Nanci stood aside watching Edward and others exchange pleasantries. Soon, people arriving from behind blocked her view. She moved to the side and picked up a piece of cake to eat.
“Nanci! You’re here too! I was dragged here against my will. These events are so boring, but Adam wouldn’t let me stay home alone. It’s great to see you here!”
“Haha, what a coincidence. I’m here with Edward. At these events, we girls just eat and drink on the side, occasionally responding to questions. Don’t be upset.”
“I was annoyed at first, but seeing you makes it less boring. Nanci, do you drink? The wine here seems pretty good.”
Nanci shook her head and said, “I don’t drink much. Does Adam allow you to drink?”
“Of course not, but they’re all socializing. He won’t notice me, so I’ll sneak a drink! If you don’t want any, I’ll get some for myself. Wait here.”
Nanci smiled and nodded. Soon, Amelia returned with two glasses and a bottle of red wine, excitedly saying, “This is good wine. Want to try some? A little red wine is fine and even good for health.”
Before Nanci could respond, Amelia poured a glass and handed it to her. Nanci took it reluctantly and sipped it lightly, agreeing, “Yes, this is indeed good wine. This event must be high-end, or else they wouldn’t serve such good-quality wine.”
“Hehe, right? Let the men handle their business while we enjoy ourselves here. Look at all the food on the table!”
Seeing Amelia drinking glass after glass, Nanci felt uneasy and grabbed the glass from her hand, saying, “What are you doing? You can’t drink like this. What if Adam finds you drunk? Eat something to fill your stomach first.”
Amelia leaned dizzily on Nanci’s shoulder. Nanci carefully supported her and fed her some cake from the table when two women approached.
“Oh my, isn’t this the woman who recently hooked up with Alderley Industries’ president?”
“Hahaha, can’t you see? She’s not that important anymore. There are plenty of prettier women at this event. Mr. Clarkson might get bored with her!”
“And who’s that leaning on you?”
“Are you bringing your younger sister here to play? This isn’t an amusement park. Your sister looks drunk. Maybe both of you should go home early.”
Amelia got angry at their words and poured her half-drunk wine on them, shouting, “Who do you think you are? How dare you insult Nanci! Do you think Alderley Industries’ president would be interested in you, you old witch? Get out of my face!”
“You-”
“Where did this rude girl come from? Do you know how much this dress costs? It’s a limited edition! You’ll never afford it in your lifetime!”
“Nanci! Look at what your sister did! Give us an explanation! If you can’t pay for this dress, maybe kneeling and licking my shoes clean will suffice!”
“What are you doing to my woman? I didn’t hear it clearly. Say that again.”
The two women turned around angrily but fell silent upon seeing Edward.
One woman hurriedly approached Edward, saying, “Mr. Clarkson! Look at what Nanci’s sister did to us! How can we stay here like this?” She reached for Edward’s coat, but he avoided her in disgust.
Adam walked over to Nanci and took Amelia into his arms, helplessly asking, “How much did she drink?”
Nanci shrugged and said, “She doesn’t hold her liquor well. She drank a few glasses before I could stop her. The mess on those two women is also her doing. Handle it yourself.”
Adam nodded gratefully and said, “Sure.”
He then turned to the shocked women and handed them a check. “He took out his checkbook, tore off a check, and handed it to them. “This check has no amount written on it. Fill in whatever amount you want. I’m sorry that my girlfriend had offended you. Consider this compensation.”
The women exchanged glances. The situation had spiraled out of their control. They had underestimated these people.
This woman was Adam’s girlfriend, and Edward was here for Nanci too. They quickly apologized to Nanci, “Sorry, Ms. Ross, our words were harsh earlier. Please don’t hold it against us. We’ll leave now.”
Edward sternly said, “Leave? Did I agree? Do you really think you can just walk away after bullying my woman? Did you not consider the consequences when you dared to offend her?”
He turned to Nanci and asked, “Nanci, I’m sorry I’m late. What did they say and do to you just now?”
Nanci felt utterly exasperated. Initially, she hadn’t planned to make a big deal out of the encounter with these two women, but the fact that they tried to badmouth her in front of Edward was the last straw.
