Chapter 34 We Can Only Be Friends
The prize-giving ceremony ended. Edgar Royden was heading towards the office in a car. In his hands were thick sheets of information. The old Eyer Group had been officially renamed to Garrison Group.
The last page was a bill of repayment. Edgar Royden narrowed his eyes. His fingers ran over the numbers.
Miles sat in the passenger seat. He said in a low voice, “Mr. Royden, after the Eyer Group went bankrupt, Jean Eyer’s debts have been taken over by the company. In other words, you are now her creditor.”
Edgar Royden threw the bill aside simply.
What was lingering in his mind was Jean Eyer’s expression as she revealed the truth about the pendant at the wedding, as well as how it looked like she was about to accept Ben Ludwig’s proposal on stage.
Both her expressions were completely unfamiliar to him. “You know what to do.” “Yes, Mr. Royden. I will set it up immediately.”
The man closed his eyes slowly while tapping his finger on his knee again and again. He would let Jean Eyer know that he had the final say no matter what.
…
The crowd outside had almost dispersed, and only the reporters were left waiting outside. Jean Eyer sat in the changing room for a long time. She scratched her hair anxiously while looking at the debt collection text messages on her cellphone.
Jean Eyer was powerless when she thought of the huge sum. The joy she felt when they took the crown disappeared without a trace. Her cellphone rang again.
It was a call from Sonny Kalzarc. “Jean Eyer, we’re about to go to the restaurant. Hurry on out, today’s meal is on Ben Ludwig. We’re going to The Dream South so we can squeeze him dry.”
Jean Eyer put her phone down and made her way out to rejoin them.
That restaurant was extremely famous, and the average person wouldn’t be able to afford a meal there. It was also where well-known figures could be spotted.
Jean Eyer had been there once with Edgar Royden, but only that one time. At the entrance, the European-style building gleamed brightly in the night sky. “Wow, how much would one meal cost here?”
“Oh my god, there’s even a hotel with hot springs on the upper levels! We really have to thank Mr. Ludwig for this.”
Some of the youngsters in the team crowded into the elevator, making it overload. Ben Ludwig and Jean Eyer were the only two left waiting.
The elevator doors closed, and the air went silent immediately. After a while, Ben Ludwig turned to stare at her. “It was poor planning on my part this time. Next time, you’ll have nowhere to hide. You can hold on to this ring for me, alright?”
He pulled Jean Eyer’s hand and forced the diamond ring into her hands. Jean Eyer wrinkled her brows. “Ben Ludwig, you know what I mean.”
“You were afraid of humiliating me and wanted to preserve my honor.” Ben Ludwig lowered his head and laughed self-deprecatingly. “If the one proposing to you on stage was Edgar Royden, would you have rejected him like this?”
Jean Eyer heard the distasteful name and said with a cold tone, “You still don’t understand what I mean. I…”
“Alright, don’t make things awkward. Just treat it as if you are taking care of something for me. You can’t say no to such a small favor like this between friends!”
As he was saying it, he saw a figure at the door through the corner of his eye.
What a coincidence.
Wherever he and Jean Eyer went, they would always bump into Edgar Royden.
Ben Ludwig pulled Jean Eyer’s hand and said, “Let’s go, we have to hurry on up. If we don’t, they’ll order too much food. I’m afraid I won’t have enough money to pay for the meal.”
Before Jean Eyer could say anything, the elevator doors closed.
At the door, Edgar Royden had just got out of the car and was slightly damp from the rain.
He had a meeting with a business partner, but saw such a scene play out in front of him as soon as he walked in.
Edgar Royden furrowed his brow. Even the doorman could see his displeasure.
Miles faced it head on and said, “Mr. Royden, Mr. Freeman is waiting at the Water Dream Hall on the third floor.”
“Mm.”
Edgar Royden replied coldly and walked into the elevator.
As he walked past the private room where Ben Ludwig and the rest of the team were, Edgar Royden paused. It was because he could clearly hear the teasing that was going on in the private room.
“Ben Ludwig, Jean Eyer, you both have to drink a cup as punishment. You’ve been dating secretly? And you kept it from us for so long!”
Jean Eyer pushed Ben Ludwig. “Quickly explain!”
Ben Ludwig muttered, “Explain? What is there to explain? I just like Jean Eyer. I’ll get her to be mine sooner or later!”
“You…,” said Jean Eyer darkly. She raised her leg to give him a kick.
“Alright, alright.” said Ben Ludwig cheekily while clinging onto her thigh, an action that was unintentionally intimate. “I’m going to the washroom!”
Everyone exchanged unspoken glances. It was like the relationship between the both of them was silently understood.
He opened the door and turned a corner before he bumped into a familiar figure.
He was stunned and let out a gasp.
