Chapter 94 An Exclusive Event
Before I’ve even entered the mansion, the insults I’d expected have already started!
In the blink of an eye, Jonathan’s expression went chilly.
The scenes from three years ago played in his mind once more.
“What has my dressing got to do with you?” Regarding Ezra coldly, he drawled, “Besides, I don’t think you have the right to decide whoever is allowed to attend the Smith family’s annual party, no? Has Hugo gotten up in years that you’re now the patriarch of the Smith family?”
“What did you just say?” Seeing that he still dared to talk back, Ezra immediately blew a gasket. “How dare you speak to me in such a manner, Jonathan?”
As far as I remember, he’s merely a useless live-in son-in-law. Every single time he attended the Smith family’s annual party, he always stood there meekly and allowed me to snub him without the guts to utter a retort! But today, he actually dared to answer back?
“Am I supposed to check the dictionary when I speak to you, making certain what I can and cannot say?” Jonathan riposted frostily.
“This is preposterous! How dare you talk to me so rudely when you’re simply a worthless bum?” Ezra was so infuriated by his words that his face flushed bright red. “Why are you still standing around, twiddling your thumbs, Connor? Hurry up and keep this good-for-nothing live-in son-in-law of yours in line!”
Hearing his name all of a sudden, Connor alternated his gaze between Ezra and Jonathan.
He stared at them both for a long time yet said nothing at all.
“Connor!” When he made no move to interfere after an eternity, Ezra went ballistic. “Are you going to do something about this, Connor? If you’re not, then I’ll do it for you!”
No sooner had he said that than he rolled up his sleeves, seemingly gearing up to get physical.
But at that precise moment, Josephine, who had been keeping mum, abruptly warned with a cold expression on her face, “Uncle Ezra, it’s the Smith family’s annual party today, so you’d best not make a fuss of things. Otherwise, the Smith family will truly be a laughingstock in the eyes of others! Furthermore, don’t you think that you’ve gone too far in your insults toward Jonathan?”
“I’ve gone too far?” Upon hearing that, Ezra grew so furious that the red splotches on his face deepened a shade. “Regardless of whether that’s true, so what if I were to insult him in even nastier terms? Isn’t it a fact that he’s a worthless live-in son-in-law? If he hadn’t married into the Smith family, do you think he has the right to attend such an exclusive event?”
“An exclusive event? Don’t flatter yourself thus!” Jonathan sniggered as a glint of contempt flashed across his eyes. “Such an annual party by the Smith family is considered an exclusive event?”
What’s an exclusive event? Only events I attend are considered exclusive events! Even if the patriarch of the most prominent family in Chanaea wants to see me, he has to make an appointment three days in advance. And that even depends on my mood! How could a mere Smith family compare?
“Listen to that! Is that something he should be saying?” When Ezra heard that, he grew so livid that steam was coming out of his ears. But just when his words fell, a sharp female voice rang out from the direction of the Smith mansion. “What’s all this commotion? I can hear you all making a racket out there from a few dozen meters away! Why is the lot of you squabbling here on such an occasion today? Are you all deliberately making a joke out of the Smith family?”
Following that, a middle-aged woman in a red gown walked out of the mansion.
She didn’t appear all that young but seemingly in her forties or fifties instead.
She was dripping in gold and silver, but despite her utmost efforts to present herself as a wealthy lady, she merely looked like a nouveau riche.
“Seraphina!” Ezra immediately greeted the middle-aged woman the moment he spotted her.
Even Connor did the same.
“You’re here, Connor?” The middle-aged woman, Seraphina Duvall, gave Connor a sidelong glance before she shifted her gaze to Josephine. “Oh, you’re here as well, Josephine!”
As for Margaret, Seraphina didn’t even deign to spare her a single glance.
“And this is…” Her gaze stilled on Jonathan for a moment. “Jonathan?”
She recognized him right away, and astonishment manifested on her face.
“It’s me,” Jonathan affirmed placidly.
“It’s really you?” Seraphina was all the more surprised. “Wasn’t it rumored that you died three years ago? How are you still alive?”
As soon as her words rang out, Jonathan’s gaze turned glacial.
“Oh gosh, look at my unruly tongue!” Seraphina hastily clapped a hand over her mouth and remarked with a chuckle, “How could I say something so inauspicious on such an occasion? Okay, stop bickering. Hurry up and come in so that the Smith family doesn’t become a laughingstock!”
She then gestured for them to head in. When Ezra saw that, he still wanted to argue, but a sharp glare from Seraphina had him promptly shutting his mouth and saying nary a word further.
Only after Jonathan and the others had gone in did he finally cave and ask, “Seraphina, why did you allow that deadbeat in? What’s the point of a dud like him going in? He’s only going to embarrass the Smith family.”
“What else could I do?” Glowering, Seraphina chided, “Was I supposed to kick up a huge fuss at the door like you? Don’t you find it mortifying?”
“But he—”
Ezra was going to speak further, only to be cut off by Seraphina. “That’s enough. Why would you bandy words with a worthless piece of trash? There are plenty of opportunities if you want to teach him a lesson. Just take it as allowing a dog in, okay? Anyhow, stop your nonsense. Mr. Swindell will be arriving soon. I spent a lot of effort to secure his attendance, so I’ll kill you if you do anything to ruin things!”
“Mr. Swindell will be coming as well?” Ezra’s expression instantly changed when he heard that name.
Oh my God, that’s the mayor of Jadeborough! Tons of families want to invite him to their annual party, but he never attends! Yet, he’s going to be attending the Smith family’s annual party?
“How did you get him to agree, Seraphina? I heard that he never attends such an event!” Ezra couldn’t help questioning.
“Never you mind! Just greet the guests properly!” Not in the mood to yak with him, Seraphina spun on her heels and headed back to the mansion on her beguiling high heels.
There was a maelstrom of voices in the mansion with swarms of people everywhere.
While there weren’t any prominent figures, there were a handful of people who had some status in Jadeborough.
The seats were still arranged according to status. Those higher in the ranks of society were seated toward the front, while those lower on the totem pole were seated near the door.
Surprisingly, even Connor, as the youngest son of the Smith family, was seated near the door.
In fact, they were only a few steps from the door.
“I’ve got to sit in such a crappy seat every single year!” Mere moments after they had taken their seats, Margaret couldn’t resist grumbling, “When are you going to have the right to sit in front, Connor? Aren’t you ashamed to be seated at the door even when it’s an annual party by the Smith family itself?”
