Chapter 836: The Mission Must Be Completed

The night breeze carried thick smoke across the villa grounds. Walker Grant still hadn’t taken the phone. The person on the other end seemed incredibly patient, not rushing him in the slightest. As the cold wind blew gently, an invisible, tense rivalry seemed to be brewing.

The two main parties showed no particular emotion, but the masked man was exceptionally nervous. Even though it was a freezing winter night, cold sweat dripped down his face. As time ticked by, his anxiety only grew.

Just when he was completely at a loss for what to do, the man on the phone finally spoke, his tone tinged with a hint of helplessness. "Mr. Grant, I’ll have someone transfer the final payment right away. We’ve worked together so many times; you wouldn’t be this petty, would you?"

By speaking first, the other man had yielded, bowing his head to Walker.

Walker acted as if he had just heard the voice on the device. Slowly raising his head, he said, "Oh, it’s you. Happy New Year."

Ike was left completely speechless. He knew Walker was absolutely doing this on purpose. But separated by the phone, there was nothing he could do. Even though he was furious, he had to swallow his anger!

Seeing the two finally start their conversation, the masked man breathed a sigh of relief. He then held the phone a bit closer to Walker, shifting from a stiff, upright posture to a slight bow. His intention was for Walker to hold the phone himself.

But Walker ignored him completely, leaving the man to maintain his awkward posture while he chatted with Ike.

The two spoke with utter familiarity, leaving the masked man horrified as he listened from the sidelines.

After a moment, Ike said, "Mr. Grant, my subordinates were ignorant to offend you during the New Year. I apologize. Once they finish their mission, I’ll have them escort you home safely so you can have a peaceful holiday. How about that?"

"Not great." Walker’s tone was flat, completely rejecting the compromise. "What exactly is this mission of yours? Tearing my villa apart like this?"

Ike fell silent for a few seconds before replying, "Mr. Grant, I’m just doing a job for money. Don’t make this hard for me. There are plenty of women in the world. I can find you the gentlest and most beautiful ones, guaranteed to make you happy. How does that sound?"

He knew very well that Walker wanted him to call off the mission, but how could he? On one side was a top-tier foreign financial conglomerate; on the other was the Grant Group, which had only begun to make its mark internationally in recent years. He knew exactly which one held more weight.

Even though he had worked with Walker many times, there was a saying: even blood brothers settled their accounts clearly. He couldn’t just give up such a massive payday just because they had collaborated a few times. It just didn’t make sense.

Walker’s tone grew colder as he warned in a deep voice, "There are plenty of women in the world, but there is only one Chloe Reed. Besides, she is currently my wife. Going after her means going after me. Ike, have you thought this through?"

Ike chuckled helplessly. "I don’t want to make things difficult for you, Mr. Grant, but I have no choice. I have a large family to feed, don’t I?" Then, his tone shifted. "Wright, protect Mr. Grant well. Make absolutely sure he doesn’t get hurt. But the mission must be completed."

The masked man, whose name was Wright, immediately relaxed his tense nerves upon hearing this. "Yes, sir!" he replied, slowly straightening his back.

Ike didn’t say anything more to Walker; his stance was already clear.

Walker’s face remained impassive, but the aura around him turned chillingly cold.