Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 238: They’re attacking!They’re attacking!

His socks?

Ryan quickly recalled the impression that man had left on him earlier. If there was something off about him, it had to be his outfit.

According to the man, he was the son of the crane operator who had the accident. Judging by his economic situation, the man seemed to live a pretty average life—definitely not well-off.

You could tell just by looking at his clothes. They were the kind of cheap stuff you’d find at a flea market, maybe ten or twenty bucks a piece. It matched his story.

But there was something odd—his clothes were all perfectly pressed, not a wrinkle in sight.

Would an average guy really spend that much time ironing clothes, especially ones that looked so cheap?

“Was there something different about his socks?”

Ryan hesitated for a moment before asking. Mia still had her arm around his neck, so it wasn’t like he could just run away.

Her smooth leg was pressed against his cheek, the soft sensation impossible to ignore.

The warmth, the softness—it was the kind of thing that could make even the strongest man weak. Ryan didn’t have much willpower left to resist.

That feeling of knowing you’re about to be in trouble but being unable to do anything about it—it was strangely fascinating.

“Are you asking me? Or are you planning to find out for yourself?”

Mia’s lips curled into a playful smile as she shifted forward, her slender fingers tracing down Ryan’s chin and then moving to his Adam’s apple.

She didn’t even realize the spark in her eyes. She hadn’t planned on doing any of this, but for some reason, she couldn’t stop herself.

Originally, she just wanted to tease Ryan a little and then let it go, but now she was starting to enjoy it.

Ryan was Alice’s assistant, but could Alice do something like this?

“His socks were Gucci, by the way.”

Ryan probably didn’t know that, so Mia finally gave him the answer, dropping the teasing act.

She slowly straightened her right leg, releasing Ryan from the hold.

But before he could make a run for it, her pale leg was right in front of his face, her toes lightly tapping against his chest.

Mia’s big eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint, something that didn’t quite match her age.

Ryan was still trying to figure out what was going on when he saw Mia bite her lip, her red lips parting slightly as she whispered a single word.

“Take it off.”

Take it off?

Ryan’s mind went blank for a moment. That word, combined with her actions, felt way too suggestive.

Take off what, exactly?

Her small foot hovered in the air, while her hands clutched the hem of her skirt, trying to cover up what was almost exposed. Her face was flushed like a sunset, and her eyes had a hint of something… enticing.

Ryan just stood there, frozen, not knowing how to react.

Mia waited for a while, then shook her head in disappointment.

It made sense, though. Maybe she was pushing things a bit too far, too soon.

She sighed softly, then tapped her toes against Ryan’s chest again, leaning forward as she reached down to take off her shoe.

The little leather shoe had been hiding her foot, but now, as she slipped it off from the heel, a white ankle sock came into view.

Her soft foot rested on Ryan’s chest, the white sock not too thick, and if you looked closely, you could see a hint of pink underneath.

She must’ve walked a lot today. Her foot was slightly sweaty, warm, and moist, giving off a sweet, milky scent.

It was almost like ice cream…

Ryan’s mind started to race, imagining what might happen next. His breathing grew heavier, and he felt a tickling sensation in his chest where her foot was resting, like something was about to burst out.

What would it feel like to touch it?

The thought suddenly popped into Ryan’s head, but he didn’t dare act on it. He just stared at Mia’s small foot, lost in thought.

“Want to keep going? If you leave Alice, maybe you could.”

Her soft voice broke the silence, but there was a teasing tone to it. Mia hadn’t expected this kind of reaction from Ryan.

A foot fetish, huh? Men really are easy to figure out.

Ryan looked up and saw Mia’s devilish smile, instantly realizing he’d been played again. His face flushed red, then turned pale, as he silently cursed himself for being so easily fooled.

But honestly, considering how young and full of energy he was, it was already impressive that he managed to keep his self-control around these kinds of temptations every day, right?

Mia let out a few soft hums. Ryan didn’t say anything, but it was clear he was rejecting her.

Alice, that cold woman, would never do something like this to Ryan. Being around someone like her must be so boring. Mia couldn’t understand what Ryan was thinking.

