Chapter 155 Scheming and Using Something as a Pretext to Make a Fuss
Edward had an appointment at eight o'clock. But he reached that place at around 7.40. The manager of the nightclub and the lady boss upstairs served him well for fear of neglecting him.
Edward then asked the lady boss to get some female PR. It was his treat that day, and he was going to let Darren and his friends enjoy a good time.
The ignorant people would assume that Darren had gotten all the cheek in the world. Even his friend could not help saying, "It turns out that you've got such a good relationship with Mr. Smith. You hid it so well."
Darren was well aware of the reason. Edward did not go there for his sake, but he just took advantage of the situation for his benefit.
There were men and women in the private room. They talked and laughed happily. Someone knocked on the door and entered the private room. It was Amy, who was carrying the wine. The wine's price was six figures, and the person was worth seven figures as what one heard in the rumor.
It was not easy to invite Amy to a party. She was very famous in S City, and she was the symbol of some men's identities. For men, it was better to be surrounded by beautiful women than great wealth.
Edward did not invite Amy, but she came out of her initiative. After she entered the room, she smiled and greeted Edward. "Mr. Smith."
Edward raised his head and glanced at her. Amy then approached them and nodded at Darren and his friends with a smile. After that, she said to Edward, "A friend of mine gave me a bottle of wine a few days ago. I heard that you're here, so I came with the wine."
Darren had once met Amy on some other occasion previously. He chimed in, "Miss Young, you're so thoughtful."
Amy opened the bottle of wine and squatted down to pour Edward a glass of wine first. She then replied, "That's what I should do. Mr. Smith generally takes great care of us."
One needed great skill in talking. Taking care of one person was different than taking care of a group of people. Amy did not take the chance to claim that he was taking care of her. On the contrary, she said that he took care of everyone. She paid everyone enough respect, and others would not think that she was schematic. The main thing was smart people would praise her for talking nicely.
After she poured the wine, she did not get what she wanted. Edward did not ask her to stay. Hence, she hid her disappointment and got up before she said, "Mr. Smith, I'll leave you guys, and I won't disturb your fun time."
She smiled and nodded at the other two people before she walked out of the room. Darren and his friend peeked at Amy's back. A thought dawned on them. She was such a charming lady. But Edward appeared so calm and aloof.
Amy went to the door. The moment she pulled the door, someone coincidentally pushed open the door from outside. They bumped into each other. The man nearly knocked against Amy. When he glanced at her, he smiled. "I was wondering who it was. It's Amy!"
The person standing at the door was none other than James. Amy gave a soft smile. "Mr. Wright."
James asked, "Why are you here?"
He glanced into the private room. However, it was pitch dark inside. He did not see Edward. Amy did not mention Edward either. She just said, "I came to send a bottle of wine."
James was over the moon. "Did you purposely do me the honor since you know that it's my occasion today?"
Smiling, Amy said, "Enjoy yourself. I'll go now."
James had long been bewitched by Amy. He would take the initiative to fawn on her every time they met. However, Amy was neither cold nor enthusiastic toward him. But she suddenly went to him that day. How could James let her go easily? Not only did he block her path, but he also grabbed her arms. "Come in and sit with us."
Amy retreated. But she still could not stop him from forcing her. He forcefully pulled her into the private room. He saw Darren's friend at a glance, who was sitting on the sofa. "Mr. Carter, you're earlier than me?"
Smiling, the man nodded. James then nodded at Darren, who was sitting at the side. As he was walking toward the sofa, he narrowed his eyes and said to the figure hidden in the dark, "Who is this?"
Edward took a cigarette, and the female PR beside him lit it for him. A small fire appeared in front of him, lighting up his distinctive facial features.
James was struck dumb on the spot. The small fire disappeared instantly, and it was replaced with the bit of light on the cigarette. Edward leaned against the sofa and told James his name. "Edward Smith."
