Belinda wouldâve normally had a biting retort for this odd duck, but with Chase there, she felt inhibited.
She lowered her eyes and remained silent.
Chaseâs brow furrowed slightly. âSo why did you agree to a blind date with a girl you clearly disdain?â
Dominic sat down with a smug grin. âHer mother was going around asking people to introduce suitors for her. My mom heard about it and asked me to meet her. I figured why not? Thereâs no harm in meeting her.â
Chase smirked. âOh? Is that so? So you came to take advantage of the situation?â
Dominic glanced at Belinda. âYou canât exactly put it that way. Iâm doing her a favor. Otherwise, if word gets out that even the men her family introduces donât want to meet her, sheâll never get married.â
Chase scoffed. âCome off it, man! Youâre just here because sheâs attractive and well-off. You thought you could get something out of it. With your credentials, you could never attract a girl of her caliber on your own.â
Dominicâs pride was wounded. âWhat did you say? My credentials are lacking? On what grounds do you judge my credentials? I graduated from a prestigious overseas university. My mom says that in our country, you canât find a man as outstanding as me. Whatâs your education level? What gives you the right to speak ill of my credentials?â
Chase, with a gleam in his eyes, replied, âI donât need to tell you about my education because I donât need a degree to validate myself. In my experience, those fresh out of college who havenât found good jobs are the ones who brag about their degrees. If Iâm not mistaken, you probably donât have a decent job, do you?â
Dominic was dumbstruck. He had hit the nail on the head.
He indeed didnât have a decent job. After failing to find work overseas, he returned home, where his parents arranged some job trials, for him. But he didnât feel like any of them were good enough, so he didnât bother.
What a joke! He was a graduate of a prestigious overseas university. He couldnât possibly start from the bottom. That would be a waste of his talent. Chase, still smiling, said, âMr. Dominic, Iâve met many high-
achievers like you. Arrogant, mediocre, pushing thirty, and still living off their parents. Youâre picky about jobs and women but lack self-awareness. You donât even know what youâre worth.â
Dominic was fuming. He irately pointed at Chase. âYou⦠you dare talk to me like that? What are you worth? You wonât even disclose your education. Youâre just a pretty boy. How dare you compare yourself to me?â
Chase, composed and graceful, took out a business card from his pocket and slid it across the table. âI am, of course, no high-end commodity. Iâm merely a vice president of a publicly traded company. So, I donât think Iâm good enough for Belinda yet. I need to work harder.â
Dominic looked at the high-quality business card in disbelief. The finely printed text read: Vice President of Crescent Society, Chase.
Crescent Society?! He had definitely heard of it.
A highly esteemed rising star. A company that graduates from top universities would kill to work for.
This man was Vice President of the Crescent Society?!
A man of his stature, who was surrounded by beautiful women, would stoop to pursue Belinda, a woman past her prime?