While Ryder had managed to convince the people not to call the cop, Dan informed them about the whereabouts of Bastion.

"Bastion is in the toilet. Apparently someone locked him there. Fortunately, he's perfectly safe as well," Dan said as he smiled.

"That's good," Ryder said as he nodded his head. 

"Let's get him out of here. We should leave. The party is over as well," He added as he turned back and left.

The others also nodded their heads as they left after him.

"He's on the toilet of this floor, right?" Ryder asked Dan to be sure. Even though he knew, he decided to give an even more convincing performance.

"Yeah. He's on this floor," Dan responded as he nodded his head.

"Good."

Ryder unlocked the door and let Bastion out.

"You got locked in the toilet. I never thought I'd see this day," Ryder said as he rolled his eyes. "Who did this?"

" I don't know. I didn't see anyone. I was here looking for you, and when I tried leaving, the door was locked," Bastion explained.

He hadn't heard about the things that happened with the Joker since Dan simply asked him where he was. He has no idea what had just happened outside now. He noticed the strange expressions on the faces of people.

"What happened here? Now that I think about it, none of you were picking up your phones, and all of you look worried. Something must've happened!"  Bastion inquired.

"What happened?" He asked Ryder.

" I was not in the toilet. Because of some network issues, I had stepped out of the building. When I came back, the door of the room was closed. I'm not clear on the details either, but from what I heard, Some thugs entered the room in search of their enemies. They scared them and left after some time. No one was harmed,"

" The people were wearing joker masks, but when I came back, I didn't see anyone like that, so they probably left," Ryder explained in short to downplay the situation and to explain to Bastion that there was no benefit in sticking to the situation or for trying to find those men who did this since it was impossible and didn't really matter since he said that they entered by mistake.

" People in joker masks? I don't think I've heard of any gang with that. I'll try to find out about them. In the meanwhile, it's good to leave. You guys must be stressed about this. Go home and rest. We can do this again some other time," Bastion said as he nodded his head.

Bastion left the toilet with the others.

"Did you all get your stuff?" He asked.

"Yeah."

All of them nodded their heads.

"Good," Bastion muttered as he walked towards the stairs.

All of them left the floor and went down.

All of them walked to their cars in the parking.

Since Ryder still had the keys, he walked towards the Ferrari parked there and opened its doors.

As soon as the others saw the car he unlocked, the people that were still outside started looking at him.

"Ryder, you own a Ferrari?" One of the girls asked.

"Of course, Brother Ryder owns a Ferrari," Shu said as he replied instead.

"He walked to the car and tapped the bonnet of the car. This is Brother Ryder's favorite model," He added.

Ryder understood what he was trying to do, and he couldn't deny either. Whatever Shu said was the truth, after all. 

Ryder did own a Ferrari. The only difference was that he owned a Ferrari Whirlwind that was not in good condition. It was also the truth that Shu's Ferrari 2047 was his favorite model. Ryder just stayed silent and entered the car.

Shu entered the car as well.

"Goodbye, guys," Ryder wished everyone before he drove away.

Everyone else watched him zoom off into the distance. Even Imane took a few glances.

****

Ryder had only driven for a few minutes when his phone started ringing.

He connected his headset to his ears and picked up the call.

"Hello?" he let out.

" Stop at the next traffic signal and get in my car," The person on the other side of the connection said.

"But I'm going home," Ryder replied casually.

"Fine. I'm coming," Ryder let out as he disconnected the call.

"Call from work?" Shu asked Ryder as he looked at him.

"Yeah, I need to meet someone for work. I'll have to leave. You take the car back. I'll be back by night," Ryder said as he stopped the car near the next traffic signal and got out of the car.

"Should I leave you there?" Shu asked Ryder.

"Nah, they will come to pick me up," Ryder said as he shook his head. "You go back."

"Alright. I'll leave then. Have fun," Shu replied as he smiled.

He shifted to the Driver Seat and started the car.

Shu drove away, leaving Ryder behind. 

****

Ryder stood in the traffic signal for a few minutes before a car stopped near him.

He entered the car. There was a beautiful girl sitting in the car.

"What do you need?" he asked as he looked in the direction of the girl.

"Aww, My hubby called me when he needed me, and he's not going to do anything for me. It breaks my heart," Esmi chuckled as she placed her hand on Ryder's lap.

Ryder looked at her and smiled wryly.

"You should know that your hubby just bullied a girl. Do you not mind?" Ryder asked.

"Nope. My hubby is allowed to bully anyone except me," Esmi said as she chuckled. 

"That's good to hear. Let me pay you back then," Ryder replied as he placed his hand on her hand. 

" Wait, let us go to some place first,"  Esmi said as she started the car with a beautiful smile on her face.

She turned the car back and started driving it in the direction where Ryder came from.

Esmi stopped the car before the same Karaoke Bar.

"This place?" Ryder asked as he looked outside.

"Yup. Come with me," She said as she stepped out of the car.

Ryder also stepped out of the car and entered the place, following after her.

Esmi took him to the same room where Ryder had left from and locked the door behind him.

She sat on the couch.

"So, you want to repay me?" Esmi asked, looking at Ryder, with one of her eye-brows up.

'Is she trying to go for this play?' Ryder couldn't help but think as he smiled wryly. He decided to play along. He did genuinely like her though.

Ryder sat down on the couch and lazily ran his lean fingers through his hair as he spoke while yawning, "Yes, I don't leave debts."

"Mmm...I see.." Esmi said in a deep voice before sitting down on the other couch. She put her legs on over another as she settled herself in a relaxed position. Her bare skin was visible from where her pencil skirt ended.

She looked like a lazy little kitten as she started drinking from the bottle on the table, not even bothered to pour it into the glass.

Ryder also started drinking even though he knew he couldn't get drunk, yet when your company is drinking, you can't just sit by idly or it would seem both lame and unsocialized. He knew his manners.

A few minutes passed by with both of them indolently when Ryder suddenly spoke up.

"So, what do you want?"

Esmi looked at him while licking the liquor left on her lips; a smirk flashed through her face as she noticed Ryder's reaction at her little action.

She cleared her throat, and a mischievous smirk formed on her lips as she said, "Are you sure you'll be able to give me whatever I want?"

Ryder sipped from the goblet, trying to hide his slightly knitted eye-brows as he thought, what is the trickster planning again? 

But he quickly neutralized his expression when he put the glass back on the table.

"Whatever you ask, little trickster, I never go back on my words," Ryder looked at Esmi challengingly.

Esmi's eyes sparkled as an impish smirk covered her red lips; she looked back at Ryder directly in the eye as she dropped the bomb.

"Seduce me and satisfy me," Esmi said in a serious tone as she changed the light settings of the karaoke room to red.

Ryder, who was taking a sip, suddenly choked his drink and started coughing uncontrollably. He had already thought of several options about what she was going to ask for, but damn.. how could he ignore the fact that she was a vixen in the disguise of an innocent, cute cat.

Esmi yawned lazily as she lay back and teased Ryder with a smile on her face, "Awwee, already scared you wouldn't be able to satisfy me? Sad, didn't take you for that type hubby."

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