Chapter 24: Mr. Carter, Spare Me

Mike Carter had barely driven off when Victor James arrived in his sleek Mercedes. The sight of the car was enough to set the women into a frenzy, clamoring for a chance to ride in it.

"Lisa, I'm so jealous of you!" one gushed.

"Don't push me! There are already four people in the backseat. Let me take a picture first."

"No, me first! Don't forget to like my post when I put it up on social media!"

Lisa Ross basked in their praise, her smile blooming like a flower in spring.

Victor, curious about the commotion, glanced over. "What's going on?" he asked.

Lisa leaned in and kissed his cheek before gushing, "Honey, you're amazing! I'm so lucky to be your girlfriend. How did I end up with someone as perfect as you?"

Victor grinned, pride swelling in his chest. To him, having women adore him and flaunting his wealth were the ultimate signs of success. If not for the four women crammed into the backseat, he might have indulged Lisa's affectionate antics further. After all, she had a knack for pleasing him, a skill that kept him thoroughly satisfied and indulgent of her colorful past.

As they drove, Lisa filled Victor in on the situation with Mike Carter. She told him, "It's hilarious, isn't it? My broke college friend showed up in a beat-up van to pick us up. Can you believe his nerve?"

Victor burst out laughing. "Unbelievable. What a clown."

Lisa giggled along. "Let's not invite him to dinner. He'll ruin the vibe with his pathetic show-off act."

But Victor's eyes sparkled mischievously. "No, no. We'll invite him. I want to have some fun with this guy. Let's show him what a real man looks like."

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At the Southwind Hotel, Victor parked his car in the reserved lot. Lisa, meanwhile, couldn't resist mocking Mike's parking choice. Seeing his van parked on the street, she sneered, "A van and not even parked properly? What a joke. Can't even afford parking fees. Ellie, what do you see in this guy?"

Lisa didn't stop there. She took out a small fruit knife from her bag and casually scratched a long line across Mike's van. "Don't worry," she said nonchalantly. "If he complains, Victor will cover it."

Inside the Southwind Hotel, a four-star establishment under the Bear family's management, Victor made a quick phone call, his smile smug. "Let's see how he tries to save face this time," he murmured.

In the private room, Lisa wasted no time trying to humiliate Mike. "Wow, Mike, you've really changed. You even have a car now," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Mike, oblivious to her barbs, responded earnestly, "Just a little bit of luck."

Lisa almost choked on her drink. "Luck? A van? You talk like you're driving a Ferrari."

She continued, "Honestly, thank you for turning me down back in high school. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have met Victor. Did you know he's a manager for the Bear family? This hotel belongs to them, you know. You're lucky we're even letting you eat here."

Mike raised an eyebrow. The Bear family's business? Since when? As far as he knew, all Bear family properties now belonged to him, thanks to his recent acquisition. He quickly sent a message to Ethan Howard, instructing him to have the Southwind Hotel's manager report to him immediately.

As he hit send, Mike smiled faintly. "Really? That's interesting," he said.

Before Lisa could continue her tirade, the door swung open. A man in a sharp suit stepped in, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on Mike.

"Mr. Carter," he said respectfully. "I didn't know you'd be dining here. My apologies for not welcoming you properly. This meal is on the house."

The room fell silent. All eyes were on Mike.

Lisa broke the tension with a burst of laughter. "Mike, you're unbelievable! Pretending to be some big shot now? Stop embarrassing yourself."

Victor joined in, smirking. "This guy's delusional. Do you even know what 'Mr. Carter' means? He's not worth two cents."

The suited man looked confused but chose to remain silent. Just as he was about to speak again, another man entered the room, dressed just as sharply.

"Mr. Carter," the newcomer said, holding out a key. "Your Ferrari is parked outside. There's also a meeting scheduled for later today. Shall I reschedule it?"

Now, the room was truly stunned into silence. Even Lisa, who was always quick with a snarky remark, found herself speechless. A Ferrari? A meeting? This couldn't be real.

Victor, however, wasn't buying it. He burst into laughter and clapped the newcomer on the back. "Nice acting. Good job. I'll make sure you get a bonus for this performance."

The man looked at Victor, puzzled. "I don't work for you," he said bluntly.

But Victor's laughter only grew louder. "Mike, stop embarrassing yourself. Everyone knows you're broke. Stop dragging this out and just leave."

Lisa chimed in, "Victor's right. Mike, you're so desperate to look important. It's pathetic. Let's save ourselves the trouble. You can leave now."

Emma Lewis couldn't stay quiet any longer. "Lisa, that's enough! You invited him here. If you didn't want him here, you shouldn't have asked him to come!"

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Ellie, you're so naive. I invited him so he could see what a real man looks like. Maybe then he'd stop clinging to his delusions of grandeur."

Just as the argument was heating up, the door opened again. This time, a group of well-dressed men entered, each more anxious than the last.

"Mr. Carter, we weren't aware you'd be here. Please forgive us for the oversight," one of them said.

Victor froze. He recognized some of the men—executives from the Bear family's businesses, including his own boss.

Another man stepped forward, his tone pleading. "Mr. Carter, Richard Bear humbly requests your forgiveness. The Bear family is at your service."

A third added, "Mr. Carter, please consider me your loyal servant. I'll do anything you ask."

The room's atmosphere shifted dramatically. Victor, who moments ago had been so smug, now looked pale and uncertain. Lisa's face turned red as realization dawned on her.

Mike leaned back in his chair, his expression calm. "I'm just here for dinner," he said simply.

The executives, however, remained standing, their deference unshaken. Victor swallowed hard, suddenly aware of the magnitude of his mistake.