Ch. 701..710
Chapter 701: What’s wrong with this man today?
“Yeah, that Old Fox, Richard Lopez, didn’t get much advantage against our CEO’s Wife.”
“Originally, we were worried that the CEO’s Wife would suffer a loss, so we were waiting around just in case something went wrong. We would immediately appear to protect her. But unexpectedly, the CEO’s Wife just opened her mouth and made Richard Lopez speechless in a few words.”
Everyone in the office was extremely impressed.
Someone whispered, “I used to think that with our CEO’s temper, it was already a blessing for him to find a wife. Only our CEO’s Wife can put up with him. Now, I think they are really a perfect match.”
“That’s right! This isn’t the CEO’s Wife putting up with the CEO; this is a perfect match!”
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone agreed.
Together, they had such a strong impact.
Adrian Zhekova was strong, decisive, and precise in his attacks.
Cindy Clarke could completely shut people up with just a few words.
Together, they were a perfect pair!
Now that they saw it, everyone thought Cindy Clarke was perfect for Adrian Zhekova!
From now on, they didn’t feel sorry for Cindy at all.
She and Adrian Zhekova were truly a great match!
“Keep your voices down, don’t let the CEO know,” someone reminded them.
For a while, the workers at Pingla stopped discussing and moved on to talk about other things.
“What do we eat for lunch?”
“Where should we go for lunch?”
They absolutely did not discuss anything about the CEO and the CEO’s Wife anymore.
Of course, from now on, no one felt sorry for the CEO’s Wife.
When Adrian Zhekova and Cindy Clarke were together, it was difficult for others, not for them.
***
Adrian Zhekova and Cindy Clarke were in the elevator.
This time, the two of them were in Adrian Zhekova’s private elevator, and no one disturbed them.
Adrian Zhekova held the lunch box in one hand and held Cindy Clarke’s hand in the other.
He kept looking down at her.
Cindy felt a little uneasy and touched her face: “Why do you keep staring at me? What are you staring at?”
“I’m looking at how you’re so smart and quick-witted. Just look at how you shut Richard Lopez up,” Adrian Zhekova whispered.
He still found Richard Lopez’s reaction hilarious.
Cindy touched herself again: “Can you see that just by looking?”
Adrian Zhekova seriously thought for a moment, but his eyes still did not move away from Cindy’s face.
“I can’t see how your brain works so well and how smart you are,” Adrian Zhekova laughed softly, “but I can see that our little Cindy is very pretty.”
Cindy’s face immediately turned red.
Although this man had said quite a few cheesy lines to her before, this was the first time he had complimented her looks.
Feeling her cheeks burning, Cindy heard Adrian Zhekova say, “I can also see that this little mouth of yours, the one that can infuriate people, is also very delicious.”
Cindy: “!!!”
What kind of lewd words were these?!
This was still in the elevator; even if there weren’t any people around, there were still cameras in it.
His eyes were burning as he looked at her, making her feel a little overwhelmed, and her legs turned weak.
It wasn’t that Cindy didn’t trust Adrian Zhekova; she didn’t trust herself now.
She was afraid that she would lose control of herself and throw herself at Adrian Zhekova right here in the elevator.
But Adrian Zhekova seemed to have no idea about Cindy’s inner struggle and efforts. Instead, he turned to face her.
He was extremely close to her, his toes almost touching hers.
But seemingly still not satisfied, he moved forward a little more.
Now their feet were on the outside of Cindy’s feet.
It was as if he had embedded her within his embrace.
The hand holding Cindy’s hand changed position slightly, his long fingers threading through her fingertips one by one until their hands were clasped together, firmly intertwined.
Their hands were locked together like a lock, leaving Cindy unable to pull her hand back.
“If the three people from the Lopez Family hear what you said, they’ll probably be furious,” Adrian Zhekova’s words made Cindy a little less tense.
She couldn’t help but show a bit of schadenfreude. After all, the angry ones were the Lopez Family, not them. Cindy didn’t feel any pressure or guilt.
“But only I can eat this little mouth that can infuriate people with its words,” Adrian Zhekova suddenly said.
Cindy: “!!!”
What was wrong with this man today?
Listen to him talk like this, it’s simply hard to stand it!
Adrian Zhekova himself couldn’t quite say what was going on with him.
When he heard that the Lopez Family was coming to Pingla, he had been prepared for a confrontation. He knew that the three people from the Lopez Family had come for a specific reason, so he had deliberately ignored them.
After giving them the cold shoulder for a while, he would explain the situation to them and let them know why he was targeting them.
However, even if he explained, he never thought about letting them off the hook easily.
If everyone who provoked the Zhekova Family could get off so easily, wouldn’t everyone dare to touch the Zhekova Family’s tiger whiskers from now on?
Wouldn’t everyone dare to bully Cindy?
So no matter what Adrian Zhekova said, he would not let the Lopez Family off easily.
He had no intention of bankrupting the Lopez Family. After all, if everyone who provoked the Zhekova Family were bankrupted, there would probably be only a few families left outside of the Big Eight families in Belfard.
If someone provoked him, it would depend on the extent of their offense.
For a situation like Edward Lopez’s shortsighted actions, he would only let the Lopez Family suffer some losses.
He wouldn’t really bankrupt the Lopez Family.
After all, the Lopez Family had a certain strength in Belfard. If they wanted to bankrupt the Lopez Family, it would take a lot of effort.
Moreover, even if the Lopez Family were bankrupted, there would be no benefit to the Zhekova Family.
,p>It would probably be on the level of harming the enemy a thousand and harming oneself a hundred.
However, even if he didn’t really bankrupt the Lopez Family, he wanted to hurt them enough to leave them crippled.
He wanted the Lopez Family to feel the pain and never dare to provoke Cindy again.
Even so, the Lopez Family would probably be heartbroken.
That’s why they came to look for Adrian Zhekova right away.
Adrian Zhekova had already prepared to be harrassed by the Lopez Family for a while.
Even if he ignored them, he couldn’t stop them from coming to Pingla’s gate every day to make trouble.
If they didn’t see Adrian Zhekova, they would wait at the gate of Pingla. Even if Adrian Zhekova didn’t see them, he couldn’t stop them from coming.
However, he didn’t expect that they would meet Cindy, and that she would drive them away with just a few words.
Adrian Zhekova couldn’t help but laugh. How could this girl be so capable? She was too amazing!
Richard Lopez probably hated her even more now.
She, who always provoked others’ hatred, was as obedient as a rabbit in front of him.
Chapter 702: Chapter 702: Unfinished Business
Adrian felt that he was receiving preferential treatment from Cindy, and he had a feeling of being protected by her.
He looked down at her, and her lips that could attract hatred in some people’s eyes were incredibly tempting to him.
Adrian lowered his head and, without any surprise, his lips landed on Cindy’s.
Adrian was holding one of Cindy’s hands, and he couldn’t embrace her with the other hand because he was holding a food container.
If Cindy wanted to dodge, she could have.
But she didn’t.
Why would she avoid her husband’s kiss?
Although the monitor in the elevator made her feel embarrassed, it wasn’t against the law.
Adrian had barely kissed her when the elevator stopped.
Before the door opened, Cindy quickly pinched Adrian’s hand to make him let go.
There were no people in the elevator, but there were people outside.
It’s clear that Adrian wasn’t satisfied yet.
However, sensing Cindy’s hint, he obediently released her lips.
