The restroom incident ended with Brian being fired, and Roberto compensating with half a million dollars. Everyone present was instructed to keep quiet.
Areli wanted the police involved, believing that bringing criminals to justice was more important than protecting the company’s reputation.
She thought handling things openly wouldn’t necessarily be worse than dealing with them internally, but a few looks from Darnell made her drop the idea.
Areli hailed a cab and went with Darnell to take Lillian to the hospital for a checkup, ensuring there was a written report of her injuries.
Afterward, she took Lillian back to the Bauhinias Residences to rest.
By the time everything was settled, it was already six in the evening. Areli found a nearby coffee shop.
She ordered two cups of coffee and sipped one slowly.
Areli drank her coffee elegantly, her sensual lips and beautiful face highlighted by light lipstick. Her fair skin, alluring figure, and long legs made her an exquisite woman who exuded a subtle charm.
“Miss Fanshaw, seriously? I kicked Brian out for you and did a great job, but you just bought me a coffee?”
Darnell protested as he looked at the drink in front of him. “Can’t you treat me to a meal at the Cityscape?”
He looked at Areli’s delicate face and clear, enchanting eyes and smiled, “We could have a candlelight dinner.”
“Take it or leave it.”
Areli replied coldly, “You got your reward. Forty thousand dollars. Remember?”
Roberto took out half a million dollars, one hundred thousand for Lillian’s emotional distress and four hundred thousand as a reward for Darnell’s heroism.
“It’s different! I haven’t received my rewards from you.”
Darnell grinned, “No amount of money compares to having dinner with you, Miss Fanshaw.”
“Stop babbling nonsense. Just a reminder. Such a large amount of money can be a ticking time bomb for you. Be careful.”
After a sip of her coffee, Areli cut to the chase. “Tell me, why didn’t you let me call the police? You owe me an explanation.”
“Explanation? It’s simple.”
Darnell chuckled, “It was me who drugged Brian, but I got the drug from him.”
Areli’s face changed. “What? What’s going on?”
Darnell took out his phone and played a recording.
“The drugging incident that night was orchestrated by Brian through the waiter.”
“He also had Edwin prepare a dose for me. The people who took you away were also connected to Brian.”
Nick’s voice came through.
Areli was furious. “Turns out it was Brian!”
Darnell smiled without speaking and let her listen to the rest of the recording. Over fifteen minutes, Areli’s expression changed multiple times.
When the recording stopped playing, she lashed out. “You knew it was him and had this evidence. Why didn’t you let me call the police?”
“I could have used Lillian’s case to get my justice!”
Areli had always thought that being drugged that night was due to some random guy’s lust but hadn’t expected Brian’s involvement behind the scenes.
She suspected it was Roberto’s idea. Otherwise, Brian wouldn’t have the nerve to plot against her. She thought Roberto and his people were too unscrupulous.
“Calm down, Miss Fanshaw.”
Darnell anticipated her reaction and replied calmly, “The recording can’t be used as evidence. Nick and Edwin are just a pawn.”
“Asking them to testify against Brian is wishful thinking. In Lillian’s case, he could argue he was drugged by someone else.”
“Can’t we track down the owner of Fantasy Potion?”
Areli snorted softly, “If it doesn’t belong to Brian, then it must belong to Roberto! Getting the police involved might expose Roberto.”
“I’ve always believed he isn’t inherently bad and has contributed to the company, so as long as he doesn’t cross my bottom line, I can tolerate him.”
“Who knew my tolerance would be seen as weakness, giving him the guts to drug me.”
Her sharp eyes flashed fiercely. “If I don’t fight back now, I might be murdered in the future.”
Darnell shrugged. “I forgot to tell you. That was bluffing. Fantasy Potion is mass-produced without an official record, so we can’t pin it on Brian.”
“I took advantage of the chaos and made that up.”
“If we really called the police, Roberto would have enough time mulling it over and wouldn’t agree to fire Brian or compensate fifty thousand dollars.”
“They would insist Brian was drugged by someone else. Even if they didn’t pin it on me, Brian could still get away with it.”
“After all, using force in the public is illogical. The police would believe Brian was being set up.”
“If they pursued it seriously, not only would I get involved but also complicate matters further.”
Darnell stole a glance at Areli’s chest and took a sip of his coffee. “Isn’t this result better?”
“Brian disgraced himself and got fired. Roberto also lost a useful lackey.”
“You’ve avenged yourself and Lillian with interest included.”
Areli paused slightly and nodded after thinking deeply. This result was indeed quite good. Brian received punishment, and Roberto got reprimanded from headquarters while losing Brian as an ally, giving her more room for expansion in Spectrum Pharmaceuticals.
Darnell had only been with the company for a few days yet brought so many benefits, orders fulfilled, enemies removed, a lucky charm indeed.
However, she snorted again, “Avenge myself? Not even close!”
She remembered losing her virginity that night. “Only chopping you into pieces would truly vent my anger!”
“In this whole mess, only you gained fame, fortune, and me!”
For his so-called bravery, a reward of 400, 000, her body, and Lillian’s gratitude, Areli was very angry with Darnell for downplaying his actions.
“Tsk, Miss Fanshaw, we agreed not to mention past events, yet you bring them up yourself?”
Darnell rolled his eyes at Areli. “Did I seek fame? I acted seeing Lillian in danger! And the ten-thousand-dollar reward came from Roberto!”
“As for you, the video shows it was you who assaulted me. My injuries prove it too!”
“And besides, you haven’t agreed to be my woman!”
He looked aggrieved. “Accusing me falsely hurts deeply.”
“Shut up!”
Areli coldly mocked, “Benefiting fully yet feeling wronged? Darnell, have some shame! You’re just scum.”
Darnell feigned surprise. “Miss Fanshaw, you see through people well! My college girlfriend said so, too.”
Areli paused before she asked, “Your college girlfriend?”
“Yes!”
Darnell responded nostalgically, “Every time I made love with her, I would lie down and let her do whatever she wanted, but she called me scum enjoying it without effort!”
Areli almost slapped him hard.
She felt like crying.
Her upbringing didn’t prepare her for such a shameless man, and she had never encountered such scoundrels before either.
She truly didn’t know how to deal with such a rascal.
Knowing she couldn’t beat Darnell physically, she kept sipping coffee, biting hard onto the spoon.
She found it unsatisfied, so she kept biting the spoon harder.
Watching her moments made Darnell breathe heavily. “Miss Fanshaw, I wish to be the spoon in your mouth.”
Areli glared. “Pervert.”
Darnell retorted discontentedly, “Don’t you think it’s romantic?”
Suddenly, Darnell’s eyelids twitched sharply as three firm figures outside caught his eye. They hid in two cars outside the coffee shop, unnoticed by most passersby.
Yet, Darnell could still spot them at a glance, their gazes occasionally looking towards Areli, flickering with a fierce light.
One of them squinted for a rest, surrounded by an imposing aura, signifying a terrifying danger.
Warrior Realm had 10 classes, and those of class eight and above were known as master.
“I didn’t expect a 7th-class warrior to come.” Darnell muttered to himself, “Seems like bloodshed is inevitable tonight.”
The bayonet “Bloodlust” in his arms also didn’t know how long it had not tasted blood.