Chapter 96


    Everyone at the table burst intoughter.


    Serena glowered at Nancy icily as a murderous look registered on her features.


    Meanwhile, Kingsley reached for her hand under the table and regarded Nancy impassively as he


    pointed out, "With a face like yours, it''s no wonder you try to put Serena down."


    "Excuse me?" Nancy shrieked. She grimaced menacingly at him and demanded, "Who the hell are


    you to speak to me that way?"


    "He came as Serena''s plus-one, didn''t he? Maybe he''s her boyfriend."


    The guests had all brought along their own plus-ones, so they naturally overlooked Kingsley''s


    presence at first, especially while he was inly-dressed.


    Emory assessed Kingsley contemptuously and drawled, "Of course he''s her boyfriend. Will you look


    at the cheap counterfeits he''s wearing? He and Serena-the-orphan are a


    perfect match, if you ask me!"


    Once again, everyoneughed in disdain. Nancy, in particr, was on a vicarious thrill when she


    saw that Serena was being made fun of. The crows'' feet near the ends of her eyes crinkled as she


    beamed. This was finally her chance to trounce Serena.


    "Who would''ve thought you''d find yourself a boyfriend, Serena? I ought to go out and see if pigs are


    flying," she mocked, clutching onto Tyler''s arm. "But I must say you have horrible taste in men. Why


    would you go out with someone dirt poor like him? I mean, there''s nothing wrong with being poor,


    but what''s with all that fake-nouveau riche get-up? I''m embarrassed for you!"


    Serena stared at her witheringly. "I can date whoever I want, so keep your nose out of my


    business."


    "Now that you mention it," Nancy began, smirking triumphantly as shey her head on Tyler''s


    shoulder. "I''m perfectly happy with this man right here."


    She had only just said this when everyone else started to shower her with shameless ttery.


    "Nancy and Tyler are the real deal here. Look at how perfect they look together!" "Yeah, and then


    there''s Serena who is way out of her boyfriend''s league. She''s just dragging her self-worth through


    the mud by settling for less."


    Tyler was practically glowing from all the praises, but he was secretly appraising Serena, his gaze


    flickering from one part of her body to the next as if deciding which he liked best. He had been


    drawn to her beauty since she walked through the door earlier, and Nancy, for all she was worth,


    suddenly felt like a sack of potatoes in his arms.


    He was still eyeing Serena predatorily as he said with implication, "Nancy''s right. It''s crucial for


    women to choose men thatplement their worth. Surely you wouldn''t want to be saddled with


    some pathetic deadbeat guy forever, knowing that he would never be able to make something of


    himself." He had as good as told her that she ought to be with someone like him. Then, he nced


    at Kingsley with a demoralizing air and asked, "What line of work are you in, anyway? Bet you can''t


    even afford to buy Serena her favorite


    cosmetics, can you?"


    Kingsley leaned into his seat casually and replied, "I just retired from the army, so I''m still looking for


    a job."


    "Oh, you''re unemployed," Nancy concluded snidely, sputtering.


    "I don''t know why Serena has to stoop so low. Must be some serious self-esteem issues there."


    "Who would''ve thought that the ice princess herself is just a bargain bin-lover?"


    At this point, Tyler''s ego was so inted that it was a wonder at all he did not burst at the seams.


    "Hey, kid, if you need a job, ourpany''s still hiring security. Sure, the pay isn''t much, but at least


    you wouldn''t have to get an allowance from your girlfriend."


    "Hah!" Nancy squealed in amusement. "Being a guard dog is better than starving, right, guys?"


    She was beyond happy to know that she could finally walk all over Serena, and satisfaction swelled


    up in her. The crowd, on the other hand, were picking on Kingsley for hisck of aplishments


    while kissing up to Tyler for his caliber.


    Just then, Noah sauntered into the private dining room and asked in a voice that cut above the


    others'' rambunctiousughter. "What''s so funny, guys? Did I miss anything? I could hear the lot of


    youughing from down the hall."


    Nancy wiped the tears at the corners of her eyes as she caught her breath and said, "We were


    talking about how Serena''s boyfriend should be a security guard at my fiance''spany!" She


    had only managed to get these out before she started cackling again.


    Upon noticing that one side of Noah''s face was swollen, Emory asked, "What''s up with your face?


    Did you get beaten up or something?"


    Noah shot a re in Kingsley''s direction. "Some rabid dog attacked me on the way here, but I''m


    fine." He would rather bury himself alive than have anyone here find out he was roughed up by


    Kingsley, which was humiliating.


    Presently, Nancy beckoned for him to take a seat as she asked enthusiastically, "You used to like


    Serena, didn''t you, Noah?"


    "Yeah, I must have been blind or something," he bit out glumly while massaging his sore cheek. "If I


    had known what a sl*t she was, I''d never have bothered pursuing her!"


    The other guests exchanged astonished looks when they heard this. What''s going on between


    them? They wondered at his brutal use ofnguage.


    Kingsley was staring daggers at him as he warned grimly, "Say that again, Noah."


    Noah drew in a sharp breath. He parted his lips, then closed them again when he realized words


    had deserted him.


    However, Nancy had no qualms with stirring up drama, and she wanted nothing more than to see


    Serena be the butt of the joke.


    "Come on, Noah," she encouraged viciously. "Just say that again. I highly doubt someone like him


    could do anything to hurt you!"


    "That''s right," Tyler chimed in, nodding. "Go ahead and say whatever is on your mind, Noah. He


    can''t do anything to you while I''m here."


    Now that Tyler had spoken up in his favor, Noah regained all his bravado and pointed an using


    finger at Kingsley as he snapped, "Fine, I''ll say it again! You are a lowlife phnderer, and only


    wh*res like Serena would ever—"


    He had barely gotten his words out when Kingsley picked up the heavy porcin teapot in front of


    him and hurled it toward Noah''s face.


    There was a loud and crisp crack that resounded in the room. Everyone held their breaths, and in


    the deathly silence, they saw Noah''s front teeth fall onto the ground alongside the teapot.From N?velDrama.Org.


    He let out a groan as he pped a hand over the lower half of his face. He doubled over in


    excruciating pain, and blood started to seep out from between his fingers, then dripped onto the


    floor.