"We wouldn't dare—" Sam stopped abruptly. His gaze turned sharp instantaneously once it fell onto a certain someone. Daniel Winston!"What is he doing here?" Sam asked in an icy tone.Rebecca put her hands in her pockets and replied, "Aunt Mary brought him along as her plus-one. Albert had wanted to chase him away earlier, but he's so thick-skinned that we couldn't stop him from joining."Her attitude towards Daniel was ambivalent compared to Sam's cold demeanor. She no longer felt anything for him and refused to continue looking at him. She felt that it was a waste of time to entertain him.When she left Riverwood, she thought it would be hard to forget a past lover. She worried she might be attracted to him the next time they met. However, that didn't happen. She had gotten used to better things, so the past didn't matter to her anymore. She had also started to forget what he looked like after spending so much time with her family.She thought she could’ve gone the rest of her
Kenneth didn't want to be petty with the younger ones. Although he was extremely dissatisfied with his former son-in-law, he still had basic manners and gave Daniel a curt reply. Markus, who was playing chess with Dr. Manson, had the opposite reaction. In his anger, he slammed his knight on the chessboard and checkmated his opponent. In an aggressive tone, he said, "Mr. Johnson is really a gentleman. If I were in his shoes, that guy wouldn't even make it past the main gate!"Although no names were said, everyone knew who he was referring to.Daniel didn't mind it, as Markus had hurled much worse insults at him in Riverwood. This time, he was kind enough to omit his name.Daniel left after receiving permission. His whole demeanor exuded class and elegance, with none of the authoritative posture from Riverwood to be seen. He may have lowered his status, but he didn't lose it.Kenneth looked at Daniel's retreating back and sighed lightly. "What a waste. He would've been an admirable
A person's capacity for healing on their own can be quite strong. Daniel started to regain his consciousness after the physical pain had subsided. The melodious voice from his memory resounded in his ears once again. Daniel never thought that the most effective medicine for him in his current state would be her voice. It made the pain disappear.Rebecca had actually come running from the kitchen. The birthday cake she had baked was ready, and she wanted to get Sam to try it. However, she saw Sam punching someone on the grass.Each punch that Sam landed on that guy caused the surrounding dust to fly. She was afraid that her brother would cause serious damage, which could tarnish his reputation. So, she hurriedly went up and stopped the one-sided fight.Sam saw the worried look on Rebecca's face and got up. He gestured at Daniel and said sarcastically, "You don't need to worry so much. He's not dead yet.""Becca, do you feel sorry for him?" Sam asked, and he sounded a bit angry."
"You—" Sam was so mad to hear Rebecca snap at him. He wanted to rebut but only managed to get one word out."What about me? Did you think of the consequences of your actions? This happened at our house. Let's put aside the fact that you threw the first punch. What do you think would happen if things escalated? Do you think that you'll be safe even if Daniel doesn't plan to pursue this?"Putting everything else aside, even that aunt of theirs didn't seem like a good person, not to mention the sly foxes of the business circle. Everyone wanted a piece of the pie and would be more than happy to oust Sam, a person who stood at the apex of his professional circle.Daniel might not press charges for what happened today, but there was no guarantee that rumors wouldn't spread. Someone might even use this to bring Sam down. Others might even use this to attack the artists under his company.Sam's expression changed from rage to embarrassment after listening to her. "What's done is done … and
"Both of us are the lucky ones. We won't know when that girl might get lazy and stop cooking. So, we're thanking our lucky stars that we still get to eat her food," they answered politely. Both Dr. Manson and Markus were food aficionados and had made the trip to Rookfort to taste Rebecca's cooking. They were focused on waiting for everyone to arrive to start the meal and didn't pay attention to what Mary insinuated. The two distinguished guests might not have minded, but the Johnsons didn't know how to hide their embarrassment, especially Zelda, whose face was becoming redder. "That's some strong praise from you. It's only natural that Becca treats you well when you are here. She'll be more than happy to cook your favorite dishes to keep the both of you here.""Come, have some food. There's no need to wait for the kids. We are not that rigid with etiquette," Zelda said and served the two guests some food. Zelda was extra polite and courteous towards them as they had taken care of Re
"Are you hearing yourself, Aunt Mary? You were the one who brought them when we never even invited them. Even if they were guests, shouldn't you take responsibility now that they've disappeared? Besides, our family never liked them." Sam wasn't as nice as his parents. He had no qualms with speaking his mind and didn't show Mary any respect.Mary's face turned red with anger. "How dare you be this rude to your elders?"Sam smiled. "I've always talked like this. "And it was true. Every time Mary crossed paths with Sam, he would never miss an opportunity to be sarcastic with her. It had been so long since he had been to Rookfort that Mary had forgotten the kind of person he was.Unable to win against Sam, Mary decided to change her tactics and tried to play her elder card. "Yes, it was my fault for not informing you in advance. But it was for your own good. Mr. Daniel Winston is the head of Riverwood's Winston family. It was our honor to have him here."Honor?Sam couldn't help but
Mary immediately curled into herself and slumped against the chair after being yelled at by Kenneth. It took a while for her to regain her composure."Please calm down, Kenneth. You know me. I always mean well, but I'm more of a hindrance than a help. I was just trying to help Becca find a good husband. I didn't mean to throw her under the bus. Please don't yell at me. I won't bring it up again, okay?" Mary pleaded, trying to ease the tension.However, she froze at Kenneth's glare again. Rebecca didn't miss Mary's little scheme and sneered. Mary was just a bully who preyed on the weak. Rebecca helped her mother to a bowl of soup and muttered, "I appreciate your concern, Aunt Mary. But I think it's only natural for parents to prioritize their children. If I recall correctly, Serena, who is a few years older than me, is still single. Since the Winston family is interested, why don't you arrange a meeting between Mr. Winston and Serena?""I already like someone, so I can't go on a
"Right. A family should be harmonious," Mary, who was seated to the right of Liam, chimed in, raising her glass with a forced smile."It was my fault for causing a stir at the dining table. Here's a toast as my apology. I hope you two won't take it to heart. Let's all celebrate happily," Mary said. Her words dampened the atmosphere that had just begun to improve. Fortunately, she wasn't acting arrogantly this time, and no one refuted her.The two guests were the first to break the deadlock. "You're right. It's best to be harmonious.""Yes, yes, let's focus on the meal. Don't bring up other things. Come, taste Becca's cooking. We didn't get enough of it last night."Thanks to the delicious food, the tense atmosphere at the dining table finally dissipated. Even if some people were still resentful, they didn't dare to bring it up again. They just dug in, keeping their unhappy thoughts to themselves.After a few rounds of drinks, Rebecca quietly left her seat at the dining table. Of