?Chapter 1461:


    Rhys spared him a nce but didn’t move an inch, leaving Casper standing there, awkward and exposed.


    Casper’sugh came out stilted and brittle. His smile wavered, but he quickly rallied, swallowing his difort.


    “Mr. Green, allow me to lead by example!”


    With a flourish, Casper downed his drink in one go, the burn of the liquor doing little to mask his growing unease. Wiping his mouth, he forced a grin.


    “Now, about that coboration we discussed…”


    Rhys and Casper had first met on Rhys’ first night in elia. Casper had used the excuse that he could no longer control N to ask for an exorbitant price, demanding that Rhys help him be the head of the Happer family within three months.


    At that time, Rhys had agreed without hesitation, leaving Casper with the false impression that he was approachable and easy to work with. It was under this illusion that Casper had walked straight into Rhys’ trap, finding himself hosting tonight’s banquet.


    Rhys, unbothered, toyed with the stem of his wine ss, his expression unreadable. Despite the weariness in his features, there was no mistaking the quiet power radiating from him. He was a storm waiting to strike, and everyone could feel the electricity in the air.


    Suddenly, Rhys set the wine ss down with a deliberate thud, his gaze drifting to the newly opened bottle of foreign liquor. A sly smile yed on his lips as he remarked, “I heard you can hold your liquor better than most. How about giving us all a little demonstration tonight?”


    The words struck Casper like a bolt from the blue, his expression darkening in an instant. Beneath the table, his hands clenched into tight fists. Was Rhys mocking him? Was this an attempt to turn him into the evening’s entertainment? It felt like a cruel joke.


    Rhys’ attitude had taken such a sharp turn that Casper was left reeling. Hadn’t they been partners?


    The sting of humiliation burned in Casper’s chest. Feeling cornered and unable to tolerate the fall from grace, he snapped, his voiceced with anger, “Mr. Green, what exactly are you trying to prove here? Don’t you think you’re crossing the line? Let me make something very clear—I’m not your subordinate. We’re equals, business partners!”


    Casper raised his chin defiantly and swept his gaze across the room, taking in the startled expressions on the faces of those present. A surge of satisfaction coursed through him. He knew their respect wasn’t genuine. They had only approached him because of Oaklee’s influence. Tonight wasn’t about asking Rhys for favors. It was about making a name for himself in elia and building his support base. Relying on Rhys was too risky—a gamble Casper wasn’t willing to take. That was why he had agreed to work with N, spreading his chances across multiple paths.


    Every gaze in the room shifted to Rhys, and the observers exchanged uneasy nces, silently questioning his identity.


    Rhys’ easygoing expression hardened in an instant, his tone sharp andmanding.


    “Oaklee, remind Casper of his position.”


    “Understood,” Oaklee replied.


    Oaklee walked over to Casper and struck him across the face twice, the sound echoing through the room. Her smile remained intact as she said, “Casper, do you understand where you stand now?”


    Casper froze for a moment, his eyes wide with shock. Anger quickly overtook him, his hands trembling. She had pped him—in front of everyone. He pulled out his gun and pressed it against her head. His voice, low and furious, broke the tension.


    .


    .


    .