A group hailed a taxi and headed straight to Moonlit Harbor Pub.
Paul sat in the front, expressionless and silent. Wyatt thought Paul was scared and said, “Paul, if you get scared later on, wait at the entrance. If things go south, call the police.”
Paul only hummed in acknowledgment, not saying anything.
Only William knew that Paul wasn’t scared at all.
Those who are usually quiet can be terrifying when they’re riled up.
This might be what people mean by the phrase, ‘still waters run deep.’
What William was contemplating now was how to ensure Paul didn’t take any action. What started as a college disagreement could turn into a bloody conflict if not handled correctly.
The car stopped in front of Moonlit Harbor Pub. Wyatt became anxious, his voice slightly trembling, “William, should we call Lila?”
William smiled, “There’s no need.”
“Okay… okay!” Wyatt stuttered, clearly showing signs of fear.
William led the way, pushing open the bar door. A young woman was coming out just as he entered, bumping into him. She said, “William, you’re at the bar? Joshua is inside. Maybe you shouldn’t go in.”
“Hmm?” William recognized the young lady. Her name was Aurora. Evelyn got familiar with the bar environment on her first workday thanks to Aurora, who also protected her from any harassers.
It seemed Aurora was a close friend of Maria’s, but she wasn’t particularly familiar with William.
“What do you mean ‘hmm’? Come out!” Aurora grabbed William’s arm, dragging him outside, “You embarrassed Joshua the other day. If you go in now, do you think he’ll treat you well?” .𝙘𝒐𝒎
William laughed, “What’s he going to do? Fight me?”
Aurora glanced behind William, asking, “That friend of yours, Lila, she didn’t come with you?”
“No, Lila and I aren’t that close.” William didn’t consider himself close to Lila. They’d only known each other for a few days, and she’d been around mostly because of Anthony Carter’s request.
Aurora quickly replied, “Then you really shouldn’t go inside. Are you out of your mind? If anyone asks in the future, just say Lila is your friend.”
“Alright, but someone invited us for drinks today. You can’t prevent us from entering, right?” William chuckled, “If nothing else, I should at least greet Maria since I’m here.”
William could sense Aurora’s concern. Regardless, he appreciated her gesture.
A look of distress appeared on Aurora’s face, “Maria’s no longer a shareholder in the bar, so it’s even more reason not to go in. If something happens, no one will help you.”
“Maria doesn’t work here anymore?” William raised an eyebrow. He had a good impression of Maria; she was principled and personable.
“Caleb owes a lot of money and is having an affair. Maria is divorcing him, and she sold her shares to Nicholas,” Aurora said with frustration, “Nicholas, that lucky bastard, won the lottery—a few million. Now he’s acting all high and mighty, like a lord. I want to kick him when I see his smug face!”
It was no surprise to William that Nicholas won the lottery; after all, it was William who gave him the ticket. But from Aurora’s tone, it seemed Nicholas had become quite arrogant.
“I’ll go in and take a look,” William said with a smile to Aurora. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. If things get tough, I’ll just say Lila is my girlfriend. They probably won’t dare mess with me then.”
Hearing William say this, Aurora finally nodded, “I’ve heard that this Lila girl has strong connections. Just say she’s your friend, and that should be enough. But if she’s not your girlfriend, don’t spread rumors; it could cause problems.”
“Got it,” William replied, leading Wyatt and the others into the bar.
“William, Thomas and the others are at Table T13,” someone informed him. William’s familiarity with the former bar owner and his seemingly significant social network gave off a “street-smart” aura that commanded a hint of respect.
William nodded in acknowledgment and led the group straight to T13. Having worked at the bar before, he knew his way around.
Halfway there, William noticed Nicholas sitting with Thomas and their group, chatting enthusiastically, appearing very familiar with each other. As they approached, Nicholas noticed William and stood up, calling out, “William! Come here! I want to introduce you to my buddies!”
Just a few days ago, Nicholas had addressed William more formally and had even wanted to learn from him. Now he was calling him by his first name in such a familiar manner, clearly exhibiting a sense of superiority.
Thomas certainly recognized William but remained silent, a playful smile on his lips, seemingly finding the situation entertaining.
Upon seeing the large group at Thomas’s table, Wyatt’s face turned pale, and he remained silent.
Daniel, typically hot-tempered, didn’t dare to speak up given the circumstances.
As for Paul, since entering, he had kept his hands behind him, seemingly ready to draw a weapon at any moment.
Although William knew Thomas, he smiled and told Nicholas, “Go on, introduce them.”
“First, pour the drinks!” Nicholas ordered, shouting to a nearby waiter, “Bring me four pint glasses!” He then took out a pack of $10 Parliament cigarettes, offering a few to William.
William declined, “I don’t smoke. And I won’t be drinking either.”
Nicholas paused, the smile fading from his face. He chuckled, “What? Trying to make me look bad?”
“Yes!”
“…”
This really puts me in an awkward position!
Could anything be more upfront?
“Darn it!” Nicholas, in a fit of anger, hurled the cigarettes in his hand towards William’s face.
With a casual swipe of his hand, William not only blocked the cigarettes, but they even deflected back onto Nicholas’s face.
Half of the people at the table immediately stood up, glaring at William menacingly.
However, a young man seated at the center gestured for everyone to sit, saying, “Sit down! What are you all doing? Nicholas knows how to handle this; why are you getting involved?”
Nicholas shot a glance at the young man before yelling at William, “William! Stop acting so high and mighty! So, you’ve been with a few wealthy older women. You think you’re something special?”
William chuckled, “Speaking of entertaining wealthy women, you seem to be the real expert. How was that older woman the other night? Given her size, did she cause any strain on your back after spending the night with her?”