Chapter 31

The man standing beside Lily, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, exhibited impeccable manners. Lily looked a bit forlorn as she forced a smile and stood beside him. This man was Charles Luke, whom Samantha considered the best candidate for son-in-law. Despite Lily having numerous admirers, Charles was Samantha’s top choice. Not only did he appear sophisticated, but he was also a senior manager at Audi Corporation, serving as the Regional Manager for Donghai City—an ideal match for Samantha’s daughter, unlike Darryl, who seemed out of place.

"Manager Luke," the lady at the front desk said, rushing forward with a broad smile and greeting him warmly.

Earlier, her face had shown disgust when she saw Darryl, but now her demeanor was entirely different.

Charles nodded and asked, "Has the President of Platinum Corporation arrived yet?"

The lady quickly responded, "Not yet. I’ve been waiting in the lobby, but no car has arrived."

Charles did not press further but turned to Lily with a smile and said, "Let’s wait in the office then."

Lily was distracted and merely mumbled without engaging in conversation. Although Samantha wanted Charles to be her son-in-law, Lily was not interested in interacting with him. She was not here for a date.

Charles Luke had mentioned knowing the President of Platinum Corporation, which piqued Lily’s interest since the President claimed to recognize Lily from the Lyndon family. However, Lily was unaware that Charles had no actual connection with the President.

Recently, Audi and Platinum Corporation had collaborated to co-sponsor the "Superstar" program. Charles had been assigned to handle the contract signing, and he boasted to Lily about his extensive network. It was all a facade to elevate his own status.

Seeing Darryl approach, the female receptionist frowned and said with irritation, "Hey! Why are you still here?"

Charles glared at Darryl, considering him a mere attention-seeker. He instructed the lady, "When the President of Platinum Corporation arrives, ensure that irrelevant people like him are kept out. We wouldn’t want him dirtying the President’s car."

The lady replied quickly, "Yes, Manager Luke. I’ll handle it right away." She then turned to Darryl and said, "Sir, please leave immediately."

Darryl ignored her and kept his gaze fixed on Lily.

When Lily finally saw Darryl, she trembled with surprise, happiness, and some awkwardness. She didn’t understand why she felt awkward. After Darryl had left, she should have been relieved to be rid of him, but the emptiness of the empty room at night made her heart ache.

Darryl remained silent, merely observing Charles with curiosity.

Lily took a few steps forward and said, "Darryl, please don’t misunderstand. My mother introduced him..."

Darryl immediately grasped the situation and nodded, saying, "I understand."

It seemed that her mother-in-law was quite eager. Even though Darryl had only been gone a few days and hadn’t even arranged for a divorce, Samantha was already seeking a new son-in-law.

Impatiently, Charles asked, "Lilybud, who is this?"

Lily, who was admired by many, was now associated with someone like Darryl, whom Charles perceived as low-class.

Lily opened her mouth but remained silent. Darryl smiled slightly, looked at Charles, and said, "I’m her husband, Darryl Darby. The nickname 'Lilybud' is not appropriate for you. Please show some respect."

Charles was taken aback. He then looked Darryl up and down and laughed, "Oh, so you’re the kept husband. I was wondering who you were."

Charles continued mockingly, "Haha, Aunt Samantha told me all about you. You’ve been married into the Lyndon family for three years but have contributed nothing except eating their food. What a waste! I’m curious if you disappeared out of shame because you know you don’t belong in the Lyndon family. How dare you still show up in front of Lilybud? The most absurd part is that you admit to being her husband. Do you really deserve that title? Haha, take a look at yourself in the mirror. Aunt Samantha has decided you and Lily are divorcing, right, Lilybud?"

Charles stared at Darryl with a cold, mocking smile, full of scorn.

Lily bit her lip and said, "Charles, stop it."

Charles smiled at Darryl and said, "I’ll stop talking as a sign of respect for Lily."

He then turned to the female receptionist and asked, "What did he say he was here for earlier?"

Chapter 32

The lady at the reception responded with clear disdain, "He said he was here to buy a car." She had assumed he was just a worker from a nearby factory and had not expected him to be a kept man.

Charles laughed and said, "Buy a car from us? Our cars aren't cheap. Can you afford one?"

As they spoke, a lady entered the showroom, and Lily was surprised to see her best friend, Phoebe.

