Chapter 425 Is William Really That Important?
"Someone from the Jimenez family is contacting the press about this."
"Who's contacting them?"
"Sean."
"Once Sean showed up, Eileen acted like she finally had someone to rely on. She even arranged a press conference."
"Make sure the reporters know what questions to ask and what not to ask. If they ask the wrong things, don't blame us for being ruthless." When William received Angelina's call, he had just finished his meal. Thalia had wolfed down her breakfast and dashed upstairs so fast he couldn't even grab her, acting like she wanted nothing to do with it.
"Got it. But Sean holds a pretty high position in Regal City. People here in Emerald City will probably have to show him some respect."
"Then remember clearly who shows him that respect." If they were all going to defer to Sean, he wanted to see how much deference his own people at the bureau would show.
"Understood." This meant settling scores later.
At the end of the day, Emerald City was still William's territory.
On the other side, when Emerald City's higher-ups heard about someone like Sean, they were torn between wanting to meet him and not daring to. They wanted to meet him because they rarely got access to Regal City connections. They didn't dare because William was someone they really couldn't afford to offend either. The rumors were flying everywhere that William was going after the Jimenez family. If they offended William, their days in Emerald City wouldn't be easy either.
So everyone avoided him like the plague.
Sean tried to meet with people several times, only to be told they were all in meetings.
In reality, they weren't in meetings at all - they simply didn't have the guts to see him.
If they couldn't afford to offend him, couldn't they at least avoid him?
"Mr. Jimenez, still couldn't meet anyone?"
"Yeah!"
"Looks like we underestimated William's influence in Emerald City. I don't think anyone dares to get involved in this."
Hearing this analysis from his companion, Sean grew more and more curious about William. "I really want to see just how capable the kid my aunt didn't want has become."
...
"Who did you say? This Jimenez family is really something. One by one, they leave perfectly good Regal City and come to Emerald City to stir up trouble. Don't they have a brain problem?"
When Evelyn heard the person Thalia mentioned, she was momentarily stunned. The Jimenezes were truly exasperating.
"Is William really that important?"
"He's made it crystal clear he wants nothing to do with them, and they still try to attach themselves to him. Don't they have a brain problem?"
"Have they no shame!"
"They can't even figure out who runs Emerald City, and they come out to embarrass themselves?"
Thalia was cutting her steak, listening to Evelyn's rant.
Her calm and composed manner made it seem like she didn't care at all about William's business with the Jimenez family.
"Aren't you worried?"
"Worried about what?" Thalia asked back.
"About William being schemed against!"
Thalia shot Evelyn a look. "Do you think he's that stupid?"
...
"Is this Jimenez family they're talking about the same Steven from the charity awards ceremony that night?"
On the other side of the screen, Scarlett was somewhat surprised when she heard Evelyn and Thalia's conversation.
"Yeah! Who else could it be? Supposedly, he's Mr. Brown's biological grandfather."
Scarlett's eyes darkened as she looked at the person across from her, seemingly lost in thought.
"You're not getting any ideas, are you? I'd advise you to drop it. Even my dad doesn't dare get involved in this. Mr. Brown publicly embarrassed them, then the next day, that incident happened, and now there's the poisoning. Although no one says it out loud, everyone knows whose handiwork this is. The Jimenez family's eldest grandson is a big shot in Regal City. My dad, who's always trying to climb the ladder, normally, if someone like that came knocking, he'd be all over them. But now? He's avoiding them like everyone else. When big shots fight, ordinary people who get involved only end up suffering."
The person across from her was the daughter of an Emerald City official, also Scarlett's classmate. The two were close and would meet up from time to time to chat about fashion.
Their relationship was closer than those in the elite circles.
"Why should I care about them? It's got nothing to do with me." As Scarlett spoke, she called over a server. "Send a bottle of red wine to the people next door, and remind them to be careful - walls might have ears."
Scarlett mainly just wanted to annoy Thalia and make her uncomfortable.
When Thalia saw the server bring the wine, she glanced at Evelyn. Evelyn stood up and walked to the other side of the screen. "I was wondering who it was! Scarlett!"
Scarlett?
Thalia got up and headed toward Scarlett. She was ready for a confrontation, but when she saw the person sitting across from Scarlett, she held back.
This girl had no connection with her, but last time at the club, she'd seen William having a pleasant conversation with her father. No need to make enemies.
"If I'd known you were here, I would've come to join your table. Last time I was in such a rush, I didn't get to tell you about all the problems with that car."
"Good thing you didn't buy it. That car? Besides looking good, it's completely useless."
Scarlett had wanted that car precisely because it looked good, hadn't she?
'Thalia, that bitch.' She cursed in her head.
Thalia said, "Waiter, bring two more chairs."
"Waiter, check please." Scarlett stood up, grabbed her bag, and looked at Thalia. "You want to sit here? No problem - I'll let you have it."
Evelyn watched Scarlett leave with her companion, then looked at Thalia and laughed. "Not bad! I bet Scarlett's actually scared of you now."
"That's my skill."
"Yes, yes, yes, you're the best."
"Hmph," Thalia said smugly. "Let's go shopping. I need to find William later."
"Something up?"
"Yeah."
...
"We found out - Mr. Brown has business at a private club tonight."
"Do we go there directly?"
"Yes. I don't believe that even if I show up right in front of him, William can keep us out." Sean was full of curiosity about William. He was very curious about what kind of person could make his grandparents so obsessed that they'd personally make a trip to Emerald City.
He'd lived for 30 years, and the Jimenez family had always centered around him. But recently, William's appearance had actually made him feel threatened - and this sense of threat was a hundred, a thousand times stronger than what Michael gave him.
He still had ways to keep Michael in check.
But William, if he really wanted the Jimenez family, what awaited him would probably be a brutal battle.
William moved in business circles and was a VIP at many private clubs in Emerald City. Everyone who saw him treated him with respect.
Halfway through the dinner gathering, Finn leaned in to inform him, "Mrs. Brown is here, waiting at the entrance."
"She says she already ate with Ms. Thomas and won't come in."
William said nothing, just nodded to show he understood. "Go buy her a coffee."
Finn was startled but did as told. When he knocked on the window of Thalia's pink car to hand her the coffee, someone happened to catch sight of it.