The Mischievous Doctor (Finnegan and Nuthana) novel Chapter 444

Vixen?

The atmosphere was palpably tense, with Hailey's cheeks coloring slightly at Ruff's rather bold analogy. It was an awkward moment that she couldn't easily shake off.

Meanwhile, Lauren was in such excruciating pain that catching her breath was a struggle; mentally, she could only curse at Ruff.

Finnegan, with a wry smile, responded, “Don't worry, my interest doesn't lie in men either. My intention is for you to become one of my followers.”

Ruff, though a solitary fighter, lived by his own set of rules and moral compass. Finnegan saw value in having such a principled individual at his side.

Ruff, however, was vehement in his refusal, “That's out of the question. You might as well take my life than expect me to serve under someone!”

To him, serving as a follower was tantamount to losing his cherished freedom.

He then questioned Finnegan's earlier confidence, “Are you so sure that it would only take one punch to subdue me?”

Finnegan, unfazed, responded confidently, “If I've said it, then I certainly have the confidence to back it up.”

Intrigued by Finnegan's assurance, Ruff decided to raise the stakes. Chuckling, he proposed, “All right then, let's make a bet. If you fail to knock me down with one punch, you owe me one hundred million—and this woman for a night!” He pointed directly at Hailey, causing a flicker of emotion to cross her face.

Hailey's expression shifted when she heard this.

She was also reminded of why he was named Ruff, for he behaved much like a ruffian.

Her focus then shifted to Finnegan.

Finnegan, with a light sigh, expressed his attachment to Hailey, “She's mine now, and I've grown quite fond of her. I can't agree to that.”

Hailey's eyes warmed with emotion, a feeling of respect for Finnegan that she had never experienced with Liam.

Ruff frowned. Looking for an alternative, he pointed at Lauren. “What about her?”

Lauren, having regained some composure, quickly interjected, asserting her independence, “I am not his property. I am the daughter of the Gallagher family from Glenport. You can't use me as a bargaining chip.”

Finnegan, laughing heartily, played along with Ruff's challenge, “Fine. If you can endure a punch from me, you can walk away with a hundred million and the lady.”

Lauren protested vehemently, “Finnegan, you have no right to gamble with me!”

However, Finnegan was more focused on Ruff's reaction to his challenge. “And what if you can't withstand my punch?” he asked.

Ruff, brimming with fighting spirit, declared, “It's impossible for me to join you, not in this lifetime. But if you do manage to knock me down with a single punch, I will perform one task for you, even if it involves killing a hundred or a thousand people.”

Finnegan, sensing the seriousness in Ruff's tone, shelved the idea of having Ruff as a follower.

“All right, are you ready?” he inquired.

The playful air around Ruff had dissipated, replaced by the full unleashing of his combat power. There was an unmistakable aura of a Grandmaster of Terra Realm.

“Let's do this!”

As Finnegan spoke, he propelled himself forward with such force that the ground beneath him cracked. In a flash, he was in front of Ruff, his right fist clenched and hurtling toward Ruff's chest.

Ruff's pupils dilated in response, his hands moving quickly to protect himself.

The impact of the punch was thunderous, sending a jolt through the eardrums of Hailey and Lauren.

The shockwave was so powerful that it disrupted the entire area—tables, chairs, and even barbecue grills at the nearby stalls were overturned, leaving the scene in utter chaos.

Wow...

Shortly afterward, Alisha and her team arrived to efficiently clean up the scene. They took several of the fallen men in black into custody for questioning.

It wasn't long before Finnegan received the information he sought.

“They were sent by the Zymons family. They were waiting for Ruff to weaken you before finishing the job, but they didn't anticipate Ruff's deviation from the plan.”

Finnegan was mildly surprised by this revelation. “Is Seth really focusing on me now? I thought he'd be preoccupied with the Wahlstrom family first.”

Alisha elaborated, “Initially, Seth did plan to deal with you later. However, he discovered the truth about Tyrone and was enraged by your involvement with the Wahlstrom family's rise in Jadeborough. Furthermore, the incident at Fleur Villa involving Mdm. Zimmerman's secret assault was also orchestrated by Seth.”

His motives were clear—eliminate Marisol and frame the Wahlstroms for the incident.

Finnegan reflected on the sequence of events. “The arena duel, Solomon's death, the sinister schemes at Fleur Villa, and my neutralizing of Tyrone... It's not surprising Seth would retaliate against me. He just underestimated my strength and overestimated Ruff.”

“Should we retaliate immediately?” Alisha queried.

Finnegan, however, advised patience. “Crushing Seth is as easy as squashing an ant. Let's wait until his backup arrives in Jadeborough, then we'll settle this once and for all.”

At this point, Hailey returned, handing Finnegan a storage card containing the surveillance footage from the parking lot. “The backup was on her phone, and the original footage is here.”

Finnegan, without hesitation, destroyed the memory card. “Are you sure?” he inquired, knowing the gravity of the situation and the potential fallout if his parents discovered the truth.

Hailey hesitated, then assured, “I've destroyed her phone and secured the footage. There's little chance of another backup existing.”

Finnegan, his expression marked by a furrow of concern, replied with a hint of sternness in his tone, “I certainly hope that's the case. Otherwise, it might lead me to question your effectiveness in handling such matters.”

He cast a final, sweeping glance over the chaotic scene they were leaving behind. With a decisive turn, he said, “Let's go.”