After a song, the crowd went wild, and the atmosphere was more enthusiastic than ever before. Even after Darnell put down the microphone, the echoes of the song still lingered.
So many people resonated with the song, and their roaring voices filled the air. The meaning behind it surpassed that of love songs.
There was no need to ask or vote. Everyone knew that Darnell had won. His skills, strategy, and significance far surpassed Zoey’s.
Ignoring the sour expressions on Roberto and Eliezer’s faces, Darnell took one million and one hundred thousand dollars in checks from them. He then waved his hand to call the manager to serve the food, allowing Roberto and Eliezer to drown their sorrows in their appetites.
He returned to his seat with the three women from the Python Team and handed each of them a one million dollar check.
Instead of accepting it, the three women pouted and handed the checks back to Darnell. They only wanted their fair share. Anything extra wouldn’t be right.
At least their close friendship as a group of four was no longer as pure as before, especially since they had already won ten thousand dollars tonight.
Of course, the most important thing was that Darnell had helped them too much. Tonight, he even stood up for them and helped maintain their dignity.
They were willing to give themselves to him. They didn’t care about his money.
Darnell understood what they were thinking and laughed heartily before giving them a signal to start eating.
He wanted to take advantage of Zoey’s absence and devour all the delicious steaks, shark fin soup, and grilled shrimp. The three women didn’t care about their image any more. They playfully fought with Darnell over the food.
However, before they could take more than a few bites, Zoey returned with a smile. She grabbed Darnell’s hand and touched it a few times before raising her wine glass and smiling.
“Mr. Halford, you really are an all-rounder. You’re not only great at sales, but you also have a way with the ladies and your singing is impressive. I admit defeat. I can’t compare to you.”
“But don’t misunderstand me. I’m not jealous. On the contrary, I admire you and like you.”
Zoey seductively opened her red lips. “Mr. Halford, would you honor me with a few drinks?”
Casey and the other two women glared at her, wishing they could kick this woman out.
Without waiting for Darnell to speak, Zoey added, “Mr. Halford, you stepped in for your team members to defend their honor, yet you publicly humiliated me. I even confessed my feelings for you on stage, and instead of showing any compassion, you treated me so cruelly.”
“You upset me. I am hurt inside. Shouldn’t you make it up to me?”
She unbuttoned her shirt slightly, revealing her smooth and fair chest that shimmered enticingly.
Seeing Zoey constantly touching him and teasing him, Darnell, lacking self-control, became dissatisfied. He wiped his greasy hands on her clothes. “Drinking? Miss Izzard, I can’t handle alcohol well.”
“If I drink too much, not only will I get dizzy and have ringing in my ears, but I might also do something beastly.”
Darnell revealed an evil smile as he leaned closer. “And if I were to take advantage of you in that state, wouldn’t it ruin your reputation?”
Seeing the greasy stains clearly visible on the clothes where he touched her, Zoey gripped her wine glass tightly. However, she quickly composed herself and let go of her anger, her voice remaining soft as she said, “Mr. Halford, you’re joking. You are young, wealthy, and held in high regard by Miss Fanshaw. How could you be that kind of person?”
“Don’t worry. Even if you were drunk, I believe you’re a gentleman at heart.”
She leaned in slightly, her face almost brushing against Darnell’s ear.
“Besides, what you mentioned earlier… Maybe that’s what I’m hoping for.”
Darnell shuddered and chuckled softly, “I didn’t expect you to be a man-eater.”
“A woman who isn’t bad won’t be loved by men.”
Zoey pressed her chest against Darnell’s body seductively while her red lips emitted an alluring glow. She picked up a bottle of whiskey and poured it into Darnell’s glass until it was full.
“Mr. Halford, have a drink with me.”
Casey stood up and shouted, “Mr. Halford can’t hold his liquor! Don’t force him to drink. If you want someone to drink with you, drink with me!”
Zoey calmly replied, “I only like drinking with men.”
Casey’s face twisted out of anger. “You!”
“Casey, how can I let you drink this strong liquor?”
Darnell smiled as he held Casey’s hand. “Let me talk to Miss Izzard alone.”
After Casey pouted and sat back down, Zoey looked at Darnell with tenderness in her eyes. “Mr. Halford, have seven drinks with me. I’ll give you a big surprise.”
“Really? Seven drinks for a big surprise?”
Darnell burst into laughter. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think Miss Izzard is a dragon who grants wishes by collecting seven dragon balls.”
Feeling the fragrance emanating from the woman’s body, Darnell continued, “But I’ve always loved challenges. Seven drinks are quite a lot to me, but tonight, I’ll finish them even if it means making a fool of myself!”
He reached out to grab his glass and clinked it against Zoey’s.
“Cheers!”
Zoey ignored the sharp gazes from the three women as she drank with gusto.
“Cheers!”
Zoey quickly finished her first glass and immediately poured more for both of them, raising her glass to down it in one go.
Darnell didn’t hesitate either, following suit and finishing his drink in one breath. Casey couldn’t help but intervene, saying, “Mr. Halford, don’t drink too much with her.”
Shayla chimed in, “Exactly! She’s a seasoned drinker. There’s no way you can outdrink her!”
