The Trophy

There was food in front of them, but no one dared eat. After Macho took the first sip of the wine, Raymond took a sip as well.

"Oh, why is it so tense?" Grace thought as the lady opposite kept glaring at her like she had stolen something from her.

"Cocktail?" Raymond asked because the table was filled with alcohol and he didn't want Grace to drink it.

Macho nudged at a maid who left to go get it. "So Grace, for how long have you been with Raymond?" the lady asked.

Grace stared at Raymond, who didn't react. "He told me not to speak, but it would be rude not to respond." She thought.

"What? Are you dumb?"

"Yoyo," her father chimed in as he understood the situation.

She clenched her fist and gulped down the alcohol at once. "Do you know Raymond so well?" She smacked her lips.

"Yoyo," her dad scolded, and she finally kept quiet.

"Raymond, let's talk." Macho stood up and walked away. Raymond sighed before he turned to Grace.

"Be good; this woman is crazy," he whispered loud enough for Yoyo to hear.

"If she is crazy, then why leave me with her?" Grace thought angrily. She rubbed her palms below the table and smiled at Yoyo.

At Macho's study, immediately after Raymond walked in, he pulled out his gun and pointed at him.

"You dare show up at my mansion?"

"You crossed my territory first." Raymond walked closer and stood just a meter from him.

"Macho," he called out.

"You were so anxious that you sent your men to trail her, so I did you a favor and brought her here."

"What's stopping me from killing you, Raymond?"

"Probably the fact that you lack the balls."

"If you leave now without Grace, then I will let bygones be bygones," Macho said. Since she was here, he wouldn't let her leave.

"I found her first, so she is mine; back off!!!"

Macho loaded his gun, ready to shoot, and then he noticed some red dots on his hand, then on his chest and legs.

"Grace belongs to me, since you already saw her, then back off. If I find your men at my mansion again, then I swear I won't spare your family," Raymond threatened before he walked out of the office.

He bumped into Yoyo in the corridor when she clapped, "Congratulations, Raymond Xu, you earned yourself another woman!"

Raymond pulled her closer and then placed a gun in her stomach. She flinched as she never expected it.

"I don't tolerate women staring me in the eyes."

"I saw Grace stare you in the eyes."

"She is my woman."

"I was once your woman," Yoyo scoffed, and this made Raymond chuckle.

"What? Was I just the number 1-0-5 woman on your bed?"

"No, you were the number 2-0-5; your aunt was the number 1-0-5. Too bad I don't repeat women; we could have had a lot of fun. And you are old enough to know the difference between my woman and a bitch," he pushed her before he turned to leave.

"What? Is it some sought-of achievement that you fucked all the Macho women?"

He stopped on his track and stared at her. "Of course it's an achievement, but not to me. The Macho women are no different from the bartender on my bed last night."

Then he walked to the sitting room and held Grace's hand. "Let's go."

They returned to the car, and Seb got in before he drove away. Macho stood upstairs by the window and watched them leave.

"Father, why did you let him go?" Yoyo asked angrily.

"Instead of killing him when you had the chance, you were busy moaning in his suite." Macho glared at her; he had heard their conversation, and this angered him.

"I am sorry, father."

"Raymond has no respect; he thinks money means experience."

"Father, let me deal with Grace."

Macho scoffed, "Can't you see she is like a lamb? He told her not to utter a word, and she didn't. So what makes you think you could deal with her?"

"This is all your fault; I told you to find her first," he said, pointing his stick at her.

"But father, you could file a case against Raymond and get Grace back."

"Are you stupid? You want me to involve the cops in this?"

Then he walked past her and stood by the door. "I know that man has a leach on you; whatever you do, don't hurt the girl."

"How come she suddenly becomes a trophy? Why believe the rumors?" Yoyo asked furiously; she was tired of everyone's obsession with Grace.

"You should blame her mother for making her a trophy."

*

The car finally arrived at the mansion, and Seb stepped down. Grace stared at Raymond and asked, "Are you angry with me?"

He stared at her, confused, then she smiled at him. "Tomorrow is the weekend; what will I be doing?"

Raymond raised a brow at her question: "Umm, can I follow you to your workplace?"

"No"

"Will you come over tomorrow?"

"No"

Her smile turned upside down; she nodded in understanding and got down the car. "Good night," she waved at him, and he only nodded.

Seb got inside the car and drove out. "Boss, I thought you were a master of women." 

"Couldn't you understand what she was doing?" He asked, and Raymond leaned back. "Showcasing some teenage love? Wanting to go on dates?"

"Oh, you know. Then why were you cold with her?"

"She is a kid; all I want is to protect her."

"Then you should have told her to sign a sister/brother contract rather than a girlfriend/boyfriend."

"No, she is mine. Did you see the look on Macho's face when he heard she was my girlfriend?" Raymond sighed. "She is my weapon against them all."

"I think she was safer with her stepmom compared to you," Seb said when he saw the look on Raymond's face.

"Drive quietly"

"Oh, Ancaan is back in the country."

Raymond frowned. "What is he doing here?"

"He also wants the trophy," Seb chuckled.