Sebastian was rendered speechless.
She was really serious about being a delinquent?
But if this was her first time, she was a natural. Just look at the way she tugged the boy on the dog leash.
"Don't be scared, he won't bite." Zoey barely waved at Sebastian before stretching the leash toward Alden for him to hold.
Alden didn't reach out to take it; instead, he looked the boy over.
The boy exhaled in relief.
Alden and Sebastian looked to be in their twenties.
The staff and customers wouldn't interfere, but as adults who knew this girl, surely they wouldn't just sit back and watch her act out like this in public, right? Right.
He had just parted his lips to plead when Alden clicked his tongue, eyes full of uncertainty. "He's quite big for his age. What have you been feeding him?"
The boy's pupils instantly dilated at the unbothered tone.
Wait, what? This didn't bother him one bit?
Zoey paused and glanced down at the boy with scrutiny.
"He's a naughty boy. I wouldn't know what he eats outside."
Alden still didn't reach forward and lifted his eyes to peer into her face. "So you're certain he won't bite if I hold the leash?"
"He's never bitten before. But a quick trip to my veterinary hand will do the trick if he suddenly attempts to today." She shrugged, waving her hand around whilst her cheeks slowly stretched into a wide grin.
"Shouldn't we be calling the police? Those boys seem to be struggling to move," Sebastian spoke up at this moment, drawing their attention to the boys weakly crawling on the floor.
Zoey's lips twitched.
Of course they couldn't move. Her oldest brother specialized in acupuncture and used to practice on her when they were young.
He did it so often that she learned the techniques and pressure points herself—enough to paralyze people without leaving any obvious signs.
Laughing, she casually waved him off, "What? They're fine. I'm not heartless enough to keep them here if they weren't. Much less plan to walk them later."
"Ma'am, y-your bill hasn't been taken care of." The waiter who had served them earlier said as she appeared beside her.
Zoey directly shoved the leash into Alden's hand and turned to head back to the table.
She picked up the three cards on it and handed them to the server.
"Swipe all three if one doesn't work. Surely, the owner isn't poor enough to have three cards without money in any of them."
"Of course!" The server said, visibly relieved.
Usually, the mean girls who dined here would cause a scene, even make the servers run errands before paying. So she was prepared for anything.
But Zoey not only paid immediately, she even smiled as she did.
"Tip yourself a hundred percent of the bill. If the card says 'insufficient,' I'll take from them and give to you." Zoey added, loud enough for everyone to hear as she turned to point at the boys on the ground as the 'them'.
The boys' eyes bulged.
H-hundred percent of the bill?
Their gazes naturally drifted to Austin's side of the table.
Every dish screamed expensive.
And there were over ten. Plus the wine. Not just one bottle—three!
Whichever card got charged was bound to drain its owner's life savings for one meal.
Zoey caught their panicked expressions and snorted.
"What? You beat him up all the time. It's only right you pay for the meals he uses to replenish his energy."
"Yet you pay for it once, and you act like the bill will bankrupt you? Do you have no conscience?"
The boys looked up at her warily.
This girl… she had barely even fought back, yet here they were, unable to move without feeling like the cutlery on their side was slicing through their insides.
Just then, a ding echoed through the room as the elevator door opened.
Austin walked in, sweaty, with a leather in hand.
"I went to the end of the street for this. Doesn't seem as sturdy as the one he's wearing, but it'll do." He mummed, pointing at the leash on the boy with Alden.
Seeing her take out the leashes to inspect, one of the boys hissed, "I don't know what spell you put on us, but don't you think for a moment this is over!"
"Dylan won't let you off if you dare walk us inside here!" Another boy growled.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Zoey's lips as she retrieved a leash from the bag and began strutting toward them.
She got to the boy who had just threatened her with Dylan Berschwith's name.
Bending slightly, she looped the leash around his neck, tightened it and jerked his head upright.
"Look around, it's too cramped to walk you around in here."
The boy gritted his teeth. "You'd better not, or else…"
"Don't just stand there, Austin. There are thirteen more boys. Help me loop the leash over their necks to save time." Zoey didn't bother with him anymore and beckoned onto Austin.
Something about how naturally the duo worked together made Alden narrow his eyes.
Tugging the leash, he captured the attention of the boy in front of him who instantly began threatening, "My boss is Dylan Berschwith. Yes, the only son of the Berschwith family."
"His parents are very famous doctors. Imagine the power he wields. Do you know what he'll do to her once he finds out…"
He choked and abruptly stopped talking when Alden tightened the leash around his neck, repeating with a straight face, "Who's the boy?"
"Dylan Berschwith? Didn't I just say he's the heir to a lineage of doctors…?" The boy was saying when Alden's sharp stare made him fall silent, then he quietly followed his gaze to the sight behind him.
"Oh… Austin Cross. What do you think? That bastard got himself a girlfriend."
Alden's eyes instantly darkened.
Wait, was this the same punk she was with last night?