Chapter 531 Are You Threatening Me with Yourself?
Late at night, on what should have been his wedding night, Gavin had to meet up with Johnny.
Gavin knocked on the door.
Johnny opened it, looking way more worn out than Gavin.
Gavin leaned against the door frame with one hand, a cigarette dangling from his other.
His eyes were deep and intense.
The two men stared each other down, sizing each other up.
Finally, Johnny said softly, "Come in."
Gavin bit down on his cigarette and walked in. He glanced at the red wine on the table and the cigarette butts in the ashtray, thinking Johnny hadn't been doing well lately, which made him somewhat pleased.
Gavin poured himself half a glass of red wine. He took a sip and said, "This is some good wine. You should savor it, not chug it like water."
Johnny sat down too.
Gavin looked up at him and after a bit, said softly, "You had a fight with Lola and took it out on me. What's your deal, Johnny?"
Johnny pulled out a cigarette from the pack. He lit it slowly and smiled faintly. "Lola cares about you?"
Gavin kept staring at him, but his gaze turned sharp, almost predatory.
Johnny didn't seem to care about Gavin's anger.
Gavin knew this wasn't a friendly visit.
Finally, Gavin dropped the act and asked hoarsely, "Johnny, I spent six months dealing with the Hughes Family, and I was about to succeed. Now you're messing things up! Molly's pregnant, and I'm gonna be a dad soon. I don't have time to deal with the Hughes Family."
Johnny smiled and congratulated him. Then he sighed lightly. "Gavin, I wanna be a dad too! I mean, with Lola's kid!"
Gavin looked at his nonchalant demeanor and that determined look, feeling really pissed. He kicked over the designer furniture and spat. "Keep dreaming!"
Johnny looked up, and under the crystal chandelier, there seemed to be a spark in his eyes.
He bluntly said, "Unfortunately, I dream of having a kid with Lola every night!"
Gavin couldn't take it anymore and started fighting with him. "Lola is a person! Not something you can have or discard at will! You grew up with the Hawkins Family, and now you're biting the hand that fed you! Johnny, you're a bastard!"
Johnny didn't hold back either, returning a fierce punch. "Yeah, I'm a bastard! If Lola won't be with me, then we'll both go down together!"
"Madman! Keep dreaming!"
They fought fiercely, just like in the old days, neither giving an inch, trying to beat each other to death!
In the end, both of them collapsed.
Johnny wasn't in good health, and Gavin had overexerted himself tonight, so neither of them came out on top.
After resting for about 10 minutes, Gavin shakily got up and kicked Johnny a few times in frustration. "Bastard! Live with your money for the rest of your life!"
Johnny let out a hoarse groan.
Gavin left, and when he got into his car, he didn't start it immediately. Instead, he lit a cigarette.
He exhaled a long puff of smoke, thinking about what had just happened. Johnny had gone mad!
He returned to the hotel.
Molly, worried about him, hadn't fallen asleep yet. As soon as the door opened, she got up from the bed. "You're back!"
Gavin felt a warmth in his heart. He tossed his coat onto the sofa and opened his arms. Molly rushed into his embrace.
He gently touched the back of her neck and said tenderly, "At this hour, the baby needs to sleep too!"
Molly smelled the blood on him. She checked him carefully and then asked softly, "Did you guys fight?"
Gavin mumbled a yes.
Molly brought over a first aid kit and made him sit on the sofa to treat his wounds.
Gavin had things on his mind, but he was very patient with Molly. Seeing her focused expression, he couldn't help but pull her onto his lap, one hand slipping into her nightgown, playing absentmindedly.
Molly whispered, "Control yourself!"
Gavin laughed and leaned in. "You're so cute, I can't control myself!"
Molly's face turned slightly red.
She carefully treated his wounds, and then he held her again, teasing her until her little nose turned red, calling him a bad guy.
The more she acted like this, the more excited Gavin became.
Three days passed.
The signing of the letter of intent between Johnny and the Hughes Family was getting closer.