But he still held her hand, and when they left the elevator, he quickly pulled her back to the office.
They sat down on the sofa, and Adrian placed the food container on the coffee table.
He then directly embraced Cindy into his arms.
Cindy was caught off guard, completely unexpected.
She thought that the kiss in the elevator was over, but she didn’t realize that he still had lingering thoughts.
It was just an interruption, not an end.
Adrian’s grip became stronger, forcing Cindy to lean back.
Initially, he was leaning against the couch, but somehow, with Adrian pressing against her, by the time she came to her senses, she was already lying on the couch, completely under Adrian.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Cindy grabbed Adrian’s shirt.
The company’s interior was warm, probably around 24 or 25 degrees Celsius.
So even though it was cold and windy outside, Adrian only needed to wear a shirt in the company and didn’t need a coat.
Cindy had wrinkled his shirt, and the collar was inadvertently pulled askew by her, revealing his delicate collarbone.
Adrian’s collarbone emerged from the disarrayed collar.
Adrian loosened his grip on her slightly, his lips slightly parted, breathing heavily and hurriedly.
His dark eyes became even deeper, as if covered with a thin layer of mist, and his cheeks were even a bit red.
Adrian’s skin was pale, not as exaggerated as Cindy’s, but still pale among men.
Male actors needed makeup to look pale, but Cindy guessed that Adrian didn’t need it.
His natural skin color was bright enough, and his skin was also good – it was hard to see pores, even up close, which was quite impressive for a man.
Because of his pale skin, the red on Adrian’s cheeks seemed even more prominent.
Cindy didn’t know if Adrian knew how seductive he looked at this moment.
She could hardly control herself.
Looking at his wrinkled shirt, the crooked collar, and the exposed delicate collarbone.
Cindy’s trembling fingertips gently traced over his collarbone, and eventually reached his seductive red cheek.
Adrian’s cheeks were as hot as they appeared.
Cindy felt that if Adrian didn’t distance himself soon, she might attack him instead.
Seeing Adrian’s eyes growing even darker, Cindy shivered and said, “Aren’t you going to eat?”
At this moment, Adrian had a dizzy feeling.
He automatically interpreted Cindy’s “Do you want to eat?” as “Do you want to eat me?”
So Adrian didn’t hesitate and lowered his head to lock lips with Cindy again.
The more he thought about how sharp and infuriating Cindy could be when dealing with others, yet how docile she was in his arms, the more Adrian couldn’t help but want to crush her into his very bones.
This infuriating girl was his and his alone.
She was only gentle and soft with him, a side that others would never see.
The more he thought about it, the more proud and triumphant Adrian felt.
His chest swelled with an intense sense of pride and accomplishment.
He became even more reluctant to let go of Cindy, and in the end, she was bewilderedly pinned down on the office sofa in broad daylight.
By the end, Cindy was drenched in sweat.
Her clothes were still intact, just disheveled.
She slapped Adrian’s chest with annoyance, but not much force.
It’s not that Cindy felt sorry for him or didn’t want to use more force.
It’s just that she really didn’t have any strength left.
Her hands and feet were all trembling and shivering.
Adrian didn’t feel hungry at all, and he felt a tremendous satisfaction from body to heart.
Now, he just wanted to laze on the sofa, hold Cindy, and do nothing else, and not get up.
Thankfully, his office sofa was large and spacious.
Although Cindy had no strength left, her rationality was gradually returning.
She gently poked Adrian’s ribs and asked, “Why did you suddenly do that?”
Pulling her in broad daylight in the office, on the sofa
Cindy felt extremely embarrassed, as if she couldn’t face anyone anymore.
Especially because this was the office where he worked all day.
Every day, many people from employees to executives, as well as clients, would come to his office and sit on this sofa.
And they were doing this here, how inappropriate!
Adrian gathered her long hair, and the fine strands stuck to her cheeks with sweat were also smoothed out by him.
Adrian pecked her nose and said, “I just couldn’t help myself, especially when I saw how cleverly you dealt with the Lopez family earlier. You were so impolite to outsiders but so well-behaved in front of me. I couldn’t help but want to crush you into my bones.”
Adrian honestly expressed his thoughts, but these words couldn’t fully convey even a tenth of what he felt.
Cindy’s face turned red, but she felt she didn’t have the standing to complain about Adrian.
After all, she was also taken in by his charm and had little resistance or willpower in front of him.
So, after saying this sentence, she said nothing more.
It’s just that she was weak and sweaty, which made her feel uncomfortable.
Cindy rubbed herself against him and said, “The food must be cold now.”
Adrian thought of the elaborate lunch that Cindy had prepared for him. Even if it was in a thermal food container, it was probably cold by now.
Adrian quickly said, “It’s okay, I can go heat it up.”
Adrian still didn’t want to let her go, but he couldn’t stay like this forever.
Cindy was still urging him to eat.
Adrian said, “Why don’t you take a shower first?”
Chapter 703: Chapter 703: Like a Fully Fed Big Lion
His office had a spacious restroom, complete with a dedicated shower area.
Of course, it couldn’t compare to his home’s, as it lacked a bathtub.
There was just a glass-enclosed shower stall.
Cindy nodded her head, feeling quite uncomfortable. Moreover, if she came out sweaty and exposed herself to the cold outdoors, the change in temperature could easily make her sick.
So, Adrian got up and helped Cindy, whose hands and legs were slightly trembling.
Just as she was trying to stand up, she abruptly gave out and sat back down.
Busy with supporting her, Adrian offered, “How about I carry you there?”
“I can do it myself,” Cindy swiftly replied without hesitation.
Having said that, she stood up again, albeit with some difficulty.
“I was just caught off guard just now, but I’m prepared now, I can do it,” she said while making her way to the restroom.
Though her legs felt shaky, it was not so bad that she could not walk.
She felt like she had run a long-distance race, experiencing fatigue in her legs after a race, but knowing that she will recover after a while.
Cindy took a shower in Adrian’s office restroom, only rinsing off sweat and not taking a full-on bath, done quickly in two to three minutes.
Fresh and dry, she stepped out.
However, she found the office empty.
Adrian was nowhere to be found.
She had been in the office for so long, accustomed to its smell, that she didn’t think much about it.
But after taking a shower in the restroom, all she could smell in there was shower gel.
Afterward, the smell in the office seemed especially intense.
The moment Cindy caught a whiff, she blushed and hurried to crack open a window to let the smell ventilate.
Otherwise, in the afternoon, when someone came to see Adrian in his office, they could instantly figure out what had happened.
How embarrassing would that be!
Cindy opened the windows a bit more to accelerate ventilation.
Luckily, it was warm inside the office, so she didn’t feel cold even with the windows opened.
On the contrary, it helped her to compose herself, her complexion returning to normal and no longer flushing with heat.
At this time, Cindy finally found a moment to carefully inspect the office.
It was then that she noticed the food box that Adrian had originally put on the coffee table was missing. Presumably, Adrian had taken the food box to reheat their lunch.
What Cindy didn’t know was that when Adrian was heating up lunch in the pantry with the food box in hand, Sheldon and some of the colleagues from the Secretary Room saw him.
They were puzzled why Adrian had not eaten yet — he had been in the office for quite some time before he finally brought out the meal to heat it up.
However, everyone consciously refrained from asking about it.
Although they didn’t ask, they were all sneakily watching with curiosity.
