Chapter 117: The Wrong Person to Look Down On
Chapter 117: The Wrong Person to Look Down On
Malrik’s expression darkened the moment he stepped out of the Pagani.
He didn’t even spare Mia a glance at first.
His attention immediately went to the rear of the car.
The expensive carbon fiber bodywork now carried an ugly dent.
Not large.
But noticeable.
And for a car like this, even a small dent could cost a fortune to repair.
A vein twitched on his forehead.
"Damn it..."
He ran his fingers across the damaged panel, his mood sinking even further.
He had already been irritated before this happened.
The past few days had been nothing but frustration.
Every time he called Maya, she either didn’t answer or gave him the same excuse.
Busy.
Always busy.
Malrik wasn’t stupid.
He knew perfectly well that she was avoiding him.
The upcoming engagement was putting pressure on her, and she was still struggling to accept it.
But honestly?
He didn’t care.
The Laurent family’s company was hanging by a thread.
Everyone in their circle knew it.
Without outside help, the company would collapse sooner or later.
And among all the wealthy families in Silvermont, he was the only one willing to step in.
The only one willing to offer support.
The only one willing to marry Maya despite the problems surrounding her family.
Whether Maya liked it or not didn’t change reality.
For the sake of her father.
For the sake of her family’s business.
She would eventually have no choice but to agree.
In fact, Malrik had already made preparations.
A few days from now, he would be hosting a major business banquet.
Officially, it was a networking event.
Unofficially?
It was their engagement party.
He planned to announce their engagement in front of every influential guest attending.
By then, everything would be settled.
Which was why he needed Maya involved in the preparations.
Yet she kept dodging his calls.
That was the entire reason he had come to the university personally today.
And now, before he had even entered the campus...
His car had been rear-ended.
By some clueless college student.
Malrik stared at the dent again.
His face became even uglier.
This wasn’t an ordinary supercar.
This was a Pagani.
A collector’s car.
A car that couldn’t simply be repaired at the nearest garage.
The repair costs alone would make most people faint.
Of all the cars on the road...
This girl had somehow managed to hit his.
Meanwhile, Mia had already climbed out of the Bugatti.
The moment she saw the damage, her face turned pale.
She hurried over.
"I’m sorry."
"I’m really sorry."
"I didn’t mean to~"
"I was distracted for a second."
"I’m so sorry."
"Are you hurt?"
She apologized repeatedly.
Her voice was sincere.
Unfortunately, Malrik wasn’t interested in sincerity.
His patience had already run out.
He finally turned toward her.
His gaze swept across Mia from head to toe.
Then he laughed coldly.
"Hurt?"
"You should be praying I’m not hurt."
"Do you even know how much this car is worth?"
"You probably couldn’t afford the repair bill even if your entire family worked for the next twenty years."
His voice grew sharper.
"What exactly were you looking at while driving?"
"The sky?"
"The trees?"
"Or were your eyes simply decoration?"
Mia instinctively lowered her head.
The pressure from the man was intense.
She had never dealt with someone like this before.
Meanwhile, Malrik’s eyes drifted toward the Bugatti.
Then toward Lucas.
For a brief moment, surprise flashed through his eyes.
Bugatti.
Not just any Bugatti.
A special edition.
He knew cars well enough to recognize it instantly.
Most people would’ve been intimidated.
But Malrik wasn’t most people.
He came from one of Silvermont’s wealthiest families.
He knew exactly how these things worked.
Owning an expensive car didn’t necessarily mean someone was powerful.
Many wealthy young masters rented supercars.
Some borrowed them.
Some got them through connections.
And looking at Lucas’s age...
Malrik found it difficult to believe he was the actual owner.
His gaze returned to Mia.
Then a sneer appeared.
"Pretty face."
"Luxury car."
"Interesting combination."
His eyes became colder.
"I wonder how many people you had to entertain to sit inside a car like that."
"What trash."
Mia’s face instantly turned white.
She had never been insulted like this before.
Her fists clenched.
But before she could say anything—
Lucas stepped forward.
Without hesitation, he moved directly between her and Malrik.
Blocking her from view.
His expression remained calm.
Too calm.
"The accident was our responsibility."
Lucas spoke evenly.
"We’ll handle the damages."
"But watch your mouth."
His eyes met Malrik’s.
"Did nobody teach you basic manners?"
The atmosphere instantly changed.
Mia looked at Lucas’s back.
For some reason, the nervousness in her chest eased slightly.
Meanwhile, Malrik narrowed his eyes.
Most people would’ve backed down after seeing his attitude.
Yet Lucas didn’t seem intimidated at all.
That annoyed him.
A lot.
His gaze moved between Lucas and the Bugatti again.
Then he laughed.
A cold, mocking laugh.
"Handle the damages?"
"You?"
"Do you even know how much this car costs?"
"Or are you planning to sell that Bugatti and hope it’s enough?"
His voice dripped with sarcasm.
"You kids buy one luxury car and suddenly think you’re important."
"You think driving a Bugatti makes you better than everyone else?"
"Typical."
"Country bumpkins who got lucky and saw a little money."
Lucas stared at him quietly.
No anger.
No embarrassment.
No reaction at all.
Which somehow made Malrik even more irritated.
Because the expression he wanted to see wasn’t there.
Fear.
Panic.
Regret.
None of it appeared.
Instead, Lucas simply looked at him as if he were being unreasonable.
As if he were a child throwing a tantrum.
Behind Lucas, Mia grabbed the edge of his sleeve.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
"Lucas..."
She spoke softly.
Clearly nervous.
The man in front of them wasn’t ordinary.
His clothes.
His car.
His confidence.
Everything screamed money and status.
But Lucas didn’t move.
Didn’t step back.
Didn’t even blink.
He simply looked at Malrik and asked calmly:
"So..."
"Are we discussing the repair bill?"
"Or are you planning to keep showing off how rich you are?"
The moment those words left his mouth, the air around them seemed to freeze.
And for the first time since getting out of his car...
Malrik’s smile disappeared completely.