A Journey from Bitterness to Truth (Matilda and Yvan) novel Chapter 710

Dean hadn't seen this twist coming. Seeing Yvan just casually take a seat beside Matilda, shielding her with his body, his gaze sharp as knives, Dean felt a chill. It was like Yvan wished he could tear him apart with those eyes alone.

Fear gripped Dean. This was Yvan, alive and well, not a ghost from the past but very much in the flesh, returning with an air of defiance that was palpable.

Matilda, now hidden behind Yvan's broad shoulders, seemed to find a safe harbor in him. It was as if Yvan was demonstrating his resolve through his physical presence alone.

"Mr. Dean, surprised to see me?" Yvan's lips curved into a smirk. He knew these middle-aged men feared not him, but the resemblance he bore to Matilda’s late husband.

“Oh, look at me, forgetting to share a drink with you,” Dean quickly plastered a smile on his face, his demeanor suddenly shifting to appeasement, much like Matilda had done earlier. How the tables had turned, and now they were the ones bowing and scraping.

Yvan's face, his very name, symbolized an undeniable power and status.

No matter how long he had been out of the picture, his return meant he still held the city in the palm of his hand. No one dared underestimate him!

Yvan watched with satisfaction as these old men reluctantly bowed down to him, their earlier disdain for Matilda now replaced by submission. The irony was not lost on him.

He took pleasure in watching them down a glass of whiskey, their faces contorting, almost gagging from the alcohol burn, and wondered what Matilda must have felt enduring their previous torment alone.

Yvan felt a pang of protectiveness over Matilda. Her resilience, even when surrounded by predators, spoke volumes of the storms she had weathered to stand so strong today…

As the men met Yvan's cold, mocking gaze, they swallowed hard. “Mr. Boyd, perhaps we haven’t had enough?” they ventured, their voices tinged with unease.

Yvan's laugh was devilish. “Oh? I saw Ms. Thompson handle three glasses by herself. Surely, you gentlemen can outdo that?”