"Sister Lily?" Phoebe said with joy, quickening her pace. She hadn’t expected to run into Lily here.

Lily smiled and replied, "Phoebe, what a coincidence! What are you doing here?"

Phoebe flicked her hair and said sweetly, "My husband has been doing well lately, so he bought me a new car. I’m here to pick it up."

Phoebe's husband worked in the hotel industry, so it was not unusual for him to get her a new car.

As Phoebe noticed Darryl, she was taken aback. "Isn’t this the useless guy from your house? You brought him here to look at cars..."

Before she could continue, she saw the complex expression on Lily’s face and the handsome Charles standing behind her. Phoebe quickly realized the situation and stopped talking.

Phoebe asked, "This is...?"

Charles extended his hand with a smile, "Hello, I’m Charles Luke, Donghai City Regional Manager of Audi Corporation. Aunt Samantha introduced me to Lily."

Phoebe understood immediately and shook Charles' hand, saying, "Wow, a regional manager. Can I get a discount on the car I just bought? I am Lily’s best friend, after all."

"Of course," Charles said with a grin, casting a look at Darryl. "Do you see? Both Lily’s family and her best friend are on my side. What can you do against that?"

"Thank you, brother-in-law!" Phoebe said with a big smile and joked, "By the way, when’s your wedding with Lily? Don’t forget to add me to the guest list."

Phoebe was thrilled to get a discount on her car and never expected such a benefit.

Darryl's face darkened with anger. "Damn it. Lily and I aren’t even divorced yet, and you’re already talking about another wedding?"

"Brother-in-law" sounded sweet in Phoebe’s ears.

Lily, feeling embarrassed, pulled Phoebe aside and scolded her, "We haven’t even started dating. Why are you talking like that?"

Phoebe thought Lily was just being shy and replied, "It’s only a matter of time, don’t worry."

Lily shot Darryl an annoyed look and said, "Some people have no shame, still hanging around the Lyndon family and refusing to leave. Phoebe is here for a date, and you’re still following."

Darryl grinned but chose not to respond.

Charles seized the moment to further humiliate Darryl, speaking to Phoebe, "You were wrong. We just happened to run into each other. Besides, he said he was here to buy a car."

"Him buying a car? That’s laughable!" Phoebe burst into loud laughter. She said, "Darryl, do you have the money to buy a car? Oh, I forgot. Lily used to give you a daily allowance of 200 bucks. After three years, you might have saved up a decent amount, but if you want to buy an Audi, you could only afford the wheels!"

Everyone in the place, including the salespeople and receptionists, laughed and gossiped about Darryl. They were shocked that he was not only relying on his wife’s wealth but also receiving a daily allowance from her. What kind of man was he?

The laughter on Charles' face grew even more pronounced.

Darryl then said nonchalantly, "Who are you to say I can’t afford a car?"

Chapter 33

Phoebe laughed and said, "Sure, you can afford it!"

She then moved closer to Lily and asked, "Sister Lily, tell me, is it because this useless guy knew that Aunt Samantha introduced a boyfriend to you that he decided to secretly track you and wants to make up for the breakup by buying a car? Did you give him the money?"

Darryl almost laughed. "Me asking for compensation? You’re the only one who would think of that."

Lily couldn’t take it anymore, so she gently pulled Phoebe’s hand and said, "Stop saying that! He didn’t ask for money from me."

Phoebe quickly replied, "Why can’t I speak? Even if he didn’t ask for money, I still think it’s unfair to you!" She looked down at Darryl with righteous indignation. "Hey, Darby, you really have some nerve. You wasted three years of Lily’s life, and now after the breakup, you still cling to her and refuse to let go. Are you even a man?"

Darryl ignored her, smiling as he looked at Charles. "Initially, I planned to buy the most expensive car here. But Audi cars aren’t top-notch, just right for someone low-profile like me. However, the service here is disappointing. So, I’ve decided not to buy a car anymore."

Charles laughed loudly, as if he’d heard the biggest joke, and said while pointing at Darryl, "Aunt Samantha told me you’re useless, but she underestimated you. At least you’re top-notch at bragging."

Charles then taunted, "Honestly, if I were you, I wouldn’t stick around to embarrass Lily. I would have left long ago."

Phoebe laughed with disdain.

Charles then checked his watch and said, "I don’t have time for this nonsense. You need to leave immediately. Lilybud and I still have important matters to discuss."

