From Bullets To Billions

After listening to Max’s request, Cindy made a call to her father and arranged for him to meet her after school.

The meeting place was a cozy coffee shop not far from campus. Cindy had asked Abby if she wanted to come along, but Abby, still emotionally drained from earlier, politely declined. She understood the situation, but it clearly still stung, so she chose to head home.

Now, Cindy and Max were seated in a quiet corner of the spacious café. The place had a warm vibe, with cushioned backrests, a sleek counter, and a glass display case filled with colorful desserts.

Cindy returned to the table holding two drinks, one in a ceramic mug, the other in a plastic cup.

"Don’t worry, I paid for this one," she said, sliding the mug over to Max with a grin. "I hope you remember this in the future."

She beamed at him, and Max blinked, unsure how to react. He wasn’t used to someone just buying him something, especially not without expecting anything in return. Even back when he was the leader of the White Tiger, that kind of simple kindness had been rare.

"Thanks," Max said, surprised but genuine.

Just as Cindy was about to take her seat, the chime above the café door rang out. She turned her head and saw a man step inside, a well-dressed figure in a crisp blue suit, his blond hair neatly parted to the side.

"Dad! Over here!" Cindy called, waving him over.

Her father approached, carrying a leather briefcase in one hand. He gave Cindy a quick hug with the other before turning to look at Max.

"This is the student I was telling you about, Max," Cindy explained. "He said he wanted to talk to you about finances."