David’s maneuver made the atmosphere at the dinner table quite awkward.
Lucy remained silent, and in that moment, she felt a twinge of sympathy for Clara.
After all, they were dorm-mates. If Clara had chosen to storm off in anger earlier, Lucy probably would have left with her, even stepping in to defend her.
What David said was really over the line!
“Serve the dishes,” David casually called to the waiter, smiling as if nothing had happened.
His mood shift was so swift that even the waiter seemed taken aback.
After the waiter left, David’s gaze swept across everyone present and said, “I don’t want to hear about tonight’s events outside of this place. Do you all understand?”
Thomas quickly responded, “Understood! David, rest assured, we won’t utter a word about this.”
Apart from William’s group, the other three men chimed in agreement.
The other women also didn’t want to provoke David. Some even joked that of course, they wouldn’t gossip about it.
Lucy looked away, clearly ignoring David.
So, aside from Lucy, the only ones who hadn’t given a stance were William and his group.
David’s icy stare focused on William. “William, what do you say?”
William wasn’t exactly a paragon of justice. He had encountered the likes of David before. It’s one thing to give and another to take; since Clara had earlier expressed clear displeasure towards Evelyn, William was naturally not inclined to step up for her.
“I’m just here to eat. Whatever you all were talking about earlier, I didn’t hear,” William said nonchalantly, all the while texting Lana their location. By playing dumb, he set a tone for his dorm-mates to follow.
Currently, dorm room 306’s group largely followed William’s lead. Seeing William’s response, Wyatt and the others had no choice but to echo him.
To an outsider, it seemed as though a group of feeble students were bowing to the likes of David.
Yet, David seemed rather pleased with William’s attitude, thinking to himself, “At least he knows his place.”
However, David’s smile didn’t last long. “Oh, by the way, I heard you have some issues with Ryan. I’ve invited him over. He should be arriving soon. Though, he seems to have brought friends. There might not be enough space here. Perhaps your dorm-mates can make room? We could get them a smaller table.”
It was clear that David was insinuating that Wyatt and the others weren’t worthy of sitting at the main table, suggesting a smaller table was a greater insult than directly asking them to leave.
Wyatt and the others looked visibly upset. Lucy, unable to hold back any longer, stood up, saying, “Forget it, William. Let’s go. We’re not eating here.”
William, however, quickly grabbed Lucy’s wrist, lightly lifting his eyes with a smirk, “If Ryan comes and there’s space, he can sit. If not, we can always bring in a few stools for his friends or set up a separate table for them.”
David’s grin widened. He’d heard of the rift between Ryan and William. Initially, there were rumors suggesting to avoid tangling with William, which David suspected might be due to Lila’s influence.
Was Lila truly dating this penniless William?
Even so, if Ryan caused any stir after arriving today, the two would undoubtedly be at loggerheads.
Everyone in their circle knew that Lila’s most cherished person was her younger brother.
If William clashes too severely with Ryan, Lila might not necessarily side with William.
David had calculated everything perfectly. He’d also heard from Thomas that William was quite skilled. So, when inviting Ryan, David had added that he was keen to make acquaintances with the experts from the Bronx Budo Dojo.
Presumably, Ryan would bring along members from the Bronx Budo Dojo.
If a fight breaks out, William might not necessarily have the upper hand.
Even if the members of the Bronx Budo Dojo and Ryan were no match for William, if William were to hurt them, would the Carter family and the members of the Bronx Budo Dojo spare William?
Once Ryan arrives, the outcome becomes irrelevant.
David’s strategy of sitting back and watching others fight is simply brilliant.
No matter who gets into trouble, David can stay out of it, and Lila can’t blame him either.
William spoke with confidence. Wyatt and the others had witnessed William’s prowess. With him speaking like this, they naturally remained calm and seated confidently.
When William grabbed Lucy’s wrist, she felt the steadiness and strength of his grip. Glancing at William’s profile, even though she didn’t know where his confidence stemmed from, his calm demeanor gave her an unprecedented sense of security.
Hearing William’s words, David felt even more triumphant. He had actually worried that William might leave at this point, thereby only causing William embarrassment without a direct conflict with Ryan.
So arrogant! Impressive!
David’s lips twitched slightly, thinking that as arrogant as William appeared now, he might be just as humiliated later. David was eager to see the scene after Ryan’s arrival.
The waiters began serving dishes. Thomas and the other two men started lightening the mood, chatting and laughing with the ladies as if nothing had happened.
“Waiter, bring over a small table for me, one that can accommodate four people, and find four plastic stools,” David called out to the waiter, requesting the small table and plastic stools.
He wanted to see who would end up sitting there later.
“Sir, we don’t have plastic stools,” the waiter replied cautiously, “Would wooden stools be acceptable?”
Plastic stools are typically found in small eateries and night markets, not in upscale hotels like this. Having such items would surely cheapen the establishment.
David’s gaze turned icy. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and handed a stack of 100-dollar bills to the waiter. “If you don’t have them, then buy them. I want to see plastic stools here within five minutes.”
The waiter reluctantly accepted the money, nodding to David, “I’ll find them right away.”
With that, he quickly dashed out. ｂ𝚍𝚘𝚟ｌ.ｎｔ
It’s really strange. Dining in a five-star hotel in New York and yet insisting on plastic chairs. Could he be reminiscing about the feel of the barbecue stalls on Brooklyn streets during his childhood?
The waiter murmured to himself. Although David seemed to him a bit like the naive son of a wealthy family from the Upper East Side, the sight of the large bills in David’s hands made him turn towards the storage room, recalling that there might indeed be some plastic chairs in the hotel.
At this moment, Lucy’s expression was notably sour. Insisting on plastic chairs, wasn’t this implying that William and his companions weren’t worthy of dining with them?
She had already decided. If Ryan truly insisted on making William and the others sit at the small table later on, she would instantly throw her glass of red wine at David and then whisk William away from the scene.