Chapter 8

This voice was unpleasant. Philip lifted his head and saw a fat man with a protruding beer belly staring at him with a mocking expression. What does it have anything to do with you, whether or not I’m a kept man? Do I even know you? Philip pouted, planning to ignore him, turned to leave. The fatso, however, did not plan to let him off so quickly. He went over to block Philip’s way and ridiculed him indirectly. “Ignoring people now? Great personality! I heard that your business failed, and now our Deputy Manager Johnston is the one paying for your living expenses. A grown man like you has some nerve to become a kept man.” Philip frowned, looking extremely displeased. He recognized this man, Gavin Zach, the marketing manager at Wynn’s company. The man had tried to harass Wynn, and Philip had taught him a lesson. And now that he saw Philip in a low place, the man started to mock him unscrupulously. Wynn’s other colleagues were now looking at Philip with a weird look in their eyes. They, too, knew a little about Philip, who had been an enthusiastic entrepreneur but had now dropped to the low status of a delivery man. Wynn stood among the crowd, frowning hard as she looked at Philip and felt embarrassed. “Philip, go back quickly,” said Wynn. When Gavin heard this, he raised an eyebrow as the disdain in his eyes grew thicker. The other colleagues snickered. Even his wife was embarrassed by him now. What a failure of a man! Philip did not want to stay for a minute longer, so he turned to leave. But Gavin would not let it happen. “Don’t go, Philip. Why don’t you have a meal with us? Your wife just signed a one hundred thousand dollars worth of contract yesterday, something you can never achieve with ten years of delivery service. Don’t you want to celebrate together?” A hundred thousand dollar contract? So, Wynn managed to get it. Philip already knew, but he did not plan on staying. Even his wife was urging him to leave, so why should he wait to bring contempt upon himself? Oh, Wynn, if only you knew that I was the one who has facilitated this contract of yours, what reaction would you have? “No need. I still have to go to the hospital,” said Philip calmly. Gavin did not allow him room to reject and simply dragged Philip into the restaurant, even draping an arm around his shoulder and said, “There’s no need to be shy. Your wife is treating, after all. It’d be a waste not to eat.” You’re just a kept man, who are you to be picky? And so, the crowd entered Virtuous Court with Philip being forced to stay. However, he was standing alone in a corner while Wynn was huddled around her colleagues as they chatted excitedly about how she had managed to close the deal. “Deputy Manager Johnston, you mentioned that you closed this deal because someone has helped you?” One of the beautifully dressed women asked in shock. Wynn nodded. “Manager Warren of Victory Pharmaceuticals was giving me a hard time. You guys, too, know that he had been trying to ask me out for meals. But yesterday, after getting a phone call, he suddenly said that he would sign the contract and had even sincerely apologized to me.” As she spoke, Wynn subconsciously looked at Philip who was standing absentmindedly in a corner. She could not help but feel sad and disappointed. She had hoped that that person would be Philip, but she knew that it was impossible. “Wow, who’s this that has a crush on our deputy manager? To even help you with this hundred thousand contract!” That woman squealed intentionally in a loud voice so that Philip would hear. Look at you, you worthless thing! Your wife is being courted, but you’re still standing there like an idiot! How useless! As the crowd chattered happily, Gavin walked over with a conflicted expression and said, “We can’t eat here. They require reservations, and only members can walk-in.” Gavin could not believe that Virtuous Court actually required reservations and that a membership application required minimum spending of one million annually! Those who could spend a million to dine here were wealthy! Wynn stood up immediately with a troubled expression and said, “What do we do? Shall we switch to another place?’ She had promised to treat everyone today, but to think this place required a reservation… It was Wynn’s first time here, and a colleague had even suggested it. “Huh? Are you serious, Manager Zach? We’ve come all this way!” “Manager Zach, think of something. I heard that the food at Virtuous Court is especially delicious.” “If it really can’t be helped, then let’s switch to someplace else.” Some of them were starting to get upset and made a fuss. Gavin was feeling helpless. He had done so much just to win Wynn Johnston’s favor. But, where was he going to get this million-dollar membership card? “Why don’t we switch to Noble Manor? This place requires a reservation, so I can’t do anything.” Gavin shrugged. The woman who had been speaking loudly earlier was Rose Stewart, Gavin’s secretary. It was as the saying goes, ‘if there was something to be done, the secretary will do it; if there was nothing to be done, do the secretary.’ Rose shifted her long legs, moving to Gavin to hook onto his arm as she said coquettishly, “Manager Zach, it’s my first time here. Didn’t you say that you know the manager here? Get him to open up an extra table for us.” Upon hearing this, Wynn and the other colleagues turned to look hopefully at Gavin. The latter was now in an awkward position. He did not know any manager. He was only bragging when he said that. “Uhm… Isn’t that a little inappropriate? Let’s not trouble them and move to Noble Manor. It’ll be my treat,” Gavin answered immediately. Noble Manor was not as pricey. A meal for seven or eight pax would cost only about a thousand. He even went with the flow and offered to treat, so perhaps Wynn would thank him for this. However, a few of the colleagues were visibly upset. Rose glanced at Wynn and said in dissatisfaction, “Deputy Manager Johnston, you promised to treat us to Virtuous Court, so isn’t this a little too disappointing?” Rose was envious of Wynn. The woman was deputy manager at such a young age and was favored by both Manager Gavin and President Hall. Why? Just because she’s pretty? Aren’t I pretty? I’m not just pretty, so why don’t these stinky men care that much for me? “Alright, alright, Deputy Manager Johnston didn’t know that this place required reservations either. Let’s go to Noble Manor,” Gavin quickly spoke up for Wynn. His tone was firm. Wynn bowed to apologize. “I’m sorry, I’ll treat Noble Manor. I was supposed to treat anyway, so I don’t want to trouble you, Manager Zach.” A few colleagues shot cold glances at Wynn before turning away to leave unhappily. They were all filled with anger now, so who cared about eating anymore! Just as the crowd entered this downcast atmosphere, a voice broke the silence. “I have a membership card. Do you guys want to use it?” Philip who was standing in a corner spoke. He could not resist, after all. Wynn was still his wife, and to watch her being dismissed by her colleagues made him uncomfortable. “You have a membership? Philip, it wouldn’t kill you if you didn’t lie. Do you know where this is? Virtuous Court! Membership requires a minimum spending of one million a year!” Gavin’s ambiguously, sinister words could be heard. The colleagues around him, too, looked at Philip disapprovingly as mockery crept into their expressions. Wynn, too was stunned. She stared at Philip awkwardly before going over to tug at him, wanting to pull him away as she said in a hushed voice, “What are you doing? Go back to the hospital to keep Mila company.” Are you trying to chase me away because you’re afraid I’d embarrass you? Philip did not explain. Since she did not want his help, then he would leave. However, Gavin was amused and laughed scornfully. “Deputy Manager Johnston, what’s the rush? Since your husband says he has a membership card, just let him book a table for us.” The mockery was apparent on Gavin’s face. He just wanted to watch Philip make a fool of himself. Didn’t he hear just now that a regular silver membership card in Virtuous Court required minimum spending of one million a year? Doesn’t matter. Just let him make a fool of himself in front of everyone. That way, Wynn would probably be very disappointed with him. And that means I’ll have a chance to make the cut! “Philip, stop fooling around! Hurry up and go back!” Wynn said coldly, trying hard to suppress the rage inside her heart. Why did he have to pop up at a time like this? Was it fun to be this shameful? She already could not raise her head whenever her colleagues talked about her husband, and now he was adding fuel to the fire. This was driving her crazy! “Wynnie, I do have a membership card,” said Philip calmly. He then dug out a card from his pocket and waved it in front of everyone. Gavin and the group were shocked. Did he really have a card? However, after a little thought, Gavin’s expression looked even more taunting. “Philip, this isn’t the membership card for delivery men, is it? It won’t be right to con someone with this.” Gavin mocked ignorantly. However, Philip was looking at Gavin with a straight face like he was staring at an idiot. This irked Gavin. Why was he so calm? Could the card be real? Impossible! Just then, Rose went over in her high heels, swiped the card from Gavin’s hand and laughed arrogantly. “Since Deputy Manager Johnston’s husband says it’s a membership card, let’s try it.” She then took the card to the front desk. Wynn could not stop her in time when this happened. She could only stomp her foot in anger and glared furiously at Philip. “Philip, you’re just too disappointing!” This man was still trying to put on an act at a time like this! And now that his lie was about to be revealed, not only would he be shamed, she too would have to face the same! The mockery on Gavin and their colleagues’ faces grew even more. “Come, come, come, we’re benefiting from Philip’s association today, so let’s see if the reservation gets through.” Gavin was ecstatic, impatient to watch Philip make a fool of himself. He had prepared a lot of things to say so he could ridicule him later. A few others snickered as they surrounded Philip and Wynn, escorting them to the front desk like they were afraid that both of them would run away.