Which President Reynold?
Pei Xuan's response was tinged with a hint of surprise, "No, boss. When I booked the top floor, they said it's all free today, so it seems like it got booked last minute." His tone conveyed a sense of curiosity, as if he too was intrigued by the sudden turn of events.
As they were speaking, they made their way to the top floor of Delicacy Restaurant. The top floor was designed with a warm color theme, and an elegant and huge chandelier hung above, radiating warm yellow and blue light. Its French windows were tinted, allowing people to see out but preventing visibility from the outside. While its internal architecture had a vintage touch, the furniture, from the tables to the chairs to the plates, had a modern flair. Most importantly, the outside view from the top floor was unparalleled; one could see the entire city, its buildings, roads, traffic, and sea, creating the sensation of being transported to another world.
They had just taken their seats when the waiter arrived to take their orders. While Arielle Reynolds and Isabelle ordered one plate of steamed fish with sausage and Chinese noodles with boiled eggs each, Marcus only ordered his favorite dessert, along with some side dishes. Meanwhile, Henry simply ordered a regular meal.
When they were about to order drinks, Marcus requested wine. However, as Arielle Reynolds was about to order another bottle of wine, the others simultaneously exclaimed, more like screamed, "No!!!!"
Arielle Reynolds raised her brows and asked, "What? No?"
Marcus explained, "You should drink juice. I heard they imported a new one recently."
Isabelle, offered a glass filled with pink juice to Arielle Reynolds, her voice tinged with concern. "Boss, you should try this strawberry shake," she suggested, hoping to alleviate the tension in the air.
Arielle Reynolds's response was tinged with coldness as she asserted, "I want wine. Order one for me."
Henry intervened with concern, "Boss, no. Your alcohol capacity is low, so please make do with juice."
Feeling a surge of authority, Arielle Reynolds issued a veiled threat, "Don't forget I am your boss."
Isabelle chimed in, attempting to diffuse the tension, "And our friend too."
Arielle Reynolds's declaration was firm and resolute as she declared, "Since I can't drink, you won't have it either."
With a sense of resignation and a hint of disappointment, everyone reluctantly reached for their juice glasses, knowing they had to forego their preferred wine to appease their boss. They raised their glasses, each sip filled with a mixture of frustration and acceptance, as they begrudgingly swallowed the juice to save their precious little life.
After dinner, as they were leaving, they saw a drunken man singing weird lyrics stumble in front of them. He looked at Arielle with drowsy eyes and started talking in a slurred, drunken tone.
"Hey, my my, what a beauty, what a beauty; I've never seen you here before."
Arielle felt a mixture of discomfort and annoyance at the man's words, but she remained composed, albeit speechless.
"Beauty, how about going with me, this master, for the night for some drinks?"
The man's proposition only fueled Arielle's anger further, her jaw tightening as she resisted the urge to lash out.
"I'll give you some fun after drinks, how about it? Bet you won't need another man for the rest of your life if you come with me."
Arielle's anger simmered beneath the surface, her fists clenching at her sides as she struggled to maintain her composure.
"Hey, beauty, why aren't you talking? Are you mute?"
Arielle's silence spoke volumes as she continued to glare at the man with a fiery intensity, her anger palpable in the air between them.
Meanwhile, Marcus clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Tsk tsk, where did this idiot come from tonight?"
Henry clarified, "This 'idiot' you're speaking of is the eldest young master of the Smith Family, Sam Smith."
Isabelle added, "The one mainly involved in the wine business."
Henry nodded, affirming, "Yes, the one and only Smith Family, the king of the wine business."
Marcus remarked cynically, "Seems that won't be for long now."
Arielle Reynolds plainly looked at him, her expression aloof as she said, "Do you know who you're talking to?"
Sam Smith's mood rose when he saw Arielle Reynolds responding. Of course, he ignored her cold gaze and started talking. "Hey, beauty, you can speak, that's great. I don't like mute ones either."
Arielle Reynolds retorted sharply, "I can break your bones too! Move!"
Arielle's tone was dripping with disdain and frustration, her eyes narrowing as she glared at Sam Smith. The tension in the air was palpable as she stood her ground against his crude advances, her emotions bubbling beneath her composed exterior.
