Chapter 14
Confronted with Natalie's threat, they had no choice but to succumb and begrudgingly consume the dog pellets on the ground.
At that moment, survival trumped dignity.
Clement and his cohorts brimmed with resentment toward Sebastian. He was the reason they were enduring humiliation. Clement silently vowed to make Sebastian pay the price at any cost.
Elijah and Lillian lingered outside the hotel, their gazes fixed on the entrance, anxiously awaiting Sebastian's appearance.
As the Shadowtiger's members dispersed, they contemplated stepping inside to investigate, only to be promptly denied entry by the vigilant hotel security. This denial weighed heavily on their minds, leaving them profoundly concerned.
Elijah and Lillian were the only ones concerned, however. The rest of the family couldn't care less whether Sebastian was dead or alive.
If it weren't for the fear of upsetting Elijah, they would have left long ago.
Lucas grew impatient waiting. He blurted, "Grandpa, the Shadowtiger's men are all gone. Sebastian must have been dealt with by now. There's no point waiting around; the hotel staff must be dealing with the body."
Elijah sighed heavily. "No matter what, he did save my life. We should go and collect his remains later."
"Why bring such grim talk into the daylight?" a teasing voice chimed in, and suddenly, Sebastian appeared before them.
"Mr. Wilder, you're alright?" Elijah's face was filled with disbelief. The others shared the same incredulous expression.
"How could I not be alright? If it weren't for the good wine, I would have come out much earlier," Sebastian replied casually.
"Didn't Mr. Miller give you a hard time?" Lillian asked in astonishment.
In her mind, the Shadowtiger's members were ruthless. Even if they didn't kill Sebastian, they would have at least left him severely injured. Yet, here he was, standing unharmed before them.
"No, they were driven out by Ms. Green," Sebastian explained.
"Why would Ms. Green drive Mr. Miller away over such a trivial matter?" Ronan frowned, feeling puzzled.
"Well, you see, I once treated Ms. Green for an illness, so she owes me a favor," Sebastian explained.
Elijah nodded in comprehension. "Ah, I understand now. That's why you're not worried. Ms. Green owes you one."
"Speaking of which, Ms. Green's quick to make a move. She's managed to quietly cozy up to the Supreme One. It surely seems like the Green family is on the verge of rising," Ronan exclaimed. NôvelDrama.Org content rights.
Lucas, feeling indignant, interjected, "If she can cozy up to the Supreme One, so can we. Why don't we pay him a visit right away?"
"It's futile." Ronan shook his head. "I went to Phoenix Corporation a few days ago, but the Supreme One refused to see me."
"You might not be able to, but perhaps Lillian could," Lucas suggested, casting a meaningful glance at her.
Lillian bristled with anger. "What do you mean? Are you implying I should sacrifice my dignity just to cozy up with him?"
"The Supreme One is the most outstanding man in the world. Countless women dream of marrying him, and there's a line of people willing to be his lover.
"I refuse to believe you don't have any thoughts about him," Belinda said disdainfully, believing Lillian was trying to act all high and mighty.
Lillian scoffed disdainfully. "Sure, the Supreme One might be outstanding, but haven't you heard the rumors? They say he's past his prime and, frankly, ugly.
"If he showed interest in me, I'd be having nightmares every night."
Beside her, Sebastian couldn't help but chuckle at the rumors' absurdity. How on earth did he, a young and handsome man, become an ugly old man in the rumors?
"What's the big deal about age anyway?" Belinda shrugged. "It's about what a man can do, not how old he is. And looks? They're overrated. Being good-looking won't put food on the table."
Belinda glanced at Sebastian. "He's good-looking, but what's the use? All he does is brag and cause trouble. Any woman who ends up with him must be out of her mind."
Sebastian felt a surge of irritation. He was just standing there yet was being unnecessarily criticized. Did he look like an easy target?
Lucas nodded along with his mother. "Mom's right. He's nothing special, except for his good looks. Compared to the Supreme One, he's nowhere near.
"Lillian, you should seriously think about getting close to the Supreme One. If he takes a liking to you, it could do wonders for the Smith family."