Page 76 of His Cruel Billionaire Scorecard

The waiter approached the table, ready to take their orders.

“Hello fine gentlemen, it is great to see you aga–”

“Just bring me a drink, anything strong,” Roman snapped at him impatiently, his tone irritated.

Allen and Thompson exchanged glances as the waiter scurried away.

It was Thompson who cleared his throat and broke the uneasy silence. “Roman, I’ve known you for years, and I’ve never seen you this worked up before. What’s going on?”

Roman sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “It’s Scarlett,” he confessed. “She’s threatening to expose some things from my past unless I break up with Olivia.”

Allen’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re kidding, right? Why would she do something like that?”

Roman shook his head, frustration etched across his face. “I wish I knew. Scarlett has always been unpredictable, but this is a new low, even for her. She wants to destroy everything I’ve built.”

Thompson leaned forward. “Is that why you called us here? What are you going to do, Roman?”

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of Roman’s lips. “I spoke to my lawyer…”

“Michael?” Allen asked, joining in.

“Yes, and I have no choice but to play along for now. I can’t risk losing more clients or damaging the company’s reputation.”

Allen nodded. “The way I see it, she’s still got her fangs in you. We were pretty surprised you went along with declaring Olivia your girlfriend to the public. As far as I’ve known you, you’ve never taken a relationship seriously enough to comment in public because they were just flings to you. No, don’t glare at me like that. You know it’s true. Now you’re serious about this one. It’s not surprising she wants to rip you two apart. Whatever you decide, we’ve got your back, man. Whatever you need, just say the word.”

Roman sighed. “Thanks, guys. It means a lot to me.”

Thompson glanced at his watch. “You said you have another meeting with Scarlett. Are you sure it’s a good idea?”

Roman’s jaw clenched. “I have no choice at the moment.”

Allen placed a reassuring hand on Roman’s shoulder. “Just be careful, Roman. Don’t let her get under your skin.”

As they raised their glasses in a toast, Roman couldn’t help but feel tired. He suddenly felt the walls closing in on him and suffocated; he grabbed his coat and got up.

“Thank you for all the support but, I, uh, I gotta go.”

Roman excused himself from the table, bidding his friends a curt goodnight.

At the entrance, the buzzing of his phone caught his attention once again, and he glanced at the screen to see another text from Scarlett. Annoyed by her relentless pursuit, he immediately deleted the message.

“Damn it!” he muttered under his breath; he was not going to read it.

The weight of the situation was bearing down on him, and he couldn’t shake off the sense of frustration that clung to his every thought.

Scarlett. He needed a moment alone to gather his thoughts and decide how to handle the situation.

Walking a few steps away from the building, Roman reached for his phone and dialed Rashad, who didn’t pick up. Then he dialed Scott, who picked up after a few rings.

“Scott, inform Rashad that I’ll be walking home tonight,” Roman instructed.

“Will that be all, sir?”

“Yes. I need some time to clear my head and figure things out. I don’t want to be trapped in a car.”

Scott acknowledged the request, assuring Roman that he would take care of it.

With a heavy sigh, he turned off his phone and began his solitary journey through the dimly lit streets. The cool night air brushed against his face.

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