Just A Bit Ruthless

The style of the suit was conservative, gray, and dull.

Luke Whitford looked at himself in the mirror, frowning in disappointment.He looked...ok, but the suit didn't do what he'd hoped: he didn't look more mature.

Perhaps his expectations were too high.

Luke sighed, and raised his hand to stroke his clean chin, wishing he could grow some masculine stubble to cover his baby face.What are you doing, he is 23 years old!Most people don't believe that he has reached the legal drinking age, so he has to carry his ID card at all times, which is embarrassing, okay?Luke thinks it's all because of his ridiculous mouth: just because of that full upper lip, it makes him seem to be pouting all the time.This makes him look very young, which is not inconvenient in normal times, but when you are planning to attend an important business meeting, wearing a face that looks only 16 years old is very annoying.Although he didn't have many opportunities to attend those important business talks.

Luke forced a smile at himself in the mirror, puffed out his chest and put on a show of momentum.Well, things are about to turn around.He wants to prove to his father that he is a person worthy of being entrusted with important tasks.Of course, if he was found out afterwards, his father would be furious, but this opportunity is too rare to just let it slip through his fingers.He will not have such an opportunity in the future.Normally, at home in England, Dad would tie him down and watch over him like a hawk.Luke, too, would like to attribute this to his father's overprotectiveness, but he doesn't want to kid himself: Richard Whitford just doesn't trust his son.Luke also doesn't want this to seem like it's just about him—Richard Whitford doesn't trust anyone—but it's time to change that.He graduated from Oxford with honors, not just to spend the rest of his life relying on his pretty face as marketing material for his father.Luke had always hated this, and during the two months he'd spent in Moscow, representing the Russian division of Whitford Industries in his father's name, at all sorts of inconsequential occasions, it made him sick. up.

A few days ago, Luke received this email, which was a bit of an adjustment to the boring routine that he had gradually become accustomed to.Well, to be precise, this email was not addressed to him.If it weren't for the fact that Luke happened to be in Moscow, his father's staff would have routed the mail directly to London headquarters, where his father was currently located.Strictly speaking, Luke should have done the same instead of opening it; but he was too bored and restless, and the contents of the email aroused his curiosity.

Richard:

My secretary seems to be having trouble getting in touch with you.She told me she couldn't reach you.I told her you're a busy man.But I'm also very busy, and I'm not a very patient person.We have something to talk about.St. Petersburg, February 2, 21 p.m., Hotel Parkin.Come by then, don't be late.You know I hate people who are not on time.I don't want to see our friendship spoiled by such a small thing.

Regards,

Roman Demidov

Luke read the email a few times and felt there was something in it.The friendly tone felt phony.Or is this just overthinking him?He thinks not.

Roman Demidov.The name sounded vaguely familiar, but Luke couldn't remember where he heard it.But this person, no matter what his identity is, must have a lot of background, otherwise how dare he speak to Richard Whitford in such a superior tone.This guy was just as quick to call his father as he could be.Luke had never met anyone with such power—and guts—to do it.We all know that Richard Whitford was no ordinary man.A British billionaire, Luke's father was known for being extremely ruthless and powerful - and he was rumored to have ties to Italian and Russian mobsters.Luke hadn't been unaware of the rumors about his father—it had been around as long as he could remember, but no one could prove it was true.Even he, Richard's only son, couldn't tell if it was true or not.And the sender of this email is so unscrupulous that he doesn't take Richard's background into consideration at all. No matter who this person is, he is definitely not an idle person.

When he realized this, he should have passed the contents of the email to his father.But Luke's curiosity was always more than he could handle.

Luke spent a few minutes Googling to get the information he needed.

Roman Danilovich Demidov, 32, Russian oil tycoon, billionaire.According to reports, he owns dozens of companies around the world and also serves on the boards of dozens of other companies.

Becoming a billionaire at the age of 32 is not uncommon in Russia.Luke had noticed early on that many Russian tycoons were young.

But it wasn't just Demidov's age that caught his attention.

Luke was a little embarrassed to admit it, but he couldn't take his eyes off the man's picture.Roman Demidov was a tall, dark-haired man with broad shoulders and a muscular physique most men dreamed of.He looked more like a professional boxer than a businessman.