Darryl gave Charles a cold smile and said, "You don’t need to chase me away. I’ll leave. It’s just that I worry you might regret it after I go."

In his briefcase was the contract between Platinum Corporation and Audi Corporation. Charles had no idea who he was dealing with.

"I’ll regret it?" Charles said, losing his smile. "You must be out of your mind. If I were to regret, my entire family would have to call you ‘Father,’ okay? Leave. Please leave immediately!"

"Fine," Darryl said with a smile as he walked quickly toward the exit.

Charles, wanting to impress Lily, said, "Lilybud, the President of Platinum Corporation will be here very soon. Let’s wait in the office." Charles grinned as he watched Darryl leave.

Phoebe, eager to know more, asked, "Oh, the President of Platinum Corporation? Is it the company with many big stars?"

Charles nodded, and Phoebe added, "Sister Lily, you’ve really met the right person. Look how extensive Charles' network is. He even knows the President of Platinum Corporation."

Lily smiled but didn’t say anything. Her thoughts were consumed with Darryl.

Charles felt proud of Phoebe’s reaction and was confident that by helping Lily chase Darryl away, he would impress her. He was wrong.

Lily, feeling troubled, said, "I’m sorry, I just remembered I need to do something. I won’t be meeting the President of Platinum Corporation with you. Let’s do it another time."

She left the main hall without waiting for a response from Charles or Phoebe.

"Lilybud?" Charles was stunned, watching Lily leave without hesitation.

Outside the Audi dealership, Lily called out, "Darryl, wait up."

Darryl turned and looked at her indifferently. "Don’t you and Manager Luke have something to do? Why did you come out?"

Even though he knew Lily was meeting Charles because of pressure from Samantha, his heart still ached.

Lily bit her lip and said, "It’s not what you think." After some hesitation, she added, "I never planned to meet Charles. It’s just that he said he would introduce me to the President of Platinum Corporation, so I came."

Darryl smiled with relief.

Lily, curious and concerned, asked, "Where have you been the past few days?"

Darryl replied indifferently, "Nowhere. I just found a job with meals and accommodation provided."

Lily felt a tingling sensation in her heart and immediately asked, "What kind of job?"

Chapter 34

At the same time, Darryl felt a sense of relief. After three years, he finally felt motivated to make progress.

Darryl smiled calmly and said, "Just doing some business, mainly for promotional purposes, but occasionally helping the company with procurements. I was there to help my boss look for a new car."

To prevent Lily from asking more about the car, Darryl provided this explanation.

Lily nodded, though still doubtful, and asked curiously, "What kind of company?"

Darryl replied casually, "It's just a small company."

He was tempted to tell her that he was the President of Platinum Corporation, but after reconsidering, he decided it wasn’t the right time to reveal that.

Understanding that Darryl didn’t want to discuss it further, Lily chose not to press on. With a complicated expression, she pressed her lips together and asked, "Darryl, do you still refuse to come home?"

Lily was unsure of her feelings. When they were together, she felt disgusted, but now that they were separated, she missed him.

Darryl exhaled deeply and said, "Give me a few more days. Once I’m done, I'll come looking for you."

"Alright then," Lily nodded. She looked at Darryl intently and asked, "The other day, why did you want to switch with me to be the hostage?"

Darryl smiled and said, "That was because you are my wife."

Hearing this, Lily felt a sudden shiver. She was touched and experienced a mix of tingle and shyness deep in her heart. The atmosphere turned awkward.

At that moment, Lily’s phone rang. Seeing it was a call from the office, she immediately answered. Turning to Darryl, she said, "I have to go. You… take good care of yourself."

After saying this, Lily got into her car, her eyes reflecting a touch of sadness.

At the Audi dealership, Charles tried to contain his frustration. After giving Phoebe some discounts, he asked the reception personnel to show her the cars.

Charles then gathered a few front desk staff, lining them up outside the showroom, waiting for the President of Platinum Corporation. However, ten minutes passed, and no one arrived.

"Why isn’t he here yet?" Charles complained, growing impatient. He went back to the office to call the President of Platinum Corporation’s secretary, Pearl Hahn.

Charles spoke politely when the call was answered, "Hello, Secretary Hahn? How are you? This is Charles Luke from Audi. This morning, you mentioned that your President was coming over today."

