From Ruin to Reign Leander's Unbreakable Will novel Chapter 652

Chapter 652 The Mysterious Man at the Bar

Chapter 652 The Mysterious Man at the Bar

When Yvette heard that Leander was coming, she happily hung up the phone.

Leander put away his phone, but his eyes remained fixed on the direction of the bar street, a trace of doubt in his gaze.

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The bat–shaped shadow had moved incredibly fast, flashing across the sky in the blink of an eye. Other than him, none of the hundreds of pedestrians on Salford Street had noticed it.

What puzzled him most was why the shadow had chosen to disappear into the bar district. What was its purpose?

With one hand in his pocket, Leander walked in the same direction where the bat shadow had vanished and soon arrived at the entrance of the bar alley.

“Hm?”

He paused at the entrance and focused his senses to the limit. Strangely, the unusual aura had completely disappeared. He could not detect even the slightest trace of it.

“Interesting.” A faint smile curved on Leander’s lips. This was the first time something like this had happened. In the past, no matter how strong his opponent was, he could always capture at least a hint of their presence. But tonight, for the first time, he had lost track.

“To conceal one’s aura to this extent… It must be some kind of secret technique specialized in hiding,” he muttered to himself. The mysterious uninvited guest was clearly wary of being detected by certain powerful figures. That was probably why it had chosen a noisy, crowded place like the bar street to hide.

Leander withdrew his thoughts and walked into the alley. Pushing through the bustling crowd, he went deeper inside and eventually stopped in front of a bar. It was the very one Yvette had mentioned, Coco’s.

He wasn’t particularly interested in the mysterious visitor. What mattered to him was ensuring Yvette’s safety. Sensing her presence on the second floor, Leander headed straight for the staircase. Just then, a young man brushed past him.

He was a brunette with dark eyes, looking around twenty–four or twenty–five years old. He was handsome, though there was a slightly feminine sharpness to his features.

Even in the dim lighting of the bar, Leander immediately noticed the man’s almost sickly pale complexion.

They merely brushed shoulders. In that instant, Leander’s eyes flickered slightly, but he didn’t stop and continued upstairs.

The young man, however, paused and looked at Leander’s back, feeling that something about him was unusual. After standing there for a moment, he shook his head and continued toward the bar counter, a cold indifference toward life flashing in his eyes.

On the second floor of the bar, Leander had just stepped up when a wave of fragrance rushed toward him.

“You’re here, Lean! Come sit with us!”

Yvette was still dressed in the elegant, girl–next–door style she had worn that afternoon. Without caring about appearances, she hooked both arms around Leander’s and pulled him toward a booth further inside.

When they reached the booth, Leander realized it wasn’t just Yvette and Ginny. There were three more people.

Jacklyn, whom he had met that afternoon, was there. Beside her sat a seventeen- or eighteen–year–old girl with gentle features and

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10:21 pm

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Chapter 652 The Mysterious Man at the Bar

a reserved expression.

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What surprised Leander the most was seeing Jade–the former homeroom monitor who had once had several conflicts with him– sitting across from him.

“Sit here. You’re our honored guest,” Yvette said with a sweet smile, placing Leander between herself and Ginny.

Five beautiful young women, each stunning in her own way, were gathered at one table. It was naturally an eye–catching sight. Almost every man on the second floor glanced their way from time to time. Some were already eager, clearly considering coming over to strike up a conversation and offer a toast.

With Leander suddenly appearing and taking a seat right in the middle of the five beauties, the jealousy in their eyes grew intense. Some of them practically wished they could kick him out and take his place.

“Lean, this is Jackie. She’s a junior of ours. You met her this afternoon, so there’s no need for another introduction.

“And this is Jade, your former homeroom monitor. I’m sure you already know each other.

“Let me introduce you to Melanie. Like Jackie, she’s our junior, but she’s two years ahead of Jackie. She’s a senior at Ravenridge Senior High this year and also the student council president.”

Leander took the glass of wine handed to him. He didn’t appear overly cold, and he simply nodded at them in acknowledgment.

Jade looked a little awkward. Back in school, she had worked in the student council with Yvette and Ginny. Since they were all girls and got along well, they had come out together tonight.

But she hadn’t expected someone like Leander–a figure of his status–to join their gathering.

Melanie, on the other hand, remained calm and confident. After collecting her thoughts, she smiled at Leander.

“Hello there, Leander. You might not remember me, but at the school anniversary celebration over a year ago, I was one of the hosts. I handed you the microphone.”

“You’re the hero of our school–everyone’s savior. Here’s a toast to you.”

Leander smiled faintly and didn’t deny it. He raised his glass toward her.

“Me too, Leander!” After Melanie finished her drink, Jacklyn quickly poured herself a full glass.

“Meeting you is definitely the greatest luck of my life. It’s a good thing I didn’t go home when my parents called at noon today. Otherwise, how would I have had the chance to use your ID for an online game?”

She grinned.

“In the future, I’m going to tell everyone that you once lent me your ID. They’ll all be so jealous!”

Even though she couldn’t really handle alcohol, she still hurriedly drained her glass in one go.

“Silly girl. If you can’t drink, take it slow. It’s not about the alcohol–it’s about the people,” Leander said with a light chuckle as he noticed her cheeks turning red from the liquor. He shook his head slightly and took another sip himself.

Watching the two juniors interact so naturally with Leander, and seeing how he carried himself without any arrogance, Jade felt uneasy. Still, she gathered her courage and raised her glass toward him.

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10:21 pm

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Chapter 652 The Mysterious Man at the Bar

“Um… Leander, long time no see.”

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She was usually eloquent and confident, thriving in school with her sharp tongue and quick wit. But facing Leander now, she felt as if something was stuck in her throat. Even speaking a single word felt difficult.

Holding her glass, she lowered her head slightly. “Leander, I know that back in class, I said some harsh things and didn’t treat you well. That was my fault.

“But no matter what, we’re still old classmates. It’s been a long time. Can we have a drink together?”

Her tone was humble, almost pleading, as she offered the toast.

Melanie and Jacklyn turned their heads in surprise, beginning to understand. It turned out Jade had once had some conflict with Leander.

Thinking about it, both of them couldn’t help but feel a little sympathy for her. Missing out on someone like him–she must be feeling the bitterness now.

Leander had wine in his glass. He gently swirled it, the liquid moving lightly inside, but he didn’t respond at once.

Jade’s expression stiffened. Her arm hung awkwardly in midair, unsure whether to pull back or continue holding it out.

Just as she felt time had almost frozen, Leander finally reached out and lightly clinked glasses with her.

“Cheers.” His expression remained calm as he finished his drink. Only then did Jade seem to wake from a dream. Excitement filled her face as she quickly drained her own glass.

No matter what their relationship had been before, the fact that Leander was willing to share this drink meant he hadn’t held a deep grudge over the past.

After the toasts, the group chatted casually on the second floor. Almost every topic revolved around Leander. Melanie and Jacklyn, especially, were full of curiosity, wishing they could learn everything about him.

Meanwhile, downstairs on the first floor of the bar, the young man who had brushed past Leander earlier was now holding a blonde woman with a stunning figure as they entered a restroom stall.

The blonde was passionate, wrapping her arms around him and pressing kisses against his lips, eager to release her desire.

The young man responded to her enthusiasm, but deep in his eyes lay a chilling coldness.

The blonde noticed nothing.

Her smooth, delicate skin began to dry and wrinkle at a speed visible to the naked eye. Her golden hair started turning white from the roots, the pale color spreading strand by strand.

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