Chapter 37 Defaulting


    It all happened in less than a second, as the guard was left half-dead and embedded into the wall in the


    blink of an eye. The other guard gulped and dropped his dagger to the ground. His legs were trembling.


    How could such an alluring woman be so violent?


    Just how strong was she that she could kick a person and knock theirpany''s own wall down?


    "Care you inform your boss now?"


    Leo sat down in the reception area and said coldly, "You have no say in this matter. It''s not worth losing


    your life for something you can''t control, is it?"


    His calm words caused the guard''s face to turn deathly pale. Without even thinking about it, he turned


    around and started sprinting. He tripped over his feet several times because of his fear.


    Leo continued to sit on the sofa with his eyes closed, resting as he waited for the guard''s return.


    Nadine stood respectfully beside him. There was a cold glint in her eyes as she said, "Mr. Cohen,


    there''s no need for you to do this personally. You could have left it to me."


    Leo gave a faint smile and said calmly, "Nadine, things are different now. I''ve always supported you in


    your ways in the past, but I have to be aw-abiding citizen now that I''ve retired. Since there are


    restrictions everywhere, I can''t do things the way we used to."


    Nadine let out a quiet scoff, but since he had said so, she knew better than to protest.


    Noticing this, Leo could not help but smile. "It''s not toote for you to step in if they don''t listen, is it?"


    This finally put a smile on Nadine''s face and she stood eagerly behind him.


    "Oh my, visitors from As Beauty. What a treat."


    Right at this moment, seductiveughter came from the elevator area. Leo and Nadine looked toward


    the source of the sound.


    They saw an alluring woman walking toward them. She was wearing a skintight purple mesh dress,


    that outlined her seductive figure. The makeup on her fair oval face was on the heavy side, and even


    her charming almond-shaped eyes were framed with glittering purple eyeshadow.


    She walked toward them on her four-inch-high heels like a model strutting down the catwalk. When she


    arrived in front of Leo, he got a whiff of her strong, almost choking, perfume.


    Frowning, he took a step back and looked coldly at the woman who seemed deeply entrenched in


    nightlife activities.


    "Let me introduce myself. I''m Nicole Davis, Chief Investment Officer of Cleo Entertainment."


    She giggled and stretched out a hand, all while sizing Leo up with a seductive gaze. "I''m sorry about


    my men. They''re a bit uncouth, aren''t they?"


    "Even though she''s an exec, she''s merely a ceholder. She''s actually Frank Perry''s mistress. He sent


    her to monitor the activities here," Nadine whispered in Leo''s ear.


    "I''m Leo Cohen."


    Leo did not shake hands with Nicole. He went straight to the point and said, "I''m here to collect


    payment. I''ll leave once the money has been transferred to ourpany''s ount."


    Nicole giggled again. "Mr. Cohen, don''t make it sound like we''replete strangers! Ourpanies


    have been working together for some time now. I''ll be embarrassed if I let you leave just like this," she


    said. "Whatever it is, let''s talk about it over drinks."


    Leo gave her a cold look. He understood what she was saying; it seemed that Cleo Entertainment was


    determined to default on their debt.


    "Very well. Lead the way."


    Leo was daring and capable. Moreover, he was also curious to see what Cleo Entertainment was up to.


    "This way, please."


    Nicole pressed the button of the elevator and invited Leo and Nadine in with a smile, all while quietly


    putting her other hand into a pocket.


    The elevator did not go up. Instead, it descended to the second floor underground. The moment the


    elevator doors opened; Leo could hear deafening heavy metal music.


    It turned out that there was a high-end nightclub on this floor.


    Since there was no sunlight in level B2, day and night did not exist here, and the club was open all day.


    There were colorful lights and a buxom hostess was dancing on the dance floor. Scathes of tattooed


    men and women were embracing each other, shaking their heads. The overall mood was noxious and


    repulsive.


    The deafening heavy metal music continued to y, and the air reeked of cheap alcohol. Leo remained


    calm, but Nadine''s face took on a mildly disgusted look. She did not like such an environment.


