Everyone tried not to look interested in Ivan Obolensky's business, but they could not help themselves. The man was too sensational, and even the smallest gossip about him fetched a decent price.
Not to mention, he was also filthy rich and had a decent face to boot. Anyone who could hold his attention would be considered lucky, and everyone wanted to hold his attention…
Everyone… except the person currently being questioned by him.
Joshua made an irritated noise as he leaned back against the sofa and let out a frustrated sigh.
"Well, our suspicions were correct. The labs have started to circulate a drug that can force a beta's body to mimic an alpha's. They even start producing alpha pheromones and show other alpha characteristics. The only thing they cannot do is mark an omega or sense pheromones."
Joshua's body shuddered in disgust as he thought about that abnormal drug he was talking about. He had seen the clinical data of the drug, and he had just enough knowledge to realize what it was doing at a cellular level.
This drug had not hit the Den or other significant groups yet. But it was only a matter of time…
But that was not what he called Ivan here for. This drug was not Joshua's primary concern; Daniel was.
"Anyway, I discovered some more information about 'bunny' as well. Should we go in and discuss more?"
he asked, and Ivan nodded. They entered the private area, but before they could make conversation, Joshua took out a small device and turned it on. It killed his phone and any other electronic or battery-powered device instantly.
This way, no one would be able to know what they were talking about.
As soon as it was safe, Joshua relaxed and sat down on the bed.
"I did a little digging and found out what is going on with Daniel. As we guessed, he's been alive this whole time, and any record of his death was fabricated by your father. It was likely to force you to stop fixating on my brother and choose someone they wanted you to choose."
It had not even taken Joshua long to find out information about Daniel. No one had tried to hide it after the first few months. It made him feel regretful that it took him this long to discover it all.
"And… what else did you find?"
Ivan asked, and Joshua quickly continued.
"This is where things get complicated. My brother might have left this life behind, but he is still not free. From the records, I can see that he has been sending money back to the gang each month under 'debt.' It is not specified how much debt he has or what it is for, but it is clear that the old man still has a hold on him."
Joshua sounded frustrated, and his pheromones started to sneak out. Ivan made an annoyed face, and that caused Joshua to immediately reel them all back.
He looked over the report. But the more he read, the harder it was for him to control his emotions.
"So, what else did you find? Should we leave Daniel alone while we deal with this mess?"
Ivan's voice was calm and detached when he asked this question. But Joshua knew him well enough to spot that hint of uncertainty in his eyes even from a mile away.
"Ugh, as much as I want to leave Daniel alone and let him enjoy his life, I am afraid that it won't be an option for much longer. I don't know what he's doing, but he has pissed off a few influential people, including some local gangs."
It was all noted in Daniel's report, along with some other notes. Half of the report was daily notes of what Daniel was doing, but it was the other half that concerned him.
Especially the part where it was noted that the Den needed to keep Daniel on a tight leash to make sure he was under their grasp and would not cause trouble for them.
"It seems like my father had been planning more than a few surprises for me. I can't say that I am surprised about this… but I do feel irritated. Now, what should I do?"
Ivan asked, and Joshua suddenly had a bad feeling about how easily he was taking all this. After all, Ivan was not a calm and sensible person, but rather a time bomb waiting to go off.
"Hey Ivan, you know that I don't care what you do, right? Just make sure you keep my brother safe and sound, and you will have my full support."
There was no way for Joshua to control Ivan, so he did the next best thing he could-he joined Ivan to keep an eye on him.
But if the Enigma did anything to cause his brother trouble, Joshua would immediately take Daniel and flee. This was not even an option, but a certainty.
Ivan knew that as well, but he did not seem troubled by this. The easy-going smile on his face immediately bloomed, and Joshua had to look away.
"Don't worry, my dear brother-in-law. I am your brother's loyal hound. I will make sure he is safe. But to do that, I need to keep him by my side. I guess it is time I pay him a visit. Happy Smile Business, was it? I will make good use of their business idea."
After all, Daniel was proposing that he was willing to do anything for the right price. So Ivan would make sure to offer it all and much more to Daniel and chain him by his side.
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"Looks like this is the end of today. In the end, I did not get a single client."
Daniel knew that it would be the case. After all, clients were not leaves that fell into one's lap whenever they wanted to. And he truly was the last option for most of his clients.
Still, it was a little disappointing to see that he would not be able to earn anything today.
He was about to close and call it a day when someone suddenly knocked on his door. He opened it quickly, only to see a shady person covering their face greet him.
Daniel's instincts immediately flared and told him that something was wrong here. He decided to hear them out and stepped back.
"Excuse me, but this business is already closed for today. If you want help, then come back tomorrow."
Daniel tried to close the door, but the other man moved immediately and forced the door to remain open. That action caused Daniel to become irritated and even more suspicious.
"What do you think you are doing? I told you to come back tomorrow-"
"I will pay you as much as you want for my job. I just need it to be done by tomorrow. If you turn me down, then you will regret it for sure."
The man told Daniel, and it was one of the most suspicious things Daniel had ever heard. It made his resolve to avoid it even stronger.
"I see. So your business is a fraud? The person who recommended this place told me that you were willing to do anything as long as you got paid and it was within your guidelines. But I guess I expected too much from you. I will be sure to tell everyone about this."
The man turned around and started to leave. But that just made the feeling Daniel was having even worse.
As someone who had grown up in a gang, his intuition for danger was very sharp, and currently, it was telling him that taking this suspicious deal was much better than anything that could happen to him.
"Fine, I will hear your deal out. Please come in for now."
Daniel allowed the man to enter his office, and they sat in silence for some time. Finally, his customer took out something from his pocket and placed it in front of him.
"What I want you to do is simple-I want you to deliver this material to the place I am about to tell you. I will pay you as much as you need for it… so tell me your number."
It looked like a trap, so it likely was a trap. And yet, the promise of being debt-free was something Daniel could not overlook.
"If I demand 25 million, will you give it to me?"
he asked, and his client paused for a few seconds before he nodded.
"25 million is doable. But only if you do a good job. Here, you can read through this contract for more details and sign it."
Daniel took the contract and quickly glanced over it. There did not seem to be anything wrong with it, but he still hesitated. The more time he took, the angrier the man in front of him got.
"Just what do you have to think about? Just sign it, and it's all over. Here, I will help you out-"
He reached for Daniel's hand, and the barest hint of alpha pheromones made Daniel feel sick. But right before that man could force Daniel, someone else caught the man's hand and twisted it.
Familiar pheromones hit Daniel's nose, and he immediately looked up to confirm the identity of the person he had already recognized.
"Hmm, I was not aware that my bunny had a client. What a shame… I wanted to hire him as well."
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