He patiently waited for Lola.
He knew Lola couldn't be indifferent to Gavin's situation. Gavin, now newly married, was too busy working overtime at the company to care about anything else. She couldn't be unaware.
But three days passed, and Lola didn't contact him.
Johnny sat in his office, his expression somewhat grim.
His secretary came in and said softly, "Sir, Miss Hughes is here to see you!"
He thought, 'Sarah?'
Johnny said indifferently, "Let her in."
A moment later, Sarah walked in.
It wasn't her first time meeting Johnny, but they hadn't interacted much. Johnny, as the adopted son of the Hawkins Family, was supposed to invest in the Hughes Family, which she initially didn't believe. But as the letter of intent got closer, Johnny showed no signs of backing out.
Sarah couldn't help but want to meet him.
With other plans in mind, she dressed particularly delicately today. But Johnny had no interest in admiring her.
He was even somewhat distracted until Sarah called his name several times, bringing him back to reality. "Sorry, Miss Hughes, what were you saying?"
Sarah looked at Johnny in front of her and felt moved. She did love Gavin, but in the past six months, Gavin had made her feel humiliated. He had married another woman and was having a child.
Now Sarah wanted a strong backing, and she had her eyes on Johnny. He was handsome, wealthy, and didn't have a powerful family behind him; she wanted to control him.
Sarah suggested, "It's almost lunchtime. I wonder if Mr. Flores would be interested in having lunch together?"
Johnny looked at her.
Sarah's intentions were obvious. Rather than saying she was interested in Johnny, it was more accurate to say she was interested in Johnny's money.
But Johnny was not into in her.
He was about to refuse when the phone rang. He answered it.
After hanging up, he said indifferently, "Alright."
Sarah was somewhat excited.
She had many plans she wanted to discuss with Johnny.
The man in front of her was capable and ruthless. She no longer wanted love; she thought Johnny was the right man for her. Most importantly, she could use him to crush Gavin, making him regret his choices.
At the restaurant, Johnny was zoned out while Sarah kept rambling about her plans.
Johnny smiled nonchalantly. "Is this how you went after Gavin back then?"
Sarah blushed. Johnny had seen right through her.
Johnny lightly played with the lighter in his hand, smiling faintly. "Gavin doesn't like strong women; he prefers those who are more obedient and gentle."
Molly was practically made for him: petite, pretty, and obedient.
Johnny hadn't met Molly many times, but he also thought she was a very cute girl. The kind you'd want to keep at home as a wife, with a temperament similar to Chloe.
Sarah blurted out, "Mr. Flores, do you also appreciate that kind of woman?"
Johnny lowered his eyes. "I like a bit wilder!"
Just as he finished speaking, the wild one walked into the restaurant. As she passed Johnny, Lola glanced at him, and naturally, at Sarah too.
It was then that Sarah understood why Johnny had come out to eat with her, and why he chose this place. It was for Lola.
Instantly, she felt uncomfortable and lowered her voice. "Lola is also a strong woman. She's no more interesting than I am!"
Johnny didn't respond.
He thought comparing Lola to Sarah was an insult to Lola.
Lola would never cling to a man for money, nor would she want to marry someone she didn't like.
Johnny suddenly understood why he liked Lola.
Lola had qualities that many people lacked.
She was born with so much, so she never settled. What she liked had always been the old Johnny, not the current, tainted Johnny.
This realization made his feelings very complex.
Lola didn't look at him. She had an appointment with a client, an older woman.
After a simple meal and finishing her business, she saw the client off and turned back to settle the bill.
But Johnny had already paid for her. Lola thought for a moment and walked over. "Thanks!"
Johnny sat up straight.
Even with Sarah sitting across from him, he looked at Lola with that kind of gaze, the gaze of a man looking at a woman.
Lola nodded. "Can we talk for a moment?"
Johnny pulled out his wallet and took out $2000.
He said to Lola, "Let's go."
