Chapter 256 - 255: That’s Just How He Is, Not One to Smile

The smiles on Charles Lowell and Mr. Grant’s faces faded a little. The voice had clearly stirred up some unpleasant memories.

Yvonne Lowell looked back curiously and saw a slightly pudgy middle-aged man walking toward them.

His sharp, downward-slanting eyes were filled with malice, and the corners of his mouth drooped slightly. Yet, he somehow wore an expression that was both sneering and smug. ’Where is he getting that from?’

Since he had deliberately shouted while he was still approaching, he had already attracted the attention of quite a few people. ’Oh, so that’s where he gets it.’

Accompanying him was a beautiful woman who looked to be just a few years older than Yvonne Lowell.

Yvonne Lowell narrowed her eyes, her gaze probing as she sized up the pair.

’Did I just... see disgust and hatred in that woman’s eyes?’

But it wasn’t directed at their group—it was for the spiteful man whose arm she was holding.

Her movements seemed intimate, but every gesture carried an air of detachment, as if she couldn’t wait to get away from him—like she might run off to be fully disinfected the very next second.

’Ooh, now this is interesting...’

Charles Lowell glanced up at the man, his face an emotionless mask. His tone held a note of confusion.

"And you are?"

The man’s spiteful expression nearly cracked. "I’m Ethan Bishop! We were in the same class! You really don’t remember me?!"

"Oh, sorry about that. It’s been too long, and our class was pretty big, so I honestly don’t remember. Was there something you needed?"

Charles Lowell said nonchalantly.

’So what if he doesn’t remember you? What are you going to do about it? Does a person need to pick an auspicious date just to forget someone?’

But this was always how he conducted himself publicly, so no one could find any real fault with his behavior.

Besides, anyone with eyes could see that this Ethan Bishop fellow had been the one to start trouble.

Even if Charles Lowell were to slap him across the face right then and there, no one would say he was in the wrong.

Onlooker A: Exactly! He already said he was sorry, what more does the guy want? Haven’t you heard? The one who starts it is the asshole!

Onlooker B: Officer, I can testify! It was that guy, whatever-his-name-is, who smashed his own face into the other man’s palm! He’s trying to frame him! Arrest him!!

"Old Man Lowell, you still haven’t fixed that sourpuss habit of yours after all these years. If I didn’t know you so well, I’d almost think you were intentionally giving our old classmate the cold shoulder."

Mr. Grant nudged Charles Lowell with his elbow as if in reproach, then turned to Ethan Bishop and smiled, though the expression held no apology.

"My dear classmate, after all those years together, you should know what he’s like. You’re not going to hold it against him, are you? That’s just how he is—born with a permanent scowl. Anyway, it’s been ages. What have you been up to? Where are you working now?"

Yvonne Lowell brought a fist to her lips, turning her head to let out a soft cough and hide the smile tugging at her mouth.

’There’s a reason those two have been inseparable since the womb. After that whole song and dance from Mr. Grant, who wouldn’t be left completely bewildered?’

Mr. Grant’s inner monologue: ’Hold up, let me just find the moral high ground. Once I’m on top, I’ll start shooting.’

It was unclear which of Mr. Grant’s words did it, but something he said must have given Ethan Bishop the perfect opening he was looking for.

He straightened his tie, and with a passive-aggressive tone laced with a barely concealed smugness, he said,

"Unlike you guys, I don’t have a powerful father. I had to build my own small company in Keldor with my own two hands. Thankfully, my little darling here is my good luck charm. I just successfully signed a massive deal worth over a billion with a Hong Kong investor, and we’re currently preparing for our IPO."

The other onlookers, who were only pretending to be in conversation while actually focusing all their attention on this scene, almost burst out laughing.

They’d been thinking, given the status of the Grant and Lowell Families, that for this guy to be so arrogant—despite none of them, mere NPCs in this drama, having any idea who he was—he must be the heir to some hidden, powerful clan or an overseas aristocratic family with a throne waiting to be inherited.

But this was it???

It was so anticlimactic it was hilarious.

After he finished speaking, Ethan Bishop stared at the two "arch-nemeses" who had overshadowed him and made him lose face throughout their four years of university, his expression a mixture of mockery and smugness.

He had expected to see them become angry out of pure humiliation, or at least look ashamed and insecure.

Instead, Charles Lowell’s expression remained unchanged. In fact, he even looked somewhat sincere.

"To be honest, my dad’s abilities are just average. The main thing is that our ancestors left behind a big enough fortune for me to burn through.

By the way, that billion-plus deal you mentioned—are you talking about M Yuan? Converted, that would be over ten billion. That’s pretty decent, I guess."

’You disgusting son of a bitch! You want to put on an act? Go on, keep your fucking act up!’

’Bring it on! Let’s see who’s the bigger poser!’

’Where were you before? You had to wait until my daughter was here to come start trouble? How much of a prick can you be, you big oaf?!’

"Old Man Lowell, your people skills are just... ahem! Oh, my dear classmate," he said, turning to Ethan. "You really can’t take him seriously. And this young lady next to you must be the one you just mentioned? Is this your daughter? My, she’s all grown up. Such a beautiful child, she must get her looks from her mother."

Mr. Grant had a smile on his face, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

One of them played the part of a brilliant but socially inept CEO, ready to argue with anything and everything. The other was the two-faced peacemaker, twisting the knife with a gentle smile.

And this seamless, flawless routine of theirs left Ethan Bishop red-faced and fuming with rage.

Before Ethan Bishop could start yapping, the woman spoke up gracefully,

"Thank you for your compliments, Mr. Grant, but I’m actually Old Man White’s second wife. My name is Lynn White.

I do apologize. Our Old Man White hasn’t been feeling well lately, so sometimes he speaks without thinking. I hope you can all be the bigger person and not hold it against him."

An intriguing smile played on Yvonne Lowell’s lips. On the surface, Lynn White’s words seemed to be an apology on Ethan Bishop’s behalf, but she was indirectly calling him an idiot while simultaneously fanning the flames of animosity against him.

Moreover, she had a feeling that what Lynn White really wanted to say was: ’Everyone, please don’t mind him for a moment. Let me go first!’

But naturally, Ethan Bishop completely missed Lynn White’s true meaning. Instead, he glared at her with a look of displeasure.

"Babe, I wasn’t wrong, so why are you apologizing?! Some people are only where they are today because of their family background! Is it a crime to tell the truth now?"

’Wow. So he didn’t feel bad for her having to swallow her pride and apologize on his behalf; he just thought he wasn’t in the wrong.’

Yvonne Lowell couldn’t stop her lips from twitching. She leaned close to Leo Grant and whispered,

"You’re forbidden from ever calling me that. I think I have PTSD from that word now! It gives me goosebumps all over. What a nasty habit."

A knowing smile flashed in Leo Grant’s eyes. "Alright. Then I’ll just call you something else."