“How dare you talk about my mother like that?” Tedmond demanded, pinning Max against the table.
No matter how much they had talked about him, he hadn’t retaliated, but today they had gone too far. No one could talk about his mother now. That might have been possible in the past, but not anymore.
“What are you doing?” Maxine questioned. “How dare you hit your elder brother?”
Glaring back at her, Tedmond snarled, “You think of him as my elder brother now, don’t you? Why didn’t you say something when I was being insulted?” He released Max and stepped closer to Maxine.
Maxine trembled but stood her ground. ‘How can that bastard get so strong in just a day?’ she wondered. However, she quickly regained her composure.
“Why are you doing this to him when he just asked if you could afford to eat at the restaurant?!” Maxine yelled, switching the topic as fast as she could to make herself look less bad. “We all know you’ve been kicked out of the family without a penny! How can you afford to eat here?”
A smirk crossed her face as she spoke. “Isn’t that right? He was just offering to lend you some money so you could afford to eat here, and you insulted him!”
Tedmond paused, his glare unwavering. He wasn’t surprised she would say that. If the four boys couldn’t afford the restaurant, they wouldn’t have invited him.
‘So he can’t pay for the food here?’ someone from the crowd murmured. ‘I just heard him say his mother was a maid in their house.’
‘He’s not even grateful that they cared about him, even though he’s just the son of a maid who served them.’
Max rose to his feet, rubbing his face, which had been injured from being slammed against the table. Blood dripped from his face, staining his white shirt. Lisa hurriedly brushed past Tedmond and held Max.
“Are you alright?” Lisa asked Max before turning to glare at Tedmond. “How dare you hit Max? Who do you think you are? Are you jealous that I chose him instead of you? So jealous that you followed us here! You must’ve known he’d ask if you could afford to eat here!”
The murmurs filled the place.
‘That’s two people who have said the same thing. Why is he here if he can’t pay?’
‘We should kick him out.’
‘Where’s the security?’
Maxine grinned widely as she stepped closer to Tedmond. “You’ll be thrown out of this place like the trash you are.”
“Where’s the owner? I’d like to meet him!” Tedmond yelled.
Max, Maxine, and Lisa stared at him, eyes wide in shock and disbelief. But the moment of surprise was short-lived as laughter erupted around them. All three burst into laughter.
“You?!” Maxine mocked. “How can you ask to meet the owner of this restaurant?”
“Is that a joke or something?” Lisa asked. “You and I both know you couldn’t afford to buy me a meal here, even after saving up for three months. Who are you trying to fool?”
“Do you think doing this makes you look cool?” Max questioned, stepping closer to Tedmond. “Why would the owner of the restaurant come here in person?”
“You must be daydreaming.”
“What do you want to meet the owner for?” Maxine demanded, her lips curling in a mocking smile.
Tedmond returned her grin. “What else would I want to meet him for, except to ban the Griffin family from this restaurant?”
Hearing his words, Maxine’s grin widened. “Ban us from the restaurant?” She laughed. “How can someone like you convince the CEO to do that? Who do you think you are?”
Lisa was amused by his audacity to tell such a lie. Max, on the other hand, grinned from ear to ear.
“I’ll wait to see if the owner shows up for you!” he yelled. “You’re delusional! Has kicking you out of the house affected your mental health? Doesn’t living on the streets do that?”
Tedmond shook his head before pulling out his phone. He dialed the housekeeper’s number. Curious eyes lingered on him as he spoke.
“Tell the owner of Hans Restaurant to meet me here,” Tedmond ordered. “Give him ten minutes, or he won’t want to know what happens.”
“Okay,” Thomas replied.
The murmurs around the place increased as Tedmond ended the call.
“Did you just make a fake call?” Maxine taunted. “I didn’t know you’d stoop so low to get our attention.”
Just then, the manager hurried into the restaurant, his gaze trailing from Tedmond to Max.
