The Shameless Scoundrel

Alex, suddenly kicked for no reason, was left bewildered. He rubbed his aching knee and followed Mark down the stairs, asking, "Why are you angry again, wife?"

"Who are you calling wife? Stop calling me that," Mark snapped, not turning back, his anger bubbling.

"If you're not my wife, who is?" Alex quickly caught up and scooped Mark into his arms, smirking as he looked down at Mark.

Mark, still fuming, turned his head away and refused to acknowledge Alex, continuing his silent protest.

Alex, sensing he wouldn't get an answer, chuckled and carried Mark to the dining room.

Inside the dining room, Howard and Rick were already seated.

"Is it even legal to flaunt your relationship this early in the morning?" Rick grumbled, envious of Alex, who was showcasing his love for Mark.

"Isn't Howard here? Am I not letting you touch him?" Alex retorted, his face devoid of the earlier smile, speaking coldly to Rick.

"You think I don't want to? My husband won't let me," Rick replied, looking pitifully at Howard who was seated beside him.

Howard ignored Rick and continued eating his breakfast.

Rick, undeterred, picked up a piece of meat and offered it to Howard, grinning cheekily.

Howard frowned, glared at Rick, and threatened, "If you don't stop, I'll get physical."

Rick, fearing Howard might act, watched as Howard reluctantly took the meat from him.

"Such an obedient spouse," Rick commented smugly.

"Do you have a death wish?" Howard's glare could have incinerated Rick.

"Just spend time with me, and I'll gladly go," Rick, unfazed, placed his hand on Howard's thigh.

Howard slapped Rick's hand away, his eyes like daggers.

Rick, persistent, placed his hand back and gave a little squeeze.

That insolent brat. 

Howard was seething but helpless against Rick's shameless persistence. What irked him more was waking up that morning expecting to find Rick beside him, only to find the space empty. It left him feeling oddly annoyed without understanding why.

What's going on with these two? Are they a couple? 

Mark pondered as he munched on his toast, glancing curiously at Rick and Howard. He didn't ask, though. It wasn't his business.

After a while, Kyle came downstairs and joined them for breakfast. Mark and Kyle hurriedly finished eating, exchanged a look, and stood up.

As Mark was about to leave, Alex grabbed his wrist.

"Why are you holding me?" Mark asked, puzzled, looking down at Alex's hand.

"The outside world isn't safe. I'll assign a bodyguard to you," Alex said.

"I'm not a girl," Mark replied, annoyed at Alex's constant worrying.

"Just listen," Alex insisted firmly, feeling uneasy ever since his aunt Evelyn left the company.

"Fine, I'll listen to you," Mark conceded, sensing Alex's unease. 

Alex, relieved, made a phone call. Shortly after, a tall, dark-skinned, and intimidating man with a scar across his face entered the dining room. Kyle and Mark stared at the giant, who was easily over two meters tall, like he was a behemoth.

Is this guy even human? 

Mark was shocked. 

Kyle, scared, hid behind Mark. The bodyguard's scar made him look even more menacing.

"He doesn't speak Chinese, but he can protect you," Alex explained, then spoke fluently in French to the bodyguard, instructing him to protect Mark and Kyle well.

The bodyguard, nicknamed Black, respectfully acknowledged the command and gestured for Mark and Kyle to proceed ahead of him.

Mark sighed. It was clear that Alex wouldn't let him go without the bodyguard. 

"After you're done shopping, come to the company to find me," Alex said, ruffling Mark's hair.

"Got it, I'm not a kid," Mark responded, blushing and swatting Alex's hand away. He hurriedly grabbed Kyle and left.

Alex watched them leave with a smile, not saying anything.

"Stop staring. Your wife is long gone, brother," Rick teased, envying Alex. He could touch Mark freely, whereas he couldn't even stroke Howard's head.

Why is there such a difference between our wives?

Rick felt like crying, casting a pitiful glance at Howard.

"Stare any longer, and I'll gouge your eyes out," Howard snapped.

"Alright, alright. I won't stare anymore," Rick sighed, resting his chin on his hand as he absentmindedly ate his breakfast. But his eyes kept drifting toward Howard, scanning every inch of him.

