Chapter 48 A Long-Planned Scheme
I scoffed, "You think I'd touch the entertainment industry with a ten-foot pole? Get real.""You!" Zara's face flushed with embarrassment. She turned to David, whining, "David, are you just gonna stand there and let her talk to me like that?"
David smiled but didn't even look at her. "Diana, you didn't come here just to argue with my date, did you?" he said, pinching Zara's cheek.
So, she's just a date, not a girlfriend? Interesting.
"Actually, I need to ask you something. Why did you pull your investment from the law firm? Do you realize what that means for us..."
David took a sip of his drink, cutting me off casually, "It's my money. I can do what I want with it. Besides, I compensated them enough." His eyes were dark and unreadable, making it hard to figure out his intentions.
Zara chimed in sarcastically, "Lady, you're taking yourself too seriously. Does Mr. Wilson need to report his decisions to you?"
"Then why did Mr. Wilson invite me here?" I asked David.
David replied, "I heard you had Nolan and Joshua gather evidence to arrest Anne?"
I nodded. "Yeah, she bribed her classmates and some homeless people to first injure me, then have me taken away by thugs. She planned for those two to assault me, thinking the Howard family wouldn't accept me after that. But her plan backfired, and she ended up seriously injured and taken away herself. If there's such a thing as karma, this must be the quickest I've ever seen!" I got lost in my thoughts for a moment.
"Why did you go to Joshua and Nolan instead of me?" David suddenly stepped forward, his face almost touching mine. "Do you think I'm not capable of helping you? Or do you think I'm not worthy?"
I was taken aback by David's reaction. I went to Nolan and Joshua because one is a lawyer and the other a detective, the quickest people who could help me. I saw a hint of jealousy on David's face. It was hard to believe that after twenty years of mutual antagonism, he would be so upset because I didn't ask for his help.
"If that's the case, I apologize, Mr. Wilson." I took a small step back.
"Apologize?" David's lips curled into a playful smile. "Diana, if you can drink these two bottles of whiskey, I'll consider accepting your apology." With a wave of his hand, a waiter brought over two bottles of whiskey. It was clear this was premeditated.
Two bottles of whiskey again? I stared at him wide-eyed. David knew my drinking capacity; he did this on purpose. "David, don't push it."
"If you can't do it, then stop yelling at me." His eyes were full of contempt.
"It's just two bottles of whiskey; you've done it before. Everyone's watching, don't let us down!" Zara jeered, handing me a glass. Her voice pierced my heart like a thorn.
"Come on, drink up, don't back out now!" The crowd echoed, and David started to look impatient. He waved his arm, and the room went dead silent. Everyone knew Mr. Wilson was pissed, and no one dared to speak up. Even Zara quieted down, her face cold as she watched me.
Standing in front of David, I felt like a cornered animal. I bit my lip, feeling humiliated and helpless. I knew David was doing this on purpose, but I had no way out. Remembering the last time he forced me to drink, a chill ran down my spine. But we've been at each other's throats for over twenty years, and I wasn't about to back down now. I grabbed the glass from Zara and poured myself the first drink.
"What's going on here?" Edward's steady, powerful voice cut through the tension behind me.
I turned to see him, my heart in turmoil. Why was he here?
David raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Howard here to save the day? Everyone, this is Mr. Howard, the president of the Howard Group. If anyone wants to cozy up to him, now's your chance."
"It's Mr. Howard!"
"He's the top dog in Wind City."
"I heard Mrs. Howard's been showered with rewards by the Howard Family for a grandchild, but there's been no news from her."
The crowd buzzed with gossip again.
"Getting a woman drunk, Mr. Wilson, aren't you afraid of being a laughingstock?" Edward ignored the chatter and questioned David. "How about I drink this for her today?"
"This is between Diana and me. You'd better stay out of it," David said coldly.
Edward replied, "Mr. Wilson, you're still young! A drunk woman can be a real handful."
The memory of what happened in my apartment after I drank with Edward sent a wave of heat creeping up my neck. My legs felt decidedly wobbly.
"Mr. Howard, you're quite the gentleman, but there's no need to drink for this old-fashioned woman. If you want to drink, I'll have a drink with you alone. I won't get drunk!" Zara finally found a chance to flirt with Edward, ignoring David's presence.
Hearing Zara's presumptuous words, both Edward and David's faces darkened.
Edward ignored Zara. He took the glass from my hand and downed it in one gulp. Then he drank one glass after another until the first bottle was empty.
I tugged at Edward's sleeve, trying to stop him.
My heart felt like it was being hit by a sledgehammer, conflicting emotions swirling inside me. I wasn't ungrateful, but thinking about what Edward had done to me, it was hard to show him any kindness.
Edward ignored me, turned, and grabbed the second bottle from the waiter's tray, drinking one glass after another. After finishing two bottles of whiskey, Edward was unsteady on his feet, leaning heavily against me. He gently took my hand and faced the crowd, loudly declaring, "I won't hide it anymore. Diana is my wife. I won't let anyone bully her."
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