Chapter 11: Kicked Away in One Blow

Midcoast had been built along the shoreline, the whole city shaped like a giant U. At the lowest point of that U stood Midcoast Building, and on its very top floor sat Midcoast Dining House, wrapped in a sea-facing ring of windows. It was the best place in all of Midcoast to watch the waves. By the time they reached Midcoast Building, it was already 11:30 a.m. After parking, Juliana Letherdale stood at the base of the tower and craned her neck toward the top floor, her eyes practically sparkling. "I finally get to eat here at least once," she murmured, almost to herself. Holden Duffus chuckled. "Enough gawking. Let's go. I'm starving." Midcoast Building rose 396 meters, eighty-eight floors in all. The elevator shot them to the top in about fifty seconds. Before long, they stood at the entrance to Midcoast Dining House. Floor-to-ceiling glass offered a full 360-degree view. The crystal chandeliers, the interior design, even the way the tables and chairs were paired together, all bore the unmistakable touch of world-class designers. Even the two pots of chrysanthemums on the reception desk were Treasure pieces worth tens of thousands. "Wow… so this is Midcoast Dining House," Juliana breathed, unable to hold back her awe at the sheer grandeur. "Tch. What a bumpkin," a sharp voice cut in beside them. "These days, any nobody thinks they can waltz into Midcoast Dining House. Why don't you take a good look in the mirror first?" The sudden jab made Holden's brow tighten. He turned and saw a young man in a crisp, formal outfit staring at Juliana with blatant interest, his eyes lit up like he'd found a prize. Next to him stood a heavily made-up, curvy woman wearing a look of pure disdain, though jealousy leaked through her expression no matter how she tried to hide it. "Hey!" Juliana snapped, not the type to swallow an insult. "Who are you calling a bumpkin? You're the bumpkin. Your whole family are bumpkins!" "Heh." The woman rolled her eyes and let out a cold laugh. "What, you can't handle the truth? Do you even know what kind of place this is?" "This is Midcoast Dining House. Do you know how much a meal costs here? Minimum ten grand per person." As she spoke, she pointed at Juliana and Holden, her face exaggerated with mock surprise. "Look at what you're wearing. Oh? Oly's clearance line from last year. Two hundred bucks, huh?" Then she turned her nose up at Holden. "And this gentleman, wow. What brand is that? I've never even seen it. What did it cost, fifty bucks? Did it even break a hundred?" With a smug little snicker, the woman pinched her skirt and lifted it slightly, chin raised high as if she owned the air around her. "See this? Saloman, July's newest release. Thirteen thousand eight hundred. A bumpkin like you probably only sees it in fashion magazines." Juliana's face flushed a furious red. The Letherdale family had some money, sure, but she was still just a college junior. She only got about $100 a month for spending, and most of it went into skincare and makeup. She wasn't about to blow over a grand on a dress. She did have an evening gown worth $580, a gift Jayla Letherdale had bought for her twentieth birthday, and she barely dared wear it. Today's visit to Midcoast Dining House had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. She hadn't even thought about going home to change. As for Holden, it was worse. Not a single piece of clothing he owned cost more than twenty bucks. Everything on him combined probably didn't even hit fifty. But he couldn't have cared less. Did he really need to announce to the world that he had ten million? Juliana was already bristling, ready to explode, but Holden lifted a hand to stop her. His smile stayed easy. "Some people just can't keep their mouths clean," he said lightly. "Why waste your breath? Let's go." "You…" The woman looked ready to blow up, but the young man beside her finally tore his gaze off Juliana. He glanced at Holden, froze, then blurted out, "Wait. Holden Duffus?" Holden halted. Frowning, he studied the slick-haired pretty boy more carefully. After a long moment, a name surfaced. "Harold Wokey." "Thought so." Harold looked him up and down, then flicked his eyes to Juliana at Holden's side. A playful smile tugged at his lips. "Didn't you go become some family's live-in son-in-law? What, is this your wife?" Holden stared at him with flat, indifferent eyes. This was the high school classmate who'd once thrown a million at Holden's first love and bought her away like she was merchandise. Holden's voice stayed calm. "What's it to you?" Harold's gaze slid between them, taking in the distance between their bodies, the way Juliana's hand kept finding Holden's. Understanding dawned instantly. He chuckled and stopped paying Holden any attention. Instead, he strolled up to Juliana, wearing what he clearly believed was a charming smile. His tone turned polished, almost courteous. "Miss, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Harold Wokey, general manager of Prosperlink Logistics. The chairman is my father. May I ask your name?" A ripple went through the onlookers who had been watching for entertainment, some of them even thinking they might try their luck and strike up a conversation with the pretty girl themselves. Prosperlink Logistics was one of Midcoast's three major land-shipping companies. Their headquarters alone covered