It's kind of silly to presuppose a man you haven't seen yet, but the more pictures of Roman Demidov Luke sees, the less peaceful he becomes.Even when smiling, the man's smile never came from his eyes.And those ice-blue eyes dominate every one of his photos, always attracting the viewer's attention.There was nothing seductive in those eyes.If something had to be said, there was only ugly cruelty hidden in it.In Luke's opinion, the man was handsome enough--if anyone liked someone who was cold and assertive and looked like he could break your neck and find it boring to do so.Luke certainly wouldn't like it.But, for some reason, he just couldn't take his eyes off it.This is so silly, isn't it just a photo.He shouldn't be so panicked just because of a photo, okay?

Luke shook his head and checked the time on his phone.If he didn't leave the hotel immediately, he would miss his flight to St. Petersburg.

Luke looked at the door to the next room and sighed: James.He still had to tell James something about his leaving Moscow.Then again, Luke wasn't sure if his presence or absence made any difference to his friend.James has been so depressed for a while that he doesn't care about anything.

Luke frowned slightly.Seeing his friend reduced to this state, he can't help but question whether he should find true love.Since true love is the thing that turns the sweet, outgoing James into a sullen, lovesick scumbag, true love sucks.

Luke's own relationship history isn't much better: all four of his boyfriends have gone from Prince Charming to scumbag.Frankly, he didn't get a hint of true love from his boyfriends in those cheesy (but Luke didn't feel like reading it forfeit) real love portrayals.He had never felt the kind of love that would make him feel dizzy and unable to breathe.What disappointed Luke in particular was that the plots in the romance novels were completely opposite to his experiences in real life.But then again, maybe he just happened to have the physique to get fucked with a scumbag.

Luke smirked to himself, then went to James' room.

Half an hour later, after he pulled James out of bed and coaxed him to promise to eat well while he was gone, Luke finally went out and headed for Sheremetyev Airport.

Luke leaned back in the cab's seat and looked out the window.He felt vaguely guilty for leaving James alone.James has been in a trance since he broke up with his pal/best friend/best friend/best friend for life; Luke knows he can't help his friend much, but it's hard to leave a friend at this time It didn't feel right to him.Although he grew up with James and is one of his best friends, Luke knows that he will never be able to replace Ryan in James's heart: the two are so close that they are almost inseparable. Who to drive.However, Luke also knew that he was one of the very few people whom James silently trusted.They've always been each other's pillars, they supported each other when they first realized they liked the same sex, they were each other's first kisses.He only told James who he was going to meet this time.

Luke frowned as his mind returned to his next meeting with Roman Demidov.It wasn't the first time that a trace of doubt crept into his mind.What exactly did the Russian tycoon want from his father?He has no clue about it.The homework he did on the other party didn't make him feel confident.Roman Demidov has been compared to a "shark"; he is said to run his business empire with an iron fist.Luke had searched the Whitford Industries database, but he didn't have enough clearance to discover his father's connection to the man.

God, he's had enough of being kept in the dark.Yes, he might be reckless doing it now, but it was the only way he could force his father to back down: if he had information that he wasn't supposed to have, his father would have no choice but to trust him.

Maybe that trust is not enough for you?

The thought made Luke's heart churn.He has been avoiding such thoughts.What if those rumors about his father's dealings with criminals were true?What if his father was a criminal?Would Luke still want that trust to help keep those secrets?

"Mynameste," the driver mumbled as the car stopped. "Stebyadvetyschirubley."

Note ①: Russian: We are here, you should pay two thousand rubles. (The Russian translation in brackets in the text of this article is the author's original note, which means that the protagonist can understand, and the translation that appears in the annotation is a translation note, indicating that the protagonist does not understand.)

Startled, Luke looked out the window.He didn't even notice that the car had arrived at the airport.

"Spasibo," he said, thanking the driver in limited Russian and handing him fifty dollars.Luke didn't know if that was enough: his Russian wasn't good enough to understand the driver's odd accent.

Note ②: Russian: Thank you.

The driver gave him a strange look, and then muttered something—obviously not a good thing.Luke has long been used to this attitude. He picked up the suitcase and got out of the car, hoping to fly to St. Petersburg smoothly.

