How To Tame A Wildhearted Boxer?

"My name is Asher Lloyd," the man said with his deep, captivating voice. "I'm thirty-one years old and work as a boxing coach."

Twenty-eight-year-old Verena Stewart never imagined she would end up returning to her hometown for a blind date one day.

According to the matchmaker, the man she was meeting was an excellent choice. He wasn't from the area and had lost both parents, but his grandmother was still healthy and living with him.

He owned a three-story house in town, a fully paid apartment in the city center, and a pretty decent car as well.

He also ran a boxing gym downtown and earned a respectable income.

People in town all called him as Coach Lloyd.

Right now, the so-called ideal man sat across from her, his tall frame naturally commanding attention.

He was dressed entirely in black, giving off a rugged, bad-boy charm. His facial features were striking, and he had a neatly trimmed buzz cut. He had the kind of classic bone structure that older generations found especially appealing.

However, his face was stone-cold, and he emanated a cold aura.

He looked strong and distant. Though undeniably attractive, he was rough around the edges.

He was not the type who seemed easy to approach.

Verena smiled courteously. "I'm Verena Stewart. Twenty-eight years old. I work as a translator."

Asher quietly observed the woman sitting opposite him. Her skin was flawless. Although she smiled politely, her eyes looked detached. There was a graceful, otherworldly quality about her.

As his gaze lingered, he noticed the tiny mole near the corner of her eye. For a brief moment, his cold expression eased.

After the brief introductions, silence immediately settled between them.

This was Verena's first blind date, and she wasn't good at handling awkward conversations. Combined with Asher's icy demeanor, she had even less interest in making small talk.

So, she lifted her glass and took a sip of water to buy herself some time.

When she lowered the glass, Asher was still sitting back in his chair, quietly watching her with the same unreadable expression.

A faint shiver ran through Verena. Maintaining her composure, she asked, "So, I heard you're quite a catch. Why would someone like you need to go on blind dates?"

"I'm picky," Asher answered simply.

Verena teased, "I thought your family pushed you into this."

"They did." His deep voice remained steady. "My grandmother said she would be very disappointed if I missed today's date."

Just as Verena was thinking how direct he was, Asher added casually, "There's no need to treat blind dates as something serious. If things work out, maybe you'll find the right person. If not, just consider it a pleasant experience. At worst, you'll get some experience."

What nonsense!

Verena forced a smile. "Sounds like you have a lot of experience with blind dates."

"That's right." Asher gave a casual shrug. "I've probably gone on around a hundred of them."

Immediately, Verena saw him as irresponsible and unreliable.

"Mr. Lloyd, I don't think we're compatible." She chose her words carefully, knowing they lived in the same town and would likely cross paths again. "I prefer men who are mature and dependable. To be honest, I lost my job recently, got cheated out of my savings, and now I'm in debt. That's why I came back home and am relying on my family to survive. I'm really not worthy of someone like you. I sincerely hope you find someone suitable soon."

Asher narrowed his eyes. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

After a brief silence, he simply replied, "Alright."

Verena watched him pick up his coat and leave with long strides. As she looked at his retreating figure, she could not help feeling slightly surprised.

He was tall and solidly built, with broad shoulders and a lean waist. Every line of his muscles radiated strength.

With his appearance and physique, he would stand out even in a major city, much less in a small town like this.

It was a shame he had an unlikable personality.

Eventually, Verena told the matchmaker that she disliked frivolous men, bringing the failed blind date to an end.

The December wind was bone-chilling. Colorful string lights hung from the trees along the streets, filling the town with a cheerful holiday atmosphere.

But the scene felt both familiar and strangely distant to her.

Come to think of it, she had not returned in eight years, ever since she left for college and started her career.

The previous year had been nothing short of disastrous.

Early in the year, someone with connections took the deputy general manager position that had practically been promised to her. Later, a coworker turned the blame for a mistake onto her, costing her job.

Then, just before the year ended, she fell victim to a scam after answering a phone call and lost every cent she had saved.

After years of struggling in the city, she had ended up with nothing.

That was why she chose to come back home.

Part of the reason was that she could no longer afford rent. The other reason was that the man she had a crush on for years had announced his engagement last week.

The day after she returned, her aunt, Lisette Barnes, had immediately arranged this blind date for her, resulting in the awkward encounter she had just endured.

As soon as she arrived home, she heard Lisette and her uncle, Gerald Barnes, arguing in the hallway.

Their voices were not particularly loud, but the old apartment building had thin walls, making every word crystal clear.

"You arranged a blind date for Vera the moment she came back? Sure, Asher's conditions are good, but a man in his thirties who is still unmarried must have some kind of problem!"

"What do you expect? She suddenly quit her job in the city and came back. And now she's saying she isn't leaving anytime soon? Does she expect to stay here and live off us for free? I'm not raising someone who freeloads."

"Vera hasn't asked us for a cent since she started college! She even brought clothes and gifts for us when she came home this time. Can't you show a little kindness?"

"Gerald, haven't I already shown enough kindness by agreeing to bring her home from the orphanage all those years ago? She has been living under our roof since she was baby. She owes us! Besides, she's almost thirty, unmarried, and doesn't even have a job. How does she have the nerve to come back? What if the neighbors start talking? I'll be too embarrassed to face anyone. And we only have two bedrooms. Rosanna and her husband are coming home for a visit soon. Either Verena finds a place of her own, or she gets married and moves into her husband's house. There's no space for her here..."

Standing outside the door, Verena felt her limbs grow weak.

After so many years, she was still an outsider who didn't belong.

When she finally composed herself and stepped inside, Lisette's face was still dark. The moment she saw Verena, she launched into another lecture. "The matchmaker told me you turned Asher down. Take a good look at yourself. What gives you the right to be so picky? Once a woman reaches twenty-eight, she's past her best years. Nobody wants you anymore! Do you think working in a big city for a few years makes you special? You still look young now, so hurry up and get married. I'm doing this for your own good. I'll ask the matchmaker to arrange a few more men for you, and you're going on another blind date tomorrow!"

"Lisette, enough already! Vera is such a good girl and she deserves..."

"Uncle Gerald." Not wanting the two of them to argue because of her, Verena interrupted him with a strained smile. "I don't mind going on blind dates. If I happen to meet someone I connect with, that would be nice."

After returning to her room, she shut the door and dropped the forced smile. Her brows knitted tightly together.

Her heart began to ache and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

She walked to the bed, reached beneath the pillow, and pulled out the medicine she had hidden there. After taking the pills, she collapsed onto the mattress, utterly drained.

After a while, her breathing stabilized. She picked up her phone and opened WhatsApp, only to find a friend request.

The person's profile picture was a swirl of black smoke, giving off a strange and unsettling vibe.

Verena accepted the request and sent a message. "Who is this?"

After a few seconds, the person responded, "The frivolous coach."