Outside the private room, Silas Hawthorne looked at his younger brother, one side of his face red and swollen.
He reached into his pocket, took out a cigarette, and placed it between his lips.
As he walked forward, an assistant at his side hurriedly produced a lighter and lit it for him.
With one hand in his pocket, he held the cigarette between his thumb and index finger, exhaling white smoke rings from his thin lips.
The white smoke obscured his face, and no one knew what he was thinking.
Warren Hawthorne followed behind him, head hanging low, his heart pounding in his chest.
He had only one thought: ‘I’m so screwed.’
‘I’m definitely in for it when we get back.’
“Given your recent performance, I’m suspending your cards for two months.
Want spending money?”
“Stay home and keep Mom company.”
Outside The Skylar Lounge, Silas extinguished his cigarette and tossed it into a trash can.
He tilted his head slightly, looking at his good-for-nothing younger brother.
“You’ve made Mom worry far too much.
If you’re really this bored, I can arrange for you to start handling business at the company.”
“And another thing.
You are not to associate with those two ever again.
If I find out, I’ll beat you every single time.”
With that said, Silas Hawthorne got into the car.
Not daring to utter another word, his brother hurriedly followed him in.
The assistant drove from the driver’s seat, feeling a little unnerved.
‘Why is Chairman Hawthorne so angry today?’
On the way back, their car happened to pass by the construction site where Hazel Sinclair and her husband had set up their food stall.
Through the car window, they could see the couple working hard to make a living.
There were no complaints on their faces, only the eager joy of earning money.
“Leon Sterling!” Upon seeing him, Warren Hawthorne shouted furiously, “Stop the car!
I’m going to teach them a lesson!”
“That’ll teach him to look down on me.” Warren Hawthorne was still stewing over the trivial incident when Leon Sterling had ignored him on the street while making a delivery.
The car stopped, and Warren Hawthorne immediately jumped out and stormed over.
The couple, completely unaware of his arrival, continued their work.
Hazel Sinclair enthusiastically served the customers in line while Leon Sterling dished out food with a large ladle.
“Leon Sterling—” Warren Hawthorne’s voice suddenly cut through the air, reaching everyone present.
Instantly, all eyes fell on him.
They saw a pretty boy with dyed-blond hair, decked out in designer clothes, looking like some rich punk with nothing better to do.
Warren Hawthorne ignored their stares, strode over to Leon Sterling, and continued to shout, “I want you to get on your knees and apologize to me right now!”
Leon Sterling, bundled up against the elements, gave him a single glance without a word, then lowered his head and continued serving the workers.
Standing nearby, Hazel Sinclair glanced between the two of them and muttered, ‘Here to cause trouble?’
‘How did Leon Sterling manage to piss off some try-hard punk?’
Her gaze swept over Warren Hawthorne, and seeing his tattered-looking clothes, she couldn’t help but mumble again, ‘He shows up dressed in rags.
Is he trying to cause trouble or pull a scam?’
‘If he faints from hunger in front of our stall, are we going to have to pay up?’
Hazel Sinclair had never been exposed to luxury goods, custom-tailored clothes, or exclusive high-end brands, so naturally, she couldn’t tell that Warren Hawthorne’s outfit was worth the down payment on a house.
“Hey, when did you manage to offend this try-hard punk behind my back?” Hazel Sinclair asked, looking over at Leon Sterling as she packed rice into a container.
“I don’t know,” Leon Sterling replied, shaking his head.
‘He’d never even seen the guy before, so how could he have possibly offended him?’
Seeing that Leon Sterling was not only ignoring him but that his wife was also standing there belittling him and calling him a try-hard punk, Warren Hawthorne grew even more furious.
“I am Warren Hawthorne, the second son of the Hawthorne Family!” he declared, pointing at himself.
“Now are you going to get on your knees and apologize to me or not?”
“Admit how rude you were!”
A man in a black suit and a white hard hat happened to be standing nearby.
Hearing Warren Hawthorne’s declaration, he looked over and asked earnestly, “Are you really the second son of the Hawthorne Family?”
“Of course I am!
My brother’s right there in the car.
Do you need me to call him over to prove it?” Warren Hawthorne said smugly, thinking his family name was finally having an effect.
But the man’s next words left him momentarily speechless.
“Since you’re Mr.
Hawthorne, do you think you could get Director Lawson to settle his project payment?” the middle-aged man boomed, taking the container of food from Leon Sterling and picking up a pair of disposable chopsticks.
“Director Lawson has owed me for this project for two years.
I go to collect every year, and he just keeps making excuses.
He even said he knows you and Chairman Hawthorne.
Since you’re Mr.
Hawthorne in the flesh, can you help me get the money he owes me?”
The middle-aged man looked at Warren Hawthorne with a simple, earnest face, his tone utterly sincere.
The request completely stumped Warren Hawthorne.
As someone who only knew how to eat, drink, and party, what would he possibly know about any of this?
His desire to cause trouble evaporated instantly.
He hastily made an excuse and fled.
Watching Warren Hawthorne’s retreating back, Leon Sterling finally spoke.
“Foreman, asking him is useless.”
“He’s just a rich brat who only knows how to eat, drink, and party.”
The middle-aged man sat down on a stool, opened his meal, and gave a bitter smile.
“But that’s a fifteen-million project payment.
Money I pooled with a few friends, and we still haven’t gotten it back.”
Hearing this, Hazel Sinclair’s eyes immediately lit up.
Wiping her hands, she asked with a smile, “So, how about I help you get that project payment back?”
The middle-aged man chuckled at her words.
“If you can actually get it back, I’ll give you a hundred and fifty thousand as a reward.”
He didn’t really believe the young woman in front of him could pull it off, though.
One hundred and fifty thousand!
‘What a huge sum!
A mere fifteen million…
I have to get that money back.’
“Deal.
I’ll help you get it back,” Hazel Sinclair said, pulling out her phone.
“Let’s add each other on WeChat, and we can discuss it properly tonight.”
And just like that, they exchanged WeChat contacts.
Leon Sterling’s gaze fell upon her, his expression uncomprehending.
After serving the last of the customers, the couple ate the final two portions themselves.
They scraped the last of the dishes from the insulated container into two disposable boxes and sat eating together under the dim light.
“Fifteen million…
Are you sure you can get it back?” Leon Sterling asked with concern.
“I’ll sue them, threaten them, raise holy hell…
I’ll try everything.”
“And if all else fails, I’ll report their company to the authorities,” Hazel Sinclair declared confidently.
“This is a real money-making opportunity!
If I can get that one hundred and fifty thousand, you’ll have the capital to start your company.”
At her words, Leon Sterling’s hands tightened unconsciously.
After a long moment, he spoke, his voice hoarse.
“You really don’t have to go this far for me.”
“Go back to the Sinclair Family.
You shouldn’t be suffering like this with me.”
His voice was laced with endless desolation and bitterness, as cold and sharp as an iced Americano.
Hazel Sinclair raised her hand and slapped him across the face.
The sharp sound echoed in the quiet space.
“What are you even thinking?” she snapped.
“I’m doing this for *me*!”