On the other end, Pearl responded calmly, "Yes, he left already."

Charles was stunned and asked, "Oh, he was here already? I didn’t see him."

He then asked, "Can you tell me how the President was dressed? What car was he driving?"

Pearl thought for a moment and said, "No suit. I think he was on his electric bike when he left."

Electric bike? Charles was taken aback.

Pearl’s voice continued, "Our new President keeps a very low profile."

Charles felt a wave of dizziness. He replied thoughtfully, "I understand now."

Charles rushed out of the office after ending the call.

Riding an electric bike, no suit… The useless man from earlier was Darryl Darby. The new President of Platinum Corporation had the surname Darby.

"Oh no! It couldn’t be him, right?" Charles exclaimed in panic.

He yelled at the reception personnel, "Hurry up and call that man who was here earlier back, no matter what it takes!"

The female receptionist who had chased Darryl away was confused. She asked, "Manager Luke, are you referring to the toy boy?"

Charles glared at her and said, "What do you mean, toy boy? Don’t talk nonsense. Go get him back quickly." He added, "Leave if you can’t bring him back."

Yuliana dared not ask further. She quickly joined the others in rushing out from the showroom, puzzled as to why someone who appeared to be poor was being asked to return.

Chapter 35

A few minutes later, Yuliana found Darryl at a snack stall. She was drenched in sweat and looked confused as she approached him.

"Mister, our Manager Luke would like to invite you to return to the center," Yuliana said.

She didn’t understand why Charles was so desperate to find this person.

Darryl, enjoying his meatball stick, casually replied, "Just a moment ago, all of you enjoyed chasing me out. Now you want to invite me back? Who do you think I am?"

Yuliana, nervous and on the verge of tears, pleaded, "Mister, I was wrong. My attitude was bad. If you don’t come back with me, I’ll lose my job."

Yuliana bit her lips tightly. She had looked down on Darryl before, but now she was begging him.

Seeing her distress, Darryl agreed, "Fine."

Moments later, back at the Audi 4S center, Yuliana politely escorted Darryl into the office.

Charles approached Darryl with a broad smile as soon as he saw him. 

"Mister Darby!" Charles greeted.

Darryl sat elegantly on the sofa, glared at Charles, and said, "Humans change really quickly, don’t they? I’ve finally experienced it today. People like you flip so quickly too. So, what’s this about? Inviting me back to humiliate me again?"

Charles’s expression shifted slightly as he suppressed his anger and replied cautiously, "That… Mister Darby, are you here to discuss the collaboration?"

Darryl didn’t answer immediately. He quietly took out the documents from his briefcase and tossed them onto the coffee table.

Charles picked up the documents and read them. He was stunned. With a wide smile full of sincerity and apologies, he said, "President Darby, look, before this I—"

Without waiting for Charles to finish, Darryl waved his hand dismissively. "I don’t buy this. When you asked me to leave just now, what did you say? You told me to get out and if you regretted it, you and your family would address me as—"

Charles’s face turned purple. Forcing an awkward smile, he said, "President Darby, I didn’t know who you were."

Seeing that Darryl remained silent, Charles swallowed his pride, took a bow, and addressed him, "Father!"

Despite the fact that the collaboration involved Audi Corporation sponsoring 100 million bucks for Platinum Corporation’s entertainment program, which would bring immense benefits to Audi, Charles had no choice but to accept defeat. If he mishandled this collaboration, he could lose his position as the Regional Manager.

Darryl was finally satisfied. He nodded and said, "Yes, now this is sincere."

At that moment, Phoebe, having completed her car purchase, walked in to say goodbye to Charles. But before she could enter, she saw the scene through the glass window and was shocked.

Was that really Darryl sitting on the sofa? And was Charles apologizing to him? Did Charles just greet Darryl as “Father”?

Phoebe was stunned. She wondered if she had heard correctly.

Charles, noticing Phoebe standing by the door, felt ashamed and wanted to disappear. 

"Excuse me for a moment," he said.

"Wait," Darryl interrupted, "I’d prefer to remain low profile. I don’t want too many people knowing about my position. You should know what to say to her."

"Yes, I understand," Charles replied.

Charles wasn’t foolish. He understood what Darryl meant immediately and felt a headache coming on.

Once outside the office, Charles returned to his regular demeanor as the regional manager. He smiled at Phoebe and asked, "All done?"

