Chapter 51

Vincent had a reputation for being a ladies' man, way more than Marlon, who might seem like a player but was actually pretty loyal. Out of the four guys in Pearl Peak City, Vincent was the real deal when it came to being a playboy. He confessed that his desire for Emily eclipsed his admiration, yet he resolved not to make a move as long as she was with Patrick. However, if there ever came a day when Patrick no longer wanted her, he would definitely make his move.

Once, Vincent tried to play the good guy and told Patrick to appreciate Emily. But Patrick didn't take him seriously.Vincent watched Patrick down drink after drink, feeling a weird sense of satisfaction. Even someone as proud as Patrick had fallen for Emily.

Willard, noticing Vincent's smirk, shook his head, lit a cigarette,and handed it to Patrick. "If you like her,go for it. Why drown your sorrows here? If you can't man up, I'll go get her for you. And if that doesn't work, I'll take more drastic measures."

Willard wwas perpetually impulsive and reckless, as if he would genuinely follow through with it simply at Patrick's request.His eyes held a foolish kind of determination, echoing the spirit of his high school days.

"Willard, don't even think about it! How could you hurt someone as beautiful as Emily? Come on. you guys really need to step up your game when it comes to appreciating women!"Vincent scolded, pointing a finger at Willard. He was clearly pissed off at Willard's suggestion.

Vincent feigned indignation, hurling insults that merely elicited Otis' swift grip around his neck. pressing down with considerable force, before compelling him to drink a cup of wine.

In Vincent's mind. he regarded the argument as a victory.convinced that the three opponents before him were no match for his wit. Yet, when it came to physical prowess, he knew he fell short of even half of Otis'strength.

Seeing Patrick stay silent, Vincent lost interest in coming up with ideas for him and opened a bottle of Romanée-Conti,sulking on the side. Willard poured himself a glass of wine,downed it, and slammed the glass on the table.

Otis, who rarely spoke, was about to say something to comfort Patrick when the door to their private room swung open. This room,labeled 999, was Otis's exclusive hangout, usually just for the four of them. Who would be dumb enough to barge in?

Willard raised an eyebrow, kicked his legs up, and let his cigarette dangle fromn his mouth, looking like he was ready to throw down. His eyes were filled with dissatisfaction; he hated

when their hangouts got interrupted.

When Vincent saw it was Shirley, he burst out laughing. "One follower leaves, another one shows up?" His laugh was dripping with mockery, making it clear he wasn't thrilled to see her. Vincent looked at Shirley with disdain; he never liked her fake attitude.

Patrick glanced up and saw Shirley's panicked expression."What are you doing here?" he asked coldly, clearly not pleased.He furrowed his brow, feeling quite irritable at the moment.The appearance of Shirley only added to his agitation.

Shirley looked scared, took a few steps back, then gathered her courage. Clutching her bag tightly, she said softly,"Patrick,I worked late at the office today,and when I got back, I saw your car outside. It's late, and I thought it wouldn't be safe for me to walk back alone. Can I wait and ride back with you?"

Her eyes were full of hope and caution, like she was scared Patrick would say no. She lowered her head, fingers gripping her bag strap tightly. She knew Patrick's friends didn't like her,but she still wanted a chance to be with him.

Patrick thought for a moment, then nodded. "Sure," he said.sounding a bit perfunctory, like he was just going through the motions. He didn't really want Shirley to tag along, but he figured it wasn't safe for her to be out alone so late, so he agreed.

Vincent was taken aback when Shirley dared to ignore him. He stood up and said, "Playing the innocent angel. huh? You're pretty convincing." His words were laced with sarcasm, and his disdain for Shirley was palpable. Vincent walked over to Shirley.circling her and sizing her up and down.

Among Patrick's friends, Shirley liked Vincent the least.However, she had no way to avoid him. All of these friends came from well-known, prominent families in Pearl Peak City.and she even had a thought in her mind: if she couldn't marry Patrick by any means, marrying any one of these three would be a good choice. Shirley bit her lip, enduring the grievance in her heart, knowing she couldn't afford to offend any of them and had to swallow her pride.

Vincent paced around Shirley, his gaze sweeping over her with a critical eye. He turned to Patrick with a smirk. "So, this is your driver's daughter, huh? Is she just not developed yet, or is this her final form?"

He leaned in closer, his voice dripping with scorn. "Her figure is quite straight. Where's the charm that even comes close to Emily?"

"Honestly, sometimes I wonder if you're seeing things clearly.You've got a stunning girl right in front of you, yet you're pining after this plain one."

"You're completely oblivious, my friend. I'm honestly concerned

that your poor taste might influence me."

With every word, Vincent's disdain pierced through the air.mercilessly mocking Shirley's figure and presence. He shook his head in disbelief, a look of utter disgust etched on his face.

Shirley felt her heart sink as his words hit her like a cold wave.Tears welled up in her eyes, and she walked over to Patrick.her expression a mix of hurt and vulnerability. Crouching down,she rested her head on his knee, tilting her face up, allowing her tears to spill freely.

"Patrick, can we go back? It's so noisy here," she whispered,her voice trembling with emotion, desperately seeking his sympathy and attenton.

She looked up at him with wide, pleading eyes, hoping he would speak up for her,to shield her from the harshness of the world around them.

Vincent, on the other hand, couldn't stand Shirley. He thought she was scheming, always relying on men, and not even attractive. If she had Emily's looks, maybe her pretentiousness wouldn't be so bad.

Vincent poured himself another glass of wine with a sneer, not even bothering to look at Shirley anymore. Shirley couldn't understand why, despite always trying to get along with them,they still looked down on her. She thought to herself, 'It'sall

Emily's fault! Did she sleep with all these guys? Is that why they all like her?'

Shirley's nails dug into her flesh as she stared hatefully at Vincent's back. When Patrick looked over, she quickly put on a smile and tried to please Vincent. She was full of jealousy and resentment, feeling like Emily had stolen Patrick and his friends'attention, but she didn't dare show it. Instead, she silently cursed Emily in her heart.