Decorative lights and illuminants lit up the
extravagant Wilson family mansion. Tonight was
the 70th birthday banquet of Lady Wilson, the
head of the Wilson family. Her grandchildren and
their spouses gathered around her to hand her
their luxurious gifts.
"Grandma, I heard that you love the Chinese tea. I
looked high and low for the century-old pu’er tea
worth half a million dollars to present it to you."
"Grandma you are a devout Buddhist this Buddha
statue is carved from aesthetic hetian jade, it is
worth seven hundred thousand dollars…"
Looking at the nicely wrapped gifts in front of her,
Lady Wilson laughed heartily. The entire
ambiance was harmonious and happy.
Suddenly, Charlie Wade, Lady Wilson’s eldest
grandson-in-law, spoke,
"Grandma, could you lend
me a million dollars, please? Mrs. Lewis from the
welfare home is diagnosed with uremia and I
need the money for her treatment…"
The entire Wilson Family was cast in extreme
shock. Everyone Stared at Charlie with
bewilderment and surprise. This live-in
grandson-in-law was overly atrocious and bold!
Not only did he not prepare a gift for Lady Wilson
on her birthday but he actually had the audacity
to ask her for one million dollars!
Three years ago, Lord Wilson, who was still alive
and well, had come home with Charlie one day
and insisted on marrying him to their granddaughter, Claire Wilson. Back then, Charlie
was as poor and miserable as a beggar.
Lord Wilson had passed away after they got
married. Ever since then, everyone in the Wilson
family tried to kick him out of the family.
However, Charlie was always indifferent and
nonchalant like a statue despite the insults and
ridicule, and he spent his days in the Wilson
family quietly as a live-in son-in-law.
He was at his wit's end that he had to borrow
money from Lady Wilson today.
Mrs Lewis, who had taken him in and saved his
life, had uremia. She needed at least one million
dollars for dialysis and a kidney transplant. He
had no other ideas except for asking for lady
Wilson's help.
He felt that since it was her birthday today, she
might be delighted to have some mercy and
provide her assistance. However, Lady Wilson
was still laughing gleefully when abruptly her lips
curled downward and her eyes furrowed
indignantly.
She hurled the teacup in her hand to the floor and
ground,
"Bastard! Are you here to celebrate my
birthday or borrow money?"
Claire hurried forward and said "Grandma, Charlie
is not thinking straight, please forgive him." She
then pulled her husband aside frantically.
At this moment, Wendy, Claire's cousin sneered in
disdain. "Claire, look at the piece of trash you're married to! Gerald is only my fiance and we
haven't even gotten married yet but he gifted
Grandma the Jade Buddha. Look at your
good-for-nothing husband not only did he come
empty-handed but he also has the nerve to ask
Grandma for money!"
"You're right! Charlie, we're both the Grandsons in
law of the Wilson family but you're such a
disgrace!"
The man who was talking was Gerald white,
Wendy's fiancee who was also the son of the
wealthy family in town. Although Gerald was
about to marry Wendy, in his eyes, Claire was so
much more beautiful and elegant and his fiance.
Claire Wilson was the famous goddess of beauty
in Aurous hill, but Gerald was very frustrated and
irritated when such a beauty got married to a
loser.
"It's best for this useless loser to get out of the
Wilson family now!"
"Yes! He is such a disgrace to our family!"
"Perhaps his intention is not to borrow money but
to spoil the joyful ambience of Grandma's
birthday instead!"
Charlie clenched his fists tightly as the entire
Wilson family was humiliating and ridiculing
them. If it wasn't for the sake of the urgency, he
would have left this annoying place.
However, his father's words echoed in his head.
He had taught him to be grateful for the help hereceived and to return the favor tenfold. Hence,
he suppressed the fury and humiliation slowly
building within him and said to Lady Wilson,
"Grandma, whoever saves one life saves the
world entirely. Please, I beg for your mercy."
Someone in the room snorted loudly. "Mr. Wade,
stop force-feeding chicken soup to Grandma. If
you want to rescue someone, you can find a way
on your own. Who do you think you are to ask for
money from Grandma?"
It was Wendy's brother, Harold Wilson.
The sinister brother and sister had always been
prejudiced against Claire, who was Superior to
them in every aspect. Hence, they would always
attack Charlie at any chance they could seize.
Claire, who was wearing a slightly awkward
expression on her face, started,
"Grandma,
Charlie's father died when he was eight. It was
Mrs. Lewis at the welfare home who had brought
him up. He is utterly grateful for her graciousness
and that is why he wants to return the favor so
badly. Could you please help him…"
Lady Wilson ground with an indignant face,
"You
want me to help him? Okay, divorced him now
and marry Mr. Jones! If you do as I say, I'll give
him one million dollars right away!"
The Mr. Jones that Lady Wilson was referring to
was Wendell Jones, a man who was always
pursuing Claire despite her married status. The
Jones family was one of the prominent families
in the upper social circle in Aurous Hill, which was much more powerful than the Wilson family.
Lady Wilson had always wanted to get on their
good side.