“What’s happening here?” the manager questioned. “I was informed by an employee that someone here wants to meet the owner. If we’ve done anything to offend you, I’ll offer compensation.”
Max gritted his teeth. “Don’t you recognize me?” he growled at the manager.
Hearing Max’s voice, the manager was stunned. “Ah, Mr. Griffin! What happened to your face? Who did this to you?”
Max smiled, pointing his finger at Tedmond. “He did it. He punched me when I tried to pay for his meal. He can’t afford to eat here but tries to act all boastful.”
The manager’s head snapped in Tedmond’s direction. “Who are you? How dare you hit Mr. Griffin, and why are you here if you can’t afford to pay for our food?!”
Tedmond frowned. “Hey! Do you want to lose your job?” he threatened. “Why don’t you find out what happened before you judge?”
The manager flinched under Tedmond’s gaze and scanned him from head to toe. Seeing that Tedmond had no luxury on him, he concluded Tedmond was a nobody compared to Max.
“How dare you? I don’t need to know what transpired between you two! You’re a lowlife; you’re probably at fault!” the manager yelled. “Are you threatening me? Do you know who Mr. Griffin is?!”
Tedmond shrugged. “He’s just my former half-brother. Now, I don’t have someone as stupid as him as my brother.”
“Half-brother?” The manager paused, his eyes darting between Tedmond and Max. ‘They don’t look alike.’
Max glared at the manager. “Are you not doing your job? That boy is only a bastard! Kick him out, or you’ll be fired!”
The manager didn’t hesitate to call security, and when they arrived, he ordered, “Throw him out of the restaurant, and he is hereby banned!”
The security headed for Tedmond, but he began counting. “I told the owner of this restaurant to arrive in ten minutes.” He glanced at his wristwatch. “He’ll be here in three, two, one…"
As soon as Tedmond finished counting, the others hadn't had time to react when the door of the restaurant swung open. A man in a tailored creamy suit hurried in, followed by three others, with sweat dripping down his forehead.
Everyone’s gaze turned to the man who had just walked in, and the security guards froze in their tracks.
“What is going on?” Max demanded, glaring at the manager. “Throw him out!”
Blood drained from the manager’s face as he stared at the man. “He really came!” he yelled. “The owner of the restaurant is really here! How is that possible? I messed up!”
Latest Chapter
CHAPTER 534
The ride was agonizingly fast, bumpy, and silent, broken only by the low rumble of the SUV's engine and Persis’s strained breathing. Her arms were held tight behind her back; she couldn’t be sure if they were tied or simply held by the iron grip of the man sitting beside her. Attempts to speak and demand answers were made, but the heavy fabric bag pulled immediately over her head after the abduction had rendered her efforts useless and terrifyingly disorienting.The smell of stale leather and sweat filled the confines of the vehicle, pressing down on her growing panic. Focusing on the motion, she tried to discern their trajectory, but the constant turning and high speeds made it impossible to get any sense of direction. A realization dawned: they were definitely leaving the city.Suddenly, the vehicle slowed, the tires crunching on what sounded like gravel or a rough driveway. The SUV came to an abrupt, final stop.The rear door next to her was pulled open. “Out,” a gruff voice
CHAPTER 533
Persis quickly walked over to the bed, her face set in a worried frown.Leaning over, she gently adjusted the blanket over Tedmond’s broad chest. His breathing was shallow but steady.A look back at the CCTV monitor displayed the secure hallway leading to the room.The feed showed nothing but the beige wall and a closed door. It was sterile, quiet, and safe.Thomas was not close and was now able to leave and go see things for herself.She then looked down at Tedmond. His face, usually so commanding, was peaceful in sleep.A stray lock of dark hair was brushed from his forehead.“I’m going to come back soon,” she whispered, her voice tight with urgency and affection. “Don’t worry. I just need to make sure Kyle is safe. Don’t move from here, okay?”Retrieving her small clutch, she checked the tracker one last time—Thomas’s team was en route, and headed for the door.Stepping out of the hidden safe house, she moved swiftly but carefully through the building’s service corridors and out to
