Secret Scion

Castor Yaeger had been drinking with Peter White and the others, but he did his best not to drink too much before leaving halfway through. He spotted Asher Crawford when he was heading downstairs, and he had an attendant pour him a hangover cure.

Beckoning for Asher to sit, he said, "I've always heard that Hunter Larson can go a little overboard. So, it's the same with his drinking, huh? How are you feeling, Mr. Crawford?"

Asher took the hangover cure from the attendant but shook his head. "I'm fine. Tell me what's on your mind."

Castor quickly said, "The Gentlemen is really getting full of themselves lately. Just give me a shout whenever I can be of assistance. Even if the members are all a faction on their own, I don't give a shit because I'm from out of town. If push comes to shove, I'll just pack my bags and return to Rollinsford."

Asher took a sip of his drink and said, "No, you've gone through so much to establish yourself here in Alexandrius. I absolutely refuse to let your hard work go to waste, especially since I already have a plan in mind."

"Castor," Dove Yaeger called out from the doorway then, and Asher turned to find her in a breezy silk gown with a denim jacket on. Dove had always been conservative, and the pale blue gown magnified her demure elegance, drawing every pair of eyes nearby as soon as she entered. "Oh, I didn't expect to see you here either, Asher." She smiled. "What's that stuff you're drinking, though?"

Castor chuckled. "Mr. Crawford had a little too much to drink, so I had an attendant pour him some hangover cure."

"Wasn't Griffin saying that you're quite the drinker? Who could have made you this drunk?" Dove asked just then.

Castor could not help exclaiming then, "Griffin? As in Mr. Quinn?"

"Yeah. What about it, Castor?" Dove nodded.

Surprise showed in Castor's eyes, but he chuckled awkwardly and claimed that it was nothing even if it was not actually the case.

Back when Castor first came to Alexandria, he only managed to rub shoulders with third-rate rich kids. On the other hand, Dove had just come for a few days and immediately made friends with Griffin, even appearing to be on good terms with him... If this went on, Dove would be the one who protected him instead.

It was past ten after they finished dinner and left the hotel.

Hunter passed Asher a cigarette and lit it, asking, "So? What are we going to do about that pickle you're facing, Mr. Crawford?"

Taking a puff of the cigarette, he said, "Calm down. Let's check out the bar tomorrow before that."

Soon, Hunter and his boys headed off to a nearby hotel to get a room and sleep.

Still feeling drunk, Asher wanted to take a cab home, but Dove insisted on giving him a ride. As such, he had no choice but to accept.

He stared outside the window as he rode shotgun, and he wondered about Griffin and Dove- did Griffin catch on and become upset? Why else did he not reach out over the last few days?

In the end, he could not help coming clean. "Griffin likes you."

Dove nodded. "I know. But I like you."

Asher frowned. "You know that there's someone I like, not to mention that Griffin and I go way back. I really don't want this to affect us, so we should keep our distance."

"Why?!"

Dove abruptly slammed her foot on the brakes at his words, and Asher thought that he would have knocked into the windshield if he had not put his seatbelt on.

Meanwhile, Dove was ranting, "Just because you two are brothers?! Is that why I have to give up on my feelings?! Don't you think that's unfair, Asher Crawford?! Also, if you two really are as close as brothers, I would not affect your relationship, not to mention that I'd fallen for you even before I met him."

Asher always thought that he was sharp-witted, but Dove left him speechless. Making a grim face, he simply said, "Drive."

"Asher, I came to Alexandrius because of you, and I'm not about to give up so easily. You can turn me away, but I have the right to chase after you too." Dove huffed.

Asher had nothing to say to that, so he simply stayed silent.

***

The next day, Asher brought Hunter to Bar Avenue in the afternoon. The bar which Joel Harrison was providing them was called the Sky Bar, and while it was a little larger than David Wakeford's Viva, it was still midsized.

