I stood my ground as Julian's face contorted with humiliation. The fake ginseng incident had stripped away his carefully crafted veneer, and now everyone could see what lay beneath.
Isabelle picked up the jade box containing Julian's fraudulent gift. With deliberate slowness, she closed it and handed it to one of his assistants.
"I appreciate the gesture, Julian," she said, her tone asured yet cutting, "but I think we both know this isn't what you claid. Perhaps you should discuss quality control with your supplier."
The dismissal was elegant but unmistakable. Julian's eyes darted between us, his composure crumbling further.
"This... this is rely a misunderstanding," he stamred, adjusting his tie nervously. "I'll have my people investigate imdiately. You deserve only the finest, Isabelle."
"Of course," she replied, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. "Now if you'll excuse , I have other matters to attend to."
With that final blow to his pride, Julian retreated, practically dragging his assistants with him. I suppressed a smile as I watched him leave, his shoulders hunched in defeat.
Isabelle turned to , holding the wooden box containing my Hydrating Pill. "Your knowledge continues to impress , Liam. Thank you for this."
"It's nothing special," I replied honestly. "I simply noticed sothing that might help you."
"Modesty doesn't suit you," she said with a cryptic smile. "I have so business to attend to upstairs. We'll speak again soon."
I nodded, watching as she ascended the staircase with graceful poise. There was sothing about her—sothing calculating beneath the elegance—that I couldn't quite decipher.
After a few minutes, I decided to head ho. Julian's humiliation would be temporary; n like him had fragile egos but short mories. Still, I'd made an enemy today, though that hardly concerned .
As I walked toward the exit, I heard quick, angry footsteps behind . My Vi#rt%u-al Li@b$ra!r^y Em!p.ir e (*) a@pp%re$cia$t es- y!o.ur re@ade!r s&h*ip. at the s*ource.
"Knight!"
I turned to find Julian, his face flushed with rage. Gone was the smiling facade, replaced by naked hostility.
"I thought you left," I said calmly.
"You think you're clever, don't you?" he snarled, stepping closer. "Making look like a fool in front of Isabelle?"
I shrugged. "You managed that yourself with the fake ginseng."
Julian's eye twitched. "Let's drop the pretense. Whatever ga you're playing with Isabelle ends now."
"There's no ga," I replied. "Unlike you, I don't approach every interaction with an ulterior motive."
"Listen carefully," he hissed, dropping his voice. "I don't know what you think is happening between you and Isabelle, but it stops today. She's rely entertaining you out of politeness or curiosity—nothing more."
I studied him, noting the genuine fear beneath his anger. This man truly saw as a threat, which was almost amusing considering the power differential between us.
"Is that what you tell yourself?" I asked. "That she couldn't possibly be interested in soone like ?"
"Stay away from her," Julian warned, jabbing a finger at my chest without actually touching . "The Ashworths and Hawthornes have been allies for generations. You're nothing but a temporary distraction."
"If that's true," I said with a small smile, "why are you so worried?"
His nostrils flared. "I'm not worried. I'm warning you. You have no idea who you're dealing with."
"Actually," I replied, "I think you're the one who doesn't understand the situation."
Before he could respond, I turned and walked away. His threats were empty wind, and I had more important things to do than listen to the tantrums of a spoiled heir.
---
Upstairs, Isabelle settled into her private monitoring room, where screens displayed feeds from caras throughout the building. Her secretary, Emma, stood beside her, tablet in hand.
"Did you get what you wanted from that encounter, Miss Ashworth?" Emma asked, her eyes on the screen showing Julian and in the lobby.
Isabelle's lips curved into a satisfied smile as she watched Julian confront . "Perfectly executed. Julian perford exactly as expected—arrogant, then humiliated, then desperate."
"And Mr. Knight?" Emma inquired.
"Liam continues to exceed expectations," Isabelle murmured, eyes fixed on my image as I calmly weathered Julian's threats. "Look at him—completely unfazed by Julian's intimidation. That's not the reaction of an ordinary man."
"If I may ask," Emma ventured carefully, "why are you pitting them against each other?"
Isabelle turned to her, eyes gleaming with calculation. "Julian is rely a stepping stone for Liam's developnt. The more obstacles Liam overcos, the stronger he becos."
"I see," Emma replied, though her expression suggested she didn't entirely understand her employer's thods.
"Don't look so concerned," Isabelle said, amusent coloring her tone. "Julian has been trying to win my hand for years. He'll survive a bruised ego."
On the screen, I walked away from Julian, whose face contorted with impotent rage.
"Interesting," Isabelle whispered, almost to herself. "Most n would have tried to impress by confronting Julian directly. But Liam simply walks away... because he doesn't need my approval."
She stood, smoothing her dress. "That's enough entertainnt for today. We have actual business to attend to."
---
Later that evening, I returned to my apartnt, contemplating the strange dynamics at play. Isabelle's interest in seed genuine, yet sothing about her deanor suggested deeper currents I couldn't yet fathom.
My phone buzzed—a ssage from Roman Volkov requesting a eting. Perfect timing. The Soul Nourishnt Pills I'd created would be valuable to soone with his connections.
When Roman arrived, his usual confident swagger seed subdued. We exchanged pleasantries before I got to the point.
"I have sothing that might interest you," I said, placing a small container on the table between us. "Twenty Soul Nourishnt Pills. Each one can significantly accelerate cultivation and healing."
Roman eyed the container skeptically. "And why would you offer these to ?"
"You have distribution channels I don't," I explained simply. "I'm proposing 500,000 per pill—a fair price considering what they can do."
Roman's expression tightened. "Ten million total? That's quite steep for unproven dicine."
"They're proven," I assured him. "But I understand your hesitation. Try one yourself—you'll see their value."
A strange look crossed Roman's face—suspicion mixed with resignation. "Fine. I'll take them all."
The transaction was quick and efficient. Roman transferred the money, took the pills, and prepared to leave.
"These will sell for at least triple what I'm paying," I added helpfully. "It's a good opportunity for both of us."
Roman's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Of course. Thank you for thinking of , Mr. Knight."
After he left, I couldn't shake the feeling that sothing was off about his reaction. I'd offered him a genuine opportunity—why did he seem so reluctant?
---
Back in his car, Roman examined one of the pills with a scowl. "Ten million! Just because he has the Ashworths' backing, he thinks he can extort anyone."
His driver remained silent, knowing better than to comnt.
"These are probably worthless," Roman muttered, tossing the pill into his mouth and swallowing it dry. "But I'll find a scapegoat to sell them to. Whatever money Liam Knight wants from , I'll get it from soone else."
He smiled thinly, already formulating his plan to recoup what he considered a loss. Little did he know that the pill he'd just consud was worth far more than he'd paid—and that his misunderstanding would soon lead to consequences neither of us could have anticipated.
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