Chapter 8
Sean gave Benson and his family a dismissive glance and announced, “We have no tables for you in the main hall. There’s a small table in the corridor that would be enough for your whole family. Tuck in now; dinner is about to be served.”
All eyes in the room turned towards Benson and his family as if they were some strange-looking aliens who had just descended on earth.
the main hall, which was the Peony Hall, Benson and his family had to squeeze themselves to fit into the miserable,
away from the banquet, snubbing all the insults. Nonetheless, Benson and his family put up with the embarrassment with gritted teeth and clenched fists. They did not want to be seen as impertinent and rude, simply walking away from his dad’s birthday
over to the lone table in the corridor and sat down, under the mocking
banquet had officially
to a sumptuous feast with successive delectable, mouth-watering gourmet dishes. All except for the
their last round of desserts, yet there was
over and ordered the servers to serve the leftovers
Benson and his family could not contain their rage and resentment anymore. What do they take us for? Beggars or dogs that are only entitled to
he had reached the tipping point, Benson gave an uncharacteristic scowl and stood up
whispered in his ear, “Dad, Benson, and his family have skipped the dinner and left
giving me a rotten pill for my birthday. What are they thinking? Are they really here to celebrate or to curse me? Why should I feed them with all the wonderful food? I’d
...
Leah, who was
assigned you the task of finding a suitable birthday present for Sean. What the hell were you thinking, presenting him with an embarrassing pill as a
to placate her mother, “I’m sure that Nathan hadn’t intended
suggested gloomily, “We’ve utterly embarrassed ourselves in front of our friends and relatives today. I’m sure that dad would only find us
Soon they’ll be knocking at our door, begging us for
shot him a rueful smile, “Come on, Nathan. We’ve had enough of your nonsense.
the pill away in front of everyone? What makes
sick, he has the cash and means to seek out the best medical treatment. He doesn’t need your pill
“Just relax, I’m convinced they’ll eat humble pie and return to us
from when he had
words. What made him so sure of
interrupted when Queenie mewled pitifully, “Queenie is hungry, Papa. When can we have our lunch? I saw them having so much food on their tables earlier!
birthday banquet. The exhaustive list was made up of glamorous and expensive dishes that had included Wagyu beef, foie gras, caviar, abalone, lobsters, and many more. Any single dish could cost them a month
can’t afford them.” Penny explained to her daughter, “Mama will cook you something else when we get
can’t afford them? Come on, let’s treat ourselves to
have the money, Nathan...” Penny trailed off in a
me pay for the meal. I do have a few pennies for that,” Nathan
bankroll of up to tens of millions. It had all meant nothing to
- the most
at the highest level of the highest building in Channing -
boasting the most premium ingredients and the most accomplished chefs who would whip up dishes that could
was exclusive, being available to only those who could
and position in
the Pinnacle, taking the exclusive elevator to the top of the
were daunted by the poshness of the place when they learned that Nathan was taking them to Cloud
so fancy and lavish, Penny,” Benson intercepted nervously. “I guess it would cost a
tens of thousands.” Penny stated taciturnly, “It is one of the most expensive restaurants in Channing, but it doesn’t just
is as good as daylight robbery. Where would we find the money
a tranquil smile, “Come on, guys. Don’t be silly, how
company were on their way into the
stopped at the entrance by a few men in well-tailored suits, who appeared to be the security of the restaurant. A man who seemed to be their supervisor gave them an unfriendly look and announced, “I’m sorry, according to our dress code, we deny entry to people
being dressed in Gucci, Armani, or
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!