Chapter 9 Mr. Dilley and His Money

Jade’s furious questioning caused Zack and Terry to stammer. They did not know how to answer her.

Despite that, Jade could not lash too harshly as Zack had once pulled some strings behind the scenes and landed her some sizable contracts. That was how the office fell into an awkward silence for the next half a minute.

Wanting to put a stop to the awkward situation, Terry spoke up and suggested, “It’s almost noon now. Let’s have lunch together and we can discuss the issue about the investment.”

This suggestion was met with approving nods from Zack and Jade as they wanted out from the bubble of awkwardness, but Javier caught a crucial point in what Terry had said.

“Ms. Odell has just found out about the issue with the company’s investor. Terry Hamer, how did you know?”

“Huh?!”

Terry had not even noticed his slip of the tongue and started panicking at Javier’s unexpected question. He put on a tough front and raised his voice to question the man back instead of explaining himself, “What gives a lowly employee like you the right to question me?!”

At this outburst, Jade recovered from the awkwardness and cast a serious look at the man. “Terry, Javier is now—”

“I’m now the vice general manager because I managed to pull in some funding for the company. Ms. Odell has promoted me based on this merit.”

Jade was slightly taken aback, not understanding why Javier had chosen to lie. But after a few moments of contemplation, she figured it out. She had overheard her employees arguing earlier and was aware that Javier and Selena had gotten a divorce this morning. The 1.5 million dollars that Javier had invested into the company must have been part of his premarital asset so if he were exposed, he would have to give half of it to Selena. He must be hiding this fact because he was reluctant to share 750 thousand dollars with her!

Considering that Selena was not innocent either, Jade quietly went with Javier’s statement. She then told Terry, “That’s correct. Javier is the vice general manager now. He’s not lying. As for you, Mr. Hamer, I’d really like to know how you found out about the investment issue!”

Javier being suddenly promoted to vice general manager was a hard pill for Terry to swallow. Faced with Jade’s interrogation, he explained halfheartedly, “I overheard you guys talking in the office just now.”

The answer made Jade and Javier exchange a look but both of them decided to not question it. Terry went silent as well, afraid that he would slip up the more he talked. Zack took the opportunity to divert the topic.

“Let’s go for lunch. I haven’t had breakfast this morning and I’m starving.”

Jade got up, agreeing to Zack’s prompt and as if believing Terry’s explanation. It made the latter sigh in relief but he secretly cussed Javier out in his mind for nearly exposing him.

He looked at the man with a chuckle. “Mr. Kersey, congratulations on being promoted to vice general manager. I think you won’t be able to escape buying lunch today. Don’t try to run away now. We’d all love to share in your delight.”

Javier immediately saw through Terry’s plan. The man must be trying to embarrass him again by forcing him to pay for lunch with money Terry assumed he did not have. Too bad though, Terry was going to find out that bullying him will prove much more difficult than before. He was about to reply when someone else next to him spoke up.

“So what if he’s been promoted to vice general manager? Did you think just anyone could pay for this lunch? One has to be qualified to do so. Today will be my treat!”

Zack acted like he was the richest one in the room and walked out the door proudly without giving the others a chance to speak up. Javier glanced at Jade’s sprained foot while the latter shook her head to tell him that it was fine. He then told her that he did not wish to go, but upon Jade’s insistence, he relented and went along with them.

…

They decided to have lunch at the most luxurious hotel in town—Duxom Hotel. All the patrons of this hotel were either affluent or influential. It was said that obtaining a membership to this hotel required at least 15 thousand dollars and the restaurant declined any non-members.

Zack looked as proud as a peacock as they were seated at a table in a lavishly decorated room.

“Go on, order whatever you like. No need to feel bad for my pocket. To be frank, this is nothing to me!”

Right after Zack said that the cogs in Terry’s mind turned quickly and he suggested, “Mr. Dilley, Mr. Kersey has just been promoted. Why don’t we give him some face and let him order the dishes? Besides, he’s never been anywhere this classy before. Just look at it as fulfilling his wish of becoming a wealthy man and allow him order.”

Zack understood the meaning behind Terry’s words. Terry was trying to set Javier up! Viewing Javier as an obstacle—pulling in investments and spoiling his plans when he had purposely created an opportunity to save the damsel in distress—he waved generously.

“Sure. Let’s give Mr. Kersey the chance to feel like a rich man then. Go ahead, Mr. Kersey!”

A female server stood to the side, an iPad in her hand and a smile on her face, waiting for Javier to make the order. Zack and Terry watched with a snicker, waiting for Javier to embarrass himself. No menu had been given to them. They watched and waited to see how the man who had never been here before was going to order. It would be hilarious if the pauper only ordered salad and lettuce!

Jade, noticing the situation, spoke up, “I have a few dishes I would really like to have. Let me order them!”

She was mindful of her words, careful to eliminate the embarrassment factor and not letting anything slip so that it wouldn’t cost Javier his pride. Javier appreciated the kind gesture but he did not think making a lunch order would hurt his pride.

“Allow me, see if what I order fits your taste, Ms. Odell.”

Terry could not help but be amused when he heard Javier’s insistent words and him declining Jade’s attempt to save him. What an idiot! Could he not tell that Jade was trying to salvage the situation and he was foolishly insistent on making the order himself!

Zack was sneering as well, waiting for Javier to humiliate himself.

As for the man in question, he turned to their server with a smile on his face. “Hi, we’d like to have some sake-steamed abalone and scallops, four pax; white escargot caviar over white truffles, four pax; foie gras pate drizzled with a cherry gastrique, four pax; lobster and avocado french toast, four pax; some Coffin Bay King Oysters on the side…”

The mocking smirks that Zack and Terry had been wearing slid off their face and were replaced by looks of shock when they heard the dishes Javier had ordered. The dishes he had just ordered were at least 200 dollars per portion and Javier was still going, ordering a whopping total of eight dishes which summed up to about six to eight thousand dollars! And Javier was still ordering!

Terry panicked. He had dug the trap for Javier but it seemed like he had thrown himself in it instead!

“Javier, are you a glutton? Can you really finish all those dishes?”

Javier turned to look at the man and asked innocently, “Didn’t you say not to feel bad for your pocket just now and say that nothing was too much for you? Why? Is this too much, Mr. Dilley?”

“Bullsh*t! I have all the money in the world, nothing’s too much! Go on, keep ordering!”

There, see, Javier liked dumb*sses like him who felt like they were the richest man in the world when they only had a dime or two in their pocket. He went on to order another four more items—nothing expensive, they were only about 1,500 dollars.

After that, Jade quickly stopped Javier. Otherwise, he would probably end up ordering all of the most expensive dishes the restaurant had to offer.

Zack calculated in his head. That was already eight to ten thousand dollars out of his pocket and they had not even ordered wine yet! He was instantly disgruntled. He had planned to spend around 1,500 dollars just to show off to Jade but their lunch ended up being as expensive as a regular sedan.

The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he felt. The plan was to make Javier look like an idiot but he was the idiot that got tricked in the end. Looking at Terry who had a meek and embarrassed look on his face, Zack felt his rage come to a boiling point.

If Terry had not suggested this, he would not have suffered such a loss! He spoke up, “Right, Mr. Hamer, I heard that you’ve got a girlfriend and you’re getting married soon? That’s great news! I think you’re the only one qualified to buy lunch today, so I shall step out of the way and stop hogging the limelight. Congratulations, by the way!”

Terry had done nothing but stay seated on his chair and seemingly out of nowhere, the bill landed on his head. Terry was flabbergasted.