"Yes, thank you!" Phoebe replied, glancing at Darryl in the office. She asked casually, "What happened? Were you apologizing to him? Why is he back? Is he really here to buy a car?"

Charles hesitated and replied after some thought, "How could he afford a car? He said he lost something while at the center, so he came back to look for it. I was just explaining things to him."

"I see," Phoebe said, and then added, "A useless man like him would never lose something valuable. I guess he’s here to scam you."

Phoebe took out her cellphone and said, "You’re too kind. Shall I help you call the cops?"

Chapter 36

Charles desperately stopped Phoebe from calling the cops. "No, that's not necessary. I’ll handle it."

At the same time, a layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. He was the President of Platinum Corporation, and Phoebe was Lily's best friend. How could she not recognize him? Charles realized how harsh he had been in his earlier treatment of Darryl.

"Fine then, I won't interfere. Once your relationship with Lily is settled, don’t forget to buy me dinner!" Phoebe said, putting away her cellphone, smiling at Charles, and then leaving.

Phoebe did not notice how awkward Charles’s smile was.

"President Darby, about the contract..." Charles said, as he returned to the office.

Darryl responded bluntly, "Sign it!" He added, "Before you sign, there’s one thing you need to understand. I don’t care how Lily and you met, but you should know how to act in the future."

Charles quickly assured him, "I understand, I understand. I promise, Lilybud and I... no, no. Miss Lyndon and I will keep our distance."

Darryl agreed, "Alright, there’s nothing else then. Let me remind you, don’t think too highly of yourself in the future or you might end up embarrassed."

Charles hastily agreed, "Yes, yes!"

Reflecting on his previous behavior, Charles said sincerely, "President Darby wanted to get a car just now. To show my sincerity and apologize, let me present you with a car outside. How about that?"

"Really? I’ll take it then," Darryl said. It was a free car, so of course, he would take it.

Charles tried to impress Darryl as he said, "You’re most welcome, President Darby. We’re partners now, so what’s one car? After the contract signing, please choose which model you would like."

The contract was signed quickly. Darryl walked out of the office with Charles and pointed to a white Audi R8 in the middle of the showroom. "This model looks alright. I’ll take this one."

Charles’s stomach twisted at that moment. An Audi R8 cost 1 million bucks!

"What's wrong? Are you regretting it?" Darryl joked, noticing Charles’s pained expression.

Charles quickly shook his head, "No, no... I was thinking that it’s a great choice, President Darby. This R8 is a perfect match for you."

Charles instructed his staff to prepare the necessary documentation for Darryl. His face was full of smiles, but his heart was sinking.

Thirty minutes later, Darryl casually drove off in the R8, leaving the Audi headquarters. 

All the workers at the center were puzzled and confused by Charles’s respectful treatment of Darryl. Phoebe, in particular, was shocked and speechless. 

Was Manager Luke out of his mind? Seeing Charles’s complicated expression, she dared not ask anything further.

On Darryl’s end, after finalizing the collaboration with Audi Corporation, he had little left to do. The next day, he called Lily. Knowing that Darryl was returning, Lily was thrilled. She stayed home instead of going to the office.

In the dining hall, Samantha was lounging on the sofa in her pajamas after her shower. She looked even more elegant and attractive after her bath.

Samantha said, "Why did you let that useless man return? You didn’t tell me how it went with Charles yesterday. What are you thinking?"

Lily responded subtly, "Mum, I do not wish to divorce at the moment."

"What’s so good about staying with this useless man? Just because he offered to switch places as a hostage two days ago and that made you feel touched? Don’t let yourself be swayed by such small gestures. Think about it. Were you happy during these three years of marriage? I won’t be satisfied with Darryl. Other families’ son-in-laws have net worths in the millions, unlike this useless one!"

During their conversation, there were noises from outside. Samantha looked out and was shocked at what she saw. 

A brand-new white Audi sports car was driving in slowly. The most shocking sight was the person who stepped out of the car. This person, dressed cheaply, was Darryl—the "useless man."

Chapter 37

"I'm back," Darryl said with a big smile as he walked toward Lily.

Lily nodded and glanced at the Audi R8 parked outside. Seeing Lily's curiosity, Darryl added, "This was the car I helped to get for my boss. Since I’m off today, he let me take it for a drive."

