Chapter 303 One Hundred Ways to Kill a Husband
All eyes instantly fell on William.
Hundreds of pairs of eyes around them turned to stare at him in unison. Thalia stood in the crowd, looking at William with a faint smile, saying nothing. She pressed her tongue against the inside of her cheek and pulled out her phone to send William a text message.
A screenshot.
It showed a book title: [One Hundred Ways to Kill Your Husband]
In the crowd, William didn't rush to respond to Scarlett's words. Instead, he pulled out his phone from his suit pocket and glanced at it. In just a second, he put it back.
William's gaze swept over the crowd, moving from Scarlett to Thalia. Just when everyone thought he was about to point the finger at Thalia, he spoke coolly and indifferently, "Who gave you the nerve to talk nonsense in front of me?"
He didn't answer yes or no, but chose to question her instead.
This was very much William's style.
If he thought highly of someone, he'd give them some face. But if he looked down on them, they were nothing.
In this setting, Scarlett was nothing. Wanting William to give her face? That was pure fantasy.
Thalia seized the moment and laughed coldly, "Everyone knows Ms. Lewis, and I haven't gotten along for years now. At every event, doesn't she try every trick in the book to compete with me and try to one-up me? I let it slide when she makes a fuss normally, but today she's dragging Mr. Brown into this. How interesting."
"Since when does the Lewis family run Emerald City?"
"Stop trying to stir up trouble," Scarlett stepped forward to scold Thalia. Thalia shrugged indifferently. "I'm just telling the truth. Sure, my dad's dead, and I have no one to back me up, so you can bully me. But Mr. Brown isn't someone you can bully, right? He's one of Emerald City's new elite, after all."
"Well, the Lewis family was initially looking for Mr. Brown as a son-in-law, wasn't it? Is this thing actually happening?"
Jasper jumped in following Thalia's lead, giving an ambiguous impression. "Ms. Smith, this isn't something you need to worry about."
Thalia laughed lightly, the smile not reaching her eyes. "You're right, this isn't something I should worry about. But Mr. Lewis, in life, everyone has their own path. I bloom my flowers, you walk your road. Why must you pick my flowers while walking your road? Does that somehow prove your success on this path?"
"Everyone in Emerald City knows that Scarlett and I don't get along, but it hasn't reached the point where we want each other dead. Today, you're teaming up with Mr. Brown to pressure me because you think I'm alone and easy to bully?"
"I'm a guest you invited. A family without basic manners probably won't get through the Brown family's door, right? Everyone knows Mr. Brown values upbringing and character most, doesn't he?"
Hearing Thalia's words, Evelyn spoke up in a loud voice before Scarlett could respond, "I haven't heard Mr. Brown say a second word this whole time. It's Mr. Lewis who's been confusing things here and giving people mixed signals. Let me ask Mr. Brown directly - are you and Ms. Lewis really about to tie the knot?"
Evelyn's move made the scene fall into dead silence. In 2014, the Celestia Group rose to power, and news of William's ruthless, cold, and merciless nature spread throughout Emerald City's business world. Within a year, he acquired multiple companies and stopped at nothing to expand his business empire. Such a naturally skilled operator was a shining star and outstanding figure wherever he stood.
Wherever he went, he was respected and admired, someone people stood on tiptoe trying to get close to. When the heads of wealthy families met this business rising star, they had to bow and scrape, trying to win his favor so they could get a piece of the pie from his table.
And yet this very person, on this occasion today, was being questioned by a girl in her early twenties.
When Evelyn asked this question, the scene fell silent.
Thalia's lips curved up, wearing a barely-there smile as she looked at William, waiting for his answer.
She knew there wasn't anything, but she needed an answer.
William lit a cigarette. Standing in the crowd, when he exhaled the thin smoke, his presence was like a superior standing among commoners - standing out from the crowd, unreachable.
The man tapped off some ash and spoke briefly and to the point. "No."
Thalia's smile bloomed. Before everyone could react, she walked up to Scarlett and raised her hand to slap her across the face.
Earlier, she didn't want to slap her face to save her some dignity, but now there was no need to hold back. "Ms. Lewis, slandering people should come with a price."
"I'm not someone you can mess with. Even though my dad is dead, the Smith family is still above the Lewis family, no matter what!"
"Thalia, I'm going to kill you!"
..........
"Does your hand hurt?" In the car, Thalia shook her hand - her palm was all bruised.
Evelyn looked around, trying to find something to put on it, but saw nothing. "You know what, William's actually pretty decent."
"Mm," Thalia responded lazily.
"You slapped someone and just left. The banquet hall must be in chaos right now."
"What's that got to do with me?"
Back at Mistwood Hill, Thalia called Fallon to bring ice.
"Mrs. Brown, what happened to your hand?"
"Hit someone too hard."
Fallon was stunned, not knowing how to respond for a moment.
Evelyn kicked her privately and smiled. "She's joking. She braced it against the car door. Go ahead with your work!"
"You're saying this in front of Fallon - are you trying to hint at something?" As soon as Fallon left, Evelyn shot Thalia a look.
Thalia took the ice to put on her hand and glanced at her. "Why should I force myself to lie just to consider a housekeeper's feelings? Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?"
Evelyn was stumped, realizing she had a point. Hayden had taught Thalia winner's thinking from a young age.
He taught her to look at problems from a man's perspective, which made her clear-headed and cold.
Meanwhile, at the banquet venue, after Thalia left, the whispered conversations grew louder and louder.
Those mocking Scarlett were countless.
"Why bother? Knowing she can't win against her - Thalia was right. She just lost her dad, not both parents. Vanguard Innovations Group is now in her birth mother's hands, which gives her even better odds. Her net worth hasn't dropped but risen. For the Lewis family to stand on equal footing with the Smith family, they'll need a few more years."
"Such a shame. Some people just can't see clearly, thinking that because her dad died she has no backing. But actually? She's not affected at all."
People were about to say more when someone coughed deliberately, and the conversation stopped.
Scarlett walked over, and the topic naturally ended.
As her long dress train passed by them, everyone was startled - she wasn't coming for them?
"She's going to find Mr. Brown?"
"This is going to be good!"
"Mr. Brown, I'd like to talk to you," Scarlett stood before William, raising her young, defiant face to look at him.