Chapter 93 The Annual Party
“They’re not going to see it even if you kiss me…”
With an arm wrapped around Josephine’s waist, Jonathan was just about to capture her lips, but she broke free and sprinted downstairs as though fleeing for her life.
When Jonathan went downstairs, the family of four was already dolled up, ready to leave anytime.
As soon as Margaret spotted Jonathan’s casual dressing, her expression abruptly darkened. “Are you going like this, Jonathan?”
“Is there a problem?” Jonathan countered blasely.
In the past few years, all I ever wore was a military uniform aside from casual clothes. I’ve hardly worn anything else.
“Do you know the occasion today?” With a wintry expression on her face, Margaret enunciated, “It’s the Smith family’s annual party today, and everyone will be attending in formal attire. Do you want to be the only person dressed casually? And are you trying to have us humiliated with you deliberately?”
“You’ll be humiliated with me just because I’m not dressed as ostentatiously as you in attending the party?” Jonathan then sneered, “Do you perchance think that the Smith family’s annual party is some international event?”
He wasn’t in the mood to bicker with her.
If she had nicely coaxed me into changing, perhaps I wouldn’t have had any objections. Unfortunately, I simply can’t stand her sarcastic remarks!
“Are you going to change or not?” Margaret lambasted while pointing her finger at him, her expression frosty.
“No.”
Jonathan’s made his stance abundantly clear.
“You’re not allowed to attend the annual party today if you’re not changing!” With a harrumph, she barked, “Let’s go!”
Having said that, she stalked away.
I’d rather he not attend than to be humiliated alongside him!
“Do you think you have the right to decide whether I can attend?” Jonathan arched a brow, not giving in to her pompous attitude.
“Who can decide if not me?” Margaret instantly got up in arms upon hearing that.
But when she was just about to unleash her wrath, Josephine cut her off. “That’s enough! Stop arguing! Jonathan was the one who prepared the gift, so what right do you have to forbid him from attending? It’s just clothes, no? Never mind if he doesn’t want to change!”
Her unexpected defense of Jonathan had Margaret’s expression contorting into a mask of fury at once. “Whose side are you on, you wretch? He prepared the gift, you said? Where did he get the money? It’s from you, no? He has been using your money to buy a gift for the Smith family’s annual party, hasn’t he?”
“It’s different this year!” In a frigid voice, Josephine maintained, “This year, he bought the gift out of his own pocket!”
“Fine! Continue acting with him to dupe me!” Margaret didn’t believe her in the least. “We’ll see who ends up being an embarrassment when we arrive at the Smith mansion! What do I care if he wants to go?”
After saying that, she stormed off.
Outside the door, the car Josephine booked in advance was already waiting.
Opening the car door, Jonathan was just about to sit in the back seat with Josephine when Margaret ordered him to sit in the front. “Go and sit in the passenger’s seat! You’re unworthy of sitting in the back seat!”
Glancing at her, Jonathan ignored her entirely and sat down beside Josephine.
“How dare you?” When Margaret saw that her words had fallen on deaf ears, and he paid her no mind, her chest heaved violently. “Do you hear me, Jonathan?”
Still, Jonathan disregarded her and acted as though he didn’t hear her.
Connor urged, “All right. That’s enough. Hurry up and get into the car! We’re going to be late if you don’t make haste!”
“Zip it!”
Glaring at him, Margaret climbed into the front seat.
The car then left Edenic Heights and headed toward the city center.
Despite having a city center, Jadeborough wasn’t all that big in reality. In the past, the affluent loved living in the city center since they relished the lively atmosphere.
Presently, however, they preferred living in the suburbs, as they were fond of being close to nature.
The wealthier one was, the further away from the city center one lived.
“When we arrive later, just turn a deaf ear to whatever they say,” Josephine murmured to Jonathan in the back seat.
Although they hadn’t yet reached the Smith mansion, she could already guess how those people from the Smith family were going to harp on Jonathan.
After all, it’s the same every single year. As long as he attends the party, they’ll use every weapon in their arsenal to humiliate him!
“Okay,” Jonathan replied softly.
At the same time, the scene of those people from the Smith family heaping scorn on him during the Smith family’s annual party a few years back inexorably flashed in his mind.
I was the easiest prey there since I’m a live-in son-in-law? For that reason, none of them had any respect for me!
Half an hour later, the car drew to a stop in front of a mansion.
The area occupied by the mansion was meager. Compared to the mansion owned by the Blackwood family, this mansion couldn’t be considered a mansion at all. At most, it was merely a vast courtyard.
And if compared to No. 1 Villa, it was absolutely pathetic.
No. 1 Villa was the most expensive mansion in Jadeborough, with its construction alone costing hundreds of millions.
In terms of its size and geographical area, this mansion owned by the Smith family couldn’t even hold a candle to it.
“We’re here.”
When the car door was opened, the few of them alighted from the car, one after another.
By then, a crowd had formed in front of the Smith mansion.
There was row after row of luxurious cars. While they weren’t exorbitant, they all cost at least a million.
A family that had fallen from grace was still more influential than others. Despite being considered a third-rate family, the Smith family had existed in Jadeborough for at least a few decades, so they had some connections.
“Uncle Ezra.”
The person who was greeting the guests at the door was none other than Josephine’s uncle, Ezra.
He was initially all smiles, but the second he caught sight of Josephine and her family, the smile on his face vanished in an instant. “What time is it now? Didn’t I say that you’re to arrive at eight o’clock on the dot? Do you know the meaning of punctuality?”
Before they had even stepped into the mansion, they were hauled over the coals by the man.
Despite being all high and mighty at home, Margaret didn’t even dare utter a single word of protest in front of Ezra.
“There was heavy traffic on our way here, Uncle Ezra.” In the end, it was Josephine who stepped out and answered him.
“Okay, whatever! Just go in!” Ezra waved a hand impatiently. He was going to greet the next group of guests, but the moment he spotted Jonathan, his expression promptly darkened. “Who brought him here? Didn’t I tell you last night that you’re not to bring him here, Josephine?”
“Uncle Ezra…” When Josephine heard him saying such a thing in front of everyone without any regard for Jonathan’s dignity, her expression similarly darkened. “He’s part of our family, so why isn’t he allowed to come?”
“Do you really not know why I forbade you from bringing him?” Snorting, Ezra threw Jonathan a disdainful glance and taunted, “What use is a worthless piece of trash like him other than to embarrass the Smith family? Look at his clothes! He’s not even wearing something decent! Does he know the occasion today? How could he simply wear such shabby clothes?”
