Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Adding A Manager To The Guild
"Will my cake take much longer?" A customer asked softly.
Lilin quickly replied, "It'll be ready soon, customer."
Giovani signaled to Mad Wolf with a glance, "Go, hurry up and help with the cake!"
Mad Wolf eagerly scampered over, leaving Lilin completely dumbfounded.
In Giovani's mind, this café had already become demonized. Isn't this supposed to be the headquarters of the Mercenary Guild? Every person here, eating and drinking coffee, might be a seasoned mercenary! There could even be legendary Elite-level mercenaries watching him from some hidden corner!
Seeing Yvette's confused expression, Giovani leaned in and lowered his voice, "Ms. Yvette, don't take what I did earlier to heart. Actually, we're on the same side!"
Yvette blinked in bewilderment, her beautiful eyes full of confusion. "What are you talking about?"
Giovani assumed Yvette was pretending, so he continued, "The guild leader has already met with me, see?"
He glanced around, then extended his hand in front of Yvette. A flash of light passed over it, and it turned into a revolver.
Yvette gasped, covering her mouth in shock. "You... Giovani, did you awaken a second talent?"
Giovani thought she was still pretending and nodded knowingly. Working for the Mercenary Guild must involve keeping secrets, so he didn't say much more.
"Yvette, let's not dwell on the past. I'm here to apologize, so don't take those previous incidents to heart."
Giovani pulled out a bank card from his pocket and stuffed it into Yvette's hand. "This is a small token of my appreciation for the guild leader. He's like an assasin, always elusive, so please pass it along for me."
Then, he pulled out another bank card. "This one's for you. I'm really sorry for bothering you lately."
After saying this, he left the café with Mad Wolf in tow, but not before flashing Lilin a smile on his way out.
Lilin was stunned. "What's up with Giovani? And even Mad Wolf—I've never seen them like this before. Did they only come after drinking? I don't smell any alcohol, though!"
Yvette held the bank card in her hand, deep in thought. A local boss comes to apologize and give her money?
Someone must be backing her up. But who could it be? Could it be one of her past lover is out of prison? No way, if It was them who were back, she'd know for sure!
She thought for a long time but couldn't figure out who had the clout to intimidate Giovani.
That night, Yvette was still pondering—who could it be? "The guild leader?"
Yvette absentmindedly stirred her coffee with a spoon.
"Welcome, sir. Would you like the same—Blue Mountain coffee and Camembert cheese?"
"No, I'll have the fruit mousse cake instead."
Yvette snapped out of her thoughts. The voice was familiar. Looking up, she saw it was Alexander. This younger guy was cute, always boasting that he would buy her café and help her get rid of unwanted admirers. Sometimes, little guys like him are adorable when they talk big.
Suddenly, something crossed her mind, and her eyes flashed with shock—could it be...?
Yvette stood up abruptly and waved Alexander over. "Sir, over here."
Alexander smiled and walked over, sitting in front of her. He took out a notebook and began jotting down notes.
Yvette wanted to ask him about Giovani, but she didn't know how to bring it up. She glanced at Alexander's slightly boyish face and chuckled to herself.
When she was learning how to solve quadratic equations, this kid was still a fetus. How could he possibly have such influence?
Even if he came from a powerful family, no one would cause trouble for Giovani just for her sake. She knew she wasn't worth it, not even close.
Once she figured that out, Yvette relaxed and casually started chatting with Alexander. "How have you been, sir?"
Without even looking up, Alexander responded, "Does our deal still stand?"
His answer caught Yvette off guard, and her heart skipped a beat. "What?"
Alexander calmly replied, "I said I'd handle Giovani for you. In return, you sell me the café and work for me. You're not trying to back out, are you?"
Yvette's entire body trembled, shock filling her eyes.
"Sir, you?" Yvette asked.
Alexander finally looked up, raising an eyebrow, "Shouldn't it be boss?"
Yvette's heart was in turmoil as she uncrossed her legs, her previous laziness vanishing. "It really is you!"
Alexander handed the notebook he was holding to Yvette. "I calculated the value of this shop—ten million. You and this café are now mine."
Only then did Yvette take a good look at the notebook. It was indeed a plan for the acquisition of the café.
A strange feeling rose in her heart. A much younger man was openly calculating how to take over her life and business right in front of her, without the slightest hint of disguise or subtlety... domination? For someone who had grown up in high society and been surrounded by sycophants after her family's fall, this was a new and completely raw experience.
With a complicated expression, Yvette asked, "Why?"
Alexander replied calmly, "I did what I promised."
Yvette pressed further, "What do I have that's worth you and your backers doing all of this?"
Alexander responded, "It's too late for regrets. Anyone who deceives me will die."
Yvette closed her mouth and stared at the notebook in front of her. From the moment they met today, Alexander had been answering her questions indirectly, but he had been consistently conveying what was most important to him—the deepest, most unyielding truth.
Alexander's behavior went beyond Yvette's understanding, and it was that incomprehensible part that made her feel lost and afraid. She no longer dared to see the young man in front of her as a mere little brother. He had never been a child.
And wasn't this exactly the kind of man she had been waiting for all her life? A man capable of restoring her family's glory.
After a moment of contemplation, Yvette murmured, "Thank you."
Alexander finally smiled. "From now on, your salary will be twenty thousand a month."
Yvette asked, "So, boss, what do you need me to do?"
Alexander replied, "Your duty is to serve our people. Take a look at your phone."
Yvette, confused, pulled her phone from her bag. The Mercenary Guild app had already been downloaded.
With her broad knowledge and experience, she instantly realized that Alexander must have a network-type Awakened person by his side.
"Sir, your coffee and dessert," Lilin interrupted, bringing over the Blue Mountain coffee and fruit mousse cake.
Alexander thanked her, gently stirring the coffee with a small spoon as he gazed out at the darkening, rain-speckled street. He did not rush Yvette.
It took Yvette a long moment to realize what the Mercenary Guild really was. It was a supernatural organization! She put down her phone, unable to calm her racing thoughts. It felt like she had been drawn into a massive whirlpool.
A faint fear crept into Yvette's heart. The cute younger brother in front of her no longer seemed adorable. He was dangerous. So dangerous, in fact, that she... felt weak, a tingle spreading through her.
This was the feeling of being conquered, something Giovani could never give her.
In a soft voice, she asked, "Sir, are you the guild leader?"
She remembered Giovani had mentioned the term "guild leader."
Alexander pulled out a super fruit and said decisively, "Eat this, and you'll truly be one of us."
Yvette understood that the leaders of such extraordinary guilds were usually hidden among the masses. Only those they trusted would know their true identities.
Yvette obediently picked up the super fruit and took a small bite.
Alexander watched her with great interest. This woman was graceful, even when eating something so unpleasant.
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