Dumping The Ice King His Mini-Tyrant novel Chapter 493

“How could I possibly?” Adrian’s smile only deepened, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“If Dr. Vaughn brought Altair along to join us, instead of trying to split up Selene and me, of course I’d be gracious enough to welcome them. That’s what it means to have true vision.” He spread his hands with mock magnanimity.

Leo shot the fox-like man a frosty sideways look. His tone was cool and sharp. “You were never meant to be the main character in anyone’s story, but you just can’t help getting yourself into trouble, can you?”

Adrian’s voice drifted back, teasing and low. “If you don’t hurry up and settle for being the sidekick, Leo, soon enough, you won’t even get a supporting role.”

Leo’s back stiffened. For a split second, his eyes widened, knuckles whitening as he gripped the armrest of his wheelchair. But in the end, he didn’t bother to turn around or dignify Adrian with a response.

Once Leo and Altair had gone, Selene and Adrian stayed behind with Daph, finishing their meal at The Ember Grill.

Later, after leaving the restaurant, Selene and Daph sat together in the backseat while Adrian drove. Selene had her iPad out, absorbed in her files. The car was quiet; next to her, Daph thumbed through an art magazine on her own tablet.

Adrian glanced in the rearview mirror, half-expecting Selene to be lost in work as usual. But then she broke into a smile, her lips tugging up at the corners. “The way you tease Professor Vaughn—both of you, really—it’s honestly adorable.”

It was clear Selene hadn’t tried to stop the tension between Adrian and Leo at dinner; if anything, she’d watched the whole scene unfold with barely concealed amusement.

Thinking back on it now, she still found it entertaining. Moments like that were rare. Hardly anyone else could go toe-to-toe with Leo—except Adrian, of course. Harrison Vaughn, for his part, turned into a nervous wreck whenever Leo was around, like a mouse in the shadow of a cat.

“When you joke with him, he actually comes alive,” Selene added quietly. “I never imagined I’d hear Leo say something like that.”

She mimicked Leo’s earlier words, her voice dry with laughter: “‘You were never meant to be the main character, but you just can’t help getting yourself into trouble.’”

Selene pressed her lips together, trying to keep a straight face—but the laughter slipped out anyway.

She didn’t mean to laugh at Adrian, not exactly. It was just so unexpected, seeing the usually aloof Leo, after a night of barbecue, throw out a line like that at Adrian.

Adrian didn’t seem to mind. As long as Selene was happy, that was all that mattered. “Next time we see Leo, I’ll tease him again for you.”

“Deal.” Selene agreed readily, and Adrian caught her smile in the rearview mirror before she bent over her iPad again.

“Good morning, Mr. Vaughn.”

As Harrison stepped into the lobby, staff couldn’t hide their surprise. He hadn’t been seen for nearly a month, and now he was noticeably leaner, his complexion tanned from time away.

Yet he carried himself with a new intensity, sharpened and honed like a blade. The moment anyone laid eyes on him, they felt the force of his presence—compelling at first, but with an undercurrent of chill that made them instinctively step aside.

Harrison made his way to the executive office, where his assistant briefed him on the day’s schedule.

He asked casually, “How’s our project with QuanTech Innovations coming along?”

The assistant replied, “They’re holding a public demo the day after tomorrow. Here’s their invitation—they specifically requested your presence.” She handed over an envelope.

Harrison glanced at the elegant signature at the bottom: Selene.