Chapter 101 Fifty-fifty
Wade was at home, working out when he casually checked the cameras at the club during his workout break.
Ever since that day at Roger’s birthday party with all the embarrassment he faced, he began taking martial arts seriously, practicing at odd times.
Nothing interesting ever caught his attention, except footage at the club’s car park. Two familiar women stepped out of a Bentley Continental Damson.
“It can’t be,” he murmured. His best friend, Chad, who had come to visit, asked seriously, “What can’t be?”
Wade smiled at him. “Today is both our lucky days. Let’s go to the club.”
Chad was excited. The club was his reason for coming over, but Wade was so obsessed with martial arts that he didn’t want to.
In a few minutes, they were already on the road as Wade made a call to the club manager.
“There are two women who just entered the club, dressed in black and purple dresses, Therese and Oriana. Everything they order is on the house, and make sure to make them comfortable.”
Chad was astonished, asking, “Is the girl your parents want you to marry there?” That could be the only reason Wade was so excited to be at the club, but Wade shook his head.
“No, this is the girl I want.”
Showing him the footage from the car park, Chad’s eyes widened. “I guess it’s the girl in the purple dress. She’s freaking hot and rich. Mommy and Pappy won’t have a problem.”
Wade didn’t know much about Delanie’s financial strength but knew Oriana’s parents were rich because he met them before. “That car might not be hers. It might be for her friend.”
Chad’s expression dulled instantly. “Hey, with the situation you are in, you better stay away from broke girls or you’ll end up with a gold digger.”
Wade smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. There was something about Therese, and he just wasn’t ready to let it die.
“You don’t know her, Chad. You’ll understand when you meet her.”
“Well, I’m rather interested in her rich friend,” Chad shrugged, adding, “don’t look at me like that. My parents won’t accept a broke girl, and I’m not ready for all those Juliet and Romeo love stories. Money is power, and my woman should be ready for a fifty-fifty split.”
It wasn’t the first time Wade heard his best friend speak like that but had no interest in his sulking ideologies.
“I see why you are still single,” Wade sarcastically responded. Chad shook his head. “Says the man who has suffered a broken heart at least four times and oh, still single.”
Pain sat in Wade’s eyes, but they had already arrived at the club, and what he was seeing was not interesting.
A man was about to hit Therese, and he wasn’t okay with it. “Don’t even dare,” he intervened, grabbing hold of his hand mid-air.
“Mr. Thomas, your manager said you won’t be here today,” the man whose hand he held midair was speaking, but Wade paid him no attention, his gaze pinned on Therese as the latter tried to steady her sleepy friend.
“Therese, are you alright?”
Chad skillfully relieved Delanie of the weight of Oriana, who was half asleep. Also, the group of men around them had already disappeared into the crowd of sweaty dancers.
“Yeah, I’m alright, but I have to go. My friend is tired.” She lost interest in what she planned after the confrontation with those hooligans.
“Drunk, I’ll say,” Chad interrupted. Delanie glanced at him before her attention returned to Wade. “She hasn’t drunk much. It’s just work pressure.”
“I can get her a room to relax, and you and I can have a chat,” Wade suggested.
That’s what Delanie wanted, but at this moment, her brain was working faster than her heart, considering the environment she found herself in. She wanted to make Roger jealous but not devalue herself.
“I’d love to, but…”
“Please don’t say no. I tried getting your number from Karen, but she wouldn’t give it. I promise to take you home safe,” Wade pleaded, Delanie went into deep thought, momentarily checking her phone.
Seeing over twenty missed calls from Roger with ceaseless text messages, her mood soured.
“Alright, so far as Oriana is safe.”
Chad lifted Oriana effortlessly in his arms and assured her, “don’t worry, I’ll be her watchdog until you both are done.”
“And who are you?" Delanie asked. Chad introduced himself, "I'm Chad Griffin, his best friend."
Upon hearing that they were best friends, Delanie felt a sigh of relief and followed Wade to wherever he was taking her.
In a corner, Roger's anger was boiling like hot water as he walked out of the club and got into the car.
Karen joined him and tried to smooth things over. "She seems safe to me, and trust me, Wade would never take advantage of her."
Roger ran his fingers through his hair, and began to narrate everything in frustration. "I've known Wade since I was around four or five."
Karen perked up, excited to hear another story about the Dawsons. Things seemed to be getting better and better the more she learned about them.
"And what happened?" she asked curiously. Roger sighed “Wade was about…”