Chapter 114 A Plea for Mercy
Louis was steeped in confusion, yet Raymond's disposition had swiftly recalibrated. A fleeting smile danced across his face as he trailed behind Paige, who had already forged ahead, maneuvering the wheelchair. The evening gown Paige had chosen for dinner was a far grander affair than her afternoon ensemble, bestowing upon her an even more elegant aura than she had possessed during the day.Charles, the one tasked with pushing the wheelchair, maintained a steady pace, ensuring he remained abreast of Paige. By this time, the majority of the female guests had already made their way to the banquet hall, leaving only a handful scattered about. Paige confidently navigated past several lounges, eventually coming to a halt at the door of the lounge situated at the end of the corridor.She cast a glance over her shoulder at Raymond and Louis. "Do either of you have an interest in tonight's special show?" she queried.Louis, perplexed, inquired, "What on earth is transpiring?"Raymond shot Louis a look of exasperation. "Can't you discern it?" His voice was heavy with an unspoken seriousness. Paige shot Raymond a quick glance. Was there a trace of disappointment in his tone? However, this was not the time to ponder such matters.Paige addressed Louis, "Bear in mind, you were not my invitee, and whatever spectacle you witness once this door swings open—and its subsequent impact on you—I bear no responsibility." With that, she swiped her keycard, unlocking the door.A smirk tugged at the corners of Raymond's mouth. She was indeed prepared, even having the keycard at her disposal. As Paige twisted the handle and pushed the door open, a series of suggestive sounds seeped out. The kind that would cause cheeks to flush and hearts to flutter at the mere hint of what was transpiring within.Even so, Paige strode in without hesitation—only to be abruptly halted by Raymond. "They may not be clothed," he warned.Paige shrugged nonchalantly. "So what? I'm a married woman—are the parts not all the same?"Raymond retorted, "Are you truly equating them to me?"Louis, standing behind them, felt his face heat up. Why were Paige and Raymond engaging in such a discussion in front of him? He had grown up alongside Paige, and they were close in age. Yet, the current situation painted a picture of Raymond and Paige conversing like a seasoned married couple, unabashedly discussing such matters in front of their eldest son—as if Louis was indeed their junior.Paige tuned into the moans and groans emanating from the room, fetched a glass of cold water, and advanced toward the source of the noise. Without a moment's hesitation, she doused the entwined man and woman, who were blissfully unaware of their surroundings.A startled scream pierced the air. "Ah..."Paige surveyed the disheveled Xena on the sofa, her evening gown in ruins, and let out a cold chuckle. Upon witnessing the scene, Louis rushed over, seized the man adorned with a waiter's bowtie, yanked him off, and began to pummel him on the ground.Paige found this surprising. Hadn't Louis insisted that he held no affection for Xena? Despite making such a claim, he had rushed to intervene. After Louis had dragged the waiter away, Xena also tumbled to the floor. Now soaked and somewhat sobered, she hastily attempted to cover herself with a spare dress.Cowering, she shot Paige a resentful glare. Paige met her gaze and responded with a faint smile. Instantly, Xena pointed an accusing finger at Paige. "It's you, Paige, it's you!"Paige crouched down, intrigued by the spectacle unfolding before her. "What about me?""You framed me, this was your setup, you trapped me," Xena accused, before bursting into tears. She clambered onto Louis, crying out, "Elijah, it's Paige. She's the one who trapped me. She spiked my drink with that filthy drug. Elijah..."As Louis continued to pummel the waiter, Xena clung to him as if he were her only lifeline. After all, if Louis was punishing the waiter, it implied he cared for her. As long as Louis cared, she still had a chance. In this scenario, she could maintain her 'innocence' and play the victim, thus garnering sympathy.Paige casually moved aside, fetched a makeup chair, and settled into it with ease. She observed dispassionately as Xena sobbed and Louis continued to rain down blows.Raymond remained silent throughout, his expression growing increasingly grave. If not for Paige's astuteness, she would have been the one ensnared in the trap. No wonder Paige had allowed things to escalate to such an extent, to witness the tarnishing of Xena's reputation.Paige's gaze swept over Raymond's face. She knew all too well that this man would not readily intervene. "I suggest you cease before someone is killed," Paige advised lightly. "Otherwise, tomorrow's headlines won't be about the grand achievements of the Hawke Corporation's anniversary celebration, but rather about the CEO of Hawke Corporation beating a server to death."
Like a man possessed, Louis seemed to be deaf to Paige's words. His actions were wild, his focus solely on his target.In her fear of witnessing a possible fatality, Xena clung desperately to Louis. "Elijah, stop! Your hands are bleeding," she pleaded, her voice trembling with terror. "If you must hit someone, hit me. It's my fault..."Her words were abruptly silenced as Louis spun around, delivering a harsh slap across her face.Stunned by the sudden assault, Xena's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Louis straightened, his eyes icy and devoid of warmth as they bore into Xena. He uttered two words, his voice filled with contempt, "Disgusting."Feeling wronged and misunderstood, Xena clung to Louis's legs, her sobs breaking through her attempts to speak. "Elijah, you have to believe me. I'm a victim too; I was set up by Paige."Paige, who had been sitting nearby, responded in a low, taunting voice. "Really? This 'fresh meat' is your plaything. Do you think I could pin you down to play with 'fresh meat'? By the way, you look pretty young—is this a side job for you? Are you even of age?"Her words were interrupted by a knock at the door, causing a smirk to spread across Paige's face.She rose from her makeup chair, squatting down to meet Xena's tear-streaked face. "Xena, just how did your family raise you all these years? Dumber than a pig, and they still want you to take over the Sackler Group? The day you take over the Sackler Group is probably the day they go under."Xena, her voice choked with tears, cried out, "I get it now. You're doing this to take the company from me, aren't you?"Paige laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "Take it? Who would need to take that wreck of a company from the Sackler family?"She paused, her gaze thoughtful. "Well, taking it is an angle." She looked toward Charles and commanded, "Charles, open the door."Turning back to Xena, Paige firmly grasped Xena's chin, forcing her to meet her gaze. The smile on Paige's face was sly and arrogant, but her voice remained cold and unfeeling. "Watch closely, and see exactly how I take it!"As Paige finished speaking, Charles opened the door, revealing the figure standing at the entrance, poised to enter…
