Chapter 89: A Bad Mood
Listening intently to the phone, Aron nodded along, absorbing every word Max said. His facial expressions shifted second by second, eyebrows raising, jaw tightening, until Max finally finished explaining what had happened.
Aron let out a long breath through his nose, forcing himself to stay calm.
"I see... It’s a good thing you’re okay now," Aron said. "So you just left the shop and decided to get your suit?"
Max didn’t answer right away, but Aron continued anyway.
"I can understand your situation. There’s just... a slight issue," he added. "You see, the shopping mall? It’s actually owned by one of your family members. One of the Sterns."
There was a pause on the other end of the line. Silence that told Aron Max had stopped in his tracks.
Then came the question he’d been expecting, the one Max was probably dreading.
"Which one?" Max asked.
"It’s Karen Stern," Aron replied.
Of all people, for this mess to unfold in her property? Chad’s mother? Max couldn’t help but think how typical it was. Of course, a place that hired rent-a-guards with attitude problems would belong to someone like her.
"It won’t be a problem," Aron added calmly. "I can sweep this under the rug easily. I just wanted to inform you so you’d be more careful. I doubt anyone here in the mall knows who you really are, but don’t worry. By the time you get back, everything will be handled."
With that, Aron ended the call and immediately began dialing a few numbers. This time, it wouldn’t cost Max a cent. As the head of one of the Heirs’ security divisions, there were still things Aron could handle using his name alone, this was definitely one of them.
While Aron waited in the car park, two female attendants came strolling in, scanning for their vehicle. It was their lunch break, and they were heading out to a nearby restaurant, already tired of the same mall food they had every day.
The two walked side by side, arms linked casually, chatting between themselves, until something caught their eye.
"Look over there," Louise said, tugging Claire’s arm.
Claire turned and spotted it too, the flashy red car. But it wasn’t just the car that drew their attention. It was the man standing next to it.
"Wow... A handsome man and a killer car," Claire replied, her eyes glinting. "If someone like him walked into the shop, I bet he’d have zero problem buying his girl a whole basket of gifts." She smirked.
"You’re right about that," Louise agreed, eyes locked on Aron. "I think... I’m gonna go talk to him."
"What? Don’t you already have Tom?" Claire asked, blinking in surprise.
"And do you really think Tom will ever drive a car like that? " Louise shot back. "Someone like me deserves a ten out of ten, and an upgrade."
Claire couldn’t get a word in before Louise slipped away, making a beeline straight for the car and the man beside it.
"Hi there," Louise said sweetly, brushing her hair back as she stepped up to him. She fluttered her lashes. "I noticed you were just standing around... do you need any help? I actually work inside the mall and, well, I’ve got a little free time. I’d be more than happy to show you around... if you’d like."
"Sorry, madam, but I don’t have time," Aron replied politely, his tone cool and composed. "I’m waiting for someone."
"Oh, you are? Is it your... partner, perhaps?" Louise asked, forcing a playful tone, hoping for a ’no.’
"Not my partner. I’m waiting for my boss," Aron answered simply.
"Boss?" Louise looked him over again. Yes, he was handsome, but now, she noticed something else. The way he stood perfectly straight beside the car... it almost looked like he was a driver or something.
"So this car... it doesn’t belong to you?" she asked, voice faltering just a bit.
"It does not," Aron answered without hesitation, his eyes scanning the area just beyond her shoulder.
"And, uh... this boss of yours, where exactly is he right now?"
Aron’s eyes suddenly lit up with recognition. He gave a small nod as he spotted the person in question.
Louise and Claire turned to look, and froze.
It was him .
The same student who had been in the shop just moments ago. The same one they’d accused and embarrassed. And now, he was walking straight toward them, his expression like thunder, his hands cut and bruised, his knuckles bloodied.
A rush of thoughts flooded Louise’s head.
Did he follow me? What happened? How did he get out of the shop? Is he here to attack me?!
Panicked, she did the only thing she could think of, she ducked behind Aron, clutching his arm like a shield.
"Please," she said, voice trembling. "Help me. I think that man is chasing me... and he’s going to hurt me."
"That man?" Aron repeated, raising an eyebrow. "He won’t harm you. I know that for sure. That man... is my boss. "
Louise blinked. She wasn’t sure if she’d heard him properly. Boss? That high school student , dressed in worn joggers and a hoodie, was his boss ? And he owned that car? That had to be impossible.
"What are you doing?" Max asked, voice sharp as he approached.
"What do you mean, sir? This woman just approached me while I was waiting here for you the entire time," Aron replied casually.
"That woman, she’s the one who framed me and started this whole mess!" Max snapped, pointing at Louise. "She’s the one I was just telling you about."
Aron’s head slowly tilted down. His expression darkened. When Louise looked up and locked eyes with him, a chill ran down her spine. His stare was even more intense than Max’s, veins visibly bulging near his temples, rage simmering just beneath the surface.
"Get off me, you filthy animal! " Aron growled.
Stunned, Louise immediately let go of his sleeve and stumbled backward, landing hard on the concrete floor.
Max stood there, staring at her. There was anger in his eyes, a lot of it, but deep down, he knew nothing good would come from making things worse.
"Let’s just go before something happens," Max muttered, climbing into the passenger seat.
Still biting his bottom lip, Aron slid into the driver’s side, his stare lingering on Louise. He didn’t break eye contact, not once.
As the engine roared to life and they began to pull away, Max rolled down the window, lifting his middle finger toward the woman without a word as they exited the parking garage and disappeared into the distance.
Wait... it’s true? That kid... the two of them were really together? What just happened? Louise thought, her hand trembling slightly as Claire rushed over to her side.
"Can you believe it?" Claire said, wide-eyed. "That car, I think it actually belonged to that kid. Maybe he really was in the shop to buy something. But if he had money like that... why would he steal?"
Although Claire was rambling, asking question after question, Louise wasn’t answering. She just stared ahead, frozen. What she’d seen in Aron’s eyes back there, it was real, raw, and terrifying. She hadn’t just been embarrassed. She’d felt something she never expected to feel that day: fear.
Meanwhile, as they sped off, Max had tossed his new suit in the cramped back seat, still mumbling under his breath. A part of him felt like what happened wasn’t enough, that woman deserved more, but he couldn’t let her ruin the rest of his day. He had bigger things to worry about.
"We need to start heading to the fundraising event, sir," Aron said, eyes on the road.
"Right," Max sighed. "And now we’re heading there... and I still don’t have a gift. Great. Hopefully, that won’t be a problem. Because honestly? I’m not in the mood to be messed with."
It wasn’t just Max, either. Aron wasn’t in the mood for games himself. He’d seen what that woman had tried to pull, and now he was hoping the Stern family wouldn’t try anything foolish.
Because today... neither of them were in the mood to play nice.