lot of danger. Even during such a precarious situation, she was still incredibly calm. Her thoughts were very clear as well.

She knew that the situation was very bad for Leon and her. As long as Leon could run away, there was no way the other four would dare to touch her unless they did not care about living anymore!