Lola frowned slightly. She glanced at Sarah and then said, "No need! Just a few words and I'll leave!"
But Johnny was quite insistent. He nodded at Sarah, then grabbed Lola's arm and walked out of the restaurant.
Sarah sat there.
She tried hard to control her breathing, already cursing in her mind. Johnny was such a bastard! Worse than any man she had ever met. He gave the Hughes Family hope while pleasing Lola.
He was a real bastard!
But she didn't dare offend him because she couldn't afford to. Johnny was now the Hughes Family's only hope, their savior!
Outside the restaurant, Lola gently shook off Johnny's hand.
He looked at her silently. Then he opened his car door and invited her in.
Lola hesitated for a moment but got in.
Inside the black Range Rover, Johnny lit a cigarette but then put it out, thinking of Lola. "Is this about Gavin?"
Lola looked straight ahead, and after a long time, she said softly, "Johnny, our issues have nothing to do with Gavin! You think you can use Gavin to threaten me, thinking I'll get back with you, right?"
"Yes! Do you accept my threat now?"
Lola slowly turned her head, her eyes slightly red.
Johnny stared at her without blinking.
Lola's throat tightened. "No one can threaten me. Johnny, you're no exception! Have you thought about it? As long as my dad and Andrew take action, no matter how strong your capital is, it won't matter because all the financial groups will come together to crush you! Then, what will you tell your investors? Do you want to go to jail or jump off a rooftop?"
To her surprise, Johnny laughed.
He said softly, "I don't care! Then I'll lose everything!"
Lola's lips trembled.
Johnny leaned closer to her, almost whispering in her ear, "Lola, you're right. I'm not using Gavin to threaten you; I'm using myself to threaten you!"
Lola's slender throat kept trembling.
She would never forget how Johnny's mother died, jumping from a high building.
Johnny had that madness in his blood. In the past, she hadn't seen it, but now she did. Johnny was a madman, a gambler!
Lola squeezed out a sentence. "What if I don't compromise?"
Johnny smiled slightly. "Then I have nothing left to lose! Lola, I was actually very happy during those years at home."
His youthful rebellion had cost him her.
Even if he said a thousand times that he only loved her, she wouldn't believe it anymore.
If he had never had her, life wouldn't be so hard. But he had had Lola.
They had been so good together. If he hadn't slapped her that night, they might have had a child by now.
He smiled slightly and let Lola out of the car.
But Lola finally exploded. "Johnny, you madman! Don't think you can threaten me! I don't care if you live or die!"
"Really?" He still smiled faintly.
Lola slapped him, leaving a five-finger mark on his pale face. But Lola cried. She felt that the person she hated most in her life was Johnny! It was obviously his fault; he betrayed their relationship and left her for someone else. Yet, he still used himself to threaten her.
Lola, furious, slapped him several more times.
Johnny seemed unfazed, gently watching her.
Lola choked out, "Let me out of the car!"
This time, Johnny refused. Not only did he refuse to let her out, but he also grabbed her and pressed her against the steering wheel, then cupped her face and leaned in. "Lola, you still love me, don't you? You're as miserable as I am, aren't you?"
He started kissing her. She had been crying, her face all red. It was really a mess, and the kiss wasn't enjoyable either.
But Johnny didn't care. He hadn't touched her in a long time, greedily kissing her over and over.
Lola couldn't push him away. And she was held tightly in his arms.
"Lola! Forgive me!" his voice was sexy and hoarse, whispering in her ear.
Lola listened in a daze.
When he finally let her go, she sat beside him, slowly fixing her disheveled shirt. Then she opened the car door and left.
As the car door closed softly, Johnny closed his eyes.
After a moment, he made a call to his assistant. "Arrange a meeting with the Hughes Family. We'll sign the letter of intent tomorrow morning."
The assistant advised him, "Mr. Flores, going against the Hawkins Family and the Devereux Family is really unwise."
It was practically a suicidal move!
Johnny's tone was very calm. "Do as I say!"
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