Ch. 151..160
Chapter 151
Since Xyla Quest was fairly confident about her cooking skills, she did not taste the dishes after she cooked them. However, Five Batton did not say anything at the time. That must have meant the white powder was salt, right?
Ding-
Right then, the toaster rang. The toasts were done.
Xyla immediately stopped thinking about what happened the night before while she proceeded to focus on making sandwiches for her father.
Once the sandwiches were done, Xyla personally grounded some coffee beans and prepared some caramel for her father's favorite caramel coffee. Finally, she brought all the food with her to the study. Knock, knock, knock.
After knocking gently on the door several times, Xyla pushed the door open and walked in.
At that moment, Jeremy was standing in front of a high-class rosewood desk while he paid full attention in writing two large calligraphic words on a long piece of white paper. "Serene heart."
A huge bookshelf, which did not have a hint of dust on it, extended across the wall behind him.
Meanwhile, a vague scent of ink wafted through the air in the large study.
Although Jeremy seemed calm on the outside, Xyla knew very well that he did not feel the same way inside.
Ever since Xyla was a kid, she had noticed that her father would turn to calligraphy whenever he was in a bad mood.
When Jeremy saw Xyla walking in, he forced himself to smile affectionately at her.
"Xyla, are you here to check if Dad has improved in his writing?" Jeremy asked.
The more Jeremy behaved as if nothing was wrong, the more hurt and guilty Xyla felt.
She immediately placed the items in her hands carefully on the desk before walking over to Jeremy and hugging him tightly.
"If you're not in a good mood, why don't we go for a walk after breakfast? Whatever you want to do, I'll do it with you," Xyla said.
"I'm not in a bad mood," Jeremy said.
"Don't lie, Dad. I'm your daughter. I know what's going on in your head. Anyway, I've made you your favorite beef sandwiches and caramel coffee. Wash your hands and we can have breakfast together. Regardless of how terrible you feel, you still need to eat," Xyla said gently.
Jeremy immediately felt a warm sensation in his heart.
Although Xyla and Emily Quest were both his daughters, Xyla was better than Emily in everything.
Ever since Emily came out of jail, she had not called Jeremy once, never mind ask if he had eaten or not.
"Alright, I understand. By the way, Xyla, what's going on? I heard that Tom hired someone to attack Stanley," Jeremy asked.
"Did you see that on Weibo?" Xyla asked.
"Yeah," Jeremy answered.
Xyla let go of Jeremy and looked at his face.
"He just doesn't like my husband," Xyla said.
"What a b*stard!" Jeremy uttered coldly.
"Alright, Dad, don't be upset. It'll affect your health," Xyla said.
"How can I not be mad? Your sister is coming home the day after tomorrow. Get Stanley to come over for a meal," Jeremy said.
This was a tradition in Atlantis. All married daughters needed to return home on the third day after their wedding.
"Okay, Dad. Hurry up and wash your hands for breakfast," Xyla said while she held Jeremy's arms gently and led him to the bathroom in one of the guestrooms. After they washed their hands, they returned to the study and sat in front of the desk for breakfast.
While they ate, Xyla sent a message to Five Batton to invite him over for a meal the day after tomorrow.
Very soon, Five replied with an 'okay'.
Thereafter, nothing else was written.
***
Meanwhile, it felt like a freezing cellar in the Sullivan family's house.
"What a son I have! He got into trouble again! It even made it on the news! Why did he send people to attack Stanley Batton? Is he mad?!" Tony shouted.
Chapter 152
Chapter 152
"Even if he were to be released from prison, I would never entrust him with any responsibilities again. What else is he capable of apart from causing a mess?!" Tony Sullivan shouted while he slammed his chopsticks on the dining table. His body was shivering with anger.
Meanwhile, nobody else in the family had the courage to speak. They all had a gloomy expression on their faces.
"Dad, please don't be upset. I believe Brother Sullivan will change his ways after this incident," Emily Quest said with trembling hands.
At first, Emily thought she could keep this a secret from the rest of the family. However, it ended up being broadcasted in the media.
Xyla Quest must have done this too. It must have been her!
