Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 179: The meeting has begun

Alice’s last meal was totally ruined when Lorenzo showed up to start trouble, and the bread Ryan brought over didn’t even get used.

Luckily, Alice’s mood and fatigue levels were still within normal ranges, so she should be able to make it through the meeting without any issues, barring any surprises.

Mia also sauntered into the meeting room, having witnessed Ryan stepping in to help Alice. A hint of envy shimmered in her big eyes.

She’d probably be thrilled if someone stood up for her like that.

You’ve got to admit, Alice is pretty lucky to have Ryan around right now. Hopefully, he can bring some positive changes to her life.

Popping a malt candy into her mouth as she entered the meeting room, Mia was immediately surrounded by a few bodyguards.

She didn’t even give them a glance. After what had just happened, she thought these guys combined weren’t worth one of Ryan’s fingers.

“Miss, where were you just now? The boss was really angry when he couldn’t find you,” one of the bodyguards said, wiping sweat from his brow. He was clearly nervous, having just been chewed out by his boss.

His tone was clearly condescending, meant to placate a child, but it lacked the genuine softness Ryan had shown earlier. Mia found it nauseating.

“If he really wants to know, he can come ask me himself. Always using me for his own ends, and still so nosy. Isn’t it annoying?”

“Don’t pretend to care about me. It’s so fake.”

Mia, hands on her hips, didn’t hold back as she sent the bodyguards packing, then pouted and coldly stared at a middle-aged man sitting at the table.

The man had been watching the whole scene. Mia stared right back at him defiantly and huffed as she walked over to a sofa.

The bodyguards were left in an awkward position, caught between both sides.

Before today, they thought looking after Mia would be easy, but they hadn’t expected such a sharp observation from a thirteen-year-old girl. And with a temper that belied her cute face, she was like a little tiger.

Not wanting to provoke Mia further, but the middle-aged big shot at the table was already looking displeased.

Even if it meant getting scolded by Mia, they had no choice but to stand beside her.

Mia was still a child, clearly not qualified to sit at the conference table.

Yet, she was an important figure in this meeting and had to stay nearby.

About five minutes later, everyone had arrived, and the meeting was ready to start.

Alice had calmed down, but now felt a bit disappointed.

After what she had said earlier, Ryan remained indifferent, showing no reaction.

Shouldn’t he have shown some emotion, or something? Was her charm really so low in his eyes?

She couldn’t figure Ryan out, nor understand why he stayed by her side. This uncertainty made her somewhat uneasy.

Alice was nervous about the upcoming meeting, not so much about the confrontation itself, but because she couldn’t get a read on Ryan.

From her observations over the past few days, she knew Ryan was genuinely a good person, and what was about to be revealed might just repulse him.

“Ryan…”

Alice hesitated, softly calling his name, but unsure what to say next.

“Miss Alice, I’m here. Leave the security to me, just focus on the meeting,” Ryan responded, bending down slightly.

Alice just nodded, her concerns clearly not about security.

“…Keep a low profile later, don’t draw attention,” she whispered.

Ryan stepping in earlier had been noticed by everyone here, and it was possible someone had already marked him.

While Alice could handle people targeting her, she couldn’t stay calm if they went after Ryan.

“Understood,” Ryan nodded, affirming Alice’s request. Knowing her cool exterior hid a warm heart made accepting her care easier.

Unlike your typical corporate meeting, this gangland gathering had no formal chairperson.

The bosses from various regions took turns speaking, summarizing their recent activities, which was essentially a way for them to keep each other informed.

Important issues could be raised for a vote by anyone, though the real power to decide rested with a few influential leaders.

In theory, that’s how it should work, but the tensions between Alice and various parties had escalated to the point where today’s meeting was essentially an ambush aimed at her.

Ryan, not fully understanding what Alice was up to, could tell from Tony and Mr. Carlson’s attitudes that whatever she planned wouldn’t go smoothly.

He glanced at the two potions in his system backpack, suspecting he might need to use them today.

Standing behind Alice, his eyes cautiously scanned the attendees. Four people occupied the high seats.

First was Miss Alice, followed by Dante, the right-hand man of the former boss Richard Sinclair, and then two middle-aged men, Marco Bellini and Rocco Vitale, both heavyweights in the gang.

Seated in the lower ranks were the underlings. Lorenzo, who had been dragged out earlier and now returned with a broken arm, sat there, stripped of his earlier arrogance.

Feeling Ryan’s gaze, Lorenzo looked back and made a throat-slitting gesture with his remaining hand.

What a nuisance, just like a mangy dog.

Ryan’s anger flared again, thinking Lorenzo might target Miss Alice next. He touched his chin, pondering how to handle the situation.

“Miss Alice, Mr. Russo.”

A man from the lower ranks stood up and bowed deeply towards Alice, straightening only after Dante waved him on.

This middle-aged man’s most notable feature was a scar nearly ruining his face.

He had nearly died from that scar, but it earned him a seat in this meeting room—a fair rule in the gang world.

His report was routine, just some updates about his territory.

Ryan had braced himself, but hearing gang members discuss such matters still made his pupils dilate.

They spoke of dark deeds as casually as if they were running a legitimate business.

Wasn’t this wrong?

Ryan had his own morals and couldn’t grasp the norms these people accepted.

To them, even evil had its place, and they were unapologetic about engaging in sin itself.

Dante was the first to notice Ryan’s discomfort, glancing over. Ryan tried to appear nonchalant as he met Dante’s gaze.

Dante’s hands were crossed on the table, fingers playing with a gold thumb ring, giving Ryan a seemingly friendly smile.

He was old, but his gaze was still that of a ruthless tiger, ready to pounce.

Ryan was sure Dante had sensed something.