Ernie Hughes seemed to be careless. He blinked and said in an exaggerated voice, “Really? Marley, my dear … cousin. What do you want to do with me?”
“Sylvie, come here!” Teddie Hughes had run out and was standing in the hallway yelling.
Sylvie looked away from the computer. She saw Teddie was standing in the hallway with an angry look on his face. She had to stand up and walk over.
When Sylvie entered the conference room, she saw Marley was grabbing Ernie’s collar with a gloomy face.
Sylvie was a bit stunned when she looked at Marley. She could imagine how desperately was he forced by these three persons. She sighed slightly.
“Sylvie, I just want to ask, do you keep your words on what you’ve said that day?” Teddie spoke angrily.
Marley suddenly looked at Sylvie. She shuddered as she knew that Marley didn’t want her to be too nosy.
She knew what she had to say. She looked calmly at Teddie and asked steadily, “Teddie, I was just giving you a suggestion on that day. As I said, I need to ask Marley for specifics. He is the decision-maker of Hughes Group. In public, I’m only his secretary; in private, I’m just his wife. My words are just a suggestion. It’s up to the president to decide exactly what the outcome will be. And today, I think you’re still indulgent and feel that what you’ve done should be the right thing. Then, what are you doing here in the company? Go ahead and gamble until someone hunt you down!”
Perhaps hearing Sylvie’s words, Marley let go of Ernie and smiled coldly. He sat back on the wide chair, folded his long right leg on his left leg leisurely, and said slowly and coldly, “Teddie, did you hear that?”
Teddie’s face twisted and he snorted coldly, “Okay Sylvie, you don’t keep your words!”
“Did I promise you anything?” Sylvie smiled gently. “Actually, I wanted to persuade the president to handle this matter. But today, I suddenly feel that it’s superfluous to help you. It’s simply a waste of time and energy to help someone who doesn’t know how to be grateful. If I have that time, I might as well donate to Project Hope to help to nurture more talents for society.
Society will get the return if I’ve helped those talented people. And helping you guys, I really can’t see what the payoff is?”
With that, she looked at Ernie. There was a hint of inquiry and scrutiny in her eyes. She didn’t know if her guess was right. She looked at Ernie for a long time, and she suddenly smiled. Her smile made everyone puzzled.
“What are you laughing at?” Ernie snorted coldly.
“I’m just wondering about one thing!” Sylvie cleared her voice and looked at Kasper Hughes. “Kasper, I would like to ask, did the gambling debt collectors visit you in the past few days?”
“This-” Kasper shook his head. “No, they didn’t!”
Ernie sniffed. A cold light flashed in his eyes. He was staring at Sylvie with a gloomy gaze and he said, “Sylvie, are you happy to see us being hunted down?”
Sylvie was very calm, “Ernie, we have no relationship and we’re not blood-related. What does it matter to me that you are being hunted down and killed? To be honest, what I hope is that you had better be destroyed! Then, it can cause less trouble for the Hughes Group in the future.”
Everyone gasped in surprise when they heard Sylvie’s words. The cold atmosphere froze in the meeting room in an instant.
Teddie even said, “You are an evil woman, you are so cruel! What’s in it for you if we’re being hunted down and killed? You are heartless! You actually wish us to be destroyed.”
Marley was also surprised. He could not have imagined Sylvie would say such words.
Ernie’s sharp gaze instantly went cold. He smiled ironically, “Uh-huh, sorry, Sylvie. Teddie and I are lucky. Those people want money, not our lives! Your wishful thinking is ruined!”
A change came over Kasper’s expression, but he held back and didn’t say anything.
Sylvie was calm and she spoke lightly, “As for Ernie if you are destroyed, I think the saddest person will be Kasper. He spoiled and loved you for so many years. You are so unfilial because he still has to toil for you as he is so old. Ernie, is there any point in living such a scum like you?”
Ernie wasn’t angry, he just smiled slightly, “Oh, that’s right! I was inspired. Sylvie, I can’t believe that you, as the second daughter of the Mccarthy family and who were born of a barmaid, with such a glib tongue. I’m so happy for Marley when he married you. Not only he can get so much money but also get a very helpful assistant. You do have the skills. However, I wonder if Marley isn’t feeling bored of a woman who is so sarcastic and not feminine. Marley, do you want me to find you a few feminine women?”
Marley smiled faintly, “Thanks for your kindness, Ernie. It’s enough to have Sylvie. I clearly know whether she’s feminine or not! Even though she’s glib, she’s still my woman! No matter how good the women outside are, they aren’t mine.”
Sylvie had mixed feelings about his words, and she didn’t expect Marley would say like that. She was shocked but she wasn’t angry with Ernie’s words. She just calmly looked at Ernie and spoke again, “Ernie, why do you need to talk about other things to avoid the question?”
