The Seven Sisters and Their Hidden King-Chapter 383 – Hardy’s Irony
Chapter 383 - 383 – Hardy’s Irony
Hugo was all smiles.
He patted John on the shoulder like they were old friends.
Not long ago, Hugo had tried to recruit John as a teacher at the Houston Martial Arts School, but Alexandra had rejected the idea outright.
It had been embarrassing.
Now that Hugo had taken over as dean, he brought it up again.
This time, he had the final say.
Hugo was proud of his new position and wasn't shy about using it.
This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.
But John only shook his head with a faint, bitter smile. "Dean, I appreciate the offer, truly. But I'm just a playboy. I doubt I'd make a very good teacher."
Back then, he'd pretended to be a powerful master to lure out the real killers behind the scenes. But now that the truth was out, he didn't want the title anymore.
He had no intention of becoming a teacher at the martial arts school—he didn't even have time to attend his medical lectures at Providence College, let alone teach somewhere else.
"Well, that's a pity," Hugo sighed. "But since you said so, I won't press."
After a brief pause, Hugo leaned in and added, "John, there's something I've been wondering about. But I'm afraid it might offend you."
"Go ahead," John replied calmly.
Hugo blinked, hesitating for only a second before asking, "I just don't understand how your relationship with the Flaherty family got so bad... especially considering how close you are with Master Bertha."
It was something that had puzzled him. Hugo had noticed Alexandra didn't care much for John, but he never imagined the bad blood ran so deep—deep enough that Warren had tried to kill him.
How much hatred did it take to go that far?
John sneered inwardly.
People in Houston weren't exactly easy to deal with.
He didn't have time to waste getting caught up in their tangled grudges and politics. So he simply said, "It's an old issue. Not really something I want to get into."
He left it at that.
"Understood," Hugo said awkwardly. "Sorry if I crossed a line."
A moment of silence settled between them.
Suddenly, a sarcastic voice cut through the air.
"Dean, I don't get it. There are so many distinguished guests here today—and you're wasting time kissing up to this guy?"
The room fell silent.
All eyes turned toward the speaker.
John looked over, confused. He didn't recognize the young man, but he did spot someone familiar sitting beside him—Lucien.
Turning his head slightly, John asked, "Dean, who is he?"
Hugo forced a stiff smile. "That's Mr. Hardy Tennant. His father was just appointed guardian of the Central Martial League in Houston."
After the collapse of the Flaherty family, the guardian position had opened up—and the Tennant family seized the opportunity.
Hardy Tennant.
As soon as John heard the name, he remembered.
Back when he had treated Arno Long—who had faked his death at the time—chaos had broken out over who would take over the Long family legacy.
Mr. and Mrs. Long—Sophia's uncle and aunt—had suggested marrying her off to Hardy, whose father was then a steward in the Martial Arts League.
Buck Long had agreed.
Sophia had exploded with anger. It was the first time she'd clashed with her family so openly.
John had been there. He remembered the name Hardy Tennant clearly.
And now Hardy's father had been promoted to guardian?
No wonder Hardy was brimming with confidence.
It wasn't hard to see why he was so hostile to John—jealousy.
There were two reasons: Bertha and Sophia.
Mostly Sophia.
Any man, even a little self-aware, would feel a twinge of jealousy if the woman they admired was taken by someone else.
It was like being a fan of a famous actress. If she suddenly announced her engagement, you'd feel disappointed—but eventually, you'd accept it. After all, she was never within reach to begin with.
Sophia was different.
She wasn't as dazzling as Bertha, but she was still stunning—and most importantly, within reach.
Especially in Hardy's mind.
Compared to Bertha—renowned for being the most talented martial artist of her generation—Sophia was still a novice. Her beauty aside, she didn't seem out of Hardy's league.
He thought he had a real chance.
That made his jealousy far more dangerous.
To make matters worse, Lucien had whispered in his ear, telling him John was a womanizer, playing with countless beauties.
Hardy couldn't take it.
So, he chose to make a scene.
People exchanged knowing glances before snickering quietly.
They had seen the fight between John and Bruce.
It had ended in a tie—but public opinion was not in John's favor.
Bruce was hailed as a genius. His swordsmanship had stunned the audience.
And John?
He had only defended. No attacks. No flair. He relied on tricks and luck to force a draw.
To the crowd, that made him the King of the Nobodies.
A bastard, nothing more.
Despite the mockery, John stayed calm.
He picked up a glass, walked slowly over to Hardy, and smiled innocently. "Mr. Tennant, right? Congratulations on your father's promotion. Let me offer you a toast."
He raised the glass and drained it in one gulp.
Hardy just sneered—he didn't even lift his own glass.
John didn't flinch. Still smiling, he poured himself another drink and downed it.
Then a third.
Still, Hardy said nothing.
John stood there, silent, his eyes never leaving Hardy's.
