Edward could feel the eyes of the other guests on him, but he stood his ground. He was not going to let Emily's taunts and insults get to him."I apologize if my words have offended anyone," Edward said, addressing the crowd. "But I fail to see why I should address Miss Hurley with such formality when we are all here to celebrate her birthday and enjoy ourselves."The crowd was taken aback by Edward's boldness, and some even began to murmur their approval."He's got a point," one guest said. "We're all here to have fun. Why should we be so uptight about titles and formalities?"Emily, however, was not impressed. "You're just trying to deflect attention away from your own pathetic existence, Edward. You're nothing but a gold digger, and everyone here can see that."Edward clenched his fists, feeling his anger starting to boil over. But before he could say anything, Brenda spoke up, "Miss, I think it's best if you leave us alone now. You're not adding anything positive to this celebrati
Emily glared, surprised by Edward's sudden request."Apologize? On what grounds?" Emily was afraid of Lily, but not Brenda, so how could she be willing to apologize?But before Edward could respond, Lily said in a commanding tone, "Mr. Green, you have two choices. You can either attend this event alone or leave with your fiancé." "This..." William felt a headache, but Emily's heart was too blind to realize the situation.She said, "Miss Balmore, aren't you imposing too much? This is a Hurley family event and not yours." Lily's expression turned sour. As the great lady of the Balmore family, how could she possibly put up with those words?But even so, she retained her poise and said, "While this may not be my party, this hotel belongs to my family. Do you want to leave now, or shall I forcibly send you away?" William felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead as he looked at Emily. He knew that Emily was too stubborn to apologize, and he could not risk offending the Balmore fami
Brenda nodded and placed her hand on Edward's elbow. She did not mean to flirt, but Edward's glance seemed to ask her to do so.As they made their way over to Charles Hurley, Brenda could not help but feel a little flustered from Edward's teasing. She had to remind herself that Edward was just joking around and that it was no use getting flustered over it.But suddenly, several people entered. They were led by a man in his 60s. Everyone was curious when they saw these strangers.When Charles caught sight of them, he narrowed his eyes, and a few others did the same. Being from the older generation, they were acquainted with the group. The leader of the other group was none other than John Lowell, the rarely-seen head of York City's Poseidon Club branch, whose presence is feared by all the big families in the city.John brought his bodyguards to the main table, and saw that the main seat were empty."Is this the place reserved for me? Thank you!" John said, while sitting on the main sea
"Is that who Mr. Hurley is waiting for?" The crowd was in awe, wondering if this young man was truly the one Mr. Hurley had been waiting for. Edward's youthful appearance left them with many questions, but the respect and deference shown by Charles was undeniable.Among them were William, Emily, and Lily, who stood with their eyes wide open, their mouths slightly agape. Emily, in particular, wore an expression of utter shock and disbelief, for she was convinced that she knew Edward better than anyone else. As Emily watched Charles treating Edward with such respect and deference, she found herself struggling to understand why a person of Charles Hurley's stature would be so polite to someone like her ex-fiancé, Edward.As the commotion died down, the crowd could not help but glance at Edward, who seemed unperturbed by the attention. He stood tall and confident, with an air of mystery around him that made it difficult for anyone to guess his background.In the midst of all this, there
As John hung up the phone, he felt a sudden sense of panic. Edward Windsor? The same Edward who was standing in front of him right now? John felt his body go cold. Was he being tested? Was this some kind of a trap? He had always been a loyal member of the Poseidon Club, but he knew that if he did anything wrong now, it could mean the end of his career. Edward looked at John with a calm expression, still waiting for an answer. John, on the other hand, felt a surge of fear wash over him. The man he had just been mocking was actually a member of the Poseidon Club, and not just any member, but one with a black card.John immediately composed himself and smiled, which was very rare. "Mr Windsor, I apologize for my behavior earlier. Of course, I was only representing myself and not the Poseidon Club."The change in John's attitude was unexpected and the crowd watched in disbelief as he apologized to Edward. However, the tension in the air only increased as a group of people in black entere
Edward took a sip of his wine and then set the glass down on the table. "I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that they're keeping a close eye on me."Brenda spoke up for the first time since they entered the room."But why would they be interested in you? You're just a businessman, right?""Just a businessman?" Edward gave him a smile and continued, "Brenda, you have no idea. I have something that can make anyone feel uneasy."Immediately, Charles was lost in thought, but he soon nodded in agreement. "The Poseidon Club indeed has a lot of power and influence in this country. So, what are you going to do?"Edward took another sip of his wine and then looked up. "I'm not sure yet. But I know that I need to be more careful from now on. And maybe, just maybe, I need to start considering some... alternative measures."Brenda looked at him, concern etched on her face. "What do you mean?"Edward took a deep breath and then leaned forward. "I mean that I may need to start... making some allianc
The room fell into silence as the men pondered Edward's offer. To invest such a substantial amount of money into a project with little information was a significant risk, but the potential reward was too great to ignore. After a few moments of consideration, Richard Balmore cleared his throat and spoke up."I believe I speak for all of us when I say we are intrigued by your proposal, Mr Windsor. We would be interested in learning more about the specifics of the project, but for now, we are willing to invest a portion of our own capital to help fund it. We will, of course, require a detailed business plan and a clear understanding of the risks involved.""Excuse me, Mr. Balmore, I think there may have been a misinterpretation of my words. Let me clarify what I meant," Edward said, noticing Richard Balmore's confusion.Richard Balmore raised an eyebrow, waiting for further explanation. "Please, go ahead."Edward nodded, and spoke in a clear and concise manner, "Gentlemen, I would like t
Brenda could not help but feel nervous.What was she getting herself into? Was she making a mistake? Her mind was a jumble of thoughts, and she could not tell whether it was the alcohol or her own desires that made her nod. She could not deny the attraction she felt towards Edward, but she did not want to give him the wrong impression either.As they entered the hotel, they were greeted by a warm and cozy atmosphere. Edward led Brenda to the reception, where he asked for the best room available.The receptionist smiled and handed them a key. "You'll love this room, sir. It has a beautiful view of the city."Brenda trailed behind Edward, feeling like an awkward teenager on her first date. As they rode the elevator to their floor, Edward turned to her and said, "You look beautiful tonight. That dress suits you perfectly."Brenda felt her cheeks heat up at the compliment. She had chosen the dress specifically for this party, hoping to catch Edward's eye, but she never imagined that he w