But of course, to add a little "surprise" to an already miserable day, his plane was delayed due to bad weather.Luke didn't have much time to check into the hotel he had booked in St. Petersburg, then immediately got into another taxi and told the driver he was going to the hotel called "Palkin".Good thing he had the foresight to put on a suit so he didn't have to waste time changing.Is this considered unlucky?

Luke got out of the taxi and stood in front of the hotel sighing wearily.At this moment, what he wanted most was to take a hot shower after returning to the hotel, and then fly away with the soft bed.

Luke hoped that his appearance was not as exhausted as his heart. He put his shoulders back and walked into the hotel door.This meeting is important, and he can't mess it up.

The hotel is decorated in a very chic, elegant and traditional style.He was relieved that the polite and thoughtful waiter spoke fluent English.Luke handed over his coat and told the polite waitress that he was here to see Roman Demidov.The waitress smiled and led him to a table in a remote corner of the restaurant.

Roman Demidov had already sat down at the table, and his posture showed that he was in a relaxed mood, even a little bored.

Those pictures didn't do him a good job, Luke thought.The photographs failed to capture his strong presence, nor the eyes — which in real life were even more unsettling.

When the other party also looked at him calmly, Luke managed to control himself, without blushing and standing restlessly.

"Good evening. My father couldn't attend for some reason, so he sent me to the meeting in his place," Luke said, holding out his hand for a shake. "Under Luke Whitford."

Roman Demidov remained motionless, his pale blue eyes fixed on him.

"Is this kidding me?" he finally said, speaking English without an accent.His tone was low and cultivated, and he was impeccable in every aspect, even James' aristocratic father couldn't find any faults.

"It's not," Luke said as he sat down across from him, trying not to show his nervousness. "My father is in London at the moment. He is engaged in very important negotiations. This time the schedule is too tight for him to be free, so he sent me as a representative."

The man remained motionless, as if he had returned to his previous careless and leisurely state.But Luke is good at observing people, and he didn't miss the slight squint of those blue eyes.

Roman raised the glass to his lips and sipped slowly, eyes still locked on Luke. "I don't talk to children about business. You won't be older than sixteen, never seventeen."

Luke could feel himself blushing.He had known it would get him into trouble.Whenever this happens, he will seriously consider whether to use plastic surgery to trim those two ridiculous lips. "I'm not a child," he gritted his teeth.Before he could continue to speak in order to salvage the situation that had become unmanageable, Roman glared at him fiercely, and that cold gaze could freeze even a volcano instantly.Luke couldn't breathe for a moment, locked tightly by that gaze, unable to move his eyes, his whole body was so nervous.

"If Whitford finds it troublesome to even show his face, then he should at least notify me so as not to waste my time." Roman stood up. "Go home, Malchik."

Then he left.Two taciturn bodyguards followed him out.

All of a sudden, other sounds flood in—soft piano music, muffled voices from other guests—as if Luke had been trapped in some kind of soundproofing bubble, as if Roman Demidov's presence blocked the Everything sounds the same.

At this time, Luke realized how Roman derogated him just now: malchik.little boy.

He stared at the empty seat, and a new sense of humiliation rushed over him.He felt a strong urge to get up and leave, but he resisted.He hasn't eaten anything since morning, so he might as well fill his stomach first.

Luke gestured to the nearest waiter.

The food was delicious, but when he was still full of disappointment and embarrassment, the taste became a cloud.Also lingering in his heart, there is also a sense of uneasiness.He was supposed to forward the email to his dad, but instead went it alone and screwed it up.The absence of his father angered Demidov.The consequences of this... It's hard to say.Luke knew nothing about the man, and it was hard to speculate how he would react.After all, he had no idea what the Russian wanted from his father.Thinking belatedly, maybe he shouldn't have put his hands in places he shouldn't control at all, but he is really fed up and tired of being kept in the dark and doesn't know anything. It's a familiar thing to do in insignificant activities.He just wanted to know what his father was tossing about, and he just wanted to get involved.Maybe it was folly to drill in blindly like this, but he was always confident in his ability to cross the river by feeling the stones - until the Russian tycoon with a creepy look in his eyes, reduced him to a red-faced , Embarrassed little hairy child.

When he finished his meal and left the restaurant, it was snowing outside.

