Chapter - 206


    Geoffrey, taken aback by the suddenness of the intervention and the sting of the p, stood frozen, his rage momentarily reced by shock. His face, now bearing the red imprint of the matriarch''s hand, turned towards her, eyes wide with a mix of pain, betrayal, and a dawning realization of his overstepped bounds.


    The old matriarch, her breathing slightly elerated from the sudden exertion, fixed Geoffrey with a look that could freeze boiling water. Her voice, when she finally spoke, was calm yet carried an undercurrent of steel. "We will not sumb to barbarity," she said, her gaze not leaving Geoffrey''s face. "Control yourself. Our guest has yet to answer, and we will hear him out. Is that understood?"


    The atmosphere within the café grew dense with tension, each passing moment adding weight to the air likeyers of thick fog. The old matriarch, sensing the suffocating heaviness of the atmosphere, took a slow, steadying breath, her chest rising and falling with the weight of her words.


    "Mr. Rick," she began, her voice a blend of warmth and regret, a stark contrast to the coolness that had previously filled the space between them. "I must extend my sincerest apologies for the unwarranted disy of emotion you''ve just witnessed," she said, her eyes reflecting genuine remorse. "Such behavior is unbing of us, and I ask for your forgiveness."


    Rick, for his part, seemed almost removed from the moment, his attention caught by something only he could see. His detachment was a fortress, impervious to the waves of apology washing over him. Yet, the old matriarch, seasoned in reading the undercurrents of human interaction, sensed a crack in his armor. She understood that actions would speak louder than words in this instance.


    Turning to Geoffrey, who still seemed to be nursing both his pride and his cheek, she softened her gaze. It was the kind of look that could disarm the most defiant of wills, carrying both the weight of authority and the lightness of maternal guidance.


    "Geoffrey," she instructed, her tone carrying the weight of authority tempered withpassion, "Apologize to Mr. Rick."


    Geoffrey hesitated for a heartbeat, his pride smarting under the weight of the old matriarch''smand. After a brief internal struggle, he straightened his spine, his resolve evident in the firmness of his voice. Find adventures at mvl


    "No," he stated with unwavering conviction, his gaze meeting Rick''s with a defiant re. "I will not apologize to someone who shows such tant disrespect towards my master."


    The old matriarch, her patience stretched thin by Geoffrey''s stubbornness, felt a flicker of irritation spark within her. She turned to Rick once more, her voice tinged with a mix of frustration and concern.


    "Rick," she addressed him, her toneden with a hint of urgency, "do you intend to punish Geoffrey for his defiance?"


    Rick, ever the opportunist, couldn''t help but feel a thrill at the prospect of wielding power over his adversary. A mischievous grin danced across his features, his eyes alight with mischief as he contemted the possibilitiesid before him.


    With a theatrical ir, he turned to face Geoffrey, his yful tone belying the seriousness of the situation.


    "Well, Geoffrey," he began, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "it seems you''vended yourself in quite the predicament, haven''t you?" His words hung in the air, a challenge veiled behind a facade of jest.


    "Perhaps a little exercise in humility is just what you need to cool that hot head of yours." The gleam in Rick''s eyes betrayed his amusement, his lips curling into a smirk as he awaited Geoffrey''s reaction.


    Geoffrey''s eyebrows furrowed deeply into a frown, his features contorting with displeasure as Rick''smand washed over him. He opened his mouth to protest, but before he could utter a single word, Rick''s directive came crashing down with all the force of a sledgehammer.


    "Geoffrey, I want you to hold your ears and do sit-ups," Rick dered with a gleeful anticipation that bordered on mischief. His voice rang out with a fervor that left no room for negotiation.


    Geoffrey''s shock was palpable, visible in the way his expression shifted from disbelief to outright anger in the blink of an eye. His face flushed crimson with indignation, his jaw set in a stubborn line as he bristled at the audacity of Rick''s demand.


    "And who the hell do you think you are," Geoffrey bellowed, his tone a mixture of defiance and incredulity, "to expect that I''ll follow your absurd orders?"


    He thundered, his voice rising to a crescendo that reverberated through the cafe, drawing the attention of every patron within earshot. Even Qasim and Gloria, seated at a distant table, couldn''t help but turn their heads, their expressions a mix of amusement and concern as they watched the scene unfold.


