Chapter 97: He Stood Up for Her
“The glass is wrong,” the girl whispered.
Nancy looked over and realized that the maid behind Paige had poured champagne into a similar glass instead of the proper champagne flute.
Understanding wine glass etiquette was ingrained in upper-class society from a young age-there were specific types of glasses for different types of wine.
Nancy felt a chill run down her spine. Her family background wasn’t refined enough to understand these subtleties, but luckily, the maid hadn’t made the mistake with her glass.
Everyone except Enrico and Paige raised their champagne glasses.
Carl sneered, “Joss, Rachel’s offering a toast and you won’t even lift your glass?”
Enrico glanced at the wrongly poured glass in front of her but made no comment.
Paige scanned the row of glasses in front of her and reached out after a moment’s thought.
Bryan noticed and wanted to grab her hand. In that split second, Paige felt Enrico’s intense gaze on her. She turned her hand to evade Bryan’s touch and instead looked at Carl. “How much did you pay the maid?”
Carl avoided her gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Paige smiled dismissively and didn’t bother responding to such petty tactics. She indeed didn’t understand the etiquette of wine glasses, but when the maid poured the wine, she noticed it was different from the others. She didn’t move, but when Carl pressured her, she knew who was behind it. She didn’t care to argue over a glass of wine; to her, it didn’t matter which glass she drank from. Would fighting over it make her seem like she belonged in the upper class? Not worth it.Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.
She let it go, but Enrico wasn’t as forgiving.
“Bang.” There was a crisp sound as Enrico expressionlessly slammed his glass onto the floor.
Rachel looked at him in disbelief, and Nancy and a few others nearly dropped their glasses.
His eyes were dark as he looked at the maid standing behind Paige. “This guest asked you a question. How much were you paid off?”
The maid was scared stiff, her legs trembling, her face pale. “Mr. Gustin, I-I…”
Jaden stood in the background and signaled to a bodyguard against the wall. The bodyguard immediately walked over, pulled out his gun, and aimed it at the maid’s head. The maid dropped to her knees in fear, trembling. “I’m sorry, Mr. Gustin, I-I… Mr. Carl paid me… deliberately poured the wrong glass for Miss Lautner… I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
“You…” Carl hastily stood up, wanting to argue but finding himself speechless, his face turning extremely ugly.
“Why are there always these schemers around?” Enrico said expressionlessly. “Throw her out.”
“Yes sir” Jaden nodded, gesturing to the bodyguard. “Throw her out and cut off all her financial sources.”
“No, Mr. Gustin, I know I was wrong, I won’t dare again…” The maid pleaded desperately.
Rachel quickly put down her glass, “Brother, I’m sorry. I didn’t supervise the servants properly.”
“Supervise the servants? Take care of yourself.” Enrico sneered coldly.
Rachel was chastised into silence, her eyes reddening.
Enrico then turned to Carl. “What about you? Are you still waiting for me to escort you out?”
Upon hearing this, Carl hurriedly apologized. “Mr. Gustin, I…”
“My place, my people. Who do you think you are?” Enrico’s voice was dark, cutting off Carl’s words. “Which group is he from, Jaden?”
Jaden stepped forward. “Boss, the Watson Group, it has always relied on the Gustins’ port for their overseas shipments.”
“Then stop cooperating.” Enrico decided without hesitation.
“Yes,”
Carl hurriedly explained, “Mr. Gustin, I really didn’t mean it. I wasn’t trying to cause trouble, I just felt aggrieved for a moment. Earlier, Joss publicly humiliated me, so I wanted to take the opportunity to get back at her.”
Paige sat there without saying a word.
Enrico glanced at her, his expression unreadable, and asked, “Oh, what did she say?”
“She said that we magnates are all hypocrites, pretending to be virtuous after doing all sorts of shady things,” Carl rushed to explain, his tone almost desperate.
Enrico glanced at Paige and raised an eyebrow. “Is that what you said?”
Everyone nervously watched Enrico, unsure of how he would react to Paige.
Paige wasn’t sure what he was up to, so she simply nodded calmly, “Yes, I said that.”
Enrico remained seated, just looking at her, leaving everyone wondering what was going through his mind.
After a long pause, he suddenly chuckled, a sinister smile playing on his lips, “Quite the truthful scolding, but I’m not like that. Evil is evil, and ruthless is ruthless. I openly pursue my self-interest without pretense.”
Everyone was stunned into silence. Was Enrico really interested in Paige?
Seeing this, Jaden didn’t question further and signaled to the bodyguards. Two of them immediately approached and dragged the stunned Carl out.
Nancy was seething with jealousy. Why, why did all these men seem to be interested in Paige? What did she have besides her looks?
“Joss, I’m sorry, I didn’t notice the maid pour the wrong glass earlier, almost causing you trouble again,” Rachel apologized to Paige sincerely.
Paige sat there and simply said, “It’s okay, just get your eyes checked next time.”
Rachel couldn’t regain her composure and started coughing.
Footsteps approached from outside, and everyone looked up to see Bryan’s father, Jason Smith, and several business tycoons approaching with glasses in hand.
“Mr. Gustin, I’ve always admired your decisive leadership, so I thought I’d come with everyone to show my respect and offer you a toast.” Jason said obsequiously, taking a bottle of wine from the maid and personally pouring it for Enrico.
Enrico leaned back in his chair without even standing up.
Nancy looked at Jason, then at Enrico, remembering Rachel’s words earlier. If she could let Jason and Enrico know about Bryan and Paige’s affair, Paige would be finished for sure. But she had just witnessed Carl’s trouble-making ending… and she was afraid… What if Enrico sided with Paige?
Nancy hesitated, sweat breaking out on her forehead.
Suddenly, a clean white handkerchief was passed to her.
“Rachel gave it to you,” the girl beside her said.
Nancy took it, looked up at Rachel. Rachel sat there and gave her a slight smile, pointing to her forehead, indicating for Nancy to wipe the sweat.
Touched by the gesture, Nancy decided, for herself and for Rachel, to take revenge.
“Bryan, your father’s here. Why don’t you join Joss in toasting him?”
People were shocked Toast together? What was the relationship between these two?
Bryan looked up in astonishment, while Paige’s gaze instantly cooled as she quietly turned to Enrico. He was surrounded by several people, holding a glass of red wine, his fingers gripping the stem so tightly it seemed he might snap it at any moment.
Jason turned to Bryan and Paige, noting their matching outfits with a displeased expression. “Bryan, who is this…?” He vaguely remembered this girl as the one Enrico had chosen to dance with just now.
Bryan hastily stood up to explain, “Father, it’s not what you think. Joss, she…”
“Joss is your girlfriend, isn’t she? Molly mentioned at her birthday party that you two were a couple, and today you’re even dressed alike,” Nancy interjected with a smile. “Joss is quite popular. Even Mr. Gustin singled her out for a dance.”
Jason’s face darkened, thinking that if Bryan was in a relationship with this girl, was he not afraid of the consequences?
Enrico remained seated, silent throughout, but his grip on the wine glass tightened further.
Paige suddenly regretted coming here.