Chapter 79: Please Punish Me

Meanwhile, Percy's secretary knocked on the door. The restaurant’s soundproofing wasn’t great, so the commotion from the lobby was clearly heard in the private room. Percy's secretary, Hubbard, had been brought over from Percy’s family. Percy came from an ancient noble lineage. During the industrial revolution, their family was suppressed and nearly wiped out, leaving only a great-granduncle, who, due to poor health, had been sent to a monastery and survived. This great-granduncle secretly changed his name and built a vast business empire. Following the traditions of the ancient family, he sought suitable children from the slums to train them as personal bodyguards and assistants for the family's descendants. Hubbard was one of those chosen and trained from a young age to serve Percy, knowing his temper and when he was upset. Entering the room, Hubbard bowed, his face filled with guilt. "I'm sorry, boss. I couldn’t keep him in check. Please punish me." Percy glanced at Irene. Irene, feeding Emma a piece of meat, gave a cold look at the scene outside. Her tone was calm but carried an undeniable authority. "It's okay." Hubbard bowed again. Percy looked at Hubbard and said, "This time, the boss has pleaded for you, so I won't punish you. Be more careful next time." Hubbard closed the door, clutching his chest as the sweat on his forehead finally trickled down. Hubbard now understood why Percy respected Irene as the boss. The aura of danger she exuded even made him, who had been rigorously trained since childhood, shudder. The door suddenly opened. Emma, having opened it, returned to her seat to continue eating. Irene looked at Hubbard and said, "Sit down and eat with us." Hubbard glanced at Percy, who subtly nodded. Despite the implicit approval, Hubbard hesitated to sit. He entered, closed the door, and said, "Chairman, your adoptive father didn’t seem to guess your identity before leaving. Instead, he might have some bad thoughts. I'm worried he might be harmful to you." Irene chuckled lightly. Percy slammed the table in anger. "He wouldn’t dare!" Irene smiled at the concerned Emma and reassured her, "He’s just that kind of person, narrow-minded and thinks everyone in the world is a frog in a well." Percy wasn’t aware that Irene had been adopted by Kashi. But even if he had known, it wouldn’t have changed his attitude. "The company was established for the boss to be freer and have fun. How can some insignificant person dare to come here!" Hubbard glanced at his young master, finding it hard to explain the complex situation. "Sit down, eat." Irene gestured for Hubbard to sit. "Harm me?" Irene twirled the cheap polka-dotted glass from the restaurant, her eyes flashing with a fierce coldness. "Perfect timing. Let's use this opportunity to deal with him, so Grandma won’t have to worry about him anymore." Hubbard bowed his head, avoiding the intense aura. How could she be an ordinary eighteen-year-old girl? Emma cheered and raised her hands. "I agree!" Her childish behavior dissipated the coldness Irene exuded, bringing warmth back into the room. Irene glanced at Percy and said, "This matter should remain unnoticed by outsiders. I need your cooperation, Mr. Percy." Percy’s scalp tingled at the formal address. "Boss, please don’t call me that. I can’t handle it." Irene chuckled, "You need to get used to it. In front of others, I don’t want you calling me 'boss' all the time." Percy nodded, suddenly excited. "This sounds interesting, boss! I read novels where this is called 'playing the pig to eat the tiger!'" Irene smiled. "And Hubbard, stop bowing and avoiding my eyes every time you see me." Hubbard set down his knife and fork, instinctively lowering his head, but halfway, he lifted his face. "Understood, Miss Irene." "Now, let’s discuss the company's future direction. The live stream data looks good, and the number of fans is steadily increasing. I won’t have much time to devote to operations in the future. The company should handle this area, including backend support, operational staff, and donations." "And these personnel must be knowledgeable in detective work, preferably graduates from police academies." Percy enthusiastically asked, "Can Black and his team handle this?" Irene, knowing his thoughts, didn’t stop him. "No, they won't be involved. This task is yours. Find suitable students and schools in need of help." Percy nodded. Irene knew Hubbard was considered part of Percy's assets. His finances were managed by the family, and despite having substantial funds, he couldn’t use large sums freely. She glanced at Percy. "How much are you investing, under your personal name?" Hubbard tactfully interjected, "I have a few million left." Percy snapped his fingers. "Don’t worry. Working with the boss will surely be profitable! I’ll make the money back in a few months and return it to you!" Hubbard laughed, "No need, young master. What’s mine is yours." Emma’s eyes widened in disbelief. In this day and age, who would willingly give away their money! Emma’s round eyes darted between the two men. Could they be the rumored gay couple? Percy sighed, feeling helpless. Irene, however, adapted well. Percy, though flamboyant, never mistreated those around him, especially Hubbard, whom he had saved and protected, even taking punishment meant for him. To Hubbard, Percy was more than just a young master. To Percy, Hubbard was more than a bodyguard and secretary. Their complex relationship couldn’t be easily explained. Seeing Percy’s optimism, Irene felt a bit resigned. Without Stefan’s extravagant rewards, her growth in traffic wouldn’t have been so rapid. Irene preferred a more gradual approach. Meanwhile, Helen’s luxurious life was just beginning. She was at a beauty salon with her wealthy friends. The topic among the ladies revolved around a few things: brand-name bags, children, their husbands’ companies, clothes, and designer shoes. Helen, proudly discussing Joanna, said, "My daughter is studying in the capital, where competition is fierce. Speaking English alone isn’t enough; she’s also learning French, German, and Italian. After graduation, we’ll send her abroad for further studies." A wealthy lady smiled, "Joanna has always been excellent. I heard Joyce Baker is interested in her? He’d be a great son-in-law." Helen feigned elegance. "Their relationship is good, but Joanna is focused on her studies, which worries me. She’s quite old now and still single." Another lady scoffed. Helen turned angrily. "What do you mean by that?"