Right then, Emily was truly afraid. It really did seem like Tom Sullivan would lose his position as the family heir.
If that were to happen, what would Emily do? It was a series of misfortunate events!
Now, Emily's parents were on the brink of getting divorced. If that happened, coupled with her husband losing his position as heir, Emily's status among her friends would certainly drop.
When the time came, Emily would also have no advantage in fighting for the Quest family's inheritance.
"Dad, this is all my fault. I wasn't able to contain the news," Julian said with a look of guilt on his face.
"What does Tom's poor behavior have anything to do with you? Julian, don't be too kind. Stop blaming everything on yourself! Your biggest mistake isn't in containing the news. Instead, it was your choice to work with Emily Quest to keep this from me!" Tony then glared at Emily.
Subconsciously, Emily took in a deep breath and did not dare say a word.
"Dad, I was wrong," Julian said while he kept his head down.
"If you acknowledge your mistakes, put your heart into resolving the company's crisis. Also, find a way to get that useless piece of sh*t out of prison and clean up the mess he made. Him being in prison only puts the Sullivan family's name to shame," Tony said.
"I know what to do, Dad. I'll get things sorted out right away," Julian said while he nodded respectfully.
Thereafter, Julian wheeled himself out of the room as quickly as he could.
When nobody could see his facial expression, a sly look appeared on his face.
'Tom, you can only blame your wife for being dumb enough to count on me. Why would I help you keep everything under control?' Julian thought.
***
At the same time, another scene was taking place in a six-level castle-like villa.
In a brightly lit living room, Sharon Lindt wore a set of black skin-tight homey clothes while she sat on top of a red yoga mat. She was practicing yoga with the sound of music in the background. It felt as if time had stopped for her.
Sharon had beautiful curves on her body, with her chest and bum prominently sticking out from her body. There wasn't an ounce of fat on her body. In fact, she did not look like someone who had given birth to children at all.
Once Stanley Batton came out of the lift, he walked directly over to Sharon.
"You asked Zack Cassidy to tell me to come home because you were looking for me. What is it?" Stanley asked.
Last night, when Zack told Stanley his mother had something important to talk to him about, Stanley had immediately driven home.
When he arrived home, a maid told him that the old woman had already slept.
Hence, Stanley silently returned to his room and played an entire night of games.
Hearing this, Sharon immediately turned off the music with a remote control before slowly standing up.
"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you after you came back. However, I accidentally fell asleep in the end. I'm sorry, my dear son," Sharon said.
"Never mind. I'm used to it," Stanley rubbed his forehead helplessly.
"To be honest, I wanted to praise you. Good job! I've seen all the news on the internet. I know you were behind all of it," Sharon said before chuckling awkwardly.
"Not entirely. Most of it was done by your daughter-in-law. She was a few steps ahead in carrying out most of those deeds," Stanley said slowly.
"What? Isn't my daughter-in-law too efficient? Oh, god. It's another day for me to admire my daughter-in-law," Sharon said with a look of admiration in her eyes. Her eyes seemed to glimmer from the reflection of sunlight.
"Yeah," Stanley uttered calmly.
"But doesn't that make you a weakling? How could you let her beat you to it? Do you have questionable capabilities?" Sharon asked with a look of disgust.
"You really are my mother," Stanley said helplessly.
"Am I wrong? You can't allow this to happen again, do you understand? You must think and act on behalf of my daughter-in-law before anything happens. Don't make my daughter-in-law go through so much trouble," Sharon added.
"... Got it," Stanley said.
Chapter 153
Chapter 153
"I saw from the hottest searches that you were attacked by Tom Sullivan's hired goons. Looks like you made it out in one piece," said Sharon.
"So, you've finally shown some concern about that."
"Oh, my attention has been on my daughter-in-law, so I accidentally forgot. Sorry, Son."
"... Oh."
"Right, dear. I want to know if you managed to stun the crowd when you went to the wedding with Xyla last night. Did you show her enough respect? I figure that everyone must have been shocked when they saw what a gorgeous and compatible couple you two are," exclaimed Sharon with great interest.
She latched onto Stanley's arm affectionately as she spoke, dying of curiosity.
