Ch. 741..750
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 741
No Modesty at All!
Elise smiled brightly and wrapped her arms around Alexander’s shoulders. With her body pressed against his, she purred, “It smells like jealousy, just like how you are right now, Mr. Griffith.”
Hearing that, Alexander smirked and leaned forward to kiss her on the lips.
On the opposite side of the road, Danny pointed at them and nagged at Ariel, “Do you see that? That’s a match made in heaven. They’re very much in love. You won’t have a chance!”
At that, Ariel crossed her arms and scoffed, “Haven’t you heard of the phrase ‘if there’s a will, there’s a way’?”
“Bah! That’s bulls*hit!” Danny cursed angrily. “Elise and my brother are officially married. Their marriage is protected by the law. They love each other and you will never win her over!”
“What if I am willful?” Ariel smiled, deliberately provoking him.
Danny gasped at her challenge and inched closer toward her. Their faces were almost touching when he warned her, “If you dare to, I won’t let you off easily.”
His warm breath blew on her face. Ariel stared at him in the eyes and swallowed unconsciously as her cheeks burned.
Danny noticed her change and regained his composure. He looked at her flushed cheeks and asked, “Why is your face so red?”
Suddenly, Ariel came back to her senses and pushed him away. Turning around, she mumbled an excuse. “I became shy thinking about Miss Sinclair!”
“That’s absurd!” Danny stomped his feet. “I told you, you can’t do that. Why are you so stubborn?”
At that, Ariel took a few deep breaths. When she was finally calm, she turned around and smiled sweetly. “I don’t care. Call the cops on me if you want.”
Done with the conversation, she walked to the curb. After getting into a taxi, she left.
Meanwhile, Danny was furious since that woman was so opinionated.
Recalling what she said, he reckoned that Ariel liked Elise. If she did manage to win over Elise, chaos would ensue in the Griffith Residence.
Danny nodded, satisfied with his analysis.
The only thing he could do now was to think fast and stop Ariel!
…
The barbecue grill had been set up in the garden with lots of food placed on the dining table next to it at the Griffith Residence.
The four Griffith brothers gathered around the barbecue, and they were grilling different things.
Not far away, Madeline and Yuri sat side by side while Elise sat alone under the parasol. There was an empty table too.
Soon, the smell of barbecue spread through the whole residence.
Danny stayed by the barbecue grill, happily eating and grilling the food.
Seeing that, Alexander shook his head in disapproval. He had to save some food from the next round and bring it to Elise before Danny devoured them all.
On the other hand, Jack secretly passed some food to Winona when the cameraman was not looking.
Brendan then took a couple of chicken wings and walked toward Madeline and Yuri.
Just when he was about to call out to them, the crew suddenly announced loudly, “Our special guest has arrived!”
In the next second, they saw a girl with a sweet smile walking in through the side door and greeting everyone.
She was wearing a sky-blue dress with white heels that looked like clouds, while she carried a few branded gift bags. She looked like a fairy with her long, luscious hair let down and her mixed-race features.
However, everyone was surprised when she spoke. “Hi everyone, I’m Tara Lambert. It is nice to meet you all. I’ve prepared some gifts for everyone.”
She had a blood-curdling childlike voice.
After that, Tara handed out the gifts carefully and politely.
When she was giving out the gifts, Danny went up and accepted the gift while welcoming her to the barbecue. “Welcome! Come and try the barbecue we made; it’s amazing.”
“Really?” she asked.
Hearing that, she grabbed one of the chicken wings from Brendan’s hands. Her face was full of anticipation when she took a bite. Surprised by the taste, she agreed, “You’re right. It’s really good! Mr. Brendan, you’re so good at cooking.”
“Thanks,” Brendan answered dryly.
Initially, Madeline thought that Tara had good manners but after watching what happened, she was unhappy.
The chicken wing Brendan was grilling was meant for Yuri, but Tara helped herself to it instead.
Madeline quickly grabbed the other chicken wing and gave it to Yuri. “Yuri, have this. Try some of Brendan’s cooking.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Griffith, but it’s okay. I’m trying to lose weight, so I can’t eat dishes with a high calorie count.” Yuri declined.
Brendan’s face fell when he heard that.
It was not that she could not eat dishes with a fatty content but instead, she did not want to eat the things he made.
The more he thought about it, the gloomier his face turned.
“Miss Lambert, what else do you want to eat? I’ll grill it for you,” Brendan said.
Even though he was speaking to Tara, his gaze was locked on Yuri.
However, Yuri acted like she did not hear anything. She grabbed a bottle of water from the table and opened it, acting as if she was in a different world.
With that, Brendan brought Tara to the side, and they enjoyed the barbecue together.
Noticing that, Madeline tried to reason with Yuri. “Yuri, you know what I feel, right?”
Yuri smiled in response. “Mrs. Griffith, let nature take its course. Mr. Brendan might not even like me.”
“No, of course not!” Madeline interrupted her. “I know my son, and I’m sure he likes you. Besides, you’re all designers; you’d have common topics to talk about. Brendan is a bit dull, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t like you. Trust me.”
“I trust you, Mrs. Griffith,” Yuri said, after which she then continued drinking water and enjoying the sun.
Despite saying that she trusted Madeline, her actions showed otherwise.
Seeing that Yuri had no plans to continue talking, Madeline could only let the topic slide.
She turned around and looked disapprovingly at Brendan and Tara, feeling a bit blue.
Even though Tara looked nice, it was her voice that aggravated Madeline. The latter just could not find it in herself to like Tara because Tara was also too proactive for her own good. What is wrong with Brendan?! He cannot be as tasteless as Alexander, right? No… History cannot repeat itself!
She had to figure something out before the situation snowballed out of hand.
Before Madeline came up with a plan, Brendan and Tara walked over with plates of food in their hands.
“Mrs. Griffith. Ms. Yuri. Come and try what Brendan made. It smells good!” Tara smiled. She looked pleasing to the eyes with her cute dimples.
However, Madeline’s face darkened because she was unhappy with what Tara said. Brendan? They just met each other and are now calling each other by their first names. She has no modesty at all!
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 742
Go Cool Down
Yuri thought it was impolite to continue declining, so she accepted the chicken wing and took a small bite.
“How is it? Delicious, right?” Tara asked excitedly, as if she was the one who made it.
“Yeah, it’s nice,” Yuri replied politely.
Brendan’s face darkened even more at her words. He was sure that she hated him, not the food.
“Brendan is really good with his hands. Since he’s great at making clothes, cooking isn’t a huge problem for him,” Madeline proudly boasted.
“Speaking of which—” Tara continued the conversation. “—I’ve always been a fan of Mr. Brendan’s designs. I didn’t expect you to be so good at cooking, though. Whoever marries you would have such a happy life.”
“Oh, right!” She paused and turned around to grab Brendan’s jacket. “My birthday’s coming up, Mr. Brendan. Can I make a reservation with you to make a gown for me?”
Madeline rolled her eyes at Tara’s question, thinking that no one was interested when Tara’s birthday was. “Brendan’s atelier is packed. I’m afraid he won’t have time for new jobs,” Madeline piped in.
“Oh no, what a shame. I’ve always dreamed of wearing a gown designed by Mr. Brendan for my birthday banquet. Seems like it won’t be happening.” Tara sighed dejectedly and lowered her head.
Meanwhile, Yuri was like an outsider throughout the whole conversation. She was calculating the calories on each bite of the chicken wing as she thought about how much she would need to exercise to burn it off later.
However, Brendan’s eyes were on her all the time. He saw no reaction from her, and his fists tightened in his pockets. Out of spite, he agreed to Tara’s request. “I can do that for you if you require it, Miss Lambert.”
“Really?!” Tara lifted her head at his words. She jumped up excitedly and hugged him. “Oh my God! That’s great, Mr. Brendan. Thank you so much!”
“Ahem! Ahem!” Madeline kept coughing, trying to hint at them to mind their distance.
Noticing her cough, Tara let Brendan go and took a step back. She bit her lips and said shyly, “I’m sorry. I got too excited. Mr. Brendan, please excuse my behavior.”
Yuri was still in her world, thinking about the fashion sketches she had to amend.
At that point, Brendan was burning with rage at her indifference. His rage came and went, but there was nothing he could do.
Madeline looked between Yuri and Tara, and she became frustrated as a result.
The girl she preferred was hopeless, while the one she was not fond of kept intruding. She had to do something about it.
