Chapter 138: I suppose this meeting comes as a surprise to you
Finn continued thrashing helplessly, but the difference in strength was overwhelming.
He couldn’t move an inch.
Clara slowly lifted her gaze toward the man who had intervened.
He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his expression calm and emotionless.
Without looking at the man beneath him, he spoke politely.
"My apologies for the disturbance, Miss."
His tone was respectful.
"But no one here will be laying a finger on you."
Clara frowned slightly.
Before she could thank him, the man continued,
"However..."
He finally looked up to meet her eyes.
"There is someone who wishes to meet you."
Clara’s brows knitted together.
"Someone?"
The man stepped aside and respectfully gestured toward the second floor.
Following the direction of his hand, Clara slowly raised her eyes.
The moment she saw the figure standing behind the floor-to-ceiling glass of the VIP lounge... the warmth disappeared from her face.
Her expression turned solemn. She immediately understood who had summoned her.
Karlo Morritte. The owner of Crimson Crest.
And judging by the faint smile on his face... he had been watching her from the very beginning.
***
Meanwhile, Gen quietly made her way to the second floor.
Keeping her head slightly lowered, she walked with the confidence of an experienced waitress, making sure nothing about her behavior appeared suspicious.
She had finally found her father.
Now all she needed to uncover was the reason he had come to Crimson Crest.
Taking a slow, calming breath, Gen steadied her racing heart and continued down the lavish hallway only to stop abruptly at once.
"Let me go!" A terrified scream echoed through the corridor.
Gen instinctively stopped. Her eyes darted toward the source of the voice.
Two burly guards were dragging a young woman out of one of the private VIP rooms.
Judging by the room they had emerged from... it was the very same room Thomas had entered earlier.
The woman looked elegant, dressed in an expensive evening gown, but her appearance was now a mess. Mascara streamed down her cheeks, her lipstick was smeared, and her hair had fallen loose as she struggled desperately against the guards.
"Please!" she sobbed. "I swear I didn’t do anything!"
Gen frowned. Something felt terribly wrong.
Before she could process the situation, one of the guards suddenly kicked the woman behind the knees.
Thud!
She collapsed onto the marble floor with a cry.
"Please..." she begged, trembling uncontrollably.
"Please don’t kill me."
Gen’s heartbeat quickened. She stood rooted to the spot, unable to look away.
The woman continued pleading, her desperate cries echoing through the hallway.
"I have a family... please... I don’t want to die..."
Bang!
The gunshot shattered the silence, leaving Gen’s entire body stiffened.
Her eyes widened in horror as the woman’s body collapsed lifelessly onto the floor. A pool of crimson slowly spread across the polished marble beneath her head.
For a moment... Gen forgot how to breathe.
A cold chill ran through every inch of her body. She had never witnessed someone being executed before.
Not like this. Not so casually.
"Take her away." A man’s indifferent voice broke the silence. "And have someone clean up this mess."
"As you wish." The guards grabbed the lifeless body and dragged it down the hallway, leaving behind a trail of blood.
Gen remained frozen where she stood. Her mind had gone completely blank.
"Hey." The sudden voice made her flinch.
She quickly looked up. One of the guards was staring directly at her, causing her heart to nearly leap into her throat.
"Y-Yes?"
The word almost caught in her throat, but she forced herself to remain calm.
She couldn’t panic. Not now. She had come too far to expose herself.
The guard narrowed his eyes, studying her for a moment. Then his gaze dropped to the name badge pinned to her uniform.
Apparently satisfied, he looked back at her.
"Clean this up."
Gen instinctively looked at the bloodstain on the floor before glancing toward the VIP room.
"But... what about the guests inside?" she asked carefully.
"I was told to serve them."
The guard frowned. No employee at Crimson Crest questioned orders from Karlo or Marco.
Her hesitation immediately annoyed him. He took a threatening step forward.
"Listen carefully." His voice turned cold.
"If you don’t want to end up like the woman you just saw..." He pointed toward the bloodstained floor. "...then stop asking questions."
Gen swallowed silently.
"Clean this first. Then bring the drinks. That’s an order." Without waiting for a response, the guard turned and walked away.
The hallway fell silent once more.
Gen stood there gripping the serving tray so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
She lowered her gaze to the blood slowly spreading across the marble floor.
Taking a shaky breath, she forced herself to move.
"Just... get through this, Gen," she whispered to herself.
With that, she slowly walked toward the mop and bucket, silently praying that no one would notice the fear hidden behind her composed expression.
***
Meanwhile, inside the private VIP lounge, Karlo Morritte waited patiently for the mysterious woman who had captured his attention.
The door opened. Luca stepped inside, followed by Clara.
The moment Karlo laid eyes on her, the corner of his lips curled into a faint smile.
Over the years, countless beautiful women had crossed his path.
Some possessed breathtaking beauty. Others possessed irresistible charm.
But Clara... she was different.
Not only was she stunning, but she also possessed something far more captivating—intelligence.
The way she had outplayed Finn downstairs wasn’t the work of luck. It was the move of someone who knew exactly how to manipulate the game and her opponent.
That alone intrigued him.
"I suppose this meeting comes as a surprise to you," Karlo said smoothly, never taking his eyes off her.
"I’ve been watching you for quite some time."
His gaze lingered on her face, carefully studying every expression as though committing her features to memory.
Originally, he had already arranged entertainment for the evening. But now... he had changed his mind.
The woman standing before him was far more interesting than anyone else waiting for him tonight.
Karlo slowly walked toward Clara until only a step separated them.
Without asking for permission, he reached for her hand, intending to lift it in a gentlemanly gesture.
Smack!
Before he could touch her, Clara swatted his hand away.
"..."
The room instantly fell silent. Every guard in the lounge stiffened.
Within seconds—
Click. Click. Click.
Several pistols were drawn and aimed directly at Clara.
Luca narrowed his eyes, while the guards waited only for Karlo’s command.
Anyone else would have turned pale under the sight of so many guns. Clara didn’t even flinch. She calmly met Karlo’s gaze, her expression unwavering.
For a brief moment, Karlo simply stared at her. Then... a low laugh escaped his lips.
"Haha..." The laughter gradually grew louder before he finally shook his head in amusement.
"Impressive."