I Was Their Clown, Now I Wear the Crown

Chapter four

I knew that when dealing with guys like Vince Russo, who have a heavy street vibe, you can't show any weakness, even if you're intimidated. The moment you flinch, you lose all leverage, and things will only get worse.

So, even as Vince glared at me, I kept my expression relaxed. I took a slow, deliberate sip from my glass and said, "Mr. Russo, it's true that Ms. Barlow didn't send me with a message. But I have something I want to say to you."

"What is it?" Vince demanded, his face still a thundercloud.

"Then I'll be direct," I began. "Mr. Russo, it's natural to appreciate beauty. Our Ms. Barlow is a stunning woman, and as a man, there's nothing wrong with you being attracted to her. But, if you'll permit me to be blunt, you and Ms. Barlow are not a good match."

I ignored the fact that his expression was getting uglier by the second and continued.

"Frankly, you're a successful man, Mr. Russo. You have money, which naturally attracts a lot of women. But you're mistaken about one thing. Our Ms. Barlow isn't like those other women. By using this contract to pressure her, by trying to force her hand with the fate of her company, you're not going to win her over. In fact, you'll only make her despise you even more."

"What are you getting at, bastard?" Vince's jaw tightened, and he spoke through clenched teeth.

I met his gaze without flinching and said calmly, "It's simple, Mr. Russo. You've been with many women, but you don't actually understand them."

After dropping that line, I deliberately paused, picked up my glass, and took a calm sip of water.

My words clearly hit a nerve. Vince stared at me for a moment before saying, "Kian, it sounds to me like you came here today just to insult me."

"Not at all, Mr. Russo," I continued with my prepared speech. "To be honest with you, while you were smugly trying to blackmail Ms. Barlow, she had already decided to give up on this deal. The only reason I'm still pursuing it is as a last-ditch effort on my own part. After today, you will have completely burned your bridge with her. At that point, you won't just be unable to pursue her; you won't even be acquaintances."

Vince let out a short, cold laugh. "You're trying to bluff me, kid. I don't believe Ava would sacrifice her company. She's a businesswoman. She's not that naive!"

"Naive?" I smiled faintly. "I think you know that this is just a small branch of the main Intelli-Ware corporation. Do you really think Ms. Barlow would risk the big picture for something so small?"

Vince was taken aback. I had hit on his own doubts. He had already investigated and knew that Ava's branch was insignificant to the Intelli-Ware headquarters. He even knew that Ava herself wasn't highly regarded by her family and had essentially been exiled here.

That's why he had been bold enough to make a move on her in the first place. But he hadn't expected her to be willing to sacrifice the entire branch. That would ruin his plan entirely.

Vince frowned at me. "So what are you suggesting I do?"

Seeing that he had taken the bait, I smiled coolly.

"Mr. Russo, if you're serious about pursuing Ms. Barlow, I suggest you sign the contract first. At the same time, help her restore the partnerships with the other companies. That would at least prove you're a magnanimous gentleman. Once Ms. Barlow's impression of you changes for the better, you might actually have a chance."

"And when that time comes, I can help you out with some ideas. After all, I work closely with her. I know her far better than you do. Perhaps I can help you win her over."

"Oh?" Vince's eyes suddenly lit up, and he broke into a hearty laugh. "Interesting! Haha, that's really interesting! To think that me, Vince Russo, who's charmed countless women, would need you to teach me how to court one."

"Alright, lay it on me. If you can convince me, I'll sign this deal, whether your ideas work or not."

Vince gestured for me to continue, leaning back on his sofa with his legs crossed, watching me with keen interest.

"Okay, Mr. Russo, I'll be frank," I said, leaning forward. "Once Ms. Barlow's opinion of you improves, you need to show her that you're devoted and not a player. Women value that highly. So, all those female secretaries of yours…"

For the rest of the afternoon, I gave Vince a masterclass on women from every possible angle.

From hobbies and family to careers and luxury cars, from designer bags to fine dining—no matter the topic, my ultimate goal was to pull him into my rhythm.

