Chapter 946 One Ought to Be Kind
“I know you won’t let them have their way by becoming their son-in-law, but it’s true that they have their eyes on you,” Sonia said, pouting.
Toby pinched her nose gently. “I’ve never heard of this before. From whom did Mrs. Lane hear about this?” It didn’t make sense that as one of the people involved, he would learn about something related to him later than others did.
“She heard it from the family that has their eyes on you, of course.” Sonia stopped keeping Toby in suspense and told him everything Grace had told her at the time.
Toby looked as black as thunder when he finished listening to her story. “What a nerve they’ve got, the Wallaces!” He knew the Wallaces, who ran a seafood business in Seafield. However, Seafield was a coastal city where many were engaged in the seafood business. Because of the fierce competition, the Wallaces were pretty much a nobody among them. Most annoyingly, they were dishonest in their business practices.
They often resorted to some dishonest petty means, such as passing spoiled seafood off as fresh ones or passing cultivated seafood off as freshly caught ones. As time went on, some people couldn’t stand it anymore, so they were reported to the relevant department. As a result, the Wallaces got into trouble. Many of their fishing quays were sealed off by the relevant department, and several of their seafood markets were closed for the time being. Naturally, they could no longer run their seafood business at present.
Toby had heard that the Wallaces had been pulling strings wherever they could to solve this issue and that they had been seeking to form an alliance with a family that had some say in Seafield through marriage. However, he thought he had nothing to do with it, so he no longer paid attention to it after hearing about this. Still, he never thought he was the one whom the Wallaces targeted and wanted to form a marriage alliance with!
Ha! What a nerve they’ve got! There are so many prestigious figures in Seafield, and people who want to marry me are a dime a dozen. Which of these people isn’t of higher standing than the Wallaces? But would they actually show up before me and propose a marriage alliance with me?
They wouldn’t dare to, I’m afraid. Even if they have such an intention, they dare not show it, let alone put it into practice. The Wallaces are inferior to those families in every way, but they’re even bolder than those families. Not only do they have the idea of forming a marriage alliance with me, but they even have the nerve to put it into practice by asking Mrs. Lane about my current relationship status! Do they really think that I won’t get angry with them?
Noticing the man’s sullen expression and the freezingly cold vibes emanating from him, Sonia had a rough idea of what he was thinking. He’s probably thinking about how to deal with the Wallaces for targeting him. Looking at his frosty expression, she asked affirmatively, “You want to take action against the Wallaces?”
Toby patted her head without giving a definite answer.
Sonia shook her head, though. “You’d better not do that.”
Toby frowned. “Why?”
“Because they haven’t done anything yet so far, of course.” Sonia took his hand off the top of her head and toyed with it. His hand was very warm, whereas her hands and feet were ice-cold in winter, so she liked to hold his hand and use it as a free human heater to warm her hands.
“The Wallaces do have such an intention, but they never really showed up or did anything in front of you. Even if you want to deal with them, you don’t have a valid reason or proof for doing so. Won’t you become a person who strikes and kills indiscriminately in the eyes of others by then?”
“I don’t mind,” Toby said impassively as his thin lips parted slightly. “If there’s some scheme that’s about to crop up, I’d rather nip it in the bud.”
“I know that.” Sonia released his hand and hugged him around the waist, burying her head in his chest. “But I don’t want you to be spoken of like that. Your reputation in business circles is a bit unsavory in the first place. They say you’re a cold-blooded and merciless devil incarnate and a detestable capitalist. Do these sound pleasant to you?”
Toby frowned slightly without saying a word. It wasn’t that he was unaware of these nicknames, which were given to him by those in business circles. However, he had never cared about them. These were nothing but the products of the rage of incompetent losers, after all.
Sonia continued, “In any case, they don’t sound pleasant to me. If you deal with the Wallaces right now, those in business circles will definitely give you some other offensive titles. After all, the Wallaces are only harboring such an idea. They haven’t done anything specific yet.
If you deal with them, they’ll find you terrifying, and those who have been distancing themselves from you will distance themselves from you even further. I know you’re so powerful that you don’t have to make friends with others in business circles, but being alone can sometimes put you at a disadvantage.
After all, however strong one might be, they’re just a single person. Even the weakest of ants can devour an elephant if they come together. So, let’s pretend that you don’t know anything as long as the Wallaces don’t really do anything specific. After all, didn’t Mrs. Lane say that the Wallaces might also have their eyes on somebody else in Seafield?”
Toby pursed his lips. “They might have their eyes on others, but I’m one of those they have their eyes on, after all. I can refrain from doing anything to the Wallaces for the time being, but don’t you mind their presence?”
“I do.” Sonia acknowledged her thoughts with a poised nod. “If I didn’t mind that, I wouldn’t have been angry with you just now. But I can’t let somebody pay the price because I mind the fact that they have their eyes on you and want you to be their son-in-law, right? After all, they haven’t done anything yet.
If they had, I wouldn’t say anything, of course. But if they haven’t, I won’t really deal with them. The most I’d do is dislike them. And besides, the Wallaces aren’t the only family that wants you to be their son-in-law. It’s just that the Wallaces have now made their intentions known, whereas the others hide their intentions well. Surely I can’t ask you to deal with them all as well, right?” If I really do so, both of us will be setting ourselves up against the entire world. By then, the winners will definitely be those people, not us.
Toby’s eyes showed tenderness and a hint of helplessness when he finished listening to her words. “Little Leaf, being too kind and softhearted will sometimes put you at a disadvantage, you know?”
“I know that.” Sonia smiled. “Still, I’d like to stick to my beliefs. As long as they haven’t done anything, I’ll pretend that I don’t know anything, and I won’t target them on my own initiative. If I take action like crazy just because they harbor such an idea, then what’s the difference between me and those like Tina and Titus? I can’t accept myself becoming like that. One would better be kind as long as they live.”
Toby put his arms around her head and rested his chin on the top of her head as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. Then, he replied in a gentle, husky voice, “Alright. You win.”
Sonia glanced up at him, but she couldn’t raise her head much as he held her head tightly. As a result, she could only raise her head a little and see his delicate jaw. “Still, you’ve got to watch out. Mrs. Lane said that the Wallaces had gone to great pains to get the invitation to the business banquet for the purpose of seeking a potential son-in-law.
Of course, it’ll be best if they don’t lay their hands on you. If they really target you, be sure to control yourself. Mrs. Lane said that men would easily lose control over themselves most of the time when women volunteered to sleep with them.”
Toby was both vexed and amused upon hearing this. “That’s sheer nonsense. Am I the kind of idiot who has no self-control and who only thinks with their lower half? Seriously, why would Mrs. Lane say these things to you? What kind of a person does she think I am?”
Sonia smiled at him. “She only went out of her way to say these things to me for my sake.”
Toby pursed his lips in displeasure. “Even if she said these things for your sake, you mustn’t take her words to heart. Just listen to it, but don’t take it seriously. By the way, you’re not taking it seriously, are you?”
