âWell, you said it yourself.â Oscar didnât seem pleased.
He believed in keeping oneâs word and actions consistent. Changing oneâs mind like this wasnât the right way to do things; it lacked integrity.
Seeing Oscarâs displeasure, Sonia dared not refuse anymore and said, âIâll do it, Old Mr. Ryker. Please donât be upset.
âWoof! Woof!â
Everyone erupted in laughter as Soniaâs face turned beet red, wanting nothing more than to bury herself.
âEmmeline, I didnât know you were hiding such talents.â Oscar turned to Emmeline. âThat said, I like your role. We can write together whenever youâre free.â
âI dare not, Grandfather.â Emmeline smiled. âIâve merely adopted the alias of Aurora Winters for entertainment and participated in a few competitions. I honestly didnât think Iâd win any of them. It was purely by chance.â
âDonât be so modest!â Oscar was delighted. âYour achievements bring honor to the family. It reflects well on me as well.â
âThank you for your encouragement, Grandfather!â Emmeline replied happily.
Abel held Emmelineâs hand with suppressed ecstasy and said, âHow dare you keep this from your husband? You better be ready for what Iâll do-â To you tonight.
Emmeline hurriedly covered her husbandâs mouth, not letting him finish his words. âThere are a bunch of people around!â she reprimanded in a whisper.
So, Abel could only whisper in her ear, âOnce weâre home tonightâ¦â
Emmeline blushed.
While Emmeline and Abel were playfully teasing each other, Sonia was seething with anger. First, they treat me like a thespian, and then they make me bark like a dog! How dare they bully me like this?!
âMom,â Sonia whispered to Michaela. âWhen are we going to pull our trump card out?! I canât take it anymore! I want that Emmeline to be done with. I donât want to wait a minute longer!â
âSoon,â Michaela whispered back. âWhen everyoneâs birthday wishes start playing, ours will follow suit.
Be patient. Emmeline wonât stay smug much longer.â
The garden was filling up with more and more guests, each coming to wish Old Mr. Ryker a happy birthday.
In previous years, some guests would bring banners with congratulatory messages, often with well-
wishes from their businesses or personal connections. These banners were vibrant and eye-catching, adorning the garden and creating a festive atmosphere. However, with the advancement of technology in recent years, these traditional banners have been replaced by congratulatory videos. Now, various companies, individuals, and families would prerecord their greetings and send them on USB drives as part of their gifts.
As the USB drives were collected, the emcee, with Old Mr. Rykerâs approval, began to project the videos onto the stage backdrop.
The guests watched the prerecorded birthday wishes as if they were watching a movie, creating an exciting and immersive experience. This modern approach not only reduced post-event waste but also proved to be more convenient and engaging.
It began with the Harrowgate family from Struyria. The head of the family stood alongside. his children, grandchildren, and children-in-law, totaling about ten people. They all stood together and offered their blessings, wishing Mr. Ryker a life as abundant as the eastern sea and longevity exceeding the southern mountains.
Oscar was delighted, squinting his eyes as he chuckled and nodded repeatedly.
Next came the Harrowgate family members, who were also present at the gathering. They had met with Old Mr. Ryker in the hall earlier, and their gift had been listed on the gift registry in advance, ensuring everything was in order.
Following this pattern, most of the video greetings played out. Some videos even came from overseas, containing gifts and well-wishes, but the senders themselves were absent. For such cases, the Ryker family would send acknowledgments afterward, as there was no formal. reception for these guests.
Michaela and Sonia sat together, their hearts pounding. With each video played, they couldnât help but hold their breath.
They had no idea where their USB drive was in the queue, as it could have been copied to any position. Perhaps the next one would be theirs.
After four or five more video greetings, the moment they had been waiting for finally arrived -their video greeting started playing!