There's no denying that men like Vince are incredibly successful in business, but their cultural refinement and personal taste are still stuck at the "new-money" level.

He desperately wanted to be seen as a sophisticated, cultured man of success, not just a rich brute. So, I described how truly successful men carry themselves with class and subtlety.

He craved something different for the rest of his life. He complained that the women he'd been with were all materialistic and tacky; he wanted to pursue a purer, more refined soul. So, I explained the difference between common beauty and true elegance.

I spoke with such conviction that Vince became more and more engrossed, constantly offering me drinks, treating me like a long-lost confidant.

But the truth was, I didn't know anything about this high-class world. Everything I said was just stuff I'd picked up from TV and the internet.

I had simply pinpointed what Vince wanted to hear and fed it to him.

I had never experienced a life of luxury, nor did I claim to be an expert on women. In fact, I didn't know the first thing about Ava Barlow.

Vince asked me what Ava's hobbies were.

I told him she had a cool demeanor, like a lotus flower rising unstained from the mud—elegant, graceful, with a love for the fine arts, opera, and high fashion.

In reality, as I was answering, I was asking myself the same question: What does Ava actually like?

The answer, of course, was that I had no idea.

If you asked me what she didn't like, however, I could tell you that for sure.

First, the fat, balding man sitting in front of me. Second, the jerk that I am.

She was probably dreaming of me losing this wager so I'd have to get out of the city and disappear from her life forever.

But the more she wanted that, the more I was determined to win.

At this point, the wager between me and Ava was more than just a simple bet. It was a chance to reclaim my dignity, to affirm my own life.

And of course, I had no intention of letting a pig like Vince Russo trample all over a beautiful flower like Ava.

The conversation between me and Vince went on and on. I got so caught up in the rhythm that we started talking like old buddies. The topic, naturally, was women, and more women.

It wasn't until Secretary Jones sashayed back in with her swaying hips that we snapped back to reality. We had talked for the entire afternoon without realizing it, and it was already past closing time.

According to Vince, meeting me was like finding a kindred spirit, and he insisted we continue our conversation over drinks that night.

So, Vince had Secretary Jones book a restaurant.

Although Jones was officially Vince's work secretary, she was also his personal assistant, responsible for taking care of his various… needs.

When Vince asked her to book the restaurant, she whined that he had promised to take her shopping for a new bag today.

But Vince completely ignored her, walking out with me as if she hadn't said a word. Secretary Jones could only shoot me a venomous glare before obediently trailing behind us.

At the dinner table, Vince and I once again launched into a wide-ranging conversation.

Vince thought I was his kind of guy, and the more we talked, the more I felt the same. He came from a rough background and was boisterous, but you could talk to him about anything without holding back. It was incredibly freeing.

He recounted his struggles and triumphs, gesturing wildly as he spoke, full of passion. I listened with a smile, chiming in here and there.

People say it's easy for women to form friendships. Well, it's the same for men. Sometimes, all it takes is a good meal and a bottle of fine spirits.

And after a few rounds, Vince did something that left both me and Secretary Jones completely stunned.

He asked me to take out the contract. After barely glancing at it, he signed his name on the dotted line.

Watching his signature flow across the page, I couldn't believe my eyes.

Vince's action was completely unexpected.

"Kian, my man, I know you've been wanting me to sign this thing. We hit it off this afternoon, and you're a solid guy. Since I'm calling you my brother, I'm just gonna sign it for you."

"Vince, are you sure about this? You're just signing it like that? Isn't that a little… hasty? Maybe you should think it over."

It felt unreal. A deal that no one else could land, I had secured just by talking for an afternoon. Of course, I wasn't just talking nonsense; I was genuinely helping him strategize.

But based on my professional instincts and what I knew of Vince's ruthless and cunning business style, I never thought it would be this easy.

Vince chuckled at my words. "Not bad. I thought you'd be thrilled when I signed this. I didn't expect you to say something like that. You're a good man. Not bad at all."

Vince's repeated "not bad" was a clear sign of his admiration.