Howard frowned, gripping his chopsticks tightly.

Under Rick's intense gaze, Howard uncomfortably finished his breakfast and left the dining room, heading to the bathroom.

As he was about to shut the bathroom door, Rick held it open.

"What do you want?" Howard asked, irritated.

"Will you agree if I tell you what I want to do?" Rick yanked the door open, lifted Howard onto the sink, and leaned in, smirking.

Howard's annoyance was palpable as he glared at Rick.

Rick took Howard's glasses off and put them on, transforming instantly into a suave, competent CEO.

Even Howard was momentarily taken aback by how distinguished Rick looked with the glasses on.

"Do I look good?" Rick asked, grinning as he leaned closer to Howard.

"Can't you look in the mirror?" Howard retorted, not giving Rick any satisfaction.

"So, you think I look good," Rick shamelessly concluded, leaning in for a kiss.

Howard quickly turned away, trying to avoid Rick.

Rick didn't let Howard escape.

Howard, frustrated, pushed Rick away, but with the mirror behind him, he had nowhere to run.

In the end, Rick took advantage of the situation. When he finally freed himself, Howard slapped Rick hard, struggling to catch his breath.

"Slap me again, and I'll kiss you again," Rick warned, his smile shameless.

"You…"

Howard was too furious to speak, but dealing with a shameless scoundrel like Rick seemed futile.

Meanwhile, Mark and Kyle had arrived at the company where Kyle's so-called uncle worked.

"You wait here for us," Mark told the driver.

The driver nodded. Alex had instructed him to only act as their chauffeur. Black, the bodyguard, was also present for their protection.

As soon as Mark and Kyle got out of the car, Black followed them, parking his vehicle and stepping out.

Kyle, nervous, looked at Mark. "What if he's there? Should we still go through with it?"

"It's perfect if he's there. We'll have someone to carry him," Mark replied.

Kyle thought about it and realized Mark had a point. With Black there, moving someone would be much easier.

Mark fetched a baseball bat from the trunk, testing its weight in his hands.

"Feels good," Mark murmured to himself.

"Call him and ask him to come down to the basement," Mark instructed.

Kyle took a deep breath and dialed his uncle's number, his heart racing.

Up in his office, Richa was recovering from a hangover, having just taken some medicine to sober up. He was about to doze off when his phone rang. Seeing it was the call he'd been waiting for all night, he swiftly answered.

"It's me," his deep, resonant voice filled with authority, even in its calmness.

"Uh, could you… could you come down to your company's basement?" Kyle's voice was small and anxious.

"Sure." Richa didn't even ask why. He stood up from his chair and headed out of the office.

"Where are you going, boss?" Noah, carrying breakfast, saw Richa heading for the elevator and asked.

"I have something to do," Richa replied curtly, stepping into the elevator and ending the call.

What could be so urgent? 

Could it be that kid looking for him? 

Noah guessed, settling at a nearby table to eat his breakfast. He kicked a colleague who was passed out drunk, urging him, "Wake up and get to work. Enough sleeping."

The colleague, waking up groggily, complained, "You drank more than us, yet you're fine. My head feels like it's going to explode."

"With such poor drinking tolerance, how will you handle social events with the boss?" Noah scoffed, slurping his noodles heartily. His colleague, however, dashed to the restroom, unable to stomach the smell.

In the basement parking lot, the elevator opened, and Richa stepped out. His phone buzzed again, but it wasn't Kyle this time. It was his nephew.

"Busy now. Call you later," he said, hanging up before the other person could respond.

He pocketed his phone and looked around, searching for Kyle.

Soon, he spotted a figure trying to hide, nervously clutching their clothes. 

Richa sighed and approached the person.

Kyle, seeing Richa approaching, felt his heart pound so hard it might burst from his chest. He glanced nervously at Mark, who was hiding behind a car.

Mark signaled an "OK" to Kyle, indicating he was ready and would strike at the right moment.

Trying to steady himself, Kyle took a deep breath as Richa drew nearer, still looking for any signs of deception.

When Richa reached Kyle, he took a step back in fear.

Kyle's reaction made Richa frown. He couldn't recall doing anything that would terrify Kyle to this extent, making him look so pale.