From Outcast to Overlord The Unyielding Heir (Leander Ashcroft) novel Chapter 269

Frein Outcast to Overlord The Unyielding Heir

Chapter 269 You Want to Shake Hands with Me?

Sawyer stepped in front of Leander, blocking his path. The young man in the checkered shirt beside him wore a faint smile, but there was nothing friendly about it.

The atmosphere in the private room shifted instantly. Everyone except Madeline, Joshua, and Martha was already looking at Leander with pity.

Madeline might’ve been the only one in the room who didn’t know Sawyer had already proposed marriage to the Shire family.

Everyone knew exactly what kind of man Sawyer was–the most powerful young master in all of Cranfordale. When he wanted something, he took it, no matter the cost.

Though Madeline might not have been his in name, to Sawyer, she was already his. And Leander’s closeness to her was like dancing on the edge of a blade.

Challenging Sawyer over a woman? In all of Cranfordale, there wasn’t a single young man bold or strong enough to try it.

Martha and Sylvia watched in silence. Martha had planned to step in out of respect for Madeline, but Leander hadn’t shown the slightest concern from the start. That made her think twice. Now, she just wanted to see how he’d handle it.

Leander stopped and turned to face Sawyer without saying a word. It looked like Sawyer’s presence had completely shut him down.

“Mr. Locke, what are you doing?”

Madeline had met Sawyer a few times—just enough to be considered acquainted. When she saw him giving Leander a hard time, she immediately stood up and stepped between them.

“This is my friend, Leander. He came with me. Why are you stopping him from taking a seat?”

Her tone sharpened, irritation flashing in her eyes as she stood up for Leander.

Leander stood quietly behind her, neither stepping forward nor backing away. It was as if he expected Madeline to take the heat for him. The sight made Martha shake her head in disappointment.

For someone who had talked so boldly earlier and acted like Sawyer was nothing, Martha had assumed Leander had at least some strength to back it up. Even if he couldn’t beat Sawyer, he should’ve had the backbone to stand his ground.

But now? After all that posturing, when Sawyer was finally face–to–face with him, Leander was hiding behind Madeline and letting her take the fall. Martha couldn’t help but feel a wave of contempt.

Joshua and Rhea exchanged a look, both clearly displeased. They’d had a decent opinion of Leander before, but now he seemed like nothing more than a coward.

Seeing how fiercely Madeline stood up for Leander, Sawyer kept his expression neutral, but his rage was boiling over beneath that calm facade.

He’d been hooked by Madeline’s flawless, untouched beauty the first time he saw her perform on TV. Despite his packed schedule, he’d flown out three times just to catch her performances, all in hopes of getting close to her.

They’d known each other for a few months now, but Madeline had kept him at arm’s length the whole time. They’d never even been alone together.

And now? She was openly shielding Leander in front of him. Jealousy surged in Sawyer like wildfire.

Still, he was too polished to let it show. Instead, the guy in the checkered shirt stepped up and broke the silence.

“Madeline, I think you’ve misunderstood Sawyer,” he said with a seemingly polite smile.

“He’s not trying to stop your friend from sitting. This is Sawyer’s event, after all. If he wants to join us, the least he can do is introduce himself and let everyone know who he is. Don’t you

agree?”

Then, he turned to Leander, casually rubbed his nose, and extended a hand. “Ronald Quigley. I’d say just about everyone in Cranfordale knows the name.

“If you’re going to sit at our table, getting to know each other first doesn’t seem like too much to ask, right?”

His hand hung in the air, his smile lingering, but the challenge in his eyes was unmistakable.

Ronald and Sawyer were the top two among Cranfordale’s young elite. They were also childhood friends, as close as brothers. Wherever one went, the other was never far behind.

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