Chapter 34
The people in the room could obviously sense that Christian was in a bad mood. Ever since Victoria
left, none of them dared to speak.
On the contrary, Glen relaxed considerably, resuming his usual gentle and friendly behavior.
He poured out some wine for some people, smiling. âDonât let a stranger dampen the mood. Letâs keep
drinking.â
He clinked glasses with a few others, then downed the wine.
Soon, the atmosphere in the room turned better as if Victoria never appeared. However, the smoke still
hung in the air as Christian sat in the center of the room, looking rather unamused.
After a few drinks with the others, Glen grew bolder, but when he spoke to Christian, he was still
extremely careful. âMr. Thatcher, what do you think of the new project our company recently
developed?â
If this project was completed, the returns would be quite grand.
However, the downside was that this project was too huge. It would involve too many areas; be it funds
or other aspects, Coleman Group couldnât handle it alone.
âNot bad.â The cigarette was running out, so Christian tossed the cigarette butt into the ashtray.
Hearing that, the other people in the room had their own thoughts, but all of them were envious.
Not many projects could get Christianâs stamp of approval. Coleman Group had found itself on a cruise
to great riches, and it would most likely earn a handsome profit within a year.
Glen couldnât hide his glee either. If he managed to partner with Thatcher Group, he would be able to
earn loads off this project.
Also, with one partnership established, even more partnerships would followâ¦
âHowever, the Thatcher Group has no intention of partnering up. My apologies.â Watching Glenâs
gleeful expression, a dark light shone in the depths of Christianâs eyes as he spoke calmly.
Glenâs smile froze on his face, and it seemed like someone had splashed him with cold water from
head to toe. In his desperation, he asked, âSince you think this project is alright, Mr. Thatcher, why are
you reluctant to partner with me?â
He had been preparing this project for almost two years, and he had always been fighting for a chance
to partner with Thatcher Group. Also, Christian definitely expressed an intention to partner up before
this, so why did he change his mind all of a sudden?
âAre you questioning me?â As the lights illuminated Christianâs body, the upturned collar on his shirt
cast shadows on his collarbone, enhancing the coldness in his expression.
âYouâve misunderstood me, Mr. Thatcher.â Glen tried to appear calm, but he still couldnât retain his
usual gentleness. âIâm just asking for the reason so that I can learn from my mistakes.â
âIt has nothing to do with the project you suggested, Mr. Coleman. Thatcher Group simply has some
funding issues.â Christian stood up. âI still have something to attend to, so Iâll take my leave now.â
His words were courteous, but his actions less so. When he finished speaking, he didnât care for the
othersâ responses as he opened the door and left.
When he stood up, the people in the room stood up as well. After the door closed, they finally took their
seats again. Only Glen was still standing, wine glass in hand. The look on his face was dark and foul.
Thatcher Group wasnât only a top company in the country; it was also the largest enterprise around.
They had excellent funding management, and many finance professors in various schools would use
them as a case study.
But now, Christian actually said that there were funding issues. It was obviously just an excuse, and a
poor one at that.
âNo wonder you declined when I suggested a partnership with you, Mr. Coleman. You already had an
ideal partnership in mind.â One of them smiled. âItâs a pity that your ideal partner doesnât seem too
satisfied with your project, Mr. Coleman.â
âIâve also heard about this new project from the Coleman Group, and the returns would be quite
attractive. Logically speaking, Mr. Thatcher shouldnât have a reason to give up on this golden
opportunity.â
âPerhaps Mr. Thatcher doesnât have a problem with this project; he just doesnât like Mr. Colemanâs
janitor of a daughter.â
The few of them sneered.
Glenâs face turned from dark to pale, then from pale to red. It was quite a sight to behold.
He put down his wine glass and grabbed his briefcase. âI still have something to attend to at work, so
Iâll be leaving first.â
âDonât get too discouraged, Mr. Coleman. This isnât your fault. After all, no one would want to have a
murderer as their child. Your daughter is to blame for provoking someone she shouldnât have.â The
person who always held enmity toward Glen was gleeful.
Glen suppressed the fury in his heart as he smiled and said, âPardon the unsightly scene, Mr. Hawkins.
Just take it as an example for you to discipline your daughter better. I heard that she was involved in
quite a number of scandals with some minor celebrities recently. I wonder if your in-laws would mind.â
The smile disappeared from the manâs face.
Seeing that, Glen felt slightly better inside, then he opened the door and left.
â¦
Meanwhile, Victoria scrubbed the floor in a daze, unsure of what she was feeling right now.
As a stranger, Janice came all the way to Delta Club to apologize for being unable to help her.
However, her biological father actually insulted her in front of Christian for the sake of profit.
The contrast was so stark that she couldnât even deceive herself.
âVictoria.â Glen walked up to her, calling her name with a dark expression.
Victoria straightened up, her eyes filled with disbelief.
He had called her âToriâ for twenty years, but he was addressing her as âVictoriaâ now.
She let it go immediately. He didnât want a daughter like her, so it should matter less that he called her
âVictoriaâ.
She gripped the mop and said mockingly, âIs the noble Mr. Coleman finally willing to humble himself
and talk to a murderer and janitor like me?â
âSpeak properly and quit the nonsense!â Glen frowned, reprimanding her at once.novelxo.com fast
update
âWith what identity are you requesting this of me?â Victoria smiled, a mocking look on her face. âAs a
father? Or an esteemed guest of Delta Club?â
People came and went in the corridor, and they kept staring at the two and whispering to each other.
Their voices were very small, so Glen couldnât discern their words. However, when two Delta Club
hostesses walked by him, he heard them very clearly.
âIsnât that the murderer? I canât believe that sheâs Glenâs daughter!â
âTsk, Glen donated so much money and goods, but who knows if heâs just pretending? If he really is a
saint, how could he raise a murderer?â
Glenâs face turned red, and he was so embarrassed that he wished he could just disappear.
He glared at Victoria and lowered his voice as he said, âCome with me.â
With that, he walked toward the stairwell with such speed that it looked like demons were chasing him.
Watching his figure, Victoria couldnât decide if she was angry or disappointed.
Even if Christian werenât here, her father, who used to love her the most, was now reluctant to be seen
with her in public. She was a disgrace to him.
She pursed her lips and hesitated for a bit. In the end, she still put down her cleaning tools and walked
toward the stairwell.
âAnswer me. Did you cause the injury on Vinceâs head?!â Glen pointed at her, growling in a low voice.
âYes.â Victoria looked at him, unsure of what she was expecting. âI got suicidal and wanted to kill myself
by getting run over with a car. To save me, Vincent drove in and collidedââ
With that car.
Before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted with a loud slap.
Victoria put a hand to her burning right cheek, staring straight at Glen. She first felt disbelief, then
coldness, and in the end, only bitterness and disappointment remained.