Once Adrian finished heating their meal, he picked up the food box and headed back to the office, a smile gracing his lips.
His satisfied demeanour didn’t resemble that of someone who hadn’t eaten lunch yet, but rather a content lion who had eaten and drunk his fill, leisurely swaying his tail.
Just as Cindy was assessing how well the smell in the office had dispersed, the door opened again.
Startled, Cindy quickly turned around to find Adrian entering with the lunch box in hand.
Relieved, Cindy hurriedly asked Adrian, “How is it, can you smell anything unusual in the office?”
With an understanding smile, Adrian replied, “The smell has faded considerably.”
“So, it’s still there,” blushing, Cindy responded, “Let’s keep the windows open for a while longer.”
“I also have some men’s perfume here. If needed, we can give it a spritz,” Adrian suggested.
Even someone as thick-skinned as him wasn’t keen on letting others smell their former acts.
Then he pulled Cindy to sit, “Let’s eat.”
Cindy sat uneasily, the memories of the acts she had indulged in with Adrian on the sofa earlier making her feel uncomfortable.
With a teasing smile, Adrian asked, “Is the sofa too hot?”
Annoyed, Cindy pinched his arm but Adrian’s arm muscles were so well-built that it didn’t hurt him at all.
He had a fitness room at home after all, and Cindy had frequently seen Adrian training there.
She was used to his muscular physique and knew that her pinches wouldn’t cause him any pain.
She merely wanted to express her displeasure.
Fearing that he had made fun of her too much, Adrian restrained his teasing, asking, “Hungry, are we?”
Cindy nodded, “I am, somewhat.”
Especially following the recent physical exertion, she felt her stomach empty and seemed capable of eating more than usual.
Luckily, when Cindy was preparing Adrian’s lunch, she considered the commute from home to Pingla, which required time.
Some dishes that didn’t taste good after sitting out for too long were not prepared.
Only those dishes that would effectively retain their taste even after a while were made.
So even if some time had passed since then, and Adrian had reheated the food, the dishes still smelled inviting.
This morning, Billy Houston had delivered the proposal for the Spring Festival Special Program,” Adrian informed her, “Since the Pingla Competition coincides with the Spring Festival, and there’s no competition during the festival, it’s a great chance for promotion.”
“So, it’s a tradition to organize a special Spring Festival event not live-streamed but recorded, during every Pingla Competition.”
“The show is recorded two days before Chinese New Year’s Eve and is scheduled to air on the fifth day of the month. As it’s a special program, it’s not live-streamed. However, due to the large audience, it will be held at the Wells Cultural Center,” Adrian explained.
“In addition to the top 10 contestants like you, there is an Internet voting event to select the contestants whom netizens wish to return for preparing a New Year’s Eve Dinner.”
“This time it won’t be a competition. As it’s the New Year, the focus is on joy and entertainment.”
Adrian, with a laugh, said, “You should start thinking about what dishes you wish to prepare.”
“You informed me in advance, is that okay?” Cindy asked with a smile.
Adrian replied laughingly, “It’s not really giving you an unfair advantage. After all, all participants shall be informed in advance. The online voting event started half a month back, and the results are already out. All selected contestants were informed. They all were apprised about the format of the special program as well.”
“Not only you but they too have prior information and can prepare accordingly.”
Cindy understood Adrian; she knew he wouldn’t leak the competition questions to her ahead of time if it had been an important contest.
Fortunately, as there were no competitions, Cindy was getting too idle recently.
She could now ponder over the dishes to prepare, which gave her something to look forward to.
Cindy became enthusiastic and was absolutely thrilled.
Chapter 704: Chapter 704: No Need to Be Polite with Me
At the Lopez Family, Richard Lopez urged Edward Lopez to contact Wendy Clarke right away.
Not a single second could be wasted, as every second of delay would cost them their own money.
So Edward quickly contacted Wendy Clarke.
After this incident, Richard wasn’t very confident in leaving the matter entirely to Edward to handle, in case it might lead to more trouble if not handled well.
However, Richard also felt that if he were to directly contact Wendy, it would seem as if he held her in too high regard. Wendy was simply not worth his time to deal with personally.
Yet, Richard couldn’t trust Edward to handle the matter alone.
In the end, he decided to go with Mrs. Lopez to accompany Edward.
However, they stayed in the background without letting others see their faces, so the encounter was only between Edward and Wendy.
They agreed to meet at a tea room.
The atmosphere of the tea room was tranquil and pleasing.
As soon as you entered, you could smell the faint aroma of tea.
Richard frequently conducted business meetings in this place.
A fair number of businessmen like Richard preferred this refined environment.
They felt that the act of drinking tea was a cultured and elegant activity.
The ambiance of this place was exceptional. Naturally, as a place chosen by Richard for business discussions, it was quite upscale.
It was not like an ordinary tea restaurant serving tea and snacks, nor a bustling teahouse where people chatted over tea with loud voices.
Upon entering, you would subconsciously lower your voice no matter what you said.
In addition to private rooms, there were also elegant seats in the main hall, each separated from the next.
Although the privacy and sound insulation were not as good as in the private rooms, there was ample spacing between the seats.
Aside from that, guests would instinctively speak softly, so the noise levels between the seats were not too high.
Nowadays, more people go to cafés for coffee than specialized tea houses like this, which don’t have the traditional customs of Sichuan like bustling teahouses.
Besides, people in Belfard who struggle to make a living have high levels of stress and can’t often find such peaceful places to enjoy themselves.
As a result, there were not many customers in this teahouse. The reason it could still survive and make a decent profit was not only because it sold high-quality tea but also because of businessmen like Richard coming here for work-related meetings.
Since Richard wanted to listen in on the conversation between Edward and Wendy without being seen by her, they decided not to go to a private room.
Instead, they chose a secluded corner in the main hall. Fortunately, there were no other customers in the teahouse, just them.
So Richard and Mrs. Lopez sat in the far corner.
Edward chose the elegant seat next to Richard and Mrs. Lopez.
They hadn’t been waiting for long when the waiter led Wendy to their table.
The moment Wendy sat down in front of Edward, she said in disbelief, “I never thought you would take the initiative to ask me out, Young Master Lopez.”
Wendy was being honest.
After the incident at the party that night, she had witnessed how humiliating the entire situation was for Edward.
Considering how much Edward cared about saving face, Wendy had prepared herself for the possibility that they would never interact again.
Unexpectedly, Edward had called her today and invited her out.
This truly surprised Wendy.
Besides, Edward’s attitude was surprisingly good, as if he had completely forgotten the embarrassing events from that night.
It was as though nothing had happened at the party.
Wendy was genuinely astonished.
On her way there, she speculated on the reasons but couldn’t come up with any explanation.
It couldn’t possibly be that Edward had discovered he actually liked her and decided to overlook the embarrassment of that night, could it?
While on her way here, Wendy couldn’t help but think that there might be some truth to that.
Although Edward had known many women and enjoyed the company of young models and online celebrities, Wendy was still confident in her beauty.
In her opinion, her face was no worse than any of those internet celebrities.
Moreover, she had her own career, was independent and capable, which was not something those online personalities could compete with.
After considering all of this, it seemed reasonable and normal that Edward might find her more attractive.
So Wendy confidently arrived at the teahouse, sitting down across from Edward.
Edward had no idea of Wendy’s thoughts, let alone her puzzling self-confidence.
