Soon, everyone was asleep. Mr. Henry walked down the hallway to check if anyone was still awake. Suddenly, his phone vibrated. He ignored it and headed toward his room on the ground floor. As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw a few men lurking outside the hotel.
Mr. Henry narrowed his eyes.
"Mr. Henry, you are awake this late?" a teacher asked, walking toward him.
Mr. Henry nodded and replied, "Well, it is my job to check on the students. May I ask why you are here?"
"Washroom visit," the man said.
Mr. Henry smiled and nodded. "You may go."
The teacher nodded back. As he passed, he placed a hand on Henry's shoulder. As soon as he left, Mr. Henry's expression hardened. He had noticed micro-expressions and pupil dilation; he also felt the man's heart rate increase and saw his carotid artery pulsing—a clear sign of a rapid heartbeat.
Why did he lie to me? Mr. Henry thought. Those people outside and this teacher... they might be related.
He headed outside into the dark. The moon glowed like a lamp. As Mr. Henry walked away from the hotel, he was certain the people lurking there were following him. He acted like a normal man, taking out his phone to read a message from Mr. Wyatt, Enzo's father:
"Sir Henry, if Enzo does something evil, please punish him."
Such a kind father, Mr. Henry thought.
After a few seconds, several masked men surrounded him, brandishing baseball bats.
"Old man, you are dead now," the leader, Joseph, yelled. He had long black hair and wore brass knuckles on his hands.
Mr. Henry didn't reply; he remained calm.
"Attack him, boys," the leader commanded. "You pissed off the wrong people. You should have minded your own business. If you had, you might have reached old age."
Mr. Henry smiled. "The last time I fought someone, it was those thugs sent by Enzo. Now, he sends more."
"How did you know?" the leader asked.
Mr. Henry's smile widened. "You guys are just kids. The years you have lived in this world are fewer than the years of my experience."
"Damn, the old man can really deliver a line," said a figure wearing a silver chain. His name was Shawn, and he had black eyes and dark hair.
"You guys are here?" Joseph asked.
"Enzo paid us to take care of this old man? Enzo really has too much money on his hands," another man said, appearing behind Shawn. This was Mark. "But I heard there are a few more people we need to take care of, too."
"Who told you that, Mark?" Shawn asked.
Mark pointed to a man arriving on a bicycle. "Sorry I'm late," the newcomer said. He had blonde hair and black eyes. His name was Paul.
"Hey Paul, are there others to take down aside from this old man?" Joseph asked.
"Yes. There are some students who humiliated Enzo, so he wants revenge," Paul said.
"Let's get this old man first," Mark said, taking a step forward. Mr. Henry remained perfectly calm.
"This old man looks tough," Shawn remarked.
Paul, standing nearby, looked closely at Mr. Henry. "Mark, Shawn, let's go," Paul said suddenly.
"Why?" both Shawn and Mark asked in unison.
"Taking care of this old man is a job for Joseph. We have other business to attend to," Paul said. Shawn and Mark turned and walked into the woods. Paul leaned toward Joseph and whispered, "Don't underestimate him. This is the first time I have ever felt killing intent this strong."
Joseph nodded.
Paul continued, "Run if things get difficult."
"If Paul said it, this guy must be tough," Joseph muttered to himself.
Paul sat back on his cycle. "Old man Henry, it was good meeting you," he said before vanishing into the night.
Inside the hotel, Sophia was on her way to her room when Olivia suddenly stepped in front of her.
"Hi, Sophia," Olivia said with a large, fake smile.
"Hi," Sophia replied. She tried to walk past, but Olivia caught her hand.
"Sophia, there is something I want to tell you. I want us to become friends," Olivia said.
Sophia's eyes widened. She wants to be friends after bullying me? These rich people think they are above everyone, Sophia thought.
"I am sorry for everything I did to you. When I was suspended for a week, I regretted all my actions. I also want to become friends with Daisy," Olivia added.
Sophia could see right through the act. Why is she doing this? Is she planning something? "Do you forgive me?" Olivia asked, her eyes pleading—though it was all a performance.
"I forgive you," Sophia said.
Olivia smiled as if she had won, but Sophia's next words shattered her delusion.
"I forgive you, but I don't want to be your friend. I want us to be only classmates. What you did to me is in the past, but I can't forgive what you did to my friend, Daisy. If Daisy forgives you, then we can think about being friends. But for now? No."
Olivia was shocked. She clenched her fists but forced a smile. "Okay. I will try to become friends with Daisy," she said, her fury barely under control. She knew she couldn't cause a scene so soon after returning from suspension.
Sophia nodded and walked away. Olivia stood frozen in place. Sophia, I wanted to be nice to you, she thought, but you chose your own destruction.