After making up her mind, Madeline pulled up her sleeves and dragged Tara toward the swimming pool. “I think you’re suffering from a heatstroke. Come here! Go down and cool off for a bit.”
“No, Mrs. Griffith. I—”
“There’s no need to be shy.” Madeline did not let Tara speak and took away the phone in her hands. “I’ll keep this safe for you. Don’t worry, go enjoy the cool water.”
“No, I—”
“Ah!”
Tara did not get to finish her sentence, and she was pushed into the pool by Madeline with a splash.
Soon, Tara resurfaced and shrieked with her arms flapping around, “Help me! I can’t swim!”
“Huh?” Hearing that, Madeline had a bizarre thought. “I don’t know how to swim either. If both of us were to fall into the water at the same time, who should my son save first?”
She was right—their vibes did not match at all.
The rest were far away from the commotion and only Brendan was nearby. Sensing that Tara was going to drown, he had no choice but to take off his shirt and jump into the pool to save her.
Danny then came around and took a look at the unconscious Tara on the floor. He nonchalantly took a bite off his skewer and said, “She probably needs CPR. Brendan, you should finish the job since you saved her.”
“Shut up.” Madeline pushed him aside. “Stop giving out bad ideas. I’ll do it.”
With that, she kneeled and placed a fist against Tara’s chest and used the other hand to pump her fist, punching it again and again.
Once, twice… Tara’s body kept shaking with the pumping.
After many tries, Tara finally coughed out water as she regained consciousness.
Madeline let out a long breath and wiped away the sweat on her forehead. “Your body is too weak. You should exercise more!”
While saying that, she helped Tara to her feet. “Come on, let’s get you a change of clothes. You’re shocked and cold. You should rest in the house.”
Now, no one can disturb Yuri and Brendan anymore.
Before they walked away, Madeline gave him a wink, hinting at him to grab onto the opportunity.
Brendan watched as they left. He then turned around to look at Yuri, but she avoided his gaze.
His pride was ignited at her avoidance. So, he turned around and walked in a different direction.
——
…
At Silver Bell Spot in one of the private booths, the lights were shining, and the music was booming. Charrisa sat in a corner with her legs propped up on the sofa, drinking from the beer in her hands.
After a moment, a man from the club walked in with a phone in his hands. He shook his head solemnly. “Still not picking up.”
Everyone turned their heads and looked at Charissa.
“Mr. Keller isn’t planning on leaving us, right?” one of the men asked.
“That Narissa girl has her ways. It’s only been a few days, and our group is already falling apart,” another man chimed in.
The man with the phone walked further in and sat down on the sofa beside Charissa. “Honestly, Charissa, do you have feelings for Mr. Keller?”
Charissa glanced at him but did not answer. She merely took another sip of beer.
“If you do, we would definitely support you.” The man kept pushing for an answer.
She put down the beer and said, “Yes, I like him, but what’s the point? He now has someone soft and submissive by his side. I’m not like that at all.”
“Don’t belittle yourself. The rest of us value you highly.” The man mused, “If you and Mr. Keller got together, our group would only be more united. We’ve been friends for so many years; we can’t let an outsider break us apart, right?”
“Yea, Narissa does not belong to our club!”
“If I had to choose, I’d definitely pick Charissa.”
“Since everyone agrees, then let’s teach Narissa a lesson to make her back down,” the man on the sofa suggested.
“The last time we tried to ply her with alcohol, Jamie got really angry. We can’t be too obvious this time,” Charissa murmured.
“You’re right; we have to come up with a plan…”
——
…
At a private hospital in Tissote, Elise walked into the ward and saw that Yvonne was massaging Trevor’s arms and legs.
“Please wake up, Trevor. It’s bleak in the Anderson Family without you. Only you can change things around here,” Yvonne begged.
Hearing footsteps, she looked toward the door. “You’re here.”
“Yeah.” Elise nodded and set her bag on top of the drawer. “Has Trevor’s condition improved?”
“No, just the same old. No changes.” Yvonne sighed. “Come talk to him. I’m going to make a call back home.”
Then, Yvonne picked up her phone and walked out.
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 743
Aren’t I Considerate?
Elise brought a chair and sat by the bed.
Reaching out, she took hold of Trevor’s shriveled hands. Her heart ached for him.
He was so young and at his prime, but could only lay in the hospital for most of his life. It was such a pity.
Elise had already sent the invitation to Claude, asking him to perform Trevor’s surgery, but she had not received any reply.
She would wait a bit more but if Claude refused, she would have to take extreme measures.
At that point, someone knocked on the door.
“It’s just me. Come on in.” Elise thought it was Yvonne.
“So, this is my brother-in-law. What a fine gentleman.”
Hearing the voice of a man, Elise knew she had made a mistake. Turning around, she saw Elijah, with Marcus trailing behind him.
“He is such an amazing human. He should be out there conquering the world, and not laying here. It’s such a pity,” Elijah said as sympathy filled his face.
“What are you hinting at?” Elise stood up, ready to fight. “Russell is head of the Anderson Family now. You should look for him for whatever you’re looking for.”
“Ha! You think that without the Boyle Family’s recognition, he could become the head of the family?” Elijah mocked.
“That’s your issue; it has nothing to do with me. Whatever your family has given the Anderson Family, you can take everything back. As for the other stuff, I can’t, and won’t, give it up,” Elise told him firmly.
“Come on. Why are you always resisting me?” Elijah feigned being hurt. “I came here bringing medicine for Trevor. You’re going to kick me out?”
“Why would I believe you?” She narrowed her eyes.
“No reason at all. If you worked that little mind of yours, you’d understand. The Anderson Family owns the largest pharmaceutical company in Cittadel, but it was my family that brought them up to where they stand today, so of course we’re their predecessor,” Elijah said proudly with his hands behind him.
At his words, Elise pondered for a while and did not refute him.
As the saying went, there was always someone greater out there. Maybe the Boyle Family really concocted medicine that she had never heard of.
Up until now, she had not found more information about them. Perhaps there could be a bigger secret lying in the dark.
Elijah saw that she was conflicted and tried to lure her once again. “Didn’t the medicine I gave you for Trevor work? The result speaks for itself, doesn’t it?”
“It was you who got Bryce to bring it to me?” Elise let out a cold laugh.
“Yup.” Elijah smiled, sounding as if he was asking for praise. He leaned his body forward while holding onto the railing at the end of the bed. “Aren’t I considerate?”
“‘Considerate’? If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t need to work like a slave under Bryce. I still owe him ten rounds of competition,” Elise mocked sarcastically.
“Competition?” Elijah did not know of this. He turned around and questioned Marcus with a dark expression, “What’s going on?”
“I’ll look into it.”
Marcus answered carefully before he swiped out his phone and walked out.
Elijah’s eyes darkened for a moment, but when he turned around and looked at Elise, he was all smiles. “Ellie, don’t worry. I’ll get Bryce off the black market and get a new owner. Is that alright?”
“Whatever you want to do has nothing to do with me,” Elise said. She did not want to deal with Bryce from the start, anyway.
“Then, let’s talk about something related to you.” Elijah changed the topic. “I’ll look for the doctor and medicine Trevor needs, and you have a meal with me. How’s that?”
Hearing that, Elise laughed grimly. “Even if you found them, what would happen? If they didn’t want to perform the surgery, I can’t force them, right?”
“I have my ways,” Elijah said confidently. “It’s up to you if you’ll believe me or not.”
At his response, Elise looked down, contemplating how believable his words could be.
When she was deep in thought, he walked quietly to her side and reached out with his hand. As his hands slowly moved toward her, he said, “You’d still need to eat, no matter what. Besides, eating with me won’t cost you anything, and you get to save your brother. So, why not?”
Elijah’s hand was about to touch Elise’s shoulder, and a smile showed on his face.
However, another hand suddenly appeared out of nowhere and tightly yanked Elijah’s hand away.
Surprised, Elijah turned his head, only to meet with Alexander’s dark eyes.
Suddenly, sparks flew and flames could be seen in their eyes. It was obvious that the two men were about to fight.
“Wait!” Elise stopped Alexander. “Don’t be impulsive.”
Alexander’s gaze turned cold and he roughly shook Elijah’s hand off. He then warned, “If there’s a next time, there’s no need for that arm of yours anymore.”
“Oh, is it?” Elijah tilted his head slightly and his eyes filled with provocation. “Then, we’ll have to see if you have the means to do that.”
