Michael saw Alex as little more than a foolish and reckless thug. His subordinates hadn't given him much information, but from what he had heard, he assumed Alex was just another overhyped martial artist who was all style and no skill.
Louisa is way too naïve, he thought. She really shouldn't believe everything she hears. A guy like Alex will do anything for attention, even offend the Chamber of Commerce, but I have dealt with people like him before. I don't think the masked men are with him, and I can easily take him on one on one.
Michael grinned as Alex stood in silence. He thought that Alex was too afraid to speak or act after what he had said to him.
He's all bark and no bite, he thought. Why is everyone so afraid of him?
"You're not impressing anyone with your knife skills," he said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "That guy you stabbed was helpless. Why not pick on someone your own size? Are you afraid that you'll show that you're a complete embarrassment to the martial arts world?"
Alex furrowed his brow and appeared to sink into deep thought.
He has no idea how to react, Michael thought with a self-satisfied smile. Louisa completely overestimated him.
He poured a glass of an expensive French wine into an ornate glass and sauntered over to Alex as he sipped it with an arrogant look on his face.
The partygoers gossiped with each other as they watched the two men interact.
"Michael's confidence is impressive. I can't believe he has the guts to stand up to Alex after what happened to Edwin."
"Alex is already wilting on the spot, and Michael didn't even have to lift a finger to intimidate him."
"I was feeling a bit groggy from all the wine we drank earlier, but I'm wide awake now!"
"I don't think that Alex will just stand there and let Michael chew him out. I heard he's a martial arts master. Maybe we'll get to see him show off his skills."
"That's all just smoke and mirrors. You can tell just by looking at Alex that there's no way he's a master. Would a master freeze up in fear like that?"
Michael's posturing while facing Alex won the crowd over, and they bubbled with excitement as they waited to see what he would do next.
As the crowd was distracted, Michael's subordinates snuck into the hall with concealed weapons under their jackets, ready to take Alex out at Michael's command. They hadn't seen how he had fought the guards outside the party, so were unaware of his true power.
After a long silence, Alex took a big sip of his wine and put the glass down. "Is that all?" he asked.
Michael gulped down his wine before placing his glass down too. "I'm too lazy to call the police and report an attempted murder, but I think Louisa might already be on the case. My uncle Steven is on the way too, and you have no idea how powerful he is."
He frowned as he stared at Alex. "You could have killed that man you stabbed," he said. "Do you think you're above the law? Don't you know the punishment for attempted murder?"
He pointed at Alex, and his gaze intensified. "It's life in prison for you," he shouted. "And if you somehow get a lighter sentence, then I'll have you taken care of myself.
"You're going to pay for what you did, and no one will care if a thug like you dies. You really should have thought things through before you stabbed someone. I'll give you a chance to turn tail and run now, but after that, you're on your own."
Sirens began to wail outside as the police arrived at the hall.
What a clown, Alex thought as he watched Michael's theatrics. I can't believe everyone is buying into his act. Do they really think I'm scared of him?
He leaned back in his chair with his hands laced together behind his head and chuckled.
"You're the real wimp here," he said. "You're full of hot air."
Louisa looked at Michael, her face etched with concern as her intuition gnawed away at her. There's more to Alex than meets the eye, she thought. Michael had better knock it off, or he's going to be in deep trouble.
Michael took a puff of his cigar as the sirens howled outside, and he blew the smoke onto Alex's face.
"Who are you calling a wimp?" he said. "This cigar is worth more than your monthly salary, and you still have the audacity to talk down to me. You have no idea who you're messing with.
"This is just the beginning. After the police arrest you, I'll make sure that you're punished so harshly that you'll wish you were dead."
He blew a smoke ring at Alex and flashed a confident smile, but as soon as the smoke had left his lips, Alex leaped up, closing the distance between them.
He snatched the cigar from Michael's fingers, turned it in his fist, and punched Michael so the lit end of the cigar scraped across his face.