Chapter406 Why Are You Suddenly Kneeling Before Me?
The Smith family ranked ninth among the prestigious families in the nation, known for their considerable influence. Although the three sons each had their own supporters, fortunately, the patriarch Barry was still alive, keeping them from stepping out of line.
The Frir Mansion was the headquarters of the Super Group, and a Ferrari pulled up to the entrance. William and Sophia got out of the car.
"It's been a while since I've been here. Let's go, I'll take you in! Grandpa is in his office on the top floor," Sophia said, leading the way inside. William glanced at the grand building before following her in.
The building was a hive of activity, buzzing with professionals at work. Many greeted Sophia as they passed.
While waiting for the elevator, a young man approached William and Sophia.
"Isn't that the Oscar-winning actor? What brings you to the Group today?" The young man was Sophia's cousin, Bragon. He was son of the Smith family's third uncle. Dressed to the nines with fashionably styled hair and branded clothing, the watch on his wrist alone was worth a small fortune. He was the typical spoiled rich kid, with no real skills to his name. He relied solely on the Smith family's influence.
"I'm here to see Grandpa," Sophia replied coolly to her cousin, showing little affection before turning away.
Competitions among their fathers had strained relations among the children, often leading to underlying tensions.
"You've been at Kings University for a few days and I see your attitude's grown." Bragon frowned and then shifted his gaze to William, sizing him up with evident disdain.
"Who's this country bumpkin? Your friend?"
"His name is William, my friend, and also a friend of Grandpa," Sophia emphasized the last part to ensure Bragon wouldn't dare to look down on him.
"A friend of Grandpa's? How interesting. There's a wine tasting event at the Group, attended by many influential families. You both should come as well. Grandpa will be there. Your poor friend can join too," Bragon said with a sardonic chuckle.
"Bragon, what are you scheming this time?" Sophia knew her cousin all too well. He would never invite them to a party without an ulterior motive.
"What scheme? Didn't you say this guy is a friend of Grandpa's? He's at the party right now, so let's just go and enjoy ourselves," Bragon said with a mischievous twist to his lips. Truth be told, he didn't believe for a second that William, this country bumpkin, was really a friend of his grandfather. His plan was to use William to embarrass Sophia.
"We should just wait for Grandpa in his office," Sophia suggested, sensing Bragon's ill intentions and wanting to give William a chance to avoid any setup. However, Bragon was relentless.
"What's the matter? Scared? It's just a party," he teased.
Sophia furrowed her brows, about to decline, but William interrupted her.
"Let's go and check out this party! It'd be a good opportunity to meet your grandfather," William said with a casual smile.
"All right, let's do it. I'll lead the way," Bragon said, smirking as he ushered William and Sophia into the elevator and took them straight to the eighteenth floor.
This floor was reserved for company and group events, specifically designed to host parties and celebrations.
The place was bustling with people dressed to the nines, mostly guests invited by the Smith family.
"William, maybe we should just wait for Grandpa in his office," Sophia whispered cautiously. She worried Bragon had tricks up his sleeve to embarrass William, but William seemed unfazed.
"No worries. If your grandfather hosting the party here, we might as well look for him in the crowd," William responded.
With a heavy sigh, Sophia resigned to the situation.
Soon they arrived at the party, and several young men and women greeted Bragon eagerly.
"Bragon, why are you so late? You owe us three drinks," a young woman caked in makeup cooed as she sidled up to them. Her voice was affected, but her outfit was daring and revealing, her dress barely covering her backside, drawing everyone's attention.
"Looking sexy tonight!" Bragon complimented as he wrapped his arm around the woman’s slender waist, then turned to introduce his companions to the rest.
"By the way, we have a shining star from the Smith family here tonight, and her...companion," he announced with a touch of emphasis on the last word.
Bragon deliberately pointed out the modestly dressed William to his clique of wealthy young cronies with an all-too-obvious intent. These kids, decked out in designer gear, immediately looked down on William's shabby appearance with disdain.
"Can you believe this bumpkin is friends with Sophia? What a surprise!" jeered a short, chubby guy who wasn't much to look at.
"How can an Oscar winner befriend a guy like this? Her taste is really slipping," someone else chimed in with a snicker.
A smug satisfaction washed over Bragon upon Sophia's dissatisfaction. The competitive edge between their fathers had trickled down to them, and Bragon relished using this opportunity to needle Sophia by mocking William.
"Hey, don't be so hard on him. This guy's a buddy of my grandpa, and trust me, you don't want to cross him. Imagine if Grandpa heard you say that," Bragon said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Since when does George have friends like this?" the chubby guy doubted aloud, and the others joined in the mockery.
"Just look at him, he doesn’t have the class to mingle with someone like George."
"Yeah, a country boy like him should never set foot in a soiree like this."
...
"Enough!" Sophia snapped, irked beyond measure. She had suspected Bragon had ulterior motives for inviting them to the party, and it was all coming to fruition.
"Well, well, the Oscar-winning actress loses her cool. Over a poor farm boy? Really?" Bragon taunted, his cockiness growing at Sophia's annoyance.
"Bragon, you're so obnoxious, I'm going to talk to Grandpa," Sophia said, trying to pull William with her, but a look from Bragon signaled others to block her path.
"Don't leave, darling! It's just a joke. Can't you take a little fun?" the beauty on Bragon's arm cooed mockingly.
"Yeah, such a big star, can't even take a joke. How petty." The rest of Bragon's friends couldn't help but snicker at her.
Sophia was caught in a bind, and William, seeing this, frowned and spoke up.
"I suggest you all clear off, or you're going to regret it."
"Us, regret it? Who the hell do you think you are? You're not the person to bring up regrets," Bragon sneered, almost ready to poke William's nose in mockery.
"Yeah, who are you to tell us to clear off, idiot!" The others echoed, clearly not taking William’s warning seriously.
William shook his head in disbelief. Some people just ask for trouble.
With a deft flick of his finger, an unseen icy gust shot toward Bragon's knees. The sharp pain sent him kneeling right in front of William.
The sudden turn of events left them all shocked.
"Bragon, what's with the sudden groveling? I'm not your old man," William quipped, a faint smile playing on his lips.
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