All Edward wanted now was to settle the matter at home quickly, or else it wouldn’t just be about Richard forgiving him or not.
The entire Lopez Family would be done for.
“I contacted you because I wanted to discuss something with you,” Edward got straight to the point.
Wendy, surprised, asked, “What do you want to discuss with me?”
Was it to warn her not to reveal what happened at the party that night?
But Wendy was no fool, and of course, she wouldn’t disclose such information.
Even now, she didn’t dare bring up the subject herself.
So she simply pretended that night’s events didn’t happen, as if she had long forgotten about them.
Edward didn’t answer her question but instead asked, “How is your restaurant project coming along?”
Wendy still had many unanswered questions, but with Edward suddenly asking this, she had to suppress her curiosity and answer, “The location has been decided, and we are now recruiting waitstaff, cleaning staff, kitchen staff, administrative managers, lobby managers, and so on. We need to gather all of them.”
“In addition, we are also applying for various licenses. There is no shortage of talent in Belfard, so it won’t be difficult to find people. The main concern is finding a reputable head chef.”
Edward then said, “If there’s anything you need help with concerning the restaurant, don’t hesitate to ask me.”
Wendy was genuinely shocked.
Edward had suddenly become so amiable and even offered his help voluntarily.
She had previously tried to build a good relationship with Edward not only for the sake of marrying into a wealthy family but also for the convenience he could provide.
However, throughout their various interactions, Edward had never brought up any such offers.
Now, when Wendy thought they parted ways for good, he had actually taken the initiative to mention it.
Even if they were merely polite words, he had at least actively brought up those polite words now, something he had never done before.
Wendy didn’t take his words seriously and just smiled, “Thanks, Young Master Lopez.”
She thought that everything was going smoothly so far and that there was nothing she needed his help with.
However, if she needed help, she would not hesitate to treat his polite words as sincere ones.
Unexpectedly, Edward said, “I’m not being polite. I sincerely mean it. Just let me know if you need anything. Don’t be shy.”
Chapter 705: Chapter 705: You really do have a way to thank me
“The documents you’re working on, my family could get them for you right away with just a word.”
Edward Lopez was rather confident. His family wasn’t as powerful as Adrian Zhekova’s, but dealing with Wendy Clarke was no issue at all for him.
Wendy was genuinely surprised this time.
What was going on with Edward?
Why was he being so nice all of a sudden?
Could it be that Edward really wanted to start a formal relationship with her?
Once such an idea emerged in Wendy’s mind, she began to ponder.
She slightly lowered her head, revealing her most charming angle.
This angle was the most flattering one she discovered after looking in the mirror, as well as taking selfies, and so on.
She then lifted her hand, brushing her long hair behind her ear.
She then smiled at Edward, a shy and seemingly uncertain smile, one that had always worked wonders for her.
Especially during business dealings, it easily lowered the other party’s guard and made them feel pity for her.
Edward, being an experienced man, understood Wendy’s intentions right away.
He let out a mocking smile but made no effort to explain or clear up Wendy’s misunderstanding.
“Then I must thank you, Young Master Lopez. If I could have your help, my work in Belfard would be much smoother and surprisingly efficient,” Wendy said softly.
“No need to be so polite. You took care of me a lot back in Nork City as well,” Edward said. “I’m not the kind of person who takes advantage without giving anything in return.”
Wendy thought to herself that it was actually Ella Doone who had taken care of him in Nork City. She hadn’t done much herself.
Of course, she often invited Edward and Ella, among others, to her restaurant to dine and even prepared occasional gifts for them.
This was because she wanted to use Ella and Edward’s power to advance her own interests, and saw their relationship as one of mutual benefit.
But compared to the expenses that Ella incurred, Wendy didn’t spend much.
She didn’t know if there were any hidden deals between Ella and Edward, but all their expenses in Nork City were taken care of by Ella.
So Wendy didn’t believe Edward’s words about returning the favor now.
Edward couldn’t be this considerate and polite.
If that was really the case, he would have already come to Belfard and offered to help with the restaurant there.
So Wendy became even more convinced that it had to do with Edward’s interest in her.
“What I did in Nork City was nothing. But now that you’re willing to help, I really do have to thank you,” Wendy said with a smile.
“Just tell me what you need,” Edward said. It seemed he wanted to hear what Wendy needed his help with today.
Upon hearing this, Wendy got straight to the point, “The main thing is those documents. I hope they can be processed quickly. Also, finding an interior design and construction company – it would be great if we could negotiate a discounted price.”
Naturally, Wendy wanted to save on costs as much as possible.
“Of course, the most important issue is finding a talented and well-known chef. It’s actually quite difficult. While there are many talented people in Belfard, there’s also fierce competition and countless restaurants. There are many restaurants, but genuinely excellent chefs are scarce. To make a restaurant last long, you need good service and delicious food.”
“Being new here, I have no idea where to start looking. If you have any connections and can introduce me to some reliable chefs, that would be wonderful.”
“That’s not a problem,” Edward agreed without hesitation. “Although my family doesn’t do business in the catering industry, we have plenty of contacts and connections in Belfard. This kind of thing is no problem for me.”
Wendy thought that since Edward was being so accommodating, she should put forward some demands.
Whether he simply wanted a relationship or just wanted to sleep with her, Edward couldn’t possibly help her for no reason.
Though they hadn’t known each other for very long, Wendy was well aware of this fact.
So she asked hesitantly, “Young Master Lopez, I don’t know how to thank you for all your help.”
Speaking, Wendy reached out her hand, her soft fingertips gently touching the back of Edward’s hand.
They slid, like a feather, lightly back and forth twice.
Then, she gently covered most of his hand with hers.
Wendy’s fingertips and palm were warm and delicately soft.
The soft touch of her palm on the back of Edward’s hand gave a tantalizing and provocative sensation.
However, at this moment, Edward wasn’t in the mood to indulge in a game of flirtation with Wendy and compare who was more skillful at charming the other.
Instead, he simply gripped Wendy’s hand in return.
Nothing more, just to stop her from using other tricks to seduce him further.
Moreover, since Wendy was offering herself up, he might as well take advantage. Holding her hand for a short while was no big deal, especially since his brother, Richard Lopez, and Mrs. Lopez couldn’t see them from their seats in the back.
Wendy, on the other hand, was pleasantly surprised. Didn’t Edward’s reaction indicate that he was interested in her?
During previous encounters between the two, they had flirted with each other, with Wendy occasionally casting seductive glances at Edward while Edward would occasionally touch Wendy’s shoulder or waist.
But those instances were brief and didn’t last long.
Flirting is all about keeping a certain distance and subtlety, isn’t it?
Brush against each other for just a moment and then pull away, creating an itch in one’s heart.
A-They had never been as close as they were now, with Edward holding onto her hand so assuredly and with no intention of letting go.
B-Didn’t this clearly express his intentions?
So Wendy smiled happily, even deliberately making her expression more coy and flirtatious.
Although Edward couldn’t compare to Adrian, he was still the best man Wendy had met since coming to Belfard.
Even if she wanted to find a better partner, she would have to wait for another opportunity.
For now, Wendy intended to secure her relationship with Edward.
Although she couldn’t forget the humiliating events of that party, at least Edward’s image in her heart wasn’t as untouchable as it had been.
Because of what happened that night, Edward’s position in her heart had diminished.
Unbeknownst to Wendy, her attitude towards Edward had become less ingratiating without her even realizing it.
