“You don’t have that much money?”
At this moment, Paul felt quite embarrassed.
“Man, it was you who said if the wine ran out, we’d get another glass, right? How can we order another bottle without money? Can you dine and dash in a place like New York?”
Given the formidable power William had displayed earlier, it was understandable that Thomas and the other three guys dared not mock William’s bravado anymore.
Had this occurred before William wielded that shattered beer bottle, Curl would have definitely ridiculed him for flaunting despite being penniless. But now, they didn’t even dare to speak.
Regardless, the awkwardness was on William, and they all waited to see how he would handle this embarrassing situation. 𝒷𝒹𝓸𝓿𝓁.𝒸ℴ𝓶
David, however, was much bolder. He felt that no matter how formidable William was, he wouldn’t dare to harm him in public.
“William, if you don’t have the money, it’s going to be a problem. We’re not that close, and I won’t cover the bill for you. You want to drink but not pay, you think that’s possible?”
William just smiled and replied, “Hold on, the one paying is on the way.”
“You didn’t call Lila over, did you?”
“Did you call Lila over?” David frowned and commented, “Using a woman’s money, you seem to do so quite comfortably and without restraint!”
The atmosphere at the table became tense. Those female classmates from the dance department looked at William with eyes full of doubt. Using a woman’s money so brazenly, no matter how talented or handsome, such behavior is still looked down upon…
At any rate, they didn’t intend to cover such a hefty bill for William.
Lucy bit her lip gently, pondering if William and Lila genuinely had that sort of relationship.
Or, as rumors suggested, was William financially supported by Lila?
As for Paul and the others, their admiration for William grew.
After all, living off someone else required its own set of skills.
Marry when you find the right partner, launch a venture when you encounter a benefactor, and if you stumble upon a wealthy woman, it’s the best of both worlds.
In their eyes, William was now their role model.
Regardless of the looks from others, William only responded with a smile.
A few seconds later, the main door was suddenly pushed open, and everyone’s attention was drawn to the entrance.
Could it be Lila arriving?
David’s brows knitted tightly. If Lila arrived before Ryan, his plan would be foiled.
Not only would all his plans go awry, but Lila would also discover his ambiguous relationship with another girl.
However, in the next moment, David breathed a sigh of relief because it was Ryan, accompanied by three senior members from Bronx Budo Dojo, who entered.
He almost burst out laughing.
This must be what perfection feels like.
David rose to greet him, “Ryan, you’re finally here. We’ve been waiting for you for a while.”
Ryan was about to exchange pleasantries with David when, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted William seated opposite.
In the next second, he genuinely froze in fear!
Being the sole male heir of the Carter family, when had he ever feared anyone before?
But his grandfather had repeatedly warned him about William. He told him that whenever he met William in the future, he should address him as Mr. Johnson. Furthermore, he was not to offend or be impolite in any manner.
Ryan was told that if a repeat of the past incident occurred, his grandfather would genuinely break his legs and confine him at home for ten years.
Ryan had come to understand that William was not just a match for his sister. He must have a powerful background, one that even the Carter family dare not provoke.
He even secretly told himself that he’d avoid places where William was present in the future.
If he couldn’t confront the issue, couldn’t he at least avoid it?
He had never expected that in a gathering like this, William would be present too!
Seeing Ryan staring dumbfoundedly at William, David turned, pointing towards William and said with a grin, “Ryan, those four seats over there were originally reserved for you. However, William brought three of his dorm mates, and they took the seats. And as I told you, by the time you arrived, they had almost finished eating.”
Slowly pushing David aside, Ryan walked towards William.
The three seniors following behind Ryan also trailed him.
Their responsibility was to ensure Ryan’s safety. They were, in essence, his attendants. If someone bullied Ryan, they’d deal with the offender. If Ryan wanted to bully someone, they would handle that person too.
From what David just relayed, it was clear that the young man named William wouldn’t be leaving unscathed today.
Watching Ryan’s retreating figure, a cold smirk appeared on David’s lips.
Go ahead, William, make your move!
I want to see just how skilled you really are!
Seeing Ryan approach, Lucy quickly stood up, intending to intercept him, but William pulled her back once more.
“Ryan, don’t do anything rash!”
Ryan’s mouth twitched slightly as he approached William with a smile, exclaiming, “Mr. Johnson, hello! I didn’t expect to run into you here. It’s such a pleasant surprise.”
William nodded, “You’ve matured quite a bit.”
A collective gasp went through the crowd. So many were taken aback by this unforeseen development.
Was William actually saying that Ryan had matured?
“Yes, indeed! I wronged you previously, Mr. Johnson. It was my fault, and I haven’t had the chance to formally apologize. Since we’ve met today, I’d like to drink a few rounds with you as a formal apology.” Ryan was furious, but he certainly didn’t want his grandfather to actually break his legs and confine him at home for a decade.
At this point, losing face seemed preferable to losing the use of his legs.
The room was engulfed in an eerie silence. David’s eyes were nearly bulging out of their sockets.
Good heavens, what in the world?
Was Ryan really that scared of William?
Lucy, still in shock, settled back into her seat. Ryan’s infamous reputation was well known across the campus. Most knew him as the audacious and overbearing sole male heir of the Carter family. At school, he did as he pleased, often behaving recklessly.
Yet, here he was, looking so subdued and humble before William.
“Find a seat for yourself,” William said with a slight lift of his eyelids, paying him no more attention after that.
Ryan’s gaze scanned the hall. There was an available seat next to Lucy, but there were four of them in total.
Additionally, there was a smaller table nearby, with four plastic chairs…
“David, what’s the meaning of this?” Ryan now wished he could throttle David. He had avoided William for days to sidestep a meeting, and yet here he was, meeting him in this setting. What’s worse, David seemed to want to stir up trouble between him and William, trying to drive a wedge in their relationship.
He might not provoke William now, but he certainly wasn’t afraid of David.
David quickly realized things weren’t going according to his plan.
Pointing to Thomas and Curl, he said, “You four, sit over there!”
David was not someone they could afford to offend. With Ryan present and William being a formidable figure, Thomas and the others had no choice but to quietly take their places with their utensils.
“Waiter, bring the drinks! And order more dishes!” Once seated, Ryan immediately called for drinks and food, turning to William with a smile, “Mr. Johnson, what would you like?”
William directed Paul, “Paul, you order.”
The waiter handed the menu to Paul, asking, “Sir, what else would you like to order?”
Paul stared blankly at Ryan, “Can I order anything?”
“Yes! It’s on me!” Ryan nodded in affirmation. He had every intention of picking up the tab today. He was more concerned that William might not give him the chance.