Alexander tried to refute, but Elise grabbed his arm and stopped him.
She stood in front of him and replied, “If Mr. Boyle wants to have a meal, sure. But I’ll be bringing my husband. Surely you won’t mind, right?”
Hearing that, Eljah faltered, feeling conflicted.
“If you do mind that, then I would have to reject your offer,” she added.
“No, don’t. I haven’t even said anything and you’ve decided for me.” Elijah could not do anything about it, and he agreed, “Fine, bring him along. But I only prepared food for the both of us. He can watch by the side.”
“No problem,” Elise answered.
A moment later, they arrived at a high-end restaurant.
It seemed like Elijah had booked the whole place. There were only three of them besides the waiters.
“Elise, have a seat.” Elijah gentlemanly pulled out a chair for Elise.
The restaurant had an open kitchen concept. When customers were waiting, they could watch the chefs cook inside and see the whole process.
When Elise and Alexander sat down, Elijah walked away.
They thought he went to ask for a waiter, but after a while, they saw him walking into the open kitchen wearing a chef’s hat and apron.
“So, you wanted me here to watch you cook?” Elise mocked him.
“Of course. Food for my beloved lady must be prepared personally,” Elijah answered. He then picked up a knife and started making the steak.
He cut off the sides of the premium Wagyu, making it a perfect portion for one. Then, he drizzled oil onto the pan and seared the sides. After sprinkling on some spices, he sliced them into thin strips and placed them on a plate.
“Have a taste.” Elijah served the plate to Elise.
Elise took a look at the plate and turned to Alexander.
“If he eats it, the deal is off. You’d have to eat with me one more time,” Elijah said smilingly, but his eyes were cold.
Alexander Griffith got my girl and dares to eat my food? In his dreams!
Alexander looked at Elijah coldly. After some thought, the former calmly used a fork to pick up a piece of steak and fed it to Elise. “Is it nice, honey?”
“It’s not bad.” Elise’s eyes twinkled and she looked Alexander in the eye, completely ignoring Elijah.
Elijah was so angry that he pursed his lips and his cheeks puffed up at the couple’s display of affection.
How can Alexander use his food to butter up to the girl he wants and flirt in front of him too?!
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 744
Mind Your Own Business
“Have another piece.” Ignoring Elijah’s ferocious gaze, Alexander continued to pamper Elise affectionately. Meanwhile, she obediently opened her mouth and ate it. For every bite she ate from Alexander’s fork, her smile was as sweet as cotton candy.
As he was about to pick up another piece of steak for her again, Elijah finally could not stand the view and rudely snatched the plate of steak away. Alexander looked at the other man innocently, his motion halted by Elijah’s sudden action. “You brag about your cooking, but you can’t even let my wife finish her food.”
“Shut the f*ck up!” Elijah threw the plate on the table. “Stay away from me. I don’t want to see you now.”
Alexander thought things through for a split second and put down his fork. “Okay, then.” He turned to Elise and asked gently, “Are you already full?”
“Mhm,” she happily replied.
“Let’s go, then.” Alexander held her hand, interlocking his fingers with hers and standing up.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Elijah became anxious. “I haven’t eaten and yet, you’re already leaving?”
“You merely asked that I accompany you to have a meal, but you didn’t say for how long,” Elise replied. “I came and ate the food that was served. Have I not done everything as per request?”
“Yes, but…” For a moment, he could not think of a way to refute her.
“If you really want to be part of Ellie’s family… Well, our family does need a cook. You’re quite suitable for that,” Alexander mocked.
“You want me, the mighty young master, to cook for you? Are you out of your freaking mind?!” Elijah yelled.
“Forget it. I never force others, just like I have never forced Elise to stay by my side. It’s just fate that we love each other so much now.” Showing off their interlocked hands, Alexander continued, “We’ll make a move now. Remember to bring the medicines to us later.”
Without waiting for any response, the couple held hands and left without a backward glance.
Elijah angrily took off his chef’s toque and slammed it on the table, knocking over the rest of the steak.
“Young Master.” Marcus stepped forward and handed him a handkerchief.
Elijah had to close his eyes and take a deep breath before accepting it to carefully wipe every inch of the skin on his hands.
“How about we go back and explain the situation to the Master?” Marcus had been observing things for a few days, and he believed Elise would not leave with them.
“Go back? Go back empty-handed, get ridiculed and be a laughingstock?” Elijah wiped his hands over and over again. His indignance grew and his strength became so intense that a few red marks gradually appeared on his skin. “I will find that one thing she can never refuse.”
…
Ever since Danny took cognizance of Ariel’s ulterior motives toward Elise, he began his stalking journey. As the saying went, know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you would never be in peril. Danny knew that he had to figure out Ariel’s weaknesses before taking the appropriate countermeasures.
So, he deliberately changed his car this morning and waited near her house.
As she drove out of her house, Danny immediately started the engine and followed her at a distance. But after a while, Danny realized that Ariel had been driving like a headless fly and kept changing directions, as if she was unsure where she was heading to.
Even as she was finally reaching her company, she made a sharp turn all of a sudden and drove in the opposite direction.
“Did she notice me?” As Danny was unsure what was transpiring, he tried to gradually narrow down the distance between them, but Ariel did not seem to notice either.
Just as he started feeling bored, she seemed to have driven herself into a dead alley. Noticing that, she immediately turned on the flasher and was ready to reverse. It was too late for Danny, who was not paying much attention before, to realize that Ariel was trying to do that. He braked very abruptly and it caused his car to stall, and they collided with each other.
Ariel was about to come down and negotiate when, in a swift movement, Danny unbuckled his seat belt. He wore the cap he had prepared just for occasions like this, got out of the car and ran out of the alley. Meanwhile, Ariel came near and found no driver inside. This left her no choice but to take her bag and leave her car behind, as it was stuck in between.
Danny, who was hiding in the opposite alley, quickly stopped a car to chase after Ariel when he saw her getting into a taxi.
Never in a million years did he think that her final destination was the company. He was speechless when he realized that. What was she thinking when she was wandering around and even left her car elsewhere?
…
Madeline took Tara out the whole afternoon. The both of them then returned to the Griffith Residence with multiple shopping bags that contained mostly clothes that were handpicked for her by Madeline. Madeline said—and Tara believed it—that Tara had to dress up nicely before she could seduce Brendan. Hence the bunch of dowdy clothes.
As soon as they arrived home, she urged Tara to give the clothes a try. Madeline picked out the ugliest clothes of all and handed them to Tara. “Try this. My son loves this style. Put them on and he’ll be impressed.”
To please her future mother-in-law, Tara took the clothes back to her room and obediently wore them. Compared to her previous cute style, she looked utterly ridiculous in those clothes as she walked down the stairs.
“How do I look?” Tara stood at the stairs awkwardly and smiled reluctantly.
“Cough! Cough! Good-looking! V-Very good-looking!” Madeline almost choked on her cup of water, but she still pretended that she liked them. “You look just like my son’s dream lover!”
The more she looked at Tara, the happier she became. Brendan would be so taken aback that he would run away had he seen Tara in this ghostly appearance. No way on earth that they would ever become a couple!
“Miss Fox, what do you think?” Tara still felt strange about the whole situation.
Madeline nudged Yuri, hinting to her with her eyes. Ignore your conscience and just praise her.
Yuri disregarded Madeline’s hint and replied in an outspoken manner, “This humorous style does not suit you well.”
“Yeah, I feel the same…” Tara breathed a sigh of relief. While she wanted to please Madeline, she was also unwilling to make a fool of herself. No one could blame her when such disapproval came out of Yuri’s mouth.
“I see that the clothes you chose are quite good. It’s just that you lack some styling skills. How about I go to your room and give you some advice?” Being a famous fashion designer herself, Yuri felt obliged to address the styling flaws happening right in front of her own eyes.
“Sure!”
The two hit it off rather quickly and went upstairs together.
When she came down again, Tara looked like a different person. She was full of confidence, looking alluring and poised. Even Madeline couldn’t help but think what a beauty the younger woman was.
Madeline quickly pulled Yuri aside and whispered, “Yuri! Silly you! I deliberately asked her to wear those ugly clothes because I didn’t want her to seduce my son. You just had to dress her up so beautifully, didn’t you? This is tempting him outright!”
Yuri smiled indifferently. “I appreciate your kindness, Mrs. Griffith, but a generous person never seizes someone else’s love. Tara seems to like Brendan very much, and it’s my pleasure to help her achieve her beauty to the fullest extent so that he can appreciate it better.”
