Chapter 34 Then, can we at least be friends?

William shot Ryan a penetrating glance. Was Ryan implying that he shouldn’t leave?

It seemed like William had no intention of leaving anyway.

Having a bit of cash to spare, he was eager to taste the world’s delicacies after awakening from a long hiatus. How could he just walk away?

“You mean… you want a fight?” William’s eyes narrowed slightly, glinting with a sharp intensity.

Ryan, unsettled by that look, tried to stand his ground. “If it’s a fight you want, then bring it on! Do you think I’m scared of you?”

With those words, the people in the restaurant readied themselves, picking up anything that could serve as a weapon, eyes locked on William, ready to strike.

William kept reminding himself internally, he was just a freshman in college, a regular student. Getting involved in a fight seemed unwise.

“Your sister is almost here. Are you sure you want to fight me?” William tilted his head, implying he’d rather not get physical with these younger folks.

“Are you trying to scare me?” Ryan instinctively looked towards the door, spotting Evelyn and Lucy. He sneered, “Kid, if my sister’s coming, she can see for herself what kind of lowlife you really are.”

At this point, Ryan had assumed William was the man chosen by his family for his sister to marry. And seeing William with Evelyn and Lucy? Did it not scream “player”?

“Player?” William casually took out his phone, looking up the term.

After his quick search, he realized Ryan had it all wrong.

“William,” Ryan said sternly, “Let me be clear. You and my sister? Not gonna happen. And after today, I’m going to tell my grandfather about this. If you’re the guy he chose for my sister, well, your fate is sealed.”

If William truly was the man chosen by his grandfather for his sister Lila, then William’s current behavior was an insult to her and the entire Carter family.

Would his grandfather let William get away with it?

William merely chuckled in response. This misunderstanding ran deep.

If he really had feelings for Lila, Anthony Carter would probably laugh in his sleep. But sadly for Ryan, William felt nothing for Lila.

He didn’t bother explaining, sensing Lila was nearby. She had been trailing him and was now just a short distance from the Skyline Bistro.

Ryan, mistaking William’s silence as guilt, smirked, “If I had someone beat you up right now, would my grandfather blame me?”

In Ryan’s eyes, whether William was involved with Evelyn, Lucy, or neither, he felt justified in defending his sister’s honor.

Unfazed, William replied calmly, “Go ahead.”

Lila was now only forty meters away from Skyline Bistro, and he trusted she wouldn’t stand idly by.

“You think I won’t?” Ryan signaled to his cronies, commanding, “Do it! I’ll deal with the consequences.”

No sooner had he spoken than a student, bottle in hand, lunged at William, yelling, “I’ve wanted to take you down for a long time!”

Without missing a beat, William upturned a table. The assailant’s bottle smashed on its surface, soaking him with its contents. Stumbling backwards, he would have taken a nasty fall if not for someone catching him.

“What are you all doing?”

A sharp reprimand echoed from the restaurant’s entrance.

Who else could it be but Lila?

As soon as she stepped inside, she caught sight of Ryan’s crew getting physical with William. But she also noticed how effortlessly William flipped over an entire table, hinting he was no stranger to such confrontations.

The one thing Ryan feared was his older sister, Lila. At the sound of her voice, a shiver ran down his spine, but he quickly gathered himself.

“Sis! This guy’s been fooling around with everyone. I couldn’t stand it, so I decided he needed a lesson!” Ryan argued self-righteously, hoping Lila would side with him. In his mind, this was an opportunity to bring William down a peg and expose his true colors to Lila.

Lila’s expression grew even colder. “Why does it matter to you if he’s seeing multiple people? Ryan, you’re increasingly acting out of line. Always looking for a fight. How are you different from any street thug?”

“I… What do you mean?” Ryan retorted, his face turning crimson. “And William is not a good person. He was with you yesterday, and now he’s here dining with them. Sis, don’t fall for his games.”

“Enough!” Lila snapped, clearly embarrassed by Ryan’s insinuations that implied she and William were involved.

Ryan, sensing he had overstepped, fell silent.

One of Ryan’s sidekicks whispered, “Ryan, do we continue?”

“Forget it! Everyone disperse!” Ryan shouted, then turned to Thomas, “I’ve always told you not to bully fellow students. Let him go.”

Stunned, Thomas reluctantly released Daniel, who responded with a punch to Thomas’s face. “Remember this, Thomas. We’re not done.”

“You have some nerve!” Thomas retaliated, but Ryan quickly held him back, urging, “Let’s just go.”

“I’m sparing you today for Ryan’s sake. Daniel, was it? I’ve got my eye on you!” Thomas threatened, pointing a finger at Daniel before exiting the restaurant with his crew. 𝗼𝘃𝗹.𝗼𝐫𝗴

The restaurant owner sighed in relief. A full-blown brawl would’ve destroyed his place.

With Ryan’s gang dispersed, William finally addressed Lila, “Did you need me?”

Lila had been trailing him for a while, so it was clear she had something on her mind.

“Yes.” Lila hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “I’d like to become your apprentice.”

William shook his head, “I don’t take apprentices, especially not female ones.” He knew this had to be Anthony Carter’s idea. Training Lila would boost the Carter family’s status, but William had no intention of teaching.

Ryan and the others exchanged puzzled looks. Becoming an apprentice? In this day and age?

With a faint blush on her face, Lila tried a different approach, “Then, can we at least be friends?”

“I suppose,” William replied, albeit begrudgingly, as though the idea of befriending Lila was some huge concession on his part.

Regardless of the Carter family’s future prospects, William genuinely wasn’t concerned. His connections with the older Carter generations had come to an end, but he wasn’t averse to befriending their descendants.

Over the years, descendants of his old acquaintances have often tried to establish a bond with him once he “woke up.” It was a common occurrence. He rarely turned them down, and this time was no exception.