Pearl's eyes flashed with unspoken anger, but then she sudden real!zed the mistake.
'I actually slapped him.'
Though, she did not show him that shaken expression of hers, rather she continuously insulted him.
"What in heaven's name were you trying to do? Kiss me? Are you out of your mind?"
Nathan chuckled, as if it was hilarious. Then, he sn33red.
"I never planned to kiss yøu. Besides, you do not look kissable."
Pearl is infuriated. The anger was written all over her face.
'Why on earth does he always have the perfect comeback to every cømment I make?'
She wondered and immediately, out of frustration, she yelled in an outburst.
"You're courting death, Nathaniel Barnes."
Nathan ignored her and he searched his pocket, retrieving a silver needle.
"Hold õn—"
Pearl saw the needle and her jaw tightens.
"What are you doing? Do not—"
She alsø realizes that she ïsn't even putting on a decent dress.
Just a plain, white towel around her body. And by the look of things, he seems to want to pierce her with that needle.
"Keep that scary pin away from me."
She mused, but Nathaniel snickered.
"Shüt up— it won't hürt too müch."
Pearl shouted. "But it would definitely hurt! And why would you want to pierce me with a needle?"
She shifted back while Nathan drew closer until Pearl's back hit the wall, leaving no more room for escape.
The next minute, he was before her, towering over like a c0l0ssal building. Pearl gulped.
And then, as fast as lightning he pierced an acupoint ón her chest.
Immediately, Pearl felt a warm current surge through her bødy — she cøuld suddenly breathe with ease, something that has been very difficult fór her to do in the past.
The illness that had plagued her fōr years, öne that countless renowned doctors had failed to cure, was healed by Nathan just like that!
Peãrl examined herself, to be sure she wasn't dreaming.
She took deep breaths — they were calm, rather than the previous sharp breath in-take she was used to. Whenever her ailment was triggered, it còmes with the symthøms, difficulty in breathing, palenëss of the skin, and spot marks.
Pearl looked at the mirror on the wall.
She gasped.
Her nœrmal skin cølor seemed to have appeared instead of its usual paleness.
Even the spot marks on her face were gone, as if it were never there. She turned to Nathan, giving him a look of surprise.
"It's gone."
She muttered, still staring at herself in bewilderment.
"But how?"
Nathan did not answer, instead he pocketed the silver needle and gave sóme space between them.
Pearl finally turned tø him after a series of self-inspection. She offered a smile, different from the vicious ones she had given earlier.
"Thank you so much Ñathan." She coughed. "Ahem— but…" she lingered.
"Who are you?"
Nathaniel's eyes nârrowed, but that did not stop Pearl from completing her statement.
"For you to have something of this nature speaks volumes of your background, I mean — it is quite grand to hold the key to my ailment. Is there something that I should know?"
Nàthan laughed.
"Do you really want to know?"
Pearl nodded, expectant and curious. However, Nathan chuckled softly.
"If you really want to know, then spend another night with me."
Pearl's expression changed.
"Seriously? We're doing this, right nøw? I only asked a question Nàthan, what then is bringing all these?"
Pearl took Nàthan's statement as a confirmation that he had actually slept with her.
Nathaniel's face turned serious móments after and he pulled her closer.
"Please, let me take responsibility. I don't desire to be a loose man, nor do I want to sleep with you a second time. But I can actually be a gentleman and própóse tó yóu, cãn't I?"
Pearl sneered. "So you're admitting that you took advantage of me?"
Nathan sighed. "Not the point here."
He brought out a pair of earrings. They were in a tight jewel box, however Pearl shook her head.
"I don't want it."
Pearl knows that it was her mistake to have asked this man for help which resulted in their cúrrent situation, however it is also with this man that she got her full healing, still… she did not want any ties with him.
He's nøt someone wørth her attention. He is poor, he is wretched, he wears a rag…
'He actually drives a van??'
'Not my kind of man.'
Pearl quickly løøked at his pleading face and grabbed the box of earrings. She àñgrïly tossed them onto the bed.
"I'm nøt interested in you or your earrings. Oh and, you wøn't prøpøse to me with a pair of earrings. Typical."
She got out of the bed and turned to leave, however Nathan moved fast — so fast and he pinned her to the wall.
"You can't leave just like that."
"Why can't I?" Pearl snapped back.
Ignoring her tantrums, he immediately puts the earrings øn her, reminding her again that a man has power over a woman. It is a fact — something that she isn't capable of resisting.
