Chapter 143

Chapter 143

The Warren father and son watched Cruz get fired on the spot, and their confidence shot through the roof.

Conrad's face was already swollen and misshapen from the beating, but that didn't stop him from stepping forward to pick a fight. "David, what do you think you're doing? Weren't we clear enough just now? Mr. Larson is the Deputy Mayor of Seabrook! And you still have the nerve to call for backup? How many people in Seabrook do you think are as reckless as you?"

Still not satisfied, Conrad turned to Michael and spat viciously, "And you — you freak! Look at yourself. Built like a tank but dressed like that? Makes me sick just looking at you!"

David paid no attention to the Warren father and son or Lucien. With a slight smile, he dialed Laurel's number.

When the call connected, David laid out everything that had happened, detail by detail.

Laurel was completely stunned.

Just that morning, he'd been counting the days, figuring Lucien would be back today or tomorrow. He'd planned to remind Lucien in person, during his work report, that Thunder God was now in Seabrook and that he should keep a low profile for a while. Instead, the guy — his own subordinate — had come back to Seabrook without checking in first. And to make things worse, he'd managed to pick a fight with David right out of the gate.

What was he thinking?

Laurel himself, the Mayor of Seabrook and one of the city's three great Earls, had to be deferential when facing Thunder God. And here was some Deputy Mayor — a mere Viscount — daring to cause trouble for David.

The thought made him act immediately. He said to David in a humble, apologetic tone, "Mr. Jones, please don't be upset. I promise I'll handle this properly."

David smiled. "You don't need to just 'handle it.' I've been in Seabrook long enough to know how things work here. Cruz is steady and capable. If you ask me, make him the Deputy Mayor of Seabrook."

Standing behind David, Cruz heard this out of nowhere and froze. He felt like his heart was about to leap out of his chest.

Overcome with emotion, Cruz rushed forward and dropped to his knees in front of David, eyes brimming with tears. "Thank you, Mr. Jones! Thank you for recommending me!"

On the other end of the phone, Laurel laughed without missing a beat. "Mr. Jones, it seems we think alike. Just this morning over breakfast, I was thinking it might be time to promote Cruz. Consider it done — I'll take care of it right away."

David smiled and gave a pointed reminder before hanging up. "Then make it quick."

Laurel agreed readily, but inwardly he sighed: Lucien, don't blame me for this. You should've come to me the moment you got back.

After hanging up, Laurel immediately reached out to Seabrook's other top officials. Removing Lucien as Deputy Mayor was something he could decide on his own, but he still had to notify the right people.

While Laurel was on the phone arranging Lucien's removal and Cruz's appointment as Deputy Mayor, the Warren father and son stood in the private room, struck speechless by what David had just said.

Josiah — Lucien's assistant, the person who had just been verbally "appointed" as police chief — was staring at David with her mouth open, unable to say a word.

As for Lucien, he was looking at David like he was watching a complete fool.

After a few seconds, Lucien suddenly burst out laughing. He crouched down on the floor, clutching his stomach, eyeing the still-smug David. "Mr. Jones, are you trying to kill me with laughter so you can inherit my estate? God almighty — did you hear that? This kid makes one phone call and thinks he can have me fired as Deputy Mayor!"

Lucien kept laughing, and the Warren father and son snapped back to their senses.

Pax sneered. "Mr. Jones, bragging is fine, but before you open your mouth, maybe think about whether you can actually back it up."

Conrad clenched his fists. Still stinging from losing to David again and again, he turned to Josiah and snarled, "Josiah, stop standing there! Tell your people to point their guns at him right now! If he doesn't cooperate, shoot him!"

Josiah's nerves were on edge. She was young, but she hadn't lasted this long as Lucien's assistant by being foolish. Years of reading people told her that what this young man had just said might not be empty talk after all.

She didn't give the order. Instead, she furrowed her brows, fixed her eyes on David's, and asked slowly and carefully, "Tell me — who exactly are you? Why do you talk like you own the place?"

Lucien wasn't pleased with her hesitation. He hauled himself up and dropped into a nearby chair. "Josiah, why are you even asking him that? Can't you see this guy is delusional? Listen to me — arrest him and send him straight to a psychiatric hospital. A few decades of treatment should do the trick. Otherwise, he won't just take away my Deputy Mayor title — he might come after your brand-new police chief position too."

David looked Josiah over with obvious interest, a half-smile on his face. "Once Cruz takes over as Deputy Mayor, the police chief position will be open. Josiah, how about we make a deal?"

Josiah ran her tongue over her dry lips and shot a nervous glance at Lucien.

Lucien stayed completely calm, a faint smile on his face. "Go ahead. I want to see just how far you plan to take this little performance."

David ignored Lucien entirely. He kept his eyes on Josiah's pretty face and smiled. "Josiah, see these shoes I'm wearing? Once this is all settled, go out and buy me a new pair — and then take these ones home with you. Treat them with the utmost respect. I mean it — proper respect."

Before he even finished, Michael stifled a laugh beside him, covering her mouth with her hand and saying in a playful, breathy voice, "Mr. Jones, if you're having this lovely lady take your shoes home, shouldn't she also be setting up a little shrine for them?"