Nina-the spandex lady Asher met in Joel's office-used to be in charge of the place. It was almost natural if anyone doubted that someone with her doll-like appearance was deep in Alexandrius' underbelly, even serving as one of Joel's trusted subordinates.

Asher had heard about the woman before too. Her name was actually Nina Tucker, and she belonged to an unimportant family. However, after she got involved in some shady businesses for some reason, she ended up gaining some degree of fame for her work. Years ago, she joined Joel's group, and she climbed the ranks to become one of his top executives with her savage methods.

It just so happened that Nina was on hand to meet Asher since Joel could not show up. After giving him and Hunter a tour around the bar, she said, "This is a good place, don't you think? If it wasn't for Mr. Harrison's approval, I would not have allowed anyone to take this place from me... Not even you, Asher Crawford."

The cool edge in her voice only made clear the disrespect Nina held toward Asher. She had heard of him years before, though he was the stereotypical spoiled rich kid who bullied anyone he could, throwing his weight around and doing nothing good at all, which was why Nina thought him beneath her.

Asher, however, simply smiled in relief. "Well, men should never admit it even if they really are helpless. Sometimes we just have to fake it, especially in front of beautiful women."

Nina immediately glowered at his words. Her pretty eyes flashed dangerously before her fist abruptly shot forward.

After all, a woman must either be sharp-witted or be strong enough to throw a punch to make it in this world... that was, aside from prostitution.

Having survived the streets for years and rising as one of Joel's top executives, Nina was certainly no wallflower.

Her punch was quick, too. Asher could even see her knuckles turning pale, and it was obvious that there was some serious weight behind the punch, although it was still nothing to him.

However, just as Asher was about to counter her with a subtle smile on his lips, Hunter moved before he could, knocking away Nina's punch and snapping, "Who do you think you are, trying to exchange blows with Mr. Crawford?! You're not getting past me!"

Naturally, Hunter was stunned that Nina did not even bother to look at him, and was still glaring at Asher in contempt. "Take away your place as the Crawfords' scion, and what does that make you? I beat up hundreds of spoiled brats like you every year!"

Despite her threat, Hunter knew how strong Asher actually was, even if Nina could not tell. In fact, he stood so far above them that the woman was as suicidal as she was conceited. However, just as Hunter was about to speak up for Asher, he stopped Hunter by raising a palm while chuckling, "Well, I have made it this far as the Crawfords' scion. Also, I am a spoiled brat— what can you do about it?"

The arrogance!

Nina was so incensed she could blow up right then, and her ample bosom was already heaving so rapidly that her clothes seemed to be straining to keep her under wraps.

"You will learn to fear me, Asher Crawford!" She snarled through gritted teeth, before storming off in frustration.

Hunter pointed at her as she left, asking, "Who is she, Mr. Crawford? That punch actually was not just for show."

"You'll find out eventually." Asher told him as he led him out of Sky Bar, where they happened to see Nina's car speeding away into the distance, kicking up a gust of dust in its wake. "Joel demanded 750,000 dollars to let me have this place, which isn't an unacceptable price." Getting in the car, Hunter put on his seatbelt while pointing out, "That's actually a small sum... But I don't think I have that much cash at the moment. I'm going to need a few days." Moreover, the interior decoration would also cost him a few hundred grand as well, which was why 750,000 really was not much.

"It's fine. Joel Harrison isn't in a rush to get paid either, so take your time."

As they drove out of Bar Avenue, Asher briefed Hunter about the area's circumstances. He told Hunter that even if Joel did not control all of Alexandrius' underbelly, he had still been top dog for years, and this area was basically his turf.

Therefore, even if Hunter Larson could establish a foothold in Alexandrius, it was next to impossible for him to strengthen his influence.

"Mr. Crawford, I'm prepared I have a way out as long as I still have Rollinsford, but whether we

can establish ourselves here depends on my luck entirely," he said, seemingly open-minded about his options.