Chapter 10

"You bastard, so you were here eavesdropping!"

When he saw me, Luciano's face instantly darkened like water.

After all, these two had just been arguing about my photo.

Elen hadn't backed down at all, nearly breaking up with Luciano.

This guy clearly hadn't achieved his goal with Elen yet.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have swallowed his anger earlier.

Though Luciano had backed down after arguing with Elen, he was obviously still fuming inside.

He didn't dare take his anger out on Elen.

But he certainly wouldn't mind using me as an outlet.

I knew once he saw me in the phone store, he definitely wouldn't let me off.

Sure enough.

After seeing me pulled out by the stock clerk, Luciano immediately berated me with a livid face: "Tell me, were you stalking Ele?"

"Is Elen someone so important that I'd have nothing better to do than stalk her?"

I denied it outright.

After all, I came to the phone store to buy a second-hand phone.

It was just coincidence that I ran into Elen here - how could it be stalking?

But Luciano wouldn't listen to my explanation at all, sneering: "Not stalking? Then how did you happen to appear right here?"

"How can there be such coincidences in this world? You think Pacifica City is some small county town?"

"Pacifica is a provincial capital! Many people live here their whole lives without running into each other, yet Ele comes to change her phone number and just happens to run into you - how can there be such coincidences!"

"Besides, if you weren't stalking, why were you afraid to face us? Even hiding in the phone store's warehouse!"

"Hmph, kid, want me to call the police right now? Tell them you're stalking Ele!"

I had to laugh from anger.

This idiot really thought highly of himself.

I just came to buy a phone, yet he baselessly accused me of stalking!

Am I really that creepy?

Even though I'm Elen's ex-boyfriend and we broke up due to circumstances.

I would never do something so degrading!

This wasn't just about lingering feelings - this was about character!

No matter how low I might be, I would never stalk an ex-girlfriend!

Besides, I hid behind the door only to avoid awkwardness if I ran into Elen.

After all, just last night this woman said she didn't want to see me.

How could I appear before her after just one night?

Yet Luciano directly slandered me.

His words made my liver start hurting again.

Elen also seemed unwilling to hear my explanation. Before I could speak, she chimed in:

"Marco, you're a smart person. I trust you understood what I said last night."

"I specially came here today to change my number so you wouldn't know it."

"But you - knowing I despise you, you still stalk me!"

"After several years, how did you become so creepy? I don't like you anymore. Since I don't like you, I won't consider you. Your entanglement and stalking only make me sick!"

Hearing this, Luciano was delighted but didn't show it, only letting a smile curve his lips.

Earlier when he saw the photo in Elen's phone, he had been enraged with jealousy.

But now hearing Elen publicly berate me without regard for my face, he was overjoyed.

The harsher Elen's attitude toward me, the more comfortable Luciano felt.

It meant Elen really hated me.

The more Elen hated me, the less likely she would rekindle things with me, and the more likely she would belong to him.

This was naturally what Luciano most hoped and wanted to see.

"Ele, no need to argue with this despicable guy. Let's just call the police and have them arrest him!" Luciano said.

Elen frowned, seeming unwilling, and said: "It's just a small matter - why involve the police?"

At this point she didn't want to disturb the police. After all, once the police were involved, there would certainly be an investigation process.

Elen didn't want the trouble, didn't want to take things to the police station.

In her view, even if I was stalking, it wasn't a big deal.

At most she could drive me away and be more careful about watching her back in the future. No need to make a big fuss.

But Luciano acted like he had caught some leverage on me.

Hearing Elen's words, he still insisted:

"Ele, you're wrong about this. Being stalked is something that can be big or small."

"Right now we don't know this guy's social connections or why he's stalking you."

"What if he's stalking you to kidnap you? If you don't guard against it and end up getting kidnapped by him later, it'll be too late for regret."

"We'd better get the police to investigate why he's stalking you, prevent future trouble."

"If he really has ill intentions toward you, we can nip it in the bud now."

Hearing this, Elen stopped insisting.

This was about her safety after all - Elen couldn't not take her own safety seriously.

Luciano quickly called the police.

"Kid, the police will be here in a few hours at most."

"It's too late to run now. You dare stalk Elen - today we'll send you to eat prison for a few years!"

Luciano said mockingly after hanging up the police call.

I remained unmoved.

Had no intention of leaving.

After all, I really hadn't stalked Elen - so what if the police came?

Could Luciano's influence really be so great that he could turn black into white and frame me at will?

I didn't believe it!

Since Luciano had already called the police, I would use them to clear my name.

Thinking this, I waited even more patiently than Luciano.

The police didn't take long - just a few hours before arriving at the phone store.

"Officers, over here!"

Luciano immediately greeted the patrol officers entering the store.

"Who's stalking?" the patrol officer asked.

Luciano pointed at me and said: "It's him, officer, arrest this guy quickly."

"In broad daylight, this guy stalks my girlfriend - clearly he has ill intentions."

"I strongly suspect this guy wants revenge on my girlfriend, stalking her to kidnap her."

The officer frowned and said: "How are you sure he wants to kidnap your girlfriend?"

Luciano said: "Because this guy is my girlfriend's ex. Seeing my girlfriend doing better now, he's unbalanced and wants revenge, plus kidnap her for some money."

"As far as I know, this guy is dirt poor now, just has a job dumping waste at a restaurant, with terrifyingly low wages. As they say, poverty breeds crime - it's totally normal for him to want to kidnap my girlfriend!"

"Officers, quickly arrest this guy, don't let this potential criminal escape and threaten Pacifica's social security!"