Chapter 336 F*ck off!Leander's words once again cast a sudden chill over the table. All eyes turned toward him with different expressions, but every single one of them carried disbelief.They had already thought it arrogant enough when he declared Daphne to be his fiancee. But now, to openly dismiss both the Ashcroft family and the Florian family, even going so far as to tell Aurora to pass the message along-this was outright provocation.In Highcliffe, among the old-money dynasties, the Florian and Ashcroft families were unrivaled, two giants towering over the rest. Across Astria, aside from military powerhouses or the nation's most influential figures, no one dared tug on their tiger's whiskers.Yet here was Leander, just a college kid, brushing them aside as if they were nothing. To them, it was the height of stupidity. Where on earth did he get such confidence?"I hope when Ethan Ashcroft stands in front of you, you can still act this casual and keep up that bravado." Aurora's voice was cold as she turned her head away, refusing to waste another word on him. In her eyes, Leander was nothing but a reckless fool who didn't know what he was doing.Challenging both the Florian family and the Ashcroft family-there wasn't a single wealthy house in all of Highcliffe with the nerve to do that. So, what right did Leander, standing there alone, think he had?Livia, Yulia, and Raina had all been drawn to Leander at first, impressed by his sharp looks. Though lean, he carried the clear lines of muscle under his shirt. They had been mildly interested. But his words were like a bucket of cold water dumped straight over their heads. A fool this reckless would only drag disaster down on anyone who got too close.The mood at the table dropped to freezing point. Nathan could only smile bitterly at Leander, helpless to change the situation. He never expected a simple mixer to spiral into this. Still, he felt no blame toward Leander-only worry that his fearless attitude would one day bring trouble from the Florian and Ashcroft families that couldn't be cleaned up.Everyone clearly wanted nothing to do with Leander, but he paid it no mind. He simply poured himself another drink and carried on as if he were alone.From then on, Livia, Yulia, and Raina gave their full attention to Nathan's side of the table, laughing and shouting over dice games and drinking challenges. The six of them paired off, men and women mixing together, and left Leander completely out of it.Nathan tried more than once to draw Leander into the fun, but every attempt was smoothly redirected by Livia. Helpless, he could only give Leander an apologetic smile across the table.Leander shook his head slightly, unconcerned. He hadn't come here for their company anyway.His purpose was only to keep watch, in case anyone from the Wave Alliance came looking for Nathan and his friends. As for what those women thought of him, he couldn't have cared less."Hey, want a drink?"Aurora's voice suddenly came from across the table. She raised her glass toward him, her shining bright, every bit the image of a breathtaking beauty. eyesShe might have ignored him on the surface, but she had been watching closely. Whether it was the way Livia and the others excluded him, or when she herself had brought up the Ashcroft and Florian families, Leander never once flinched. His composure never wavered.Aurora prided herself on being sharp. She knew well how this society worked and had judged more people than she could count. Yet this kind of unshakable calm, she had only ever seen in the truly powerful—the kind of men who held lives in their hands and commanded from the top. But how could someone like Leander, a mere student, carry himself with that same kind of unshaken confidence, as if nothing in the world could faze him?Curiosity stirred, and she decided to test him, lifting her glass again in invitation.However, Leander didn't even glance her way. He drained his own glass in one go and calmly filled it again."This guy..." Aurora's eyes widened, a flash of anger sparking in their depths.She lifted her glass with ease. Usually, she had more boys than she could count scrambling for the chance to clink glasses with her. But Leander just lounged there, utterly unmoved, not even sparing her gesture a glance. In all her 19 years, this was the very first time she had ever been ignored like that."Hmph." She let out a sharp little snort, more annoyed with him than ever.She prided herself on her beauty-so much so that even Rodrick, president of the Wave Alliance, had shown interest in her. The first time they met, he had immediately invited her to join the Wave Alliance as a financial consultant. Yet Leander, who didn't seem to have any notable family or background, had brushed her off time and again. That, she could not stomach.Just then, a tall, broad-shouldered young man with a tattoo snaking down his arm stood up from a nearby table. With a glass in hand, he walked right up to Aurora. "Beautiful, how about a drink with me?"Aurora er would need to beAurora sneered inwardly. A mandrinkingat least a vice president of the Wave Alliance of a son from one of the great families his guy might have looked decent enough, but the street-bred roughness clinging to him was impossible to miss. In her eyes, he had no businessapproaching her. Her eyes went cold, and she almost refused outright. But then her gaze flicked across the table to where Leander sat calm and unbothered, and her mind changed. Narrowing her eyes, a sly glint sparking within them, she pointed at him."Sorry, my boyfriend doesn't let me drink with other men. Why don't you go ask him what he thinks?" She batted her lashes at the tattooed man, egging him on.The man turned immediately, locking his eyes on Leander. He understood exactly what Aurora was doing.In nightlife like this, most girls were bold, flirtatious, and free-spirited. Even if they already had boyfriends, those men were only placeholders-good until someone better came along. If another guy could outdo the boyfriend, the girl was his to take. He thought Aurora was one of those girls. All he needed to do was put Leander in his place, and then Aurora would be his for the night.“Hey buddy, she's your girl, huh? Lucky man.” The tattooed young man raised his glass toward Leander. “I just want a drink with her and maybe a dance. You don't mind, do you? If you don't, just drink this glass, and we'll all still be friends."As he spoke, he flexed his arm deliberately, muscles rippling with the kind of definition that only came from endless hours of training.Aurora's lips curved into a smile. She had done it on purpose, shifting the trouble onto Leander. He had ignored her charms one too many times, and she wanted to see him squirm. Later, she could always step in and “rescue” him.Sure, the tattooed thug looked intimidating, but they were in Highcliffe. All she needed to do was drop the Wave Alliance's name-better yet, Rodrick's—and no one would dare cross her.Meanwhile, Leander, one hand still around his glass, glanced sideways at the man whose eyes brimmed with provocation, clearly not taking Leander seriously.He was no stranger to this place-hehad been here hundreds of times, knew everyone from the bar owner to the waitstaff, and had caused more than his share of trouble. Every time, the other side ended upapologizingThis kind of scene wasnoveldramaroutine for him. And Leander, in hisplain college clothes, looked likenothing worth his respect.Aurora kept her gaze locked on Leander, waiting to see how he would react. ButLeander simply lifted his thumb, tilted it sideways toward the man, and said one word. "F*ck off."