More than ten well-dressed men and women emerged from the largest private room, exuding arrogance and disdain.
Among them was David, proud as ever, surrounded by his group.
Tia was nowhere to be seen in the crowd.
The two parties faced each other at close range as if meeting their sworn enemies.
David immediately recognized Darnell, his smile turning icy. “How dare you appear in front of me, you bastard?”
He harbored a deep hatred for Darnell. If it weren’t for Darnell’s interference, he would have slept with Areli multiple times by now.
Three of his cronies who had witnessed his failed romantic attempt at the Cityscape surrounded Darnell, filled with righteous indignation.
“Got you!”
“You owe us an apology from last time.”
Two glamorous women glared at Darnell with resentment. Opposing David meant opposing them.
Shayla and her friends stood close to Darnell. Though a bit scared, their eyes showed a shared determination against their common enemy.
One of the glamorous women snorted, holding her head high, “Since when has this place been so cheap? They even let this kind of riffraff in.”
Another woman in black stockings covered her nose when she taunted, “These poor wretches make the air stink with the smell of rotten eggs just by appearing. How dare they mess with Mr. Kemp? Are they out of their minds?”
Darnell retorted mockingly, “You’re one to talk! Your cheap perfume makes me sick.”
The two glamorous women were furious, ready to attack. “Bastard! We’ll kill you!”
As they charged forward, Casey and Shayla stepped up, effortlessly grabbing their hands and pulling them aside.
Bailee raised an eyebrow, her eyes filled with malice. She tripped one of the women, working in perfect harmony.
The two women fell beside David with a thud, looking pitiful.
They wanted to fight back but were intimidated by Casey and her friends.
Casey giggled, “We may not be able to fight men, but dealing with women is a piece of cake.”
Shayla leaned on Darnell and said, “Mr. Halford, we won’t let these shrews hurt you.”
Darnell gently hugged the two women, “Good girls. I’ll treat you to a big carrot tonight.”
The three women blushed and spat in unison.
Darnell quickly explained, “I mean real carrots, not…”
The three women instantly distanced themselves from him.
“Mr. Kemp!”
Seeing Darnell flirting with the women, the two glamorous ladies clung to David, whining, “They’re bullying us.”
“Impressive. In just a few days, you’ve got women around you,” David sneered at Darnell with contempt. “You must be Areli’s favorite.”
“You know me? You look familiar.”
Darnell frowned, staring at David in deep thought. “What’s your name again?”
Glaring at Darnell, David snorted, “Trying to play dumb? Cowrad!”
Casey immediately retorted, “Mr. Halford is too busy to remember a nobody.”
Shayla chimed in, “Exactly! How could Mr. Halford know such a scoundrel?”
“That’s not entirely true,” Darnell said with a smile as he hugged the two women. “Sometimes I do make mistakes.”
The three women giggled while David grew angrier, yelping, “Darnell, you’re despicable for not owning up to what you did.”
“Oh, I remember now.”
Darnell slapped his thigh in excitement, declaring, “You’re Neil, the one who got caught spying on women in the bathroom.”
Bailee and her friends burst into laughter.
David shook his Rolex watch in front of Darnell’s face before he muttered under his breath, “Pretending not to know me? You’re so childish!”
“You were so arrogant that day. Why are you scared now? Afraid I’ll beat you up? Coward!”
His followers sneered and mocked Darnell while tall girls disdainfully called him a coward.
“I know you. You’re Neil! Why is your face so red? Got another disease?”
Darnell retorted without hesitation, “Did you forget your father’s words? Don’t mess around or you’ll get an STD. You really should listen to him.”
Bailee and Shayla couldn’t hold back their laughter anymore.
Before David could respond, his cronies were outraged.
“You’re dead meat!”
“Insulting Mr. Kemp like that? You’re digging your own grave!”
“We’ll kill you without anyone knowing!”
David’s face turned red with anger. If it weren’t for the public setting and Darnell’s dominance, he would have strangled him on the spot.
“You scum! I’ll make you sorry for this!”
David pointed at Darnell’s nose and continued, “Be careful, or you may drop dead on the street one day.”
Darnell pulled out a newly printed business card before he stated, “Last time I gave you my address, and this time, I’ll give you my phone number, so it’s easier for you to get revenge.”
He slipped the card into David’s pocket. “Revenge hours are from 9 AM to 8 PM. Don’t be late.”
Darnell maintained his cocky demeanor throughout.
After speaking, he ignored them and swaggered off with Bailee towards the door.
David and his group were fuming with rage.
“Mr. Kemp, that man is too arrogant!”
A woman glared venomously at Darnell’s departing figure and suggested,
“Should we beat him up until he begs for mercy?”
David took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking coolly, “This is a public place near a police station. Getting into a fight could get us photographed or attract police attention. It’s not worth it. We can’t get ourselves in trouble because of that jerk.”
He turned to a bespectacled man beside him. “Todd, it’s time for those people you found to take action, but make sure I’m not implicated.”
Todd replied in a low voice, “Don’t worry, Mr. Kemp. They’re ready for action. It’ll be handled perfectly.”
Watching David leave didn’t bother Darnell at all. Having faced countless life-and-death situations before, he wouldn’t take these spoiled brats seriously.
He would crush them all if they crossed the line.
He was curious why Tia wasn’t there with David this time. As David’s bodyguard, she should always be by his side. Did she fail at the restaurant and get fired?
Darnell pondered briefly but couldn’t find an answer. He believed he’d see Tia again soon enough.
After watching Shayla and her friends drive away to the pharmacy, Darnell grabbed the takeout and headed back to the office intending to please Lillian with them.
However, just ten meters out of the restaurant while crossing an alleyway, his eyelids twitched.
He coldly observed several muscular men blocking his path ahead while others emerged silently behind him with malicious intent.
Seven burly men formed a crescent-shaped blockade around him. Their eyes glinted coldly like hunters cornering prey.
The alleyway was suddenly filled with suffocating silence.