Upon seeing Karlee, Darnell turned to leave. She was his nemesis.
However, Leroy and Noemi blocked his path, their faces filled with curiosity as they called out, “Your girlfriend is here! She’s been waiting for you for so long. Why are you running away?”
They happily waved the pastries and dollar bills in their hands. “She even brought us pastries for each of us!”
Noemi grinned widely, tugging at Darnell’s sleeve. “Your girlfriend is loaded! These pastries are all imported, so fragrant and delicious. I’ve never had anything this good in my life.”
“She’s generous too! Gave us all a hundred bucks each as a greeting gift,” Leroy added, nodding enthusiastically.
Darnell was left speechless. Now he understood why Leroy and Noemi were laughing so heartily. Even Darnell’s Elite Force had fallen under Karlee’s charm, defeated by her sugary tactics.
A hundred bucks each for over twenty people-over two thousand dollars just like that! This girl was incredibly extravagant.
“Darnell!”
Before he could explain his relationship with Karlee to Noemi and the others, Karlee rushed over, wrapping her arm around his and popping a piece of candy into his mouth.
“I should have come to find you sooner, but my dad grounded me for a few days. As soon as I found a break, I came right over,” she said cheerfully.
“I also brought some treats for everyone to thank them for taking care of you all this time.”
She smiled and bowed slightly to Garrett and the others. “Thank you, everyone.”
Garrett and the others waved their hands, laughing. “No need for that! It’s always been Mr. Halford taking care of us.”
Noemi patted Karlee on the shoulder. “Yeah, it’s been Darnell looking after us. We should be thanking you!”
“And you even brought us gifts! You didn’t have to,” she added.
Darnell wanted to speak up, but the candy in his mouth was so delicious that he didn’t want to swallow it. It was too big to chew and spit out-he could only keep gnawing on it.
Karlee leaned against Darnell, her sweet smile aimed at Noemi and the others. “We’re all family here. No need to be so polite.”
“I’m giving these gifts because it’s our first meeting. According to my hometown customs, it’s called a meeting gift. So you don’t need to take it to heart.”
“Exactly! We’re family.”
Noemi burst into laughter and then asked, “Darling, since you came early to wait for Darnell, you probably haven’t had dinner yet, right?”
Karlee bit her lip slightly. “Nope.”
“Neither have we.”
With a wave of her hand, Noemi declared, “Since we’re family, let’s go eat at the restaurant! Tonight, it’s on me.”
“It’s to reward the security team for their hard work these days and to bless Darnell and his girlfriend’s love. What do you all say? Sounds good, right?”
Garrett and the others cheered in agreement. “Yes!”
Noemi exclaimed excitedly, “Let’s go to the restaurant at the village entrance!”
Karlee clapped her hands in delight. “Great! We’ll follow Ms. Sotheby’s lead!”
The group promptly set off for dinner, filled with joy and attracting quite a few curious glances. After finishing the candy, Darnell coughed a couple of times and leaned in closer to Karlee, whispering, “What are you doing? Aren’t we just pretending to be a couple? With you acting like this, do you really want to be my girlfriend?”
As he said the last part, Darnell playfully squeezed Karlee’s waist. “If you keep playing with fire like this, I might just take you seriously.”
“Mm!”
Karlee twisted her body to dodge Darnell’s hand and retaliated by pinching his arm. “I’m telling you, you are my boyfriend.”
“I want everyone to know I’m your woman. Darnell, you can’t escape. The only one who can break up with you is me. You can’t dump me.”
Darnell noticed her resolute expression and a hint of worry between her brows, as if she suspected something. “Does Alexander keep making unwanted advances towards you?”
Karlee paused for a moment, then huffed in response, “No.”
Darnell could tell her answer was sincere, so he pressed further, “Then who is putting this immense pressure on you, making you seek me out as a shield?”
Karlee shuddered slightly and coughed. “No one. I just like you and want to be with you.”
Darnell glanced at the cheerful crowd, speaking gently, “I haven’t looked into your family background, but I know you come from a prominent family.”
“If your family can’t protect you and help you face your pressures head-on, do you think I, as a mere security guard, can handle it?”
“I’m not afraid of the powerful or death, but I also don’t want to be foolishly used by someone.”
Darnell’s tone softened. “Karlee, if you can, tell me who is putting this pressure on you.”
“No, really.”
Karlee’s body trembled again as she pouted, forcing a smile. “Why do you always think too much?”
Darnell sensed her resistance and decided to drop the subject, opting for a more playful attitude.
Darnell chuckled, “After dinner, don’t go back. Stay here for the night. My bed is big enough, and I have some good movies.”
“You pervert! You jerk! Get away from me!”
Karlee blushed fiercely, pushing Darnell away. “You always tease me!”
Leroy had chosen an impressive restaurant, with a cozy atmosphere and delicious food, especially the seafood, which was delightful.
The dinner was quite satisfying. Plates were emptied, and the group of sixteen left with full bellies, having finished all the drinks. The total bill was surprisingly affordable, just under two thousand.
Noemi ordered a few more dishes for Vance and the others left behind at Woodsea as a late-night snack.
During the two-hour meal, Karlee blended in with everyone, eagerly pouring drinks and serving food, showcasing her boldness with big gulps of alcohol and hearty bites of meat, making Noemi and Garrett genuinely fond of her.
Darnell felt somewhat helpless. It seemed this girlfriend status was about to be solidified by everyone.
“Darnell, can you come to the University of Whiteville to see me tomorrow afternoon?”
As they were about to leave, Karlee wrapped her arm around Darnell’s. “There’s a gala at school. Will you come with me?”
“Sure, why not?”
Before Darnell could respond, Noemi jumped in, “It’s only right for a boyfriend to pick up his girlfriend after school.”
“Karlee, don’t worry. Tomorrow, I’ll make sure he picks you up. If he tries to slack off, I’ll break his legs!”
Leroy nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Darnell, with a girl like Karlee, you better cherish her well.”
Karlee held Darnell’s hand, beaming. “Darnell is a good man. He will cherish me.”
Just then, Karlee’s phone rang. She put on her earbuds to take the call. Moments later, her expression shifted dramatically.
“What? Jefferson is in trouble?”