Chapter 57
Joanna made a beverage and brought it over.
Kenneth picked up the teacup, took a sip, and stared at the slender and verdant tea leaves in the cup. “This tea smells great. Is it… Earl Grey?” he asked.
Joanna nodded. “It’s premium Earl Grey. Oliver bought it. He said a small can like this costs a few hundred dollars.”
It was another blow to Kenneth’s heart.
Kenneth glanced at Jason and chuckled. “Jason, it seems like Oliver did hit the jackpot. What does he do for a living?”
Jason was not afraid to share it with him, even proudly explaining, “He earns a living by using his skills. He deals with raw emerald rough. He buys the raw stones from Manchernius and resells them to jewelry stores in Jeahron. From just one piece of stone alone, he can earn hundreds of millions of dollars.”
“Hundreds of millions of dollars from just a single piece of stone!” Kenneth marveled inwardly.
Kenneth felt a pang of pain in his heart again. Despite that, he still mustered a smile and said, “That’s great, that’s great. Jason, I came here with two things in mind. First, I wanted to check on you as I was worried that you’re strapped for cash. Second, I’d like to let you know that William has been accepted into Juxshire University. We’ve booked two tables at a hotel to celebrate his academic achievement next Tuesday. Let’s spend this joyous occasion together. William is the second university student in our family. The ancestors of the Eastwood family must have bestowed their blessings upon us!”
Jason smiled. “Congratulations, Kenneth. William has been clever since he was young, so it’s no surprise he made it into a good university!”
Calista sneered inwardly. In the past, Kenneth’s family would always act high and mighty whenever they met them. His family had never treated them with respect.
Back when Jason was lying in the hospital bed, waiting for someone to save his life, Oliver went to them to borrow money, but they did not lend him any money.
Oliver did not mention it to Calista, but she heard about it from Joanna. When Oliver went to borrow money, Eloise said she would give him 40 dollars as a monetary gift, while Frederick did not even repay the borrowed money. As for Kenneth, he used 100 dollars to drive Oliver away.
The recollection of those past events caused Calista to shed tears. If Oliver had not worked hard to earn a lot of money, Jason would have been left waiting to meet his doom.
Now that their family had become wealthy, Kenneth eagerly came over to please them. Calista and her family were in no need of that mere 4,000 dollars.
Narrowing his eyes, William asked Joanna, “Is that Oliver’s Porsche outside?”
Joanna nodded and replied, “Yes, it’s Oliver’s, but he hardly drives it. That car looks great, but he said it’s not nice to drive in. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan he bought yesterday is much easier to drive. Despite its size, it’s easy to drive, and I felt so comfortable sitting in it!”
William said with jealousy, “Can a car worth 2 million dollars be uncomfortable?”
Upon hearing that the car cost 2 million dollars, Jason raised an eyebrow and asked in surprise, “That car costs 2 million dollars? That foolish boy… Even if he has money, he shouldn’t spend it like this!”
Kenneth and Riley felt awful as it sounded as if Jason was intentionally mocking them and showing off their wealth.
However, in reality, Jason was genuinely annoyed with Oliver for being extravagant. ‘Is it worth spending 2 million dollars,
on a car?
This mansion costs only 2.4 million dollars, and I’m not against buying a house because it’s an asset. Besides, houses hold value.
But cars are just consumable items. It depreciates as soon as it’s acquired. 2 million dollars… The mere thought of it pains mel Jason thought.
William glanced at Joanna and shamelessly said, “Since Oliver said that car isn’t nice to drive in, and he hasn’t been driving it, nor does he need it, why not give it to me? I still have two months before university begins, and having a car would be perfect for honing my driving skills.”
Both Jason and Calista were taken aback. They did not expect William to ask for the car immediately
Meanwhile, Kenneth and Riley remained silent. They wanted to sound Jason’s family out on their attitude. If Jason were willing to give them the car, it would eventually be easier for them to ask him for money later on.
Joanna, who had been trying her best to hold back, gave up on doing so when she saw William asking for the car brazenly. She chuckled and said, “I asked Oliver about this car. It’s a Porsche 911 with top specs, which costs 600 thousand dollars. If you drive it and end up scratching it, will you spend money to repair it?”
William chuckled and replied, “How stingy! Oliver’s so wealthy now. He and I are the only two male heirs left in the Eastwood family, while you are going to be married off and become an outsider. I will be the head of the Eastwood family, so there’s nothing wrong with him giving me a car worthy of 600 thousand dollars. As a matter of fact, it’s only right of him to give me a few million dollars to spend!”
Joanna was on the verge of losing her temper.
William’s words displeased the easygoing Jason. Furrowing his brows, the latter said, “William, you shouldn’t say such things. What’s wrong with Joanna being a girl? No matter whom she marries, she will always be a daughter of the Eastwood family and my dear child!”
After saying those words, Jason clarified again, “Moreover, that car belongs to Oliver. We have no right to make any decisions about it. Whether or not he gives or lends it to you, you have to ask him. Everything in this house, big or small, was bought by Oliver. He is rich, but it’s his money, not ours. He’s filial to us, but we can’t squander his wealth.”
“Yes, that’s my stance as well!” Calista sincerely applauded Jason’s words, feeling satisfied and exhilarated. He had spoken her
mind.
She even took a stack of banknotes from her bag on the spot. They were all 20-dollar bills, but she only counted out five and handed them to William, placing them on the coffee table in front of him. “It’s good that you got into university, but I must stay with Jason in the hospital. He can’t attend the celebration either. Take this 100 dollars as our congratulatory gift!”
William’s face immediately darkened.
Kenneth’s and Riley’s expressions also turned grim.
Especially Kenneth and Riley, who felt offended, wondered whether Calista was humiliating them by taking out 100 dollars. Kenneth’s face fell, and he questioned Jason, “Jason, is this how you treat me? When I was young, you were always reluctant to eat the good food you had and would give them to me instead. After I started studying, you worked hard to earn money to support my education. You’ve always loved and cared for me since I was little. How could you change now?”
When Jason heard his brother’s questioning, his heart was instantly riddled with pain. Clutching his chest, he could not utter a word, but tears welled up in his eyes.
However, Calista could no longer restrain herself. She pointed at Kenneth and bellowed, “Kenneth, how shameless of you to say such things! Yes, Jason has loved and cared for you since you were young. All the money he had, he gave them to you to spend, and all the delicious food he got, he let you eat them. Even when you got married, we used the money we saved for years to pay the down payment for your matrimonial home. He treated you so well, but how have you treated him in return? After you got married, you stopped interacting with us. You don’t even acknowledge him as your brother when we visit your house. You despised him for being dirty and poor. You were afraid that he would embarrass you, a school principal. That’s not the worst. This time, Jason was gravely ill and needed money to save his life. He’s your biological brother, the person who has loved and cared for you since you were young. When Oliver came to you to borrow money, you dismissed him with 100 dollars, telling him to save Jason with that sum. Kenneth Eastwood, you fail to live up to the standards of a role model, despite having studied for so many years!”
Kenneth was also enraged by her words, “Calista, it’s not your place as an outsider to meddle in the affairs of the Eastwood family. I’m not as shameless as you make me out to be. When Oliver came to borrow money from me, I was hard up. Didn’t I specifically come here today to give you money? As the saying goes, ‘We are unbeatable when united. I’m Jason’s only sibling. Oliver has become wealthy, but he never went to university. He’s uneducated, so he won’t be able to maintain his newfound wealth. Wouldn’t he have to rely on me and William for support?” he snapped.
At that moment, a person walked in from the main entrance with a grim expression on his face. It was none other than Oliver!
