Chapter 9 I want Hector and Daphne to handle it!

Daphne was still smiling at her manager's family when she felt something running down on her back.

At first, it felt like a light caress. Daphne already thought there were ants climbing up her back until she stiffened.

But the caress grew into a gentle finger massage, and Daphne began to realize that it was no ordinary ant.

Slowly Daphne's smile disappeared, and she held her breath for a moment before she turned to Hector, who was now smiling slightly.

Half-dead, Daphne refrained from grumbling, and she finally just shifted her stance so that she could get away from Hector.

But unfortunately, Hector held her back, and the manager also engaged Daphne in conversation, so she was forced to smile again.

"You seem to have a good relationship, Ms. Daphne! And this is also my first-time meeting Mr. Victor's son," the manager said kindly.

Daphne continued to smile without responding while Hector replied so casually.

"Of course, our relationship is very good, sir! We're almost the same age and we're very compatible!" Hector pressed his words while hugging Daphne's waist closer to him.

Daphne gasped in shock as her side was pressed against Hector's body. Shit! What does he want? What a brat! She cursed in her heart.

And that casual chat suddenly became excruciating for Daphne as she had to endure being harassed by Hector's naughty hands that kept dancing on her back.

By the time the manager and his family left, Daphne poured out her frustration.

"What are you doing, Hector? Get your hands off me!"

"What did I do?" replied Hector so casually and guiltlessly.

"You touched me in a disrespectful way! You've been harassing me!"

Hector just smiled with a smirk as he leaned down slightly and brought his face closer to Daphne's.

"You seduced me first, Stepmother!"

"What? I seduced you, when did I do that?" Daphne exclaimed fiercely.

"And not just me but you seduced all the men here, can't you see the hungry looks everyone is giving you, Daphne?"

Daphne laughed in annoyance. "I don't see it! I only see you looking at me in a disrespectful way! Don't forget that I am..."

"My stepmother? My father's wife? So what? You know that a woman can be respected by the way she looks and the way she carries herself! So, if your dress is so revealing, don't blame the men who flirt with you for inviting them to flirt with you, Daphne!"

Daphne who heard this could only gape at Hector. "What an asshole!"

"I'm an asshole and you're... cheap! So, we're evenly matched now! And if you still remember that you're Victor Andino's wife, you should dress more modestly next time there's an event like this so no one knows you're a slut! You should at least maintain the good name of the Andino family, right?"

Hector grinned again before he waltzed away, leaving Daphne just like that.

And Daphne continued to swear in annoyance. "Damn it! It's because of that damn old man, how could he ask me to wear a dress like this!"

Meanwhile, Hector, who finally returned with Tony, continued to smile to himself while sipping his drink.

"Uh, what makes you keep smiling to yourself, Boss? Don't you know that Camille keeps nagging me because she's tired of waiting for you? Where exactly did you go? Why haven't I seen you since earlier?"

"You didn't see me earlier? Huh, that's good then! And about Camille... forget it! I'm suddenly not in the mood!"

"Uh, didn't you promise her to go on a date tonight? She even gave me some of her phone numbers!" Tony held up a piece of paper with some phone numbers written on it.

Hector just glanced at the paper with no intention of taking it at all. "Throw it away! I won't call her!"

"Ah, you must have just gotten a new woman, right? I see a lot of beautiful women here!" Tony continued to tease Hector, but Hector just remained silent while sipping his drink.

Every now and then, he would smile, remembering his absurd act of pranking his stepmother.

"What a slut!" muttered Hector, remembering Daphne's response.

The evening went very smoothly, and Victor looked very happy. In fact, he kept laughing all the way home until he was coughing non-stop.

Daphne was forced to accompany Victor to his room, serve him medicine and make sure he did not get cough anymore; then she returned to her own room because Daphne never slept in the same room with Victor.

And even the next day, Victor was still in a very good mood. He even continued to laugh as the family gathered for breakfast.

"I'm so happy that yesterday's event was a success! And I hope the work at the company is also more successful!" Victor exclaimed happily, but no one responded to him.

Everyone seemed to be busy with their own breakfasts until Victor tried to attract attention again.

"Ah, Daphne! I heard you managed to lobby Mr. Arthur so well that he agreed to work with us!"

"That's right! Mr. Arthur has agreed!" said Daphne with a quick nod.

Diana and Angelina, who heard this, gaped in shock.

"Wow, isn't Mr. Arthur notoriously difficult and demanding, but you were able to get through to him so easily!" Diana said with an implied meaning.

John grinned as well. "Don't doubt our Ms. Daphne's prowess! Although I'm also curious as to what method Daphne used to win Mr. Arthur's heart..." John immediately looked at Daphne with a mischievous look.

Hector himself saw John's expression and squinted suspiciously at Daphne.

Could it be that Daphne was seducing clients to get projects for the company? Huh, so cheap!

"Of course, I tried hard to convince Mr. Arthur, John! What else could I have done, huh? Looking at your expression, I wonder what's going through your dirty brain?" said Daphne sarcastically while glaring at John.

"Watch what you say to my husband, Daphne!" snapped Angelina in annoyance.

"He should watch his language to me, Angelina!"

"Oh, you're so insolent!" Angelina pounded on her desk and rose to her feet in annoyance.

"Stop it! I'm here and you have the nerve to fight! Sit down, Angelina!" Victor exclaimed in a booming voice.

Angelina who heard him immediately frowned and sat back down without saying another word.

"I don't want to hear any more noise! And about that project, I want Hector and Daphne to handle it!"

"What? I don't want to! I can't manage it! I'm already working at the company in Daphne's place, so why else would Daphne be there?" Hector reacted violently.

"Right, Dad! John and I can help Hector anyway, why would Daphne?" Angelina quickly interrupted.

"I don't need your help either, Angelina!" Hector rejected firmly, which immediately made Angelina fall silent.

Victor also replied with a loud tone and did not want to be argued with. "Don't argue anymore! What I have decided is inviolable! Besides, Daphne won't leave the company until I give her permission, so let her teach you now, Hector!"

"Shit! You think this is my first time working, huh? I have my own company in Singapore and I don't need to be taught by anyone!" growled Hector.

"Of course, I do! My son is very proud but still our companies are different and, in my company, you have to follow my rules!"

Hector just laughed in annoyance hearing that. Damn! His intention was to kick her out, but he ended up working with her instead.

'Alright, damn woman! If I still can't kick you out now, let's see how strong you can stand with me!'

**