Chapter 7

Everyone at the party finally believed Miles really had gotten better. He had quite the sharp tongue, too!

Condor was overjoyed. He grabbed Miles's hand tightly and couldn't let go.

Helen's face lit up for a moment, but she quickly lost interest. So what if Miles got better? He still could not compare to Tiger!

Meanwhile, Miles could tell his father-in-law's kindness toward him was genuine.

Tiger's expression darkened.

Farah quickly shot back, her voice laced with sarcasm, "What are you talking about? Tiger's car alone cost over eighty thousand! How much do you think you're worth?"

Miles shrugged. "I think I'm pretty valuable. Two kidneys and a heart…should be worth a million or two. Who knows if Tiger can resist a pile of cash in front of him?"

"Tiger makes hundreds of thousands from just one project!"

"Mom, why are you even taking a nutjob so seriously?"

"Now that's crossing a line, Miles."

"Who else but family would offer you such a good opportunity?"

"You just don't want to work, and you're a coward! Even if you're better, you still won't amount to much!"

The relatives all started talking over one another.

Rena's face was ice-cold. Every word felt like a blow to her pride. As it was her uncle's birthday, she was doing her best to keep her anger in check out of respect for him.

Even Helen was furious. If not for Condor holding her back, she would've started a yelling match already.

Condor's eyes flashed with patient fury, but he kept his voice calm. "My family can afford to support one more person. We don't need your help."

Tiger laughed. "Fine, fine, consider me overstepping my boundary. But you really should apologize for that comment, Miles. I was trying to help you and you refused out of your own cowardice, after all."

Miles was losing his patience. He was willing to ignore a lot for his in-laws' sake, but Tiger was pushing too far.

Suddenly, the private room door was kicked open, and eight thugs burst in.

Tiger immediately jumped to his feet, furious. "Who the he…"

He didn't even get to finish before someone slapped him across the face.

"If you have all that money, why aren't you paying your debt?"

When Tiger saw who it was, his legs buckled. "Les…Leslie…"

A burly man with a braided ponytail and a scarred face walked forward, giving Tiger another slap. "No one in Surfington owes me money and gets away without paying me back!"

Farah was terrified, but she still pumped herself up and yelled, "Watch what you're doing! Tiger isn't all talk, so don't mess with him!"

Leslie walked over to her, picked up a chunk of meat from the table, took two bites, and threw it back on the table. The utensils clanked on the table as the meat splattered. Then, he spat the fatty meat right onto her face.

"Ugh, what is this even…?" he said with a sneer. "My boss lent him three hundred thousand with interest out of kindness, but he refused to pay. Instead of making him pay up, you say he's not someone that I can mess with? Are you kidding me?"

Leslie's expression turned brutal. He immediately slapped Farah twice.

"Can't mess with him, eh? I'll hit you along with him! Why don't you ask Tiger if he dares to make a sound after this?!"

Tiger was so terrified he couldn't say a word. Meanwhile, Farah burst into tears.

The entire room froze, and nobody dared move. They were just a bunch of ordinary folks, and never in their life had they seen something like this.

Miles wasn't going to say a word. If you borrowed money legally and refused to pay, you deserved whatever was coming for you!

Helen's face had gone white with fear, but Condor simply frowned and finally spoke.

"If you're here to collect a debt, fine. No need to get violent!"

Leslie grabbed a bottle of wine and threw it at Condor. "Got something to say, old man?"

The bottle flew through the air, and everyone went pale with fear. Rena's face even went white, her eyes wide.

But just before the bottle hit, a hand snatched it out of midair.

Miles had caught the bottle with cold eyes. He didn't care if they were targeting others, but nobody was going to lay a finger on Condor.

"Smash this bottle on your own head, then get out. Do that and I'll let it go," Miles said calmly, placing the bottle in front of Leslie.

Everyone was stunned. Was he simply clueless because he lived too much of a sheltered life? Or was he actually crazy for saying something like that now?

Oh, right. He was a certified crazy!

Leslie let out a furious laugh. "Do you even know who I am? You got the nerve to talk to me like that?"

"No idea, actually," Miles replied, shaking his head.

"I work for Mr. Howard!" Leslie said, his voice full of menace and pride. It was as if he had just mentioned a name that should send everyone trembling.

"Mr. Who?" Miles really didn't know that was.

Leslie laughed again. If this guy really didn't know Mr. Howard's name, then he must really be a nobody.

Meanwhile, Tiger was already shaking. "Miles, don't mess around! Almost all the earthwork trade in Surfington belongs to Mr. Howard!"

Even those who weren't in the know instantly understood which Mr. Howard they were talking about. If you controlled the earthwork trade, you were both a criminal boss and a major business player; it was well known how lucrative and competitive the earthwork business was.

Condor shook his head at Miles, signaling him not to get involved.

Seeing the fear on everyone's faces, Leslie grinned. He pointed at Condor, then at Rena.

"You're scared now? Good. Get down on your knees, or I'll cripple this old man and play with your pretty wife… And there's nothing you can do about it!"

A dangerous anger sparked in Miles's eyes. He thought of his parents' tragic deaths and how helpless he had felt.

Their son. Still a student. Still so far away.

Unable to do anything but grieve.

He had trained for three bitter years. And now, he vowed to protect the people he cared about and live in total freedom. It didn't matter if it was Mr. Howard or the Grim Reaper himself; no one was going to make him back down.

Without another word, Miles stood up, grabbed the wine bottle, and charged. Before anyone realized what was happening, the bottle had already smashed over Leslie's head.

Blood streamed down Leslie's scarred face.

Miles didn't pause. He gripped the broken bottle tight and spun it around, driving straight for Leslie's chest.

The ferocity of Miles's attack made Leslie stumble back in a panic.

The brutal feared the reckless, and he had never seen someone as reckless as Miles!

His thugs jumped in, but Miles was stabbing left and right with the jagged glass as if he had gone mad. In seconds, seven thugs were sprawled on the floor, each with a bloody gash on their bodies.

Everyone in the room gasped in terror.

Miles didn't hesitate. He darted forward, seized Leslie by the collar, and pressed the bloody bottle right against his face. "Come on. I dare you to repeat yourself!"

Leslie looked into Miles's fierce eyes and panicked. He could tell that the lunatic might really just kill him.

"Mr. Howard…" Leslie tried to threaten him, but Miles pressed the glass harder, cutting into his skin. Leslie could feel the burning sensation on his skin.

"I'm sure Mr. Howard is some big shot. So what? Even if he were standing here, he'd have to apologize to my father-in-law and my wife. And you? You're nothing but just his lackey!" Miles growled, murderous intention apparent.

Leslie suddenly remembered the kind of people whom he knew had killed others and how brutal they could be.

He was legitimately scared now!

"Alright, alright, I'll apologize! Sir, I'm sorry! Please, show mercy! I was just mouthing off!"

Condor and Helen exchanged shocked glances. They had never imagined that after getting better, Miles would be so fearless. To see him stand up and protect them like this… How could they not be moved?

Just moments ago, Farah's own son-in-law didn't dare to make a sound when Farah was getting slapped.

Condor hurried to pull Miles back. "That's enough, Miles. Don't stoop to their level."

Miles let Leslie go, and Leslie immediately scrambled up and ran to the door.

"Take your dogs with you!" Miles shouted.

The thugs helped each other up and scrambled after Leslie.

Suddenly, only the family's relatives were left in the private room. For a long time, everyone stared at Miles in stunned silence.