Chapter 13: Let’s Make a Bet
Yusef's gaze somehow conveys the heaviness because he did think that Eliot Penn would bring up this project all of a sudden. He slightly smirks and seems to care nothing about it, "Speaking of competence, I genuinely think that I am on the upper hand." "However, the reason why father assigned this project to you is that the project is so small that I don't have to intervene right?" These sentences again light Eliot's anger to the climax, "What are you faking Yusef Penn! I don't believe that you can achieve the target in time for this project!"
It is a known secret among the Penn family that this project is a hot potato. Whoever takes charge of it won't have any good outcomes. Eliot has long been unpleased about his father's arrangement. "Well then. Why don't we make a bet?" Yusef sneers and says gently, "If I take this project over, and make it in time..."
Yusef prolongs his words intentionally and lets Eliot decide the content of their bet.
Eliot is apparently still in his anger so he is very motivated when he knows that Yusef wants to make a bet with him. "If you can achieve the goal of this project, I will accept a request from you." Macy can't help frowning upon hearing the gambling. Why she has to be involved in the fight between the Penn brothers?
"Ok. I promise you." Yusef responses directly and looks at the woman in his arm. He speaks intentionally in front of Eliot, "Your breakfast is on the table, have it before it gets cold."
The sudden soft attitude of this man makes Macy very flattered but soon she understands and notices that Eliot is staring at her. She walks towards the dining table without saying anything.
Eliot clenches his fist secretly and his blue veins stand out on his upper arm. He has never seen such a gentle Macy when she was with him, but now in front of Yusef Penn, she... Yusef Penn grabs the coffee mug next to him and takes a sip casually. On seeing Eliot looking at Macy closely, he takes half a step forward to block his sight.
"Why? Have you had breakfast? Do you want to join us?"
Yusef's sub-context that reminds him to leave has been very obvious. Certainly, Eliot understands what he means.
His withdraws his fury and walks outside without saying anything.
"I know that you are not happy about me being too close to Macy, but Eliot, I have to remind you that it was the person beside you who pushed Macy towards me."
The emotions coming out from Yusef' eyes get more complicated. "You know, Macy was drugged last night. The person who drugged her is your sweetheart Sue Caine." Eliot's expression suddenly changes and he rejects coldly, "That's impossible!"
"Do you need the surveillance video? Macy and Manson were together last night, and Sue Caine bribed the waiter to add the psychedelic drugs in the wine. Can you imagine what would happen if I didn't make it last night?"
Yusef's voice gets lower. The invisible deterrent comes out from him gives Eliot chills.
"How... How dare she!" Eliot clenches his fist again. He clearly remembers that he has reminded Sue Caine to understand who she was! How can she drug Macy in secret?
Yusef pays no attention to Eliot's words but he walks towards Eliot suddenly.
He is roughly 2 inches taller than Eliot, so it naturally brings a stress for Eliot when Yusef looks at Eliot from above.
"Let me remind you Eliot, keep your eye on Sue Caine and tell her not to do anything silly again! I forgive her for the sake of you this time, but if she dares to do anything to Macy again, I must ask you and her to make up for all the things you two have done before!"
Eliot panics and he is surprised and annoyed by this man in his full attack mode. It is the first time for Eliot to see Yusef stands up for a woman to such extend!
“Ha-ha!” Eliot laughs, “It seems that you have such a special appetite, you are so specifically interested in the ex-girlfriend that I don't like anymore."
Eliot looks calm on the surface but the fury has been burning inside his heart. He bends over to enter the car and closes the door violently with a big "Bang" sound and drives away.
Yusef watches Eliot's car moving farther and farther and returns to his house. Right at the point where he is about to step in the house, he sees the lady sitting by the table. The beams of sunlight shine into the house through the window and make the golden lining around Macy's fair skin and hair.
The difficult financial condition doesn't outshine her grace's elegance. Her actions are still full of charisma.
Noticing his gaze, Macy lifts her head and sees Yusef by the table. His is holding a casual pose and staring at her lazily, which makes him less cold and indifferent than he originally is.
Macy puts down the spoon and looks straightly into his eyes, "Mr. Penn, you don't have to be like that. I don't have any interests for the fight between you and Eliot Penn, so please don't involve me into this."
She has to be very careful about what she says given the fact that the Downey's is in a desperate situation. She doesn't have extra energy to deal with other issues, let alone Yusef and Eliot, these are the two people very tricky for her to deal with. She doesn't want to experience being the victim of their fight.
Yusef is a little bit shocked and soon he smiles. The woman in front of the table stands up before he can say anything and she walks towards him.
"You can easily deal with Eliot with your own competence without using me to irritate Eliot and make the bet. After all, we are not in an alliance and I haven't agreed you to make use of me."
He is deeply surprised by her forthright expression.
"Well, you are not that stupid."
Macy's ability to see the tricks behind the bet fully proves her talent for business. All in all, Eliot has been working at the Penn's for several years but he failed to see through the situation as Macy does, and he even hands his project over to Yusef eventually.
All the employees at the Penn's know that the project is a hot potato, yet how many people get the purpose of Yusef's father's assignment for Eliot? On the surface, Yusef is the person in charge of the Penn's, but his father is still the secret boss behind it via the complicated chain of interests behind the company.
Generally, Eliot was assigned a difficult project by father but it actually is a test for Eliot. If he can finish this project, he might probably win more recognition than Yusef from his father.
It was supposed to be an incredible opportunity for Eliot to prove himself but he couldn't see all the intentions behind it and handed the project over to others.
The lacking consideration characteristic of Eliot is exactly in Yusef's expectation, but Macy's intelligence is out of his expectation.
He steps forward and grabs the waist of Macy to push her towards him.
"Macy Downey, you should use your intelligence in the right place."☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