Chapter 31: Has He Always Been This Brave?

Was this guy always like this?

Emma's gaze fell on Rod's Adam's apple and his powerful, imposing physique. Suddenly, she felt her throat dry up.

A wild thought flashed through her mind.

She wanted to be pinned down by this beast of a man, with his raw strength and dominance.

It was strange to have such thoughts about her ex-boyfriend, someone she'd just broken up with, but she couldn't help it.

Every cell in her body seemed to be calling out to get closer to him.

This feeling reminded her of the nervous excitement she had felt the first time she dated someone.

Was she losing her mind?

How could she have broken up with a guy like this?

"So, how have you been? I mean, without me... Do you miss me? You've changed a lot," Emma rambled awkwardly, clearly flustered.

Rod shook his head with a smile as he watched her babble nervously.

He reached out, his hand gently brushing against Emma's face.

"No, we're already broken up... If Buck sees us, he'll get the wrong idea," Emma muttered, half-heartedly rejecting him with words, but her body betrayed her. She tilted her head up slightly, just like a cat greeting its owner, and leaned her face into Rod's hand.

Her eyes darted around nervously, worried someone might see the two of them.

Rod chuckled at her sneaky behavior. He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Even though we broke up, I'm still your friend," he said, smiling.

"Isn't that what you said?"

Rod's smile was calm but meaningful.

There's an old saying: even after a breakup, friends are still friends.

Emma licked her lips, her eyes shimmering with a sultry glimmer. Clearly, she remembered the words she had said during the breakup.

"Emma!"

A sudden shout, full of anger and surprise, rang out behind them.

Rod narrowed his eyes and turned to look.

A large white guy stood glaring at him furiously.

He was about six-foot-three and easily over 300 pounds.

Buck.

The son of a wealthy businessman who owned hundreds of chain stores, worth billions. He was also Rod's rival.

"Your boyfriend's here. I'll leave you two to it," Rod said, unfazed by Buck's seething glare. He smiled indifferently and, as he left, casually patted Emma's full backside.

Though she was wearing tight jeans, the familiar sensation made Rod grin.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Emma gasped, her face flushing with embarrassment.

She had been with Rod for years, so there was nothing new between them in terms of intimacy. They had done more than just knowing each other's "strengths and weaknesses."

This kind of close contact didn't bother her at all, but with her new boyfriend standing right there, it was bold, to say the least.

How could he be so daring?

"Sorry, just a habit," Rod said nonchalantly, rubbing his fingers together as if savoring the feel, all while standing in front of Buck.

"Relax, Emma and I are broken up. We were just chatting as friends. You don't mind, do you?"

Buck's face darkened. Was this guy really flirting with his girlfriend right in front of him? Did he think Buck didn't exist?

He didn't care about Emma's past, but no man could tolerate being humiliated like this.

"I'm going to shove your head where the sun doesn't shine!" Buck roared, clenching his fists as he charged toward Rod like a human tank.

Despite his 300-pound frame, Buck was the star player of the school's football team.

Football was a rough sport that demanded immense strength and stamina, with players enduring hundreds of collisions during a game.

His bulk was not just fat—there was serious muscle beneath it.

In Buck's mind, this little guy didn't stand a chance.

"Buck!" Emma's face turned pale as she saw her current boyfriend charge at Rod.

One was her ex, with whom she shared years of deep connection, while the other was her ATM... uh, her current boyfriend. She didn't want the two of them to fight.

Moreover, Buck was a star athlete on the football team. If these two fought, Rod would end up in the hospital for sure.

Despite being with Buck, Emma's emotional attachment still leaned toward Rod, given their years of shared experiences.

Thud!

A heavy sound echoed as Buck, who had been charging with full momentum, suddenly rolled his eyes and collapsed on the ground.

Emma covered her mouth in shock.

What just happened?

"Has he always been this bold?" she wondered.

Rod lifted his foot slightly, staring down at the unconscious Buck with a bemused expression.

What was this guy even thinking?

Did he think he was some kind of werewolf, daring to go head-to-head with him?

Even if he was, it wouldn't matter. Rod had taken down plenty of werewolves before.

A normal person should have realized, just by looking at his muscles, that this was serious.

Why didn't Buck get the message?

Ah, that typical arrogance of Chinese (assume that he has Chinese blood from his ancestors.).

"Is Buck... is he okay?" Emma asked, running over, her face full of concern.

"He's probably not dead," Rod said, sounding uncertain.

He hadn't even used much force, but if Buck had a weak constitution, a few broken bones or internal damage couldn't be ruled out.

While the chances of death were slim, it wasn't entirely impossible.