svetikya Page 232
Page 232
Viktor laughed heartily, knowing there was no turning back; this was a gamble in itself.
The contract has been signed, the press conference has been held, and now the whole world is anticipating this showdown.
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Sunset comes exceptionally early in Copenhagen.
By four o'clock in the afternoon, the sky had already turned orange-purple.
Victor stood by the Newport Canal, watching the colorful houses light up with warm lights.
He needs to temporarily distance himself from boxing, from those business calculations and expectant gazes.
The former agent and Victor met at a café in Newport.
Max Black looked more vibrant than he remembered—his curly hair was casually tied back, and his eyes shone with a blend of intelligence and humor.
She was wearing a thick wool coat, with a scarf casually wrapped around her neck.
"So, Mr. Boxer, you asked me out this evening because you wanted to have a unique fight?"
Max ordered a hot chocolate with double cream.
Viktor's eyebrows twitched.
"I am the boss of your head office, so show me some respect."
"Yes, the chairman... went from being a 2 Broke Girl to a corporate executive. Even Hollywood wouldn't dare to write a story like this."
Max made a face: "But Copenhagen is too cold, I'm not used to being here, and you're practically a 'hidden rule' now, so watch out, our All-Women's Association might come after you!"
"Hahaha!"
Viktor's mind seemed to light up, and he then extended an invitation to go for a walk.
They strolled along the canal, with Victor recounting the recently signed match and Max describing how they transformed a small cake shop into the pastry division of a multinational corporation.
“The craziest thing is,”
Max said, "I actually know nothing about management. I just know what tastes good and what doesn't. Luckily, Caroline is a real manager."
Victor noticed that Max's eyes would light up especially when the topic of pastries came up.
Her understanding of temperature control in handmade chocolate is no less than his research on boxing combinations—and even brighter than when he talked about boxing before.
Why are you so passionate about desserts?
"I'm curious," Victor asked.
Max's expression dimmed for a moment, then brightened again: "Desserts won't disappoint you. As long as you respect the recipe and control the temperature, they'll reward you. Not everything in life is like that; I may not have encountered it."
They went into a Michelin-recommended restaurant, where Victor had booked the entire terrace in advance.
The night view of Copenhagen unfolds beneath your feet, and the lights of Tivoli Park can be seen in the distance.
"To be honest, I've been following you for a long time,"
Viktor cut a piece of roast duck breast and said casually, "Shortly after you became my agent, what was most attractive about you was your two bombshells, and later it was your pure heart that was wrapped up in worldly affairs."
Max nearly choked: "Wait, what did you say?"
“I come from the South Side of Chicago, as you know. Chicago itself is renowned, and the South Side is the best in Chicago. I have seen many people with similar experiences to yours, but I have never seen anyone who can maintain their original aspirations like you.”
Victor looked at Max: "You're special."
Max put down his knife and fork, his expression complicated: "Victor was a bit simpler at first."
After dinner, they took a walk along the Stleg pedestrian street.
The Nordic night wind was bitterly cold, and Victor considerately draped his coat over Max's shoulders.
Why did you choose to live under an assumed name in New York?
Victor finally asked the question that had been bothering him for a long time, "I've been looking for you for a long time, but to no avail, and I've wasted a lot of money on it."
Of course, many people also sleep at the bottom of Lake Michigan.
Chapter 196 A Few Things About Copenhagen
Max remained silent for a long time, so long that Victor thought she wouldn't answer.
"That period was the lowest point of my life,"
She finally spoke, her voice so soft it was almost carried away by the wind, "I'm all alone, and my bank loan is in trouble again. That damn Tennessee Service Bank manager didn't even process my interest-free period, and the accumulated interest means my savings are simply not enough."
Victor stopped in his tracks: "A bank loan?"
Max smiled bitterly, “I made $30,000 from you, thinking I could continue my studies, but there were countless hidden clauses in the contract. When I couldn’t make the payments on time, the interest had tripled. Debt collectors came to my door every day, and even after taking the $30,000, it wasn’t enough, so I had to go into hiding.”
Viktor's heart sank.
He recalled that he had once asked someone to look for Max, but to no avail—the anger was of course borne by the bank manager, and only the bottom of Lake Michigan could extinguish it.
It turns out she had been hiding from her creditors.
"And... what about the child?"
Viktor asked cautiously—it was something he didn't want to talk about, but had to, because Viktor, who had lost a child, found it hard to accept that the same thing would happen again.
Max's eyes instantly welled up with tears, and she turned to the canal so that Victor wouldn't see her face: "One night, the debt collectors came again and took all my savings."