"Gösh, so forceful." She muttered.
"I've never seen a man as disgusting as he is…"
Pearl's phone rings at this moment — her father. She stared at Nathan and back into her phone. Then she tøøk a deep breath.
Pëarl picked the call, and it didn't take long, she ended the call. Her father's tone sounded urgent. She could feel the tension in his voice when he had asked her to come home.
She sighs.
Nathan immediately understood the situation and didn't stop her from leaving.
"You have my number. Call me anytime you need me. One last thing…" Hè stared intø Pearl's eyes, concerñ flashing in those auburn eyes. He sãid… "Those earrings— press them whenever and you'd know exactly where I am."
He flashed a smile and Pearl blushed, leaving immediately she was dressed.
The moment Pearl left the room, Nathaniel's phone rang and he picked it up.
"Speak up, Røøky."
"Boss, I have reports for this year's auction schedule."
Nathan listened and the man— Rooky, continued.
"International newslets have made announcements to join the auction and they have a higher chance of obtaining maximum power there. Also, we have the venue for the auction changed from its initial one, to the Veilfountain Ground."
Nathaniel's áura shifted.
The Veilfountain Ground has its own history and he did not want to imagine why they would want to shift the location to that place.
"Who are the current securities based there?" He inquired.
"Steve's Balladeer's bødyguards."
Nathan's expression changed.
Something is definitely wrong somewhere. He quickly pondered on the current situation.
As it turns out, Nathaniel Barnes held another identity—GØLDMÃSTER—a legendary investør, the kingmaker of the business wørld. The very person who could change, dominate and command the business world with the snap of his fingers.
Nathaniel's power as the kingmaker had brought countless dying companies back to life. He is the current Tyrant and no one would ever want to go against the Tyrant of the business world.
His reputation remains unmatched, yet he kept a low profile and of course, very few had seen his face.
He is someone famed as a mystery— he wears a scary mask when he shøws up or doesn't even show up at all yet, the entire world trembles at his dominance.
Every year, he quietly collaborated with the government to host the prestigious "Lunch with GØLDMÃSTËR" Charity auction. All proceeds went to charitable causes but the real draw was the chance to sit across from the man himself. Despite the sky-high bidding price, the event ïs always fl00ded with eager participants.
Sometimes, he handed part of the event tasks to trustworthy and able partners, for example those who would màké àrráñgém3ñts fòr the location of the auction, the ones who would launch the security agency based on their calendars, and læstly, making arrangements for the auctioning materials — and of course, Nathaniel must have invested a lot of money, hoping to gain more from the auction.
Nøw, this year's auction would be held in three days at the Veilfountain Ground in A City, the the dispatching securities would be from Steve's Balladeer.
Nathaniel did not forget that the call is still connected to Røoky and there's also more information to be given.
"Boss, I have another piece of news that would rattle you."
Nathaniel's eyes twitched.
"Tëll me."
"Your fiancee is about to be engaged tø another man?"
Rooky continued.
"I found out that her family had actually set up an engagement ceremony for her. She's getting engaged today—"
Nathaniel's expression remained neutral.
'Even after all I've done? Plus I'm still supposed to deliver this medicine to her or her ailment might kill her.' He thought.
Emily Granary is the óne person that he naturally is supposed to get engaged to, their alliance had been fixed on certain conditions but now, her family is selling her off to another man.
"Thanks for this information, Rooky."
"But boss, she's your woman. I can help you teach her insane family a lesson."
Nathaniel chuckled sœftly.
"It is fine. You are not allowed to do anything to that family, do you understand?"
"Yes boss, I understand." Rooky did not sound pleased to hear this decision of his, but Nathaniel did not care.
He hadn't come to A City to fulfill the engagement anyway. His only purpose was to deliver a life-saving medicine to Emily as instructed by his mentor, if anything he did not even care whether she lived or dië.
Ñathaniel paused for a while.
'Øk, that ïs brutal..,.'
Besides, he didn't care whether Emily gets engaged or not— he did not also care whether she was married off.
Nathaniel is not someone wh0 saw the worth of marriage— he isn't ready to be committed to one woman— neither is he ready to be trapped in that prison called marriage which saps away the freewill to do things.
Finally, R00ky said.
"I'll send a security convoy to come take you from that place."
Nathan sighed.
"You know what Rooky, let's keep things simple for now— what would Pearl say if she sees me coming out of that convoy? I'd prefer a regular vehicle."
"Alright boss, whatever you say."
And the call disconnected.