Chapter 11
The Son's Club
Richard's gaze lingered on Willson's face, his expression uneasy.
"Looking at you now, I wonder what's going on in that head of yours," he said.
Willson responded with an evil smile,
You should go easy on Susan. It hasn't been easy for her. Do you have any idea what she's going through right now? She ran away from home to avoid this engagement, and I'm sure her family has punished her for it, maybe even frozen her accounts or worse."
Richard's tone turned sympathetic.
"If that's what's happened to her, then the punishment is too light. I hope they punish her even more severely."
Willson's eyes sparkled with amusement as he asked,
"Do you think rejecting this engagement is good for her family?"
"Of course not,"
Willson replied, his smile growing smugger.
"They proposed marriage to us because they need our family's wealth, power, and reputation to boost their own. I've investigated their situation, and their company is facing some challenges. It's not obvious yet, but they're desperate."
Willson's voice dripped with disdain.
"And yet, she had the nerve to cancel the engagement when her family is on the brink of bankruptcy. I don't know if I should call her bold or just plain stupid."
Richard nodded in understanding, acknowledging the dire situation Susan's family was in.
Willson chuckled, a wicked glint in his eye.
"Let's see how she helps her family out of this situation without coming to me for help."
Richard's instincts warned him that Willson was up to no good, so he asked for confirmation.
"You're not going to make there company's situation worse, are you? So that Susan and her family have no choice but to beg you for help, and then you'll ask for something in return, finally getting your sweet revenge?"
Willson's smile grew wider.
"Wow, Richard. I knew you were smart, but I didn't know you were this smart. But you didn't quite get it right..."
"Not bad, but still close enough,"
Willson praised Richard, his tone laced with amusement. Richard shook his head, his expression a mix of concern and frustration.
"What's going on with you? Why are you acting like a child just because of a rejected engagement? You're not the first person to have an engagement called off, and you won't be the last. If you actually liked the girl, I'd understand where this childish behavior is coming from, but you don't. This is all about your ego; you're just being egotistical."
Richard's voice took on a pleading tone as he tried to persuade Willson to stop before it was too late.
"Your pride isn't letting you give up on this matter, but it's making you act like a fool. Just let it go and stop making a spectacle of yourself."
He was worried that Willson would ruin not only his own reputation but also that of his family.
Willson's gaze locked onto Richard's, his eyes narrowing.
"So, you're asking me to forget everything and let her go without doing anything to her family or her? Is that what you're saying?"
His voice was low and rigid, and Richard noticed the anger simmering beneath the surface.
Richard held Willson's gaze, not intimidated but aware of his friend's anger. He decided to drop the matter and instead thought to himself,
"I'll look for Susan and warn her. Whether she falls for whatever Willson is planning is up to her. I don't think I can ruin my friendship with my childhood friend for her. I can only hope she ends up okay."
Richard silently prayed for Susan's well-being.
Outwardly, Richard smiled innocently and charmingly, saying,
"Never mind what I said. Pretend I didn't say anything."
He poured more drink for Willson and handed it to him. Willson smiled back, his expression softening.
"Better. I know you won't pick hoes over bros," he said, hitting Richard's shoulder.
Richard sighed, giving up on persuading Willson. He asked,
"What else are you up to?"
Willson just smiled mysteriously.
"It's a secret. You'll know when it happens." Willson said Mysteriously.
Richard's eyes narrowed slightly as he asked,
"Is it really a secret, or don't you trust me enough to share your plans?"
His tone hinted at offense. Willson smiled, taking a sip of his drink.
"Don't overthink it. If I didn't want to tell you, I wouldn't have mentioned anything. I'm letting you know I'm up to something, which is better than lying, right?"
Richard sighed, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Fine, keep your secret. I'll find out eventually. I'm Richard, after all."
Willson's gaze drifted to the painting on the wall, a look of fascination on his face as he sipped his drink. Richard chuckled and said,
"Since you've vented your anger and have nothing more to say, I'll leave you to yourself."
He stood up, adding,
"I still have to work, and I can't just serve you all night. It's not fair."
Willson raised an eyebrow, his expression disdainful.
"Why are you so upright? It really gives me a headache."
Richard's face filled with conviction.
"It's because I'm upright that we're friends. If I were like others, only after your money and trying to take advantage of you, we wouldn't be friends now, would we?"
As Richard turned to leave, he said,
"Don't drink too much, and go home after you're done with this drink. I won't let them serve you anymore, okay?" Willson smirked.
"Are you the owner or am I? If I order drinks, why won't they give me more? They don't want to get sacked, do they?"
Richard stopped at the door, looking back with a smug smile.
"They won't, after all, I'm the general manager of this club. This privilege comes with being friends with the owner, Willson. Don't you think so?" Richard said smiling.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's indeed a privilege of being my best friend,"
Willson said, nodding his head in acknowledgment.
"Alright, I'm off, bro. Don't stay too late, okay? Bye,"
Richard said, exiting the room.
As soon as Richard left, Willson let out a sigh of relief.
"Finally, he's gone. He keeps nagging me all the time, such a pain," Willson said to himself, downing the rest of his drink and feeling satisfied