“Cheers!”
After signing the contract with One Cent Foundation in the morning, Darnell and his team, including Shayla, Casey, Bailee, and Lillian, gathered for lunch at the restaurant downstairs.
This time, they ordered bottles of red wine for 3, 000 dollars each. Getting drunk was not a problem anymore since they had already completed their monthly tasks.
In the soft lighting, everyone’s faces were filled with excitement.
“Darnell, Shayla, Casey, and Bailee, congratulations on successfully signing the contract and completing the mission!” Lillian raised her glass to toast Darnell and the others. “Now you don’t have to leave.”
Darnell and the Python Team passing the assessment made Lillian genuinely happy. She considered them as part of her own team.
“Yes, we can continue working at Spectrum Pharmaceuticals,” Darnell said.
Shayla also expressed her joy. “Not only will our base salary and commission double, but we can also continue to work with Mr. Halford.”
“It’s all thanks to Mr. Halford. Without him, we would have been kicked out long ago. We wouldn’t have the success we have today,” Casey added.
“Did you see that? Eliezer’s face turned pale today. Even the Moon team couldn’t sit still. They looked so miserable,” Bailee chimed in.
“He has to pay over a million dollars to Mr. Halford, half a year’s salary. How could he not look miserable?” Shayla said.
“In fact, what impressed me most about Mr. Halford was when he told Mya and her group to leave,” Lillian remarked.
“Yes, Mr. Halford is amazing. He effortlessly solved the Python Team’s problem with Chandler’s contract and One Cent Foundation’s contract,” Bailee added.
“You forgot the two billion-dollar order he and Miss Fanshaw signed.”
The women were like little birds chirping happily about this morning’s scene. The disappointment and frustration of the past were replaced by the joy of success.
Bailee leaned against Darnell with the pleasant scent of apples wafting in the air. She whispered, “Mr. Halford, thank you.”
Smack!
She kissed Darnell on his cheek and said, “That’s your reward.”
Darnell enjoyed Bailee’s kiss and leaned in with his other cheek, saying, “Bailee, good things come in pairs. Give me another one.”
“I can’t let you be too satisfied. I need to keep you wanting more!” Bailee teased before quickly running away from Darnell. “Once a man gets what he wants, he doesn’t know how to appreciate it.”
“Tsk, what do you take me for?” Darnell looked dissatisfied. “I do appreciate it when I get what I want. Want me to prove it?”
Bailee stuck out her tongue playfully and said, “No, thanks.”
Darnell looked disappointed. “My mom was right after all. The more beautiful a woman is, the more she acts like a rogue towards me without taking responsibility.”
“It’s alright. We’ll reward you,” Shayla said as she and Casey approached Darnell and each gave him a peck on his cheek.
Lillian watched the four of them playfully fighting each other and felt warmth and envy in her heart. She thought about how good it would be if she could be part of the Python Team.
Unfortunately, she had no choice in the matter.
“Girls, you’re so lovely and charming,” Darnell said as he slammed his hand on the table confidently. “When you grow up a bit more, I’ll marry all of you.”
“Each person gets their own room, and at night I’ll flip a coin to decide whose room I’ll go to,” he continued.
The three women glared at Darnell and then extended their hands together. “A dowry of ten million dollars, and we’ll marry you.”
A surge of power surged through Darnell’s body as he almost reached for his wallet to give them money.
But after thinking about it for a moment, he deflated back into his chair. “Wait for it. Sooner or later, I’ll take all of you home.”
The three women made faces at him without caring much.
“Lillian, since they’ve all kissed me, shouldn’t you give some benefits too?” Darnell turned his gaze towards Lillian and pointed to his lips. “There’s still room here.”
“Get lost!” Lillian spat at Darnell. “I’m Miss Fanshaw’s assistant. I’m not one of your team members who will surrender to you.”
“Lillian, how can you say that?” Darnell widened his eyes at Lillian. “I helped you several times.”
“In ancient times, not only would you have to offer yourself willingly but also work hard for me,” he retorted.
Lillian gave Darnell a disdainful look. “Pervert.”
“Alright then, I’ll give you a math problem. If you solve it correctly, I’ll treat you to meals for a month,” Darnell said with a mischievous smile.