Stanley calmly raised an eyebrow in response. "Yeah."
"I knew it. After all, that outfit you were wearing when you left the house last night looked too good on you."
Stanley smiled. "Yeah. My wife has good taste."
"Did Xyla pick out that outfit for you?"
"She bought it for me," Stanley answered calmly.
Sharon's expression immediately darkened. She let go of Stanley's arm and said in annoyance, "How can a grown man like you take a woman's money? It's not like you're broke!"
"Wifey insisted on it, so I didn't want to reject her good intentions."
"Shameless!" exclaimed Sharon curtly.
"I bought her something too."
"Yeah, that's more like it."
***
After having breakfast with Jeremy, Xyla kept him company at the study for the rest of the day. The father-daughter pair practiced calligraphy and did some painting. They spent a warm and harmonious time together, even having lunch in the study.
May came into the room several times throughout the day, looking for Jeremy, but the older man kept chasing her out. With Xyla keeping him company for the entire day, Jeremy gradually felt better.
As the sun set, golden rays of light illuminated every corner of the study. The whole world warmed up. Outside, May was like a cat on a hot tin roof while inside the study, the father-daughter pair felt tranquil and relaxed.
***
The next day, Xyla once again kept Jeremy company for the entire day. They continued doing calligraphy and painting. During meal times, Xyla would have a little drink with him in the study. Both of them completely shut out the outside world.
May tried relentlessly to speak to Jeremy, but was always met with a closed door. To keep his mood relaxed, Jeremy had even moved out of the master bedroom. The couple's marriage had truly reached its end.
And because Jeremy was feeling better, Xyla too felt more relaxed.
***
At night, after Jeremy had slept, Xyla called up Georgie for a date at the bar.
Xyla put on a simple light makeup and painted her lips with a nude lipstick. Pulling her slightly curled ebony hair back into a high-ponytail, she gave herself air bangs with a flattening iron.
This girl was a young woman to begin with, so after putting her bangs down, she looked more like a high school kid.
Chapter 154
Chapter 154
Finally, she changed into a light blue chiffon floral dress and a pair of lotus pink boots. She threw on a lotus pink woolen coat to complete the look. With her already gentle temperament, the delicate and nude colors made her seem all the more soft and tender.
After checking herself in the full-length mirror, Xyla grabbed her phone and drove to Unconscious Bar. At the crowded late-night bar, no matter what happened on the outside, music would always be playing as everyone indulged themselves.
Lively rhythms resonated in the large hall. Every beat was impartial to its listeners. In this bizarre world, men and women dressed in the latest fashions to relax to their hearts' content. They either gathered around to have drinks or went down onto the dance floor, swinging to the music.
As Xyla had told Georgie to meet her there, she kept searching for her as she walked towards the counter. Her pure and angelic coordination attracted countless attention, and many lascivious men started coming over to strike up conversations.
"Hey beautiful, let's exchange WeChat contacts."
"Hey babe, care for a drink?"
"Hi gorgeous, want to dance?"
Xyla naturally shut them out and walked straight to her destination.
Stanley was leading Henry, Sebastian, and Gary out of the elevator when they coincidentally ran into the group of men circling Xyla. That already ice-cold face became colder. By now, Henry, Sebastian, and Gary had noticed Xyla as well.
Going over to Stanley, Henry draped an arm over his shoulder and blew out a whistle. "Our sister-in-law attracts too much attention and our brother is in a state of nerves. What do we do? Awaiting immediate assistance and advice," he teased.
Ignoring the teasing, Stanley gave him a cold glance and went directly to Xyla.
When Xyla looked up, she coincidentally saw him as well. Under the flickering neon lights, he looked extraordinarily tall and handsome. Through the colorful lights, their gazes briefly met.
His long legs had taken him to her in just a few steps. Stopping before her, he glared menacingly at the men crowding around Xyla. Due to his overbearing aura, everyone retreated immediately, subconsciously thinking that the beauty already belonged to another.
"What a coincidence, you're here to have fun too," said Xyla.
"Yeah," he replied faintly.