    Nicole sat down at the bar and concocted three sses of alcohol with expertise. She gave one to Leo,


    one to Nadine, and thest one to herself. She tasted it with her red lips. Under the spotlight, her face


    looked charming and seductive.


    Leo took the ss of liqueur but did not drink it immediately. Instead, he swirled it in the ss and said,


    "Miss Davis, this isn''t the right ce for a serious conversation, is it?"


    "What''s wrong with this ce?"


    Nicole wore a teasing smile. "Besides, what''s wrong is youing here and demanding payment


    without knowing the full story, isn''t it?"


    Leo raised an eyebrow. "You repay what you owe, that''s just how it works. We have down in writing too.


    You still owe us 10 million."


    "Yes, that''s what the contract says, but do you think that yourpany has provided us with the perfect


    service?"


    Nicole was still smiling, but her smile soon turned ice-cold. "We hired As Beauty to build this


    nightclub, but yourpany skimped on the materials during construction, and did not meet our design


    requirements. That vited our contract. If I were Mr. O''Brien, I would''ve refused to pay the remainder


    10 million too."


    Leoughed.


    This was quite the clear trick: turning around and ming the victim instead.


    That must be how Nicole was able to win Frank Perry''s favor at such a young age. She was a capable


    young woman.


    When Leo fell silent, Nicole thought that he had been spooked, so she continued, "Mr. O''Brien has


    made it clear that he''ll pay the rest of the money, but not now."


    "When will that be, then?" Leo asked with interest, his smile widening.


    "We''ve been upied with a major project recently, and we don''t have enough to make ends meet.


    When we generate some profit, we''ll pay yourpany through installments."


    Nicole continued earnestly, "You can rest assured, we''re an above-boardpany. We don''t do


    anything shady. Honestly, it''s your CEO who doesn''t understand Mr. O''Brien, but he doesn''t care about


    such trivial matters. He told me if there are any more profitable projects in the future, we''ll work with


    As Beauty again, and make money together."


    "But if your CEO insists on ruining our rtionship for a measly 10 million sum and losing Mr. O''Brien''s


    favor, even I can''t tell what kind of trouble that will cause."


    This was a tant threat. Even though Nicole was smiling, her expression was vicious.


    The men around them were drinking, but they also looked over, seemingly without intention. Their


    gazes were cold and dangerous.


    The side of their waists was bulging. It was obvious that they were hiding weapons.


    "You.."


    Nadine became furious and prepared to attack.


    Leo stopped her again, but there was no displeasure on his face. He said calmly, "So, you''re saying


    that I won''t be getting the 10 million back?"


    "Mr. Cohen, I’m afraid there''s nothing I can do," Nicole said regretfully.


    "All right then."


    Even though Leo nodded, he did not intend to leave. "You''re right. Ourpanies are business


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    partners. It''s not worth ruining our rtionship for a little bit of money."


    Nicole immediately beamed and said, "That''s the attitude! Would you like to stay here and y for a bit,


    Mr. Cohen?"


    "Sure." Leo nodded with a smile.


    Nicole called a man in a suit over. "This is Mr. Cohen from As Beauty. Take good care of him. Put all


    his expenses on my tab."


    "Yes, Miss Davis."


    The man in the suit brought a set of Ace of Spades champagnes to the table and left.


    Leo fetched two sses and handed one to Nadine. Then, he began to savor the champagne.


    There was an aggrieved expression on Nadine''s face. "Mr. Cohen, are we just going to let this go?"


    "Nadine, you''ve worked with me for so long. Don''t you know what I''m like?"


    Leo took a sip of wine and smiled. "When have I ever allowed people to push me around?"


    "So, you''re saying..." Nadine''s eyes lit up.


    "We''rew-abiding citizens. There are some things that we can''t do, but it doesn''t mean that others


    can''t."


    He then called someone with a smile. Soon, the call was connected and a wary voice entered his ear.


    "What''s the matter?"


    "Are you free now?" Leo asked, smiling.


    "What do you need me for?" The person on the other end of the line seemed even warier.


    "I want to buy you a drink."


    Leo grinned and added, "Come and help me cause some ruckus while you''re at it."