Little did Charlie know that Sophie was giving her all to look for him. In fact, he placed all his attention on the preparation of the New Year’s goodies. Ever since Charlie’s parents passed away, he always looked forward to this festive season. In the past, he had a tough life. Festive seasons were no different from any ordinary day. Not only could he not enjoy the warmth of his family, but he would also envy others who could gather with theirs. Since he married Claire, he did not show any particular interest in the New Year festival. In those days, the Wilson family celebrated the festive season among themselves, and for Charlie, he would be the subject of everyone’s sarcasm. Every New Year’s Eve reunion dinner, he would be humiliated and embarrassed. Comparatively, this year would be much better. This would be his most anticipated Oskian New Year ever since his parents’ demise. It was the twenty-ninth day of the Oskian New Year. Early the next morning while the
Charlie had recognized Albert’s voice via the speakers of the intercom system. However, he never thought that Albert would come to his house at this time. Also, from what he heard from his father-in-law, he did not come here alone. He then rose and said, “Dad, I’ll open the door.” Claire asked in surprise, “Charlie, I hope these people are not those VIPs who are only looking for you because of your luck and fortune, right?” Charlie grinned and answered, “You’re right! It is none other than them. Only these people will greet me as Master Wade!” Claire shook her head helplessly as she teased, “Master Wade, I think you’re being quite egotistical!” Charlie raised his eyebrows. “Egotistical to the extent that people trust in my ability!” After speaking, he stepped out the door and passed through the garden before finally reaching the front door. When the big door was opened, Charlie was stunned by the sight set before him. It was not only Albert, Is
Despite Wendy being faithful to Gerald and being pregnant with his child, she was still abandoned by him. Ever since then, Wendy became Kenneth and Jeffrey’s sexual partner and plaything. Not only did she not gain any benefits from them both, but she had also tarnished her own reputation. Wendy had been living a miserable life now. Although she was living in a villa at Thompson First, she had been starving all night and could not afford breakfast. The moment she met with Gerald again, she felt the pain again as she walked down memory lane. In a brief moment, Wendy’s eyes were filled with tears that streamed down her face. She choked desperately, “My Gerald, why did you abandon me? What have I done wrong to let you leave me so heartlessly...? My Gerald…” At this moment, Wendy was crying in despair! Hannah felt heartbroken when she saw her daughter crying. She embraced her gently into her arms and comforted her, “Wendy, I believe you will find someon
At the A05 villa’s entrance, Charlie looked at the crowd and then asked in surprise, “Why are you all here?” Albert smiled as he answered, “Master Wade, New Year is approaching soon. Therefore, all of us would like to pay you a visit in advance as well as bring some new year gifts for you.”Isaac nodded and said, “Master Wade, we’re afraid we may waste your time if we take turns to visit you. After discussing among ourselves, we decided to come over together!” Graham added, “Master Wade, we’ve prepared some humble gifts for you. I hope you don’t mind.” “Agreed!” Zeke continued, hurriedly, “Master Wade, you’re a saint. Hope you won’t mind the humble gifts from commoners like us.” Charlie smiled kindly as he replied, “I’m deeply grateful that all of you still remember me. You don’t have to spend so much for me.” Lord Moore stepped forward and said seriously, “Master Wade, all of us are indebted to you. It’s totally worth it for us to pay you a courteous visit during
Harvey replied hurriedly, “Master Wade, I am good! All thanks to you and Director Lane!” As soon as Charlie heard what Harvey said, his facial expression turned serious, and he replied solemnly, “Buddy, everyone can call me Master Wade, but you’re an exception!” Harvey spoke awkwardly, “How can I be an exception when even Director Lane greeted you as Master Wade?” Charlie walked to him, patted his shoulder, and said seriously, “Buddy, they greeted me as Master Wade just because I’ve more or less lent them a helping hand. However, you’re different!” Harvey added hurriedly, “You’re the one who helped me get to where I am today….You’re my cornerstone, and in fact, I should respect you more than the others!” Charlie looked slightly displeased and said, “Ridiculous! Both of us grew up together in Aurous Hill’s Welfare Institute together. Although we’re not biological brothers, those days in the institute have cultivated us to be like one!” “All these years, we’
Without any further delays, Charlie invited all of his guests into his villa. The servants of the prestigious guests brought down the gifts from their cars, and there were at least twenty to thirty of them carrying myriads of high-end gifts as they entered into the villa one after another. Lady Wilson, who stayed at A04, was stunned to see such a scene. She then murmured to herself, “This is unlike any typical kind of gift-giving session I have seen. This is more like a tribute paid to an emperor in ancient times!” Hannah felt extremely sorrowful as she opened her mouth and said, “All these are filthy-rich men. At the very least, they are wealthy men. The total value of these gifts would be worth almost a billion.” Wendy muttered with her teary eyes, “It should be worth at least a billion. The villa given by Gerald alone had cost more than a billion….” “Oh my…” Lady Wilson had a disgruntled expression on her face as she said, “I can’t watch this anymore. Otherwise, I wil
