Chapter 48

Chapter 48:

Cristian chose not to continue the conversation about Fernanda with Bobby. Instead, he turned to Leon and asked,

“Did you investigate the incident I told you about p>

Leon nodded.

“Yes. As you suspected, your older cousin was behind the attack. He knew you were headed to Zhota and planned the car crash to kill you. When you managed to escape, he sent people after you to finish the job, making sure it looked like you died in the accident p>

Bobby’s face twisted in anger as he slammed his hand on the table.

“That’s disgusting p>

He turned to Cristian.

“Cristian, we can’t just let him get away with this p>

Cristian remained calm, his eyes steely and unreadable.

“We don’t need to rush,” he said. “He will surely pay for his actions p>

“Since you’ve come back, your cousins have been nothing but trouble,” Bobby ranted, his frustration rising. “And now they’re brazen enough to attack you openly. Do they think we’ll just sit back and do nothing p>

He grabbed a glass and downed its contents in one swift motion.

Leon, understanding how complicated family power struggles could be, added,

“Mr. Reed, if there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask. We’ll be there to help, no questions asked p>

Cristian gave a faint smile.

“I know. If I need your help, I’ll reach out p>

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Changing the subject, he asked casually,

“I heard you’ve been busy searching for someone lately. Who is it p>

Leon chuckled.

“Just helping a friend out. Nothing too serious p>

“Oh, come on, Leon,” Bobby teased, a playful grin spreading across his face.

“I’ve never seen you go this far for anyone but us. Who’s the lucky one? Is there a special interest p>

Leon waved his hands in mock exasperation.

“No, no, Mr. Harper, you’re just messing with me. Let’s focus on the drinks p>

Seeing Leon dodge the question, Bobby dropped the subject with a laugh.

“Leon’s been guarding this bottle like it’s pure gold, never letting us get a taste. But today, he finally cracked it open. The person he met with must be someone special. What do you think, Cristian p>

Cristian simply smiled, offering no comment.

Leon raised his glass, trying to hide the blush creeping up his face, but his reddened ears betrayed him.

Bobby burst into laughter, unable to contain himself at the sight of Leon flustered.

Downstairs, on the first floor of Zero Degree, Fernanda found a quiet corner at the bar and sank into a sofa. The drinks she’d shared with Leon were beginning to catch up to her, a wave of dizziness washing over her.

Closing her eyes, she leaned back, letting the music and chatter around her fade into a distant hum.

Fernanda had a habit—when she drank too much, she’d take a quick nap to sober up faster.

And since Zero Degree belonged to Leon, she felt safe enough to stretch out and rest there without concern.

She didn’t know how long she’d been asleep when muffled laughter and the faint sensation of something brushing her face jolted her awake.

Realizing it wasn’t a dream, her instincts kicked in. Her eyes flew open, and she immediately grabbed the wrist of whoever had touched her.

A red-haired man, drink in hand, blinked at her in surprise, then chuckled.

“All by yourself, sweetheart? Feeling a little lonely? How about sharing a drink with me p>

Fernanda hated being disturbed while sleeping, and her irritation was instant.

She glared at the group surrounding her.

“Buzz off,” she snapped.

“Oh, look at that—feisty!” one of the men sneered.

“I love it. Feisty girls are the most fun p>

The redhead smirked.

“Come on, gorgeous. Join me. I’ll make sure you have a good time p>

His friends broke into drunken laughter behind him.

The redhead kept staring, clearly enchanted by Fernanda’s beauty now that he could see her clearly.

No wonder she’d been wearing a mask, he thought.

Fueled by alcohol and misplaced confidence, he dropped down beside her, slung an arm over her shoulders, and leaned in with puckered lips.

Fernanda had had enough.

Without a word, she grabbed the bottle from his hand and smashed it over his head.

The sharp crack of glass echoed through the bar as the bottle shattered, and the redhead howled in pain, clutching his bleeding scalp.

“You’re insane! How dare you hit me?” he roared, teeth bared in fury. “You’ve got some nerve p>

“You asked for it,” Fernanda shot back with a sneer. “If I hadn’t gone easy on you, do you really think you’d still be here running your mouth p>

The redhead froze, stunned. He had never met a woman this bold.

“No one talks to me like that in my territory!” he bellowed.

The blow had knocked some sobriety into his drunken arrogance. To him, this girl had been blatantly disrespectful, and he was determined to teach her a lesson she wouldn’t forget.

He jabbed a finger toward Fernanda and barked at his friends, “Grab her! We need to teach her a hard lesson p>

Fernanda flexed her fingers, cracking her knuckles, ready for a fight.

Just as the men began to move, a sharp voice cut through the tension.

“What’s all the noise here p>

The men immediately froze and dropped their fists. When they turned and saw who had spoken, nervous grins replaced their scowls.

“Oh hey, bro! Aren’t you with Mr. Scott? What brings you down here?” one of them asked.

Fernanda turned to look at the newcomer, arching a brow. Wasn’t he the same guy who had let her into Leon’s private room earlier?

Spotlight now on him, the man’s eyes widened in recognition. Even though she was no longer masked, her distinctive outfit and confident presence made her easy to identify.

A wide smile spread across his face as he pushed through the group and gave a slight bow. “Miss Morgan, I’ve been looking for you. Mr. Scott sent me to escort you upstairs p>

The redhead and his friends went stiff, utterly dumbfounded by the respectful tone and posture.

They exchanged stunned glances as the truth dawned on them.

The redhead had heard rumors that Leon was entertaining an important guest tonight—but he never imagined it could be the young woman he had just harassed.

His stomach dropped. What had he done?

Ignoring the blood dripping from his head, he scrambled forward, bowing awkwardly. “Miss, I didn’t realize you were Mr. Scott’s guest. Please, forgive my foolishness!” he stammered, panic seeping into his voice.

The abrupt shift in his tone—from cocky to groveling—was almost comical. Fernanda remained silent, her calm expression only heightening the redhead’s anxiety. In a desperate show of remorse, he slapped himself across the face several times.

“Miss, I deserve this. Please, don’t hold it against me. I swear it won’t happen again p>

The slaps were loud, leaving his cheeks swollen and red.

Knowing this was Leon’s territory, Fernanda decided not to escalate the situation. Her voice was firm but composed.

“Just make sure you show respect to women from now on p>

The redhead nodded so vigorously it looked like his head might fall off. “Yes, of course. I swear I’ll never make the same mistake again p>

He had learned his lesson—painfully, but effectively.

Fernanda stood, and the redhead along with his group quickly stepped aside, their earlier arrogance now replaced by meek obedience.

As she walked alongside Leon’s man, she asked casually, “Have Leon’s guests already left p>

“They left not long ago,” he replied with a respectful nod. “Mr. Scott sent me to bring you upstairs to interrogate the man we captured p>