The Tycoon's Odyssey

Chapter 280: 280:Roundabout Plan

"Yawn''

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Suri woke slowly, her eyes fluttering open as the soft morning light streamed through the window. She shifted slightly, only to find herself held firmly in place by a pair of warm, wolfish paws.

Looking down at her waist, she saw Evan's arm wrapped snugly around her waist, his hand resting on her with a gentle possessiveness that made her heart skip.

Turning her gaze to look at his face, she felt a wave of warmth and contentment. For once, the usual intensity that shadowed his face had softened, replaced by a rare serenity as he slept.

The early rays of sunlight highlighted his features, casting a warm glow over his strong jaw and relaxed expression. She wished she could hold on to this moment, preserving the peacefulness on his face. It was rare to see Evan looking calm and at ease.

Reaching out, she gently brushed a hand through his hair.

A soft smile crossed her lips. "Hmm! Even in your sleep, you won't even let me go..." she murmured quietly.

Without opening his eyes, Evan replied in a low low, slightly teasing voice, "Why would I? Don't children cling to their favorite dolls when they sleep?"

Caught off guard, Suri blinked in surprise, her cheeks flushing while Evan finally opened his eyes, a glint of amusement in them.

"You were awake?" she asked, half disbelieving.

Evan shrugged, his expression softening, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "For a long time...but I didn't want to disturb you."

A warm flutter stirred in her chest, and Suri laughed softly. "The more time I spend with you, the more you remind me of those perfect, possessive CEOs in those stories—cold and untouchable to everyone else, yet so warm and understanding to their girls," she teased, her smile widening.

Evan's eyes sparked with mischief as he leaned closer, his devilish grin making her heart skip. "I can be even more possessive if that's what you are after..."

"Ugh, stop!" she scoffed, her cheeks burning red.

"That smile is too addictive..."

"And what will you do if I don't stop?" he challenged, raising an eyebrow.

She stared at him for a heartbeat, then playfully pounced, sending them both tumbling in a fit of laughter and wrestling across the bed. They playfully grappled back and forth, each trying to pin the other until a knock on the door finally pulled them back to the present.

Suri soon found herself outmatched by Evan's strength and couldn't help but wonder which superhuman serum the guy must have used to gain such an advantage.

"Okay, let's stop, it's getting late."

Evan opened his eyes and met her gaze with a newfound resolve. At that moment, he understood that no matter how uncertain the path ahead was, he didn't have to face it alone.

_____

While it was a relaxing time for Evan, the same couldn't be said for his opponents.

The room was dim, and a suffocating heaviness clung to the air with shadows pooled around each figure, illuminating faces that were drawn and pale, marked by exhaustion and despair.

The silence was dense, broken only by the labored breaths and the occasional clink of glasses being set down as they struggled to process what had just been shared.

Unable to forget what had transpired a few days ago, all they could resort to was chunks of alcohol to numb their feeling of lingering dread.

Noah stared at the glass in his hand, his knuckles whitening as he tightened his grip. He cast a sideways glance at Paul, who looked as if all life had drained from him. His once assured expression was replaced with something hollow, a ghost of his usual confidence.

"So you're telling me," Noah's voice was edged with disbelief, "that the guy who couldn't even pass an exam a few years ago now has suits powerful enough to trample an army?"

Paul swallowed, his gaze distant as he recounted the memory. "I saw it myself, Noah. If you'd been there—" His voice faltered.

"Bullets... stopped mid-air, like they hit an invisible wall. And his speed... was no way... it wasn't natural."

"I am even suspicious if he is a superhuman."

A thick and oppressive silence settled over the group, lingering until Noah, in a surge of frustration, hurled his glass across the room.

BOOM!

The glass struck the wall and shattered.

The shattering sound echoed and the fragments caught the dim light as they scattered across the floor. All eyes turned to him, but he seemed unfazed.

"Are you all kidding me? Does any of this make sense?" His eyes burned as he scanned every face in the room. "We're talking about Hollywood-level tech here... What, is this supposed to be some kind of movie?"

"It doesn't make sense," Richard murmured, his expression stoic, though his voice held an underlying tremor. "But it exists."

Noah's gaze shifted to Jagesh, seeking any sign of reaction. But Jagesh just looked... tired, like the weight of each failure had aged him a decade in a matter of mere moments. His shoulders had sagged, his eyes devoid of the sharpness that once used to define him.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Richard asked, his voice tinged with an almost desperate weariness.

"What do you expect me to say?" Jagesh replied, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice. "Should I scream and bang my head against the table? Or maybe run around like a madman, shouting until I lose my mind?"