Glancing behind him, Xyla spotted Henry, Sebastian, and Gary standing there. The three of them immediately waved in unison, their lips curling into friendly smiles. Among them, Sebastian was smiling the brightest, to the point that his eyes almost disappeared.
He was the one who had left the deepest impression on Xyla, because he had intentionally tripped her previously, causing her to slip and fall into Five Batton. Although she had been furious back then, as time went on, she no longer minded it. After all, it was just a careless joke on his part.
Glancing first at Five Batton, and then at his three best buddies, Xyla couldn't help but sigh. Why were gangsters nowadays so handsome and had exceptional auras? Although the other three were not as good-looking as Five Batton, they were definitely hunks with excellent temperaments.
It was said that one's environment and surroundings would influence their temperament. So, how did these four people obtain such dignified and aristocratic auras from 'that' environment? This was utterly incomprehensible.
The other three came over to Xyla, smiles still plastered on their faces.
Chapter 155
Chapter 155
Stanley shot them a glare before looking at Xyla and saying, "What a coincidence."
"Yeah," she replied.
"Old Fifth, aren't you supposed to officially introduce Sister-in-law to us?" asked Sebastian.
Xyla immediately blushed and explained out of reflex, "Don't you guys misunderstand. I'm not his girlfriend. We're just friends."
What had Five Batton told them about her? Why was he calling her Sister-in-law?
Sebastian was still smiling. "Yeah, it's true that you're not his girlfriend, but you're..." He turned to Stanley and gave him a mischievous smile.
Stanley simply shot him an ice-cold glare. "Do you have a death wish?"
Feeling a chill down his spine, Sebastian shut up at once, not daring to say another word.
Henry gave Stanley a meaningful look before smiling at Xyla and greeting her, "Hi, I'm a good friend of Old Fifth's, Henry Armstrong. No matter what relationship you have with Old Fifth, I'm still pleased to meet you."
Xyla took the initiative to shake hands with him, showing generosity. "Hello, I'm Xyla Quest."
Henry shook her hand, behaving appropriately.
"I'm Sebastian Brenand, also a good friend of Old Fifth's. I'm really sorry for tripping you back then. I hope you can forgive me. What I did the last time was akin to a fart that I didn't manage to hold in," said Sebastian in a serious tone.
Xyla was instantly amused by him. Laughing, she extended her hand to him. "Hello. You were just teasing me back then, so I understand."
Sebastian started spouting flattery, "As expected of a goddess. She's more forgiving than regular people."
"Don't say that, I'm getting shy," said Xyla.
Gary extended his hand to Xyla, giving her a reserved smile. "Hello, I'm Gary Lakes, also a good friend of Old Fifth's."
Xyla shook his hand. "Hello."
With that, they were all officially acquainted.
"Are you guys about to leave?" asked Xyla, glancing at Stanley, then at his buddies behind him.
"We were going to. But if you want to have fun with us, we can stay. Miss Quest, shall we have a dance on the dance floor?" Henry abruptly answered, behaving a little too friendly. Stanley turned to shoot him a glare. "Stop fooling around."
Henry immediately shut up. That simple gesture further affirmed Five Batton's status among his friends. As they were a group of handsome men, they attracted quite a lot of attention from the beauties around when they stood together.
Looking at his friends, Stanley coldly ordered, "Go outside and wait for me."
The others quickly smiled and waved at Xyla before hastily making their way outside.
"Is your arm better?" asked Xyla.
Stanley mildly shifted his left elbow. At once, he could feel a tiny stinging pain spread into his body. Nevertheless, having followed her instructions on how to take care of it for a few days, his elbow now felt a lot better.
"Yeah, it got a lot better," he replied casually.
"That's good then. Right, don't forget dinner at my place tomorrow. Remember to bring presents. I'll send you a WeChat message on what my dad likes and also transfer you the money for the presents," Xyla added.
"Sure."
"Remember to dress up nicely," Xyla added again.
After saying that, she realized that her words were a little too excessive. When had he ever not dressed nicely? His outfit coordination and looks always seemed perfect, and paired with that heavenly face, he always looked nice.
"Okay," he said.
As the two chatted, they once again attracted a lot of attention from girls passing by. Their eyes seemed to be glued onto Stanley.