James became very awkward. He moved his lips slightly and braced himself to greet Edward. "Mr. Smith."
Edward ignored him and smoked in silence. The whole private room was in a pin-drop silence. Even Darren's friend felt that there was something wrong. He secretly winked at Darren. But Darren shook his head slightly, indicating that he would not get involved.
The short silence was just like a long pause before the moment that he was going to be ruined. Seeing that he had no way out, he could only say, "I don't know that you're here. I'll go now."
He just wanted to run away. He pictured it so well. But Edward said, "Since you're here, just take a seat."
James became very nervous. At first, he did not know how he had offended Edward. But when he saw Darren and his friend, he roughly guessed that it was because of those words during lunch. It was because of Jane.
"Mr. Smith, please spill the beans."
James did not dare to take a seat for fear that he might never get up and leave if he did.
Edward's face was completely in the dark, so others could not see his expression. He said, "Aren't you going to do me the honor?"
It sent a chill down James' spine. He knew that the best thing he could do now was to run away. But he had no such courage. He could only try his best to smile apologetically. Then he sat across from Edward.
Edward glanced at Amy, who was standing at the side. He then asked James, "Do you like her?"
Instinctively, James became speechless, and he could make no replies.
Edward moved his chin in Amy's direction. After a slight hesitation, Amy walked to James and sat down beside him.
James felt like dying. All of Edward's actions were just like giving the final delicious meal to the death row inmate. After James had had a good meal, he would be dead.
Edward had a cigarette in his mouth and let James have the glass of wine in front of him. He then poured another glass of wine for himself and raised the glass.
James said with a low voice, "Mr. Smith, I…"
"Shh."
One word from Edward was enough to make James shut up. Sitting across from him, Edward was holding a glass of wine. James slowly raised the glass of wine in front of him. At the moment, he had given up struggling. Edward could do whatever he wanted.
Edward disliked how slow James was. He took the initiative to clink his glass with James' before he gulped it all down. James was slow for a heartbeat before he leaned backward. He seriously doubted if Edward had put poison in his glass of wine while he was drinking it.
When Edward saw that James had finished the wine, he finally said slowly, "The person who should be sitting beside me is now sitting beside you. You also wanted to take a sip of the wine that another person served me. What do you mean? Are you set on taking away my people and things?"
James appeared stupefied. He did not ask Amy to sit there. He also did not ask for the wine. Edward was just using a pretext to make a fuss.
"No…"
"No? I said you do, but you denied it." Edward laughed in a particularly helpless manner. It seemed like he had heard a preposterous joke.
Edward always had a say in S City. But James had the guts to take a different view than his.
James realized that all too late. He immediately explained, "Mr. Smith, I didn't mean that. I…"
Edward waved his hand at him to ask him to come closer. James instinctively wanted to dodge, but he did not dare to do so. Hence, he could only brace himself and force himself to lean forward.
Edward stretched one of his hands out and patted James' face. Once, twice, thrice. He increased his force slowly. At last, he slapped James hard, making loud slapping noises.
As he was slapping James, he asked, "Do you want to snatch away my people and things? How dare you dream of getting what is mine? Hmm?"
After those few slaps, James' face turned numb. In comparison with his physical pain, the injury to his dignity was indescribable. He was slapped in front of his cooperative partners, the PRs in the nightclub as well as Amy. He felt like killing people.
However, the person sitting across from him was Edward. He knew very well that Edward was using a pretext to make a fuss. But he could only bow his head and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Smith. I was drunk."
Edward stopped slapping him. "Are you drunk after only a glass of wine?"
James remained silent. Edward picked up the bottle of red wine that had just been opened and poured it down James' throat. That was a plain humiliation. Seeing that, all people in the room held their breaths. At first, they thought that he would no longer be angry after the wine was finished. Unexpectedly, he smashed the empty bottle of wine onto James' head with a backhand.
The glass shards scattered everywhere. Some women even screamed in fear.