Luke shuddered slightly, wrapping his arms around himself, remembering again that his Burberry coat was useless in the face of the Russian winter.He had never felt so cold in his life.

Luke looked around, saw a taxi nearby, smiled with relief, and walked quickly, the snow crunching under his feet.For the first time since today, he felt that his luck had improved.

He got in the car, told the driver the address of the hotel, closed his eyes, and turned his thoughts back to his fiasco meeting with Roman Demidov.There's absolutely no need for him to feel sorry for himself.He's done nothing wrong, it's just the bastard's own prejudice and feeling that it's demeaning him to deal with someone who just looks young.It was all Demidov's fault, not his.Luke wasn't as young and raw as he made out to be.

Having said that, however, the desire to have plastic surgery is still growing by the minute.Sooner or later, he will inherit his father's business empire. If people don't pay attention to him because he has a pouty boy's face, the price will be too high.His dark blond curly hair would probably hold back, too curly to be tamed by shaving or gelling.He was too stinky and couldn't bear to shave off this troublesome hair. Luke could only let his hair grow a little longer and comb it back.On the rare occasions he left his hair frizzy, his friends would relentlessly make fun of him for being like a cherub.

Thinking of this, Luke made a face.When he was younger, he once hoped that this face would mature and rough with age, but now he has basically given up that hope: his skin still feels like a baby. Soft, the cheeks are still so delicate and round, and the height is stagnant at a disappointing average level.Coupled with those dimples and pouty mouth, it's no wonder his father's business partners don't think much of him.

No, it's not that Luke lacks confidence in himself.He knows he is good looking.When he wanted to fuck, he never had to worry about not being able to catch a man.However, it is also easy to attract all kinds of disgusting metamorphosis.A person who is 23 years old and still wears a 16-year-old face will cause troubles in itself.He has long been used to the fact that people have to see their documents before they are willing to sleep with him.In fact, if they are willing to ask, it is not bad.

The car picked up speed suddenly, and Luke had to push aside a bunch of frustrated thoughts.

He opened his eyes. "Hey, it's not safe to drive like this..." When he looked out the window, his words gradually stopped.No matter where they are at the moment, this is definitely not the city center.How long has he been fugue just now? "Man, I'm pretty sure the hotel isn't in this part of town."

The driver didn't respond.Maybe he doesn't understand English?

"Etone pravil nayado roga," Luke said slowly, switching to Russian, hoping the pronunciation was okay.

Note ③: Russian: This is not the correct way.

The other party said nothing.The car was still accelerating. Judging from the situation, they seemed to be no longer in the urban area.

Luke's heart was beating wildly, and he bit his lip.Sure, things might not be what they seem, but you can never go wrong with being careful, right?Slowly, he reached into the right pocket of his coat, where he kept his cell phone.When he found that there was nothing inside, cold sweat began to break out on his forehead.

His breathing began to come short, and he began to search the other pockets.It's empty.

Hold.Fuck, fuck.

Luke forced himself not to panic, but to think.He met the driver's gaze in the rearview mirror.

"Look, this is not something you want to do," he said, trying to keep his tone calm and dignified. "You don't want to mess with someone like my father."

"Zatknis (shut up)," the driver growled.

At the same time, there was the sound of the pistol being unsafe.

Luke took a deep breath.There is no need to panic.Liushenwuzhu or something is not only useless, but also silly.Use your brain, Luke.

He looked back.It was dark, but he could see two SUVs trailing behind.So the driver is not acting alone.This is no ordinary robbery, they know his identity.

Luke wished he was a little more surprised, but he wasn't.He is the son of a billionaire whose father has made countless enemies.

"No matter how much they give you, I'll pay you five times that," he said.

The driver gave a short laugh. "Dead people don't need money, anglichanin," he said in heavily accented English.

Note ④: British guy.

Hearing the meaning of the other's words, a shudder ran up Luke's spine.His heart sank.The driver was very afraid of the messenger, and he didn't dare to betray him, no matter how much Luke offered, it was useless.Fear is enough to drive people to go their own way.

Basically, it can be said that Luke played off this time.

Now his only hope is that no matter who is behind the scenes, all the other party wants is a ransom.Instead of asking for something more and more terrible.