Chapter 32: The Affable Star & Kingpin’s Cold Sweat

Not long after The black car carrying Carl and Erika pulled up in front of a towering high-rise. Right in the heart of Manhattan's most luxurious district. Carl stepped out and glanced at the name on the building. His eyes flickered with a hint of surprise. The Four Seasons Hotel. He remembered it clearly from his previous life. There had been a Four Seasons not far from his old college campus, A symbol of luxury and prestige. A five-star sanctuary. It made sense. A high-end hotel chain like this would naturally have branches all over the world. Following Erika, Carl stepped inside and took the elevator to the eighth floor, heading for the grand banquet hall. By the time they arrived, the venue was already buzzing with guests. Carl approached a nearby server and requested two glasses of red wine, handing one to Erika. 『Erika』: Thanks. 『God of Mankind』: You're welcome. Just then, a soft floral fragrance drifted through the air. 『???』: Hello. A pleasure to meet you both. Carl turned his head. A stunning woman stood before them in a flowing golden evening gown, her features elegant, her smile warm and charming. She extended her hand graciously. 『Erika』: Isabella?! Erika's eyes lit up. She stepped forward and clasped the woman's hand excitedly. 『Erika』: Miss Isabella, I absolutely loved your performance in Twilight! The woman before them was none other than the Hollywood actress Isabella. 『Isabella』: Oh? Really... Isabella blinked, clearly not expecting that. She hadn't come here for Erika. But at a gathering filled with influential people, being polite was second nature. 『Erika』: Of course! She beamed, then pulled out her phone. 『Erika』: Would you mind taking a photo with me? 『Isabella』: Not at all. Her smile never faltered. 『Erika』: Carl, could you take the picture? She passed her phone to him and set her wine glass aside. 『God of Mankind』: Sure. Carl took the phone and stepped back to frame the shot, But before he could press the button, Isabella spoke up with a playful tone: 『Isabella』: Mister, aren't you going to join us? You're so tall, we could get a great selfie if you held the phone. 『Erika』: Oh, that's true! She turned toward him, her eyes hopeful. 『Erika』: Wanna be in the picture too? Carl glanced between the two smiling women. 『God of Mankind』: All right. Let's take one together. He stepped up beside them. Originally, Erika was meant to stand in the middle, But Isabella suddenly shifted positions, moving to Carl's other side, placing him squarely between the two. She leaned in subtly, her tone gentle. 『Isabella』: Go ahead. Carl felt her soft hand slip quietly into his left. He remained composed and calmly snapped a few shots. Then handed the phone back to Erika. She immediately began scrolling through them. Isabella leaned in, smiling as she looked. 『Isabella』: These turned out lovely. Let's exchange numbers, you can send them to me later? 『Erika』: Absolutely! She was visibly thrilled. After all, Isabella wasn't just a random star, She was someone Erika genuinely admired. The two exchanged contact info quickly and shared the photos. After a bit of small talk, Isabella politely excused herself. But before she left, she turned and gave Carl a strange smile, One Erika didn't catch. She even lifted her phone slightly, as if sending a private message. Carl raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Beside him, Erika was still glowing with excitement. 『Erika』: I can't believe we just met Isabella! She's so sweet and down-to-earth! Carl chuckled lightly, his tone amused. 『God of Mankind』: Yeah... very friendly. This Isabella... He had met her before. At another banquet, A more exclusive one, held in private. Not just once, either. She'd made it clear she enjoyed their interactions. Afterward, she had kept trying to contact him. Carl had watched Twilight back in his previous life. So when the chance came to meet Isabella up close... Well, let's just say, who wouldn't? And as for her behavior just now? Carl found it... completely unsurprising. ... 『???』: Erika! A familiar voice called out. An elderly gentleman with silver-white hair made his way over. 『Erika』: Dad! She greeted him warmly. The old man spotted Carl and gave a nod of recognition. 『Nicholas』: Carl. You're here too? 『God of Mankind』: Yup. Good evening, Nicholas. 『Nicholas』: How have you been feeling lately? 『God of Mankind』: Thanks for asking. I've been well. They chatted briefly. Then Nicholas spotted a round, well-dressed man across the room. 『Nicholas』: Carl, I see a friend of mine over there, I'll go say hello. 『Nicholas』: You two enjoy yourselves. I'll find you when it's time to go. 『God of Mankind』: Got it. Nicholas turned and left. Carl had known Erika's father for several years. At first, According to Erika, Nicholas hadn't approved of their relationship. But just a few days later, his attitude had taken a complete turn. Erika had been confused. Carl, on the other hand, had a theory. The man had probably dug into Carl's finances. What other explanation was there? Just then, Carl noticed someone else across the room. A massive figure, like a wall of flesh, leaning heavily on a cane. Kingpin. Their eyes met. Kingpin raised his glass in greeting and downed his champagne in one gulp. Carl didn't respond. He merely took a tiny sip of his own wine. But Kingpin didn't notice that detail. To him, Carl's acknowledgment alone was a blessing. Because he knew how terrifying Carl was. And he feared, deeply, what might happen if Carl ever turned against him. Right now, Kingpin was panicking. He needed to find his men. Fast. He had to cancel the hit on Nicholas and his daughter immediately. Because Nicholas's daughter... Was Erika?! And judging by what he'd just seen, she and Carl were very close. Not acquaintances. Not casual. Clearly, they had a serious relationship. Just to be safe, Even if there was a chance it was true, Kingpin made a decision on the spot: Cancel everything. He'd find a new investor. Worst case? He'd fund the arms deal himself, even if it meant cutting the order in half. Because getting tangled with Carl? Was suicide. One wrong move... And he'd be a dead man. ... Of course, What Kingpin didn't know was: Carl had no intention of killing him. At least, not yet. After all, the man still owed him eight billion dollars. If Carl killed him, Where would the money come from? Sure, he could seize Kingpin's assets. But Carl didn't care about properties. He already had more real estate than he needed. As for companies? He had zero interest in running any. He had even sold off the firm his adoptive father left him. Business wasn't his thing. He had no passion for it. No talent either. So unless Kingpin really crossed the line, Carl had no plans to end his life.