Lily understood but had her doubts. What kind of boss would be so generous as to let his staff drive his new car?

At the same time, Samantha, having recovered from her shock, couldn’t stop laughing. "So the whole deal is that you’re driving someone else’s car. I thought this useless man had finally turned over a new leaf."

Darryl smiled but ignored her remarks.

Samantha grew angrier and turned to Lily. "Lilybud, I really don’t understand why you’re still hesitating. Isn’t Charles, whom I introduced you to, great? You should divorce this useless man immediately. The more I see him, the more upset I become."

"Mum." Lily bit her lip and shook her head. "You don’t need to interfere with my business. At least he’s found a job now. I... I want to give him a chance. He’s found a job, so he definitely has changed."

Samantha was almost speechless and could not understand what was wrong with her daughter. She glared sharply at Darryl before going into her room.

Darryl grinned and said to Lily, "Are you really not going to divorce me now?"

Lily replied calmly, "Don’t celebrate too early. I’m still observing you."

Darryl nodded without saying a word. He respected Lily’s wishes. No matter what, during their three years of marriage, Lily had faced a lot of pressure because of him.

"I’m tired and going to rest inside." The atmosphere was awkward, so Darryl went to his room after saying that.

Lily did not follow but sat down on the sofa, deep in thought.

At that moment, Lily felt conflicted. Was her decision earlier right or wrong? Had she given him another chance in hopes of a better future?

Meanwhile, Samantha was stressed, angry, and speechless at her daughter’s stubbornness. She muttered aloud, "No, I can’t let this useless man stay in our family." Taking out her cellphone, she dialed a number.

The number she dialed was Charles’s. Once the call connected, Charles answered politely but with a hint of hesitation, "Aunt Samantha, is everything alright?"

Samantha immediately asked, "Charles, how was the meeting between you and Lilybud yesterday?"

Her gentle voice was as if her son-in-law was on the other end of the line.

Charles felt awkward and laughed nervously. "Aunt Samantha, I feel... I am not suitable for Lilybud. Also, I think Lilybud and Darryl are good together. They make a good match. I... I do not wish to interfere between them." His smile looked as if he was about to cry.

Samantha was taken aback, "Charles, are you okay?"

Charles replied politely, "I’m fine, Aunt Samantha. Oh yes, if you see Darryl, please let him know I wish him and Lily all the best... all the best." He nearly called him President Darby.

Charles was sweating nervously. If he had displeased President Darby, there would be no further collaboration with Audi Corporation.

"You..."

Hearing this, Samantha was momentarily confused. What was happening? Wasn’t Charles supposed to be infatuated with her daughter?

Charles, looking nervous, said, "Aunt Samantha, I have something coming up. I can’t talk longer." He ended the call abruptly.

Samantha was left dazed by the dial tone. What was going on today? First, her daughter seemed odd, and now Charles was behaving strangely. He had promised he would win Lily over, but now he was completely different.

Unable to make sense of it, Samantha walked out of her room feeling depressed. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. It was Lily’s best friend, Jade.

Jade greeted Samantha with a smile, "How do you do, Madam?"

Samantha smiled and nodded. "Jade, you’re here. Take a seat."

Samantha furrowed her brows and called out, "Darryl, come down here now. Can’t you hear we have a guest? Shouldn’t you come and greet her? Where are your manners?"

Chapter 38

Hearing Samantha's screams from his room, Darryl walked out.

At that moment, Jade, who had previously been smiling, looked shocked. She whispered to Lily, "Sister Lily, Darby... Darryl Darby is home?"

Ever since she learned from Samson at the Moonlit River bar that Darryl was indeed the second son of the Darby family, she had rarely visited the Lyndon family to see Lily. She had been cautious.

Jade had come to catch up with Lily because she heard Darryl hadn’t been around for a few days. She never expected to encounter Darryl on the day he returned.

Lily replied calmly, "He just got back today."

Jade was about to say something but stopped when she saw Darryl coming down the stairs. She lowered her head, not daring to look at him.

Seeing Jade there, Darryl smiled cheekily.

Samantha glared at Darryl and ordered, "Why are you still standing there? Go and quickly serve some tea."

Darryl remained still, as if he hadn’t heard.

"No, it’s not necessary. I’m not thirsty... I’m not thirsty. Brother-in-law, don’t... don’t bother."

