Chapter 849: It will be me, no one else.

Meanwhile...

Jonathan outlined the rim of the glass with his fingertip, seated alone at a bar counter. The jazz music had been filling his ears, but his expression would tell anyone he was far from enjoying the calm ambiance of the bar.

Just then, a person sat on the stool beside him, sliding an envelope toward him. Jonathan glanced at the envelope before slowly lifting his eyes to the man seated next to him.

"What you’re requesting is impossible at the moment," the man said quietly, signaling the bartender for a drink. After a second, the bartender served him a glass of Scotch, which he casually grabbed and took a mouthful of.

"Impossible?" Jonathan raised an eyebrow at the man, who seemed intent on saying nothing more. "And why is it impossible?"

"Finn Davis is heavily guarded by Prime Group’s elite squad," the man replied in a knowing tone, facing Jonathan squarely. "We’ve done everything we could, but even with a diversion, they wouldn’t let him out of their sight. Even the nurses in charge were inspected, and all the medicines that they were carrying into his ward."

Jonathan’s face twisted in displeasure. "You’ve done everything and still nothing? Isn’t that a little disappointing?"

"We’re giving you aid just as promised," the man said, his tone unchanging. "However, it’s not in the agreement that we’d help you at the risk of our own. Prime Group handles the security for many people."

"That’s exactly the point. Prime Group handles a lot of influential people’s security. However, if they started messing things up, wouldn’t that affect their spotless reputation?"

"Easier said than done," the man took another mouthful and hissed. "If you think it’s that easy, do it yourself. You’re capable, so we’d be pleased if you exercised your capabilities for once. All we’ve seen so far are promises that haven’t materialized and a lot of waiting."

The man then stood up, placing a hand on Jonathan’s shoulder. He bent over slightly, speaking quietly in Jonathan’s ear.

"We’ve been doing our end of the bargain, Jonathan. We’re starting to feel very impatient now. I hope you’ll get things done soon... or at least make some progress. I heard the higher-ups have been talking a lot."

Having said that, the man squeezed Jonathan’s shoulder and walked away.

As for Jonathan, a glint flickered across his eyes. He turned his head toward the man’s retreating figure. The corner of his mouth hooked up, but his eyes were fiery.

"What a bastard," he murmured, chugging down his rum in one go. Hissing in satisfaction, he huffed and irritably picked up the envelope. He casually placed a bill on the counter and walked out of the bar.

---

[Outside the Bar]

When Jonathan stepped outside, his car was already waiting for him. Jumping into the backseat, he massaged the bridge of his nose to ease his headache.

"This is annoying," he muttered, snapping his eyes open and gazing at the driver’s seat. "Hey. Hey!"

The driver flinched when he felt a sharp tap from behind him, glancing at the rearview mirror to see Jonathan pointing at his ear.

"Ah," the driver nodded, putting on his earplug to give his boss some privacy.

Jonathan hissed at the driver, shaking his head slightly. It was obvious he hadn’t had a good day, and those people — the person he met at the bar — were the reason.

"They really are a bunch of useless fools," he muttered, taking out his phone to contact a nameless number in his contacts. He placed the phone to his ear, waiting for the call to be picked up.

It took several rings for the call to go through, but Jonathan showed no sign of added irritation. If anything, he was more patient.

"It’s me," he said, holding the envelope he had received earlier. "I got it. They gave it to me with a smile on their face."

After a moment, a woman’s chuckle was heard from the other end of the line. "You sound pissed."

"Because they can’t even do such a simple thing, and yet they dare question me and my capabilities," Jonathan scoffed in ridicule. "If I wanted to, I would’ve killed him myself so he doesn’t get the chance to get cocky around me."

"Oh, my dear. Calm down; this isn’t like you," the woman mused. "Something else is bothering you, isn’t it?"

Jonathan stayed quiet, huffing in irritation. "It’s nothing serious," he said. "It’s a little troublesome, but it’s manageable."

"Are you sure?"

"Do you think I’m not?"

"All I’m saying is... you might need a hand," the woman said from the other end of the line. "I can give you a hand. After all, you’ve been a great help to me until now."

Jonathan glanced at his phone, smirking. "There’s no need... I don’t need your help yet."

"Haha. Don’t worry, Jonathan. My help doesn’t affect our agreement," she said. "I appreciate your efforts and am impressed with your guts so far. Those people... aren’t easy. They’ve always meddled with our affairs. It’s about time they should be out of the picture."

"We’re almost there," he reassured her. "A little more patience, and we’ll expand our market."

The woman smiled in satisfaction. "Being patient has always been part of the plan, but I do trust that you’ll give me good news soon. After all, I heard Enzo’s son made a move on you."

"Were you worried that things might change because of Zoren Pierson?"

"No, but it’s wise to consider everything from all sides. After all, you’re playing with fire, Jonathan. I’m worried about you."

Jonathan smirked. "Like I said, this is a patient battle. However, that doesn’t mean I’m not sure who will rise as the victor. It will be me, no one else."

The woman chuckled in amusement while Jonathan relaxed his shoulders. But just as he was about to speak more, he suddenly heard the driver shout.

"Sir! From our side!"

When Jonathan turned his head, he saw a black panther running on their side, slowly catching up to them. His eyes widened as the panther gained speed, jumping off the road and landing on top of their car with a loud thud.

SCREECH!