Apparently, he didn't heed her warning and started touching her hand.
Slap! Arielle Reynolds raised her right hand and slapped him across his face.
Sam Smith snapped out of his stupor. "Did you just slap me?"
Slap! She slapped him again, then kicked his knee and said, "Didn't I just say to move?"
Arielle's actions were fueled by a mixture of anger and frustration, her movements swift and decisive as she asserted her boundaries.
Sam Smith tried to get up, his face contorted with anger, as he angrily shouted at the top of his lungs, "Bitch, do you know who I am? You dare to raise a hand on me! I will let you know who you're dealing with!" His voice echoed through the restaurant as he called for his bodyguards nearby.
Meanwhile, Marcus wasted no time. He punched Sam Smith as he was calling for his bodyguards, his action swift and decisive. With a cold tone, he added, "And do you know who you are dealing with?"
In less than ten seconds, four to five bodyguards dressed in khaki clothes arrived, but their presence was short-lived. Within a minute, they found themselves subdued by Marcus and Henry, who handled the situation with practiced ease.
As for Sam Smith, Isabelle stepped forward, her demeanor radiating authority. It was clear that she was more than capable of handling him, sparing Arielle Reynolds from having to soil her hands with the likes of him.
When the manager of the restaurant saw what was happening, he immediately stepped in to mediate the rising tension between the two parties. He first checked on Sam Smith, whom he was familiar with as a regular customer of his establishment and then he heard Arielle Reynolds say, "Manager Campbell, what classy customers you have now,"
When the manager heard this cold voice, sweat started trickling down his forehead, and he turned to the source of the voice and said politely, "President Reynolds, you're here. If I had known you were coming tonight, I would have personally attended to your needs and kept the entire building reserved for you."
Marcus interrupted, "Enough nonsense."
Upon hearing Manager Campbell mention President Reynolds, Sam Smith immediately panicked, fear creeping over him. But he shook his head, knowing that President Reynolds rarely made public appearances, let alone at a public restaurant during working hours. And if she were coming, the entire place would have been reserved for her. Thus, he asked while stuttering, "Manager Campbell, which President Reynolds?"
However, Manager Campbell just sighed and said, "How many people go by the name President Reynolds on Spring Island?"
When Sam Smith heard Manager Campbell, he almost wet his pants. President Reynolds, the President Reynolds of King, was known by all. You could mess with anyone but two people on Spring Island, and President Reynolds was second. When he realized whom he had offended today, he almost couldn't think straight anymore. He looked at Arielle Reynolds in fear, as if she were his worst nightmare, and fell to his knees, apologizing furiously. "President Reynolds, I was a scum of a person who couldn't recognize Mount Tai."
"President Reynolds, you are a great person. Please forgive this small fly like me," pleaded Sam Smith, his voice quivering with fear and desperation.
"President Reynolds, I apologize for my mistake," he continued, his tone filled with remorse.
"President Reynolds, they say ignorance could be forgiven. I wouldn't dare to offend you if I knew it was you," he pleaded, his voice tinged with regret.
"President Reynolds, please forgive me. I would do anything you say," he begged, his words carrying a sense of urgency.
Arielle Reynolds couldn't stand him anymore. She felt a surge of anger and frustration as she instructed Henry and Marcus to deal with him first. She wanted to make an example out of him, to show that no one could disrespect her and get away with it.
As they got into their car, Isabelle asked Arielle Reynolds, "Boss, how do we deal with the Smith Family? He is still the eldest young master of the Smith Family."
Arielle Reynolds felt a sense of determination as she formulated her plan. She knew she had to send a strong message to the Smith Family to ensure they never crossed her again. She instructed Isabelle to tell Marcus to retrieve CCTV footage of today's incident and send it to the Smith Family as a warning. She wanted them to know that not killing him tonight was a courtesy to their family, but if it happened again, there would be no forgiveness.
When Isabelle heard Arielle Reynolds's plan, she felt a surge of satisfaction. She knew they were taking control of the situation and showing the Smith Family who was in charge.