Chapter 11

A deathly silence immediately took over. Everyone's eyes widened in shock. They could hardly believe what they had just seen. None of them expected Kevin to actually hit Franklin!

"You asked for it!" Sean roared as he flew into a rage.

He couldn't afford to mess with Damian, but that didn't mean he couldn't mess with this bespectacled bastard!

Just as Sean was about to charge forward, Franklin reached out and stopped him.

Franklin narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing within them as he lightly touched his face. Scoffing in anger, he remarked with a slow nod, "Very good. I see how it is. Looks like I've been keeping too low a profile all these years. As a result, some people no longer know how to show respect. If I don't—"

He wasn't done talking when Kevin raised his hand and slapped him again.

"You talk too much."

"Why, you!"

Franklin's veins popped. He was truly infuriated now.

"Cripple him!" Franklin roared, and at once, the four burly men behind him charged forward.

Out of nowhere, an icy voice rang out from the doorway, "Let's see who dares to do that!"

Everyone turned around and saw an elegant woman in a dress entering the room with a frosty expression.

Franklin tensed up, his expression hardening. "Ms. Jones?"

The woman who just showed up was Wren Jones, the manager of Luxora Hotel. Had she been an ordinary manager, Franklin certainly wouldn't fear her. However, her boss was Fergus, the kingpin of Cloudcove's criminal underworld, who owned Luxora Hotel.

Therefore, he wouldn't dare cause a scene in front of her.

"You came just in time, Ms. Jones. This man here started a fight for no reason, and he even hit me! You have to do something about this on my behalf," Franklin quickly said after getting his men to stand down.

Since Wren was here, it was no longer his place to do anything. Kevin was certainly doomed for causing a scene at Luxora Hotel!

However, as soon as Franklin finished speaking, Kevin smacked him across the face once more.

"So what if I hit you? You got a problem with that?" Kevin taunted.

"Why, you!"

Franklin trembled with rage. Even his eyes turned red. When had he ever been humiliated like this? If he didn't make Kevin pay, he could forget about maintaining his standing in society.

"You saw that, Ms. Jones! I hope you'll give me an acceptable explanation for this!"

"What kind of explanation do you want?" Wren looked at him coldly, her voice full of disdain. "It's an honor for you that the son of the Youngs of Sengrove hit you."

The Young family?

Franklin's mind went blank. He felt like he'd been hit in the chest. Immediately, he broke out in a cold sweat as he stared at Kevin in terror.

Was the bespectacled man from the Young family in Sengrove?

Franklin wobbled on his feet and nearly lost his balance. Fear washed over him. The Youngs of Sengrove were like giants in his eyes. It was rumored that they even had ties to the most powerful families in Jasphia. There was no knowing just how influential the Youngs were.

So what if he owned Franklin Group? Even Fergus would have to show the Youngs some respect.

Franklin didn't expect that his attempt to curry favor with Damian would make him go up against someone he couldn't afford to offend.

He was done for.

"Do you have a problem with me hitting you?" Kevin asked arrogantly as he slapped Franklin hard once more.

Franklin lowered his head, his face bright red. He dared not look Kevin in the eyes. His fists were balled, and he couldn't stop himself from shaking. Despite feeling outraged and humiliated, he dared not say a single harsh word.

"I-I have no problem with that," he said with much difficulty, feeling as though all of his strength had been sapped out of him.

Smirking, Kevin glanced at his hand before saying with a snort, "You don't have a problem with that, but I do. Your face hurt my hand just now. Don't you think you should be kneeling in apology to me?"

Startled, Franklin looked up at Kevin in shock. He clenched his fists even more tightly. He couldn't believe what he just heard.

He was the one who got slapped, but he was now being commanded to kneel and apologize to Kevin, the man who slapped him! Why should he have to do that?

But soon, he unfurled his fists and let out a dour chuckle as his heart filled with bitterness.

Franklin couldn't afford to offend the Youngs of Sengrove. One word from them, and they could destroy Franklin Group, the result of his decades of hard work and sacrifices. Since he had crossed Kevin, what else could he do except get on his knees and apologize?

He was filled with rage, humiliation, despair, and indignation, but all those emotions swiftly turned into a profound sense of helplessness. If anything was to blame, it was his own powerlessness.

Franklin's eyes dimmed. With a bitter expression, he closed his eyes and slowly bent his legs…

Just then, a voice rang out from the corner of the room, "Hey, you in the glasses. What you said kind of makes sense."

Everyone whipped their heads around in search of the voice, only to see a shabbily dressed man—Damian—walking over.

Christine's expression stiffened at once.

"Damian! Have you lost your mind?" she snapped under her breath, turning pale.

She didn't expect Damian to have the guts to run his mouth at a time like this. Couldn't he see that this was no place for him to talk? Did he have a death wish?

Alas, what happened next was something even more unthinkable to her.

Damian suddenly raised his hand and slapped Kevin across the face so hard that his glasses flew off.

Everyone froze in shock, looking like statues. Their jaws dropped. They couldn't believe their eyes. Even Kevin stood dumbfounded. Cupping his burning cheek, he stared at Damian in disbelief. It took him a while to react.

"Did you just hit me? You actually hit me?"

Damian looked down at his palm and muttered to himself, "Hmm. That did hurt a bit."

Then, he looked up and said with a straight face, "Why are you just standing here? Your face hurt my hand. Don't you think you should be kneeling in apology to me?"

Christine gaped in horror. All the color drained out of her face. Did that idiot Damian know what he was doing? Did he think he was being funny?

Kevin could say those words and act all domineering because he had the Young family behind him. Who did Damian think he was for repeating those words back at Kevin? People would only assume he was a fool.

Meanwhile, Kevin was livid. His hand shook as he wagged his finger at Damian.

"I see how it is, you punk. No one can save you now! Get in here, men!"

Following his shout, over a dozen men in black stormed into the room. They exuded such a commanding presence that they made everyone quake with fear by just standing there.

"Are you alright, sir?"

These men were Kevin's bodyguards. They'd been standing outside earlier as he hadn't summoned them, but none of them expected him to get slapped. They'd be doomed if they were held accountable for this. Therefore, the men were all filled with resentment toward Damian.

"Chop off his hand!" Kevin roared, his gaze murderous.

Two of the bodyguards immediately stepped forward.

Christine's knees went weak. She nearly collapsed onto the floor. They were screwed! She cursed Damian. He brought it upon himself by acting up! What were they supposed to do now?

Just as the two bodyguards were about to attack Damian, another voice suddenly rang out from the doorway, "Hold it right there!"