Vivian turned toward the voice.
A man in a suit walked toward them with a smile that did not reach his eyes.
Charles Lang.
Vivian recognized him at once.
He was the president of Linford Group, and one of the main culprits behind the theft of West Group's Ice Veil Cream formula.
Her eyes turned cold.
"Charles Lang. You still have the face to stand in front of me?"
Every word sounded like it had been forced through her teeth.
"A shameless man like you will end up in prison sooner or later."
Charles was not angry.
He smiled more brightly.
He came closer and looked around with theatrical surprise.
"I must have misunderstood. I thought Miss West had come here to congratulate me."
"Congratulate you?" Vivian sneered. "For what? Did heaven finally open its eyes and give you cancer?"
Ethan glanced at her with mild surprise.
His new girlfriend had a sharper mouth than the rumors suggested.
Charles's smile stiffened for a second.
"Of course, to congratulate me on buying Summit Ridge House Two."
Vivian said nothing.
She restrained the urge to slap him herself.
Charles saw her silence and became even more pleased.
"Speaking of which, I should thank West Group for spending so long developing that formula for me."
He emphasized the word thank.
"Without that contribution, I wouldn't have received such a generous bonus."
He looked toward the brightly lit villa not far away, then back at Vivian.
"After all, this is House Two at Summit Ridge."
His tone was unbearably smug.
"I hope your company keeps working hard. West Group develops, Linford profits. I quite like this cooperation model."
Vivian's hands clenched.
Her nails nearly dug into her palms.
But what could she do?
The formula had been stolen.
Linford had registered the patent first.
Linford had announced the launch first.
In Northbridge, Linford's influence was stronger than West Group's.
Even if she beat Charles here and now, it would not change the facts. It would only give him more ammunition against her.
Charles clearly saw her helplessness.
His smile widened.
"Don't be too angry, Miss West. Anger is bad for the body. Business has wins and losses."
"Try harder next time. Maybe it'll be your turn to make money."
Slap.
A crisp sound cut him off.
Charles spun twice where he stood.
He covered his face and stared at Ethan.
"You... you hit me?"
Ethan shook out his hand.
"I can also kick you."
Before the words finished, his foot rose and landed in Charles's stomach.
Charles flew several feet and crashed to the ground.
Ethan's life now had cheats enabled.
The phrase swallowing humiliation had been deleted from his dictionary.
Vivian had concerns.
He did not.
Charles curled on the ground, clutching his abdomen, his face turning dark red as he struggled to breathe.
Ethan lowered his foot.
"I hate people showing off in front of me."
Vivian stood stunned.
She had not expected Ethan to strike Charles so directly.
So cleanly.
So hard.
Was it for her?
The thought made her eyes complicated.
Charles lay there for a long time before he finally pushed himself up.
He pointed at Ethan, then looked at Vivian.
"Vivian West, where did you find this lunatic?"
"He hit me. Aren't you going to control him?"
Vivian came back to herself.
Looking at Charles's miserable state, the anger in her chest finally eased a little.
She folded her arms.
"Sorry," she said honestly. "I can't control him."
Then she added, "I don't have that ability."
Charles's face turned livid.
"Good. Very good."
He climbed up and brushed dust from his suit.
"Boy, do you know who I am?"
"President of Linford Group. Charles Lang."
"Do you know Linford Group's position in Northbridge?"
"Do you know what happens when you offend me?"
Ethan did not answer.
Charles thought he was afraid and sneered.
"Now you know fear? Too late."
"I'm telling you, you hit me today. This isn't over. I will make sure you can never survive in Northbridge..."
Slap.
Another slap landed cleanly on his face.
Charles spun again.
He had brought his face within range.
Ethan had no reason not to hit it.
"Still showing off after being taught?"
"You..."
Ethan did not give him time to continue.
He stepped forward and kicked.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Charles rolled across the ground with repeated cries.
"Stop. Stop hitting me."
"I was wrong. Please stop."
Ethan ignored him until he was satisfied.
At last, Charles lay on the ground, bruised, dusty, and stripped of every trace of successful-man dignity.
Ethan turned to Vivian.
"Want a few kicks?"
Vivian's mouth twitched.
"No, thank you. I don't like dirtying my hands."
Charles nearly fainted from anger.
So hitting him was dirty?
At that moment, headlights approached from down the road.
A car stopped nearby.
The door opened, and a middle-aged man in a dark suit and gold-rimmed glasses stepped out.
Charles saw him and crawled over as if seeing salvation.
"Manager Wells. Manager Wells, you're finally here."
He grabbed the man's arm and pointed at Ethan with a trembling voice.
"I was beaten on your property. Summit Ridge can't ignore this. You must punish this violent man."
Manager Wells frowned.
He looked in the direction Charles pointed.
"Who has such nerve to make trouble at Summit Ridge?"
He strode forward, already promising, "Mr. Lang, don't worry. I'll handle this."
"Anyone who dares hit people at Summit Ridge must be tired of..."
His voice died halfway.
As he drew closer, he finally saw Ethan's face clearly.
The papers in his hand slipped free and scattered across the ground.
"M-Mr. Cole?"
His voice shook.
The expression on his face turned from anger to shock to terror in the space of one breath.
Charles looked at Manager Wells, then at Ethan.
His brain failed to connect the scene.
"Manager Wells... what did you just call him?"
Author's Note:
This story will continue updating here.
If you want to read the full story without waiting, you can unlock it here:
/c/TYMercer
Thank you for reading.