Wendy’s words were clearly implying that although she didn’t know how to thank Edward, she could offer herself to him in return.
Who would have thought that Edward, in turn, would smile flirtatiously at Wendy and say, “You know what, you really do have a way to thank me.”
Chapter 706: Chapter 706: I’ll be the Bad Guy
Wendy Clarke raised her eyebrows slightly, feeling a tacit understanding with Edward Lopez and guessing what he wanted to say.
But then she heard Edward Lopez say, “I remember you saying that you don’t have a good relationship with Cindy Clarke.”
Wendy raised her eyebrows. Why did the conversation turn to Cindy all of a sudden?
What did their issue have to do with Cindy?
Edward Lopez couldn’t tell her that it was because the Lopez Family had offended Adrian Zhekova.
“I recall that you seem to have some kind of leverage over Cindy, a very important one, which, if revealed, could subdue her,” Edward Lopez continued.
Wendy’s eyes shifted, her initial enthusiasm cooling by half. She chuckled and said, “How did we end up talking about Cindy again?”
Wendy withdrew her hand from Edward’s grip: “Young Master Lopez, haven’t you given up on Cindy yet? Are you trying to use the leverage I have to threaten her and get her to be with you…”
She didn’t finish her sentence.
But her meaning was clear.
Edward Lopez knew Cindy was Adrian Zhekova’s wife, yet he still dared to harbor feelings for her.
On one hand, Wendy was amazed by Edward’s persistence with Cindy. On the other hand, she was somewhat resentful.
She thought that Cindy was nothing special, not a beauty that lingered in one’s memory.
Edward Lopez had met countless women and had worldly experience. Why was he so fixated on Cindy?
Could it be that he felt the best things were the ones he couldn’t get, and that’s why he was so desperate to try?
But did he really need to risk everything, including the entire Lopez Family to test it out?
All for just one woman, was he willing to take such a great risk?
If he dared lay a finger on Cindy, Adrian Zhekova wouldn’t let him off the hook.
That night at the party, Edward didn’t know Cindy’s identity before he tried to flirt with her. As a result, Adrian was furious, and Edward was forced to beg for forgiveness.
If Edward really did anything to Cindy, Adrian wouldn’t let him go, even if it was just to protect his own pride as a man.
Edward must have had incredible courage to discard all his caution for the sake of lust.
Did Cindy really have that much charm to make Edward act so recklessly?
Wendy thought of how much effort she had put into luring Edward, only for Cindy to catch his eye and become unforgettable after just one glimpse.
Wendy was indignant, feeling it was unfair.
She couldn’t understand how Cindy, who was just an ordinary-looking woman, could have such power to captivate men and leave them pining for her like a seductive fox spirit.
“Of course not,” Edward Lopez hastened to say.
He thought of his parents listening in the background. If they knew he still had feelings for Cindy, they would never let him off!
Wendy was quite imaginative.
Edward Lopez said, “I’m no longer interested in Cindy.”
“Then what do you want that leverage for?” Wendy immediately asked.
She wasn’t so easily deceived.
Edward Lopez replied, “I naturally hope Cindy can help me promote some cooperation with the Zhekova Family.”
“As you know, it’s difficult to find opportunities to collaborate with The Big Eight Families because of their high status. But if I can truly find such an opportunity, I want to seize it. Even if I can’t facilitate cooperation between our families, getting Cindy to let go of the party incident would be good enough,” Edward explained.
Edward chuckled, “As long as you tell me the leverage you have on Cindy, we’ll be like two people sharing one piece of information—partners in the same boat.”
“You’ve just arrived in Belfard, and if you want to develop here, you’ll need many resources and connections. Opening a restaurant in Belfard isn’t as simple as it is in Nork City.”
“Belfard is a big city with complex connections. In Nork City, it’s easier to connect with various channels, but it’s not the same in Belfard. If you want to contact someone responsible for a certain matter, you won’t be able to. If you want to get things done more smoothly, but you don’t have the means nor introductions, who will help you?”
“There are too many families in Belfard, and in their eyes, you’re just a newcomer from a small place. No one will take you seriously.”
“But with our family’s help, it’ll be different. I can recommend many resources and introduce you to many people, some of which you wouldn’t be able to meet on your own,” Edward continued.
“The documents you mentioned earlier—the recruitment, the renovation—are all minor issues to me. I can even help with much more significant matters.”
“Indeed, compared to Adrian Zhekova, I’m nothing. Compared to the Zhekova Family, my family is nothing. But, to be honest, there are only eight such families in the country,” Edward reasoned.
“The Big Eight Families are special; nobody can compare to them. Aside from them, our Lopez Family is quite influential. Whatever you want to achieve, you don’t need the Zhekova Family’s assistance—a collaboration with me is enough.”
“That’s why I said we’re partners. As long as you share your leverage on Cindy with me, I can help you with anything,” Edward confidently declared.
“Young Master Lopez,” Wendy interjected, “you said you needed that leverage to work with the Zhekova Family. Since I have that leverage, I could ask Cindy to help me achieve what you promised. I don’t need to trouble you, and we don’t need to share the leverage.”
Edward laughed, “What I want to cooperate with the Zhekova Family on is different. Honestly, what you need to achieve now is very simple and doesn’t require the Zhekova Family.”
“Our needs are different. Whether your restaurant is in its early stages or has become well-established in Belfard as a popular venue, what you want to accomplish can still be satisfied by our family,” Edward explained.
Put simply, no matter how hard Wendy tried, she could never reach the level of the Lopez Family. Hence, no matter what she wanted to do, the Lopez Family could help her.
Wendy’s demands would never exceed the Lopez Family’s capabilities.
Edward didn’t put it bluntly, leaving Wendy some dignity.
However, Wendy understood his implied meaning.
“Besides, if I’m not mistaken, your relationship with Cindy isn’t good,” Edward reminded her. “Rather than threatening her, you should try to mend your relationship with her.”
“After all, you two are sisters, and you have advantages that others don’t,” Edward added.
“Let me be the bad guy while you achieve your goals,” he concluded.
Chapter 707: Chapter 707: Cooperation
“With your relationship with Cindy, if you directly ask her for help, regardless of whether it’s for everything related to opening a restaurant in Belfard or for helping you expand your connections and introducing some opportunities, she probably won’t help you.”
Wendy Clarke couldn’t deny this.
That night at the party, Cindy’s attitude towards Wendy was very clear.
Moreover, before that, Wendy didn’t even know that Cindy had married Adrian Zhekova.
Can this be called a good relationship?
“Are you going to repeatedly use your leverage to threaten her?” Edward Lopez chuckled, “Good steel should be used on the cutting edge, and leverage should be used on important matters.”
“If you use your leverage on trivial matters, it will become worthless,” Edward said.
“So-called equal exchange, what you need Cindy to do for you must be worth the leverage you have in your hands. It’s not appropriate to use your leverage to exchange for trivial matters.”
“What do you mean by trivial matters? For example, the things you mentioned earlier about opening a store, to me, those are all insignificant matters, not worth mentioning.” Edward spoke with great confidence.
Those things that Wendy found difficult, she still needed to find people to help with.
To Edward’s eyes, these things were not even worth mentioning.
It would even be annoying to talk about them.
It’s embarrassing to have to ask for help with such small matters, let alone solve them yourself.
“If you need to rely on threatening Cindy to solve these small matters, what will you do when you encounter bigger and more difficult situations in the future?”
