Chapter 18
As Kyle calmly reprimanded Anthony, Anthony’s anger boiled over. He raised his hand, ready to strike Kyle, but before he could, a firm gripstopped him mid-
swing.
Behind Kyle stood Mike, his expression cold and unyielding. “Mr. Curtis,” he said, his tone carrying an edge of mockery. “You seem quite bold today. But let me offer you a piece of advice–no matter how high and mighty you think you are, disrespecting Mr. Archer is a line you don’t want to cross.”
Anthony froze, his defiance faltering as he finally recognized Mike. As one of the most notorious figures in Kerdonia’s underworld and a representative of the powerful Rivas family, Mike’s presence was enough to unnerve even the boldest of men.
“Mike…I didn’t realize you were here,” Anthony stammered, his tone shifting g from anger to apprehension. “This is a family matter. Surely you wouldn’t want to get involved? Unless, of course, you and Kyle… have some sort of connection?”
Ordinarily, Anthony would never dare to speak so dismissively to Mike. But with his newfound ties to the Russo family, he felt emboldened, even it only slightly.
Mike chuckled, the sound devoid of humor. “Kyle is a benefactor of the Rivas family, a man we owe a great debt to. And let me be clear–neither you nor the Russos can touch him. If you try, the Rivas family will ensure you regret it.”
His gaze sharpened. “Even if you and the Russos combined forces, you wouldn’t last against us. So, take my advice and back down now.”
Anthony’s face went pale. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Kyle, an ex–convict, somehow held the favor of the Rivas family.
More importantly, Mike wasn’t one to bluff, especially about matters involving the Rivas family. If Kyle truly was under their protection, any retaliation would be catastrophic
Before Anthony could respond, Kyle’s cold voice broke through “Mike, get them out of here. I don’t want to see them.”
Anthony’s face twisted in anger and humiliation, but he couldn’t protest. This was Faith’s hospital ward, but he had no choice but to leave.
Mike raised a hand, gesturing for Anthony and Maria to exit. “You beard him. Out,”
Though furious, Anthony bit his tongue and stormed out, muttering curses under his breath. Maria followed, her face etched with worry.
Besides, leaving the ward was fine–it gave him the perfect chance to ask Mike about Kyle’s relationship with the Rivas family.
Once the ward fell silent, Kyle turned back to Faith. Her face was swollen and bruised, and her body was battered, but her eyes held a quiet warmth as she looked at him.
Kyle sat down beside her and gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “Does it hurt?” he asked softly.
Her face was extremely swollen, bruised, and battered. How could it not hurt? Her entire body was covered in black and blue marks, her skin mottled with blood clots. Thankfully, her internal organs hadn’t been seriously injured.
Despite it all, Faith softly shook her head. “No, it’s fine. Just some scratches. I’ll heal with time.”
“By the way, do you really know Mike? And do you have such a strong connection with the Rivas family? If that’s the case, I feel more at ease. Peter and the others wouldn’t dare mess with you.
“But I still think, to be safe, you should leave for a while. The situation can change so quickly, and even Mike might not…”
She didn’t finish her sentence.
Faith was smart enough to know that words alone couldn’t be relied on no matter how promising things seemed. People who claimed to help today might turn against you tomorrow if someone else offered them greater benefits. Such was the nature of humanity.
Kyle smiled faintly. Even though he was in pain himself, he couldn’t help but admire Faith, who still worried about him despite her own suffering.
“I saved Mr. Rivas Senior. In their eyes, I’m their lifesaver. They’ll help me. But even if they don’t, I can handle things on my own.
“Faith, I’ll take care of your engagement. If you don’t want to marry someone you don’t love, then you won’t. Trust me-
A cold glint of killing intent flashed in Kyle’s eyes as his words fell.
He was a gentle person, and very few could provoke him to the point of harboring murderous intent. “Don’t stir up any more trouble for my sake,” Falth pleaded, shaking her head firmly.
–
no one will dare force you again.”
