Alexander initially intended to bluff Darnell, showcasing his power to elicit either gratitude or fear from him.
However, Darnell publicly exposed the situation, making himself the center of attention.
Now, Alexander found himself in a predicament. With so many people around, there was no guarantee that members of the Axe weren’t present. If Rex were to believe that he was responsible for Samuel’s demise, both he and the Chavez family could face dire consequences.
But if he denied it, it would imply that he was lying and exaggerating his claims, which could easily lead to others looking down on him.
“Alexander, did you kill Samuel?”
Karlee looked at him, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. “You were quite decisive.”
Before Lisa could speak, Darnell chimed in with a laugh, “It must have been Mr. Chavez. The Axe is powerful and ruthless. Who would dare to cross them? Just hearing their name is enough to scare someone half to death.”
“Only someone like Mr. Chavez, with such a prominent background, would dare to deal with the Axe.”
“Mr. Chavez, you’re impressive!”
Darnell gave a thumbs-up, elevating Alexander’s status. “I used to think you were a coward, too afraid to take revenge when your sister was humiliated.”
“Turns out you were biding your time, secretly taking out Samuel. Not only did you avenge your sister, but you also secured my safety.”
“I apologize for how I treated you before.”
Then, Darnell started clapping his hands, “Everyone, let’s give a round of applause for Mr. Chavez. He’s a real man!”
With that, Karlee joined in with applause, and the clueless students followed suit, chanting, “Mr. Chavez is mighty! Mr. Chavez is mighty!”
At that moment, Alexander wished he could just disappear…
With the spotlight on him, he had no chance to deny the accusations. He could only bear the title of a warrior for now, all while considering sending someone to inform Rex.
If he didn’t risk walking outside without informing the Axe about what was happening tonight, he feared he might get killed on the street.
He waved his hand, urging everyone to proceed with the final rehearsal. As dozens of boys and girls dispersed to practice, Karlee returned to the stage to go over her lines.
Alexander approached Darnell, his gaze sharp as a knife. “I find you really irritating.”
Darnell, hands in his pockets, responded with an innocent smile, “I feel the same way.”
“Our feud will be settled sooner or later.”
Alexander spoke ominously, “One of us has to back down, but I assure you, it won’t be me.”
Darnell stretched lazily, sitting next to Karlee’s bags. “Mr. Chavez, no need for bravado just yet. Handle Rex first before you start boasting.”
“I can guarantee that news of you killing Samuel will reach his ears very soon.”
Alexander’s lips twitched. “Why’s that?”
Darnell lifted his phone, “Because I’ve got people spreading it around.”
Alexander nearly choked on his fury.
“Ding!”
Just as he was about to unleash his anger on Darnell, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Glancing at the number, he forced himself to calm down and stepped back a few meters to answer.
Moments later, his expression changed dramatically. He hung up and shouted to the crowd, “All heads of the performance programs, come here!”
Quickly, over a dozen men and women gathered around Alexander, and Karlee joined them.
Seemingly wanting to assert his position in front of Darnell, Alexander didn’t move to a different spot to discuss but instead stood behind Darnell and spoke up,
“We have a problem with tonight’s guests.”
Alexander’s face bore a hint of seriousness as he looked at Karlee and the others.
“The folk singer, Caleb Tomlinson, and the diva, Yaretzi Elwes, have both had their agents call in. saying they were scared at school and are mentally distressed. They might not make it to the performance.”
As soon as he said that, everyone was taken aback, voices rising in confusion.
“What? They can’t perform?”
“Didn’t they arrive at the University of Whiteville early? How can they not perform?”
“Scared at school? What kind of scare could they have received?”
Karlee was astonished, “Their segments add up to half an hour! If they don’t come, how can we fill that gap?”
Alexander exhaled, “It’s not their fault. An hour ago, Caleb Tomlinson and Yaretzi Elwes came incognito to soak in the school atmosphere and better prepare for their performances.”
“Unfortunately, before their car could even stop, someone threw a rock at it.”
“The windshield shattered, and they nearly got hurt. They are currently receiving treatment, so we can’t confirm if they can perform on time.”
Darnell nearly spat out his drink, thinking, “Damn it! They were clearly just fooling around in the car!”
The other students began to murmur among themselves.
“If that’s the case, it’s understandable they can’t perform.”
“Yeah, anyone would be unsettled after such a scare. Today it’s stones, tomorrow it could be acid.”
“Who’s the lunatic that threw the rock? Has the culprit been caught? I want to drag the person out and give him a beating.”
Darnell initially considered explaining the full context of the situation but ultimately chose silence, not wanting to be beaten up by Alexander’s fans.
Karlee, however, focused on the pressing matter. “Let’s not dwell on that. The urgent issue is that if Caleb Tomlinson and Yaretzi Elwes really don’t come, how do we deal with it?”
“Their singing segments total half an hour, with the duet as the finale. If they don’t perform, there’ll be a gap.”
“Many people came specifically for them. If they don’t show, we might face backlash…”
Alexander nodded. “That’s indeed an issue. Unfortunately, Caleb Tomlinson and Yaretzi Elwes were brought in through my connections.”
“They’re performing for only a third of the usual price, so demanding they come is unreasonable, especially since we didn’t sign a contract.”
Lisa chimed in, “We have two options. First, we can try to persuade Caleb Tomlinson and Yaretzi Elwes to perform, even offering them a bit more money as compensation.”
“Second, we can find someone else to replace them. It’s too late to bring in celebrities, but we can ask students to fill in.”
“We still have many talented seniors who can sing and dance. We could quickly put together a few acts to cover the time.”
“Although some audience members might feel cheated, this is not a commercial performance, so there’s no obligation.”
Even so, Lisa still felt a sense of unease. Without these two stars, something just didn’t feel right.
“Ahem!”
At that moment, Darnell, who had been silently flipping through a newspaper, forced a smile and said, “Everyone, it’s not that I’m trying to stir the pot, but if I were a fan of Yaretzi Elwes, the ‘Best Boobs’ in Lightford, eagerly waiting all day for her, only to be met with a student showcase, I’d definitely throw eggs.”
“Disgusting!”
Karlee shot Darnell a glare, “You men are all the same.”
“Boobs? Don’t I have them?”
Darnell shook his hand, spilling most of his tea.