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Chapter_231
“Oh, if you’re unhappy with the outcome, feel free to report it wherever you want. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. The Carter family didn’t achieve its status easily, so don’t end up shooting yourself in the foot. If something goes wrong, it’ll be too late for regrets.” With that, Zane turned and walked away without a second glance. If some people were determined to make their own mistakes, there was no stopping them.
Robert stood, frozen, watching Zane leave without even a hint of hesitation.
At that moment, Victor’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and immediately answered, nodding repeatedly as he spoke. “Okay, I got it, Grandpa. Dad and I will head back right away.” He hung up and turned to Robert. “Grandpa wants us home, and Rebecca is already there.”
Robert didn’t want to go back—he wanted to find a way out. But Victor read him like a book.
“Grandpa said we must return,” Victor added, his tone serious. “Or face the consequences of the family rules.”
Robert was at a loss for words, too rattled to argue. He finally nodded awkwardly. “Then go back first. Tell him what happened. The Carter family has been insulted. If Grandpa finds out, he won’t let it go easily.”
Victor said nothing. Dad’s truly deluded, he thought. Does he really not know what kind of man Grandpa is? If Grandpa knew how Wyatt and Zane treated Jeremiah and Yvette, he wouldn’t lift a finger to defend Winona.
Meanwhile, in the car, Yvette was slouched lazily in the passenger seat. Her eyes were downcast, long lashes casting shadows across her face, making her seem distant and aloof. Her long legs were bent uncomfortably as she tapped lightly on her phone, absorbed in a game.
Andrew watched her, amusement flickering in his eyes. Isn’t this game a bit outdated? He couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. Could it be that Yvette’s bad at playing games? That’d be pretty funny.
“Uh, Yvette,” Andrew asked cautiously, “Isn’t this game a little… old-fashioned?”
At the sound of his voice, Yvette slowly tucked her phone away. She squinted slightly, tilting her head. “Any problem?”
Andrew waved his hands immediately. “No problem at all! Whatever game you’re playing is perfectly fine!”
Jeremiah glanced at Yvette, his lips pressed together. His eyes darkened, a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “You like this game so much?”
Yvette looked up, her eyes lifting just enough to meet his gaze. “It’s fine, just something to pass the time.” She didn’t elaborate. Truthfully, she’d already finished all the games that truly interested her.
When they reached the restaurant, the waiter led them to their seats. As the dishes had already been prepared, the food arrived almost immediately—within two minutes of sitting down. The table was piled high with a variety of barbecue dishes, leaving Bonnie in awe.
“It’s got everything! Creatures that fly, swim, and run. This is a feast from the land, sea, and air! What I had before wasn’t barbecue… it was more like eating the whole world!” Bonnie gushed.
Jeremiah, sitting next to Yvette, began shelling seafood for her, carefully placing it on her plate. Her plate quickly filled up with food, while his own remained mostly empty, save for a few scattered shrimp.
Yvette paused for a moment, her gaze soft yet unreadable. The slight curve of her lips suggested she was in a good mood, even though her expression remained neutral.
She casually picked an oyster from her plate and set it in front of Jeremiah. “You should eat too,” she said, her tone indifferent.
Jeremiah paused his task of peeling a crab. Even while handling the shrimp, his slender fingers moved with a grace that caught the eye.
His gaze lingered on the oyster, amusement dancing in his eyes. “One might not be enough,” he said, his voice light and slow.
Yvette raised an eyebrow, slightly puzzled, but didn’t press the issue. Instead, she picked another oyster from the plate and placed it in front of him. “Two,” she said.
Jeremiah’s eyes sparkled with a faint smile of satisfaction. “Alright, I’ll do my best.”
Yvette glanced at him again, still a little confused by his behavior. Why is he acting so strange all of a sudden?
Andrew, watching from the side, struggled to hold back a laugh. Isn’t this a classic case of a straightforward girl and a reserved guy? He barely managed to contain his amusement.
Bonnie shifted uncomfortably beside him. “Has this person lost it?” she muttered, eyeing Andrew.
Jeremiah and Yvette both turned to look at him.
Jeremiah’s warning glance was sharp, while Yvette’s expression remained unreadable.
Andrew, in the midst of his rebellious phase, looked at Yvette with a strange expression, trying his hardest not to laugh. “Yvette, you’re giving Jeremiah oysters…?”
Yvette didn’t seem to catch the implication. She merely nodded and glanced at Jeremiah. “Can’t you eat oysters?”
Jeremiah met her clear, bright eyes, and for a moment, he felt a restlessness inside him. “I can,” he replied slowly.
Hearing that he could, Yvette didn’t say anything more and continued to eat the lobster meat in her bowl.
Andrew, holding back laughter, was just about to burst. He could hardly believe it. If Yvette had asked even one more question, he would’ve lost it completely.
Jeremiah shot Andrew a final glare, and Andrew swallowed his words, thinking, Fine… Let Jeremiah keep his thoughts to himself.
Meanwhile, back at the Carter family’s old manor, the tension was palpable as Robert and Victor stepped inside. Without warning, an ashtray flew through the air, aimed directly at them.
Victor, quick on his feet, dodged the flying object, but Robert wasn’t so lucky. It hit him squarely, leaving him covered in ashes. With a loud shout, Robert scrambled back. “Who? Who dares to throw at me?”
Claude, sitting on the sofa with his cane, shot Robert a cold look. Beside him, Rebecca, dressed in immaculate professional attire, looked every bit the businesswoman, her expression as serious as his.
Victor was the first to greet them, standing respectfully. “Grandpa, Sis.”
Claude, though aging, looked at Victor with some approval. “Come, sit,” he motioned, his tone far less harsh than usual. Recently, he had been pleased with Victor’s decision to settle down and take more responsibility at the company. His attitude toward him had softened considerably.
Victor nodded and sat beside Claude, quiet and respectful.
Robert, still stunned by the ashtray incident, was nursing his pride, but when Claude’s sharp gaze fell on him, he shrank back. What did I do to deserve a child like this? Claude thought bitterly. All he’s good for is squandering the family’s fortune.
“It was me,” Claude’s voice cut through the air. “What? Do you think you can hit me back?”
When Robert heard those words, the childhood fear that had haunted him came rushing back. He quickly lowered his head, trembling. “No, Dad, I didn’t mean it like that. Why did you hit me for no reason?”
Robert, still bewildered, tried to defend himself. I haven’t done anything wrong lately, have I?
Claude’s hand gripped his cane tightly, his face a picture of fury. His wrinkled face, with its sharp lines, looked more menacing than ever. The more Robert tried to speak, the more he felt the weight of his father’s disapproval pressing down on him.
Rebecca, sensing the escalating tension, smoothly pulled a pill from her pocket and handed it to Claude. “Grandpa, please don’t get upset,” she said calmly. “Let’s talk it over calmly. Getting angry won’t solve anything. We need to figure out how to remedy the situation and minimize the losses.”
Robert, feeling completely out of his depth, said nothing. He had always dismissed Rebecca’s calm demeanor as mere formality, but now, in front of Claude, he dared not speak.
Claude, after taking the pill, turned to Rebecca. “Tell him what happened this afternoon. Let this rebellious idiot know exactly what he’s done.”
