“He’s a security guard!”
Before Weston and Monica could respond, Gavin chimed in, pointing at Weston and shouting, “He’s a new security guard at Woodsea, and I heard he makes nine thousand a month. Not sure if that’s true, but the man next to him is his boss.”
Hearing this, Weston’s grandmother’s expression dimmed, while Uriel and Monica exchanged amused glances. “A security guard? Nine thousand per month?”
“Weston, you’re still being so dishonest, aren’t you?” Monica looked at the man she once invested in, her tone sharp. “You’re just fooling your grandmother again, aren’t you?”
“You say you’re a security guard, I believe you, but claiming a salary of nine thousand is a stretch. Are you trying to save some face in front of your grandmother?”
“Monica, don’t be like that. He’ll feel embarrassed.”
Uriel stepped forward, looking at Weston with a fake smile. “There’s no shame in any job. Being a security guard is a way to provide for your family.”
“Sure, the pay might not be great and the status a bit lacking, but it’s better than starving or being unable to afford medical care. You’re Monica’s ex-boyfriend, so for her sake, I’ll give you a chance to earn some money.”
“I’ve heard you have some martial arts skills, right? You used to be in the army?”
“Come work at my construction site. Stand at the entrance, showcase your skills every day from eight to six, and I’ll pay you a thousand bucks.”
“A thousand a day, twenty-five working days a month-you can earn twenty-five thousand! That’s more than you’d earn as a security guard, and you’ll have an audience applauding you.”
“What do you say? Are you interested?”
Uriel’s gaze sharpened as he looked at Weston. “I hope you’ll show me some respect. I can’t stand people who don’t give me face.”
Letting Weston perform at a construction site, along with the fact that his ex-girlfriend was his woman, Uriel was clearly meant to humiliate Weston.
As Darnell sent a text message, Monica chimed in, “Weston, it’s such a great opportunity. Why don’t you take it? You should be grateful to Uriel!”
“Twenty-five thousand a month!”
Gavin, now somewhat aware of the situation, added sarcastically, “Yeah, it’s a hard-won opportunity you got through a woman. You should cherish it.”
“A job that pays three hundred thousand a year isn’t something everyone can come by. Not everyone is as kind-hearted as my nephew.”
Weston was never a stubborn person. When Monica chose to leave, he didn’t harbor resentment. He simply wished her well because he knew he couldn’t give her happiness.
But he never expected that the person he once loved would not only trample his dignity underfoot in front of his grandmother but also allow her new boyfriend to humiliate him.
This infuriated Weston!
An uncontrollable rage surged through him, and he abruptly stood up, his face darkening as he shouted, “What did you just say?”
Darnell reached out to hold him back.
His grandmother quickly interjected, “Weston, don’t be impulsive, don’t be impulsive.”
She understood that the poor shouldn’t fight the rich, or they’d lose even the chance to survive.
As Weston’s anger slightly subsided, Uriel pushed his luck. He stepped forward, glaring at Weston, and shouted arrogantly, “What kind of attitude is this, you worthless piece of trash? I’m trying to help you get a job and support your woman. Why are you so worked up?”
He wore a sinister smile. “You want to hit me? Go ahead!”
Monica stepped in front of Uriel. “Weston, what do you want to do? Angry because we hit a nerve. Am I right, loser?”
“Come on, hit me! I want to see if you have the guts to do it.”
“If you hit me. I’ll call the police, and they’ll throw you in jail. Then your grandmother won’t even have food to eat and will starve.”
Gavin raised his phone, exclaiming, “I’m recording this. If you dare to hit them, be prepared to spend years in prison.”
Weston trembled with rage, clenching his fists to strike, but ultimately, he held back.
It wasn’t that he didn’t dare to fight. It was rationality urging him not to. He knew he couldn’t afford to provoke these people, and he couldn’t let a moment of impulse lead to hurting someone.
If he ended up in the hospital, there would be no one to take care of his grandmother in her final days, so he forced himself to endure.
Seeing Weston back down, Uriel grew smug. “What a coward.”
“Get lost!”
Just then, Darnell, who had been silent, spoke up in a calm tone, “If you don’t leave now, you’ll be begging to kneel later.”
At his words fell, everyone turned to Darnell, unsure of what gave him the courage to stand up to Uriel.
“Hey, kid, no, security guard, you’ve got some guts,” Uriel sneered as he approached Darnell. “In Whiteville, no one dares to tell me to leave. You think you’re tough, huh?”
When he saw Darnell’s sharp gaze, Uriel’s heart skipped a beat. But remembering his status and wealth, he felt unafraid.
After making a phone call, he laughed coldly, “Let’s see how you think you can make me kneel.”