After Samantha spoke, Jade stood up immediately, waving her arms.

Jade thought, What a joke. How could she let the second son of the Darby family serve her tea? She didn’t want to upset her good fortune.

Lily noticed Jade’s strange behavior and asked, "Jade, what’s wrong with you today?"

Jade quickly nodded and said, "Nothing. Maybe I didn’t sleep well last night." Samantha was also a bit surprised.

What was happening? Why did it feel like everyone was scared of this seemingly useless man?

Samantha thought deeper, realizing that Jade was known for her cleanliness. She must have thought Darryl was dirty and didn’t want him serving her tea.

With that realization, Samantha glared at Darryl.

Despite Darryl’s silence, Jade still felt very uncomfortable. After a while, Jade couldn’t handle the pressure and said, "Sister Lily, I just remembered that I have something to take care of. I can’t stay long to chat. I’m leaving."

"You’re in such a hurry?" Lily asked. "I didn’t see you drive here. How did you get here?"

Jade smiled and said, "My car is in for service, so I took a cab. I’ll call another cab to get back."

Samantha smiled, pointing to Darryl, "Why bother calling a cab? Let him give you a ride home. He has nothing to do around the house anyway. Don’t be shy."

Jade started to shiver and quickly declined, "That’s not necessary. I’ll call a cab."

Samantha insisted, "Don’t worry about it. Let him drive you home. You don’t have to feel shy about this useless one."

Jade hesitated, surprised that Samantha was still calling him the "useless one."

At that moment, Darryl stood up and said, "Let me drive you."

Jade, unable to refuse once Darryl had spoken, nodded.

A few minutes later, Darryl was driving Jade out of the community and onto the main road. Jade, feeling uneasy, said carefully, "Brother Darryl, you can drop me off here. I’ll call a cab to get home."

Darryl smiled and replied, "What did you just call me? Did you forget what you agreed with me earlier?"

Jade shivered, recalling what had happened at the Moonlit River Bar. She bit her lips and said softly, "Father."

Darryl smiled and nodded, "That’s better. You don’t need to be nervous. I’ll take you home since I’m already out."

Jade hurriedly replied, "Thank you, Darryl. Thank you, Father." She bit her lips so hard they almost bled.

Soon, Darryl drove into the city. The R8 was undeniably impressive, and with the beautiful and elegant Jade in the passenger seat, they were a striking pair.

Many passersby turned to admire them. Darryl held the steering wheel with a neutral expression, but inside, he was enjoying the attention.

At that moment, a discordant voice came from the side, "Hey! Isn’t that the useless Darryl from our house?"

Darryl turned towards the voice, his face darkening.

Chapter 39

William Lyndon! 

He must have been out shopping, dressed casually with his attractive female secretary following him, carrying several shopping bags. It was infuriating to see him flaunting the company’s money while Lily worked tirelessly to represent the Lyndon family with Platinum Corporation. William appeared chic with his secretary, making Darryl smile coldly to himself. He was too lazy to engage and decided to speed up and leave. However, the heavy pedestrian traffic made it impossible to accelerate.

Seeing Darryl ignoring him, William sneered and taunted, "Darryl, doing well, I see. Driving an Audi R8, huh?" He glanced at Jade in the passenger seat.

William was momentarily stunned by Jade’s beauty and smiled. "This lady doesn’t look familiar. What’s your name?"

Since Jade was Lily’s best friend and William had never seen her before, he didn’t know who she was. Jade, not understanding the situation, chose to remain silent and pretended not to hear.

Darryl, looking at William with indifference, replied, "What does knowing her name have to do with you?"

William, irritated, raised his voice, "Darryl, you’re just a live-in son-in-law. There’s no need to act proud. Are you showing off because you’re driving an R8? Is it even your car?" He glared at Jade again, assuming the car belonged to her.

William was confident that Darryl and Jade were involved, making him more determined to humiliate Darryl. "You’ve spent three years in the Lyndon family without contributing, willingly became a toy boy, and now you’re with a rich lady? You’re really embarrassing the Lyndon family."

The scene drew a crowd, and people began to murmur.

"Ha ha. So this guy is the live-in son-in-law of the Lyndons. I thought he was from a wealthy family."

"He’s got some nerve, living like that."

"Interesting! A toy boy at home and a rich woman on the side? What a life!"

