Chapter 130 This is what's called heartless.
The New York Galaxy Hotel is renowned in New York as a high-end establishment.
Here, one can savor any delicacy imaginable, and even the most exquisite wines are available.
Of course, the key is having the money to spend.
The hotel's decor can be described as opulent, with a spacious lobby, a ten-meter-high ceiling, and a large crystal chandelier hanging from it. At the entrance, rows of servers, dressed in evening wear, stood aligned. Each server was meticulously chosen for their appealing looks and statuesque figures.
Paul leaned over to William, whispering nervously, "William, this is my first time here."
William chuckled, "Same here."
It was indeed his first time in such a grand hotel, but he had been to royal palaces and the halls of gods during ancient wars of the deities.
Compared to those places, this hotel didn't seem all that impressive.
Lucy commented, "It's just a place to eat." She had heard from Evelyn that William didn't come from a wealthy background, so naturally, she wanted to be considerate of his feelings.
William just smiled without commenting. Wyatt joined in, saying, "Lucy's right, it's just a dining place."
Led by the staff, they entered the hall where the mixer was taking place, which was already filling up with attendees.
While William's attire wasn't particularly luxurious, his demeanor spoke volumes.
Wyatt and their group stood out among the well-to-do "trust fund babies" present.
"Lucy, these are the friends you mentioned?" Clara, sitting next to David, asked as Lucy's group entered, "Why don't you introduce us?"
The dining table was massive, seating twenty, and five chairs were still vacant. At Clara's prompting, all eyes turned to William and his friends.
William was becoming quite renowned at Hudson University, but many had never seen him in person.
Unfazed, Lucy introduced, "This is William from the History department, this is Wyatt, Daniel, and Paul. Let's get to know each other while we dine."
Among those seated, ten were women and five men. Apart from David, there was also Thomas, whom William and his group recognized.
David was drumming his fingers on the table, lost in thought. Glancing at William, he said, "Take a seat. Why are you standing?"
William didn't hesitate and, leading Paul and the others, took the vacant seats.
Once seated, Clara asked, "By the way, Lucy, wasn't Evelyn supposed to come? Why don't I see her?"
"She had something come up; she can't make it." Lucy said with a smile, sneaking a glance at William. Today, she was determined to maintain her poised demeanor in front of him.
Clara laughed, "Busy, huh? I heard she's working part-time at a bar, right? Well, work is important."
Upon hearing about Evelyn's part-time bar job, many at the table began speculating in hushed tones, their faces donning mocking smiles.
"Lucy, which bar does Evelyn work part-time at? We'd like to go and support the business," a male student loudly inquired.
Biting her teeth in frustration but forcing a smile, Lucy responded loudly, "She's working at a bookstore now! Don't listen to Clara's nonsense."
"Really? I'm just spouting nonsense?" Clara interjected, "She was working at a bar just a few days ago. But you're right, not all part-time jobs are at bars."
Clara's remarks dripped with sarcasm. Fortunately, William was unaware of the underlying insinuation in her comment about "part-time jobs" and just gave her a nonchalant glance.
If William had grasped the innuendo in her words, she might have already faced his wrath.
Lucy's anger simmered, her hands planted firmly on the table, glaring at Clara, teetering on the brink of an outburst.
Sensing the tension, David intervened, "Clara, enough."
With David speaking up, Clara dared not continue and fell silent.
David's intention for the evening was solely to target William. He didn't want Lucy's temper to flare up prematurely. After all, with everyone present, it was better to play a slow game.
Seeing David reprimand Clara and not wanting to create a scene in front of everyone, Lucy took her seat. After taking a sip of her tea, she calmly inquired, "David, I heard that you're planning to marry Clara next year. Is that true?"
David hadn't expected Lucy to turn her attention to him, but given she had asked in front of everyone, he could only reply, "That's the plan."
Upon hearing David's words, Clara, beaming with joy, clung to his arm.
Many of the guests began to offer their congratulations.
Lucy glanced at Clara and, after the initial chatter subsided, posed another question to David, "David, wasn't it just recently that you were pursuing Lila? Now you're suddenly planning to marry Clara?"
When women converse, there's often more beneath the surface. Despite Lucy's sweet appearance, she had a fiery temper. Evelyn was her best friend, and having Clara disparage her in front of everyone, Lucy's anger only grew.
She felt she wouldn't be able to stomach her meal without addressing this affront.
David began to sense trouble. Of course, he had lied to Clara about their plans for marriage. To him, Clara was just decent looking, suitable for a fling, but when compared to Lila, she didn't even match up to Lila's toes.
With Lucy bringing up this topic, it felt like a stab to the heart.
If David were to claim today that he pursued Lila on a mere whim, by tomorrow, rumors would spread, and he'd stand no chance with Lila.
Instead of embarrassing William, he had been humiliated.
After pausing for a moment, David said with a cold face, "Yes, I was pursuing Lila. So what?"
Clara, who moments ago was beaming with joy, was suddenly stunned by his words. The entire room was engulfed in a deafening silence.
David sneered and turned to Clara, saying, "I did mention marrying you, but it was just talk. We're simply playing roles in a passing drama. If you want to leave now, then go."
Dinner hadn't even started, but the tension was palpable. David's actions were decisive and ruthless. He knew exactly what he wanted.
Clara's face turned pale. Hesitating, she asked, "What about the diamond ring you gave me...?"
"If you like it, keep it. It's not a big deal for me," David replied. "You like money, don't you? Whatever you want, just buy it. But marrying me? That's out of the question."
It has to be said, for David to utter such words in front of so many people was truly shocking, yet he was speaking a brutal truth.
Clara slowly withdrew her hand, tears welling up in her eyes. The overwhelming sense of humiliation and shame made her want to leave, but without David, could she ever maintain the lavish lifestyle she had grown accustomed to?
Her family wasn't as affluent as Lila's. Yet her time with David made her realize how wonderful wealth could be.
Transitioning from simplicity to luxury is easy, but once accustomed to extravagance, reverting to a former ordinary life becomes challenging.
Lucy had thought Clara would storm off or even slap David, but she didn't. Instead, she sat beside him, silently shedding tears.
David's expression grew colder, "If you want to cry, go outside!"
Startled by his command, Clara wiped away her tears and obediently sat next to David, not daring to utter a word.
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