Chapter 156
Chapter 156
"Here with a friend?" asked Stanley.
Xyla nodded. "Yeah."
"Is it the one who fought with you the last time? Or...?"
"Yeah."
"Then, don't stay out too late. Call me if anything happens," he urged, showing no emotional disturbance in his eyes.
Xyla nodded, wondering if this fake husband of hers was being too concerned for her. Why did she get a feeling that he was like her real husband?
"Alright. Five Batton, you do know that we're just pretending, right?" said Xyla as she searched his eyes.
"Yeah," he responded calmly.
"That's good then," she replied.
Saying nothing else, he moved his long legs to head outside. His back profile was more striking and dazzling compared to models.
Suddenly remembering something, Xyla quickly jogged after him. The chilly north wind was blowing outside. Having abruptly come out from a warm place, the stark difference in temperature made her shudder before her body got used to the cold.
Just then, a black Honda stopped at the entrance of the bar. Right before her eyes, Stanley got into it. She could vaguely see the three others she met earlier inside the car. The one driving was Sebastian Brenand.
"Wait..." she called out, hurrying over and tapping on the window.
Stanley quickly lowered the window and looked at her. "What's up?"
The other three occupants of the vehicle exchanged meaningful glances.
"I have something to say to you. Come outside," said Xyla.
Stanley closed the window and got out.
The gentle glow of the streetlight fell onto their heads, elongating their shadows. Seated in the front passenger seat, Henry secretly lowered the window a little and pressed his ear on the glass, trying to eavesdrop.
"What is it?" asked Stanley.
"I wanted to tell you that since your elbow is getting better, you can reduce the medication used when you soak your arm. Just put in two-thirds of the original recipe. And stop consuming the painkillers. If the pain is tolerable, try not to take the painkillers. It's not good for the body," urged Xyla. Her tone was soft enough to melt ice.
He nodded. "Okay. Is there anything else?"
"Yeah. There's something I'd like to ask you."
"Shoot."
Xyla's expression became solemn. "Did you tell them about our deal? Otherwise, why would Sebastian call me Sister-in-law?"
"I didn't exactly tell them," replied Stanley.
Xyla felt mildly irritated. Her defined eyebrows pinched together as she asked, "What do you mean?" "Sebastian just happened to see one of the messages you sent me," he explained with a serious face.
"Why didn't you hide your phone?" asked Xyla.
Stanley held a hand to his forehead, feeling helpless. "Yeah, it's my fault."
Xyla looked worried. "Then, what do we do now? Are their lips sealed?"
"Relax, no one dares to breathe a word about it," Stanley assured. "Really?"
"Yeah."
Xyla let out a helpless sigh. "Alright then. I'll trust you for now."
"Are you angry?" His eyes searched hers.
Xyla shook her head. "No."
Chapter 157
Chapter 157
"Then, why did you sigh?" he pressed.
"I'm just a little worried. You do know what it'll mean for me if word of our deal gets out, right?"
Having said that, Xyla sighed again. Since it wasn't him who had told on her, but Sebastian who had caught a glimpse of their WeChat messages, she couldn't blame Five Batton. It was just a case of bad luck. "I'm sorry, it's my fault." Stanley looked earnest.
"It's okay. Just be careful next time," said Xyla pleasantly.
Stanley continued to reassure her, "Don't worry, none of them would dare say a word."
"Okay," replied Xyla, choosing to believe him.
The two were only focused on talking to each other, completely unaware of the expression the three others had inside the Honda. Sebastian, Henry, and Gary all looked like they were questioning their life choices.
Henry swallowed hard, turning to Sebastian like he had seen a ghost, then looking at Gary who was seated in the back. He spoke quietly, "Is that person outside really the Old Fifth we know?" "Who else?" replied Gary.
Henry rubbed his ears vigorously. "Brothers, is something wrong with my ears? Did Old Fifth actually say sorry to someone? And are my eyes also impaired? Why is Old Fifth so docile in front of Sister-in-law? It's like his wife is fully in control! I'm starting to question my own life."