“But you have to kiss me if you can’t solve it,” he added.
Casey and the others joined in chanting together. “Lillian! Accept the challenge! Lillian! Accept the challenge!”
“I won’t fall for it. He’s cunning,” Lillian replied cleverly. “He wants me to lose by giving me an unsolvable problem like memorizing fifty digits of pi.”
“I won’t do that. I promise it will be an easy-to-understand question,” Darnell chuckled. “If I go off track with my question, you can hit me as hard as you want.”
“Alright then, I’ll give it a try. Go ahead and ask your question,” Lillian said with a smirk. “I hope you won’t play any tricks.”
“Listen carefully. There are 6 apples on the table. If you take 2 away, how many apples do you have? This question is simple, right?” Darnell asked while looking at them seriously.
After listening attentively, Casey thought for a moment before blurting out, “Eight!”
Shayla and Bailee also shouted together, “Yes! Eight!”
Lillian looked at Darnell and said uncertainly, “The answer can’t be that simple… Six?.”
She was indeed an intelligent woman. A hint of amusement appeared on Darnell’s face as he waved his hand dismissively. “None of those answers are correct.”
“Haha! The correct answer is two! The question asks how many apples ‘you’ have, not how many apples are left on the table.”
Darnell had an expression of great satisfaction on his face.
Casey and the others pounced on him like rabbits as they wrestled into a heap. Bailee pretended to strangle him while scolding him, “What kind of question is that? It’s so lame!”
Darnell defended himself while blocking their attacks. “You girls are fierce!”
“Lillian! Save me!”
Darnell ran towards Lillian for protection but ended up pushing her forward as a shield amidst the chaos. In that moment of confusion, he grabbed her hand.
His warmth from his hand stirred her mind…
“How is your godmother?”
On their way back to the company after dinner, Darnell leaned against Lillian and asked softly, “Is she doing better?”
“She was discharged yesterday afternoon,” Lillian replied in an equally gentle tone. “I’ve been staying there taking care of her these past few days. She can walk with crutches now. Although she walks slowly, she can take care of herself now. Oh yes, she wanted me to thank you. Your miraculous medical skills healed her.”
“Don’t try to fool me.”
Darnell chuckled, “How could she thank me? She would rather tear me apart.”
“She really did thank you sincerely. She even said she would treat you to dinner someday. She won’t chase away Garrett anymore,” Lillian informed him about Noemi’s condition before hesitantly adding, “By the way… After you treated my godmother and left that day, one of her old friends came by. He immediately recognized that my godmother had received treatment from an expert who knew how to practice the Zenith Needle… He kept begging me to give him your address.”
Lillian’s words caused Darnell’s body to tremble slightly as surprise filled his face.
“He knows about the Zenith Needle? Who is he?”
“Dr. Goodenough.”
Lillian spoke softly, “Do you know him? He’s the top doctor in the city.”
“What? Noemi’s lover… No… Noemi’s old friend is Dr. Goodenough?”
Darnell knew Joseph well. He just didn’t expect him to have such a relationship with Noemi. He felt annoyed with himself for showing off his skills earlier.
He slapped his thigh in frustration. “Damn it! If only I hadn’t shown off!”
“I didn’t expect it either.”
Lillian recounted what happened that night.
“Dr. Goodenough greatly admires you. He said he wants to become your disciple… Since I didn’t get your permission, I haven’t yet given him your address.”
Darnell quickly responded, “Lillian! Please don’t give it to him. Otherwise, my life will become difficult!”
With Joseph bothering him constantly, there would be no peaceful days ahead!
“Although he is an old man who seems clueless about everything, he is not stupid. With his abilities, sooner or later, he will find you.”
“But for now, you can relax because after examining my godmother that night, he received an important call that took him to Goldkeep.”
Lillian comforted him softly, “I heard he will be gone for two weeks, so there is no need for concern right now.”
Darnell looked frustrated. “But after those two weeks are over, won’t he come looking for me just like before?”
Joseph wanted to become his disciple… Should he agree?
Darnell pondered how to deal with Joseph but ignored the resentful eyes behind him.
Jett sat in the driver’s seat of a Toyota car, glaring fiercely at Darnell and others entering the Vertex before picking up his phone.
“Victoria, I’ve spotted them.”