Chapter 538
The girl’s face went pale instantly. “Please, don’t call the police. If the police get involved, my family will be furious…” She glanced at both Ralphy and Dylan. “Thank you for helping me, I really have to go now.”
With that, she got to her feet and hurried away, clearly desperate not to stick around any longer.
Ralphy smirked and called out, “Wait! I’m about to call the police for you!” The girl only moved faster, vanishing down the street.
Turning back, Ralphy gazed at Dylan’s arm. “How are you holding up? You’ve bled quite a bit…”
Dylan was about to brush it off but then remembered Ralphy’s earlier advice about playing up injuries for sympathy. “I feel a little lightheaded,” he said, deliberately wavering before making a bit of a collapse in Christina’s direction.
“Dylan!” Christina cried out, quickly steadying him.
“Let’s get him to the hospital!” Ralphy said urgently, hurrying over to help.
Once they arrived at the hospital, Ralphy asked, “What did the doctor say?”
Christina frowned. “Nothing too serious. The doctor said it was probably an old injury that didn’t heal properly, and now with new cuts, some blood loss, and being tired with alcohol in his system, it caused him to pass out.”
Ralphy let out a relieved sigh. “Thank goodness he’s alright. If something had happened to him while he was saving me, I’d never forgive myself.”
“Did you ask Dylan out for drinks?” Christina frowned, giving Ralphy a disapproving look.
Raising both hands in protest, Ralphy shook his head. “No, it was the other way around. He dragged me along.”
“Dylan shouldn’t be drinking at all with his injuries,” Christina said. “Why did he suddenly want to go out for drinks? Did he mention any troubles?”
For a moment, Ralphy was at a loss for words. He couldn’t reveal the real reason that Dylan was troubled by love since they’d surely ask whom Dylan had a crush on.
Risking exposing Dylan’s budding feelings toward Christina was dangerous. If Dylan woke up and found out, it would be disastrous.
gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s․com is where imagination thrives
“What’s wrong? Is Dylan’s company facing difficulties?” Christina asked, her suspicion growing.
Ralphy sighed heavily and reluctantly revealed the challenges Dylan had faced when expanding his business overseas, a plausible explanation he had pieced together in those few seconds. “He wants to open operations in Violetford, but the local power dynamics are deeply entrenched, with rampant organized crime syndicates. Breaking into Violetford is especially hard. The real issue is that Violetford is carved up by rival gangs who never see eye to eye. If any faction decides to interfere, there’s no chance of making a mark there.”
“The criminal networks operating in Violetford? Wait a second. Isn’t that…” Davina almost let something slip but caught herself.
“What is it?” Ralphy asked, curious.
Davina quickly covered. “That kind of environment makes it hard to run an honest business, doesn’t it?”
“Exactly. But there’s one group called the Phantom Guild,” Ralphy replied. “It’s a faction that emerged seven years ago—a rare clean slate among the syndicates. They absolutely refuse to engage in illicit or morally questionable activities. It took only three years for the Phantom Guild to carve out a solid presence in one of the most dangerous corners of the country, rising with impressive speed. In seven years, they’ve stood on par with century-old organized crime forces. That alone says a lot about the strength of their leader. What’s even more surprising is that, despite being a criminal organization, they’ve steered clear of shady dealings or unethical practices.”