He extended his hand for a handshake.

Joel looked at the hand for a long, disrespectful moment. He hesitated. Then, with a fake, tight smile, he reached out and grabbed Alex's hand.

GRAB.

And then... SQUEEZE.

Joel squeezed hard! He squeezed with all his strength! He was trying to crush Alex's fingers! He was trying to assert dominance! He wanted to make Alex flinch or cry out in pain to show Cassandra who the Alpha Male was!

But... Alex didn't back out. He didn't flinch. He didn't even blink.

Alex's hand was like a rock! Thanks to his hidden stats, his grip was iron! He squeezed back just enough to stop Joel's hand from crushing him. They stood there, locked in a silent battle of strength, their knuckles turning white, their veins popping out on their forearms!

Suddenly, the System screamed in Alex's mind!

[WARNING! WARNING!]

[Boss Battle Detected!]

[This man... he is not a normal mob character, Boss! His energy reading is high! He is powerful! This is your First Boss Battle! He is a Rank B Warrior disguised in a suit!]

Alex heard the System telling him this nonsense stuff, and instead of being scared... he chuckled.

'He he. A Boss Battle, huh? Finally. Some real entertainment.'

He looked at Joel with amused eyes.

They continued to size each other up. The air between them started to crackle with electricity. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife!

Cassandra stood there, blinking. She felt the temperature getting hot somehow. She fanned her face with her hand.

"Is the AC broken?" she wondered aloud. "Why is it so hot suddenly? What is happening?"

She didn't know what was happening at all. She was totally oblivious to the testosterone war happening right in front of her salad!

Finally, Joel realized he couldn't crush Alex's hand. He let go abruptly. Swish. He fixed his cuff with a frown.

"Anyway," Cassandra said, trying to break the weird silence. "Joel, honey? What are you doing in this street? I thought you were busy at your office uptown?"

Joel turned to her. Immediately, his face changed. The scary look vanished, and he put on the Charming Gentleman Smile™ mask.

"Ah, yes. I was busy," Joel said smoothly. "But something came up. Something big. It is an exclusive."

Cassandra perked up instantly! Her reporter ears twitched!

"An exclusive?!" she gasped. "What is it?"

Joel leaned in, lowering his voice to make it sound dangerous.

"We just got a credible report," Joel whispered. "Intel says that someone... someone living on this very street... is working with the Milk Terrorists! They are a spy! And I am here to catch them."

Alex was taken aback. He was totally shocked!

'Someone on this street... working with the terrorists?'

His brain worked fast. Click, click. He connected the dots instantly. He knew exactly who Joel was talking about. He was talking about Alex!

Because who else? Who else was the one who gave this Milk Terrorist gang the secret alchemy formula? Who gave them the recipe for the "Explosive Milk Bomb" or whatever crazy weapon they used to blow up the milk factory?

It was him! It was Alex!

He had sold them the formula days ago. The deal was simple: he gives the formula, they give him 2 Million Crowns. That was the deal! That was the life-changing money he was promised!

But those dirty scammers... they took the formula and ran away! They didn't pay him a single dime!

'Those bastards!' Alex gritted his teeth. Grrr. 'I am getting angry just thinking about it. 2 Million Crowns! Do you know how many potions I can buy with that? Do you know how many wives I can steal with that kind of money?!'

He was furious. He clenched his fists under the table. He was going to get it back. He swore to himself right there that he was going to hunt down those Milk Terrorists and shake the money out of them!

But while Alex was fuming about his lost fortune, Cassandra was on the other hand getting more and more excited.

"Really, Joel?!" she gasped, her eyes wide. "A spy? Here? That is huge! That is the scoop I need!"

She started probing for information. She was desperate.

"Who is it? Is it a man or a woman? Which house? Come on, honey! Tell me! If I report this, I will definitely get that promotion! Give me a name!"

But Joel? He was a jerk. He didn't give her the satisfaction. He liked seeing her beg.