over two hundred acres, their fleet numbered close to two hundred vehicles, and their market value was nearly a billion. Not someone to mess with. The spectators' hopes died on the spot. "Baby!" Harold's companion grabbed his arm, pouting, wounded that he was flirting right in front of her. Harold shot her a cold, warning look. She flinched and immediately backed off, swallowing her protest. But the way she stared at Juliana turned poisonous, full of resentment. Juliana's face twisted with disgust. She grabbed Holden's hand. "Holden, let's go." "Hey." Harold stepped in front of her, still smiling. "Don't rush off, beautiful. Let's get acquainted." Juliana glared at him. "I don't want to know you. Move." Harold glanced back at the restaurant doors, then smiled wider. "You're planning to eat at Midcoast Dining House?" "Let me say this, even if it's none of my business." He pointed at Holden with a lazy finger, lips curling. "Following him, you won't even make it past the entrance." Juliana's brows knit. "You say we can't get in, so we can't? What, does your family own Midcoast Dining House?" Harold shook his head. "Of course not. But do you even know this place runs on membership? To dine here, you need a membership card, and your annual spending can't be less than a million." He shot Holden a sideways look and snickered. "I don't know if you understand what this guy is. If you don't, I can tell you." "His name's Holden Duffus. His dad died when he was little. His mom died of illness a few years ago. He's got a younger sister, but I heard she fell from a classroom building not long ago and ended up in a vegetative state. Later, just to keep food on the table, he went and became a live-in son-in-law, cleaning houses like a maid every day. A guy like that, you think he's qualified to bring you in here to spend money?" Juliana froze for a beat. She really had forgotten Midcoast Dining House was members-only. But the rest of it lit a fuse in her chest. "Watch your mouth," she snapped, voice sharp enough to cut. "Spreading someone's private life in public like this, is that something a 'manager of a major company' does? You're barely better than a street thug." She yanked Holden's hand and started toward the elevators. "Holden, we're leaving. We're not eating here." Holden tightened his grip and stopped her, still smiling. "Why aren't we eating here? Why bother with trash like him?" "You…" Juliana practically hopped in place, frantic. He picked the worst possible time to be stubborn. Harold and the crowd around them stared for a second, then burst into laughter. "Is this guy sick? With that loser look, he thinks he can get into Midcoast Dining House?" "He's dreaming in broad daylight." "Look at those bargain-bin clothes. Forget the membership card. Even if you could walk in, if he broke a plate by accident, he couldn't afford to pay for it. Eat here? What's he thinking?" Harold glanced around, then looked back at Holden with mock pity. "Holden, I thought you would've woken up three years ago. I didn't expect you'd still be this childish after all this time." "Do you know what matters most in this world? Knowing who you are." His smile turned cruel. "Three years ago, I could spend a million and have Zhang Luoluo in my bed. Three years later, I can still spend a million, or more, and sleep with the woman beside you." He leaned in, voice dripping contempt. "Trash like you should stay home and sweep floors and wash clothes. Then you can watch your wife get herself a new man. Do you understand?" He'd clearly grown tired of pretending to be a gentleman. With an impatient click of his tongue, he pulled out a checkbook and looked down at Juliana as if she were for sale. "Name your price. Five million. Enough?" Only then did Juliana realize the two men had a history, and it was the kind of humiliation any normal man would choke on. She couldn't imagine how Holden had endured it back then. But what made her shake with rage was something else. What did this bastard take her for? And what did he take Jayla for? Some escort at his side? Juliana's whole body trembled. She couldn't hold it in anymore. Her hand flashed out. "You piece of garbage!" Smack! The crisp slap echoed. Five clear finger marks bloomed on Harold's cheek. The hit stunned him into silence. His heavily made-up companion also froze, a flash of viciousness slipping through her eyes before she shrieked, "You filthy bitch! You dared hit Young Master Wokey!" She lunged forward, claws out, aiming for Juliana's face. Juliana didn't flinch. She swung her arm again and slapped the woman hard enough to send her stumbling backward before she crashed onto the floor. Harold touched his cheek, feeling the burning sting. A savage glint flickered across his face. He stepped forward and reached for Juliana's hair. "Bitch, you actually dared hit me?!" His hand was still in the air when Holden moved. He stepped in front of Juliana and drove his foot forward in a brutal kick. "Get lost." "Ahhh!" The kick landed like a battering ram, launching Harold four or five meters away. He hit the ground hard, then jerked up and spat out a mouthful of bloody foam. Holden stood over him, voice low and cold. "You can run your mouth at me all you want. Who gave you the nerve to lay a hand on my sister-in-law?" Behind him, Juliana stared at his back, stunned. Something bright and unfamiliar shimmered in her eyes.