William strode to the car and instructed Bobby, “Head to the mansion.”
Bobby agreed and started the car. Meanwhile, William began to call Natalie. “Natalie, are you free now?”
“Yes, I am. What is it, William?” Natalie asked.
“Its nothing serious. I’m hoping to treat you to a meal.”
“Sure.” Natalie agreed readily. “Your father-in-law is here too. Let’s meet up. Just tell us the location.”
“It’s our house then. Valeria has brought the two children back to the mansion. Dad said that lunch will be served. You and Archer should come and meet everyone.”
Natalie agreed without much deliberation. After hanging up the phone, William received a message on his mobile phone. It was from Raymond. “William, I’ll have a big surprise in the form of a gift for you today. Wait for it!”
William narrowed his eyes and let out a smile. He replied with a message, “Thank you, Raymond! Can you tell me what gift it is?”
“No, it’s boring if I tell you now. But I’m sure you’ll be extremely surprised!”
Raymond sounded as if he was gnashing his teeth in hatred when he typed the message. William let out a grin. “Then I’ll thank you for your gift in advance! Why don’t you bring the gift to Wolf Group? I’m having lunch with Archer and Natalie today. You should join us if you can make it.”
Raymond had planned to take Anna to Natalie so that he could complain about William. After seeing William’s message, he turned the car around instantly and went straight to Wolf Group.
It was best if Natalie and Archer were there. Today, he was going to bring Anna to them so that they saw the truth with their own eyes. He would expose William’s true colors.
On the other hand, William arrived at the Howard family’s mansion, followed closely by Archer and Natalie.
Hayden was elated when he saw that Archer and Natalie had also come over. He asked Lucas to go to the wine cellar to get his precious wine. “I’m happy that you’re here. Let’s drink to our heart’s content today.”
As he spoke, Andrew returned with Anna from the garden. When they saw that there were newcomers in the living room, Anna greeted them politely one after the other.
It was the first time that Natalie had met Anna. The latter was beautiful and polite, so Natalie liked her very much. Valeria took the initiative to her to everyone. Natalie was stunned when she heard Anna’s name. Why was her name exactly the same as the girl whom William had introduced to Raymond for a blind date?
She looked at Anna carefully as she thought about it. She realized that Anna’s appearance was highly similar to the photo William had shown her, so was the girl who was loathed by Raymond after she went on a blind date with him?
At the thought, Natalie subconsciously looked at William as well. He felt her gaze and nodded with a smile.
This confirmed her assumption, and thus, she looked at Anna with a complicated expression.
“What a beautiful and lively girl! Raymond is such a bastard. How could he not like the girl? How dare he say that William had arranged for him to meet an ugly woman? This is so infuriating.”
She would teach him a lesson when she got back!
The lunch was ready. Hayden asked everyone to go to the dining room for food.
Archer and Natalie were invited to sit at the head of the table. Hayden kept them company while William stood up and poured some wine for them. Andrew and Anna sat next to each other.
Seeing Andrew serve Anna some food with his fork and the intimacy between the two of them, Natalie knew that the duo was into each other.
Natalie felt extremely remorseful. It was such a pity that Raymond had missed such a good girl!
On the other hand, Raymond took Anna to Wolf Group. After the last time she met Raymond, they didn’t stay in contact at all. He didn’t bother to reply to her messages, nor did he pick up her call. She thought that he didn’t like her, but she did not expect him to take the initiative to invite her to lunch today.
Anna was so happy that she kept asking Raymond questions along the way, “Mr. Saunders, why didn’t you reply to my messages and calls? I thought you didn’t like me.”
The corners of Raymond’s mouth twitched for a moment. “I’m a busy man. I have a lot of things on my plate recently.”
“I see. Then are you still busy in the future? Can we go on a date?” Anna continued to ask.
“Well… We’ll see!” Raymond gave a vague answer. He didn’t offer her a definite answer, so she got impatient.
“Mr. Saunders, I’ll be straightforward with you. I’m an honest person and I don’t beat around the bush. I’ll say it directly. I like you very much and I want to be with you. We can start by being friends. I have no bad habits at all. I am a good cook, not to mention smart and capable. You will never regret dating me.”
Raymond smiled as he listened to Anna. “Miss Taylor, I don’t need a capable woman as my girlfriend. I think women just need to be girlish and gentle. They will take good care of the family.”
“If you promise to date me, I can quite my work for you. I don’t mind being a full-time housewife.”
Upon hearing Anna’s sincere confession, Raymond felt a chill down his spine. He even had goosebumps all over his body.
“Damn that jerk, William, just wait and see. I’m going to get my revenge.”
He parked the car at the entrance of Wolf Group and entered the hotel with Anna one after another.
William said that he was treating Archer and Natalie to lunch at Wolf Group, but he didn’t tell Raymond which room they were in.
Raymond intended to surprise William, so he asked the manager directly, “Which private room is Mr. Howard in?”
The manager was puzzled. “Mr. Howard isn’t here today at all, is he?”
“That’s impossible. His text said that he was treating someone to lunch here, but you’re me that he didn’t even come at all. What does that mean?” Raymond questioned.
“Mr. Saunders, Mr. Howard never came here today. There’s no need for me to lie to you.”
Of course, Raymond did not believe the manager’s words. He picked up his phone and dialed William’s number, but the phone was already turned off.
“Why did William turn off his phone during the day?” Raymond muttered and called Natalie instead. Natalie’s phone was connected, but no one answered the call.
He had no choice but to call Archer, but again, no one picked up.
Naturally, Raymond didn’t know that Natalie and Archer’s phones were left in the living room of the Howard family’s mansion. They were having lunch in the dining room.
He whispered to himself, “What exactly is going on? Why don’t you guys answer the phone?”
He couldn’t make sense of it, but Anna, who was next to him, grew impatient. “Mr. Saunders, it’s time for lunch. Let’s grab our lunch. I still have work to do in the afternoon.”
Of course, it wasn’t Raymond’s real intention to treat Anna to lunch, but he couldn’t just leave her alone in the lobby.
He didn’t care about how much money he spent on the meal since William would pay for it anyway. Thus, he asked the manager to arrange a private room and took Anna there.
After entering the room, he asked Anna to order the dishes herself while he continued to call William stubbornly.
Undoubtedly, the call couldn’t get through. Raymond went out of the room and called Marcus instead.
The latter sounded happy as he answered the phone. “Mr. Saunders, I heard that you are having lunch at Wolf Group with your girlfriend, right? Is that true?”