"Now, now, Cassandra," Joel chuckled condescendingly, patting her hand like she was a child. "I can't just leak classified guild information. It is top secret. You have to wait until I catch him. Maybe then... if you are a good girl... I will give you an interview."

He played with his words. He dangled the information in front of her face but snatched it away! He was enjoying the power he had over her.

Alex watched this. He watched Joel's smug, arrogant face. He watched how Joel treated Cassandra like an accessory instead of a partner.

'I hate this guy,' Alex decided instantly. 'I absolutely hate him. He is arrogant. He is controlling. And he is annoying.'

And not to mention... Alex looked at Cassandra. He looked at her blonde hair, her eager green eyes, and her tight business suit that was struggling to contain her curves.

'I like her,' Alex admitted to himself. 'I really like her. She is hot. She is useful. And she deserves better than this suit-wearing clown.'

So, there was no way—absolutely zero chance—that he was going to give her to him at all! He wasn't going to let this Joel guy keep her!

His Male Ego wasn't allowing it at all! It was roaring inside him! A Boss Battle? Fine! But the prize for winning this battle wasn't just XP... it was the girl!

'I am going to take her,' Alex thought with a wicked smirk. 'I am going to meddle in this relationship until it breaks. I am going to steal her right from under his nose.'

Alex decided to speak up. He leaned forward, interrupting their little moment.

"You know, Joel," Alex said loudly, drawing attention to himself. "That sounds very impressive. But are you sure your 'intel' is correct? Or are you just trying to look cool in front of your girlfriend to hide the fact that you haven't caught anyone yet?"

Joel's face turned red. The veins on his forehead popped out like worms! He didn't like being challenged by a nobody in a cheap shirt.

"Look here, peasant," Joel sneered, adjusting his expensive silk tie. "I don't try to look cool. I am cool. I am a D Rank adventurer, and a top executive. I have resources you can't even dream of. My intel is solid. What do you have? A cup of cheap black coffee?"

He laughed mockingly. "Ha ha."

Alex didn't get mad. He just smiled a lazy, arrogant smile. He decided to play the game. He decided to one-up him right there.

"Resources?" Alex chuckled. "That's cute. But resources don't mean anything if you don't know how to use them, Joel. Just like in a relationship, right? Having a girlfriend doesn't mean you know how to satisfy her."

"What did you say?!" Joel slammed his hand on the table. Bang! The cups rattled.

Alex ignored him completely. He turned his attention solely to Cassandra. He looked at her with soft, intimate eyes, completely cutting Joel out of the conversation.

"By the way, Cassandra," Alex said, his voice smooth like velvet. "I really enjoyed our time today. It was short, but... intense. I am glad I could give you that 'advice' earlier. And I am glad I got your number."

He waved his phone in the air.

Joel saw the phone. He saw that Alex had his girlfriend's private number!

"You gave him your number?!" Joel shouted at Cassandra. He was getting jealous! He was getting possessive! "Why? Why does this guy need your number?"

"It... it is for work! For news!" Cassandra stammered, feeling the heat. She looked at Alex, then at Joel. She felt like the prize in a tug-of-war!

"Exactly," Alex smirked. "For news. Because unlike your boyfriend here who promises you crumbs... who promises you vague 'intel' about some low-level spy..."

Alex leaned in close to Cassandra. He invaded her personal space right in front of Joel's face!

"I promise you the whole cake."

"What do you mean?" Cassandra breathed, leaning in too. She couldn't help it! Alex was so mysterious!

"I mean," Alex whispered, looking deeply into her green eyes. "That exclusive I told you about? The surprise? I guarantee you, Cassandra... it will be bigger than his."

He emphasized the word 'bigger'. He made it sound dirty. He made it sound like he was talking about something else entirely!

"My scoop is huge. It will blow his tiny little spy story out of the water. It will make you the Queen of News. So... wait for my call, okay?"

And then, Alex did the finishing move.

He winked at her.

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