Chapter 169
Hearing what serenity just said, and the curious look on her face.
Ethan just fake a smile.
"Just lucky timing,"
Ethan said smoothly, his enhanced senses catching every micro-expression crossing Serenity's face.
He maintained perfect composure as he crafted the lie.
"When the security guard threw me out, I happened to run into director Williams himself and I told him everything.
And luckily for me he was also on his way to deal with the useless manager."
Serenity's eyebrows lifted slightly, relief flooding her delicate features. Her hands, which had been nervously twisting her sleeves, finally stilled.
"Oh thank goodness,"
she breathed, shoulders visibly relaxing as tension drained from her body.
"When you threatened Davidson earlier, I was worried..."
She adjusted her bag strap nervously, her fingers still shaking slightly from the earlier confrontation.
"I thought maybe you had some kind of powerful connections here." immediately a small laugh escaped her lips, though her wrist still bore Davidson's red fingerprints.
'If you only knew'
Ethan thought, watching her accept his simple explanation. His enhanced vision caught every detail of her relief - her steadying heartbeat, the color returning to her cheeks, the way her posture softened.
"I was getting scared there for a minute,"
she continued, laughing softly while smoothing her rumpled blouse.
"Starting to think you might be some kind of secret corporate heir or something."
Her eyes sparkled with amusement at what she thought was an absurd notion.
Her innocent explanation made perfect sense to her, and Ethan let her believe it, a slight smile playing at his lips as he watched her file away her brief glimpse of his true power as nothing more than fortunate coincidence.
'Let her keep that innocence'
he thought to himself.
'At least for now.'
At that moment The new manager arrived with practiced efficiency, his suit perfectly pressed and manner composed. His entire demeanor radiated professional competence - a stark contrast to Davidson's predatory arrogance.
"I'm Mr. John,"
he introduced himself, spreading out detailed company reports with precise movements. His cufflinks caught the light as he gestured.
"Let me show you how our success story really began."
Each word carried genuine pride rather than corporate bluster.
Serenity leaned forward, actually interested now that she wasn't being leered at. Her pen moved swiftly across her notebook as John explained their business model.
After the comprehensive overview, he stood, adjusting his burgundy tie with practiced grace.
"Now, shall we visit our showroom? It's where the real magic happens." His eyes sparkled with authentic enthusiasm.
Without wasting anymore time They followed him to a separate building, a modern structure gleaming with polished glass and chrome. The moment they entered, sales associates straightened to attention, their faces lighting up with genuine warmth.
"Good morning, Mr. John!"
they called out in cheerful unison, their perfectly tailored uniforms rustling as they moved to greet him. Some even stepped forward to shake his hand, showing none of the fear they'd displayed around Davidson.
The sales ladies moved with confident grace, their designer uniforms immaculate.
Their body language spoke volumes - relaxed shoulders, genuine smiles, easy laughter. This was clearly a manager they respected rather than feared.
'This is how a business should be run.'
Ethan thought, noticing every detail of the positive workplace culture.
Experience tales with empire
Mr. John gestured elegantly across the showroom floor, his movements precise and practiced.
"Over there,"
he pointed to a sectioned-off area behind glass walls, his gold cufflinks catching the light.
"are our S-class vehicles."
His hand swept to another exclusive section.
"And there, our A-class collection."
His polished shoes clicked against the floor as he led them to the main showroom.
"These range from $40,000 to $100,000 - our most popular sellers."
His presentation was thorough, each car's features explained with the pride of someone who knew his product well.
"Well, that concludes our tour,"
he announced, closing his leather portfolio with a satisfied smile, smoothing his tie.
At that moment Serenity beamed, clutching her notes to her chest, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. "Thank you so much, Mr. John! This is perfect for our assignment."
However Ethan's voice cut through the moment, calm yet carrying subtle authority that made Zhang's spine stiffen slightly.
"What about the S and A-class vehicles?"
His eyes fixed on the restricted areas they'd bypassed.
"Shouldn't we see those as well?"
Upon hearing what Ethan just said The sales ladies exchanged uncertain glances. John professional smile wavered slightly - those areas were reserved for serious buyers, not students on a school assignment. Serenity's eyes widened in surprise, her pen frozen mid-note.
Nobody would ever asked to see the multi-million dollar section before.
Mr. John professional demeanor cracked slightly as he let out a polite laugh, though his eyes held a hint of condescension.
"I'm afraid those sections are restricted,"
he said smoothly, adjusting his tie. "They're reserved for our high-profile clients only."
His gaze swept over their school Badge, his smile growing slightly patronizing.
"Besides, since neither of you drive yet..."
He gestured back toward the standard models.
"I thought it more appropriate to show you vehicles that..."
he paused diplomatically.
"align with your current situation."
The sales ladies nodded in agreement, some hiding smirks behind perfectly manicured hands. The suggestion that students could even look at multi-million dollar vehicles seemed to amuse them.
"These more modest options,"
John continued, patting the hood of a $40,000 sedan.
" They are really more suitable for your.. Assignment demographic."
At that moment Serenity noticed Ethan's jaw tighten, a muscle twitching beneath his skin. She recognized that dangerous calm from earlier - the same deadly quietness that had preceded Davidson's downfall.
Her hand touched his arm gently, trying to prevent another incident.
"Do you own a car, Mr. John?" Ethan's voice carried lethal politeness that made several sales ladies step back unconsciously.
immediately John puffed up with pride, straightening his designer tie, his chest expanding like a peacock's.
"Indeed! I have an A-class model myself,"
he boasted, his watch catching the light as he gestured.
"And as for my daily use, I have the top-end standard model - the $100,000 range."
His chin lifted slightly, expecting to impress these mere students.
The sales ladies nodded appreciatively at their manager's success, their perfectly lipsticked smiles still holding traces of condescension toward the teenagers before them.
"Interesting,"
Ethan said softly, making Serenity tense at his tone. Her fingers tightened on his sleeve, recognizing the dangerous undercurrent in his voice.
"And what if I wanted to purchase something from the S-class section?"