A Seat at the Table
+8 Pearls
“Relax,” Halbert said. “Nathaniel won’t lay a finger on you. He’s not dumb enough to mess with the Suc family.”
“You’ve said that a dozen times already,” Eliza replied. “I’m not scared of Nathaniel. I’m more concerned about Naomi…”
She trailed off before finishing her thought.
There was no way she could tell Halbert she suspected Naomi had been reborn too.
Who would believe that?
So instead, she shifted. “I just think something’s off. I don’t trust them.”
“You’re just figuring that out now?” Halbert gave her a look. “You should’ve known better from the start.”
Eliza fell silent. Naomi… What are you really trying to do?
Soon, the car pulled up outside a high–end restaurant.
Nathaniel had gone all out–he reserved the best spot in all of Westbrook. No other guests were allowed inside, and the entire staff was dedicated to serving them.
Nathaniel walked in with his arm around Naomi, who followed him like she owned the place.
“Mr. Nathaniel, let’s move to the private dining room,” Naomi said with a soft smile. “Being out here in the open feels a little off. I doubt Eliza or Mr. Halbert would be comfortable eating in the open like this.”
“Of course,” Nathaniel replied without hesitation. “Whatever you want.”
He didn’t even question it. The moment Naomi said she didn’t like the main hall, he was already leading her toward a private dining suite.
Naomi glanced over her shoulder at Eliza and said, “Eliza, Mr. Halbert, we’ll be dining over here.”
Then she turned away, not sparing even a second glance.
Eliza and Halbert exchanged a look. Their security team was stationed just outside. If anything went wrong, the Sue family’s guards would rush in immediately.
Nathaniel had laid out a lavish banquet. The table was covered with a full spread of high–end dishes and rare delicacies.
Eliza and Halbert took their seats across from him and Naomi.
“Eliza,” Naomi said sweetly, “why are you sitting so far away? Come sit next to me.”
She waved Eliza over, putting on a picture–perfect smile.
But Eliza didn’t move.
When Naomi realized she wasn’t coming, she turned to Nathaniel with a pout. “See? I told you–Eliza still
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Chapter 270 A Seat at the Table
hasn’t forgiven me.”
+8 Pearls
“It’s better to make peace than keep fighting.” Nathaniel said, speaking on her behalf. “You’re family. There’s no reason to keep holding grudges. Ms. Rivers is clearly doing well for herself these days, but that doesn’t mean she should turn her back on her sister. Besides, girls argue sometimes–it’s normal. Naomi just wanted me here to help clear the air. It’s better if we can all get along, don’t you think, Ms. Rivers?”
He kept his tone polite, but the message was clear: don’t make this harder than it needs to be.
Eliza gave a faint smile. “Mr. Nathaniel, you’ve got a reputation in Westbrook. When you speak, people listen. Since you went through all this trouble, Halbert and I will show some respect. But let’s not pretend this is just a friendly dinner. Surely this isn’t the only reason you called us, right?”
When Eliza didn’t go along with the act, Nathaniel let out a low laugh.
“To be honest,” he said, “Naomi’s with me now. When she asks for something, it’s hard for me to say no. And since you two are sisters, well… that makes us connected in a way. I’m just saying–don’t make things worse than they need to be. You two grew up together for eighteen years. Blood or not, that bond counts for something.”
The way he said it made Halbert’s face darken.
Halbert’s voice was cold. “Watch what you say, Mr. Nathaniel. Just because Naomi’s your woman doesn’t mean my sister’s tied to you in any way. By that logic, you’re saying everyone in our family–including Tristan–is somehow connected to you? You might want to rethink that.”
He wasn’t letting it slide. The arrogance Nathaniel was throwing around was unbelievable.
Nathaniel? He was nobody. Not in their world.
If Eliza hadn’t agreed to this dinner, Halbert would never have sat down with a guy like him.
Nathaniel realized quickly that he’d crossed a line.
The Sue family was the wealthiest in Solara, and Tristan wasn’t someone to mess with. If Tristan were here, Nathaniel wouldn’t even speak without permission.
“It was just an example,” Nathaniel muttered, clearly backing off. “Forget I said anything.”
He glanced at Naomi, who looked less than pleased. The last thing he wanted was to embarrass himself in front of her.
Raising his hand, he called out, “Bring out the food.”
Within minutes, the servers brought out over a dozen dishes.
“Normally, I’d have welcomed you the moment you arrived in Westbrook, Mr. Halbert,” Nathaniel said, forcing a grin. “But I had some things to handle earlier this week. Now that I’ve got time, it’s only right I treat our guests right.”
The entire table was stacked with high–priced exotic meats.
Westbrook had strict laws banning this kind of food, but Nathaniel didn’t even try to hide it–he had the chef prepare it anyway, right out in the open.
No question about it–he was showing off. Trying to prove he could do whatever he wanted.