“I don’t care what you say! I’m not so mindful as you guys. Sylvie, you are a vicious woman. You are indeed the granddaughter of that cunning Cassius Mccarthy!” Teddie pointed at Sylvie and shouted, “How dare you tricked us like that!”
Sylvie turned to him, “Teddie, don’t be angry, I haven’t finished yet. If Ernie is destroyed, there’s still Kasper who will distress him. What about you? Will your wife and children care about you? Teddie, don’t you think it’s ridiculous? You’ve lived your whole life and end up you don’t even have someone to care about you.”
This statement had left Teddie speechless.
Yes, he now had no dignity in front of his wife and children. He had failed to fulfil his duties as a father and a husband. He only cared about himself and was all about having fun. His child despised him, and his wife hated him. If he died, it seemed they would all be happy!
“Wonderful! It’s so wonderful!” Ernie suddenly clapped his hands, “Sylvie, you’ve learned the psychological tactics well! You’ve got Teddie completely embarrassed!”
“Oh, thanks for the compliment!” Sylvie turned her head to look at Kasper. “Congratulations, Kasper. Your son isn’t a mediocrity, so you don’t need to worry about him like this anymore!”
“Sylvie?” Kasper looked at Sylvie in dismay, “What… what do you mean?”
Sylvie smiled lightly. She looked at Ernie calmly, and then looked at Marley who had been watching at her, then she said, “I think this three hundred million gambling debt is simply a scam. I’m wondering if you lost in the gambling or not? Ernie, this is what I have to ask you!”
Upon the utterance of her word, the expression on Ernie’s face changed slightly. His eyes flickered a faint light, but it vanished in an instant. Then, he snorted and laughed. “Sylvie, are you a scriptwriter? The story that you’ve made up was really ups and downs. But unfortunately, I’ve let you down!”
Teddie spluttered, “You said we lied to you? Sylvie, do you think I’m as scheming as you are? You need to explain this clearly! We bought chips at the casino and owed money for the bet. What? Do you think I’m blackmailing Marley? Do you think I’m not ashamed? I’ve lost all my face. But how can this be false? How can it be a scam?”
Sylvie still maintained a faint smile. She withdrew her sight from him and looked at Ernie, “Ernie, what do you think?”
“What Teddie said is what I want to say!” Ernie smiled.
Sylvie looked him in the eyes. Although Ernie seemed calm, there was a grim look flashing in his eyes. His stare was a little similar to Marley’s, as both were equally dark. However, Ernie’s stare seemed to be even grimmer.
Sylvie looked frankly at him. Their eyes met, and they seemed to be fighting with their eyes.
Ernie looked at Sylvie. She had a fair face. Her black hair was tied in a ponytail, showing her long, slender neck. She also had a pair of beautiful, large and wise eyes. The old-fashioned black suit had wrapped around her voluptuous figure. That slender-looking body was showing with a powerful rigidity.
Was this woman really only twenty-two years old? Ernie raised an eyebrow and looked at her skeptically.
They just stared at each other. Ernie was focused and he was staring intently at Sylvie with his bright eyes.
No one spoke for a moment.
Their eyes were filled with emotions when they were looking at each other. Marley watched that and he frowned. At this moment, he put down his legs and clasped his hands on the table. He then looked at Ernie calmly and finally turned his attention to Kasper, “Kasper, I think this matter still needs some deliberation! I’ve got the same suspicious as Sylvie. The three hundred million gambling debt was bizarre. Besides, losing such a large amount of money in one night seems a bit too much!”
Kasper also looked at Ernie.
“What do you mean by that?” Teddie immediately retorted as soon as he heard that. “What do you mean by bizarre? Tell me about it! Do you really think that we’re cheating on you?”
“Teddie!” Marley laughed, “I’m not doubting you because you don’t have it in you. Trying to cheat me, I won’t be cheated unless I’m willing to be cheated.”
Teddie was incapable and reckless. He got petty shrewdness, but he wasn’t so mindful, and Marley obviously knew that. At this point, Marley still couldn’t read Ernie. When Ernie was young, he was smart and good at learning. After the rebellious period at the age of sixteen, he seemed to be a different person. He messed around with scoundrels and he had become a scourge of the Hughes family. Over the years, when he got into trouble, it was Kasper who helped him deal with it. Aiden was also siding with him.
“So, what do you mean?” Teddie looked at Marley and asked angrily.
“Marley, what do you mean?” Kasper seemed to understand a bit. He looked at Ernie Distrustfully and asked him in dismay, “Ernie, you, are you?”
“Dad! What’s wrong with me? I really have nothing to say!” Ernie kept himself away from the matter. “Since they don’t want to help but call us here, they’re simply fooling us! I think I’d better wait for someone to come and deal with me! Dad, you should also leave me alone. Don’t end up not being able to help and get yourself involved. Then I’ll be unfilial.”