"Well, well, look who's here. If it isn't Aaron and his criminal son-in-law."
Along with the mockeries, Harry and the others had arrived with bags of gifts consisting of fine wine, wild ginseng, tea, and so on in their hands.
The Lopez family's plan was simple-to butter up the God of War as much as they could.
"I didn't expect you to come, Zoey," Melanie said as she moved closer to Zoey, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Where's your invitation card? Show it to me. It's easy to purchase counterfeit ones these days."
Melanie, Samuel, and the others were not the slightest bit convinced that Levi could get an invitation.
Just look at their status, there's no way they can get an invitation to the banquet! It's like saying pigs could fly!
Zoey hesitated because there was no invitation card, to begin with.
"Come on. What are you hiding?" Melanie laughed. "Don't tell me your invitation card is made of gold that I can't even take a look at it?" Zoey clammed up, her head lowered.
"Aaron, show us your invitation card!" Harry demanded upon noticing the couple's odd demeanors.
"Dad, I..."
Aaron panicked.
"What? You won't obey even your own father's order? Hurry up and show it to me!" Harry bellowed.
Aaron panted heavily and could only tell the truth. "Dad, we don't have an invitation card... It was Levi who brought us here..."
Soon after they heard it, Samuel, Melanie, and the others laughed so hard that their belly hurt. "You're such an idiot!" Harry glared at Aaron.
"What a disgrace to have a son like you!"
Sensing the mass' scoffing eyes and ruthless laughter, a fresh swell of rage rose in Aaron as his last piece of dignity left in front of the Lopez family vanished without a trace.
Zoey, too, hated Levi to the core, knowing that they had lost all respect from the Lopez family. "How shameless of you to attend the banquet without an invitation!"
"Let me tell you a fact. No matter how hard you try, your family can never enter this gate!" Samuel taunted.
"Let's go inside, Grandpa," Melanie said as she held onto Harry's arm. "Don't let them get in the way."
"You're right. Knowing them is such a disgrace."
The Lopez family shot daggers at Levi and hurried towards the gate.
Aaron was about to say something when Levi said, "Dad, look. They won't be able to get in."
Standing at the entrance of Paradise Villa were dozens of security guards who were hired to maintain order at the scene.
Samuel took out twelve invitation cards and handed them over. "For twelve, please."
He said that as he straightened his back, looking proud.
After all, how many were there who could take out twelve invitation cards at once?
But the next second, the security guard said expressionlessly, "You people are restricted from entering and are banned from attending the banquet!"
"What?"
Samuel and the others thought they had misheard the security guard.
"That's impossible! Riley, the secretary from the Office Building, sent us these invitations in person yesterday!" Harry argued.
Samuel put on a haughty face. "This is my invitation card. Let me in this instance! You can't afford to mess with me!"
Thud!
Suddenly, a truncheon rested on Samuel's head.
"Do you not understand the human language? You people are restricted from entering! Must I explain to you in action?"
With the truncheon aiming at his head, Samuel was so frightened that he almost peed his pants.
But with so many eyes watching him, he mustered his courage and struck back. "I dare you to touch me! Don't you know who I am? Let me speak to your supervisor!" Wham!
The security guard knocked him down straight away with the truncheon; Samuel had completely wet his pants, and the Lopez family was all the more petrified.
"What are you guys waiting for? Scram!" the security guard barked.
The Lopez family helped Samuel up and made a dash.
"You were right. They couldn't get in."
Aaron was shocked at the scene that unfolded before him.
At that moment, Levi smiled and held Zoey's hand. "We should get inside!"
"Don't! We're going to get ourselves killed. How are we supposed to get inside when Samuel and the rest can't even get through the security checkpoint?" Aaron and Caitlyn said and back- pedaled in fear.
Zoey's delicate body trembled as well. "Yeah, can we really get inside? We don't even have an invitation card!"
"Didn't you say that you'll give me one last chance? How do you know if you don't try?" Levi smiled.
"Okay, I trust you!" Zoey held Levi's hand tightly. "Officers!" Melanie's voice was heard just as the four of them approached the security checkpoint. "Although they are members of the Lopez family, my grandfather had long kicked them out of the Lopez family! They are not related to us!"
"Yes, officers. They have nothing to do with the Lopez family," Harry said in a flustered voice.
"Please don't take offense at us!"
Levi looked back and sneered.
Such heartless creatures!
When they arrived at the security checkpoint, Zoey even closed her eyes. To be honest, she'd rather die today than being humiliated.
Aaron and Caitlyn shared the same sentiment. Harry and the others didn't leave. They were hiding in the distance, intending to watch Aaron and his family make a fool of themselves.
"Welcome, Mr. Garrison and his family! You are our most distinguished guest. Invitations are not required!"
Upon hearing that, Zoey opened her eyes to see dozens of security guards lined up in two rows, saluting them.
As if they had entered fantasyland, Zoey and her parents made their way inside Paradise Villa.
Harry and the others, who were waiting for a good show outside, were completely dumbstruck.
"They... They went in? How is that possible?" Truth be told, Zoey and her parents felt like they were on cloud nine when they saw the Lopez family's incredulous faces.
Aaron looked around, still in disbelief. "That was easy. How did you pull that off, Levi?"
It was only then did they feel that their son-in- law was somewhat useful.
At the very least, they managed to redeem themselves from the humiliation they had suffered.
Caitlyn smiled. "Levi also had connections in North Hampton before this, no?"
"You're right, Mom. I have friends," Levi replied. Zoey looked at Levi suspiciously. She had a hunch that things were not that simple.
Almost none of his friends stepped forward when he was in trouble.
There were many who put the boot in instead... Would anyone help him?
In the villa, Zoey and his parents were careful of their every movement.
After all, they couldn't afford to break anything or offend anyone on such an occasion.
"Zoey, is that you? What are you doing here? Am I seeing things?"
Suddenly, a voice of surprise sounded from behind.
Zoey's eyes were filled with disgust when she saw the incoming person.
The four people that were coming her way were dressed in tuxedos and had the bearing of royalty.
The man in the lead was Derrick Johns, the son of the president of Apex Group.
He had lusted after Zoey for ages, even offering millions to sleep with her, but she remained unmoved.
As an act of revenge, Derrick had caused Zoey's well-developed company to go bankrupt.
"Why can't I be here?" Zoey said coldly.
Derrick looked Levi up and down. "Is this your criminal husband? Did he bring you in?"
Upon that, he leaned in closer to Zoey and gave a lubricious chuckle. "I don't care how you guys got in, but with my powers, I can send your husband back to jail again and get him locked up for a decade or two!"
Zoey believed Derrick could do it, given his expedients and abilities.
"What do you want?" Zoey looked at him warily. "As long as you promise to keep me company, I swear I won't trouble him! Otherwise, I'll definitely send him in again!"