“Are you going to take out your leverage time and time again? Or do you have a lot of leverage?”
Edward chuckled, “But in my opinion, whether you have one piece of leverage or many, the effect is the same. Even if you threaten her once and change the leverage, the result is the same.”
“At that time, what Cindy will see in your eyes is not how much leverage you have changed, but how many endless threats you have made.”
“How long do you think Cindy can tolerate you?”
“If you only have this one leverage, it will be even more difficult. Relying on this one leverage to threaten her again and again, how long do you think she can tolerate you?”
“One day, Cindy will get tired of being threatened by you, and she will no longer accept your threats. What will she do to deal with you?”
“After all, Cindy is Adrian Zhekova’s wife and can be considered part of the Zhekova family. Just like you want her to help you because you value her connection and means as a daughter-in-law of the Zhekova family.”
“But similarly, with her connection and means as a daughter-in-law of the Zhekova family, it would be relatively simple to retaliate against you and make you speechless.”
“Are you afraid of me?” For some reason, Edward suddenly changed his tone and quietly asked Wendy.
Wendy’s expression changed unconsciously, not understanding Edward’s meaning, so she asked cautiously, “Young Master Lopez, what do you mean by this?”
“You don’t need to be nervous.” Edward smiled easily, “I don’t want to do anything to you. I just wanted to ask you if you would be afraid if I were really angry and wanted to deal with you.”
“But, looking at your reaction, I know your answer already.” Edward confidently stated.
It was evident Wendy was afraid.
That’s why her reaction was so intense and so nervous.
So, even on the day of the party when she saw him lose face, Wendy didn’t dare to underestimate him.
Because Wendy knew that dealing with her would be too easy for Edward.
Wendy was at least still a little sensible and had this much self-awareness.
“To you, crushing you is as simple as crushing an ant,” Edward said.
“You don’t need to take offense at what I said.” Edward chuckled, “Because the Zhekova family crushing me is as simple as crushing an ant. As a daughter-in-law of the Zhekova family, it would be easy for Cindy to deal with me.”
“You can count for yourself. Dealing with you is already so easy for me, and Cindy, who can deal with me just as easily, would easily capture you, wouldn’t she?”
“In fact, she doesn’t even have to personally arrange anything. As long as she says a word, you’re finished.”
Hearing Edward’s words, Wendy’s complexion was very bad.
Did Cindy really have that much power?
While she knew the Zhekova family was formidable, she didn’t have a concrete understanding of how formidable they actually were.
That’s because she was too far away from the Zhekova family and had no interaction with them.
She hadn’t provoked the Zhekova family before now.
It wasn’t that she was virtuous and self-aware; she just didn’t have the opportunity.
She didn’t even have the qualifications to provoke the Zhekova family.
So that’s why she couldn’t experience the consequences of offending the Zhekova family.
Now that she heard what Edward said, Wendy didn’t feel any realism to his words.
She still found the consequences he mentioned to be very vague for her.
Right now, Wendy could truly be described as feeling no fear in her ignorance.
Edward spoke again, “For now, let’s put aside the matter of you repeatedly threatening Cindy with your leverage, causing her to finally have no other choice but to deal with you.”
Why was Edward so sure that Wendy would definitely threaten Cindy repeatedly?
Because Wendy was greedy.
As long as Cindy agreed to her once, Wendy would taste the sweetness and definitely want more.
“Let’s talk about the leverage you have in your hand. There is always a day when it will be useless. If you solve some minor troubles now, what will you do when you encounter major troubles in the future and it becomes useless?”
“That’s why I said we should cooperate. I can help you solve these minor problems. Keep this leverage for yourself. If there’s something big in the future that I can’t solve, then you can go find Cindy.”
Edward thought to himself, how much trouble could Wendy really get into?
Wendy’s level of contact was just that, and no matter how ambitious she was, she couldn’t reach a much higher position.
That’s why Edward was confident that he could resolve any problems she encountered.
Moreover, talking about the future is just a matter for the future.
First, get the leverage in Wendy’s hand, and then decide whether or not to help her solve any real trouble in the future. Isn’t that a matter of his own decision?
“Wouldn’t this be more useful for you?” Edward said.
Wendy was not stupid, so she asked, “You said that a piece of leverage used too many times becomes useless. If you use it once and I use it again, will it still work?”
Edward chuckled, “Using it many times indeed becomes useless, but one or two times is still useful. Haven’t you seen those social news stories? Those who call the police are the ones who have been threatened multiple times and can’t stand it anymore. Weren’t the threats from the first and second times accepted and the other party’s requirements met?”
“Why don’t you think carefully about it here? Agreeing to my conditions and cooperating with me will only benefit you.” Edward said.
Chapter 708: Chapter 708: Sincerity
“At least for now, the things you need must be resolved as soon as possible. Can Cindy solve them this quickly for you? Don’t you have to haggle with her and waste a lot of time?”
“Even if she were really threatened by you and promised to help you, aren’t you afraid that she might set traps for you in the process?”
“Besides, to be honest, once I solve these small matters for you in the early stages, you can develop and grow on your own later, handling the challenges that come your way.”
“I think you came to Belfard for more than just opening a restaurant. You definitely want to continue your development, and it would be better to do so on your own without having to rely on Cindy, right?”
“I still don’t know what kind of leverage you have in your hands, but if we work together, I can provide you with convenience when you want to threaten Cindy, and save you a lot of trouble. Wouldn’t that be better?”
Edward Lopez really didn’t know what kind of leverage Wendy Clarke had, but she knew it very well.
Although she could use her leverage against Cindy at any time, Wendy always wanted a better effect.
She had been almost driven out of the Zhekova Family Mansion by Cindy before.
So after that, Wendy was determined to expose Cindy’s disgrace in a large public event.
What public places would be suitable?
Wendy soon found an especially suitable public event.
The Culinary Competition Spring Festival Special Program.
Although the Spring Festival Special Program wouldn’t be broadcast live, there would be a considerable number of audience members present.
Wendy thought of exposing Cindy’s scandal of having a son with Mr. Lopez in that live program.
The audience would naturally spread the news in their social circles.
By then, how could the Zhekova Family tolerate Cindy anymore?
However, Wendy also needed a guarantee.
She couldn’t pull this off all by herself.
She might be taken away before she could say a few sentences.
That’s why she needed a guarantee that she wouldn’t be taken away and could smoothly speak her mind.
To do this, she needed to bribe the event staff and security personnel.
This was a big project for Wendy.
However, if Edward Lopez was involved, he could bribe all of these people and give Wendy enough time to speak her mind.
After careful consideration, Wendy thought that cooperating with Edward Lopez would be better.
Moreover, she was now in Belfard, with no connections or background.
In this vast city of Belfard, she couldn’t accomplish anything on her own.
She hadn’t been in Belfard for long, but Wendy had experienced it deeply.
“I can tell you about that leverage. But when are you planning to threaten Cindy?” Wendy asked, wanting to make sure of the timing with Edward Lopez.
“I plan to take advantage of an opportunity soon and disclose it publicly,” said Wendy.
Edward Lopez raised an eyebrow and asked, “Aren’t you going to use it to threaten her?”
“No.” Wendy said coldly, “Cindy has already provoked me. I don’t plan to give her any chances.”
“She’s arrogant because she thinks she has the backing of the Zhekova Family. I can’t stand her arrogance,” Wendy stated coldly.
