Only then did the man sigh, as if mildly inconvenienced.
"Alright, if you insist," he said half-heartedly. "But you've dirtied my study with your tears and saliva. What should we do about that?"
"I-I'll clean it!" the hoodie man cried immediately. He began wiping the floor frantically with his sleeves, his shirt, his bare hands, his desperation only deepening the man's disgust.
With a single glance, the two men understood.
They dragged him away once more.
Moments later, dull thuds echoed outside, followed by muffled screams of pain.
The door closed.
The man leaned back in his chair, cigarette after cigarette burning down between his fingers.
Smoke filled the study as he muttered to himself, voice low and edged with disdain. "Does it matter if it's dirty? Right, it's that bastard who hates filth, as if he's never had a single speck of dust on him. Why should I care?"
His phone rang, and he answered without even glancing at the screen.
A woman's soft, flirtatious voice echoed through the quiet room. "Darling, the new edition of the L bag just arrived. Buy it for me, okay?"
He chuckled lightly. "Of course. Anything my fiancée wants."
She laughed, clearly pleased, then added casually, "By the way, my dad's condition is improving day by day. He was hoping you could visit this weekend?"
"Alright," he replied simply.
"Thank you. You're so good to me." Her tone softened further. "How's business? Don't push yourself too hard, rest if you need to."
"Hm."
Then, as if recalling something insignificant, he asked, "Calin, do you know what the relationship is between Yeri Zhi and Lianna Neri?"
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line.
When she spoke again, irritation was unmistakable. "What else could it be? Didn't I already give you every investigation report I have on Yeri Zhi? As for that Lianna woman, she's just an abandoned wife. She probably wants to cling to that vixen now that she's associated with Shin Keir."
He suppressed the flicker of annoyance rising in his chest.
"I see," he said calmly. "If there's nothing else, I still have matters to attend to."
Calin hesitated, then spoke reluctantly. "Alright. But why are you so fixated on that vixen? You don't have feelings for her… do you?"
He laughed softly. "Isn't all of this for your sake?" Then his tone sharpened slightly. "If anything, I should be asking, why do you dislike Yeri Zhi so much? Don't tell me you're still hung up on Shin Keir."
Her response came fast, sharp, almost defensive. "What are you talking about? I told you everything that jerk did to me. How could I possibly still like him?"
His grin widened, though his voice remained smooth. "Alright. Don't get upset. I believe you."
The call ended.
Moments later, a man in a black suit entered the study, bowing politely before placing a thick file onto the desk.
"How's the matter I asked you to handle?" the man asked, eyes still fixed on the smoke curling upward.
"The Song family agreed to meet," the assistant replied promptly. "However, they're cautious. They prefer the meeting to take place outside Sin City."
The man nodded, unbothered. "Wary of being dragged into the fire burning within the Nafplion family?"
The assistant frowned slightly before voicing his thoughts. "There's a high chance the eldest son couldn't wait any longer and eliminated his own father. That said, it doesn't change the fact that he's merely another puppet just replacing the previous one."
The man said nothing, but his expression revealed agreement.
"Sir," the assistant continued carefully, "I may be overstepping, but the Ricci family is a bottomless pit. Wouldn't it be wiser to focus solely on forming an alliance with the Songs?"
The man exhaled slowly, cigarette smoke drifting between them. He lifted his gaze to the assistant.
"You're a foreigner," he said calmly, "so I understand why you wouldn't know this. The Song family has no real authority in this city. Of the four noble families, only the Songs stand firmly with the governing law. The other three operate by mafia code."
His lips curved faintly.
"And this city is mainly dominated by the mafia. If I want to remain here without incident, I need a reason. The Riccis are desperate, and desperate people don't refuse an extended hand."
The assistant nodded, yet unease lingered.
From everything he had uncovered, Calin Ricci was far from trustworthy, and far too obsessed with Shin Keir for comfort.
---
In the blink of an eye, only two weeks remained until her engagement banquet.
With fewer exams remaining, most days were now devoted to self-study, leaving students with slightly more flexibility in their schedules, yet instead of relief, Yeri felt an even heavier weight settle on her shoulders.
Over the past few weeks, she barely had time to breathe.
The engagement planner seemed to materialize at the penthouse the moment she arrived each day, dragging her from one appointment to another, inspecting venues, confirming menus, finalizing décor, and revisiting details that had already been discussed at least twice.
