Kevin froze, his arrogance draining like water through a sieve. The swagger he had paraded earlier collapsed, leaving him pale and trembling. "N-no… Brother Adam, please… have fun….enjoy yourself," he stammered, forcing a crooked smile as he tugged at his collar, desperate to slip away unseen, ashamed to meet Lily's rageful eyes.
"Kevin, you coward!" Lily's voice cracked with rage, her whole body shaking as she spat the words. Never had she imagined that the man who boasted of being a gentleman would turn into such a disgrace when it mattered most. Their classmates, equally shaken, covered their fear with uneasy silence, each one too afraid to get involved.
Kyle, however, sat unmoved, his face an unreadable mask. Yet inside, his chest tightened. He knew Adam Westham far too well. Once, Adam had been a ragged boy on the streets of Zinland, beaten down, powerless, abandoned.
Kyle had been the one who saw something in him when no one else did, the one who secretly trained him when Kyle was still a member of the VALERI CONGLOMERATE.
Adam Weestham had nearly lost his life many times, but he had endured, clawing his way up with the strength Kyle had instilled in him. And now, in just a few years, he had grown into a man powerful enough to terrify everyone in this room.
Even so, Kyle did not reveal himself. He was no longer the heir of the VALERI CONGLOMERATE. His ties were long broken. Adam might not even want to recognize him now.
Adam's cold gaze swept the room, sharp and ruthless, as though daring anyone to defy him. But when his eyes fell upon Kyle, the arrogance in his face shattered in an instant. Shock flickered across his expression, followed by fear. Without hesitation, he strode forward and bent low in a deep bow.
"Sir… I did not know you were here. Please forgive me." His voice was subdued, almost trembling.
The room fell silent, stunned beyond words. The Adam Westham they all feared, the man whose cruelty was unmatched, stood humbly before Kyle like a student before his master.
Even his men were left wide-eyed, unable to believe what they saw. Their boss had never bowed to anyone, never respected anyone, yet here he was lowering himself completely.
Kyle remained calm, his face steady as if the moment meant nothing. After a pause, he sighed, then laid a hand gently on Adam's shoulder. "It has been a long time. Let them go. They are my classmates."
"Yes, Sir. At once." Adam nodded quickly, his tone urgent. "They will leave now. Please, allow me the honor of sitting with you. No one will disturb us."
Adam's men obeyed immediately, ushering the terrified classmates out of the private room. Their steps were hurried, their faces drained of color as though they had just brushed against death.
Outside the Five star hotel, whispers broke out among them. Megan was the first to speak, her voice shaky. "I never thought Kyle would save us. How… how could he possibly know the owner of the Five star hotel?"
Lily Cortez's anger softened, replaced by a hesitant doubt. "Did we misjudge him all along? Maybe he is more capable than we imagined…"
But Kevin's face twisted with humiliation. His pride shattered, he clung to his last weapon poisoned words. "Don't be fooled! He must have colluded with this hotel to stage all this. Otherwise, why would Adam bow to him? It's a trick!"
Megan frowned. "If he wanted to trick us, why let us go for free?"
Kevin's bitterness deepened, shame twisting his words. "Because I threatened to call the police. That's the only reason. Otherwise, how could it end so easily? Kyle, that bastard thrash… this isn't over!"
The others glanced around at each other, uncertain, but slowly nodding as Kevin's words sank in.
"Yes. This isn't over," they echoed, their anger loud but hollow, their bodies already moving away in fear.
Still, their curses filled the air. "Kyle, the useless son-in-law, even tricked his classmates. Let's see what happens next time!" But none dared to follow him. Their words faded into the night as they left, defeated and resentful.
Lily rejected Kevin's Lamborghini without hesitation, slipping instead into a sleek Porsche and vanishing, leaving Kevin gritting his teeth in the street, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles went white.
Inside, only Kyle and Adam remained. Adam lowered his head but kept his gaze fixed outside the window, seething. "Sir, those people are ungrateful. Do you want me to…"
Kyle shook his head lightly, a faint smile touching his lips. "Forget them. If not for Megan, I would not have stepped in tonight. Let them be."
Adam bowed again, unwilling to question him. "Yes, Sir. But… where are you working now? I have searched for you these past years and could never find you…"
"You will know when the time comes," Kyle said quietly. "For now, when you see me, just call me by my name. Nothing more."
Before Adam could speak again, Kyle's old phone rang. He glanced at the screen, frowning. "Damn. I need to go back and clean the house." He stood, his voice steady. "I will find you when I am free, Adam."
Without another word, he walked out, climbed onto his battered electric bike, and disappeared into the dark streets, leaving Adam rooted in silence, staring after him with a heavy heart.