CHAPTER 1 (CONTINUED)

Let’s roll straight from where we left off:

---

The silence from Xander’s burn still lingered like smoke. Some bosses were still choking back laughter, others still staring at him like they’d just seen a lion speak in perfect Korean.

Hime leaned back, swirling her champagne like nothing had happened.

“Tch. Fine. You win that round, big guy.”

Before the tension could break again, the glass doors swung open.

A man strode in — expensive navy suit, glossy shoes, wristwatch blinding with diamonds. He moved like he owned the skyscraper (which, technically, he did).

Mr. Baek.

The chairman. The one who called them all here.

Everyone’s mood immediately soured. Some bosses groaned openly, others sighed like children forced into detention.

Hime didn’t even bother hiding it. She dropped her head onto the table with a loud thunk.

“Finally. Jesus Christ, Baek. Do you know what time it is? Some of us have lives.”

Sira patted her back like she was a fainting queen. “Unnie’s right. We could’ve been drinking at the lounge instead of waiting here listening to old men cough.”

One of the smug bosses added, “No offense, but my time costs more per hour than your car, Baek. What was the point of this?”

Mr. Baek smiled tightly, ignoring them. “You’re all here because a new syndicate has been moving into Seoul. We’ve had… disruptions.”

Groans. Eye rolls. Someone even muttered “disruptions my ass” under their breath.

Hime sat up just to wave her hand dramatically.

“Wow. You dragged me out of bed, put me in heels, and made me sit in a room full of testosterone just to say ‘competition exists’? Congratulations, genius.”

The table chuckled again, riding her sarcasm.

Sira leaned forward, voice loud enough to cut through the chatter. “Wait, wait—lemme guess. You called all of us here to work together, right? Some cheesy ‘unite the families’ crap?”

Mr. Baek’s smile faltered. “…Yes. For the stability of our—”

“BORING,” Hime interrupted instantly, stretching like a cat.

“Please. If you wanted teamwork, you should’ve sent us all to summer camp, not a skyscraper.”

Even the smug bosses cracked up at that, some slapping the table.

But Xander didn’t laugh. He sat there, cold, sipping whiskey like he was the only adult in a room of rowdy kids.

Still, when he finally spoke, his deep voice cut through the chaos:

“Baek. If you called me here for a pep talk, I’ll leave now. You don’t need me for bedtime stories.”

The room froze again.

Xander’s aura wasn’t loud like Hime’s — it was heavy. When he spoke, it felt like law.

Baek tried to cover his irritation with another smile. “Mr. Volkov, your influence is essential. Surely, you understand—”

“I understand,” Xander interrupted flatly, “that if you waste my time again, your company will no longer exist.”

The smug bosses howled. Not out of joy — out of sheer chaos energy. They loved when someone roasted Baek.

Hime clapped slowly, eyes glinting.

“Ooooh. Look at you, Xander. Speaking full sentences now. Careful — keep this up and I might start thinking you’re fun.”

Sira whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear: “Or not a virgin.”

The table erupted again.

Baek slammed his hand on the table. “Enough!”

But no one listened. The bosses kept laughing, Hime leaned smugly against Sira’s shoulder, and Xander just sat there, calm, sipping his drink like a storm waiting to break.

The night was far from over.

---

🖤 End Scene 🖤

---

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***