“You’ve got five minutes. Either leave or kneel.” He glanced at his watch as he spoke.
As he finished, a large, muscular man entered-clearly Uriel’s bodyguard-cracking his knuckles ominously.
Uriel stepped back, making way for his bodyguard and Darnell.
“Ding-”
At that moment, Darnell dialed a number and let his phone announce a series of digits. Uriel felt a strange familiarity but couldn’t place it.
When he heard the voice announcing the president of Red Star Manufacturing Corporation, Uriel jolted. This was the Egerton family’s number.
The call connected quickly, and a commanding, magnetic female voice came through. “Hello, is this Mr. Halford?”
Uriel stiffened instantly. Being a senior figure in Red Star Manufacturing Corporation, he recognized that voice-it belonged to Jane, the second-largest shareholder of Red Star Manufacturing Corporation and Luis’s wife.
Uriel never expected that Darnell had connections with Jane, and beads of sweat began to trickle down his forehead.
“Yes, I’m Darnell.”
Darnell smiled lightly. “Good morning, Mrs. Egerton.” Then, he cut to the chase.
“I apologize for calling you so abruptly. I encountered a fat guy at the hospital who was bullying and making arrogant remarks. He claimed to be the manager of Red Star Manufacturing Corporation. I wanted to confirm if there’s such a person in your company.”
As he spoke, Darnell walked slowly toward Uriel and unceremoniously shoved aside the blocking assistant and bodyguard.
The latter was furious but dared not retaliate.
Finally, Darnell stood in front of Uriel, phone in hand.
Jane’s voice came through calmly. “What’s his name?”
Darnell lazily replied, “Uriel Culpeper.”
Jane chuckled softly, “Mr. Halford, could you let me speak to him for a moment?”
“Of course.”
Darnell handed the phone to Uriel. “Mr. Culpeper, please!”
Uriel’s arrogance and fury extinguished in an instant as he took the phone, visibly shaken.
He bit his lip and turned aside to speak, his expression shifting through embarrassment, respect, pain, and fear as he was clearly at the mercy of the woman on the other end.
Two minutes later, Uriel returned the phone to Darnell with a bow and then fell to his knees, pleading, “Mr. Halford, please have mercy. Mrs. Egerton said if you don’t forgive me, I’ll get fired.”
Monica was shocked, grabbing Uriel and shouting, “Uriel, what’s wrong? Why are you kneeling to him?”
Gavin looked equally confused, “Uriel, what’s going on?”
Darnell tucked the phone back into his pocket with a smile. “Fired? Great! Then you’ll have more time to spend with your uncle.”
“Mr. Halford, please don’t make fun of me!”
Uriel, drenched in sweat, kept pleading, “I was wrong! Please, spare me.”
Darnell leaned closer, whispering in his ear with a smile, “Show me some sincerity.”
“Sincerity?”
Uriel was momentarily stunned and then suddenly jolted. He shouted at his assistants and bodyguards, “Go! Arrange a VIP ward for the old lady, whatever it takes.”
As his assistants and bodyguards scrambled to execute his orders, Uriel turned to Monica and shouted, “Kneel and apologize to them!”
Monica was taken aback. “Apologize to them?” She shook her head stubbornly. “No, I will never apologize to them. That’s humiliating.”
She broke up with Weston because she looked down on him. How could she kneel and apologize to someone she considered inferior?
“Fine, if you won’t apologize, then we’re done.”
Uriel was resolute as he looked at Weston. “Weston. I promise I won’t have any more dealings with Monica.”
Monica was stunned again, then rushed forward. “Uriel, you can’t do this-”
Uriel snapped, “Get lost!”
Monica shuddered, “You want me to get lost?”
Uriel coldly retorted, “Get as far away as you can. Leave your car and handbag behind when you go, or I’ll accuse you of illegal possession.”
Weston felt a pang of sympathy, but Darnell pressed a hand on his shoulder. “This is their family matter. Don’t get involved.”
Gavin couldn’t accept this reality and angrily shouted, “Uriel, are you out of your mind? Kneeling to these poor people?
“You’re a man! Why are you afraid of them? You’re embarrassing the Culpeper family!”
He scolded furiously, “Can’t you have some backbone? If it were me, I would never bow to people like them.”
Darnell chuckled lightly and moved closer to Gavin. “You’ve been running your mouth all morning. Don’t you think you owe my friend an apology?”
Gavin’s expression darkened. “On what grounds?”
“Gastrointestinal bleeding….”
Darnell teased lightly, “Get a doctor to check on you again. They’ll give you another diagnosis-cirrhosis of the liver.”
“Remember, don’t beg me to save you next time you see me.”