She stopped teasing him and reached down to adjust her white socks, revealing the embroidered logo hidden at the back.

“See? That guy was wearing the same brand as me.”

“The same brand?”

Ryan wasn’t really into brands, but when Mia pointed it out, he finally caught on.

This was definitely a crucial piece of information. Ryan immediately perked up, grabbing Mia’s small foot to take a closer look at the logo.

Now it was Mia’s turn to be surprised. She hadn’t expected Ryan to switch gears so quickly.

What a strange guy—he was so reserved just a moment ago, but now that his focus had shifted, he was suddenly all business.

She felt a sudden warmth around her ankle, realizing too late that Ryan had gripped it tightly, his body heat almost burning her.

Seriously, she was supposed to be the one in control here.

“How much do these cost, roughly?”

“Hmm, not too expensive, I guess… around two hundred dollars?”

Mia tapped her chin thoughtfully. Two hundred dollars wasn’t much to her, but Ryan’s jaw dropped when he heard the price.

Two hundred bucks for a pair of socks? Were they made of gold or something?

Ryan quickly let go of Mia’s foot, worried that if he got them dirty, she’d make him pay for it. He was Alice’s assistant, but he didn’t get paid a dime.

No wonder Miss Alice had made him change clothes before leaving the house this morning. If anyone who knew Alice saw him in flea market clothes, it would be a real embarrassment for her.

Mia wearing luxury brands made sense to Ryan, but that guy…

His perfectly pressed clothes were probably brand new, with no time to get wrinkled. The expensive socks that didn’t match the rest of his outfit were likely because he hadn’t had time to change them.

That guy couldn’t possibly be the crane operator’s son. He was sent by someone else!

“Mia, you said earlier that guy wasn’t with the mob. Are you sure?”

This information was actually really useful—it pretty much shattered the man’s fake identity. Ryan’s tone softened as he continued questioning Mia.

“Weren’t you just doubting me a moment ago?”

Mia blinked, then handed Ryan the shoe she had taken off earlier, giving him a look that made her intentions clear.

Ryan’s mouth twitched. He knew exactly what Mia meant, but he was in no position to refuse. Sometimes, you just had to play along to get what you needed.

Like a dutiful servant, Ryan carefully slipped the shoe back onto Mia’s foot, his fingers lightly brushing her arch, making her shiver with delight.

“You’re doing that on purpose, aren’t you?”

Mia bit her lip, feeling her control over the situation slipping away, which made her uneasy.

Ryan just shrugged nonchalantly, then gave her foot a playful tickle.

When dealing with troublemakers, sometimes you had to use a little mischief yourself. Ryan was quite pleased with his actions.

Mia’s shoe was back on, but her face was slightly flushed. She composed herself before continuing.

“Alright, let me tell you something you can share with Alice later.”

“The outcome of that meeting the other day was that Rocco is completely finished, and Dante is gradually siding with Alice.”

“After all, he’s getting old. He probably wants to play it safe, so he’s basically giving Alice the green light.”

“So, the construction project in the business district is a test from the mob bosses for Alice. If she can pull it off, they might consider this a viable way to make money.”

Mia pulled her legs up and sat cross-legged on the dirt mound, seriously analyzing the situation with Ryan.

Alice hadn’t mentioned any of this to Ryan. He frowned slightly at the thought.

He was supposed to be Alice’s assistant, yet all his information was coming from Mia. Miss Alice had never discussed these matters with him. Wasn’t that a bit strange?

“She probably doesn’t want you getting too involved,” Mia said, as if reading his mind. She reached out and gave his cheek a little pinch, offering an explanation.

“So, does that mean Miss Alice won’t face any resistance from the mob this time?”

Ryan tried to piece together Mia’s words. With Dante on Alice’s side, no one would dare cause trouble, right?

But reality would soon show Ryan that he was underestimating the ruthlessness of power struggles.

“Not exactly. This time, Alice’s main obstacles will come from outside the mob, but there will still be people within the organization who’ll try to give her a hard time.”

Mia raised a finger, about to name someone, but just then, a commotion erupted in the distance.

“Hey! Who are you people?”

“They’re attacking! They’re attacking!”