Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 167: He had found it! It wasn’t an illusion!

Hannah was trying to intimidate Ryan into backing off, but Ryan clearly didn’t take her threats seriously. To him, this was the perfect chance to get close to Alice.

His original plan was to help Alice out of a crisis and earn her trust.

After briefly predicting what might happen next, Ryan took a deep breath.

The doors to the conference room slowly opened, and Ryan walked in at a measured pace.

Surrounded by numerous bodyguards in black, Ryan acted as if he was alone.

But the moment he saw Alice’s condition, his brow furrowed deeply.

[Alice Mood Level: 20/100 (Extreme Stress)]

Seeing how relaxed Hannah looked, this kind of negotiation should have been a breeze for Alice. No matter how outrageous the other party’s demands, it shouldn’t have stressed her out this much.

Ryan paused to think and didn’t speak immediately, instead, his gaze shifted to the man sitting across from Alice.

The man was dressed in a crisp white suit, his hair slicked back, and despite the backlighting, he wore photochromic glasses that obscured his eyes.

For a moment, Ryan’s eyes met the man’s hidden gaze, and he felt a wave of discomfort, quickly continuing with his actions.

“Miss Alice, I’ve brought the documents.”

As Alice heard Ryan’s voice, her body jolted.

[Alice Mood Level: 15/100 (Extreme Stress, Potential Breakdown)]

Did Alice’s mood drop because of him?

Ryan was puzzled, unsure of what exactly had happened here, but it was clear from Alice’s state that something was off.

Would it have been better if Hannah had come in?

Ryan thought quietly to himself, but the door behind him was already closed, and his way back was blocked.

The man across from Alice looked at Ryan with interest and nodded, then gestured for Ryan to come over.

“I assume this is Miss Alice’s assistant. Come here.”

The man had spoken, and the bodyguards behind Ryan moved forward slightly, clearly ready to push him if he didn’t walk on his own.

Ryan frowned slightly. He was just here to deliver documents,was all this tension really necessary?

“Tony, he’s not my assistant. You heard me call for a woman just now.”

Before Ryan could take a few steps forward, Alice impatiently waved him off, signaling him to get lost.

Not her assistant? That wasn’t the attitude Alice had shown in the car earlier.

Alice’s abnormal behavior and her near-collapse state caught Ryan’s attention, but since the conference room had only Alice in it earlier, he didn’t know what had happened.

“Hey, don’t worry about it too much. The documents are here now.”

“You, come here quickly.”

The man waved his hand dismissively, not giving Alice any face, and the bodyguard behind Ryan gave him a hard shove, making him stagger.

Alice glanced over, clearly displeased with the man’s treatment of Ryan.

“Tony, there’s no need for that. After all, he’s one of mine. Is this how you treat my people?”

Alice tapped her fingers on the table, her gaze sharpening, while the man across didn’t back down.

The man in the suit watched Alice intently, and the entire conference room fell silent.

The tension was palpable, like the calm before a storm.

Just when Ryan thought the two were about to come to blows, Tony’s face broke into a smile.

He scolded the bodyguard who had pushed Ryan, then made a show of saying he’d fire them, before turning back to Alice with a friendly demeanor to continue their conversation.

“Miss Alice, I’m terribly sorry for the oversight,” Tony said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, making his apology seem less than sincere.

Alice just narrowed her eyes and didn’t say much. On the surface, she seemed composed, but inside, she was extremely anxious.

Wasn’t it supposed to be Hannah who came in? Why was it Ryan instead?

Now, weren’t they both in danger?

“Bring the documents over, then we can finalize our partnership,” the man beckoned Ryan with a threatening look in his eyes, and this time Alice remained silent.

Her dropping mood level was a clear indicator of her despair, sinking deeper into hopelessness.

“I naturally trust Miss Alice. Your competence and character are impeccable, doing business with you is even more straightforward than with your father,” the man said with a laugh, slapping his thigh enthusiastically as Alice managed a smile, and they seemed to be getting along famously.

However, even Ryan could tell it was all a facade.

Miss Alice was in a crisis. Perhaps bringing in Hannah was an attempt at self-rescue, but now Ryan had been mistakenly pushed into this situation, and it looked like he might be in trouble too.

He glanced back,the conference room door was locked from the outside. Could this situation be any more of a setup?

Ryan silently pondered as he approached the two with the documents in hand.

Standing there, he was taller than the man in front of him, and he could see a vicious scar peeking out from the man’s suit collar, snarling up at Ryan.

This man was no ordinary businessman.

“Leave the documents and go. Those who don’t follow orders don’t deserve to be my assistant,” Alice’s voice was icy, seemingly irritated at the sight of Ryan, but she covertly shot him a look, hoping he’d understand.

“Hold on, no need for him to leave.”

“I’m thrilled about our deal. Let me open a bottle of champagne, and pour a glass for Miss Alice’s assistant too,” the man laughed heartily, signaling his secretary who immediately went to fetch the champagne, seemingly in a mood to celebrate.

“Tony, you’re mistaken, he’s not my assistant,” Alice clarified, her tone colder than ever, genuinely angry, puzzled why Ryan wouldn’t just leave as she had hinted.

Ryan caught Alice’s meaningful glance and understood her signal.

But there was no way he could just walk away.

Not only were his life and Alice’s intertwined—if she died, he would likely die too—but even without that, Ryan couldn’t bear to leave Alice alone in danger. That would be too cowardly.

Ryan deliberately turned his head away, ignoring Alice’s gaze, which only infuriated her more.

She must think he’s completely clueless, ignoring her attempts to save him.

Alice’s expression was icy, while Tony seemed increasingly pleased, watching them like a hunter eyeing prey.

Ryan tried to ignore the tension between them, suppressing the panic rising within him.

He knew he was the only one who could save them both. If they didn’t want to die, he had to do something.

The conference room on the hotel’s eighteenth floor was enclosed in glass on the side facing Alice, offering a view that most wealthy people seemed to enjoy—a bird’s-eye view of the city below.

Suddenly, Ryan’s gaze shifted to the building across, as if searching for something.

Alice was furious, wishing she could pin Ryan down and beat some sense into him. They were both about to be doomed, and he seemed to be daydreaming.

Clearly, everything Ryan had said about helping her was a lie. He neither had the heart nor the capability.

It was just an excuse to leave the villa!

Tony’s secretary had already brought the champagne, and the man stood up, his expression one of excited anticipation, not hiding his triumph.

Outside, there was a commotion, someone trying to force the conference room door open without success, and a woman’s loud cries echoed.

“Miss Alice! Run, run!”

It was Hannah, but after a few shouts, she fell silent, her warnings only pushing the situation closer to the edge.

Ryan’s gaze remained fixed on the wall of the building opposite, searching intently until finally, his eyes lit up.

He had found it! It wasn’t an illusion!

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