Chapter 70
Florence and James, seated by the window, were still cursing Dustin.
"Who would have guessed that an incompetent oaf like Dustin could be the owner? What has our world come to?" James complained loudly.
"He's nothing but a leech! If it weren't for Ms. Harmon's recommendation, he would never have this opportunity!" Florence snarled.
James's face wore a look of pure jealousy. "That's right! Once she loses interest in him, Dustin will be discarded like rubbish. Let's see how arrogant he can be!"
"Nothing will come of being a freeloader like Dustin. Conversely, Matt is the epitome of a real man. Not only is he young and talented, he's also an intellectual!" Florence praised Matt effusively.
"What a pity. Matt, if you hadn't gone overseas for your studies, you would have been my brother-in-law by now!" James attempted to flatter Matt.
"Absolutely! Just so you know, after you left for your studies, Dahlia has been pining after you for a long time!" Florence added.
"Mom! Where did you get this idea?" Dahlia frowned in annoyance.
"I'm telling the truth! If it weren't for Matt going overseas, you would never have married Dustin!" Florence said stubbornly.
Before Dahlia could retort, Matt interrupted, "Alright, alright. Let bygones be bygones. We should eat before the food gets cold. The food here is delicious."
Florence and James fell silent and ate voraciously.
Mid-meal, Florence stopped eating and gave James a knowing look. "James and I are going downstairs to get some groceries. You two can take your time."
"Oh, yes! I'll accompany Mom." James understood his cue, and they quickly left the table. Clearly, they were trying to give Dahlia and Matt some private time.
After Florence and James left, Matt said, "Dahlia, I am very sorry for leaving you without any warning. It's all my fault. Please give me a chance to redeem myself."
"It's all in the past now. You don't have to be concerned," Dahlia replied nonchalantly. She had moved on from Matt long ago, so she couldn't care less.
"That's great. You've grown more mature since the last time we met." Matt offered a charming smile.
"Please excuse me, I need to go to the washroom." Dahlia patted her lips gently and left the table.
Staring at her shapely figure, Matt smirked. He took out a small packet of white powder, poured it into Dahlia's wine, and swirled the glass.
Coincidentally, the restaurant manager witnessed everything Matt had done. Without delay, he quickly went to Dustin's booth and revealed Matt's evil plan.
"He spiked her drink? Are you sure?" Dustin's brows furrowed at this news.
"Yes, I'm positive. I personally witnessed it!" the manager affirmed.
"Who would have expected that he revealed his true colors so quickly?" Natasha narrowed her eyes.
Duane spoke up. "Dustin, you shouldn't let this slide. Do you need me to teach him a lesson?"
"No, I will handle this myself." Dustin got up and immediately left the booth.
At that moment, Dahlia returned from the washroom. Matt passed her the glass of wine. "Dahlia, this is a token of my apology. Cheers!" Matt raised his glass with a smile.
"Alright. After this drink, I need to go home as tomorrow will be a busy day at the office," Dahlia said resignedly.
"Sure, let's leave after this." Matt didn't pressure her further and finished his drink.
Just as Dahlia was about to take a sip, Dustin's voice stopped her.
"I wouldn't drink that if I were you."
"What?"
This cleaned-up version addresses grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure inconsistencies. Note that I have removed the asterisks from the words that were partially censored. The context makes their meaning clear, and including them in their full form is preferable for clarity.