“So, I plan to find a suitable large-scale public event to disclose this leverage to everyone and let her lose face.”
“By then, the Zhekova Family will definitely not accept her anymore,” Wendy said with a cold face.
Edward Lopez thought that Wendy’s plan could also be helpful to him.
Adrian Zhekova dealt with the Lopez Family because of Cindy’s involvement.
But according to Wendy, Cindy would be rejected by the Zhekova Family because of the leverage Wendy had in her possession.
In that case, Adrian Zhekova certainly wouldn’t waste his energy on a woman rejected by his family.
By then, he wouldn’t act against the Lopez Family anymore.
However, this would take time.
Edward didn’t know if his family could hold out that long.
Edward Lopez narrowed his eyes and said to Wendy, “What’s the leverage? Tell me.”
“I’ll definitely use it before you, so don’t worry,” Edward said.
“You promise me you’ll definitely help me?” Wendy asked uneasily.
“To show my sincerity, I can secure your restaurant issues first,” Edward Lopez said.
After the words fell, he immediately made several phone calls.
“My matter is urgent, so I need a response right away,” Edward said. “I’m also waiting for my friend’s reply. She told me everything is settled, so I can rest assured.”
After contacting everyone one by one, Edward hung up the phone and said to Wendy, “Let’s wait for the news. I asked them to get everything done as soon as possible. I think you’ll receive the news soon.”
“After this, you should trust my sincerity,” Edward said.
Although the Lopez Company was having some problems now.
The Lopez Family could still hold on.
And the news of the problems at Lopez Company hadn’t spread out yet.
Even if it spread, as long as the Lopez Family hadn’t gone bankrupt yet, they could still have a say.
After all, as long as it hasn’t reached the end, no one knows what the final outcome will be.
No one would easily offend the Lopez Family.
As a result, Wendy received a phone call about an hour later.
She was told that her restaurant license and all the necessary documents were in order.
“As for the restaurant decoration, and the choice of chefs, these are not matters you can decide on the spot,” Edward said.
“Even if I could decide for you immediately, you might not be at ease. You have to see and choose for yourself, making a comparison before finalizing a decoration plan. You also need to consider the chefs…”
“But, those documents you needed should be taken care of by now,” Edward said, “Removing other issues, once the decorations and staff are in place, your restaurant can open at any time.”
Wendy nodded, saying, “I can tell you about the leverage.”
Wendy waved to Edward Lopez.
Edward approached Wendy a little closer.
Wendy then told Edward everything she knew.
Edward never expected to stumble upon such a scandal!
Edward’s fingers tapped unconsciously on the table as he asked Wendy, “So how do you plan to publicly expose her?”
“As far as I know, the Pingla Culinary Competition is preparing to record a Spring Festival Special Program,” said Wendy, “I plan to expose her right there on the program.”
“The program is recorded, not broadcast live. Even if you expose her in person, it can be edited out during broadcasting,” Edward reminded her.
“I know that, of course,” said Wendy. “But there will be quite a few audience members present.”
“The special event is being held at the Wells Cultural Center, which can accommodate so many people,” she added.
Chapter 709: Chapter 709: New Year’s Day Evening Party
“Even if it gets edited when the program is broadcast, the audience on site during the recording saw and heard it all.”
“There’s no need to wait for the program broadcast. At the recording site, those present in the audience will spread the news. Some people will videotape it and put it on the Internet.”
“With today’s advances in the Internet, any little thing posted online can spread quickly. That’s why I’m not worried about Cindy’s affair not getting out,” Wendy Clarke smirked knowingly.
“With such a broad channel of communication through the audience, Cindy’s scandal will be instantly known on the Internet,” Wendy said, “Hence, I think the day of the program recording is a great opportunity.”
“I’ve been looking for a suitable public place, crowded, with wide coverage and great impact,” Wendy explained, “I thought about it and found the day of the program recording to be just right.”
At this juncture, Edward Lopez’s Whatsapp beeped.
Seeing the notification on the screen, it was a message from Richard Lopez.
Edward noted it was because Richard and Mrs. Lopez were behind him listening to his conversation with Wendy.
To ensure Richard and Mrs. Lopez could clearly hear their conversation, Edward didn’t purposely lower his voice.
Of course, he didn’t intentionally increase the volume either.
As long as he spoke at a normal volume, Richard and Mrs. Lopez could hear him well.
Furthermore, besides the waitstaff, there was no one else in the tea shop’s great hall.
So, they had no need to be cautious while speaking.
Following Edward’s lead, Wendy didn’t lower her voice too.
“Hang on,” Edward told Wendy.
He picked up his mobile phone to check the message from Richard.
After reading it, Edward put down his mobile phone and said to Wendy, “In fact, I know of an even better opportunity than the program recording day.”
This was just what Richard had just messaged him about.
After hearing Wendy’s words, Richard had the same thought as Edward.
Instead of threatening Cindy to negotiate with Adrian Zhekova, asking Adrian to stop retaliating against the Lopez Family,
it’s better to completely destroy Cindy, so that she loses the protection of the Zhekova Family.
If it as Wendy said, that leverage could indeed stomp Cindy down into the ground.
By then, the Zhekova Family’s reputation would be damaged, and they couldn’t possibly do anything for Cindy.
Moreover, even if Adrian persisted in tormenting them because of Cindy,
The elders of the Zhekova Family would disapprove, not letting Adrian harm the Zhekova Family’s interests for a woman who had made the Zhekova Family lose face.
So, Richard was thinking of a suitable occasion recently.
Wendy’s view was narrow.
She thought the opportunity of recording the program was good.
But Richard felt that wasn’t a particularly suitable occasion.
He had a better suggestion.
So, he immediately sent Edward a message on Whatsapp.
“When the audience spreads the news privately after the program, only ordinary netizens will know. Sure, The Big Eight families would certainly go online, but hearing it from the Internet and hearing it face-to-face are different.”
“Across the Internet, it’s hard to distinguish between truth and falsehood, the Zhekova Family might also refute it with a clarification. It’s not that they protect Cindy excessively, but for their own face, they have to do so.”
“This way, it would actually help Cindy. If the leverage is made public, it’s no longer leverage, her dark history would be made public, and the Zhekova Family would find a way to clear her name. She wouldn’t have to live in fear, in case someone brings up this dark history in the future.”
“Even if it’s dug up again in the future, just bring out the original clarification.” Edward analyzed.
“Then, what kind of occasion do you think is suitable?” Wendy asked, “I can’t wait too long.”
“I have said, I want Cindy to lose everything, I want her to regret,” Wendy stated, “I will do what I have said. If I delay too long, wouldn’t that make Cindy laugh!”
Allowing Cindy to think she was just threatening verbally, Wendy couldn’t stand it.
She couldn’t stand being scorned by Cindy.
She wanted Cindy to fear her, pay attention to her, be nervous when seeing her!
Wendy wanted to mark her presence in front of Cindy.
Then Edward smiled and said, “There’s another fitting occasion.”
“On the first evening of the New Year, Belfard will host a dinner party. The Big Eight families will also attend,” Edward informed, “Usually, few representatives from The Big Eight families attend these dinner parties.”
“Even if they do, they aren’t the important ones. They just come as representatives, use the name of The Big Eight families to show a face. But in actuality, these individuals hold low positions in the family and have little say.”
No use in building connections there either.