“They said you’d abandoned me and that I was just a discarded woman…”
“Hey! We never said that! We came with drinks to congratulate you and Mr. Clarkson! Your friend splashed us with wine! Mr. Clarkson, please believe us. We did nothing wrong! In fact, we’re the victims here! But out of respect for you, we’re willing to let it go.”
The other woman nodded frantically and chimed in, “Yes, yes, we’re willing to let it go out of respect for you.”
Nanci simply watched the two women perform their little act in silence. She wasn’t worried that Edward would believe their lies. If he did, then she’d have to accept that she had misjudged him all along-someone who didn’t even know her true character.
Edward listened, then let out a loud laugh. The two women, mistaking his laughter for agreement, quickly seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire, spewing more lies about Nanci in hopes that Edward would teach her a lesson on their behalf.
Perhaps, they even dreamed of taking her place, of becoming Edward’s woman themselves.
But things didn’t go as they had hoped. Instead, Edward’s voice turned icy as he spoke, “So, you’re saying my woman is lying to me? Do you think I don’t know the character of the person I’m with? Do you really believe your little act is so convincing? Should I send you both to a theater troupe? Maybe you’ll become overnight stars with all this drama.”
Nanci couldn’t help but laugh at Edward’s sharp retort.
She felt relieved knowing she hadn’t misjudged him. He stood up for her unconditionally.
She linked arms with Edward and looked at the two women with a triumphant smile. “Don’t waste your time dreaming about things that will never be yours. Even if you managed to snatch them away, you wouldn’t have what it takes to keep them.”
Edward chuckled softly at her words, his grip on her hand tightening. The commotion had drawn a growing crowd, and soon enough, the fathers of the two women arrived, alarmed to see their daughters standing awkwardly in front of the CEO of Alderley Industries and his partner.
One of the fathers began nervously, “Mr. Clarkson, may I ask what my daughter has done to end up in this situation?”
“Why don’t you ask her yourselves and then figure out how to explain it to me?” Edward replied coolly.
The two men pulled their daughters aside and, after hearing the story, shot them disapproving looks. But blood was thicker than water, and they returned to Edward, attempting to smooth things over with diplomatic words.
“We apologize for failing to properly discipline our daughters. We’re truly sorry for disturbing your evening. Rest assured, we’ll deal with them at home. Given our ongoing business partnerships, perhaps you can let this slide…”
Edward raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Issac, call and cancel all collaborations with these two companies immediately.”
The fathers panicked, scrambling to plead their case.
“Your daughters suggested that my woman kneel and lick their shoes. Is this the kind of upbringing you’ve given them? If you can’t manage your own family, perhaps I should step in.”
Edward’s voice was cold and unyielding. “You two, kneel down and apologize to Nanci.”
The women, of course, refused, casting pleading glances at their fathers. However, Edward’s sharp gaze silenced any attempts at intervention. Reluctantly, the fathers closed their mouths, unable to meet their daughters’ eyes. No one dared to offend Edward. He was a figure many would go to great lengths to appease. Their hard-earned business partnerships were too valuable to risk over their daughters’ misbehavior.
Nanci, however, spoke up, “There’s no need to kneel or apologize. I know your words would be empty, and I have no interest in hearing them. That doesn’t mean I forgive you, though. I don’t want to see you again, so stay out of my sight from now on.”
Edward looked at her, his tone softening as he said, “Are you sure you want to let them off so easily, Nanci? Don’t be afraid to speak your mind.”
She nodded. “Edward, I don’t want to make this any bigger. Can we go home? I’m tired.”
Without hesitation, Edward scooped her into his arms and addressed the two women and their fathers. “Alderley Industries is terminating all partnerships with your companies. You’re also being blacklisted. And let this be a warning to everyone here-Nanci is my woman, the one I truly love. This isn’t some fleeting whim. Disrespecting her is the same as disrespecting me. You’ve been warned.”
As Edward carried Nanci away, the two fathers tried to follow, desperate to salvage their business deals, but they were blocked by his bodyguards. Left with no other option, they turned on their daughters, berating them angrily, “Useless! Did we bring you here to cause trouble?”
The crowd buzzed with excitement, and reporters eagerly began drafting their headlines, each hoping to break the story first.