A myriad of gifts had been received and accumulated like a small mountain in the living hall, along with the arrival of the many dignified VIPs. She felt extremely excited and couldn’t wait to unwrap each of these presents one by one. Nonetheless, given the situation with many VIPs around, she had to keep herself calm and composed. Albert was Charlie’s most faithful follower. Unsurprisingly, he was also the one who initiated this surprise visit. He took out a piece of paper from his pocket and read aloud, “Master Wade, here’s the list of gifts given by everyone as a token of appreciation. Allow me to read them out.” Before Charlie had even spoken, Elaine, who was beside him, had already exclaimed in excitement, “Hurry up! Read them out loudly!” Albert replied hurriedly, “Sure, Madam. I’ll read them out loudly!” He then cleared his throat and said loudly, “Isaac Cameron from Shangri-la has given Master Wade a hot spring villa located at Shangri-la Hotel with a value of ei
After getting confirmation from Charlie, Albert then continued, “Lord Moore has gifted a San Lorenzo luxurious yacht made in Italy!” “A yacht?!” Elaine was the first one to blurt out the question, “What is the purpose of the yacht? Is it a yacht to visit tourist places?” Lord Moore laughed as he answered, “Let me clear any misunderstandings, Madam. San Lorenzo is an old European luxury yacht manufacturer. The length of the yacht is more than 20 meters long and has three decks. It is very suitable for family trips.” Elaine was startled and said, “I suppose a yacht like this is worth a lot, right?” Reuben, who was nearby, blurted out, “It costs around seventy million with tax.” “How much again?!”Elaine was dumbfounded. “A yacht which costs seventy million?! This is crazy!” Claire couldn’t help but cut in, “Lord Moore, I’m afraid we can’t accept such a lavish gift from you….” Charlie smiled gently and made a hand gesture to interrupt Claire and said, “Darlin
Jacob wasn't really concerned with the invitation. He wouldn't be going anyway, and he wouldn't tell Elaine about it.Right now, he had a question.After hanging up on Walker, he asked curiously, "A designated driver would be just a few dozen bucks at most. Why get Walker?"Mr. Bay sighed meaningfully. "Jacob, my boy—it's not just my job description you must handle when you succeed me. You must understand the unspoken rules of the workplace as well as interpersonal relationships."Raising his right index finger, he chuckled, "Earning the loyalty of subordinates is a science. But it has to be a carrot and stick—never just the carrot, while offering them chances to be of service.""Take Walker, for example. As his boss, buying him lunch is 5 points. Ask for a favor, but it's 50 points instead!""As a leader, you should also make sure to give requests that are reasonable. That way, they will consider you to be their ally, or soon enough.""People are strange that way—psychology sim
Jacob certainly agreed with Mr. Bay. When going to a dinner where alcohol would be involved, having a designated driver would be most convenient.Still, Jacob had another plan in mind.Since he had a Cullinan and this was the perfect chance to show off, it would kill him not to drive."Actually, we should go on our own," Jacob told Mr. Bay right then. "We will take my car and get a designated driver to take us home. We can hang out in the backseat to chat—I mean, you'd be in a bad mood if you get a bad driver, bringing a car that stinks of tobacco. You know how bad it can get."Mr. Bay nodded cheerfully. "Alright! I'm counting on you!""Oh, it's only right!"Coming to an agreement, they hurried outside, with Jacob driving and Mr. Bay riding shotgun.They were having a pleasant conversation when Jacob suddenly got a call from Walker, who was his sub at Senior University.Answering with the in-car Bluetooth system, he said, "Hey, Walker. What's up?""Mr. Wilson! I'm done with cl
As such, Albert did not hesitate to say right then, "Don't worry, Mr. Wilson—since they are your friends, I will offer the half-price rebate as you've suggested! When the guests take their seats, I'll personally deliver a couple of nice bottles over as a token of my sincerity!"Oskia truly sets the bar when it comes to being humanistic.There were times when one must show due respect, but not too much either in case it changed the status quo.It was just like a couple eating out with a third-wheel.Even if the third-wheel was better off and happily took the check as the girl watched, there would inevitably be competitiveness. The generosity might even lead to the girl getting attracted to the third-wheel.As such, since Jacob was actually secondary in importance at the event, Albert would have to make sure not to rain on the host's parade while showing his respects to Jacob. Otherwise, the host may hold a grudge against Jacob even if everything was free of charge.And when it cam