Coincidentally, Brendan was walking down the stairs and heard what she said. His expressionless face became somber. “Seems like Miss Fox likes being a matchmaker, and is very enthusiastic in matchmaking the others. Why haven’t you married yourself off, then?”
“Where are your manners, Brendan Griffith?!” Madeline reproached.
“I’m just speaking the truth.” His tone was icy cold and every word of his was akin to being covered in thorns. “We have nothing to do with each other, so I suggest Miss Fox quit meddling in my affairs!”
As soon as he said that, he turned and went back upstairs.
In that instant, a hint of listlessness flashed across Yuri’s eyes, a thousand emotions weighing down her heart.
“He must have been too busy with work recently. It’s not about you. Don’t take it too personally, Yuri.” Madeline tried comforting her.
“It’s alright.” Yuri forced a smile, trying to let this incident slide.
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 745
Looking For Me?
The following day, Ariel sat in her newly repaired sports car in the underground parking lot of a condominium.
She nervously held the steering wheel as she mumbled to herself, “It’s been half a month. I can’t get lost again. I must memorize the route. When I leave the place and arrive at an intersection, I’ll have to turn left and drive until another intersection before making a right turn. Then, another left, right and left. Okay, I got this!”
After repeating for a few times, Ariel took a deep breath, then started the engine and drove out of the parking lot.
From a corner, a black BMW tailed after her.
Ariel drove extremely slowly and arrived at the intersection. When she was waiting for the lights to turn green, she kept on muttering to herself, “Right, then left. Right, then left…”
Soon, the green lights came on.
Ariel made a right turn and drove straight. After a while, she was confused again. “What’s next after the right turn?”
“Make a right at the intersection before… before another right? Yeah, that should be it! Make a right, then another right.”
With that, she turned right at the next junction. Now, she had ended up on an unfamiliar road.
Ariel was stunned. “Where is this now…”
She wanted to work on her sense of direction, which was why she did not even bring her phone along. Now, she was stuck.
Stretching her neck, she tried to scan the road in front of her. Maybe I can figure out the roads with my cleverness.
Ariel continued driving along the road. After making numerous turns, she noticed a familiar ramp and hope lit up in her. She stepped on the gas and sped out of the alley, only to realize there was a river right in front of her.
She tried slamming on the breaks, but it was too late.
At that moment, a black sedan drove in from the side and Ariel’s car slammed into it with a bang. The impact had caused her car to dent the black sedan, but luckily both cars stopped and did not fall into the river.
Ariel let out a deep breath and quickly unbuckled her seat belt. She then went down and checked the damage on the black sedan.
Both cars were severely damaged. Even though they were both at fault, Ariel was willing to bear all the repair costs, so she took out her checkbook.
Ever since she had gotten her driving license, this was not the first time an accident had happened. She knew very well how much it would cost for repairs.
While she was still writing down the numbers, the door of the black sedan swung open and the car owner came down. She was shocked upon seeing who it was.
“How could it be you?” She looked at Danny’s gloating face with embarrassment.
Danny walked forward and bent down to check where his car was smashed in. “My gosh, do you like jumping into the river so much?”
Ariel quietly massaged her temples.
He stood like a model with his hands in his pockets and looked at Ariel with a smile. At that point, he could not hold in his laughter any longer. “Hahaha! I can’t believe it. You have no sense of direction at all. Who would’ve thought about that? You’re killing me here!”
Ariel’s face turned beet red. This little punk! Isn’t he trying too hard to look for my weakness?
She narrowed her eyes as a sly look swept across her face.
In the next second, she approached Danny and forced him to back up against the car.
“What are you doing? Trying to murder me, are you?” Danny looked at her cautiously.
“If you dare talk about this, I won’t say it’s not a possibility,” Ariel answered with a cold look, as if she was going to eat him alive.
Danny swallowed hard as he became apprehensive. He weakly threatened her, “I’m warning you—don’t mess with me. I’ve got three brothers and a sister-in-law. If anything happens to me, they won’t let you off!”
“Don’t worry. I don’t crave blood that much.” Ariel placed her hand on his chest and slid it downward. When she reached his six-pack, she stopped and did not move her hands anymore. “But if you talk about this anywhere else, I can’t promise that I won’t eat you.”
“You, you… Don’t you like my sister-in-law?” Danny was taken aback and jerked his neck backward.
“You are you, whereas Miss Sinclair is Miss Sinclair. I won’t neglect either one. Look at this six-pack… How sexy it would be…” Ariel continued teasing him.
“In your dreams! It doesn’t matter if it is me or Elise, because you won’t get away with it!”
Danny was like a snake; he slithered away from her embrace and ran.
“Stop right there!” Ariel demanded with her hands crossed in front of her. “One more step and I’ll withdraw the investment!”
Danny stopped in his tracks. Even though he did not turn around, he was under her control now.
Ariel was a huge investor. He put in a lot of effort to get her back from another country. If she left because of him, it would be a huge loss.
“Now, be a good boy and be my driver; or else, I’ll leave Cittadel for real. Even though I’m not good at recognizing roads, I can still easily get a cab to the airport,” Ariel threatened cheerfully.
It was Danny’s first startup, and Elise was a shareholder too. If he gave up now, it would be such a shame.
After careful consideration, Danny turned back and frivolously flattered Ariel. Chuckling, he murmured, “Ms. Whitney, it was all my fault. Why don’t you be the bigger person and forgive me, please?”
“We’ll see.” She walked over to the passenger’s seat and looked at him. “What are you waiting for? Come and open the door for me.”
“Of course!” Danny continued to lick her boots. “Here I come!”
——
…
It was late at night when Narissa left the video arcade. After walking for a while, she heard footsteps. Someone was following her.
She had her guard up and did some quick thinking. Then, she picked up her speed and turned into an alley.
On the other side of the road was a café. On the second floor, Charissa and her gang saw what happened and freaked out.
“Do you think Narissa realized something was off?” one of the men asked.
“Hard to say; that woman is smart. Who knows where she’ll run to now?” another man added.
“Don’t worry.” The smile on Charissa’s face deepened as she revealed, “That alley’s a dead end.”
Sure enough, not long after Narissa entered the alley, a high wall blocked her path.
A moment later, a few men holding baseball bats turned up at the alley’s entrance.
Narissa smiled calmly and counted them with her fingers, “One, two, three… there’s six of you. They only managed to get you guys? Seems like they aren’t as great as they claim. Stop wasting my time. Let’s settle this at one go.”
At the end of her sentence, the six men rushed up together, and fighting sounds soon came from within the alley.
After a few minutes, Charissa and her gang panicked when they did not see anyone walking out of the alley.
“She’s not dead, right? We don’t want to get people killed for real.”
With heavy hearts, they left the cafe and came to the alley.
However, what they saw was the six men lying on the ground, their faces filled with bruises.
“What is this? Where is she?” Charissa grabbed the man closest to her and roared.
“Looking for me?”
Narissa’s voice gently rose from behind them.
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 746
Narissa Stabbed Charissa
Everyone turned around. Right there standing under the streetlamp was an unharmed Narissa, chewing bubble gum and flaunting arrogantly.
Charissa let go of the man and walked toward the other woman. Her eyes were filled with angry flames when she growled, “You already knew there was an ambush?!”
“Uh-huh.” Narissa merely raised her eyebrows without denying it.
“Who let the news out?!” Charissa turned to question her lackeys.
“Not me.”
“Not me either.”
“I had nothing to do with it.”
They all tried to distance themselves from the situation.
“Alright, alright. Stop with the infighting, will you?” Narissa then explained calmly, “It wasn’t them. It was the bug I planted in your bag the last time we met at the bar.”
“You eavesdropping woman! You’re so despicable!” one of the boys accused furiously.
“If my eavesdropping is despicable, what do you make of contracting a killer to commit murder? Contemptible and shameless?” Narissa remained indifferent and unswayed.
These boys were immediately rendered speechless. Indeed, the nature of their action was way more severe.
She threw them a disdainful look and glanced at Charissa again. “If it wasn’t for this bug, I wouldn’t have been aware that you have feelings toward Jamie. There’s nothing embarrassing about that, but if you harm others because of it… you can’t call yourself a decent person.”
“I will give the lot of you another chance because you are his friends. Apologize to me, and I will consider that this incident never took place.”
