Two slaps landed squarely on Erika’s face, leaving red handprints in their wake.
“Outrageous!” Coleman could no longer contain himself. He slammed the table and stood up, his voice booming with fury. “What is the meaning of this? I am Coleman Vincent! You slapped my granddaughter-where does that leave my dignity?”
“And who are you? Never heard of you,” Hailey Clarkson sneered, spreading her arms wide in mock indifference, her tone dripping with arrogance.
“Not only did I slap your granddaughter, but if you dare to yap here, I’ll slap you too,” Hailey added, her overconfidence so blatant it was almost absurd. It was clear she had been spoiled her entire life, her arrogance deeply ingrained.
“You insolent brat!” Coleman roared, stepping forward in anger, ready to confront Hailey.
But Kayden stopped him, rising calmly from his seat. He walked over to Erika, who was still standing in shock.
Kayden gently helped her up and asked, “Are you okay?”
Erika’s eyes were red, but she shook her head firmly. “I’m fine,” she whispered.
Kayden pressed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Good,” he said softly.
Hailey Clarkson crossed her arms and glared at him. “And who are you? Do you want me to slap you too? Let me tell you, whoever comes here will get slapped! Diomidis Stevens, hand over the Aetherbloom now, or I’ll make sure none of you leave here alive.”
Her words were venomous, her demeanor utterly without respect or civility. It was rare to see such beauty paired with such an ugly personality.
“Get lost!” Hailey barked at Kayden, her eyes filled with hostility.
Smack!
Without a word, Kayden’s hand flew across her face, delivering a sharp slap.
“You-!”
Smack!
Another slap cut her off mid-sentence.
“You dare slap me?!” Hailey shrieked, her composure unraveling.
Smack!
“This slap is for teaching you to respect others,” Kayden said coldly.
Smack!
“This one is for disturbing our meal.”
Smack!
“This one is for slapping Erika.”
Smack!
“This one is for acting above the law.”
Smack!
“And this is for your sheer arrogance.”
Each slap landed with force, leaving Hailey Clarkson staggered and dazed, her head spinning.
Her subordinates rushed forward in alarm. “Miss, are you alright?”
Hailey, now trembling with rage, clenched her teeth and shouted, “Kill him! Kill that man! I want him dead!”
Her men drew their weapons and charged at Kayden.
Kayden prepared to fight, his stance solid, ready to take them on. But before the first blow could land, a stern voice interrupted.
“Stop!”
The voice belonged to a middle-aged man in a wheelchair. Though his body looked frail, his voice carried undeniable authority.
“Father, he slapped me! Did you see that?!” Hailey rushed over to the man, her tone filled with grievance.
The man, Tiger Clarkson, scrutinized Kayden with sharp eyes. “Young man,” he said, his voice steady, “do you realize what you’re getting yourself into? Do you even know who we are? I am Tiger Clarkson, one of the Four Great Veterans of the Golden Threshold Society. Have you heard of me?”
Kayden chuckled coolly. “Golden Threshold Society? So what? Does that mean I should let you ruin my meal? No one disturbs me while I’m eating. Got it?”
Tiger Clarkson smirked, though his expression didn’t reach his eyes. “You’ve got some nerve. I’ll give you that. But here’s the deal: you seem capable, and I won’t make this difficult for you. Cut off one of your hands yourself, and we’ll let this go. Not only that, I’ll even take you under my wing. Once I recover, I’ll personally teach you skills that will make you shine.”
Hailey’s indignation flared. “Father! What are you saying? He humiliated me! Are you just going to let him off with a missing hand? I want him dead!”
Tiger raised a hand to silence her, then turned back to Kayden. “Well? What do you say?”
Kayden regarded the father and daughter pair with a faint smile. “That’s quite the generous offer. But before you make any decisions, there’s something you need to know. Aetherbloom won’t help you much.”
Tiger’s expression darkened. “Oh?”
“You’re in that wheelchair because you’ve exhausted your internal energy. Even if you consume Aetherbloom, it’ll only allow you to stand and move around. But regaining your former strength? That will take a long time. So really, Aetherbloom isn’t much use to you,” Kayden explained calmly.
“Father, don’t listen to him! He’s lying-he’s just stalling! Kill him!” Hailey shouted, clutching her swollen face.
Ignoring her outburst, Kayden continued, “In fact, I don’t even need Aetherbloom to heal you. I can cure you right now-completely and instantly.”
Erika’s grip on Kayden’s hand tightened, her voice trembling with anxiety. “Master, what are you-”
Kayden raised a hand to stop her, his eyes fixed firmly on Tiger Clarkson.
Tiger studied him carefully, his gaze sharp and calculating. Kayden’s composure in the face of overwhelming odds was enough to make Tiger pause.
After a moment, Tiger asked, “Are you serious?”
“Absolutely,” Kayden replied with unshakable confidence.
Hailey’s fury burned hotter. “Father, don’t believe him! He’s our enemy! He hit me! Just let me kill him!”
Tiger motioned for Hailey to come closer. She approached, seething with resentment, and bent down as he whispered in her ear, “This guy might actually know what he’s doing. Let him heal me first. If he succeeds, I’ll take him under my control. Then you can do whatever you want with him. Either way, he won’t live long.”
Though reluctant, Hailey clenched her teeth and nodded. “Fine.”
Tiger turned back to Kayden. “Alright, boy. If you can fix me, do it now. But if you fail, I’ll make sure you don’t leave here alive.”