Chapter 299 Can Your Skills Win Josephine Over?
Laura was fuming. "Why didn't you take me? We agreed all four of us would go together!"
"Well, Mr. Bailey showed up," Josephine said. "You can keep him company."
"Who invited him?" Laura snapped. "Can't I have a bit of freedom?"
Steven tried to explain, but Laura cut him off, "Must you shadow me constantly? Can't I have some space? If you're so unoccupied, why not engage in some charity work!!"
Steven retorted swiftly, "It's the Starlight Festival, and we're on break, so I haven't been tailing you non-stop, have I?"
Sensing an impending argument, Josephine had to intervene, pulling Laura along. "Come on, let's go together."
Laura glared at Steven and turned to leave. Josephine and Liam quickly followed.
Stuart and Steven exchanged a glance; neither wanted to be left behind. Steven said, "You're benefiting from me."
Stuart said, "Then thank you?"
"You're welcome," Steven said. "In the future, say a few good words for me in front of Josephine as a favor."
Stuart said, "I can barely take care of myself, and you want me to speak well of you?"
Steven said, "You don't get it. Help me first, and when Josephine sees how considerate you are, she'll forgive you."
Stuart snorted, "Get lost!"
Steven snorted back.
Stuart added, "You can't call her Josephine. You're not allowed to call her that!"
Steven said, "Then you can't call my Laura either!"
Stuart looked disgusted, "Who would want to!"
Laura, feeling uneasy, looked back and saw the two men bickering, turning their heads away from each other. She tugged on Josephine's sleeve. "They won't start fighting, will they?"
"Who?" Josephine was momentarily confused before she understood. She glanced back, and Stuart immediately smiled at her.
She looked away. "No, they won't."
Laura pondered for a moment and concurred, "They better behave; they wouldn't risk a public spat."
Liam covered Jeffery's ears. "What are you two talking about in front of Jeffery?"
Josephine ruffled Jeffery's hair. ""No more talk about it. Jeffery is well-behaved and won't quarrel."
Stuart watched from behind as Liam held Jeffery and Josephine stood beside them, touching Jeffery's hair, looking like a family of three. It made him jealous.
Seeing Stuart's angry expression, Steven said, "I really want to know, during those years you were married to Josephine, were you brain-damaged or just blind?"
Stuart said, "Before you talk about others, look at yourself. What, have you married Laura? At least Josephine and I were married for over three years."
"That's one thing I can't compare to you," Steven said. "But if you count, Laura and I have been dating for seven or eight years. Although we've had our fights, we've never broken up."
Stuart went silent. He was extremely speechless and even wanted to hit Steven.
Steven was so annoying. He knew exactly how to make him angry.
Steven chimed in, "I'll give you some pointers for Laura's sake."
Stuart scoffed, "You're handing out advice now? If you were any good, you'd have Laura on lock by now.""
"You don't want to listen?"
"Fine, I'm bored anyway. Go ahead."
Steven didn't argue and said, "Don't worry about anything, just be thick-skinned and stick to her."
Stuart continued disdainfully, "So that's how you've managed to keep your status as Laura's boyfriend."
"What, you don't think it's good enough?" Steven said. "I'm giving you advice out of kindness, and you disdain it? Fine, think for yourself then."
Stuart said, "The key is, I don't see Laura paying much attention to you."
Steven glared at him. "What do you know? We're great in private!"
Stuart didn't believe him and said, "Enough, let's catch up!"
Steven wasn't in a hurry because there were no other men around Laura.
But there was one around Josephine! Stuart always knew that Liam definitely liked Josephine. He just didn't expect Liam to be so patient, holding back from telling Josephine. The two of them were still best friends.
He heard that Jeffery even recognized Liam as his godfather.
Thinking of this, Stuart asked Steven, "Can you put in some effort?"
Steven was puzzled, "What effort?"
"Marry Laura. Laura is Jeffery's godmother, so you'd be the godfather." Then Liam probably wouldn't be able to.
Steven said, "You think I don't want to?"
Stuart said, "Looks like we're in the same boat."
Now it was Steven's turn to get angry. He said, "Who's in the same boat as you? I can hold Laura at night, can you do it to Josephine?"
Stuart was instantly jealous. Forget about sleeping, he couldn't even hold Josephine's finger now. This made him even more displeased with Liam.
The group entered the dining place, and the environment was very nice. It was pleasing to the eye.
Josephine and Laura were helping Jeffery take off his coat, and Liam said, "I'll go order the food."
The restaurant's ingredients were all home-grown, fresh, green, and safe. There was a large display case in the hall where guests could choose their dishes based on their preferences.
As Liam stepped out, he saw Stuart and Steven. He didn't mind and said directly, "I'll go order the food, you guys go in and sit."
Stuart spoke up, "Let's talk, let Steven order the food."
Liam glanced at him and smiled, "Alright."
The two walked to a window, from which they could see a small creek.
Liam started, "What do you want to ask?"
"I'm curious about your game plan," Stuart remarked. "If you're after Josephine, let's play fair. If not..."
"Are you perhaps getting the wrong end of the stick?" Liam cut in before Stuart could finish. "I see Josephine as kin."
Stuart frowned, "There's no one else here, is it that hard to admit your feelings?"
Liam smiled, "Stuart, I'm not like you. I always know what I want."
Stuart was puzzled, "Don't you like Josephine?"
Liam said, "Our relationship isn't close enough to discuss this topic directly, is it?"
"Liam, are you even a man? If you really like Josephine, compete with me, and I'd respect you! But you don't even have the courage to admit it!"
"Stuart, I don't want to talk about this with you," Liam said. "You want to pursue her, that's your business, it has nothing to do with me."
"But you're an obstacle! And you have issues with me, you might say something to Josephine, and she always respects your opinion."
"Stuart, every time I saw you before, I wanted to punch you, not because I was jealous of you, but because Josephine is so good, and you didn't know how to cherish her."
Stuart was speechless at his words.
Liam continued, "Liking someone doesn't mean you have to possess her. It's about putting what she wants and what she wants to do first."
"I can't do that."
"That's why we're different." Liam glanced at him, "Stuart, take care of yourself."
With that, he walked away.
Stuart stood quietly for a while, wanting to smoke but holding back.
Quitting smoking was a challenge, but if he managed that, he believed he could quit. However, he was unsure how to "quit" a person.
If he succeeded in quitting smoking, it might not even take a month. But he had spent over five years and still couldn't quit Josephine.
Steven knew Laura's preferences but not the others'. Seeing Liam coming over, he asked, "Is there anything the others don't eat?"
Liam immediately pointed out a few items, "Don't order these, Jeffery doesn't like them, and Josephine doesn't either."
As they were talking, Stuart came over.
Steven asked him, "Do you know what Josephine likes to eat?"
Stuart was taken aback.
The dishes he made at Josephine's house a few days ago were because of their three years of marriage; he vaguely remembered those few. Now in the restaurant, if asked what Josephine liked to eat, he couldn't say.
Steven shook his head. "Is that it?"
He didn't finish his sentence, but Stuart knew what he meant: You didn't even know what Josephine liked to eat, and you still thought you could pursue her?
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