“Do you think I’ll believe you?” Charissa sneered.
“Don’t believe me? What do you want, then? To fight me?” Narissa’s eyes were full of provocation.
“Don’t be impulsive. You can’t beat her.” A lackey pulled Charissa back. She merely stared at Narissa ferociously, but didn’t do anything after all.
Had they dared to come and compete with her in an upright manner, Narissa would have respected them as equals. Now, seeing them bullying the weak and fearing the strong… there was nothing else but traces of contempt in her eyes.
“Honestly, I don’t quite understand. How can people like you who do sneak attacks behind others’ backs befriend Jamie?”
With that, she chose to turn around and leave.
Just as she was leaving, Charissa suddenly yelled from behind and charged toward her. “Narissa Cuber!”
Feeling a cold breeze coming in her direction, Narissa halted her footsteps, nimbly turned sideways and avoided the dagger Charissa was holding. Immediately, she grabbed Charissa’s wrist, backhanded with force and plunged the dagger directly into Charissa’s shoulder blade. She fixed her eyes on Charissa’s face for two seconds before pushing her away.
Charissa fell to the ground. At once, blood gushed out of her wound, dyeing her clothes red.
“Charissa!” Several lackeys quickly surrounded her and helped her up from the ground.
Narissa, however, was phlegmatic. She stood there looking all unmoved, and her voice was chilly as she spoke. “Remember, I’m not a fool nor a blind person. Treat this as your lesson. If there is another time, be warned that the dagger will be plunged elsewhere in your body.” She then walked out of the alley without looking back.
“Call an ambulance, quick!”
Several lackeys hurriedly carried Charissa to the side of the road. After calling the hospital, one of them thought for a while before taking out his mobile phone and dialed another number.
As soon as the other side was connected, he reported agitatedly, “Mr. Keller, there’s bad news! Narissa had stabbed Charissa!”
——
…
When Jamie arrived at the hospital, Charissa had already been bandaged and sent to the general ward for an infusion. The lackeys quickly surrounded him as he appeared and began accusing Narissa.
“Mr. Keller, it is obvious that Narissa is over the top. No matter what beef we had before, it’s not right for her to use a knife against Charissa!”
“We went to her to apologize for your sake, but she stabbed Charissa without saying a word. You must be careful with this scheming woman!”
“You must side with Charissa! We’ve had each others’ backs for so long!”
Jamie felt vexed by the non-stop accusations. “Alright, alright. Just stop, will you? I will give you an explanation after I clear the air.”
They reluctantly stopped, but it was evident that their anger was not released. They had already made up their minds that as long as they kept their story straight in blaming everything on Narissa, Jamie would definitely stand by them.
“Go on, then. She’s in there,” one of the boys said deliberately. Jamie did not think much. He nodded while pushing the ward door open and walked in.
Sitting on the bed, a pale-looking Charissa was slightly at a loss when she saw him. After all, she wasn’t sure if Jamie would ever find out that they were falsely incriminating Narissa. If he did, they could no longer be friends.
“Are you all right?” Jamie took the initiative to speak, breaking the silence.
“Much better,” she replied weakly. As soon as she finished talking, she saw the lackeys outside hinting at her hard and encouraging her to express her thoughts.
Clinging to the quilt and after hesitating for a long time, she finally mustered up the courage. “Jamie, I-I have something to tell you. I have always liked—”
“Stop it right here,” he interrupted her. “I know what you’re going to say, but Charissa, we are friends. Some words… once they are out, things can never return to where they were before.” He stood up and turned around. “I’ll pretend that you never said anything. Now, if she really hurt you, I will definitely have her apologize to you in person.”
When Charissa heard that, her eyes turned red and she looked as if she was about to cry. Still, her stubbornness prevented her from doing so. “If she denied everything, would you believe her or us?”
Jamie kept silent for a while and in the end, he merely left without saying anything.
——
…
Jamie found Narissa at a sober bar on Tissote Bar Street. After approaching and sitting down next to her, Jamie calmly ordered a glass of Long Island Iced Tea.
Just then, she turned to look at him. “Just ask whatever that’s on your mind.”
It was only after Jamie had emptied half of his glass that he replied expressionlessly, “Charissa and the others said you stabbed her.”
“That’s right. I did it.” Her eyes were as tranquil as the calm sea. She was only speaking the truth. “She tried stabbing me with a knife but she couldn’t. She brought this upon herself—it’s that simple. What else do you want to ask?”
Jamie shook his head. “I see.”
“You believe me?” Truth was, Narissa was a little surprised.
“Why not?” He looked at his glass and was lost in thought. “You are just like Boss. You both have an insipid personality and never like to fight with others so naturally, you have no reasons to frame them.”
He paused for a second and raised his head. His voice was suddenly overflowing with sentiment when he stated, “She and the others were not that bad before. Perhaps I didn’t handle things in a measured manner and that’s caused her to harbor feelings toward me.”
Without a warning, he suddenly wrapped his arm around Narissa’s shoulder and announced, “You’re the best, you know? Friends forever!”
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 747
It’s Her, Correct?
Narissa’s cheeks flushed as she smiled awkwardly. “Yes, best friends. After all, you’re so weak that it’s impossible for me to like you.” She took a big gulp out of her glass, as if she was also trying to swallow her guilt.
hat day, Madeline felt like having dumplings, so the family and the guests broadcasted the process of making dumplings in front of the cameras at the Griffith Residence.
Elise was the most professional and was in charge of kneading the dough while Alexander helped her out. Brendan was handling the stuffing, and Tara was standing beside and watching over him. To prevent them from spending too much time together and eventually falling in love, Madeline deliberately dragged Yuri along to pick vegetables, and they did this next to the duo.
“Mr. Brendan, have you had any inspiration yet for the evening dress you wanted to design for me? Why don’t I go to your room to look at the draft later?” Tara was being very proactive.
“Sure,” Brendan answered calmly. “The draft is in the study. You can look at it anytime.”
Hearing that, Madeline rolled her eyes. “I’ll go too.”
Just then, the director shouted again, “The second guest has arrived. Let’s welcome Christopher Edwards!”
Madeline had seen the program schedule in advance and knew that the guest was a man, so she did not have much expectations. She merely followed everyone’s gaze and looked at him. Christopher looked to be thirty. He was dressed properly in a button down and he was a magnetic man, especially when he spoke. He had a mature and alluring voice.
“Good afternoon. I’m Christopher, an interior designer. I look forward to spending time with all of you these few days, and more importantly, I hope I have the honor to be Yuri’s friend.”
Obviously, he came for Yuri.
After introducing himself and having a brief exchange with the Griffith Family, Christopher sat down at Yuri’s table. He and Yuri hit it off right away, talking about everything and anything from clothing design to interior design. Poor Madeline did not even find a chance to interrupt them. She was just like a humanoid stand, or to be exact, an angry humanoid stand.
The way Christopher looked at Yuri, with that blatant admiration and pampering gaze, almost blinded her! What is wrong with the film crew? How dare they invite someone who’s trying hard to snatch my daughter-in-law away? I might just sue them!
Unable to stand it any longer, Madeline made up a random excuse and left.
Meanwhile, Brendan observed everything from a distance. He saw how the pair were chatting in a jovial mood, and his dark eyes were overflowing with jealousy. Turns out she is able to laugh in front of other men, and her stone-cold attitude is only geared toward me, he thought. He was so lost in his thoughts that he was not aware that he accidentally cut his finger while preparing the stuffing. All at once, blood came gushing out.
“Oh no! You should be more careful!” Tara, who was standing beside and watching Brendan, immediately noticed the cut and was very concerned. She took out a wet tissue, grabbed his finger and even sucked his wound.
He glanced down, but did not refuse Tara’s action as he wanted to see what Yuri’s reaction would be. However, when he turned his head, he only saw how the pair seemed to be isolated in their world, smiling and chatting happily. They were completely unaware of what transpired at his end. Seeing that, his other hand balled into a fist unconsciously. For a split second, there was an overwhelming urge to tear the picturesque view to shreds. However, he was able to quickly suppress his urge to destroy. After all, he was an adult. But he also pulled back his hand and walked back to the house, leaving Tara alone.
Tara was completely clueless about Brendan’s sudden behavior. Fortunately, Danny was there making the atmosphere lively. She did not feel left out at the very least.
Night had fallen, and the group of people sat in a circle to have a meal.
