Chapter 43: Family, Calculation
“…” Oliver lowered his head, pretending not to know the woman.
“…” Violet was also stunned. How did she come up with that request?
Ethaniel, on the other hand, was not the least bit surprised. He even nodded in approval, “Sure.”
“I’ll pay three thousand three hundred,” Kayla said, pulling out her salary card.
“Wait,” Ethaniel leisurely raised his violet eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips, “That calculation doesn’t seem right. I ate the food you left, so it’s technically still your portion. You have to pay for the part I ate.”
“Uh?”
“And Ollie’s part. He only ate the arctic surf clam you gave him, right? He was serving you the whole time. Whether it was due to your behavior causing his nutritional imbalance or the value of his service output, you need to cover it.”
“What?” Kayla was even more confused.
Ethaniel looked at her dazed expression, his violet eyes softening momentarily, though his words were quite cruel, “So, your third might turn into a hundred percent.”
This eloquent man had turned the agreed split into her paying the entire bill. Was there anyone more shameless than him?
Kayla felt her heart bleeding…
With a charming yet wicked smile, Ethaniel took the salary card from Kayla’s hand.
Kayla resisted the urge to snatch it back with great difficulty.
Ethaniel glanced at her, smiling faintly, before tucking the card into his wallet and handing a black card to the waiter.
… What did that mean? Had his conscience finally kicked in?
Ethaniel reached out to ruffle her hair, “You probably don’t have much money on this card. I’ll deduct two thousand from it each month. The debt will be paid off in five months, interest-free. So, I’ll keep this card for now.”
“You bastard!” Kayla glared at him.
“Each insult will add five percent interest,” Ethaniel responded mercilessly.
“You-” Kayla wished she could kill him with her glare.
“As compensation, you can use this card,” Ethaniel waved the black card in front of Kayla, “You can withdraw two thousand five hundred each month for daily expenses. As for your salary, it will all go to me.”
Kayla was indignant, “I don’t want your card!”
Violet stared at the black card in Ethaniel’s fingers, shocked. It was a joint custom black card from Goldenshore Group and a world bank, with no withdrawal limit worldwide, issued to only a few select individuals. With this card, buying the entire Green Group wouldn’t be an issue!
“Take it or leave it,” Ethaniel started to pull back his hand, “Ollie, let’s go.”
“Hey!” Kayla quickly changed her tune, snatching the card from his fingers, pouting, “It’s ugly, all black.”
“Uncultured fool…” Oliver muttered disdainfully.
Kayla barely left the table before her hand was caught by five cool fingers.NôvelDrama.Org © content.
Instinctively, Kayla tried to pull away.
“Move again, and I’ll add five percent interest.”
“… Bastard!”
Violet was treated like air the whole time, standing there with her wet hair. She turned to see Ethaniel holding Kayla’s hand and bit her lip unconsciously…
—-
The Green Family mansion was filled with tension.
Aria, furious, glared at Sam, shouting, “Why should I marry that fool! I’m your daughter, I won’t do it!”
Sam sat on the sofa, frowning as he sternly looked at Aria, “The company is in financial trouble now. A marriage alliance is the only way to save the Green Family. You’re not young anymore, you’ll have to get married eventually. What’s the harm in making a small sacrifice now?”
Aria’s eyes were red, “Everyone knows that Clifton, the chairman of Taihee Group’s son, is a fool. How can you expect me to marry him? Are you trying to ruin my life?”
“Clifton isn’t a fool; he just has some mental challenges,” Sam reasoned with his daughter, “Besides, Clifton is the only child of Taihee Group’s chairman. Controlling Clifton means controlling half of Taihee Group. If you can give the Caden Family a son, you’ll own the entire Taihee Group.”
“I’d rather not have Taihee Group than marry that fool!” Aria yelled, turning to the middle-aged woman on the sofa, crying, “Mom, I won’t marry Clifton, I’d rather die!”
This middle-aged woman was Sam’s current wife, Eileen, and the mother of Aria, Violet, and Perez. Despite her years, she was still meticulously maintained.
Seeing Aria’s tear-stained face, Eileen’s heart ached. She turned to Sam, speaking softly, “Sam, Aria is our daughter. How can you bear to marry her off to a fool?”
“What do you know?” Sam snapped, “In the Estrica region, Taihee Group dominates trade. Now that Goldenshore Group has abandoned us, if we don’t find an external ally, the Green Family is doomed!”
“But it doesn’t have to be Clifton!” Aria protested, “I don’t care. I’m not marrying Clifton!”
“You will marry him, like it or not. If the Green Family falls, your good days are over,” Sam retorted harshly.
“There’s more than just me in this family,” Aria pushed Violet forward, “Why should I be the one to sacrifice for the Green Family!”
Just then, the door to the mansion opened. Violet had returned.
Aria felt a pang of guilt and avoided her gaze.
Violet had clearly heard the conversation. Her face, already tense, darkened even more as she slumped into the sofa, silent.
Eileen, knowing her youngest daughter’s temperament well, noticed how out of character Violet’s current state was. Her hair and clothes were wet too.
Eileen instructed a servant to fetch a towel and asked curiously, “Violet, what happened? Your sister speaks without thinking. Don’t be mad at her.”
“Yes, I was just speaking my mind. We shouldn’t have to marry,” Aria added quickly.
Violet glared at Aria, “If you don’t want to marry Clifton, let someone else do it.”
Aria, thinking Violet was still angry with her, quickly explained, “Violet, it’s just us two daughters in the family. I didn’t mean it that way. Don’t misunderstand.”
“It’s not just us two,” Violet’s eyes narrowed, “We also have Kayla.”
“Her?” Aria frowned, “She wouldn’t agree to marry Clifton, would she?”
Violet sneered, “If she doesn’t agree, do we have no other way? She has a mother as foolish as Clifton. If we control her, Kayla won’t have a choice.”
Aria, furious, declared, “Violet and I won’t marry and if we don’t get Taihee Group’s funding, we’re all finished.”
“Dad, we’re just inviting that woman over, not kidnapping her. If Kayla agrees, she’s a Green Family daughter. It won’t be bad for her,” Violet’s persuasion had clearly swayed Sam.
“Fine,” Sam sighed, finally nodding, “So, how do you plan to invite that woman to our home?”