Bailee scoffed, “Besides, what surprises could she possibly have?”
The three women could tell that Zoey had an impressive tolerance for alcohol, while in their memory, Darnell usually only drank a little.
They were worried that Darnell might get too drunk and end up on the floor.
“It’s fine. I can handle seven glasses,” Darnell laughed. “If I can’t, you three will have to carry me back to Horizon Yard.”
Shayla and Casey both gasped. “How do you know we live at Horizon Yard?”
As Bailee felt a flush creep onto her cheeks, Darnell chuckled, “Just a guess.”
The two girls clearly didn’t believe him and were about to press for more details when they noticed Zoey had poured more drinks. “What? Mr. Halford, can’t you handle a few drinks and need to talk to ease the tension?”
Darnell let out a hearty laugh, raising his glass high. “Cheers!”
Soon enough, Darnell finished his sixth glass along with Zoey. It appeared as though he was enjoying himself despite his reddened cheeks and swaying body.
Darnell was getting drunk.
The three women looked worried while Zoey wore a playful smile. She filled their glasses again with whiskey and then drank hers in one gulp.
Darnell struggled but managed to finish his seventh glass in two minutes. He almost vomited afterward. Placing his empty glass on the table forcefully, he smirked at Zoey.
“Miss Izzard… Now that I’ve finished seven glasses… Can you give me my surprise?”
“Honestly, my expectations are quite low. Just sending me a house, a car, or some gold will do.”
Watching Darnell, who was swaying slightly as he loosened his collar, Zoey smiled charmingly. “Don’t worry, Mr. Halford. After dinner, the surprise will definitely come.”
Darnell shook his head, seemingly not hearing her clearly. “What did you say?”
Seeing Darnell didn’t catch her words, Zoey smiled brightly. “I said, I will definitely give you a surprise.”
Almost as soon as she finished speaking, a group of over ten people approached, raising their glasses and surrounding Darnell with cheerful faces.
“Mr. Halford, you sang so well just now. Let me toast to you!”
“Mr. Halford, your song tugged at my heartstrings. I’m really moved, and I have to drink with you!”
“I’ve been in sales for so long, working my ass off but getting scolded instead. Mr. Halford, your spirit has infected me. Cheers!”
Half an hour later, Darnell stumbled away from the banquet, swaying as he dashed outside to the men’s restroom.
Bang!
As Darnell rushed to the sink to wash his face and rinse his mouth, someone else slipped in and quickly shut the restroom door behind them.
Wiping the water from his face, Darnell turned to see a fragrant figure collide with him, her long arms wrapping around his neck.
Zoey squeezed her legs together, using the momentum to sit on the sink, leaning back against the mirror. Darnell’s balance wavered, and he accidentally leaned against her.
Darnell shook his head, struggling to ask, “What are you doing?”
“Returning the checks and taking off your Rolex.”
Zoey tore her own clothing, exposing her smooth, fair shoulder. “Otherwise, I’ll scream that you assaulted me. You could get fired or even jailed.”
She pointed outside. “This is actually the ladies’ restroom. I switched the signs just to lure you in. You won’t be able to explain it away.”
Her pretty face displayed a hint of triumph, and her hidden intentions were finally revealed.
“What… What did you say? I’m having a hard time hearing… My head feels fuzzy,” Darnell stammered, looking at Zoey with confusion. “Are you saying you’re the surprise?”
He flashed a charming smile. “But doing it here doesn’t seem right. There are bound to be people coming in and out. How about we go to a room on the thirteenth floor?”
Zoey, realizing Darnell was a bit out of it, paused for a moment. Remembering his dizziness and the fact that he was already quite tipsy, she grabbed the hotel comment card from nearby.
She quickly wrote a few lines on it with a black pen and handed it to Darnell.
Darnell took the comment card and read aloud, “Return the checks for one million one hundred thousand dollars, or I will accuse you of sexual assault.”
“This is the ladies’ restroom. I temporarily switched the sign to lure you in.”
He read the last line. “You have thirty seconds to give me the money, or I’ll scream assault. There’re plenty of people waiting outside.”
“And after you hand over the checks, leave Spectrum Pharmaceuticals on your own.”
Zoey smiled triumphantly and shouted at Darnell, “Hurry up and get the money!”
“What if I take this to the police? Wouldn’t that be considered extortion?”
Darnell suddenly seemed to shake off his confusion, his eyes clear. “This amount totals one million one hundred thousand. Tell me, how many years do you think you’ll get?”
Zoey’s expression changed, and she reached out to grab the card back. “Give it back to me!”
“This is evidence. How can I give it back to you?”
Darnell no longer seemed dizzy. “Now, you either take off your clothes, or I’ll call the police to arrest you.”
With the upper hand, Darnell felt exhilarated.
Zoey was stunned. “You’re not drunk?” She suddenly realized she had been set up.
Darnell shrugged, tugging at Zoey’s collar. “I’ve been waiting for you to show your true colors.”
As he spoke, Darnell yanked hard, and the buttons on Zoey’s shirt popped off, scattering to the floor, just like Zoey’s sinking heart.
Her fair skin, soft and enticing, was a feast for the eyes.
Darnell spoke in a deep voice, “Take them off!”