The non-stop conversing throughout the whole afternoon saw the relationship between Yuri and Christopher grow by leaps and bounds. Not only did they sit together, but he was also thoughtful enough to keep putting food onto her plate. Throughout the dinner, one could hear Yuri saying constantly, “Thank you. I can help myself.”
Tara was also putting food into Brendan’s plate from time to time, but there was not much reaction from him. He was just sitting upright the whole time, staring across the table at Yuri and Christopher.
Between the intervals of chatting, Yuri finally found an opportunity to take her favorite vegetables. However, Brendan acted out of spite and grabbed his cutlery, holding onto the vegetables that Yuri was trying to pick up. This happened several times in a row and everyone started noticing the unusual situation at their corner.
Yuri looked at Brendan almost indifferently. After a few seconds of them being at a stalemate, she gave up and decided to put away her cutlery. He raised his eyebrows like a winner, his face as radiant as spring breeze.
Christopher couldn’t stand it any longer and put down his cutlery. Dissatisfied at the treatment Yuri was receiving, he questioned, “Is this the type of hospitality the Griffith Family gives? Brendan, don’t you think it’s inappropriate to treat a girl like this?”
Brendan’s expression turned cold in an instant. “I’m having a meal at my own house. How is it that I must accept finger-pointing from outsiders?”
“Showing your respect to the ladies is chivalry.” Christopher’s expression became solemn as well.
The atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly became tense and suffocating.
Elise exchanged glances with Alexander and took the initiative to smooth things out. “It’s just a misunderstanding, Christopher. It’s just that Brendan has this temperament and likes joking around. What he meant was that Yuri has a small appetite. He’s worried that she might be full too quickly without being able to taste the last two specialties.” As Elise was speaking, she put down her cutlery and stood up. “I’ll bring them out now.”
“I see. Sorry Brendan, my bad.” Christopher put his palms together and apologized again. Brendan opened his mouth and wanted to refute, but Alexander quickly held him down from under the table. With that, the disturbance finally died down.
After dinner, Alexander called Brendan to his room.
“It’s her, I presume?” Alexander stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows and he turned around and looked at his brother. The both of them knew very well who Alexander was referring to.
Brendan did not deny it either.
Seeing that, Alexander patted his shoulder. “Let the past be in the past. Be and let it go.”
“Sorry. I just can’t accept her being so calm and rational after all that had happened. It was as if it never was.” Brendan seemed to have suppressed it for a long time, for after saying that, he was finally able to let out a depressed sigh.
“As a man, you need to be clear about what your desires are and translate them into practical actions. You should not be making repeated gaffes like today,” Alexander advised earnestly. “We brothers have similar personalities, and you have always been the calmest of us all. Don’t lose your advantage.”
Brendan nodded in response. “I understand.”
“Go back to your room. Take a shower and go to sleep. Do calm down,” Alexander said.
Brendan then walked toward the door. As he was opening the door, he bumped into Elise, who was just about to enter. “Thanks for helping me out just now,” Brendan said gratefully.
“You’re welcome.” Elise smiled happily. “Try to be more polite to girls in the future, though.”
Not responding to Elise’s teasing, Brendan merely plastered on a faint smile and left.
Elise continued walking to the room where Alexander was and joked, “Have you noticed? Brendan seems to be very interested in Yuri. Shouldn’t you give him a helping hand?”
“If he needs help in chasing a girl, that relationship will never last.” Alexander shrugged, signaling there was nothing else he could do.
“As his brother, you are way too cold-blooded,” Elise teased.
“Totally. Danny, has already severed his relations with me. Do you think Brendan will not follow in his footsteps? They only worship you in their hearts, and I am the worthless big brother.”
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 748
Jewelry Stock Purchase
“You’re becoming more and more of a smooth talker ever since you married me, I reckon.” As Elise was teasing Alexander, he immediately took advantage of the situation to wrap his arms around her waist and pulled her in closer. “Obviously, that’s because of you. The more time I spend with you, the better I become.”
Hearing that, she pushed him away to create some distance as her face blushed instantly. “Gosh, the door’s still open!” Just as she finished speaking, her phone rang; it was a call from Tom. She answered the call and asked, “Something wrong with the company?”
“You’re too good at guessing.” Elise could hear Tom’s voice that was filled with anxiety through the phone. “Boss, you gotta help us solve the issue this time!”
“As I said before, you are in charge of the company. There’s no need for you to ask for my opinion on the nitty-gritty. What is it this time?” Elise walked to the bed and sat on the edge.
“It’s not quite the same this time around. If you don’t solve it personally, I guarantee we will have to shut our business down!” Tom sounded all worked up. “Saunders Jewelry has been acting like a maniac in the past two weeks. Not only have they been doing marketing incessantly, they have also been selling authentic jewelry at a price lower than half of the market price. It is as if they don’t care about the cost! The customers are no longer visiting our store.”
Elise got curious upon listening to Tom’s rant. “David’s dead, so who’s in charge of the Saunders Corporation now? I mean, what he or she is doing is the epitome of ”, isn’t it?”
“I heard it’s his daughter. Oh gosh, she’s even crazier than her dad!” Tom couldn’t help but complain.
“Celina? Hm… I see. Well, I’ll come in tomorrow and decide what to do next.” Elise gave a few other instructions before terminating the call, subsequently falling into a trance while holding her phone.
Seeing her acting that way after the call, Alexander sat beside her and asked, “Is Celina causing trouble again?” His arms went around and rested on her shoulders naturally. She nodded helplessly. “I’m baffled. What is she trying to achieve?”
“There’s no one left in the Saunders Family except for her. I reckon she doesn’t have any reason to continue staying alive if she isn’t making a scene out of everything.” As she was leaning on his chest, she heard him continue saying empathically, “Your previous actions were justified. They were just putting all the blame on you because they couldn’t bring themselves to admit that they were wrong.”
Despite hearing that, Elise remained silent and merely let out a tired sigh. Does the world have to work this way?
Elise arrived at Alexis’ main store the next day, only to find out that all her employees were either dozing off or playing with their mobile phones; they all had too much time to spare. What Tom told her over the phone—about how all her flagship jewelry was no longer in demand—was true. She could attest to that just by walking around the counters.
“Miss Sinclair, you should have called me when you arrived!” When Tom saw her in the store, he came running over frantically. “Look around. I wasn’t bluffing when I said we are in serious trouble. Saunders Jewelry is fighting a prolonged war with us, and they’re more than ready to bring our business to the knees.”
Even though Tom was all worked up, Elise still did not give a response. Instead, she randomly picked a bloodstone jade and observed it attentively. It was only after a while that she casually asked, “I hope you didn’t sell our jewelry at a lower price just to attract customers?”
“Absolutely not!” Tom’s reply showed his unquestionable attitude. “You told us before that we should never sell our jewelry cheap as this will violate professional etiquette and affect the entire market. I remember you said very clearly that what we sell is the brand, not the products.”
Satisfied with his answer, Elise nodded and put the jade down. “Good. This issue will not be too much of a concern, then. The business was quite busy before, so now is a good opportunity for the employees to have a good rest. We’ll continue paying their salaries, nonetheless. Let’s see who wins the war in the end.”
“Wait.” As she was speaking, she had a sudden inspiration that altered her order just now. “Let the employees take paid leaves starting tomorrow, and we’ll close all our branches for reorganization.”
“What?” Tom sounded a bit reluctant. “Boss, we aren’t going bankrupt, are we?”
“Why would you think that?” Elise turned around and leaned on the counter, which enabled her to look at the entire store at one glance. “This loss is nothing to me, but we can’t let such a good opportunity slip through our fingers.”
“Good opportunity? What?” Tom got confused upon hearing that but as he carefully and slowly processed her words, he suddenly understood what she meant, and couldn’t help but nod in agreement. “You’re right. Saunders’ jewelry is definitely cheap!”
“What are you waiting for, then? This is a golden chance to purchase additional jewelry for Alexis at a cheap price. Seize it!” Elise had a shrewd look on her face, which somehow made Tom even more puzzled. We haven’t even been able to sell our jewelry and yet, you want us to purchase from the Saunders? I hope you aren’t out of your mind… yet?
All Alexis branches located in Athesea were closed for business the next day, which not only attained a lot of media coverage but at the same time fueled consumers’ concerns and uncertainties. The latter all flocked to Saunders Jewelry and crowded that place to purchase jewelry.