"Is Old Fifth possessed by something? Otherwise, why would he change so much recently?" exclaimed Sebastian.
Henry nodded eagerly. "I think so too. Do you guys think he's being possessed by Asmodeus?"
Sebastion gave a solemn nod. "Yeah, I think you're right."
Looking at them both, Gary pinched the bridge of his nose helplessly. "Are you two writing a horror story?"
"This is too terrifying for a horror story, okay?" said Henry.
"Don't ask. We don't know," said Sebastian.
The snowfall of this year's winter was heavier than the last. As Stanley and Xyla talked, snow started to fall from the cloudy skies again. Taking them by surprise, the snow dyed their hair white. Under the illumination of the warm-colored streetlights, the snow seemed to feel warmer as well.
Feeling cold, Xyla rubbed her hands together as she looked at Stanley. "If there's nothing else, you can get back into the car. I'm heading inside as well. It's too cold." Stanley nodded. "See you tomorrow then."
Xyla waved at him. "See you tomorrow."
Having said that, she braced the winter breeze and hurried into the bar. Once inside, she shook the snow off her body before heading straight for the counter.
Stanley stood outside, unmoving. Only when the girl's silhouette had disappeared from his line of sight did he turn to get back into the car. Looking up, he saw Sebastian poking his head out from his lowered window, waving at him.
Ignoring him, Stanley strode over and got in. At the same time, Henry immediately got out, opened the door on Stanley's side, and squeezed into the back passenger seat.
Closing the door, he studied Stanley's face in great seriousness. "Old Fifth, you've changed."
Stanley looked indifferent. "Oh."
"I admire no one but Xyla Quest. To think she managed to stick angel wings on Satan's back," Henry added.
Stanley frowned. "... Who's Satan?"
Sebastian turned his head lazily to glance at Stanley. "Don't you know? Those women who love you but can't have you all call you the aloof Satan."
Stanley instantly shut them out. Opening up his WeChat, he searched Xyla's timeline.
"Old Fifth, this is favoritism. This is double standards. You never look at our timelines and have never been that gentle to me," complained Henry. "You're not worthy," Stanley responded coldly.
Henry rolled his eyes at him. "F*ck!"
Gary, who had been quiet the whole time, teased, "Why are you humiliating yourself when you already know the answer?"
Chapter 158
Chapter 158
Henry started singing helplessly, "Fault, fault, fault, it's all my fault~~~"
Sebastian started the car, disdain clear on his face as he drove while complaining, "I say, Old Fifth, I wonder what's worrying you that you had to buy such a cheap car. The feel of these wheels can't even compare to those million-dollar cars of yours, okay?"
Stanley continued to ignore him.
Vrrt, vrrt, vrrt...
Just then, Henry's phone vibrated. Someone named 'Cute Bunny' had sent him a voice message on WeChat. Henry simply played it.
"Wuu... Hubby, hubby, hug me... Hubby, why aren't you in-game? Carry me!"
Forgetting that his phone was on loudspeaker, Henry was dumbstruck the moment the message played. A typical sweet and babyish voice was lethal when being coquettish. He immediately let out an awkward cough. Everyone else looked nonchalant, like this was something normal.
"Henry, are you dating online again?" asked Gary.
"One of my friends has invested in a large-scale Three Kingdoms online game called Heroes Assemble. It's now at an internal testing stage, where the saved data will remain after going live. He invited me to play it a little while back, so I did," said Henry.
He continued to gush about the game, "And guess what? The gaming experience is quite nice, so I'm now hooked. I started putting money into the game and accidentally became the strongest player in the server. Because of this, many girls started throwing themselves at me. After my account reached level 70 and I could get married, I picked the one with the sweetest voice and married her."
Having seen through Henry, Sebastian took a jab at him, "Why don't you just be honest and say that you're bored with real-life women, so you're now looking for mystery and excitement online? How can I not understand what a casanova like you is thinking?"
"Don't call me a casanova. Like you're any better," Henry poked back.
"F*ck!" Rendered speechless, Sebastian immediately changed directions, dealing heavy damage with each sentence, "Didn't you previously vow that you would never date online again? I recall that you were cheated real bad last year because of it."
