Chapter 9: What kind of guy did she rent?

This sudden incident made Nova shocked. Tristan's demeanor was truly impressive, not at all like a fake domineering CEO. Oh my god! What kind of guy did she rent? Nova stared at the scene, dumbfounded. Like in a dream, she never thought a day would come when these people who used to look down on her kneel down to her. It felt like being an empress - this feeling was just too awesome! Finally experiencing what it's like to hold your head high. Tristan raised an eyebrow and said softly, "How does it feel?" Nova turned to him, her eyes full of gratitude, her face brimming with excitement. Nova discreetly gave him a thumbs up. Only then was Tristan satisfied, his face returning to its usual aloofness. Selena was already scared speechless by the tense situation. Ashton's eyes narrowed, and he burst out yelling, "I swear I'll make you regret it! Do you know who my dad is? My dad will kill you!" Tristan ignored Ashton's rant, turned back to Nova, and casually ordered his guys, "Get rid of him." It was almost like he was saying, "Take out the trash." At that, Nova's smile froze, and she felt a knot in his stomach. Oh no, she hadn't expected this twist! Nova instinctively hid behind Tristan, tugging at his shirt, "Maybe we should just drop it, huh?" Ashton's father was tough to handle... Tristan glanced at her and teased, "Where did that boldness go just now?" Nova sheepishly smiled, looked down, and kept pulling at Tristan's shirt. "Well, this is a special case, isn’t it?" she was feeling cool just moments ago, and now she was totally embarrassed. Tristan just rolled his eyes at Ashton sprawled on the ground and said, "So what? You're gonna learn to bark like a dog today whether you like it or not!" In Tristan's eyes, these guys were just a bunch of nobodies. For him, dealing with them was as easy as squishing ants. The dude’s method was dumb, sure, but it somehow made Tristan more interested. "Keep at it until he starts barking," he ordered them. Ashton was livid. He shot a fierce look at Tristan and yelled, "You're looking for trouble! Just wait, you'll get yours!" Tristan coolly wrapped an arm around Nova and walked away. Nova was still processing everything when Tristan whisked her off to a private room. Behind them, the room erupted with barking noises, like a scene straight out of a cartoon. Nova burst out laughing. "Man, Ashton finally got what was coming to him!" Seeing Nova so happy, Tristan felt a playful urge to stir things up a bit. "Oh, and don't forget to settle the bill from earlier. That money was actually from a friend's lending company." Tristan's comment threw Nova for a loop. She quickly turned around, blinking fast, and started counting on her fingers, looking totally flustered. "How much do I owe again?" Suddenly, she felt like bursting into tears. It's all fun and games until the bills pile up! Tristan watched her worry with a hint of amusement. A smile unconsciously formed on his face He thought her distress was sort of adorable. "Need a hand? I could talk to them, maybe work out a payment plan." Nova, who had looked like a defeated puppy a moment ago, instantly brightened up. Her eyes lit up as she blinked rapidly and looked at Tristan. They locked eyes. "Really? You'd do that?" Her excitement made her look like a puppy that just couldn't wait to play. Tristan found it quite entertaining. "I can't promise anything, but I'll give it a shot," Tristan replied, his voice warmer and friendlier than before. Nova was visibly touched. "You're thanking me even though I'm the reason you're in this mess?" "Well, you were just sticking up for me, right? I'll figure out how to handle the debt," she said, her spirits a bit low. Then, remembering something Ashton had said, she added worriedly, "Maybe you should leave town. Ashton's dad runs Sky Group, and I'm afraid he might..." He could really kill Tristan. "Sky Group?" Tristan mused, then chuckled lightly, "Got it." As their conversation came to a close, Nova's mood took a dive again. "Where do you live? I'll give you a ride." "No need, I'll just grab a cab. Plus, you should get your company car back before it gets dinged or something," Nova said. Just then, a cab rolled by, and she flagged it down quickly, not giving Tristan a chance to argue. She jumped in and leaned out the window to wave at him, "See ya." Tristan smiled and watched her leave. Then, his assistant finally gathered the courage to come over, "Boss. Should we head back now?" Tristan's smile faded, and he returned to his usual stoic self, "What? You want to sleep right here?" The assistant was speechless. Once in the car, the assistant hesitantly asked, "Should I look into that girl?" "No need," Tristan shut it down quickly, and just when the assistant thought he wasn't interested, Tristan added, "I'll handle it myself." The assistant was stunned, thinking to himself, did Cupid finally hit our boss? "Alright, I'll push back your meetings," the assistant said, interpreting Tristan's silence as consent. The next day, Nova showed up at work with bags under her eyes. The manager immediately summoned her to his office. With her grandmother and huge debt weighing on her mind, she clenched her fists, took a deep breath, and pushed open the office door. "Mr. Blackwood, you wanted to see me?" she asked, forcing a small smile. Knowing her financial situation, Nova was more than ready to make a good impression. "We have dinner plans tonight. It's with a very important client," Victor Blackwood informed her.