"When he married Goddess Lily, it was the joke of Donghai City. Ha, now we finally see the so-called useless one."

The comments fueled Darryl’s anger. William seemed to thrive on humiliating him.

Jade, furious and visibly shaken, had never been publicly accused like this before. She didn’t need a man like Darryl but wasn’t going to tolerate the public insult.

As William continued to taunt Darryl, Jade abruptly opened the car door and stepped out, drawing everyone’s attention. Her stunning figure intrigued many, but they were puzzled by her actions.

Jade walked toward William in her stilettos. William, smiling, said casually, "Pretty girl, didn’t know this guy is a live-in son-in-law? No worries, you don’t have to thank me."

Slap!

Jade delivered a resounding slap across William’s face. The sound echoed, and the street fell silent. People around them were stunned.

"You... you cheap woman. How dare you hit me?" William, in shock, stared blankly at Jade. After a moment, he started shouting.

His secretary, equally shocked, quickly held William’s arm and asked softly, "Brother William, are you alright?" She then glared at Jade, "How could you hit him?"

Jade didn’t look at the secretary but addressed William coldly, "I slapped you. So what? People like you, with filthy, humiliating words, deserve it."

Jade quickly regained her composure and took control of the situation, leaving William and his secretary stunned.

Chapter 40

Everyone around them was shocked. 

"She has a fiery temper," one onlooker whispered. 

"Sizzling hot!" another added. 

People began to talk about Jade quietly, not wanting to provoke the fierce, beautiful woman.

However, the crowd didn't realize that while Jade was scolding William, her attention was actually on Darryl's reaction. Seeing him smile approvingly at her actions encouraged Jade even more.

"You, who look down on people, think that Brother Darby needs a rich woman? You must be blind!"

The mention of "Brother Darby" stunned everyone once again, including William.

After scolding William for a while, Jade returned to the car. Standing politely, she smiled sweetly and asked, "Brother Darby, I didn’t do anything wrong just now, did I?"

Darryl replied casually, "You did great!"

Jade was thrilled by Darryl’s approval. She continued, "My car is in the workshop right in front. Don’t bother, Brother Darby, you don’t need to drive me any further."

Darryl nodded and said, "Fine, you can go."

Jade thanked him and bid farewell. Under the curious gazes of everyone present, she walked toward the exit. Once she left, the crowd dispersed, feeling that nothing more interesting would happen.

William, now feeling the sting of the slap on his face, was seething with anger. He glared at Darryl and said, "So, you’re not with a rich woman but having an affair instead! Confess, what’s with this car? Did Lily use her position and the company’s money for it?"

Darryl, finding William’s accusations absurd, responded calmly, "You don’t need to know how I got my car. It has nothing to do with your family’s company."

With the traffic beginning to clear, Darryl accelerated and drove away. William watched him leave with a scowl, muttering angrily, "Damn it, Darryl Darby. We’re not done yet!"

At Platinum Entertainment, Darryl returned to his office and sent a message to Lily, saying he wouldn’t be home that night due to work. Lily replied with a simple, "Fine, I know."

The incident with William didn’t affect Darryl’s mood. Despite William's position in the Lyndon family and being Granny Lyndon's favorite, Darryl saw him as nothing more than a clown.

After confirming with Pearl that there were no further tasks, Darryl took a nap in the lounge. 

When he woke up, he saw a wooden box behind the door and remembered the birthday present Samson had given him. He opened it to find a round pill inside. 

Was it a kidney tonic pill? A performance enhancement pill? An energy pill?

Darryl felt a mix of anger and amusement. What was Samson trying to do? Was he playing a joke? Darryl decided to call Samson for clarification.

Samson answered politely, "Mr. Darby, are there any instructions for me?"

Darryl took a deep breath and asked, "What’s the pill for?"

Samson explained quickly, "Mr. Darby, please don’t be upset. I got the pill from a master who is really famous. It’s said to strengthen one's health. A normal person wouldn’t be able to get it. I had to..."

Darryl, still confused, cut him off, "That’s fine, it’s fine. I’ll take it from here."

After hanging up, Darryl eyed the pill skeptically. To take it or not?

Deciding to trust Samson, Darryl swallowed the pill. Immediately, he felt a growing heat in his stomach and a sharp, inexplicable pain spreading through his body. Unable to endure it, Darryl rolled on the floor before everything went dark. He fainted.

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