Kale passed unnoticed by the restaurant staff all the way to the private room.
---
"Miss Soo Ari, Let me pour a glass for you," said Baek Kun-woo as he held the bottle of wine.
Ari was feeling pretty uncomfortable ever since she set foot here.
She saw all kinds of people on the way to the boot, it really carved in her heart that Baek Kun-woo wasn't the kind of righteous man.
If she didn't see him open the bottle in front of her and not miss a movement she wouldn't dare drink.
But since that wasn't the case she held the glass up for him.
He smiled wickedly as he poured.
He followed by pouring for Soo Chae-Won whilst looking at Ari embarrassedly only taking a sip and putting the glass down.
"Your sister here has been telling me a lot about your achievements in the company, even though none of it matched how she spoke about your beauty," he praised.
Her sister praised her? Something was wrong, normally she would always put her down or have her embarrassed in front of the clients.
She drank more of the wine and then answered bowing slightly, "I don't deserve such praise Sir Baek."
"Don't say that. In all my years studying abroad, I wouldn't be able to count the number of women that matched your natural beauty and innocent charm."
"Please don't say that Sir, you will break a lot of women's hearts." Ari still didn't want to take the compliment especially since his gaze became creepy in the middle of the conversation.
She tried to avoid it and drank her glass.
"So humble, Miss Soo, I admire your character. Here, another glass to our first meeting."
He leaned in to pour her again.
Her hand signaled for him to stop.
"I am not good with alcohol Sir, one was enough."
"Is Miss Soo Ari refusing my goodwill? If anything your bodyguard will take you home."
"It's still too early for that," she spoke coldly this time dropping the sir.
Baek Kun-woo's smile disappeared for a second.
But he quickly regained his aloof attitude and smiled again. "Alright Miss, then can I drop the honorifics? You wouldn't reject me twice, all to foster our relationship, huh?" He asked jokingly.
Ari was placed in a corner here.
She unintentionally thought of Kale.
Even for a bodyguard, he had such a nasty personality.
What would he do in this situation?
Suddenly she straightened her posture, "Sir Baek, let's please keep it professional."
Baek Kun-woo's eyes turned cold.
Soo Chae-Won in the background was smiling inside.
If he has Ari that was a plus for her for helping him. But if her sister keeps rejecting him like this and gets on his bad side, that would also result in good benefits for her.
"Miss-" Before he could finish his sentence the door opened.
Kale entered the room without knocking.
Ari was already feeling on edge, she unintentionally jumped up from her place with the sudden break-in.
She turned her eyes to find Kale walking in calmly, as always.
He stood behind her seat, quietly.
"Where were you?" She whispered to him.
He bent his back. His face was so close to hers.
Her eyes widened, she forgot how to breathe when she felt his breath on her ear.
Her eyes fell on his neck.
"I was taking care of some matters," he murmured too, softly, with his coarse voice.
Her eyes nervously shook but her expression was frozen.
"You!" She screamed at him in a quiet low voice.
Her face lit up red.
He made her frustrated, but it also calmed her uneasiness.
This bastard was teasing her again.
She was sure he was doing it on purpose.
Bastard, she thought.
Baek Kun-woo's eyes widened, surprised ever since Kale walked in.
"Tell me, did you see my bodyguard?"
Kale was still close to Ari.
He only raised his eyes slightly to meet Baek Kun-woo's, whose fingers were clutching the glass tightly.
Kale's lips slowly formed an evil grin. "He is still underground."
Everyone's eyes widened, even Ari's.
They could feel the hidden meaning behind his words.
Was that why he didn't follow her? Thought Ari.
Kale stood straight, without saying a word.
Ari's face darkened.
"You expect me to believe that the abandoned third son can afford someone of 7th rank? That bastard probably followed a girl again."
"Hey," Ari's voice turned cold. "Shut up," quietly and deadly she spoke. "Not only did you ask your bodyguard to attack mine, but you even dare to talk about my father like that."
Baek Kun-woo was surprised by her attitude.
But that didn't phase him. He started laughing. "Well, no matter. You still won't leave this place until I have what I want."
He raised his hand and did a weird signal to the room's hidden camera.
Her sister was smiling happily but still tried not to show it.
"Don't you know about the treaty?" Said Ari with her teeth clenched.
"My family signed with the Soo family. Your father only caries the name but he was cast away." He smirked.
Ari and her sister looked at him confused by his signs until their ears caught a commotion outside their boot.
A group of men opened the door. "Young master Baek," they spoke in unison bowing to him.
The tall man in the front looked pretty pissed. His murderous intent screamed as his eyes fell on Kale.
"One of you go look for my bodyguard. He is somewhere in the parking."
"He is dead," answered the enraged man.
"What?"
"He turned off the cameras before fighting this man, now he is but a dead body. My little brother, is dead."
"Gi-wan, if you kill him I will let you play with his master after I am done," angrily spoke Baek Kun-woo.
"I will keep him alive and defile her in front of him," said Gi-wan as he clenched his arms.
"I will be the first to taste her," spoke again Baek Kun-woo.
Ari's eyes widened, she started shivering all of a sudden.
She may have spoken up but she didn't expect this guy to just throw away her family name.
Baek Kun-woo turned to Ari. "If you had taken the second glass, this wouldn't have happened." He started laughing like a madman. "Your bodyguard may have won against his little brother, but Gi-wan is a veteran alongside the others. These 14 men are all A-rank damage dealers." His eyes turned lustful as he looked at Ari's body, "Now get on your knees. I might forgive you if you become obedient to me."
Ari was never put in such a situation with the other third generation of the Baek family. Did he lose his mind abroad?
If she gets killed or defiled here, it will destroy her mentally.
Revenge would be too late.
She hated it.
She staggered back from her chair.
Kale's figure suddenly entered her view.
"Get back!" She ordered him. "You will die if you face them head-on. Let's play on time."
She still tried to think calmly, took her phone out of her bag, and called her uncle from the emergency numbers with a single button.
The others couldn't react much as they were behind the table and they seemed to have a fun time watching her struggle.
They didn't know who she was calling.
"Calling your father to help? Awn, you poor thing," spoke Baek Kun-woo as he walked behind Gi-wan.
He patted his shoulder. "Make it quick I will be waiting in my private bedroom." He added leaving with a big laugh.
He had a separate floor with a bed on it. Just in the few months he was here it seemed he claimed this place as his territory.
Ari shook by his words and stood behind Kale.
She just wanted to have enough time to call her uncle.
Her face suddenly despaired as Gi-wan started walking towards them.
Even if she called her uncle, can he make it in time to save her?
Her eyes fell on the knives on the table.
If worse come to worse...
"Hello? Niece?" The voice came from her phone.
Gi-wan paused and started laughing with his men.
Ari nervously held her phone to her ear. "Y-yes uncle, Pearl pa-pavilion, please. Please!"
The men enjoyed her terrified voice.
"Where is Kale?!" Screamed her uncle with a loud thud as he jumped from his chair.
"He's here with me, bu-but too many A ranks." She couldn't speak properly.
Her uncle suddenly sighed.
Her eyes widened. "Uncle? Uncle?" She looked at her phone as he didn't speak anymore. "Are you there?!"
"Niece," her uncle's voice was calm which made her surprised.
"He will win."
As soon as he finished his words she felt hands wrapped around her phone.
When her eyes fell on the rings she unconsciously calmed down.