Chapter 148 Fight Back
'James?How is this possible?'
Addison and Joseph were all shocked.
No one expected that the person getting out of Aaron's car would be James.
They had imagined that someone respected by Aaron could be a Stardust City dignitary, an overseas tycoon, or royalty, but never the wimpy James.
'A son-in-law who lives off his wife, how could he become Aaron's esteemed guest?'
Christopher couldn't understand, Joseph couldn't understand, and Addison couldn't understand either.
'Why?'
Mary was even in a daze, almost thinking that he wasn't her husband.
Charles murmured, "How did he get involved with Aaron?"
Christopher shook his head vigorously, hoping this was just an illusion. He couldn't bear the fact that James was on good terms with Aaron, even if James had connected through Olivia.
At this moment, an elderly man emerged from the side of the Lincoln. It was Aaron, who was appearing less and less on TV.
He walked over to James' side, smiling kindly, and said, "Mr. Williams, please."
Serena quickly led her people over and respectfully said, "Mr. Collins, Mr. Williams, the Enchanted Vine Tavern has been cleared, please come inside."
A group of burly men came over, blocking irrelevant people, allowing Aaron and James to pass smoothly.
James smiled and nodded, then followed Aaron, with Patrick and Jacob following behind.
The group chatted and laughed, exuding an indescribable air of confidence.
This scene left Addison and the others dumbfounded, completely unable to accept James walking with Aaron, and even more unable to accept that James was superior to them.
Mary, for the first time, found James so unfamiliar.
"James, did you deliberately mess things up so that the Enchanted Vine Tavern wouldn't host us?"
Compared to Addison and the others' stunned reactions, Abigail was much more stubborn. After a brief shock, she angrily stepped forward.
"We just scolded you, told you to keep Mom in mind. You didn't listen, and now you hold a grudge and deliberately make things difficult for us."
"Is this how you behave? Can't you tolerate others? Are you even a man?"
"And it was your fault in the first place. Mom had an accident, you didn't care and even offended Joseph. What's wrong with punishing you to clean the house?"
"Don't think you're something special. You're just barely squeezing into the upper class by relying on a woman. Without Olivia, you're nothing. If you have the ability, make it on your own, then I might respect you."
Abigail quickly accused James. In her view, James had made Christopher lose face today, and she had to get it back.
As for Aaron and the others' presence, she completely ignored it.
And with Joseph there, a call from his parents would make Aaron show respect and let them go. How could he dare to act recklessly in front of Joseph?
"Who are you?" Aaron's face turned cold. "Who gave you the guts to talk to James like that?"
With that, several bodyguards stepped forward in unison, raising their right hands, each holding a short gun.
The black muzzles exuded a chilling killing intent.
With just one order from Aaron, they would mercilessly shoot Abigail.
Abigail was so frightened that she took two steps back, her face turning pale. "I'm teaching James a lesson, not you."
Christopher, scared, pulled Abigail back. "Mr. Collins, I apologize for my wife's behavior. It was not intentional, she's dealing with some personal issues. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive her."
Addison quickly waved her hand. "Yes, yes, Abigail didn't mean it."
She was worried that Aaron would get angry and kill Abigail, which would be fatal.
"Mr. Collins, this is my wife's sister, and these are my father-in-law, mother-in-law, and wife." Before Mary could look at James, James explained indifferently, "She didn't mean to offend you, please be magnanimous and give them a chance."
Although he didn't like Abigail, he didn't want to see her get shot.
"So they are James' family, I'm really sorry."
Aaron quickly signaled his men to lower their weapons, then personally apologized to Charles and Addison.
"Everyone, I apologize for the offense just now."
His attitude was unprecedentedly sincere.
Christopher and the others quickly waved their hands. "It's okay, it's okay."
Jacob walked up from behind and shouted at Serena and a few of the hostesses, "Idiots, what are you doing? James' family is here, and you didn't welcome them in. Did you leave them standing out in the wind? Such sloppy work, go wash dishes in the kitchen for three months."
He scolded Serena and the others unceremoniously, giving Charles and Addison some face to avoid their embarrassment.
Serena repeatedly apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
"Mr. Collins, Mr. Davis, you're too kind." Aaron was giving them face, but Charles couldn't accept it all. "Actually, it's not the hostesses' fault. We didn't communicate well and recklessly barged into the Enchanted Vine Tavern, causing this conflict."
"Don't blame them." Charles pleaded for Serena and the others. "They have it tough too."
"They do have it tough!" James squinted slightly, staring at the swelling on the hostess's face, and asked, "Who hit you?"
He could tell at a glance that it was a recent injury.
Joseph's eyelids twitched.
The hostess hesitated.
Jacob couldn't help but shout, "Are you mute? James asked you, answer truthfully."
Serena lowered her head and responded for her, "She tried to stop Mr. Garcia from entering, and Mr. Garcia got angry and slapped her."
"Go, slap him back." James nodded slightly. "Twice."
Serena and the others were stunned, not expecting James to stand up for the hostess, especially in front of his in-laws.
Charles and the others were furious at this, thinking this jerk was getting arrogant.
Addison shouted, "James, that's enough. Joseph is a distinguished guest of our family, how can you let a hostess humiliate him like this?"
Mary gently shook her head. "James, don't target him."
"When he humiliated her, he should have thought that he would be humiliated too." James looked at Mary without giving any face, "If I were targeting him, he wouldn't even be alive, let alone just getting slapped twice."
The hostess was straightforward, gritting her teeth. She stepped forward and slapped Joseph twice.
Quick and harsh.
Finger marks instantly appeared on Joseph's face. He was furious, wishing he could strangle James and the hostess, but in the end, he could only endure it.
'James, just you wait,' Joseph thought.
"Remember, if someone hits you, hit them back on the spot." James glanced at the hostess and said, "I'll protect you if anything happens."
He noted the hostess's name, Lauren Carter.
Lauren looked grateful.
"Alright, it's all in the past, let's not mention it again, forget the unpleasant past." Aaron let out a hearty laugh and then waved his hand. "Mr. Smith, Mrs. Smith, come along."
He extended an invitation to Charles and the others.
'Join them inside?'
Charles and Addison were all very embarrassed.
They had invited relatives to the Enchanted Vine Tavern for a meal, excluding James to avoid embarrassment, but in the end, they couldn't even get in.
On the contrary, the James they always looked down on not only became Aaron's esteemed guest but also allowed them to benefit.
This disparity, this impact, made Addison and the others very uncomfortable.
She wished that the impressive person was Joseph, not James, so she wouldn't feel this way.
Faced with James' invitation, Charles and Addison were very hesitant.
They wanted to maintain some dignity and pride but didn't want to miss the great opportunity to connect with Aaron.
After all, a single word from Aaron could save them three to five years of hard work.
But if they went in, it would feel like accepting James' charity, which didn't sit well with them.
"Being blocked outside and slapped twice, losing all face, what meal is there to eat? Does the Smith Family have no backbone?" Mary suddenly turned cold, staring at a Ferrari that arrived late. "If you want to eat, go ahead, I'm leaving."
After saying that, she ignored everyone's confusion and turned to leave.
"Mary, Mary." Charles called out a few times, but Mary didn't stop. He had to shake his head at James and then turn to chase after his daughter.
Addison's face changed slightly, feeling unwilling, but she ultimately followed her husband.
Christopher and the others left even faster.
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