At this moment, the butler sprinted in and said,
"Mr. Jones sent a birthday gift to Lady Wilson! It
is a Buddha talisman carved from the jadeite
stone worth three million dollars!"
Lady Wilson broke into a large smile and quickly
blurted,
"Bring it to me! Let me see!"
The butler immediately presented the emerald
green Buddha talisman which sent waves of
exclamation across the living hall. The emerald
talisman was crystal clear with its vibrant and
sharp colors, without any trace of impurities. It
was of the finest Jade quality.
Gerald, who had gifted the Buddha statue,
gloomed in irritation instantly. He didn't expect
Wendell Jones, who had nothing to do with the
Wilson family to be so generous and lavish!
Lady Wilson caressed the talisman cheerfully
and said,
"Oh, Mr. Jones is so sensible! It would
be a sweet dream come true if he were my
grandson-in-law!"
Then, she lifted her gaze at Claire and asked,
"So,
how's that? Do you want to consider my terms
and conditions?"
Claire shook her head decidedly. "No, Grandma. I
will never divorce Charlie."
A dark stormy Cloud instantly hovered beneath Lady Wilson's eyes. She shouted angrily,
"You
ungrateful thing! What good is that loser? Why do
you want to waste your time on him? Kick that
loser out of my house! He is not allowed at my
birthday banquet! I don't want to see his face!"
Charlie heaved a sigh of dismay and regret. He
didn't want to stay with the Wilson family
anymore, so he said to Claire,
"Claire, I am going
to the hospital to visit Mrs. Lewis."
Claire said quickly,
"I'll go with you."
Lady Wilson shouted again,
"If you leave now,
you're no longer my granddaughter! You can take
your mom, your dad, and that loser and get out of
the Wilson family!"
Claire stared at her grandmother. She did not
expect to hear such a harsh coming from her.
Charlie interjected,
"You stay here, don't worry
about me."
Before Claire could compose herself from the
trance, he turned and left.
Harold laughed behind him. "Hey, my dear Charlie,
if you leave with an empty stomach, will you go
on the streets and beg for food? If you do so,
you'll tarnish our family name! Here, I have a
dollar, you can buy a bun or something to eat!"
Harold produced a one dollar from his pocket
and threw it at Charlie's feet .
The entire family's thunderous laughter echoed across the house. Charlie gritted his teeth in
annoyance and left the house without looking
back.
***
When Charlie arrived at the hospital, he
immediately went to the cashier department to
try to negotiate an extension of payment for
another two days.
However, when he approached the nurses, he was
informed that overnight, Mrs. Lewis had been
transferred to Fairview Hospital, Eastcliff’s top
hospital, for treatment.
Charlie gasped in shock and quickly asked,
"How
much does it cost? I'll find a way to settle it!"
The nurse said,
"The bill is three million dollars in
total. One million dollars has already been paid,
the remaining two million dollars needs to be
settled within a week"
"Who covered the one million dollars?"
The nurse shook his head. "I have no idea."
Charlie frowned in confusion. Just as he turned
around to figure it out, a man of about fifty years
of age in a black suit with gray hair was standing
behind him.
They exchanged glances, and the man bowed
before him and said,
"Young Master! We’ve finally
found you! Sorry for all the troubles and misery
you've suffered for all these years!"
Charlie furrowed and asked coldly as if he was a
completely different person. "Are you Stephen
Thompson?"
The Man gasped in surprise. "Young Master, you
still remember me."
Charlie startled slightly and murmured,
"Of
course I do! I remember each and everyone of
you! You forcibly drove my mom and dad out of
Eastcliff along with me and we fled the city. My
parents died along the way and I became an
orphan. What do you want from me now?"
Stephen grimaced sorrowfully and said,
"Young
Master, Lord Wade was very sad when he learned
about your father's death. He never stopped
looking for you. Come, let's go home and meet
him!"
Charlie said coldly,
"Just go, I don't want to see
him."
Stephen said,
"Young master, are you still mad at
your grandfather?"
"Of course!" Charlie said loudly. "I'll never forgive
him in my entire life!"
Stephen sighed dejectedly. "Before I came here,
the Master did say that you will not forgive him."
"Good! Luckily he still has some sense in him!"
Stephen continued,
"Lord Wade knows that
you've had a hard life for so many years and he's asking me to compensate you if you don't want
to go home, he will buy the largest company in
Aurous Hill and give it to you. Besides, here, take
this card, the pin number is your birthday."
Stephen handed over the premium black card
from Citibank.
"Young Master, there are only five of such cards
in the country."
Charlie shook his head sternly. "No, I don't want it,
take it away."
"Young Master, Mrs. Lewis is still two million
dollars in debt for her medical bills. If she doesn't
pay up, she might be in danger…"
"Are you threatening me? Is this part of your
sinister plan?"
Stephen waved his hands frantically. "Oh no! We
wouldn't dare to do such a thing! Keep the card,
then you'll have enough money to pay the bill."
Charlie asked,
"How much is on this card?"
"Lord Wade said that he deposited some pocket
money for you on this card. It's not much, just ten
billion dollars!"
