?


    "Bleurgh..."


    Frank almost coughed out his drink.


    Seeing Phoenix''s clearly passionate stare, he gritted his teeth as he decided to make things clear. "I heard you have a fiance, Ms. Ardron." "Oh, him..."


    Phoenix scowled at the mention of her fiance and whispered under her breath after a brief silence, "Josh and I don''t have feelings for each other. It''s a strictly tit-for-tat rtionship."


    "Wait, what?"


    Frank was left speechless. Their rtionship was theirs, so how was that his business... unless Phoenix wanted him to be the third wheel in their tit- for-tat rtionship?


    Still, seeing that Frank would ask something like that, Phoenix''s smile faded slightly. She suddenly asked, "Mr. Lawrence, you like me, don''t you?" Frank was left speechless.


    The question was so direct that Frank did not even have time toe up with a response when Phoenix sighed softly. "If you didn''t like me, why would you give me the Martial Alliance''s rmendation? What, did you really do it for the money?"


    "Exactly. It''s for the money."


    Frank nodded repeatedly, building up on the excuse. "You''ve really misunderstood me here, Ms. Ardron."N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    However, Phoenix shook her head and smiled despite Frank''s response. "You don''t look poor, but I guess my fiance called you and threatened you?" "Huh? How''d you-"


    Frank caught himself before he could finish, knowing that he had messed up.


    "I knew it!"


    Phoenix growled through her teeth, her face ashen, "I''ve had enough of him keeping an eye on me 24/7! I''m a prodigy of Cloudnine Sect, and I won''t keep suffering like this!"


    With that, she strode up and took


    Frank''s


    Lawr and. "I understand now, Mr.


    Lawrence! Just give me time- personally cut ties with Josh


    "What?!"


    Before Frank realized what was happening, Phoenix was once again her spirited self, pushing Frank out of the way as she strode out. "Wait! Ms. Ardron, I actually-"


    "I get it, Mr. Lawrence. Don''t worry I won''t let Josh bother you." She smiled at him before storming off.


    Vicky was in the hallway, tilting her head sideways in confusion as she watched Phoenix emerge from Frank''s room.


    Then, turning in confusion toward Frank, she asked, "What''s going on here...?"


    "She''s... Ugh."


    Frank had no idea what to say, and


    merely shed a pained smile,


    me


    ne


    surprised that he had inadvertently caused such a misunderstanding Phoenix.


    With


    It was just so ridiculous-if he had known this would happen, he would not have helped Phoenix at all.


    And he could more or less sense that Josh Dellon, the Hoxtonmissioner, was not going to make this easy for him.


    "Oh, bother..." He breathed an exasperated sigh and told Vicky about everything that happened.


    Vicky was leftughing herself silly and gathered everyone to tell them, just so they couldugh at him together!


    He was only supposed to register himself for a tournament, only to suddenly be a third wheeler!


    What upset Frank even more was that Scarface Tucker found out and called to offer his sincere advice that one must hever ruin an engagement, it never pays to be the other guy, and that Frank must keep his virtue...


    Frank snapped on the spot, "And whose fault was it that I got caught in this mess?!"


    Realizing that he had messed up, Scarface hung up, ashen faced.