Chris parked the car on the curb, and Suzy exited the vehicle. Although he had the opportunity to accompany her, he chose not to, refraining from inquiring about her destination.
Observing Suzy's departure in the opposite direction through the side mirror, Chris redirected his attention to the road ahead. Retrieving his phone, he reviewed the messages he had received.
His father's call appeared on the phone's screen, prompting Chris to answer and hold it to his ear. "Yes?" Chris inquired.
"Why did you assault Nikolas? Are you intending to jeopardize the professional relationship between our two companies?" Brian questioned from the other end of the call.
"Why should I tell you? You are a nobody to me. Also, don't call me if you have nothing important to say to me. Your voice gives me a headache," Chris retorted angrily before abruptly ending the call. His frustration was evident in his words as he disconnected the call, finding his father's voice more of a nuisance than anything else.
He started the engine and navigated to the spot where he had been earlier that morning with his three friends. Upon arrival, his gaze fell upon Peter, who lay sound asleep atop a duffle bag. Thomas and Liam, however, remained conspicuously absent.
Chris settled onto the adjacent duffle bag and took out his phone. As he delved into his mobile, Liam, seemingly taken aback by Chris's presence, emerged from the shadows.
With an enigmatic smirk, he inquired, "Why are you here? I assumed you'd be with Suzy."
"I was with her, but she had to leave for some urgent work," Chris explained.
Liam couldn't help but wear a mischievous grin as he settled into an upholstered chair. "You just let her go without a fuss?" he teased.
Liam's tone shifted, showing genuine concern as he observed Chris's knuckles and even his lips. "What happened to your knuckles and your lip? You're not going to tell me you got into a fight with the guy who was with Suzy, are you?" he asked, his curiosity evident.
Chris shook his head, denying the accusation. "No, it's not what you think," he replied, leaving Liam hanging on the edge of anticipation.
"I paid Nikolas a visit at his office, and things got heated," Chris reluctantly revealed, still choosing not to tell the specific reason for his unexpected visit.
Liam's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You mean Nikolas Kostakis? The guy who's been cheating on his wife?" he inquired, seeking confirmation.
Chris nodded. "Yeah, that's the one."
Liam, puzzled by this sudden turn of events, couldn't help but question further, "But you've never shown any interest in going to his office before, even though he's been trying to get you to visit his company through your grandfather. Why did you go there all of a sudden?" The curiosity in Liam's voice was palpable as he tried to piece together the situation.
"I assaulted him," Liam said while rubbing his ring with his other hand's thumb and index finger. "I said a few things to Suzy in the morning after leaving from here. Nikolas asked Suzy to sleep with him when she went to him to ask for investment. So, I beat him up to apologize to Suzy. There are four more such people, whom I have yet to look into," he explained and didn't hide it from Liam.
"Chris, did you question her character?" Liam queried as he understood the matter slightly.
Chris sighed, admitting his lapse. "I did. I was just angry at her for bothering me this morning. I know I shouldn't have said what I did, and I already apologized to her."
Liam couldn't help but smile. "You don't apologize to just anyone, Chris. It seems Suzy has already found her way into your life," he remarked, subtly acknowledging the significance of the situation.
Chris shook his head, emphasizing, "No, it's not about Suzy. I apologized because I don't accuse a woman's character lightly."
Liam's expression turned more serious. "I wonder if Nikolas will tell your grandfather," he mused.
Chris sighed, revealing the full extent of the situation. "Actually, he already did. It escalated quite a bit. He called the police, and I ended up at the station," he said, recounting the events that had unfolded since his confrontation with Nikolas.
Liam leaned back, offering a different perspective. "You do have a knack for stirring things up, but I have to say, Suzy's reaction was impressive. She came to your rescue immediately. It shows maturity, don't you think? Despite your harsh words earlier, she chose to help you," he pointed out.
Chris's tone took on a more cynical note. "She did it because Grandpa paid her to, nothing more. Do you think a woman like her would ever be interested in someone like me? She's not like the others I've been involved with," he concluded, seemingly convinced that their relationship was purely transactional, based on money.
"Well, who knows our Chris will fall in love with me," Liam remarked with an amusing smile.
"Don't jinx me. I'll die rather than fall in love with Suzy," Chris said in a bitter tone.
"Watch your words, my friend!" Liam warned him.
"Shut up, Liam!" Chris chuckled. "I have to get rid of her. She cannot stay in my life for a long time," he mumbled.
"How are you supposed to do that? Suzy could've gotten separated from you the moment you pointed a finger at her character, but she didn't do that. Don't tell me you'll break her completely," Liam muttered.
"I will do everything that I can to make her divorce me," Chris stated.
"But I find her smart. You need such kind of woman," Liam insisted.
"I don't need her. What has gotten into you?" Chris chuckled and leaned back on the duffle bag. "Grandpa will see me in the evening. Ahh, I almost forgot he has blocked all my credit cards," he stated and directed his gaze at Liam.
"What?" Liam exclaimed.
"I need to convince Grandpa. How could I even forget such an important matter?" Chris muttered and rose from the duffle bag. "Pray that Grandpa retrieves my credit cards, or else I've to beg Suzy," he murmured.