Glancing at the crowd downstairs, Celina felt triumph. “See that? All the customers are here. I believe that soon, Elise’s jewelry store will have to declare bankruptcy, and I will be taking over her other businesses one by one!”
Instead of agreeing with her, Matthew let out a deep sigh and squinted his eyes to scan the crowd. “This is going way too smooth. Something doesn’t feel right.”
“You seem keen on dampening my enthusiasm.” Celina rolled her eyes when she received such an unexpected reply. “This is our hard-won victory and we should be proud. Instead, you chose to say such things to spoil the fun.”
“Okay, whatever. You’re the daughter of the Saunders Family, and I’m just a nobody. You win, all right?” Matthew could not be bothered arguing with her. As he turned his gaze to the crowd again, he suddenly saw a familiar figure.
Somewhere in the crowd, a male customer patted another man’s shoulder. “Mr. Shaw, I didn’t expect to see you here!”
“Shh!” Tom hurriedly made a shushing gesture and scanned around nervously for fear of being discovered. “Keep your voice down, will you?!”
“You are the boss of a jewelry store, yet you come to your competitor’s store to purchase jewelry? It’s quite hilarious! I heard Alexis didn’t open today. Are you planning on shutting the business down already?” the man teased.
“Hey, mind your mouth. We’re just reorganizing and redecorating the place. Since I have some spare time today, I thought I would come here for the craze and stock up a little!” Tom grinned mischievously.
“Stock up? Oh man, you’re such a genius! No one would have thought to go to someone else’s store to buy jewelry for his own company!” The man was clearly amused.
“This is what they call being flexible.” Tom was not annoyed at the man’s teasing at all. “Only idiots don’t take advantage of such low prices!”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought too! Buy more jewelry when the price is low, and sell it at a higher price later. I’ve got to say though, your Alexis jewelry is so much better in terms of the design and more suitable as a gift!”
“Don’t worry, we will reopen soon. You won’t have to wait for too long!” Tom couldn’t hide his excitement; it was easier spending money as a customer than worrying about business as a boss.
“Sir, are you paying via online banking or by card?” The lady at the counter finally found a chance to interject Tom and the man’s conversation.
“Card, please.” As Tom was replying, he reached for his wallet, took out the credit card, and was just about to hand it over to the lady when a hand snatched the card away from his side abruptly. Following the hand, he turned and looked up; standing there staring at him aggressively was none other than Celina.
“Hi there, Miss Celina. I’m surprised to see you here!” Tom stood up with a smile.
“Who let you in?!” Celina yelled, completely disregarding her dignity. “F*ck off!”
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 749
Yeah, I’m That Generous
“I’m here as a consumer, Miss Celina, and you trying to drive your own customer out of the store is a terrible idea.” As Tom was speaking, he stood up and fastened the buttons on his suit; neither his voice nor his movement showed a hint of distress.
“Do I look like I give a sh*t!? As the boss, I have the final say here, and I demand you to leave now. I will call security on you if you refuse!” Seeing how nonchalant Tom was, Celina was so agitated that she looked as if she could kill someone.
As though he was unfazed by her ferocious emotions, Tom, who was quite dissatisfied with her attitude, pointed at the card in her hand. “At least return the card to me. I hope you ain’t trying to rob me in broad daylight?” Hearing that, Celina glanced down, and it was only then did she realize what she had been holding all this time—Tom’s credit card. She threw it back at him, as if it was disgusting. “I don’t give a sht about your card. Just fck off!”
He placed the card back in his pocket and symbolically patted his clothes. “A word of advice for you—the way you’re acting toward people from the same profession is going against your own advantage. Ever heard of ‘harmony brings wealth’?”
“You’re just a dog raised by Elise! How dare you speak to me this way?! Shameless of you! Leave by yourself or else, don’t blame me for asking the guards to throw you out!” Celina crossed her arms in front of her chest, acting arrogantly.
Regardless of how well-mannered Tom usually was, he was no longer capable of being the chivalrous guy, especially after being humiliated by Celina in front of everyone. He squinted his eyes and provoked her solemnly, “Oh, so you assume that I’m a spy and you want to kick me out now? How many spies from our side do you think have ‘infiltrated’ your store today? You can chase me out, but you won’t be able to throw them all out! Even without me, Alexis will still be able to purchase all your cheap jewelry today!”
Celina got startled when she heard that, and she subconsciously looked around at the group of customers craning their necks trying to figure out what was going on—all of them suddenly looked so suspicious.
Just then, an assistant approached Celina and whispered to her, “Boss, the one at counter number two seems to be wearing the Alexis uniform. Also, I vaguely remember seeing that one at counter twelve when I went to Alexis to spy on them!”
What the assistant said ignited the rage in Celina—she could no longer contain her anger. “Guards!” The bodyguards, who were guarding outside and heard their boss shouting, quickly made their way through the crowd and reached where she was standing. “Yes, Boss?”
Pointing at the two individuals the assistant identified, Celina lost all her cool at this point. “Throw that man and that woman out!” She would not mind killing the spies herself, so merely kicking them out was already considered the utmost restraint.
After the bodyguards received the order, they walked toward the two individuals aggressively. The man was still cooperative as he left without putting up much fight. It was not the same story with the woman, though, as she got offended at the approaching human wall.
“Which one of you lowly beings dare to touch me?! We’re here as genuine consumers, and yet you treat us like trash?! We demand to speak to your manager! Just call the police already!”
It turned out that the woman came to Saunders Jewelry with her friends and family, and they were all very upset about being kicked out without any reason. The store fell into instant chaos with them quarreling and yelling at the bodyguards, and other customers watching a real-life drama. Seeing that his plan to create chaos was successful, Tom gloated over the whole situation. “Oh no, what chaos. You must be busy now trying to figure out how to calm the situation. I swear I won’t be a bother anymore.” Without waiting for a response, Tom turned around and left the store.
The customers were still yelling in the distance, and they were so loud that it was giving Celina a headache. She rubbed her temples, but she could not be bothered with whatever was happening—she was satisfied so long as she kicked out the spies Elise sent to her store.
After the disturbance finally died down that afternoon, Saunders Jewelry also posted a close-of-business notice, and the city’s two major jewelry stores withdrew from the market at the same time. While this indeed caused some market downturn, it had also given other small jewelry traders a chance to breathe.
At the Griffith Residence, Yuri left the house for an interview early in the morning, and after ensuring that she was no longer to be seen in the house, Christopher gathered everyone and made a sincere plea. “I apologize for the ungodly hour, but I need your help tonight in setting up the scene for me to confess to Yuri. I like her, and I want to surprise her with a romantic confession.”
Brendan was in a daze for quite some time when he heard that. It was only after a while he recovered that he sneered, “Surprise? Don’t make me laugh. How can you be so sure that it’s not shocking for Yuri and that she will agree to be your girlfriend?”
“Yeah, he’s right.” Thinking that her son finally understood how he truly felt toward Yuri, Madeline decided that she should interject with discernment to discourage Christopher and help her son out. “You both have only known each other for a few days, and your current pace is too fast. You should try and get to know Yuri more before confessing.”
“I appreciate your kindness, Mrs. Griffith and Mr. Brendan. The fact is that Yuri and I have already known each other when we were both abroad. I came to this show just for her, as I believe you all have already noticed. I have thought this through—I really want to take this step forward with her.” Christopher sounded very optimistic.
Oh my, such sincerity! How am I supposed to dampen his enthusiasm when he has already pondered deeply over whether to confess or not? Madeline thought. Under the circumstances, she had no choice but to frantically hint at her son with her eyes, Say something now or else it will be too late! However, Brendan did not seem to notice her as he was glancing at the floor and fully immersed in his own thoughts.
“Happy to help; I’m mostly free nowadays because the last round of venture capital had passed.” Danny stood up and stretched while flaunting and winking at Christopher at the same time. Yeah, I’m that generous. Seeing that, Brendan quietly stared at his dummy brother sideways.
“Thank you.” Christopher smiled, knowing what Danny tried to convey with his wink.
“Whatever help you need, buddy. Just let us know.” Alexander also replied. Everyone nodded their heads when they heard Alexander expressing his support—everyone except for Madeline and Brendan, of course.
After a while, Brendan put away the tablet and stood up. Just as Madeline thought he was going to do something or even say anything to oppose Christopher’s proposal, he merely responded to Christopher in a cold manner. “Well, no gentleman in his right mind would give a beautiful lady like Yuri a pass. Since helping others out is a virtue, I will put up the balloons.” He then left with his tablet in hand.