Hearing the school's threats, I felt like I was going to break down. That night I drank a lot of alcohol—far too much—I didn't know I was pregnant.
Her voice trembled: "The next morning, I fell and was taken to the hospital. The doctor told me I had miscarried, and that's when I found out I had a child."
Viktor felt a sharp pain in his chest.
He gently placed his hand on Max's shoulder and noticed that she was trembling slightly.
"The most ironic thing is,"
Max wiped away her tears and forced a smile. "Because of my hospitalization, I missed my court appearance. The court ruled in favor of the bank, and I not only lost my savings but also incurred even more debt. That's why I disappeared, and why I even changed my name."
Viktor was silent for a moment:
“I didn’t know. I remember taking precautions every time, and you have my private number.”
“I don’t know either. Maybe it was because the quantity was too high or the frequency was too high. Who knows? But during that time, it was just you.”
Max gave a wry smile: "I saw it, but I felt like Cinderella, destined to disappear after the clock struck midnight. Besides, I wasn't even your invited guest, just a summer worker."
In fact, Max knew about the Victor family's ruthlessness.
As Victor's reputation grew, so did what Old Joe did in Chicago's South Side. Max didn't dare to call when he first heard about it—and many people still don't dare to do it now.
Victor pulled Max closer and gently hugged her: "I'm sorry, I didn't know. If I had known..."
"How could you know? I didn't even know myself."
Max broke free from the embrace and shook his head. "It was an accident; none of us knew about it. And what happened afterward was even more unpredictable."
They sat on a bench, watching the reflections of the lights from the boats in the canal.
Victor grasped Max's hand and found it frighteningly cold.
"It's all in the past,"
Victor wanted to keep Max by his side, saying, "Now you've succeeded, you have a new life."
Max smiled: "Yes, you're my chairman now."
Victor hesitated for a moment, then said seriously, "Max, I know this is sudden, but there's clearly some kind of connection between us. Would you give me a chance? Let's officially start dating."
Max's expression softened, and she reached out to stroke Victor's cheek: "Victor Lee, you are one of the most charming men I have ever met. I cried during last night's game, and I was so excited when you won that I almost got wet."
Then she withdrew her hand and shook her head: "But I can't accept it."
"Why? Because of past traumas?"
“No, because I am Max Black now. If I were to go bankrupt all the time, I would have accepted it if I had been alone before.”
Max said firmly, “But now that I have you, I want to fight for this luck,” said the general manager of the pastry division of Sky Snow Honey Wind City Catering Company.
"If I become the boxing champion's girlfriend, everyone will think my achievements are because of you, not because of my ability."
Victor tried to retort: "But your abilities are obvious!"
"In the workplace, especially for women, appearances are reality."
Max sighed. "If I'm with you, no matter how hard I try, any achievements I make will be attributed to my status as the 'boxing champion's girlfriend.' I need to prove myself first and build my own reputation."
Viktor nodded understandingly, but couldn't hide his disappointment: "So this is the end? We can't...?"
A sly glint flashed in Max's eyes: "Your reputation in New York is terrible. If you tell them now that we're your company, I guarantee a lot of people will come after us."
Victor couldn't help but laugh: "Then I'll wait for that day. But I must warn you, I might 'accidentally' appear near you quite often to try some new pastries."
"You're welcome anytime,"
Max stood up and handed the coat back to Victor. "Now, Mr. Boxer, I have to go back. I have an important meeting tomorrow morning."
Victor watched Max's departing figure, appearing both vulnerable and strong in the Nordic night.
Back at the hotel, Victor couldn't fall asleep for a long time.
He stood by the window, looking at the night view of Copenhagen, but his mind was filled with memories of New York.
Victor called Frankie. "I need you to look into something."
Franky, who was fast asleep, asked, "Is it urgent?"
Victor ignored the complaints and gave direct instructions: "Max has a student loan on him. The manager from back then has been dishonest and has gone too far in helping to collect the debt. The school has also been somewhat negligent. I hope you can handle this."
Frankie woke up instantly—Max, the bank manager, debt collectors, school staff.
"What do you suggest?"
Translate: To what extent?
Victor looked out the window: "Max was very helpless and stressed during that time, which caused me to miscarry when my child was a little over a month old, Frankie, that was probably my first child."
"understood."
Frankie was even sweating: "This will be done before you come back on April 20th. I'll use an underwater camera to record the view at the bottom of Lake Michigan."
After hanging up the phone, Frankie's wife asked what had happened.