Chapter 706: 706: I'll be the Bad Guy

Wendy Clarke raised her eyebrows slightly, feeling a tacit understanding with Edward Lopez and guessing what he wanted to say.

But then she heard Edward Lopez say, “I remember you saying that you don’t have a good relationship with Cindy Clarke.”

Wendy raised her eyebrows. Why did the conversation turn to Cindy all of a sudden?

What did their issue have to do with Cindy?

Edward Lopez couldn’t tell her that it was because the Lopez Family had offended Adrian Zhekova.

“I recall that you seem to have some kind of leverage over Cindy, a very important one, which, if revealed, could subdue her,” Edward Lopez continued.

Wendy’s eyes shifted, her initial enthusiasm cooling by half. She chuckled and said, “How did we end up talking about Cindy again?”

Wendy withdrew her hand from Edward’s grip: “Young Master Lopez, haven’t you given up on Cindy yet? Are you trying to use the leverage I have to threaten her and get her to be with you…”

She didn’t finish her sentence.

But her meaning was clear.

Edward Lopez knew Cindy was Adrian Zhekova’s wife, yet he still dared to harbor feelings for her.

On one hand, Wendy was amazed by Edward’s persistence with Cindy. On the other hand, she was somewhat resentful.

She thought that Cindy was nothing special, not a beauty that lingered in one’s memory.

Edward Lopez had met countless women and had worldly experience. Why was he so fixated on Cindy?

Could it be that he felt the best things were the ones he couldn’t get, and that’s why he was so desperate to try?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

But did he really need to risk everything, including the entire Lopez Family to test it out?

All for just one woman, was he willing to take such a great risk?

If he dared lay a finger on Cindy, Adrian Zhekova wouldn’t let him off the hook.

That night at the party, Edward didn’t know Cindy’s identity before he tried to flirt with her. As a result, Adrian was furious, and Edward was forced to beg for forgiveness.

If Edward really did anything to Cindy, Adrian wouldn’t let him go, even if it was just to protect his own pride as a man.

Edward must have had incredible courage to discard all his caution for the sake of lust.

Did Cindy really have that much charm to make Edward act so recklessly?

Wendy thought of how much effort she had put into luring Edward, only for Cindy to catch his eye and become unforgettable after just one glimpse.

Wendy was indignant, feeling it was unfair.

She couldn’t understand how Cindy, who was just an ordinary-looking woman, could have such power to captivate men and leave them pining for her like a seductive fox spirit.

“Of course not,” Edward Lopez hastened to say.

He thought of his parents listening in the background. If they knew he still had feelings for Cindy, they would never let him off!

Wendy was quite imaginative.

Edward Lopez said, “I’m no longer interested in Cindy.”

“Then what do you want that leverage for?” Wendy immediately asked.

She wasn’t so easily deceived.

Edward Lopez replied, “I naturally hope Cindy can help me promote some cooperation with the Zhekova Family.”

“As you know, it’s difficult to find opportunities to collaborate with The Big Eight Families because of their high status. But if I can truly find such an opportunity, I want to seize it. Even if I can’t facilitate cooperation between our families, getting Cindy to let go of the party incident would be good enough,” Edward explained.

Edward chuckled, “As long as you tell me the leverage you have on Cindy, we’ll be like two people sharing one piece of information—partners in the same boat.”

“You’ve just arrived in Belfard, and if you want to develop here, you’ll need many resources and connections. Opening a restaurant in Belfard isn’t as simple as it is in Nork City.”

“Belfard is a big city with complex connections. In Nork City, it’s easier to connect with various channels, but it’s not the same in Belfard. If you want to contact someone responsible for a certain matter, you won’t be able to. If you want to get things done more smoothly, but you don’t have the means nor introductions, who will help you?”

“There are too many families in Belfard, and in their eyes, you’re just a newcomer from a small place. No one will take you seriously.”

“But with our family’s help, it’ll be different. I can recommend many resources and introduce you to many people, some of which you wouldn’t be able to meet on your own,” Edward continued.

“The documents you mentioned earlier—the recruitment, the renovation—are all minor issues to me. I can even help with much more significant matters.”

“Indeed, compared to Adrian Zhekova, I’m nothing. Compared to the Zhekova Family, my family is nothing. But, to be honest, there are only eight such families in the country,” Edward reasoned.

“The Big Eight Families are special; nobody can compare to them. Aside from them, our Lopez Family is quite influential. Whatever you want to achieve, you don’t need the Zhekova Family’s assistance—a collaboration with me is enough.”

“That’s why I said we’re partners. As long as you share your leverage on Cindy with me, I can help you with anything,” Edward confidently declared.

“Young Master Lopez,” Wendy interjected, “you said you needed that leverage to work with the Zhekova Family. Since I have that leverage, I could ask Cindy to help me achieve what you promised. I don’t need to trouble you, and we don’t need to share the leverage.”

Edward laughed, “What I want to cooperate with the Zhekova Family on is different. Honestly, what you need to achieve now is very simple and doesn’t require the Zhekova Family.”

“Our needs are different. Whether your restaurant is in its early stages or has become well-established in Belfard as a popular venue, what you want to accomplish can still be satisfied by our family,” Edward explained.

Put simply, no matter how hard Wendy tried, she could never reach the level of the Lopez Family. Hence, no matter what she wanted to do, the Lopez Family could help her.

Wendy’s demands would never exceed the Lopez Family’s capabilities.

Edward didn’t put it bluntly, leaving Wendy some dignity.

However, Wendy understood his implied meaning.

“Besides, if I’m not mistaken, your relationship with Cindy isn’t good,” Edward reminded her. “Rather than threatening her, you should try to mend your relationship with her.”

“After all, you two are sisters, and you have advantages that others don’t,” Edward added.

“Let me be the bad guy while you achieve your goals,” he concluded.