Unexpected Rise of Leonard Storm

Chapter 9

Leonard was finally able to pull away from her. Staring stares interlocking into each other.  "You wanted to say something right?" He inquired.

Unlike other men who had always approached her. Leonard was unyielding, even though she was being so natural, unlike her usual self.

"Yes, I want to thank you for saving my skin back then." She said with a strange look on her face.

"It's nothing to appreciate me about. I still would have done it even though it was someone else." 

"I would not let anyone go oppressed under my watch." He replied coldly.

Even though he was being cold, Sofia couldn't help but liked him even more. It could only mean that he was a member of some powerful family.

She was slowly dying out of her curiosity, wanting to know more about him. But one thing that she knew was the fact that she could not chuck up information at him, she had to take it slowly.

"I still have to thank you."

"And about?"

Even though he wasn't being told, he could already tell where he was forging ahead. "You could forget about that." He quickly replied.

But Sofia wasn't going to take no for an answer. She had never been indebted to anyone before and didn't want it to start now.

But Leonard was screaming to be a really difficult person, with a lot of pride hovering around him.

More like a lot of hurt that he didn't want to repeat themselves. Even though he had to chicken away from facts.

Sofia drew an invisible breath. There was nothing that she could do now.

"What about I treat you for dinner tonight? I know the best places that we can find in the city." Inquired, hoping that he was going to accept that at least.

But the cold demeanor of his face didn't shake even for a single moment.

"Miss. Let's pretend as though this never happened. I helped nature because that was right, not you."

As he walked away, there was a little shift in his emotions. His gaze that was hovering on his face had broken down and he could feel the guilt rushing up through his vines after what he had said.

But he knew that was the best thing that he could ever do for himself. Sofia could be another episode of a gold digger which he didn't want to face again.

For now, if there was anything that he needed most was space, enough to reflect on what had happened in the past few years and for personal growth, nothing else.

While he walked away, Sofia stared at the space that had been created right before her.

Nobody has ever spoken to her in such a manner before or even rejected her offer. But as strange as it may seem, she wasn't angry, rather she was empty.

It was as though someone important just stopped out of her life, even though they had met for a few moments.

"Are we going to meet again? Is fate going to allow such?" Where the words ended her stare.

********

Decorative lights and loud chatters could be heard from a large center table. The room was clothed with linens of gold.

The men seated were high members of the society but there was something off about them, even though they sat in a beautiful environment, they all seemed gloomy.

"Slap." One of the men slaps into the face of a man that is kneeling on the floor. He was no other person than the legendary Wiles.

But this time, he was looking pathetic and his clothes were all soaked in blood while his body was all run over in ruins 

His mouth was brushed and he could hardly speak.

Standing next to him was Mr. Nam, president of the Downhills Colmogate. Second only to the Rock City Consortium.

While Wiles seemed to be a man that you would want to dread on the outside, on the inside, he was only a pathetic man who was used as a puppet by powerful men so that he would stay powerful.

But what would Mr. Wiles have done wrong to deserve such a  punishment?

Their discussion seemed to be directed to the Gerund Estate enterprise, in such a way that there was more to the enterprise than just its face value.

"You fool." The man that was standing before him barked loudly, making cold sweat break down from his face.

"You knew that the Gerund Estate was not an ordinary enterprise. You know that that is where all our illegal businesses are linked underground.

And you dare to tell us that the ownership of it has been transferred to someone else?

We gave you power and wealth just so that you would be able to protect that place but just one task that you were given and you could not even live up to expectations?" He thundered.

Wiles shivered out of pathetic fright, his heart ever thrumming faster.

"Slap." Another slap imprinted on his face making him spit out blood from his mouth.

"Do you want me to tell you to speak?" He thundered.

"He... He took it away from me. There was nothing that I could do. Please, Mr. Nam, give me another chance. I promise that I am.." slap, another slap landed on his face pushing him into an abrupt pause.

"Another word from you and you might not outlive the next minute." He thundered and Wiles's heart shifted.

"Keep sprouting out lies. You got into that bet yourself. You were being a greedy pervert. Now look at what you have caused." 

"Please, sir Nam. Please forgive me. Please give me another chance and I am going to get back the enterprise."

"I don't give people chances twice." He replied.

He beckoned a black suit man knowing what was going to happen next. Mr. Wiles grunted but it was already late.

He yelled as he was dragged away from the place and another man walked in. He was muscled and had a dark Aura. He had shades on and was covered in leather attire.

Mr. Nam didn't bother to turn even though he was backing this name.

"Get me all the information about this man called Leonard." He said in between clenched teeth.