But I still felt uneasy. "Why don't you think about it some more?" I asked again.

Vince shot back, "What's with you? Everyone else is dying to get this signed, and here you are, trying to push it away!"

Seeing that I was still stunned, Vince finally explained. "Kian, you think I signed this just for you? Well, that's not the whole story. The main reason is because you've got Intelli-Ware and Ms. Barlow behind you."

"I know what kind of company Intelli-Ware is. To be honest, a lot of companies want this contract, but none of them can compare to Intelli-Ware. The rest of 'em are just a bunch of sharks trying to rip me off."

"So, in my mind, I had already decided to go with Intelli-Ware. It's just that, well, you know, I had my eye on your Ms. Barlow, so I was dragging it out."

At this point, Vince himself looked a little embarrassed. He let out a belch and continued, "But it's all good now. Since you promised to help me pursue her, and since you're my kind of guy, I figured I'd do you a favor and sign this now. Later on, I'll help you connect with other companies for Intelli-Ware."

After hearing his explanation, my worries finally subsided.

"Vince, this contract means the world to me. Thank you, I mean it."

I looked at Vince with genuine sincerity.

Even though I knew he was mostly signing because of Ava, I was still incredibly grateful to him.

With that, I drained the rest of the spirit in my glass in one go.

That night, Vince and I stayed out late.

Maybe it was because the contract I had been chasing for days was finally signed, or maybe it was because I had endured so much frustration recently. Whatever the reason, I felt a sense of relief I hadn't felt in a long time. I let loose and had a great time.

Being with a tycoon like Vince didn't make me feel pressured at all.

His straightforward and candid nature, though it might seem crude to others, was right up my alley.

Because I was a crude person too.

In the early hours of the morning, I walked alone on the cold, empty streets. The drinks had me feeling lightheaded, but the cool breeze on my face was refreshing, and my mind felt surprisingly clear.

I thought about Laura, about all the memories we had shared over the years.

As my mind drifted, I suddenly remembered my wager with Ava. I couldn't wait to see the look on her face tomorrow when I presented her with the signed contract.

Shock?

Panic?

And then, as per our agreement, would she obediently take off her clothes, yield to me, and let out those tempting moans?

To be honest, I wanted to run to Ava right now and tell her I had won. But I'd had too much to drink. Even if I got her into bed, I wouldn't last long.

I wandered the streets for a long time before finally catching a cab home. That night, I slept better than I had in years, and my dreams were vivid.

I dreamed of the early days of my relationship with Laura, but I also dreamed of the moment she had so coldly broken up with me. But most of my dreams were about Ava.

In my dream, Ava had lost the wager and was forced to bow her proud head to me, completely at my mercy.

But that wasn't all. In the dream that followed, I actually started dating Ava.

What the heck kind of dreams were these?

When I woke up the next morning, my head was even more jumbled from the chaotic dreams of the night.

With Ava, all I wanted was to win the wager, to win back my dignity as a man. I just wanted her to admit, unequivocally, that she was wrong. Then I would take her to bed, and that would be the end of it. Dating her? That was ridiculous.

But just as I was about to head out the door, my phone rang. It was Vince.

Before I had properly met him, I had a strong dislike for the man. But now, I actually thought he was a good guy.

At least he was generous and didn't look down on me. He took me out for a good time, opened up to me, trusted me, and treated me like a real bro.

Most importantly, Vince had signed the contract with me, allowing me to reclaim my dignity and giving me confidence for the future.

Seeing Vince's name on my screen, my mood lifted considerably. I answered the phone with a cheerful, "Hey, Vince, good morning."

"Good morning, my foot!"

Vince's voice on the other end was anything but cheerful. It was laced with fury. "Kian, is this how you do business?"

I was startled, sensing that something was terribly wrong. "Vince, what's wrong? Calm down."

"Calm down? How can I calm down? If someone had cracked your head open, could you be calm? Let me tell you, I was attacked on my way home last night! And the guys who did it said you sent them! Kian, are you playing me for a fool?"