Chapter 32
After that little hiccup, Pearl instructed Wayne to find the culprit.
As expected, Abby was the one who bribed a reporter to get that photograph and post it on the Internet. Pearl realized that she had been too lenient with Flores Firms since Abby could still scheme against her.
“Wayne, cancel all contracts between Cerubleu and Flores Firms, including the ongoing ones. Pay off the compensation for the breach of contracts.”
With an icy expression, Wayne remarked, “I knew it was Abby. Don’t worry, Miss Pearl. I won’t let her off the hook”
Flores Firms was set to lose hundreds of millions of dollars without Cerubleu.
Richard became suspicious when Cerubleu announced they would cease cooperating with Flores Firms. The company seemed to always encounter a crisis whenever something happened to Pearl. He wondered if Wayne was avenging Pearl.
Pearl was about to leave after confirming the final proposal with Richard when the latter stopped her. “I have a question for you.”
Pearl did not feel like talking to him about anything other than business after he had doubted her. “If it’s something personal, I’m not interested.”
“Are
you the mastermind behind Flores Firms‘ crises?”
After a moment of shock, Pearl burst into laughter. “Do you really think I have the power to ruin a large company like Flores Firms?”
Richard’s face sank. “You don’t, but Wayne and Cerubleu do. I know Abby isn’t very likable, but you don’t have to do this to her.”
“Wow, feeling sorry for the damsel, are we, Mister Richard? You’re scolding me on her behalf.” Pearl’s gaze was bone- chilling, and her words made Richard frown in confusion. “Do you really think Abby is naive and kind?”
Richard recalled how upset Abby was after she stepped on an ant when they were young. “I think she is.”
Pearl knew there was nothing else left to say. She got to her feet and said calmly, “Flores Firms‘ crises have everything to do with Abby and nothing to do with me. Mister Richard, you should call the president of Cerubleu about this instead of making things difficult for me, your employee.” She turned and left in a huff.
Richard handed the task of organizing the Waldorf Enterprises anniversary party to Abby and invited many influential and famous people.
This news made Pearl’s hand tremble as she wrote. “Oh, turns out you like Abby. No wonder you defended her.”
This strange idea surprised her and upset her at the same time. She decided to invite Wayne out for a drink at Night Pub after
work.
Staring at the sparkling wine in his hand, Wayne teased Pearl, “I’m surprised to see you in a bad mood. What happened? Did the Waldorfs bully you?”
Pearl downed her wine. “I told you that would never happen.”
Her arrogance made Wayne roll his eyes. “Then why are you here drowning your sorrows?”
Frustrated, Pearl knocked his head. “Get lost if you don’t want to drink.”
“Fine, fine. I’ll drink with you.”
After chugging down a few glasses of wine, Pearl became slightly tipsy and bold. She suddenly wanted to play truth or dare.
“Whoever the bottle points at first has to hit on somebody and get them to drink three glasses of wine.”
Chapter 37
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Wayne lost the first round. He picked up his wine glass and walked over to a woman, and he successfully got her number. The bottle pointed to Pearl in the second round. She staggered to her feet and walked toward a group of people nearby. When Richard saw her sashay toward them, he furrowed his brows. ‘Is that Pearl?
Extending her hand and weaving through the crowd, Pearl chuckled and fell into Richard’s arms. “Since you’re the most handsome one, I choose you.”
Richard kept his cool, eager to watch her next move.
“Handsome, what do you think of me?” Pearl was flushed from the wine and her long red dress enhanced her charms.
While lea
leaning into Richard, she yanked his tic. Her pleasant smell enveloped him.
The surrounding men were stunned. One of them started to tease Richard, “You’re a babe magnet, Mister Richard. Women throw themselves at you wherever you go. Tsk! Check out her slim figure and fair skin.”
“Yeah, Mister Richard. Time is of the essence. She seems pretty wasted and is really into you. You’d better hurry.”
The men glued their lascivious gazes on Pearl’s legs.
“I’ll rip your eyes out if you keep staring at her,” Richard warned coldly.
The men stopped commenting on Pearl when Richard suddenly erupted in anger. He took off his coat and covered her with it, asking gloomily, “What do you want, Pearl?”
“R–Richard? Forget it. I’m gonna go.”
Pearl struggled to get up but Richard swiftly picked her up.
“Stop. You’re drunk.”
Pearl pouted like a child. “I wanna leave. Stop pestering me.”
“You’ll get in trouble.” Richard then carried her to a room upstairs.
The drunk Pearl started rambling, “I hate Richard the most.”
Her remark made Richard upset. “And why is that?”
Pearl began complaining, “Richard always helps others to bully me. How could he do this to me? I feel so wronged…”
Helplessly, Richard refuted, “He didn’t bully you.”
“No, he likes… Abby. He’s been helping her to bully me,” she said as she sobbed.
Richard had never seen Pearl behave like an aggrieved girl before, and he felt rather sorry for her. He wondered if he had made
a mistake.
“No, Richard would never bully you.” It was his promise and guarantee.
Pearl scoffed. “But he likes Abby. He’ll keep on helping her.” After that, she dozed off.
Richard stared at her sleeping face and whispered, “No, I don’t like Abby.”
