The Protector

Chapter 5

Everyone laughed themselves silly at Levi’s question.

“Do you think your family is qualified to get an invitation? Have you guys ever contributed to the Lopez family?” Shaun retaliated directly.

“Yeah! Dream on! Can you guys be any more shameless to expect to receive an invitation?” Henry questioned unabashedly.

Zoey and her parents had given up on all hope.

They looked at Levi with nothing but disgust in their eyes.

However, Levi let out a cold snort. “It’s for my sake that this invitation is given to you! I intended to give them to my in-laws, and they were given to you passingly.”

“Have some pride, Levi!” Fabian exploded. “Clearly, Samuel got these invitations through his connections. What the hell has it got to do with you?!”

“Yeah! Who the hell do you think you are?” Samuel’s anger mounted. “How dare you try to take credit for this?”

Soon after, Henry pointed at Aaron. “Just look at your son-in-law, Aaron! Do something about him, and don’t bring him to our next family banquet! We cannot tolerate such insolence!”

Levi was about to say something when Zoey pulled him outside. “Come with me!!!”

She couldn’t stand him any longer as hot torrents of grief coursed down her face.

“Levi, please, don’t embarrass me anymore. I really can’t hold on if you keep this up!”

Levi wiped away her tears and asked, “Do you want to attend the banquet, Zoey?”

“Who wouldn’t want to? Didn’t you see the look in Mom and Dad’s eyes?” Zoey said grumpily. “But there’s nothing we can do, even if we want to go. It’s not like you can get us in, can you?”

“I can!” Levi said decisively.

This was too much for Zoey to handle. Her temper sparked, and she turned on her heels, trying to leave.

“Zoey, why don’t you trust me?” Levi asked.

“How am I supposed to trust you when you’re behaving like this?” Zoey replied with a question of her own.

Levi chuckled. “I’ll definitely get you inside. I, Levi Garrison, am a man of my word!”

Zoey nodded. “Okay, I’ll trust you just this once! If you can’t do it, we’re over!”

“Deal!”

“Fine, I’m going all out on this one!” Zoey said resolutely while wiping her tears. “I don’t need this stupid pride! I’m going to continue to attend this family banquet and tell everyone that my husband is capable of getting an invitation for tomorrow’s banquet too!”

“Okay, ladies first. Let me just make one call.”

…

“Azure Dragon, tell Jesse I’ll attend the banquet he’s hosting tomorrow,” Levi said once the call went through.

“What? So you agree to attend the banquet? Thank God! The higher-ups were so worried that you won’t give Jesse this honor!”

“Yes, I’ll attend. But please ban some of the people from this event…”

“Roger that, Sir! I’ll make the arrangements now!”

Returning inside, Levi saw Zoey holding her head high, looking as proud as a peacock.

It was obvious that she had made the announcement as many pairs of eyes were fixated on him.

“Say, how do you guys think this punk got the invitation? By stealing?”

“Who knows if he bought it for the sake of pretending!”

Samuel laughed. “Don’t you guys know that one invitation cost over one million?”

“Aaron’s family owes Grandpa about three million. How can they afford to buy an invitation?”

Right then, dinner was served, marking the start of the family banquet.

“I think the four of them can just have a bowl of noodles each. There’s no need to serve them. What do you guys think?” Henry asked.

Samuel laughed. “Let’s just feed them. Otherwise, it’ll look like Grandpa is mistreating them.”

“Alright then.”

Other tables were bustling with noise and excitement, with everyone toasting each other and currying favor with Samuel, but it was deadly silence at Levi’s.

Aaron glanced at Samuel, then back at Levi, sighing, “What’s the point of getting envious? Such is my fate!”

Caitlyn glowered at Levi. Can today be any more humiliating?

However, they didn’t dare to leave without the old man’s permission and could only continue to suffer from the humiliation in awkward silence.

Right then, Samuel came over with a glass of wine, followed by a group of people who had been paying court to him.

He walked past Levi and stood before Zoey. “I was going to introduce my brother to you, Zoey. He’s so much better than me! But it seems that you’re not fortunate enough to enjoy a good life. It’s a pity that you have a bad taste in men!”

Aaron and Caitlyn sighed.

If only Levi didn’t show up, Zoey would have been with Chris, and our family would have been rich again.

How amazing is that?

But sadly, it seems that we are plagued by poverty!

Soon, the family banquet ended.

“Let’s go to my house. I want to have a good talk with my grandson-in-law regarding the Lopez family’s future development and tomorrow’s banquet. All of you must sit in and listen. It’ll be good for you,” Harry instructed.

Aaron and Caitlyn looked at Harry in anticipation, hoping that the Lopez family would lend a hand to alleviate their current livelihood.

But little did they know Harry responded, “Aaron, you guys can go back on your own!”

Aaron hesitated a little. “Dad, but I…”

“No buts! We don’t need you here. Besides, your good son-in-law just came back from prison. I don’t want him to stain my place with bad luck!” Harry said, then left with the crowd.

Before leaving, Samuel, Melanie, and a few others stood before Levi, waving the invitation cards in their hands. “Don’t disappoint me tomorrow night. Don’t say you know me if you can’t get in. I can’t afford to throw my reputation down the gutters.”

Levi snickered. “You’ll never know who’s the one who can’t get in when the time comes.”

“Alright then. We’ll soon see about that.”

Everyone left happily with an invitation card in their hands, leaving Aaron and his family sighing and groaning.

Aaron cast a deep glance at Levi.

If only he could bring honor for the family…

It’s a pity that he just got out of prison. Even surviving is a problem for him.

After that, Levi followed Zoey home.

Compared to the Garrison family, this was his home—a home where a woman had been waiting for him for six years. Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

Back home, Levi took the initiative to lay a mattress on the floor, but Zoey let him sleep on the bed instead.

Thereafter, he lay on the bed while Zoey continued to draft a plan at the desk.

“What are you doing?” Levi asked.

“I’m drafting a proposal for an ecological park development project at West City. Even if the chance of success is not even one percent, I’m going to try my best to win this bid!” Zoey smiled.

Until the following night, not once did Zoey complain about him, nor did she show a long face.

But she couldn’t help it anymore as it was almost time for the welcome banquet.

“Levi Garrison, I trusted you so much and bet everything on you. But where’s the invitation? How on earth am I supposed to believe you now? I’d thought you would come up with ideas to get us in, but you didn’t step out from this house nor made a phone call the moment we came home last night. Do you think the invitation will just fall from the sky?”

Aaron and Caitlyn added, “What are you waiting for? Zoey had made a big promise last night. If you don’t make this happen, there won’t be a place for us to live in the Lopez family in the future.”

Levi glanced at the clock. “It’s almost time. Just follow me.”

Driving in Aaron’s Haval, they arrived at Paradise Villa, where the God of War’s welcome banquet was held.

“Zoey, I will prove to you now that I can do it!”

Levi pulled Zoey and headed towards the entrance.