Chapter 564
“Time to pay up.” Leander’s blunt remark cut Ophelia off mid-sentence, the rest of her words dying in her throat.
She had been planning to introduce him properly. Everyone present was someone of status in Bladewick. Even Evren, just a bodyguard by title, was widely known there and carried real influence.
Leander had saved her. She intended to put in a good word for him, give him connections, and make things easier for him if he ever went to Bladewick. She never expected him to shut her down so coldly, killing the conversation with a single line.
Irritation surged in Ophelia’s chest. Around them, expressions shifted one by one, expressions darkening. That one sentence had offended far too many people.
Cedric, most of all. His gaze turned heavy, edged with chill.
As the first heir of the Montgomerys from Bladewick, he was a genuine public figure. Paparazzi tracked his every move. Every gesture, every word, was fodder for newspapers and magazines.
From where I stand, Ophelia introducing me is already doing him a huge favor. And he turns around and says he has no interest in knowing who we are? That kind of arrogance is rare in Bladewick. Very few people dare speak to me in that manner.
Cedric looked straight at Leander and stepped forward, deliberately placing himself in front of Ophelia. “I do not care who you are. You saved Ophelia. Name your price, and I will pay it. Leave your car here. Once this is over, I will double the amount and add another half a million p>
There was no attempt at courtesy in his voice. To him, Leander was nothing more than hired help, a driver for hire. In Cedric’s opinion, money solved everything, and people like Leander were no exception.
“The deal was with her. As long as she pays what she owes, that’s enough. Whatever you’re offering, I’m not interested,” Leander said.
Cedric had been confident Leander would jump at the offer. He never expected that cold, detached stare. Leander did not even bother to look at him. The proposed deal was dismissed with complete indifference.
“What did you just say?” Cedric’s eyes narrowed as anger flared instantly.
As the heir of the Montgomery Family from Bladewick, he had come all the way to this desolate wasteland for a reason. He wanted Ophelia to see his sincerity. More than that, he was paving the way to marry her one day and secure the Snowbrooks’ hundreds of billions in assets.
After arriving, he had assumed everything would go smoothly with more than twenty people at his command. Instead, the scorching desert heat came first, followed by the sudden sand cyclone. Only then did he truly understand the brutality of nature.
Cedric had already been holding back a mountain of frustration. Leander’s detached attitude finally pushed him over the edge. “What did you say?” He stepped forward, glaring straight at Leander.
“Do you even know who I am? How much do you know about the Montgomery Family from Bladewick? And you think you can talk to me like this? Let me be clear. I came to you because I chose to. That was me giving you a reputation. And here you are, acting all high and mighty. Who do you think you are? Do you really think saving Ophelia once gives you the right to push your luck with me? Believe it or not, all it takes is one word from me. You will not drive that car anywhere, and you will not get a single cent p>
Cedric’s tone had turned openly hostile. His eyes narrowed further, sharp with unmistakable danger.
Even though Leander had brought Ophelia with him, nearly everyone here was on Cedric’s payroll. A few men had been lost in the sandstorm earlier but Cedric still had more than a dozen people under his command.
Que word from him wow command
be
enough to have Leander and the off-roader surrounded and restrained.
Cedric had always thrown his weight around in Bladewick, bullying whoever he pleased. Out here in the wild desert, he no longer bothered pretending to be decent. Any sense of shame or restraint had been stripped away entirely.
“Oh? Is that so?” Leander stayed where he was. He lifted his gaze and gave Cedric a brief once-over, a faint, knowing smile tugging at his lips.
“You really want to push your luck?” Cedric’s mouth curved into a cruel grin. He had a special fondness for people who didn’t know when to back down. In a Sandsong Oasis like this, he had been bored out of his mind anyway. Teaching Leander a lesson sounded like excellent entertainment.
“Cedric, what are you doing?” Sensing the tension, Ophelia hurried forward and stepped between them. “Leander saved me. He was the one who brought me here. What is this attitude of yours p>
Cedric did not bother restraining himself. He let out a cold laugh. “My attitude? Ophelia, if he hadn’t saved you, I would have dealt with him already. Who does he think he is, acting all high and mighty in front of me p>
He clearly did not take Leander seriously at all, his arrogance written all over his expression.
Ophelia knew Cedric’s temperament all too well. She turned to Leander at once, her voice apologetic. “Leander, I’m really sorry. He’s always been like this in Bladewick. Please don’t take it to heart p>
“Don’t take it to heart?” Leander’s eyes curved with a smile that never reached them. “So I’m supposed to swallow this and let him keep running his mouth in front of me p>
He lifted a finger and gave a slight shake, his lips set in a calm, indifferent expression. “I said before that taking you to Sandsong Oasis was part of our deal. That was then.
Now I’ve changed my mind. Dean guarantee one thing. You can search
this place all you want, but you won’t
find anything you came here for.
That includes the spring of life you need to save your grandpa p>
Leander’s gaze was flat as he pointed straight at Cedric. “Ophelia, I’ve made myself
clear. If you want the spring of life, then make him disappear from my sight right
now. If you can’t do that, then I’m sorry. Your little treasure hunt ends here p>
Most of the time, Leander did not bother with people beneath his notice. Even a god, however, could feel anger. That did not mean
Saving Ophelia earlier had been
anyone was free to bark at het
nothing more than a sense of duty toward a fellow Astrian. Escorting her to Sandsong Oasis had been a matter of convenience. But the But the moment Cedric showed up, barking orders and issuing threats, even talking about seizing the off-roader by force, Leander had no intention of being polite anymore.
If even gods could lose their temper, how much more so someone like Leander, the Iron Sovereign. Usually, he ignored insignificant people simply because they were not worth a second glance. This time, he felt like stepping down hard, and there was nothing they could do to stop him.
“What? Did I hear that right?” Cedric’s eyes flickered as he sneered. “You want me gone, and you want Ophelia to cut ties with me? Who do you think you are?” Leander did not spare him a look. His attention stayed on Ophelia. “I’ll count to three. Tell me your decision. And don’t make the mistake of thinking I’m joking. If I say you won’t get what you want, then you won’t get it p>
“Haha!” Cedric burst out laughing, as if Leander were nothing but a joke. “What, you think you’re some big shot in Astria? Or the president of Agylae? You think whatever you say just goes p>
Leander gave a faint, contemptuous smile. There was not the slightest ripple in his expression. “I’m not a big shot in Astria, and I’m not the president of Agylae. But here, my word is the rule p>