Who’s networking who?
Such occasions, even if there are attendees from The Big Eight families, they aren’t of much use.
Nobody would be foolish enough to waste their time networking.
“But the New Year’s dinner is different,” Edward said, “Since it’s hosted by the officials, The Big Eight families usually give face.”
On this point, The Big Eight families do right, it’s hard to fault them.
Even though the position of The Big Eight families doesn’t require them to care so much.
But people do give face when they have to, not taking their authority to their heads.
This is perhaps why The Big Eight families could still stand tall to this day, being able to maintain their strength without anyone trying to bring them down.
They evaluate the time and circumstances, not arbitrarily making enemies.
“So every year on the first evening, people from The Big Eight families do attend. Of course, not everyone from the families comes.” If it were like that, the dinner party couldn’t accommodate everyone.
Furthermore, the old masters and old madams from The Big Eight families certainly wouldn’t attend.
They are of high age and status.
How could they easily show up?
Even if they don’t show up, no one would feel they are arrogant or anything.
The participation alone from The Big Eight families is very considerate already.
Considering those present, even if they’re the same age, they definitely don’t surpass the status of the old masters and old madams.
Futhermore, they are of age now, being obliged to attend would be asking too much.
“Usually, it’s The Big Eight families’ heirs, this generation or the next, who would participate. For example, Adrian Zhekova, a young but high-statured member of the family,” Edward explained.
“This year, I heard Adrian, Zane Hamilton and others will attend. Hence, the big and small families in Belfard will do everything possible to attend.”
Adrian Zhekova, Zane Hamilton, and others aren’t insignificant young members of The Big Eight families.
Therefore, families outside of The Big Eight families will utilize all opportunities to obtain an entry qualification.
Chapter 710: Chapter 710: Turning Over
It’s not just about having a connection with The Big Eight families, even attending the same dinner party with them is bragging-worthy.
In the future, when I chat with others at cocktail parties or discuss business deals, it would impress people if I mentioned that I’d seen Adrian Zhekova, had a conversation with Zane Hamilton, or attended the same dinner as these elites.
After all, who else would be invited to the same dinner with Adrian Zhekova and the likes?
Naturally, only those with high social status and standing would be eligible.
And to be invited is a validation of your status and position in society.
It’s only natural for people to look up to you.
Edward said to Wendy, “Anyone who can join this party must have some skill and connections. They have outcompeted other families and made their way here, so you can’t underestimate them.”
“Revealing Cindy’s dirty laundry at a dinner party full of wealthy and important figures from prominent families will cause great humiliation to the Zhekova Family, as well as to Cindy herself. That’s where the real damage lies.”
“Ordinary netizens may not know the truth and believe in the rumors easily. However, these members of prominent families all have influential positions, making the Zhekova Family lose face in such a gathering is far more upsetting for them than losing face online.”
“After all, the Zhekova Family is far removed from ordinary people, and their situation is unknown to most. Yet, they are quite close to these powerful families. How would they manage their position and save face after suffering such humiliation in front of their peers?”
“Won’t they become the laughingstock of those families who used to be beneath them? For the Zhekova Family, that’s the most damaging aspect.”
“By then, the Zhekova Family will not want to lose face in their circle and will have to abandon Cindy, no longer trying to cover up for her. Only then will your plan truly succeed.”
Wendy mulled it over several times before saying, “Given the exclusivity of this dinner party, how can you get me in?”
Edward chuckled, “It’s quite a coincidence actually. The Lopez Family partnered with the government on a project recently, and since our collaboration went smoothly, we naturally got an invitation.”
After all, the invitations were issued by the government, not The Big Eight families. Naturally, the closer the relationship with the government, the higher the likelihood of obtaining an invitation.
Getting an invitation this way is much simpler than getting one through The Big Eight families.
“I can take you in,” said Edward.
Wendy was overjoyed, but she immediately had doubts.
She cautiously asked, “If I expose Cindy in public and cause the Zhekova Family to lose face in front of everyone, wouldn’t they hate me even more? If they retaliate and cause other families to avoid working with me due to their relationship with the Zhekova Family, what should I do?”
Edward thought to himself that Wendy was quite smart and not foolish.
Edward then smiled and said, “You’re overthinking and looking too far ahead. Firstly, you know the Zhekova Family cares about face. If they were to take out their anger on you and retaliate after you expose Cindy’s secrets, it would mean they were too petty. Even if you were slandering Cindy, the Zhekova Family wouldn’t let you off the hook just because you’re a nobody.”
“If they showed indifference to your baseless accusations and slander, they would lose face, and instead, they would retaliate all the more viciously, making an example of you to deter others from spreading such nonsense in the future.”
“However, since what you’re saying is the truth and you’re not slandering them, if the Zhekova Family still targets you for speaking the truth, it shows that they don’t care about their reputation. Being such a large family, their image matters the most. They can’t lower themselves to squabble with a nobody like you.”
“Besides, to be honest, your restaurant isn’t even open yet and you haven’t had any contact with those families, so you don’t need to fear that they won’t cooperate with you.”
“Currently, there’s no chance of them collaborating with you, and the companies you can partner with are small-scale. These smaller companies have no stake in the Zhekova Family and wouldn’t avoid working with you for fear of offending the Zhekova Family.”
“Simply because they don’t have the opportunity to intersect with the Zhekova Family. As I said, the Zhekova Family belongs to our circle, and you belong to the circle of smaller companies. These two circles don’t intersect, so your worries are unnecessary.”
What he should be worried about was the Lopez Family.
Edward had personally experienced this just recently.
Some families were afraid to have any involvement with the Lopez Family for fear of offending the Zhekova Family.
Edward didn’t know whether to feel proud or to cry.
After all, at least they were in the same circle as The Big Eight families now.
Though Wendy was relieved not to have to worry about those families avoiding working with her out of fear of the Zhekova Family, she was still unhappy about Edward’s condescending tone.
“So, what do you say? If you agree, I can help you. If not, I won’t force you. You can stick to your original plan and expose Cindy during the recording of the show.” Edward said.
Regardless, this matter wouldn’t affect Edward directly in the end.
Edward already had a plan – he would simply bring Wendy in.
Wendy would be the one actually speaking out.
If the Zhekova Family decided to settle the score, he’d distance himself from Wendy and push her in front.
Considering her options, Wendy didn’t want to give up this opportunity.
This was the chance she had been waiting for, and now that Edward was offering it to her, why would she refuse?
Despite being at the dinner party or during the show’s recording, she would still offend the Zhekova Family one way or another.
Having weighed the pros and cons, Wendy nodded at Edward, “Alright, let’s go with your plan, during the dinner party.”
Edward was satisfied, “Great, wait for my message.”
Then he reminded her, “Prepare a proper dress for the occasion.”
“Don’t worry,” Wendy felt underestimated and couldn’t help but speak sarcastically, “I may be from a small place and haven’t attended any prominent families’ dinner parties, but I am aware of at least the basics.”
After saying this, Wendy left first.
After seeing Wendy leave the tea house, Edward went to join Richard and Mrs. Lopez.
“Dad, it’s settled,” Edward said.
Naturally, Richard had heard everything.
Mrs. Lopez asked, “So what do we do next?”
“Drive Cindy out of the Zhekova Family and make her break with them. That way, Adrian Zhekova won’t have a reason to make things difficult for us because of Cindy. I understand that,” Mrs. Lopez said.