CHAPTER 532
Persis stared intensely at her phone screen.The mapping software confirmed the trajectory of Frank and Harold’s convoy, a direct line toward the highly secured Damon Family compound.“This is insane,” she whispered.She switched the surveillance feed from the static building camera to the tracker she had hidden on Frank’s vehicle. The small green dot crawled across the digital map.She needed to follow them, anticipate their move, and coordinate with Thomas.Ring.Ring.Her phone vibrated violently, cutting the live feed and replacing it with an incoming call.Persis’s frown deepened.The caller ID flashed an internal office number—Perseia’s executive line. Beneath it: Ms. Lynn.'Why is Lynn calling me?'Perseia never used her secretary for personal matters. If she wanted Persis, she’d call directly or send Thomas.For Lynn to be the one reaching out meant this came from Perseia’s corporate world, and it wasn’t minor.Tedmond unconscious beside her, Frank and Harold on the move, and
CHAPTER 531
Melody paused, scanning Perseia’s expression like she was trying to read her mind.Kyle leaned forward, eyes earnest, ignoring a warning glance from Melody.“We came to you because we know how influential your family is. And because we knew Tedmond was close to a Damon. We didn’t know exactly who, but we heard the name Perseia from the gossip columnists and tracked you down.”He took the final, disastrous leap.“We know you are engaged to Tedmond, Ms. Perseia. You are his fiancée. You must know where he is being treated. We just want to know if he’s okay!”Perseia’s hand froze mid-air, the pen slipping to the obsidian table.Clink.Her eyes, cold and sharp moments ago, widened in profound shock.“I am—what?” she whispered, her carefully maintained composure crumbling under Kyle’s declaration.They think I’m Tedmond’s fiancée?The realization hit her like a freight train: gossip and social circles across the city must believe she was the Damon engaged to the Washington heir. It was a
CHAPTER 530
Ronald nodded sagely. “It’s a tale as old as time, Madam CEO. Your sister is growing up and prioritizing her love life. The horror!”“I said shut up!” Perseia shrieked, her voice high and tight. Her face instantly flushed a vibrant, angry red once more. She grabbed a rolled-up blueprint from her desk, momentarily forgetting her CEO composure, and hurled it weakly at Ronald, utterly defeated by their teasing and her own embarrassment.Harry leaned against the drafting table, crossing his arms and shaking his head with mock pity. “Perseia, you really need to get used to the idea that your sister is dating someone who isn’t you. It happens.”“Yuck!” Perseia gagged. “Why are you saying it like I want to date my sister?”Ronald nodded sagely, ignoring Harry. “It’s time to expand your horizons, boss. The sister slot is taken.”Perseia stiffened, drawing herself to her full height, her expression shifting from embarrassed pique to stiff, reluctant pride.“Engaged?” Harry sputtered, pushin
CHAPTER 529
Kyle continued his panicked confession. “I owe him, Melody. He saved my life and likely got hurt doing it. But I don’t know where he lives, I don’t know his business. I have no idea where to even begin to find him to make sure he’s okay.”Melody stared at him, her cool detachment dissolving entirely. Her eyes widened, processing the severity of his admission. She was utterly stunned.“You—you didn’t tell me any of this!” Melody yelled, surging off the couch. “You let me believe this was just a simple, albeit violent, kidnapping attempt! You saw him get hurt, and you didn’t tell anyone?”Since her brother had been kidnapped, she had been working with a private investigator to find a way to take Otis to jail, but now she realized someone else was actively handling it without telling them. So far, that person had been using all the evidence of Otis’s crimes to ensure he would be detained, and it wouldn’t be long before Otis faced court.At first, she had thought that person was Tedmon
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