Darnell’s words fell into Lisa’s ears without missing a beat.
Her shock was not only due to Darnell’s choice of words but also his natural demeanor of authority while on the phone, which left her feeling an unprecedented impact.
How could a mere salesperson from Spectrum Pharmaceuticals possess such an aura? This made Lisa instinctively recall Darnell’s dazzling presence at the performance center.
Yet, she remembered her brother saying that Darnell was able to perform on stage and sing with Makenna only because he had once helped the diva, and Makenna merely returned the favor.
Apart from that, they had no other connection. Darnell was genuinely a nobody.
His rented apartment in the city slums further proved he was an outsider.
But now, looking at Darnell’s commanding presence, Lisa felt somewhat dazed. Could he be someone pretending to be insignificant while actually being extraordinary?
After hanging up the phone, Darnell moved his feet and slightly turned his head, catching sight of Lisa’s silhouette. The woman was staring at him blankly, her face showing surprise as if she had heard something shocking.
Darnell paused for a moment before politely smiling and whistling as he reverted to his carefree nature and headed outside.
“A beauty sits at the bow, and a man walks on the shore…”
The old love song struck Lisa like lightning, transforming her seriousness and surprise back into mockery and coldness.
She refused to believe Darnell was some kind of a big shot in disguise.
Lisa, who toyed with men effortlessly, had long been detached from naivety. So she simply dismissed what she had overheard and chose not to dwell on it.
Lisa clapped her hands as she exited the restroom. After taking a few steps, two men approached her quietly:
“Lisa, we’ve arranged everything.”
One of them pumped his fist vigorously. “We’ll definitely teach that guy a lesson.”
“Good!”
“My brother has been too hesitant to deal with Darnell, worried that Karlee would get mad.”
“Tonight, while he is racing with Quentin, we’ll take care of that bastard and show him the consequences of biting off more than he can chew.”
The tall man nodded eagerly. “Understood! I’ll personally oversee the operation.”
Meanwhile, as Lisa and her group plotted their revenge against Darnell, he was making his way back to the buffet area, enjoying a lobster.
Just as he took a bite, a tall woman approached him with a drink in hand. Looking up, he recognized her as Jazmine, someone he had met only once before.
Dressed in black, she looked both elegant and alluring.
Darnell quickly smiled and greeted her, “Ms. Picton, good evening.”
As always, Jazmine appeared glamorous, but this time there was a hint of something off about her. Unlike her confident demeanor at the golf course, she looked pale, her eyes a bit sunken.
Her gaze was dark and filled with venom, practically radiating hostility as she addressed him. “Mr. Halford, hello.”
“Ms. Picton, you don’t seem to be well,” Darnell observed, placing the lobster shell on the table and making a pointed remark. “Overindulgence, perhaps?”
Jazmine stiffened momentarily but quickly regained her composure, refusing to let Darnell see any weakness. “With age comes a decline in health. Not like you, Mr. Halford, who seems energetic enough to take down a tiger. That was quite the spectacle earlier with David-classic you, showing no mercy.”
She had witnessed the earlier commotion and still held a grudge against Darnell. Her tone took on a warning edge as she added, “As an elder, I feel it’s my duty to advise you, Mr. Halford. Don’t be too reckless in your actions. Otherwise, when trouble comes, you might find yourself without an escape route.”
Jazmine’s hatred for Darnell was palpable. The humiliation she suffered at the golf course, where she had to concede a contract to Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, still stung. It was hard to hide such a deep-seated grudge.
At that moment, she wished she could crush Darnell underfoot, but knowing she couldn’t, she resorted to verbal jabs. “Without an escape route, you’re likely to meet a grim fate.”
Darnell laughed at her words, “Thank you for the reminder, Ms. Picton. I’ll be sure to tread carefully so I can stick around a little longer.”
“Not bad, you’re a teachable child,” Jazmine replied, her smile returning as she signaled a server over. She took two cocktails from the tray and handed one to Darnell. “Since the red wine didn’t suit your taste, how about this cocktail? Would you like to join me for a drink?”
Despite her quick movements, Darnell noticed her slipping a pill into the drink. He couldn’t help but shake his head. This woman still held a grudge against him.
A smirk crossed Darnell’s face as he examined the differently colored cocktails. With a subtle flick of his finger, he gracefully accepted the drink. “You’re a prominent figure, and I’m just nobody. If you’re offering, how could I refuse? Especially since you’re one of my clients.”
“A client worth two hundred million,” he added.
Jazmine’s expression faltered slightly at the mention of the amount, but she quickly regained her composure, raising her glass with a friendly smile. Just as she was about to toast, Darnell pointed out, “Ms. Picton, your dress is caught on a lobster claw.”
She looked down and saw a lobster claw snagged on her expensive dress, ruining its elegance.
Her face shifted slightly, and she hastily set down her drink to remove it. The embarrassment of such a faux pas in public was unbearable.
With a sharp tug, she detached the claw and tossed it aside, then glared at the small hole it left in her dress, secretly cursing whoever had carelessly discarded the lobster remnants.
But she quickly masked her irritation with a smile, standing tall once more as she lifted her drink. “Thank you, Mr. Halford.”
She raised her cocktail glass high. “Here’s to you.”
Darnell mirrored her gesture. “Providing attentive service to our clients is our motto.”
Their glasses clinked, and they each downed their drinks.
As Darnell tossed his glass onto the table, he smiled gently and began to walk away. “Ms. Picton, I’ve finished my drink, so I’ll take my leave.”
Jazmine nodded, still smiling. “Very well, Mr. Halford, but let me give you a word of advice. This isn’t a place for you.”
“If I were you, I’d leave immediately to avoid embarrassing myself.”
After she saw Darnell finish his drink, Jazmine’s demeanor shifted to one of fierce determination, but it only lasted a moment before her expression changed again.
Her stomach churned, and an overwhelming urge to use the restroom hit her hard.
“Thanks for your advice, Ms. Picton,” Darnell said politely. “But I also wanted to mention that I noticed your cocktail looked so appealing that I switched it-”
“Bastard-”
Jazmine’s face twisted in anger as she tried to hurl more insults, but her stomach roiled violently, and she struggled to maintain control.
She could only rush off to the restroom, shouting, “Darnell, just wait! I won’t let you get away with this!”
That night, Jazmine ended up utterly drained in the restroom.