Reborn to Build a Billion-Dollar Empire

Chapter 004

Roxy sized Victor Hale up with contempt, her laughter cold as ice.

"You're trying to teach me about stocks? You lost everything yourself, Ha, and now you want to advise me? Look at yourself in the mirror."

At this moment, Victor was barely distinguishable from a street beggar. His hair was matted and filthy, his appearance utterly wretched, and his clothes had clearly been worn for days on end. Anyone who got close enough could smell the revolting stench emanating from him.

She was right. Looking like this, he had zero credibility.

"It doesn't matter if you don't believe me. By tomorrow afternoon at the latest, you'll come begging for my help." Victor's voice carried absolute confidence.

In an instant, Bruno Kade's temper flared.

"You little punk! I think you're tired of living! How dare you talk to Roxy like that!"

With those words, the hot-tempered Bruno's fist, large as a sandbag, flew forward.

A heavy thud rang out as Victor, still bound to the chair, crashed to the floor. His head struck the ground hard, and warm blood began to trickle across the concrete.

Victor had already died once, and his face showed not a trace of fear. His composure was terrifying, as though he had set life and death aside entirely.

Lying on the floor, Victor didn't struggle. He simply looked up at Roxy with a sidelong glance.

"We'll see."

"See?"

Bruno raised his foot, but Roxy stopped him with a raised hand. Only then did Bruno reluctantly hold back.

"I already told you, we're sending him to the escort house. How's he supposed to work if you break him? You don't know your own strength."

Bruno pointed at Victor and shouted, "This guy's a lunatic! Even if we send him to the escort house, no client's going to want him!"

"You never know. There's a lid for every pot. Apart from his screwed-up brain, the kid's actually got decent features."

Roxy glanced at Bruno. Theirs was a hierarchical relationship. Except in bed, Bruno was her subordinate at all other times.

Since Roxy had made her decision, Bruno had no choice but to follow orders. He immediately called over some of his men and told them to take Victor to the escort house right away.

Victor clenched his teeth in silent fury. They were really sending him to work as a male escort? This was nothing but humiliation!

After Roxy and the others left, two young men came over and loaded Victor, chair and all, into a vehicle. Once in the car, they began explaining the rules of the escort house.

From their chatter, Victor learned that someone in his position was called a rookie male escort at the escort house.

No personal freedom. All income belonged to the company. If he didn't comply, if he showed even the slightest disobedience, what awaited him was brutal, inhumane abuse.

The two spoke with animated excitement, acting like petty tyrants reveling in their authority, clearly trying to intimidate Victor.

But Victor remained silent, sitting quietly with his eyes closed, conserving his energy.

He couldn't place all his hope on Roxy. What if he'd remembered the stock's exact rise and fall dates wrong? Then he'd be finished. The only thing he could confirm was that basketball game.

Before long, Victor was locked in a pitch-dark room. The space didn't even contain a bed. All he could do was curl up in the corner, hugging his knees for warmth.

According to the people outside, the rules dictated that he wouldn't be let out until tomorrow afternoon for a bath and instruction in the house rules.

Victor breathed a slight sigh of relief.

At least tonight he could sleep without disturbance.

When he opened his eyes again, sunlight stabbed through the crack beneath the door, making his eyes ache.

Shortly after, footsteps echoed outside.

Moments later, the iron door swung open. Even with his eyes closed, Victor found the light painful.

Three men had opened the door. Two of them moved forward and hauled Victor to his feet while the fat man standing in the doorway examined Victor's body for a moment.

"Get him cleaned up first."

The washing area wasn't a bathroom. It was a sun-drenched courtyard with no other buildings visible beyond its walls. This place must be on the outskirts of the city.

The two thugs shoved Victor into the center of the courtyard.

"Strip!"

Victor had barely regained his bearings. While he was still in a daze, the two thugs rushed him together and, in a matter of seconds, stripped him completely naked.

Then a powerful jet of water burst from a hose. Wherever the stream struck, it hurt, like a knife slicing across his skin.

Most viciously of all, they aimed the spray at a man's most sensitive areas, making Victor grimace in agony.

Tubbs noticed Victor's eyes burning with murderous intent and waved to his subordinates.

"His eyes don't look too good. Wash those too!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the water jet sprayed directly into Victor's eyes.

Unable to dodge in time, he nearly went blind.

After what felt like an eternity, the three men grew bored of their game and finally dropped the hose.

Just then, loud voices echoed from the far end of the corridor, approaching rapidly.

All four men turned to look. Two young men who'd been blocking the way stepped aside and hurried over to Tubbs.

"Tubbs, Bruno and Roxy..."

Before the young man could finish, Bruno had already arrived with three of his men, striding into the waterlogged courtyard.

"Tubbs! I'm taking this guy back!"

Tubbs looked mildly puzzled. Why bring someone here only to take him back immediately?

Before Tubbs could speak, Bruno continued.

"Roxy's waiting in the car outside."

Tubbs could afford to disrespect Bruno, but Roxy was someone he absolutely dared not offend.

Tubbs nodded and stepped aside for Bruno.

Bruno glanced at Victor and waved his hand, telling someone to find him clothes.

"Go get him something to wear."

"No need!"

Victor, who'd been covering his private parts until now, suddenly dropped both hands. He stood tall with his chest out, staring directly at Bruno, his eyes as sharp as a blade's edge.

Bruno's temper instantly flared. He raised his fist and stepped forward.

After only two steps, Victor shouted boldly.

"Bruno! If you want to solve this problem, tell Roxy to come here and talk to me!"

"You've lost your damn mind, kid!"

"I can guarantee you that without my guidance, Roxy will lose everything within a week at most!"

Victor spoke casually, but Bruno furrowed his brow. He turned and went to report to Roxy.

Meanwhile, Tubbs and his group stood there bewildered.

"Tubbs, who does Roxy think she is? Would she really come to a place like this? And this guy... he's still naked."

"Yeah, you think you're the top male escort or something? You haven't even started yet and you're already this arrogant."

While they were debating amongst themselves, a graceful figure appeared at the far end of the corridor. It was Roxy herself, striding quickly toward them in black stiletto heels.

Everyone present was stunned. They exchanged bewildered glances, their minds racing with questions.

However, seeing the fury written across Roxy's face, they could not help but gloat at the sight. Perhaps Roxy would teach Victor a harsh lesson about how cruel society could be with a single kick!

Soon, Roxy gave Tubbs a look. He immediately understood and led his men away with a bow.

"Stop!"

Though Victor stood there completely exposed, he showed no shame. Instead, he displayed an air of proud defiance, his expression full of mockery.

"They're my audience. They need to stay and watch you beg me!"