"I remember that it was a male who used a voice changer to cheat you out of a lot of money. When you asked to meet up, that person immediately blocked you. Then, you had that person investigated, only to find that he was actually a stingy forty-year-old man," added Sebastian.
Henry looked annoyed. "F*ck you, stop trying to taint your daddy's ears."
Gary couldn't resist snickering. "Actually, I find it hard to understand how a person like you, who has dealt with so many women before, could be cheated."
Even Stanley who had not joined in on the conversation was curling his lips slightly.
"That's because the other party was too skilled in deception. Like you'd know anything about it," scoffed Henry.
"That perfect baby-ish voice sounds like a voice changer too," Sebastian added.
Henry rolled his eyes at him. "Shut it! We had a video call before, she's a beauty."
***
The next day was when Emily was supposed to return to her paternal home for a visit.
Early in the morning, the Sullivan family received news from the police that Tom's assistant had confessed about Tom instructing him to hire goons to attack someone. Tom was sentenced to one month's detention.
Once again, the Sullivan family fell into chaos. Emily couldn't possibly leave at a time like this, so she called home and explained her situation.
May was raving mad when she heard this, while Jeremy had instead remarked that Tom deserved it. The family lunch banquet would continue as planned, and Jeremy requested that Xyla bring Stanley along.
***
In the afternoon, Stanley drove his black Honda to the Quest manor, bearing the various gifts that Xyla had asked him to buy.
Chapter 159
Chapter 159
From cordyceps and sea cucumbers, to bird's nest and quality tea leaves, and even expensive red wine, everything was there.
Dressed in a crisp white shirt, paired with a black, double-breasted long woolen coat with vertical lines, his coordination made his features look divine. With his lush black hair combed into a natural 3:7 hairstyle, he looked clean-cut.
The maids immediately became fans of his face when they saw him. Having completely been entranced by Stanley's looks, they couldn't take their eyes off him. Each one started gabbling in hushed voices, praising Stanley's good looks.
"Ahhh! Our young master is really handsome. I can't breathe."
"Miss has really good taste."
Xyla and Jeremy were drinking tea in the living room when they heard the commotion at the door. Both of them looked over at the same time. Stanley gave Xyla a faint glance before nodding respectfully at Jeremy. Then, he brought the gifts over to the older man.
Putting the gifts gently down on the table, he lowered his head and said, "Hi Dad, I heard from Xyla that you're fond of these, so this is just a little token of my regard."
"Hello, Stan. Thank you so much. You shouldn't have. You don't have your own business at the moment, so it's good enough that you just show up. There's no need to spend so much on this old man.” Jeremy was just as friendly as before, his eyes filled with admiration. Why didn't he realize before that Stanley had what the youngsters nowadays called an ‘appearance complex'? Besides appearance, he was also extremely caring for Jeremy's daughter and had exceptional medical skills. Most importantly, he had the steadfast aura of a powerful man.
Having met so many people in his life, Jeremy knew that this son-in-law of his would definitely be a great figure in the future.
"Dad, you're too kind. As someone younger, it's only natural for me to show filial piety. When I earn more money in the future, I'll definitely honor you even more," Stanley replied cordially, showing decency. Smiling in satisfaction, Xyla got up and affectionately latched onto Stanley's arm. "Honey, come and sit down."
Mildly curling his lips, he sat down with her. His smile made him look even more handsome. Xyla even felt that this was the best scenery she had seen in her entire life. Ever since she got acquainted with him, she finally understood the saying of 'a smile that can destroy cities'.
"Stan, I heard from Xyla that your grandfather is the reputable Dr. Batton from Country Y. He's truly a remarkable man," said Jeremy.
"Dad, you're too kind."
"What do your parents do?" asked Jeremy.
"My mother is a housewife and my dad has done many types of work."
Due to his mother's superior family background and wonderful marriage, she had never really done anything. Before she got married, she was a pampered wealthy young lady. After she got married, she was a well-loved rich madam.
As for his father, Dragon Group was involved in too many industries so, sure enough, they did just about everything.
Hence, what he said was the truth.
Jeremy nodded. "Oh, oh, I understand..."