Shin accompanied them occasionally, which only added to her irritation. He looked perfectly composed every single time, no dark circles, no hint of fatigue, as if exhaustion simply did not apply to him.
Is he even human? she wondered more than once.
Madam Zhi was no less busy, personally overseeing the décor, theme coordination, and the selection of gifts. Everything had to be flawless. Anything less would be unacceptable.
That afternoon, Yeri visited a luxurious boutique with Nina for the final fitting of their dresses.
Originally, she had insisted on something simple. After all, it was only an engagement banquet. There was no need to make it overly extravagant.
But the designer had nearly been offended.
"That won't do at all," the designer declared firmly. "The man you're marrying isn't just anyone. If you appear too plain, people will start talking. They'll say the Keir family is dissatisfied with the engagement or worse, that Young Master Keir doesn't treat his fiancée well."
Left with little room for argument, Yeri had reluctantly given in.
Now, as Nina practically bounced beside her, the designer unveiled the gown.
"Oh my gosh, this is so gorgeous!" Nina exclaimed, eyes sparkling. "Hurry up and try it on!"
When Yeri stepped out for the final fitting, the designer gasped softly, hands flying to their chest. "Miss Zhi… you look absolutely stunning."
Yeri turned toward the floor-to-ceiling mirror.
The embroidered corset hugged her perfectly, flowing into a rose-gold gown that radiated pure extravagance and luxury.
The craftsmanship was impeccable, every stitch deliberate, every detail refined.
She had to admit, it wasn't because she wore the dress. The gown itself was breathtaking.
For once, she was glad she had listened to professional advice.
Nina's dress was also tailored at the boutique.
Although it wasn't the wedding yet and she would only be attending as a guest, she certainly wasn't going to waste the opportunity. Having a dress made by the most sought-after designer was a privilege even wealthy socialites struggled to obtain.
If not for Shin Keir, this would have been nearly impossible.
"Would you like any changes to the design?" the designer asked attentively. "The fit, does it feel comfortable?"
Yeri examined her reflection once more, then nodded. "It's perfect."
Meanwhile, Nina was already snapping photos of herself from every angle. After a moment's deliberation, she selected one and posted a selfie with the famous designer on her social media, unable to resist sharing her small victory with the world.
It wasn't long before Nina's post began flooding with likes and comments.
Even her grandfather, currently serving as the Minister of Finance, left a comment, proudly calling her his 'beautiful little ancestor.'
Nina laughed triumphantly.
Just the week before, she had stunned her entire household by bringing home the engagement invitation Yeri had given her.
Shin Keir's engagement had been the talk of every social circle, and for Nina to be invited to the most anticipated banquet of the year had come as a complete shock to her family.
It was only then that they realized the mysterious fiancée was none other than Nina's best friend, Yeri.
Her father, who usually scolded her for being a troublemaker and constantly picking fights with male classmates, had poured himself a celebratory glass of wine that night.
It went without saying that engagement invitations had recently become the most sought-after items among upper-class families. If sold, one could easily fetch an astonishing price.
While Nina was still busy reading and replying to comments, a private message popped up on her screen.
The moment she opened it, her eyes rolled so hard she nearly saw her own brain.
"Damn it. What a way to ruin the mood," she muttered.
"Who ruined the mood?" Yeri asked, walking over after changing back into her casual clothes.
"Oh, you're done?" Nina grabbed her wrist and pulled her down beside her. "Look at this. She actually dared to send me an invitation. Sometimes I really wonder how someone can cultivate shamelessness to a level I probably couldn't reach even in ten lifetimes."
Yeri glanced at the screen. "A wedding invitation?"
Nina rolled her eyes again. "Who would want to attend her wedding? Did she forget she was expelled? The nerve when her bullying case is still ongoing."
Yeri took out her phone as well, intending to check something else. Unexpectedly, she found an email from Tiffany too, a wedding invitation dated for next week.
She remembered casually telling Shin Keir that she wanted Marco and Tiffany to get married. And now, it was actually happening.
"Do you know any updates on Tiffany's case?" Yeri asked.
Nina thought for a moment. "I don't know the exact details, but it seems some victims agreed to settle privately. The ones who were severely bullied, though they're still fighting her in court. And yet here she is, holding a wedding. Isn't she afraid of provoking them?"
Yeri sighed softly and said, "Honestly, for someone like Tiffany, so blinded by love, this marriage might be the most fitting prison of all."
After all, Marco Fabian was hardly the kind of man any normal woman would willingly choose.