Eleanor's expression turned serious as events took an unexpected turn. She moved closer to Matthew, unwrapping her watch and winding it around her fist. Matthew, however, remained relaxed. "Hmm. It's time we settled our old scores."
"Oh, Pete, I can't quite remember how much I owed you before. Why don't you tell me?" Matthew asked, his tone knowing. Pete, not particularly bright, missed the hidden meaning. Even if he had understood, he wouldn't have taken it seriously, believing the pushover from months ago couldn't have changed overnight.
"If I remember correctly, you borrowed a total of twenty thousand dollars during your three years of schooling, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Then how much did I pay back?"
"Thirty thousand."
"Isn't that enough?" Matthew spread his hands. "I repaid the principal and even overpaid, according to the highest market interest rates. I'm not asking for my overpaid money back, yet you're demanding more. Do you think that's right?"
"Boss, he's got a point," a gang member mumbled softly.
Pete said nothing.
"He's got a damn point!" Pete snapped at the dim-witted gang member, then faced Matthew. "Matthew Lawrence, you don't think our Maggia's interest rates are the same as a bank's, do you?"
"I've calculated it. After the thirty thousand dollars you paid back, you still owe me twenty thousand!" Pete's sunken eyes held a chilling gaze. One hand conveniently patted the bulging object under his loose tracksuit. Matthew knew exactly what it was. He had heard all about gunfights happening daily in Free America.
Seeing the gun, Eleanor didn't hesitate. She immediately shielded Matthew. "Sir, they have a gun," she whispered.
"I see it," Matthew replied, his gaze sweeping over Pete's waist.
As tension between the groups reached a breaking point, a playful, cynical voice cut through the strained atmosphere. "Yo, isn't this Mr. Matthew Lawrence and Miss Eleanor Ross? Having some trouble?"
Tony Stark and Happy Hogan pushed through the crowd. They had been nearby and overheard the previous conversation. Tony hadn't intended to meddle, but Happy mentioned knowing Eleanor in the car. That's why Tony decided to step forward and help.
"You know Tony Stark?" Eleanor asked softly, noting his intimate address.
"No... Do you?"
"I don't. But I know the man beside him, from when he was a boxer."
Matthew's father had left many assets, including a boxing promotion company. Happy Hogan was once an inconspicuous boxer there. After a loss, the company considered dropping him. However, Eleanor allocated a large sum of activity funds, changing their minds. Happy later left boxing to become Tony Stark's personal bodyguard. This unintentional kindness genuinely helped Happy, who was struggling then. This was also why he recognized Eleanor from her back.
A flicker of understanding passed through Matthew's eyes, hearing Eleanor knew Happy.
Pete's already gloomy face grew even darker, seeing the sudden intrusion. "Mr. Tony Stark, if you're just here to chat, I suggest you find another place. We have business to discuss here."
"Business? You?" Tony Stark scoffed mockingly. Without this incident, someone like Pete would never have crossed paths with him. Yet now, he dared to speak of "business" in front of him. The world was truly getting crazier.
"I actually already understood the 'business' you're discussing, it's nothing more than a few tens of thousands of dollars." Tony Stark removed a decorative ring from his finger. "This ring is worth around two hundred thousand. I imagine your 'business' isn't worth that much, is it?"
"If there's nothing else, I'm taking this gentleman with me." Pete, having taken the ring, glanced at his subordinate. The two mumbled softly for a moment. Then, a fawning smile appeared on Pete's freckled face as he looked back at Matthew and Tony. "Mr. Stark, you can take your friend now."
"However..." Pete shifted his gaze to Matthew, his words full of menace. "Matthew, I think we'll meet again." "Next time we meet, I hope you'll personally pay back what you owe, otherwise, you know the Maggia rules."
Silence fell over the surroundings. It was as if the traffic sounds had quieted. Listening to Pete's arrogant words, Matthew was so angered he laughed. 'Wait, did you misunderstand something? When did I say I was leaving? You think you can offend me and escape? Not that easy!'
"Mr. Stark, this matter has nothing to do with you. Please leave first. I'm very grateful for your help in resolving the situation just now," Matthew said to Tony.
Tony was about to speak. In the very next second, several cars bearing the Umbrella Corporation logo pulled up beside them. Dozens of burly men with bulging waistlines emerged from the vehicles. Before anyone could react, they had pinned Pete and his gang to the ground. Some who resisted were knocked out with an elbow. The entire process, from parking to completion, took less than thirty seconds. Pete, the target, didn't even realize what was happening when he was pinned.
"Hey! Hey! Let me go! Did you guys make a mistake?!" "I didn't do anything to Mr. Stark! I'm looking for that kid named Matthew!" "Let me go! You've got it wrong! Wrong!!" Pete struggled continuously. But the burly man on top of him pressed down like a boulder, unmoving. It made it exceptionally difficult for him to breathe.
"No mistake," Matthew said, looking down at Pete, pinned to the ground. He bent, retrieving the ring Pete had hidden in his pocket. Matthew wiped the dust off it with Pete's clothes. With a flick of his wrist, the ring arced gracefully through the air, caught steadily by Happy, who stood beside Tony.
"It's precisely because you wanted to cause trouble for this 'kid named Matthew' that they arrived so quickly." Matthew crouched in front of him, a harmless smile on his face. "Ross, I remember headquarters needs volunteers for experimental drugs, right? I think these guys are in great shape... perfectly suited to be volunteers." Matthew's expression then turned cold. "Take them away."