Jacob put a hand on his chest. "Don't worry—everything is going to be fine when my son-in-law takes the stage."As soon as he finished speaking, an unknown number called his phone.He answered, hearing a familiar voice he couldn't quite place, "Good afternoon. Am I speaking to Mr. Jacob Wilson?""Yes. May I ask who I am speaking to?""Albert Rhodes, owner of Heaven Springs at your service. Would you happen to remember me?"Hearing that, Jacob turned on the speaker excitedly as he continued, "Oh, yes, Don Albert! Of course I remember!"Mr. Bay's eyes lit up when he heard Albert announce himself, and he mouthed, "Is that really Don Albert?!"Jacob nodded repeatedly, his vanity burgeoning.Mr. Bay was naturally thrilled too, and he leaned closer to listen just as Albert spoke humbly, "If it's alright with you, Mr. Wilson, please don't address me as Don Albert. It's just a title some brats came up with—you are Master Wade's father-in-law, which means you have seniority over me. So,
Mr. Bay was overjoyed, seeing how quickly Jacob agreed to it. "Thanks, Jacob! I owe you!" He exclaimed, but soon added, "It's past four now, and that bunch like to fraternize in the room before they eat. Could you get the room soon? I think they'll be arriving soon."Then, he moved closer to add quietly, "If you can get a Diamond Room like before, I will bring you along. I'm not going to lie, these are officials with decision-making authority. Being friends with them might propel us to new heights!"Jacob already knew that Mr. Bay was sucking up to his friend, otherwise, he wouldn't be so concerned when the dinner was organized by said friend. Understanding that the friend must be important too, Jacob was at once buoyed.After all, he had presumed that becoming vice president was the most he could achieve.Now, if he could attend that dinner with Mr. Bay and establish a good relationship with those bigwigs, he would have his turn when Mr. Bay got promoted too.With that in min
Reservations in Heaven Springs had always been unpredictable, and most rooms weren't open to the general public—even if said rooms were vacant for the night.It was not as if Albert Rhodes didn't want to make money when he built Heaven Springs. He simply didn't do it solely for profit, but only mostly for social events and posturing.Back when he was a humbler member of society, he realized that many bigwigs and even his fellows cared for pride a lot. Be it food, liquor, or even simply everyday consumption, they always strove for the best and the most expensive.That was why polite society valued their privacy and established their respective social circles, which was why Heaven Springs ensured that everything was first-rate: atmosphere, service, food, and clientele.Just like how bigwigs wouldn't dine at the same table as their goons, said goons wouldn't eat at the fancy places those bigwigs frequented even if they had money, as it may appear as if they were overstepping.That wa
As such, intent on keeping up his pretense, Jacob answered the phone, "Looking for me, Matilda?""Uh-huh," Matilda replied, and asked, "You didn't show up at Senior University, and your sub is saying you probably won't be coming for a while? Is that true?""Oh—right, that," Jacob quickly said. "Well, it's true—the gist of it is that the Association is getting busy with a project. As the vice president, I probably shouldn't be staying at Senior University all the time, right?""Heck, Mr. Bay called me last minute, telling me how busy we're going to be and that I was needed. That's why I had to go back, but I will head over to campus again when I have the time."Matilda knew right then that those were all excuses.However, she did not expose Jacob, instead asking, "Well, when are you free? So that I can send you my wedding invitation?""Oh, the invitation?" Jacob quickly chuckled. "You really didn't have to come to me—just pass it to Walker, my sub lecturer. He can pass it to me wh
The next afternoon, there was a sudden change of lecturers for the calligraphy class.Despite being the vice president of the Calligraphy and Painting Association, Jacob never showed up, instead getting a substitute instructor to replace him.Matilda had come with the invitation Yolden had written for Jacob, but seeing that Jacob wasn't at the lecture hall, she waited until the class was over to ask the sub, "Excuse me, can I ask why Mr. Wilson wasn't teaching this class?""He's busy at the association," the sub replied. "So, I'm taking over his class."Curious, Matilda pressed, "Then, would you happen to know when he will be coming?""Probably not for a while," the sub replied. "He delegated other classes to me as well, telling me that I could just stick to the PowerPoint slides."Then, he asked, "Do you have business with Mr. Wilson?"Matilda nodded. "Yes, but I can call him myself. Thank you."Leaving the lecture hall, Matilda called Jacob, who was goofing off in his office
On the other end, Matilda was left staring at Jacob's reply in confusion.She had presumed that Jacob would understand when she mentioned inviting his whole family that he should be coming up with an excuse to skip attending her wedding.That was the most ideal solution.As such, she was shocked that instead of playing along, Jacob's reply was short and blunt.[No problem. The four of us will be there!]Perplexed, Matilda was left wondering what Jacob meant. Was he really going to attend her wedding with Elaine?The thought left Matilda frowning as she absolutely didn't want to see Elaine—especially not at her own wedding.Yolden was writing an invitation when he saw the somber look on her face, and he couldn't help asking, "Is there a problem?""Jacob replied," Matilda admitted. "And he's saying that he will bring his whole family.""Really?" Yolden was confused too, as he was hardly as eccentric as Jacob. "But he's afraid of his wife and shouldn't be telling her at all…