    "I received this authority directly from your master, you clueless imbecile," Rick shot back, his voice rising in volume but still under control, a simmering tension palpable in the air between them.


    Geoffrey''s fury boiled over, his wordsced with venom as he shot back, "But I am under no obligation to heed yourmands, seeing as you are not my master. Understand?" His voice carried the weight of his loyalty and defiance, a deration of his unwavering allegiance to the old matriarch.


    "Dim-wit can''t even understand simple words," Rick''s response was swift, his toneced with a steely resolve as he issued his ultimatum. "Either ept the punishment or else both of you can take your leave," he dered, his words cutting through the tension like a knife.


    Geoffrey''s fury was a zing inferno, his eyes alight with a burning rage as he red daggers at Rick. "Who do you think you are, you bastard? You''re nothing to me," he bellowed, his words a deration of defiance, his intent clear: to crush Rick''s arrogance beneath the weight of his own indignation.


    Meanwhile, down the tables, as Qasim noticed the tension heightening in between them, a desire to help Rick stirred within him, prompting him to make a move.


    However, before he could make a move, Gloria''s hand gently closed around his arm, halting him in his tracks.


    "Come on, Gloria, can''t you see they are ganging up on him? I need to help my friend," Qasim urged Gloria to let him go.


    "Your friend? You really have gone insane haven''t you?" Gloria, however, remained resolute in her decision, her grip firm on Qasim''s arm as she met his gaze with unwavering determination. "I can''t let you get involved this time," she stated firmly, her voice tinged with a hint of frustration.


    "Let him deal with the mess he''s created. He''s always been good at digging trouble for himself." Gloria could not believe what sort of ck magic Rick has done on him. Qasim was totally bewitched by Rick.


    "You are heartless Gloria," Qasimined to Gloria, he felt hurt for his new friend.


    Gloria''s expression hardened, her patience wearing thin as she fixed Qasim with a steely gaze. "I said no," she stated firmly, her voice carrying a note of finality. "You have a choice to make, Qasim. It''s either me or him," she added, her words leaving no room for argument.


    Now despite his eagerness to help Rick, Qasim reluctantly remained seated as Gloria''s firm stance left him with no choice. His concern for Rick was palpable, evident in the furrow of his brow and the tight clench of his fists, but he resigned himself to respecting Gloria''s wishes for the time being.


    Meanwhile, the tension between Geoffrey and Rick reached a boiling point as they engaged in a heated exchange of words. The atmosphere crackled with animosity as Geoffrey adamantly refused to ept Rick''s proposed punishment, his voice dripping with indignation.


    "I refuse to ept such a ludicrous punishment," Geoffrey dered, his toneced with defiance. "I won''t allow myself to be made aughingstock by some filthyinsolent upstart."


    Rick, undeterred by Geoffrey''s refusal, responded with a mix of frustration and urgency. "Ha... Ha... Ha...Are you kidding me?" he retorted, his voice tinged with desperation. "You are turning down the chance to see your master alive and well before your very eyes." His words wereced with incredulity, his frustration mounting as Geoffrey continued to resist.


    Geoffrey''s words cut through the air like a de, his voice rough and filled with defiance. "Who do you think you are, you bastard? I am the loyal servant of the Blood Thorne family, not yours. You have no authority to punish me like this," he spat, his tone dripping with venom.


    Rick''s response wasced with a hint of mockery, hisughter ringing out like a challenge. "Oh, but it''s your master''s offer, Geoffrey. I simply want to see you bend to my will," he replied, his smirk evident in his voice.


    Geoffrey''s fury simmered just beneath the surface, his threat delivered with a chilling intensity. "I won''t let this slide, Rick," he growled, his words carrying the weight of his anger.


    Rick met Geoffrey''s challenge head-on, his own confidence shining through. "Let''s see whoes out on top, Geoffrey," he countered, his tone daring.


    A confident smirk yed across Geoffrey''s lips as he delivered his final taunt. "You are on the losing side, Rick," he dered, his voice dripping with certainty. And with that, Geoffrey turned his face towards the Old Matriarch.


    "Lady!"


    *****