Chapter 69
Standing in front of the desk with his back to her, Christian picked up his cup of tea and held it to his lips as a dark glint flickered in his eyes. “There’s no fun in punishing you.”
Does he mean that he’s not gonna let Vincent off?! Victoria stood up with a frown before forcing herself to sit down again. Trying to maintain her composure as much as possible, she asked, “I’m not as smart as Miss Spritz is. Mr. Thatcher, could you make yourself clear?”
Christian replied, “Delta Club’s hall has been smashed up. There’s no way you could afford to pay for it in your lifetime with your current salary.” The vases Vincent had smashed were basically antiques.
“You don’t have to worry about this. My brother will compensate for financial losses,” Victoria replied.
Christian put down his teacup and turned around to look at her before putting his hands on the desk behind him for support. “Is he gonna pay me the original price for the things he smashed? That means I’ll only get 100 for every 100 that I’ve lent out. It counts as a loss of money for me.”
“You can tell my brother how much you think he should pay as compensation. He won’t bargain over the price.” Victoria was somewhat relieved. Since he mentions money, there’s probably room for maneuver with this.
“I don’t need him to pay me money.” An inscrutable look flashed across Christian’s eyes as his gaze fell upon her swollen cheek. “I’m very interested in the land that the Coleman Group bid for in Glogan’s newly developed area.”
Victoria fell silent. She had no say in the Coleman Group’s affairs both in the past and the present.
“You’re reluctant to give up the land? Never mind then,” Christian said nonchalantly.
“No, I’m not reluctant!” Victoria said before realizing that she had gotten too emotional. After collecting herself, she said, “It’s just that I can’t make any decisions about this. I have to let my brother discuss it with his family.”
Christian smiled as her figure was reflected in his pupils. “You’d better hurry up, then. My patience is limited.”
Victoria nodded before walking to the door with a frown. Her family was already very displeased with her after she went to jail two years ago for running Bella over with a car. Now that Vincent had gotten into trouble and had to lose a piece of land because of her, her parents would probably hate her even more.
She had just placed her hand on the doorknob when Christian called out to her. “Wait a minute.”
Victoria turned around with her head down, asking, “Mr. Thatcher, is there anything else you want to talk to me about?”
Christian picked up his cup of tea and held it to his lips, but he then turned to look at her instead of drinking from it. “Lucas will be getting engaged on National Day. They reminded me to not let you stir up trouble at the engagement ceremony.”
Stunned, Victoria looked up and mumbled, “Uh-huh,” with a clouded expression. There were many in their circle who had a promiscuous lifestyle, but she’d always thought that Lucas was an exception. Little did she think that he’d mess with her now that he was about to get engaged to Scarlett. This filled her with disgust.
Seeing her response, Christian let out a snort and placed down his teacup on his desk with an almost imperceptible frown. Is she upset because I forbid her to attend Lucas’ engagement ceremony?
Victoria walked out of the president’s office in a daze as her mind was preoccupied.
Ding! The elevator arrived on the ground floor.
“Hey! I didn’t expect to see you here.” Janice stood outside the elevator with a look of surprise on her face. “We’ve met twice in a day. This has to be the work of fate, no?”
Victoria stepped out of the elevator while managing a smile. “Yeah, it’s quite a coincidence.”
Matthew gave her a slight nod. Then, grabbing Janice by the back of her collar, he entered the elevator and pressed the button to close the elevator door.
“What are you doing, Mr. Buckley?” Janice glared at him with her hands on her hips. “I still have a couple of things to ask her about!”
Matthew pushed his gold-rimmed gla*ses up his nose with a standard smile on his handsome face. “It doesn’t make a difference no matter whether you ask her about it or not. It’s just pure gossip.”
Janice rolled her eyes in a beautiful way. She muttered, “What a dicta—”
“What did you say?” Matthew asked while placing his right hand on her shoulder.
“Aha!” A big smile spread across Janice’s face. “I’m saying that you look especially handsome in this suit today. In fact, you look much more handsome than usual. You’re stunningly handsome.”
Matthew squeezed her hair bun. “Why waste your breath saying something that we already know is true?”
Janice was rendered speechless.
The pair stepped out of the elevator on the 36th floor. Janice followed behind Matthew, but when she saw the words ‘President’s Office,’ she began to flinch. “Mr. Buckley, my tummy hurts. It seems like I’m having my period. I gotta go first!”
“Getting cold feet?” Matthew grabbed the back of her collar and dragged her back. “Christian doesn’t eat people.”
Janice clutched her stomach with a pained expression. “It’s not about cold feet. It’s that I’m having my period and have to change my sanitary pads!”
Matthew released his grip on her collar and looked down at her with a smile. “If my memory serves me well, this is your third time having your period in a month.”
Janice wished she were dead.
“Do you really not want to go with me?” Matthew raised his eyebrows slightly. Seeing how she nodded vigorously, he got so angry that he laughed instead. “Great. We’ve got a new case today. Go back and sort out the files about the parties concerned first.”
“Thank you so much, Mr. Buckley! I love you—” By the time she uttered the last syllable, Janice had run into the elevator.
Matthew let out a sigh while ma*saging the aching space between his eyebrows. Then, he walked up to the president’s office and knocked on the door.
“Come in.” A chilly voice sounded from the inside.
As soon as Matthew pushed the door open, the faint smell of tobacco instantly overwhelmed his sense of smell. Looking at the tall figure standing in front of the French window, he asked, “You’ve got something on your mind?”
“Uh-huh. I’m poor.” Christian turned to look at him before stubbing out his half-smoked cigarette and tossing it into the ashtray.
Matthew took off his gold-rimmed gla*ses and tossed them onto the coffee table. “If you’re poor, then what am I? Impoverished?”
“Care for a cup of tea?” Christian poured a cup of tea and put it on the coffee table.
Matthew darted a look at him in disgust with no intention of drinking the cup of tea at all. “Are you doing this on purpose? How many times have I told you that I only drink coffee instead of tea?”
“I’m just putting on an act for formalities’ sake. Don’t be too serious about it.” Christian picked up the cup of tea he had just poured and took a sip from it before putting it back onto the coffee table.
“Ha ha.” Matthew let out a sneer before putting the file envelope and his suitcase onto the table. “I’m not gonna take on Vincent’s case.”
“Are you angry because of what I said? That’s too petty of you.” Christian darted a look at him before sitting down beside him.
Matthew stopped talking nonsense with him. He explained with a straight face, “Mrs. Coleman is friends with my parents, who made a special effort to call me and forbid me to take on this case.”
“Uh-huh,” Christian mumbled in response with no change in his expression.
Matthew stood up and went to fetch some coffee powder to brew coffee for himself. “I thought you’d scold me. This is about your darling, after all.”
“I’m not letting myself sink to the likes of animals.” Christian leaned back against the sofa while looking leisurely at the man who was making coffee in all seriousness. “Also, she’s not my darling. She’s just someone I might get married to.”
Matthew stopped brewing his coffee and turned around to look at him. “She’s someone you might get married to? Then why would you break Victoria’s leg for her sake two years ago?” For a time, he even forgot to make a fuss with Christian over how the latter called him an animal.
Christian frowned for a moment. The next instant, his brow cleared, and he resumed his usual expression. “That’s the punishment Victoria deserves. It has nothing to do with Bella.”
“Tsk.” Matthew walked up to the coffee table and sat down with a cup of coffee in his hand. “Miss Spritz lost her leg for your sake, but you only treat her as one of the ladies you might get married to… You’re quite heartless.”
