Hearing Sophie Walsh’s fiery words, Kayden Scott shot her a glance, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes. This girl wasn’t at all what he’d imagined. He’d assumed she was just another starry-eyed girl chasing Western trends, dragging him to a fancy restaurant to impress him. But here she was, standing firm with a worldview and values that were unexpectedly refreshing.
The restaurant manager smiled politely but dismissively, saying, “Miss, this is our restaurant’s policy-set by the owner. After all, this is a Western establishment. Prioritizing Western customers is only natural and reasonable.”
“Reasonable?” Sophie fumed, her voice quivering with outrage. “How on earth is that reasonable? This is blatant discrimination against your own people! Mark my words-I’m exposing this nonsense right now!”
She whipped out her phone, ready to film. The manager, however, stepped in to block her, her tone turning icy. “Miss, if you can’t respect our rules, you’re welcome to leave. We don’t tolerate disruptions here. And if you insist on making trouble, I’ll have security escort you out.”
Sophie stood her ground. “Go ahead! Toss me out if you want! What you’re doing here is disgraceful-beyond words! Pandering to foreigners and demeaning your own people? Absolutely pathetic.”
“Hey!” A sultry voice rang out, cutting through the tension. The woman sitting with the foreign man stood up, sauntering toward Sophie with exaggerated confidence. She flaunted her garish, rhinestone-studded nails and swayed her long, stocking-clad legs as if walking a runway. “What’s your problem?” she sneered.
Sophie met her gaze, unfazed. “What do you mean by that?”
“What I mean,” the woman retorted, her tone dripping with condescension, “is that if you’re so upset, why don’t you get yourself a foreign boyfriend? What, are you jealous or something? Prioritizing Westerners doesn’t degrade us-it elevates us.”
As she spoke, the woman wore an air of superiority, as if having a foreign boyfriend was some sort of grand achievement. She was undeniably pretty, but compared to Sophie, she was clearly outclassed. Still, with a foreign boyfriend in tow, she acted as though she ranked a level above Sophie.
This mindset was common. Many people seemed to believe that landing a foreign boyfriend was something to be immensely proud of.
The woman turned her nose up and looked Kayden over with disdain, her eyes lingering on his modest attire like it was a punchline. “Look at your boyfriend,” she smirked. “With someone like him, of course, you’ll have to wait your turn.”
Kayden’s calm demeanor didn’t waver, but the sharp look in his eyes made the woman falter slightly. She quickly averted her gaze, dismissing him with an air of superiority.
This woman really thought she was something special-like no one else was even worth her attention.
Sophie’s face flushed with anger.
Just as she opened her mouth to respond, the foreign man stood up, his smarmy grin making her stomach churn. His heavily accented Mandarin was mocking, his eyes predatory. “Miss, if you don’t mind, I could be your boyfriend. With me, you’ll never have to wait in line again. Why waste time with this… nobody?”
As soon as he finished speaking, the foreign man’s face twisted into a sleazy grin. His eyes blatantly roved over Sophie, scanning her figure from head to toe with a lustful hunger that made his intentions painfully clear. That disgusting look alone was enough to make Sophie feel utterly repulsed.
The woman beside him giggled, playing coy as she draped herself over his arm. “Oh, Stewart, you’re so naughty! How can you flirt with other women in front of me? But she is kind of cute, I’ll give you that.” The woman clenched her fists and playfully pouted, her voice dripping with sweetness as she lightly pounded her fists against the foreign man’s chest.
The pair flaunted their affection openly, and the woman’s demeanor resembled nothing short of a fawning lapdog. If she were dealing with a boyfriend from Seclela and heard the same words, she’d likely slap him across the face and storm off without a second thought.
But because her boyfriend was foreign, she could only act coquettishly, bending over backward to please him. Women like her are the embodiment of a loser’s fantasy-someone the rich and privileged can toy with as they please. Completely infatuated with foreignness, she had seemingly forgotten her own identity as a woman from Seclela.
“Relax, sweetheart,” Stewart said, stroking her cheek with his finger. “You know you’re my favorite. But there’s no harm in sharing the fun, is there? It’s not like you’re enough for me anyway.”
“Oh, you’re so annoying!” The woman blushed and giggled, her coquettish act nauseating.
Stewart turned back to Sophie, stepping closer. He grabbed her arm, his smile widening as he leaned in. “Well, miss, how about it? Will you be my girlfriend?” the foreign man asked with a smug grin. “Say yes now, and from this moment on, you can eat here anytime you want, no waiting. Not just here either-I have exclusive access to many places.”
He shot a condescending glance at Kayden and added with a sneer, “How could a broke guy like him ever deserve to be your boyfriend? Only someone like me can make you feel like a real woman.”
These words sparked envy among the manager and the female servers nearby. They couldn’t help but daydream about landing a foreign boyfriend themselves. Working here had long ingrained the idea that foreigners were somehow superior.
The man then stepped closer to Sophie, casually reaching out to grab her by the arm. With a lecherous chuckle, he said, “If you say yes right now, I’ll make sure you get your steak right away, no waiting. What do you think?”
“Let go of me, you creep!” Sophie yelled, struggling to free herself. But his grip was firm. She raised her hand to slap him, but he caught her wrist mid-air with ease.
The foreign man leaned in so close to Sophie that his face was practically brushing against hers. With a smirk that oozed arrogance, he chuckled and said, “You’re exactly the kind of woman I like best. Come with me, and I’ll show you what it means to be a real woman.”
“LET ME GO!” Sophie shrieked, but no one around her moved. The onlookers merely gawked, some even smirking, enjoying the spectacle like it was free entertainment.
For a moment, Sophie’s heart sank. She felt utterly alone. But just as despair began to creep in, a sharp, guttural cry pierced the air.
“AHHHH!” Stewart screamed in pain, releasing her arm as he staggered back. Sophie looked up, stunned.
It was Kayden.