Chapter 130 She
Threatened You
As William observed Renee leading Marvin away, his expression remained unreadable. He gently pulled his hand from Laurie’s grasp.
“Little girl, it’s important for women to maintain self–respect. Never throw yourself at men so casually again,” he advised as he stood and picked up his jacket.
“I’ve taken care of the bill. Enjoy your meal. Regarding our engagement—”
“You’re looking for an excuse to say no, aren’t you?” Laurie said, resting her chin on her hand and gazing at him playfully.
“Yes,” William replied, his voice steady.
“I heard that your marriage to Ms. Carter was because she threatened you. You conceded for the Payne family’s sake, right? Who has your heart, really? Ms. Carter or Ms. Payne?” Laurie inquired.
William paused. He was not obliged to answer, but he chose to.
“No one can compel me to do anything against my will,” he declared.
His statement was loaded with implication.
His marriage to Renee was a choice of his own, and he was equally steadfast about this engagement.
Laurie, understanding the subtext, shifted the topic. “But you couldn’t make your previous marriage work. That suggests you two aren’t meant to be.”
“Perhaps. What of it?” William countered.
With a cunning smile, Laurie retorted, “Your father has made a severe error at work. Without my family’s assistance, he would lose his job and might even end up in jail. Knowing this, will you still reject our marriage, William?”
William’s frown deepened as he stared into her eyes, which seemed innocent but now clearly calculating.
He remained silent and turned to leave.
Outside, he dialed Denton’s number.
“What’s happening, bro? I heard about your blind date today. How did it—” began Denton.
“Do me a favor,” William cut in. “Keep Marvin busy for half an hour. Make it happen in the next three minutes. I don’t care how.”
Denton was briefly taken aback. Before he could inquire further, William had disconnected.
“Damn it! Does he think I’m a magician or something? He really thinks I can handle everything?” Denton grumbled to himself. Then, a crafty smile crept across his face as he realized he could indeed manage the task this time.
Renee guided Marvin to the underground parking lot, aiming to find another spot for dinner. Her primary motive for inviting Marvin was to connect with Shaun through him and further her investigation of the new drug case.
Unexpectedly, William appeared and ruined her plan. Renee couldn’t believe her misfortune. Tofral felt too small.
As they settled into the car, Marvin’s phone rang. He picked it up, and immediately, a frantic voice burst through. “Marvin! Help! I’m at Trendy Bar, and I’ve been set up! Come save me! Please!”
Marvin’s expression darkened. His cousin was a bigger troublemaker than
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he was, always finding himself in conflicts. Marvin was uncertain about the specifics of his cousin’s current predicament, but he knew he couldn’t just overlook it. Normally, his cousin wasn’t excessively troublesome, but any serious issues would surely lead to consequences from their Jarrod once they got home.
“What’s going on?” Renee inquired, noticing his concerned look.
“I need to handle something. Can we take a rain check?”
“Do you really need to deal with this now?”
Renee wasn’t questioning Marvin’s judgment. Rather, her investigative instincts were piqued. Why did this situation arise just when they had other plans?
