Playing golf?
Darnell clicked his tongue, knowing the other party wanted to use golf to settle a score. It was a much gentler method than fighting but still packed a punch.
Jazmine truly was a schemer, coming up with such an idea for David. Darnell shrugged and laughed.
“Not interested.”
He snorted, “Areli is already mine. Why would I gamble with you?”
Areli nodded. “That’s right. We won’t do such a boring thing.”
She looked at David coldly. “You said last time that if I attended the banquet, you wouldn’t bother me. But here you are again.”
“So even if Darnell wins, you’ll still cheat.”
David retorted, “We didn’t even have dinner last time. You didn’t listen to my explanation seriously, and this jerk disrupted everything. How could that count?”
“This time, with so many witnesses, I can’t cheat.”
David glared at Darnell and added, “Areli, I can guarantee that if Darnell wins one game against me, I’ll never bother you again. You have my word. What else are you worried about? You can let your so-called boyfriend be a hero.”
“If he’s too bad, Miss Picton and I can give him a handicap.”
Areli’s voice turned cold. “I’ve already said we won’t play such a boring game with you.”
She couldn’t see Darnell as someone who could play golf. If he played against David and Jazmine, he’d probably be humiliated.
David pointed at Darnell and shouted at Areli, “Areli, is this the man you found? He doesn’t even have the courage to stand up for you.”
Jazmine sneered, “Miss Fanshaw, I used to think highly of you, but I didn’t expect you to end up with this guy.”
She then stared at Darnell. “Aren’t you Areli’s boyfriend? Don’t you have the balls?”
As soon as she finished speaking, the people around them started discussing.
“Exactly. He looks like a fake. Doesn’t even dare to play golf and claims to be Mr. Halford’s boyfriend.”
“Maybe it’s not that he doesn’t dare. Maybe he can’t play.”
“True. If he doesn’t play, he won’t embarrass himself. If he does, his true colors will show.”
Areli’s face slightly darkened but she felt helpless inside. Darnell probably couldn’t hold up the title of boyfriend since someone who couldn’t even play golf wouldn’t be convincing as her boyfriend. David looked at Darnell again with high-handed disdain.
“As a man, you should have the courage to fight for your woman.”
“Even if you can’t play golf, having the spirit of a warrior would earn respect.”
“But sadly, you don’t have that. You’re just all talk and no action. If Areli really has a boyfriend like you, it’s a disgrace.”
Darnell remained silent as if it had nothing to do with him.
Amid Jazmine’s mocking laughter and David’s taunting gaze at Darnell, Darnell stretched lazily and responded indifferently,
“I’m not interested in playing because the stakes are too low.”
Too low? Everyone was stunned for a moment before their expressions turned curious and then disdainful.
David sneered, “Impressive, Mr. Halford. Tell us your stakes then.”
Jazmine also scoffed, “Mr. Halford, you’re good at bragging but don’t overdo it.”
“I’m an expert golfer. Playing one game costs at least millions. Your stakes are too low.”
Darnell spoke leisurely, “Miss Picton’s contract should be worth a million dollars. As for Mr. Kemp… Hmm… Nice watch on your wrist.”
He pointed at David’s Rolex. “With that, I’ll play one game with you all.”
Seeing Darnell accept the challenge made Jazmine’s eyes flash with hatred as she agreed without hesitation, “Fine, I agree.”
“But I have an additional condition. If you lose, lick my shoes clean.”
She lifted her high heels and added, “From outside to inside.”
David also reacted and raised his wrist. “Fine. If you win, this watch is yours. If you lose, crawl out of this course.”
Areli pulled Darnell and cautioned, “Stop fooling around. I don’t need this contract anymore.”
Thinking of Darnell licking Jazmine’s shoes and then being thrown out like a stray dog was unbearable for Areli.
“Don’t worry. Although Miss Picton is annoying, the contract and money are innocent. Prepare the contract,” Darnell said while stretching his neck forward and pointing at David and Jazmine. “Enough talk. I accept all conditions. How do we play?”
Areli worriedly called out, “Darnell!”
Seeing Areli’s concerned face made David laugh heartily before picking up a club and nodding slightly towards Jazmine.
Jazmine looked at Darnell with disdain and said arrogantly, “Let’s keep it simple. Fewest strokes in an hour wins. How about that?”
While asking Darnell, she reached out for a club. Her posture showed she was an expert.
Darnell smiled nonchalantly and tossed his stupid cap to Areli. “Let’s go with Miss Picton’s suggestion.”
Then he asked the caddy for several clubs before choosing the heaviest one to hold in his hand while snorting lightly at David and Jazmine,
“Do you know how to play golf? The heavier the club is, the better. It hits farther.”
After saying this, Jazmine and her friends were initially stunned before bursting into laughter full of ridicule.
David clapped lightly. “Mr. Halford is right. The heavier the club hits farther indeed.”
Areli’s face flushed with embarrassment. She felt utterly humiliated by her man.
Darnell carried the heaviest club while humming a tune as he swaggered towards the tee area.
Unlike David and Jazmine’s professional stances, when he held the club, he was like carrying goods casually.
Both Jazmine and David were taken aback. This guy really hadn’t played golf before!
Arriving at the tee area, he twisted his neck and waist and swung at the empty air a few times with great stiffness. It was clear he had never played golf before.
David and his circle of ladies immediately burst into laughter.
“My goodness! This hick doesn’t even know the basic moves and still dares to challenge Mr. Kemp and Miss Picton!”
“Never seen such an idiot. Has he lost his mind, acting so arrogantly and recklessly? I wonder how he survives.”
“I’ll bet with you guys. He definitely can’t get the ball in under ten strokes per hole. If he does, I’ll eat that ball.”
Bella also wore a face full of disdain.
Areli called out, “Darnell, forget it. Don’t play.” Darnell looked like a novice.
“Wait a minute. I haven’t played in a long time, and I’ve lost my touch. Let me get a feel for the game.”
Ignoring the mockery of the crowd, Darnell swung his club. “Give me three minutes.”
Jazmine and the others’ smiles grew even more intense, and David nodded with a smile. “Three minutes is not enough. Mr. Halford can warm up for five minutes.”
“Thanks, then.”
Amidst the teasing glances of Bella, Darnell happily approached the teeing ground, picked up a white ball, and asked the caddie,
“Where do I place this ball?”
The tall and pretty caddie blushed but professionally pointed to a teeing sensor and said, “Here.”
“Too short, isn’t it?”
Darnell looked at the teeing ground, frowned, and complained, “Can you put a rock under it to prop it up? Or get a larger ball. Otherwise, it’s not easy to hit.”
The caddie was about to cry. Playing golf with a rock as a prop? Getting a larger ball?
The ridicule from Jazmine and the others became even louder, and it was grating to Areli’s ears.
Bella was more direct. “Moron.”
Areli couldn’t hold back and called out again, “Darnell, stop playing and come back.”
“Miss Fanshaw, no rush. I’m actually very good at this. I’m just a little rusty.”
Darnell smiled broadly, “Once I find my groove, I’ll be able to trounce them.”
“Hurry up and bring the balls. Time is running out, and I need to find my rhythm quickly.”
Darnell urged the caddie to bring more balls, placed one on the tee, gripped his club, and with a roar, swung.
Whoosh!
The club flew out, shooting straight into the sky.
A novice?
Areli was on the verge of tears. He was not even close.