NovelEnglish
Chapter 172 A Hero’s Weakness
Lewis didn’t bat an eyelid. He glanced at her sideways. Although he was expressionless, Josephine felt
the frostiness and warning from that glance.
Josephine’s lips tightened into a thin line. She covertly looked away.
“Chairman Alvarez, your assistant here looks like a student. Could she be a minor?” asked someone
jokingly. “I’ve got to hand it to you if that’s the case.”
Lewis calmly looked at Kale Wallace, the man who spoke. “How can you tell?”
Kale was stunned. “Is she, really?”
Lewis chuckled; his chuckle was void of feeling. He said, “Given your abilities to drink, why would you
need your assistants? It seems to me you guys can easily keep this up until morning.
”
“Haha! We’ve aged now, so it’s better to watch out for our health. We can’t push it even if we can.
Besides, we’re here to meet up, not for a drinking tournament,” said Kale. He continued, However, it’s a
rare occasion. Where’s the fun if we don’t come up with something new?”
”
“Well, you have a point. But…” Lewis looked at Kiran and said, “President Kiran, you said you were
getting my assistant, but why this eye candy, of all people? Are you eager for me to embarrass
myself?”
Kiran lifted a brow and replied calmly, “My apologies, Chairman Alvarez. I didn’t know you had other
female assistants in your office. I only know Miss Vance. However, we can’t judge a book by its cover.
Looks aside, Miss Vance must be capable, somehow, to qualify as your assistant. She might come out
as a winner. Am I right, Miss Vance?”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtHearing her name, Josephine tensed up. She had never had alcohol before, not to mention competing
against people like them. She would lose for sure.
Josephine didn’t have an answer and couldn’t have replied, even if she did. She could only look at
Lewis.
She wasn’t the only one-everyone was looking at Lewis.
Lewis lit a cigarette and leaned back onto his chair casually. “What’s the bet?”
Kale said, “Oh, the terms must change if we win. It’s not too much to ask for a five percent marginal
profit increase on our side, is it?”
Lewis smiled. “In that case, should we even proceed with the deal?”
Kale’s face changed. “Does that mean you’re calling it off, Chairman Alvarez?”
Lewis replied, “Shouldn’t I be the one asking that question? Since when has boozing become a factor
in business deals? Well, if I win, could you agree to sign the deal with zero marginal
profit on your side?”
Kale almost choked. “Listen to yourself. Every party expects a profit in a business deal; it’s just. a
matter of earning more or less. There’s no reason for the deal to exist when there’s nothing to gain.
Chairman Alvarez, you can still profit even if you give up five percent, right?”
Lewis nonchalantly said, “But I have a big appetite, you know. I don’t intend on giving in.”
After he said that, a wave of visible upset swept across the room, evident from the frowns and tense
expressions on everyone’s faces.
Lewis continued, “I just want to know who came up with this bet and who agreed to it. President Kiran,
was it you?”
He pointed his finger at Kiran. The latter paused before replying doubtfully, “Chairman Alvarez, you’re
being unjust to me. I’m new here. How could I have devised such rules with these gentlemen?”
Looking back and forth between Lewis and Josephine, a man sitting on the leftmost chipped in, “Well, I
think Chairman Alvarez is being protective of his assistant, shielding her from having to drink.
“Hm? Now that you mention it, it’s becoming apparent to me as well. Chairman Alvarez had been
drinking with us without a fuss before she came. Now he’s turning on us when she’s here. It seems
even heroes have a weakness for the charms of beauty.”
Lewis listened in silence as they joked around and didn’t retaliate. He looked calm, as though he wasn’t
the center of the topic.
On the contrary, beside him, Josephine was perplexed. She didn’t know her presence would bring him
such a dilemma.
These gentlemen seemed influential, and the fact that Lewis didn’t leave in a fury said it all. They must
be significant clients.
Kiran suggested, “How about the chairman and I join you for another round of drinks, gentlemen? We
agreed earlier we’re only here to socialize and not talk about work.”
“Haha! You’re right. I almost forgot about that.”
“Come, drink up.”
Two of them picked up their glasses, but Kale persisted, “Business deals are agreed over drinks, aren’t
they? As per your bargain, I’ll agree to our deal with a zero percent marginal profit if you win, Chairman
Alvarez. Conversely, forget about the five percent increase; I want your assistant to send me home
after the event. That’s not too much to ask, right?”
Everyone knew what he meant when he said to “send him back.”
That cunning old fox obviously proposed this dirty trick because he noticed Lewis cared for his
assistant and didn’t want her to drink.
Josephine pursed her lips. She stared fixedly at Lewis.
Lewis was silent for several minutes before saying, “You have exceptional taste as always, Mr.
Wallace.”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmKale guffawed. “We must talk about something else, if not work. We flew here from various parts of the
country for this event. Can’t spoil the fun for the others, can I?”
Lewis said, “I’d be taking advantage of you, Mr. Wallace. How about this: I’ll give you a 50 percent
increase if you finish all the drinks here.”
Kale was stunned. He was incredulous.
“Are you drunk already, Chairman Alvarez?”
Lewis answered, “Of course not. You and your assistant look like great drinkers to me. This is just a
piece of cake for you, right?”
Kale’s expression shifted unpredictably. He stared at the bottles on the table-there were at least twenty
of them. He would end up in the hospital even if he could finish them.
But Lewis said his assistant was allowed to drink too.
That made all the difference. His assistant’s well-being wasn’t his priority, but he could gain 90 percent
profit from this, which meant Lewis wouldn’t be profiting at all.
Kale beamed. “You’d better not eat your word before everyone here, Chairman Alvarez.”
Lewis smiled. He folded his legs and said, “Naturally.”
“Eva, were you listening? Go on, drink up!”
His assistant looked troubled, but she maintained a smiling face. She picked up a bottle of whiskey,
screwed the cap off, and started swigging.
After she downed the whole bottle, someone clapped and cheered.
“Amazing! Your assistant is something else, Mr. Wallace.”
Kale laughed and humbly waved, “It’s only the beginning.”
Josephine felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.
She stole glances at Lewis, who was smoking casually. He didn’t look her way at all.
Josephine couldn’t make tail or head of his actions.
She thought Lewis would make her drink. She didn’t expect him to play this card.
Was it because Kale irked him with his initial suggestion? Or was it because of…other reasons?
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