Madeline was grinning at first but as she tentatively listened to what Brendan was saying, she felt her hope was crushed little by little and vanished into thin air. Being utterly speechless at her son’s behavior, she thought, Such is life, I guess, full of ups and downs. But… How can Brendan be so oblivious? He should have pursued Yuri instead of acting like he does not care about her at all! I hope Yuri rejects Christopher; otherwise, who’s going to bear my dumb son’s child and continue the family line? Oh, wait! Speaking of which, why isn’t Elise pregnant having been married to Alexander for so long?!
Thinking that, Madeline suddenly regained her spirits and turned looking at Elise with resentment. As Elise was busy checking her phone for Tom’s updates, she was unaware of that. Alexander, on the other hand, realized that his mother was throwing looks at his wife. Knowing that something was brewing in his mother’s mind, though he could not figure out what that was, he stood up and went to Elise. He effectively blocked Madeline’s view as he reached his hand out.
“Let’s take a nap upstairs.” Elise agreed; she held his hand and went upstairs with him lovingly. Both were unaware of what Madeline was thinking, nor did they notice that she was trying to calm herself down by beating her chest repeatedly. My loving God, please help this bunch of kids!
When Yuri finally arrived home at 8.00PM, she was guided by the servant to the garden. She noticed that the garden looked different from when she left the house—fresh flowers were everywhere she could lay her eyes upon. There was lighting across the garden and music playing in the background. The atmosphere was romantic and filled with affectionate details. As she was standing there enjoying the view but at the same time wondering what was going on, Christopher held a bouquet of delicate roses and walked toward her. Stopping a few steps in front of her, he asked tenderly, “Yuri, will you be my girlfriend?”
“Promise him! Say yes!” Tara seemed very excited and was the first to cheer. In sharp contrast to Tara was Brendan, who was standing beside her, emitting an aura as cold as a block of ice.
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 750
Divorce Him and Marry Me
Yuri was struggling to give a proper response to the way Christopher rushed into confessing his feelings to her.
“Thank you.” She received the flowers with a smile and breathed in the fragrance. “I like the flowers.”
Instead of giving him a direct answer, she rejected his confession with a subtle approach. After all, she wasn’t going to embarrass him in public, as the confession was being streamed live.
However, he took her consideration as an implication that she liked the flowers and him, so he asked without a second thought, “What about me?”
“You are a good man. I like you too, but—”
“Blergh—”
“Alexander!”
Yuri’s words were interrupted by Alexander when he spat out blood all of a sudden and dropped to his knees.
Elise allowed him to lean on her as she took his pulse. Then, she raised her head to look at Danny and the other brothers with a solemn expression. “Hurry up! Help your brother to his room!”
As the brothers worked together to help Alexander back to his room, the others followed behind to join them in Alexander’s room.
After Madeline kneeled beside the bed, she took Alexander’s hand in hers as the tears streamed out of her eyes. “Alex, you have to be strong. You have to be fine! I need you to stay with me. Don’t leave me!”
“Give us some space.” Elise quickly went back to her room for her silver needles. “I’ll perform some acupuncture on him.”
Remembering that Danny told her about Elise saving Austin and Trevor’s lives, Madeline didn’t interrupt Elise and stepped aside this time. Even though the tears were threatening to fall from her eyes, she muffled her sobs with her hand.
Exhausted, Elise leaned on the bedside as she finished the last step after she had been constantly using acupuncture on Alexander for half an hour.
“Elise!” Danny helped her to her feet. “Can you hold on? Someone shall cook the chicken consommé for her!”
“Yes, Young Master! I’ll do it right now.”
Elise took a moment to collect herself before she replied weakly, “The blood flow at specific areas of his body are now temporarily under control, but we need to find the cure as soon as possible. F-Find Jamie and Joseph. Ask them—”
Her words were interrupted by a ringtone.
As the phone rang, a bad feeling rose within her out of nowhere. After struggling to take her phone out, her heart sank when she saw the caller ID stating “Yvonne”.
“Hello?” Elise’s stomach churned as she received the call.
On the other side, Yvonne was panicking as she pleaded, “Elise! Where are you? Trevor is dying! He hasn’t stopped coughing out blood! Please come here now!”
Elise held her breath at first, then exhaled to force herself to calm down. “I’ll be there as soon as possible.”
Ending the call, she grabbed Danny’s hand as leverage to raise herself to her feet. “Take care of Alexander. I’ll be back soon!”
She stumbled out of the room once she finished her words.
“You’re not going alone in this state!” Danny followed after her.
Soon, both of them arrived at the hospital.
However, Trevor was in a more serious condition. Apart from the old injury sustained in the car crash, he was infected with the same virus as Alexander.
Even after Elise finished the last step of her treatment, Trevor, who had blood stains on the corner of his lips, wasn’t showing any response. Even though the electrocardiogram that monitored his heart activity was showing a hint of life, its activity was slowing down as the pattern became a horizontal line.
She was aware of his disappearing pulse, but she couldn’t do anything to redeem the situation.
“Elise, you have to save him! You can’t let him die!” Yvonne croaked.
When Yvonne shook her with force, Elise felt fuzzy and couldn’t stand still. The two were brought to the ground by the force.
Elise scowled at her state as she began to wish everything that had happened so far was a dream. It was as if once she found the breaking point, she could wake up from the dream.
However, she couldn’t pretend Trevor wasn’t dying before her eyes when the alarm from the electrocardiograph machine was ringing in her ears.
After all, she couldn’t even save any one of those whom she considered important.
On top of being weak, Elise could not say anything since her heart ached. It felt like there were millions of knives slicing her open.
The sadness was spreading over the room. Yvonne was kneeling with her head hanging low in grief. Her tears kept falling even though she had lost her voice from crying.
Elise found herself crying too, and the tears were falling from her cheeks.
Their emotions had greatly affected Danny as he turned his back, trying to not look at them.
At that moment, the sound of footsteps echoed from the exit and came to a stop beside her.
Elise steered her attention to the source when a hand holding a syringe came into her sight. Raising her head, she saw Elijah and scowled immediately.
As if he could read her mind, he stretched his hand out further. “You can take this without any conditions. I’m giving it to you for free so you can save your brother’s life.”
Elijah was well aware that Elise didn’t want to be in debt to him, but he didn’t know that she would save Trevor’s life at all cost.
She was only thinking about one thing at the moment. How can he show up on time?
However, Trevor’s life was at stake, so she didn’t have enough time to learn the effect of the medicine. Hesitating for a few seconds, she snatched the syringe and injected the contents into her left arm.
“Elise! Don’t—” Danny tried, but he couldn’t stop her in time.
Fortunately, she didn’t suffer from any abnormal symptoms after ten minutes, so she injected the cure for Trevor.
Another ten minutes had passed before Trevor’s heart was beating again and his vital signs fell again into the normal range. At that, Elise let out a sigh of relief.
At the same time, Elijah’s lackeys escorted a man whose face was covered by a hood into the room. Elijah took off the hood and revealed Claude’s face.
Seeing the light of day, Claude blinked a few times to adjust to the light in the room. However, he changed his mind when he saw Elise. “Hey! I’m taking your order, not hers! Are you expecting me to operate on her family?”
“The money’s already in your account. Either do the operation or die. A friendly reminder, though—I won’t have mercy on you,” Elijah said with a lopsided smile.
Claude took a look at Elise before turning back to Elijah and finally compromising. He didn’t have a second choice as Elijah’s offer was too worthy to give up on.
At last, Trevor had woken up not long after he was pushed out of the operating room.
Outside his room, Elise stopped Elijah and asked straight to the point, “Do you still have the medicine? Name your price.”
At her request, a meaningful smile spread on his face. “Elise, I don’t need your money.”
“Then, we count it as me owing you a favor. You can ask for my help in the future at any time.” Elise was losing her patience at that point. “Either that, or you name your condition. I’ll do it as long as it isn’t beyond my abilities.”
Taking a deep breath, Elijah stated airily with backed shoulders and raised chin, “I want you to divorce Alexander and marry me.”
She expected him to ask for it, but she wasn’t going to accept it easily. “I can’t. I’ll never marry a person I don’t love,” she answered him quickly with a determined look, to which Elijah said impatiently, “Then, perhaps you don’t love Alexander as much as you think.”
After pondering for a moment, she spoke calmly at last. “I will follow him to the grave.”