?Chapter 1198:


    Bryan checked his phone, responding to a few messages before putting it away and opening the door to exit.


    “Let’s use the back door,” Bryan said. Having been to the club before, Bryan knew about the small door behind the bar. Raymond exited the car and quickly caught up with Bryan. The club was lively, with asional singing and chatter filling the air.


    From their vantage point on the second floor, Bryan had a clear view of the entrance below. He leaned against the railing, crossing his arms, intently watching the entrance.


    As night fell, the bar grew more crowded.


    “This isn’t right,” Raymond said, his voiceced with concern. “Milford usually shows up in the afternoon, but…”


    Raymond’s anxiety grew, wondering if he had misread Milford’s patterns. Bryan took a deep breath, about to respond, when a surprised voice came from behind him.


    “Bryan?”


    He turned to see a group of people exiting the elevator, led by Presley. The group seemed to be a gathering of ssmates.


    Bryan had no idea the gathering was being held there. The coincidence was unexpected.


    “Presley said you’d show up, but we didn’t think you’d actuallye! Guess her word carries more weight than ours!” a bald man joked, careful not to overstep due to Bryan’s high social standing.


    The crowd’s gazes were uninhibited, their thoughts running wild with spection.


    “Mr. Gibson.” Bryan approached and greeted Soren, ignoring the man’s words.


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    Soren pped Bryan on the shoulder and gestured towards the private room beside them. “Delighted you could make it, and even more so that you’re early. Come on in.”


    Bryan furrowed his brow and nced at Raymond.


    Raymond immediately understood. He nodded, stepped back from the crowd, and kept his eyes on the club’s entrance. Bryan was enthusiastically ushered by Soren and others into the private room.


    The private room was spacious, designed to hold about sixty people and equipped with various entertainment options. Karaoke was just one of the standard features. Waiters stood ready by the gaming and billiard tables.


    The bottles of wine on the table caught the colorful lights flickering throughout the room.


    Since Bryan was there, he decided to make the most of it. With Soren nearby, Bryan found himself at the center of the sofa. He unbuttoned and rolled up his sleeves, holding a ss of wine and chatting with the people around him.


    Presley maintained a distance from Bryan, choosing instead to sit at a table with several other women. They chatted as they yed cards.


    “Presley, you lead the gathering this time. Did you do it for him?” one of the women asked.


    “Don’t be ridiculous,” Presley replied, discarding a card. “We’re each married to someone else.”


    Although Presley was a teacher, she was only a few years older than the group she sat with.


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