Free Web NovelChapter 136: Chapter 136 A Bet 2
Throughout their conversation, he had remained completely silent, showing no reaction whatsoever, as though he hadn’t heard a single word. He sat motionless in his seat like an unmoving statue, exuding an eerie sense of detachment from everything around him.
Yet Ashley knew better. Beneath that calm and silent exterior, the man had undoubtedly been listening to every word. What drew her attention even more was the empty space surrounding him.
While the other VIPs sat in clusters, accompanied by allies, guards, or associates, not a single person occupied the seats near him. It was as if everyone in the room had unconsciously, or perhaps deliberately, chosen to keep their distance from him.
Ashley fell silent for a moment, appearing to ponder something before a sweet smile curved her lips. Wrapping her arm around Gideon’s, she softly cooed, "Honey, why don’t we sit over there?" As she spoke, she pointed toward a row of seats not far from the masked man.
The instant her finger landed in that direction, several pairs of eyes in the VIP section turned toward her. Their expressions were a mixture of disbelief, mockery, and anticipation, as though they were looking at an ignorant newcomer who had no idea where she stood or whose territory she was about to intrude upon. Some even struggled to suppress their smirks, clearly expecting an entertaining scene to unfold.
Yet despite their reactions, no one stepped forward to warn Ashley and Gideon’s group. Instead, they remained silent spectators, their gazes flickering between the newcomers and the masked man.
It was obvious they were eager to see what would happen if someone dared to occupy the seats near the mysterious figure whom everyone else seemed determined to avoid.
"Alright," Gideon agreed with a simple nod.
To anyone else, Ashley’s suggestion might have sounded innocent, but he knew exactly what she was trying to do. Not only did he understand her intentions, but he fully supported them. Leading the group toward the front row, he calmly took a seat only a short distance away from the lone masked man.
The chair was a spacious leather armchair designed for comfort, but instead of allowing Ashley to take the neighboring seat, Gideon casually reached out and pulled her onto his lap.
Ashley let out a startled gasp.
Before she could react, she found herself seated sideways on his thigh, securely trapped within the circle of his arm. The unexpected intimacy caught her completely off guard. Even through the layers of their clothing, she could feel the warmth radiating from his body and the firm muscles beneath her. A wave of nervousness crept through her, causing her heart to skip a beat.
Her eyes widened as she turned to look at him questioningly.
In response, Gideon merely offered her a lazy, unrepentant grin.
"Baby, don’t be shy," he murmured near her ear, his voice carrying a teasing note.
Without even turning his head, he could practically feel Gage’s murderous glare boring into the side of his face. The thought only amused him further. After all, opportunities to get this close to Ashley did not come often, and he had no intention of wasting one. freeωebnovēl.c૦m
Meanwhile, Ashley was struggling to maintain her composure. She suddenly had no idea where to place her hands or how to sit properly. Every movement felt awkward, and the awareness of Gideon’s proximity only made matters worse. A faint blush gradually spread across her cheeks, coloring her fair skin a delicate shade of pink.
Looking at her now, she resembled an innocent little rabbit that had accidentally wandered into a den of wolves, looking adorably flustered, defenseless, and utterly unaware of how captivating she appeared.
The male VIP guests nearby watched the scene with amused expressions. Some chuckled quietly, while others found their gazes lingering on Ashley longer than they intended.
Compared to the naturally charming and innocent-looking young woman before them, their own companions suddenly seemed far less eye-catching. More than a few of them found themselves wishing they could spoil and pamper such a delicate little fawn themselves.
Ashley bit her lower lip, desperately trying to hold back the retort that was on the tip of her tongue. Yet the moment she did, she noticed Gideon’s gaze drop briefly to her lips. There was an unmistakable, intense hunger in his eyes before his gaze slowly lifted to meet hers once more.
The look sent a shiver down her spine.
For some reason, Ashley suddenly felt as though she were sitting directly in front of a patient predator that had fixed its attention entirely on her. Every instinct urged her to be careful, making her acutely aware of every small movement she made.
"Stop moving, baby, or you’ll wake up my little brother," Gideon said with a grin.
The words sounded teasing enough, but the look in his eyes and the depth in his voice suggested otherwise. There was nothing lighthearted about the way he was staring at her.
For a moment, Ashley’s mind went completely blank.
Then realization struck.
Her eyes widened, and she instantly froze in place, sitting as stiffly as a statue. Not a single muscle dared move.
The sight was so unexpected that Gideon couldn’t help but let out a low chuckle. Amusement danced in his eyes as he watched her remain perfectly still, looking as though she was afraid that even breathing too loudly might cause some sort of disaster.
The more flustered she became, the more entertained he seemed, while Ashley could only sit there in embarrassed silence, silently cursing his shamelessness.
While Gideon amused himself by teasing the flustered Ashley, the other VIP guests were experiencing a completely different kind of shock.
Many of them had been quietly waiting for a spectacle ever since the newcomers chose seats so close to the masked man. In their minds, it was only a matter of time before trouble erupted. Yet to their growing confusion, the masked figure remained perfectly still, showing no intention of driving them away or punishing them for daring to enter his personal space.
This was completely unlike him.
Everyone present knew that the masked man despised having strangers linger too close to him. He valued his solitude to an almost obsessive degree, and he had even less tolerance for noisy individuals disrupting his peace.
Over time, an invisible boundary had naturally formed around him. No one dared cross it unless absolutely necessary, creating a noticeable vacuum of empty seats surrounding his position.
It wasn’t because he demanded it.
It was because people feared the consequences of ignoring it.
Although he often sat in silence, detached from the world around him, the veterans of the underground circle knew better than to mistake his quietness for harmlessness. Beneath that calm exterior lurked a ruthless and merciless side. Whenever he chose to act, he did so with chilling decisiveness, revealing a darkness that had left more than a few people deeply traumatized.
That was why the scene unfolding before them felt so surreal.
Ashley and Gideon had practically settled themselves within his orbit, openly chatting and behaving as though nothing was unusual, yet the masked man remained motionless. Not even a warning glance was sent their way.
