Ethan P. O. V
When we all arrived at Hongqiao Airport, just as Chen Lien said, his people were already waiting for us with a few cars parked by the runway. They looked like they’d been waiting since morning, and seeing them open the car doors as soon as I stepped off the plane made me believe that Chen Lien was someone worth considering for a long-term partnership.
I took my usual spot in the back seat, followed by Claire, who sat next to me at Chen Lien’s request, while he sat in the front with the driver who then drove us away from the airport.
Not used to sitting next to Claire, who just stayed silent around me, I rolled down the window and lit a cigarette, letting the smoke drift partly outside and partly towards Claire, making her uncomfortable.
As I was enjoying my smoke, my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, but whoever it was, if they were calling me, it had to be business.
“You’re a real man, Ethan Randall.” The voice on the other end was raspy, chuckling, though I had no idea what was so funny about what I’d just heard. However, I knew exactly who that voice belonged to: Alesio Huggman.
“Smart move, you bastard. Whose phone did you swipe to call me this time? You think using a number I don’t recognize would stop me from figuring out it’s you?” I shot back, still puffing on my cigarette, a grin spreading across my face as I imagined Alesio fuming on the other end.
“I didn’t expect you to find your mate so quickly, Ethan.”
“Hm, and what’s it to you?” I countered, exhaling smoke that drifted towards Claire, making her cough.
“Of course, it’s about Christopher Gale. You won’t like what he’s planning now that he knows his long-lost prey has been found.”
“Hahaha, what is he up to, and why should I care?”
“I’ll give you some info, but you gotta give me something good in return.”
“Oh wow, you sound like a blackmailing loser. Still harboring trash? How much? Do you want to replace all the trash you have?”
Alesio snorted softly, “That’s just the beginning, Ethan. You should already know what Christopher Gale is like, and now, when you think you’ve found your mate, you’re actually digging your own grave. You won’t just kill your Pack, but also your mate.”
“Ah, do whatever you want. I’ll gladly take you on, and I don’t care if I have to kill my own mate,” I replied without hesitation, because that’s exactly what I was thinking at the moment.
I closed my eyes for a moment, and when I opened them, my gaze was drawn to the car’s rearview mirror, where I saw Claire’s reflection, looking at me with a confused expression.
Maybe now she’s wondering who I’m talking to, making our ride a bit awkward. So, I shot her a small smile. Claire, realizing I was looking at her, quickly looked down, turned her face away, and stopped staring.
“You still want all the shares and ownership rights in the Chengzu district in Macau, right?” Alesio suddenly asked about something I’ve been eyeing for the past few months.
Chengzu district in Macau, the gambling paradise of Asia. Honestly, if anyone doesn’t want a piece of that, they’re the biggest fool in the world, or maybe the entire universe. Because aside from Las Vegas, Macau is the easiest place to make money from gambling, and besides narcotics sales, women are the best commodity to trade there.
“Why are you asking? Have they started hunting you after you killed Azacha? Are you trying to give me all the shares to avoid them?”
“What do you mean by that, Ethan?! Why would they be after me?! You know I acquired all those shares legally, and I’m not handing over the entire Chengzu district to you!”
I exhaled another puff of smoke, letting it drift partly out the open window and partly towards Claire, causing her to cough again.
“Well then, you’re my next target, Alesio Huggman. You better watch your back,” I said, ending the call.
After hanging up, I slipped my phone back into my coat pocket and continued enjoying my cigarette. But before I could finish it, Claire protested,
“Can’t you stop smoking? The smoke has been blowing in my face, and it’s really suffocating.”
“Then just hold your nose,” I said, but it didn’t make Claire feel any better. She looked even more irritated.
The car was taking us to a villa in the bustling heart of Shanghai. When we arrived, Claire immediately asked for a room to rest.
“Don’t you want to grab some lunch first?” Chen Lien offered, but Claire just shook her head and followed Danny to a room on the second floor.
Once Danny and Claire disappeared around the corner, Chen Lien invited me for a chat. With a bottle of vodka in hand, he said, “You shouldn’t have said that earlier.”
“Who are you? My mother?” I retorted.
“No, but I’m good enough to help you get the Chengzu district.”
I laughed behind my glass, taking a sip before shaking my head. “Those guys are crazy bastards who could eat you alive.”
“So, you think I’m too weak to take the district?”
“If your connections are strong, you can, but don’t forget that the district is filled with useless people just like Alesio.”
I knew that Chen Lien had those connections, but I wasn’t sure he could take everything I wanted from Alesio. It was dangerous, even if he brought a platoon to wage war with Alesio.
I agreed, but I wouldn’t let Chen Lien take the pleasure. “No,” I said, “Alesio is my target, remember? I’ll be the one to handle it.”
Chen Lien looked displeased with what I had just said, but he couldn’t express it as Danny came down after escorting Claire to her room.
“I’ve shown Miss Claire to her room,” Danny said.
I downed the vodka in my glass in one go, placing it back on the table alongside Chen Lien’s collection of alcohol bottles in the villa.
“Let’s get our work done for today,” I said. I didn’t want to waste even a second, because to me, time is a diamond, and no one can afford to ignore a glittering gem.”