"The tea you served us has gone cold. Take them away and serve a new one."
There was nothing inherently wrong with what Derek said. He might’ve had a slightly arrogant tone, but knowing him, this was his attempt to be a proper human being.
However, Travis and Caullen, who had briefly assessed that same masked person, sensed something about him that just didn’t feel right. The head mask was ridiculous, but there was an unsettling quality about him that told them it was better not to associate with him.
Yet, Caullen, and especially Travis, waited for the masked man’s reaction.
The man in the head mask tilted his head slightly.
Justin frowned. "Why are you just standing there? Didn’t you hear him because of that mask?"
Another few seconds passed before the masked person finally moved. He walked in, his strides slow—almost leisurely. His aura wasn’t one of confidence, but rather, it conveyed a profound sense of being utterly unbothered.
When he stopped where the men were seated, he wordlessly picked up the teacups from the table and placed them on a tray.
For some reason, as he did this, everyone quietly observed him. Some because of that ridiculous mask, while others were struck by how slowly he moved. He shouldn’t have worn a fish mask, but a turtle one!
"Why are you so slow?" Justin clicked his tongue impatiently, about to grab the teacup in front of him to help the man. But just as he reached out, the masked man’s hand suddenly grasped his.
Justin’s breath hitched at the firm grip atop his hand. He looked at the fish mask, which seemed to be looking back at him as it tilted slightly. Without a word, the masked man simply guided Justin’s hand back before casually picking up the cup.
"What the..." Justin blurted out under his breath, his face twisting as he gazed at the "server."
Then, the masked man suddenly spoke.
"Is that all?"
His question was short, but the tone of his voice was cold—very cold and low. There didn’t even feel like there was life in that question. It was just too flat, giving them the impression that the face the man was making behind that mask was a deadpan look.
"Yes." Travis cleared his throat, watching the masked man turn to him. "That’s all, sir. Thank you."
Derek and Justin sneered at Travis, who often tried to act respectfully toward others. Yet, Travis was nothing but an arrogant jerk to them.
Caullen offered the man a smile, jerking his chin. But his smile slowly stiffened as the masked man stared at them longer than he was supposed to. Caullen found himself gulping and clearing his throat before he asked,
"What?"
But the masked person kept his head turned to them without saying a word or moving an inch. It almost started to feel uncomfortable until finally, the masked man lifted the tray.
"What the heck?" Derek grumbled, watching the masked man walk away with the tray. "Why are they sending us weird people to serve us?"
Justin glanced at the hand the man had grabbed and then looked back to where the retreating weirdo was. "He almost broke my hand."
"Maybe you’re just out of shape," Caullen teased, smirking at Justin. He chuckled when Justin glared daggers at him.
Justin wanted to tell this guy that the man’s grip was strong, and that was still downplaying it, but knowing Caullen, the guy would just keep pressing his buttons. Hence, Justin kept it to himself and tried to ignore how his hand throbbed with the lingering pressure.
As for Travis, he quietly observed the masked man’s retreating back.
Did the hotel really send him here? He wondered to himself. I thought if he picked up those teacups, I’d get some answers to why I feel slightly intimidated just by his presence.
But more than answers, the masked man’s presence only left him with more questions. At one point, Travis could only wonder:
Or am I simply overthinking things, considering there were rumors of the big boss of Summit Partners attending meetings incognito?
There was only one person they heard who met the big boss of Summit Partners, and that was the current leader of Novera. Everyone else? They only met the representative. For those in higher standing, they would meet someone in a high position at the said company.
But it was never the big boss.
Considering the NL Group of Companies’ standing, Travis shook his head. Other families and businesses were wealthier and more influential than the Lancasters. But all they got to talk to was Harvey, the chief operations manager of the Summit Partners Novera Branch.
So, Harvey was more well-known as the representative of Summit Partners.
There’s no reason for the big boss of Summit Partners to come himself, even in disguise, for this project.
Travis tossed the ridiculous thought to the back of his head. Whatever trick Derek and Melissa pulled to get Summit Partners to do business with them was none of his concern. It was good for the company, and that was all that mattered.
However, expecting the big boss of the said company to come himself was asking for too much.
****
Meanwhile, as the masked man closed the door behind him, he turned and casually walked away. On his way, a small group of men appeared from the end of the hallway.
"Yes, prepare that..." Allen, the man leading the group, paused as he caught something green from the corner of his eye. His steps slowed down as he slowly turned his head.
Harvey, who was walking alongside his boss, also turned his head.
All of them stopped in their tracks, just looking at that blinding green fish head mask! He was holding a tray full of tea, which made his stride slower and more careful.
"Sir Allen, is that—" Harvey’s breath hitched when Allen just disappeared from his spot like a bolt of lightning.
"Si—Sir!" Allen panicked, wide-eyed. He darted his eyes at the tray and then at the fish head mask, rendering him speechless.
After working for this man for as long as he could remember, the mask was something he didn’t want to question. Instead, he was torn between asking what the tray was all about or why he wasn’t wearing his blazer.
Suddenly, the masked person moved the tray to Allen’s front. The latter intuitively held it while the former let it go.
"I’ve met the Lancasters," said the masked man flatly as he began to walk away indifferently.
Allen intuitively walked to the side while the rest gave way, bowing to their big boss. Harvey trembled as the big boss suddenly stopped before him. Even with the big boss’s ridiculous mask, it wasn’t enough to hide the coldness and sharpness of his gaze.
Nervously, Harvey peeked up and offered an awkward smile. "Si—sir, it’s been a while—ha... ha..."
The big boss’s mouth parted behind the mask, but he ended up shutting it. At the same time, Allen looked back and asked,
"You met the Lancasters, Sir Atlas?" Allen’s brows rose.
Are they still alive? — was Allen’s real question, but he chose to bite his tongue.
The masked man, Atlas, glanced at him and hummed. "Mhm." He then turned to resume his steps. "They’re still alive, Allen. And keep Travis Lancaster on the project."
And just like that, Atlas walked away, leaving behind his men with a tray full of cold tea and a meeting that wasn’t even worth the dust he would pay attention to brush away.