His father's career must be really unstable, and his mother had always been a housewife so she never worked. But that didn't matter. Even if his family background was below average, it was enough that the boy was excellent.
With his exceptional medical skills, it would be a cinch for him to grow exponentially if he started his own traditional hospital. Although this son-in-law was quite different from the standard he had anticipated previously, all in all, Jeremy was still satisfied.
"I heard from Xyla that you've returned to the country because you want to start your own hospital. So, you won't be leaving anymore, right? When do you plan to start?" asked Jeremy.
Chapter 160
Chapter 160
"I won't be leaving anymore and I'll open the hospital soon," replied Stanley.
Xyla's heart squeezed when she heard that. She had informed Five Batton of every detail, all except this one. Now that he had told her father that he wouldn't be leaving, and that he would soon start up a traditional hospital, that would mean that they would have to live together.
To ingratiate themselves with her father, they would have to be in frequent contact. That wouldn't be a problem, but the most important issue was the traditional hospital...
She had said that her husband returned to the country to open his own traditional hospital. If they didn't do it after being in the country for so long, her father would definitely suspect them!
Five Batton was such a smart person, so why did he have to slip up at a time like this? Even if she forgot to tell him, he should have said that he would soon return to Country Y, so the hospital wouldn't be happening anytime soon.
That would have saved them a lot of trouble. They would only have to come back from time to time to celebrate the holidays with her father. Since he had already answered, Xyla couldn't deny it. All she could do was try to mitigate the damage.
Keeping her composure, she smiled at Stanley. "Honey, I think we can actually wait a little longer before we start our own hospital. I think you should first try working at other traditional hospitals. That way, one, you can accumulate experience, and two, you can learn about hospitals' business model."
Stanley nodded with a smile. "Yeah, you're right, sweetheart."
Seeing his son-in-law being this obedient, Jeremy smiled again and nodded with satisfaction. "Stan, Xyla's words make sense, but if you want to start immediately, that's fine too. If you don't have enough experience, we can hire a veteran as the vice-president."
"Dad, I better listen to my wife. Her words are the royal decree," said Stanley.
Jeremy nodded in delight once more. "Yeah. Young man, you have great awareness. Not bad. Not bad," he said, laughing heartily.
Upon descending the stairs and seeing this cheerful scene, there were no words to describe May's jealousy. Now, it was like she had become the outsider. She was clearly a family member, but she could no longer participate in any of the family matters.
Seeing Xyla's cheeky grin, she felt even more envious and suffocated. What's so great about him? Wasn't he just a medical student? He's not even from a prestigious family, so what was Xyla being so happy for?
Besides having better looks than Tom and having a teeny bit of a better aura than him, in what other ways could he compare to Tom? None!
Noticing May come downstairs out of the corner of his eye, Jeremy's expression immediately darkened. He had no intention of acknowledging her. Over the last few days, he had thought it through and was starting to slowly come out of his sadness.
He had also taken care of the feelings he had for May. Now, he only wished for them to end on good terms. In many instances, instant pain was better than prolonged agony.
Forcing out a smile, May walked over to them. "Honey, Xyla, why didn't you guys call for me when we have a guest at home?"
She sat on the armrest of Jeremy's chair. No matter how annoyed she was at Xyla and Stanley, right now, she had to pretend. Put on a great performance and she might still have a chance. If she gave up, the only path left was death.
Xyla smiled politely. "I thought you were resting, so I couldn't bear to disturb you."
"Because there's no need for you to be here," said Jeremy, being surprisingly straightforward.
That one sentence was like a slap in the face for May. However, she maintained her smile. "Honey, what are you saying? Our eldest son-in-law is here. As Xyla's mother, how could I not be here?" Xyla said nothing, but simply beamed at May, maintaining her manners and demeanor even though on the inside, she was like 'f*ck you'...
May Conner's behavior had allowed her to fully comprehend the saying 'the world is no match for you if you're shameless enough'. Her face must be as thick as the city walls. What a deceitful person. "Aunty, my mother passed away a long time ago," said Xyla.
"I may be a stepmother, but I'm still your mother," replied May.