Chapter 1420

Every time he thought of the injustices she had suffered in the past and the hardships she had once endured, Jean’s heart felt as if it was being sliced by a knife.

The pain was so intense that he could barely breathe.

And the thought of those greedy foster parents ignited a surge of anger from deep within his heart.

“This amount of money is more than enough for a rural family. How could they have the nerve to ask you for medical expenses?”

Neera flashed him a wry smile, tinged with a touch of helplessness.

“My foster father, though poor, had an extraordinary love for gambling. Most of the money was lost to his gambling, and what was left was used to furnish the house. Now, their life is just ordinary, but such a life is definitely not satisfying for them. People’s desires are insatiable. Knowing my current situation, they naturally wouldn’t want to give up on me.”

She then flashed him a confident smile and playfully tousled the man’s hair as she continued, “But rest assured, I won’t let them take advantage of me for no reason. I have my own ways to deal with them.”

Jean naturally knew that she was clever and capable of finding solutions. Yet, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache.

“If you don’t want to deal with them, I can help you sort it out,” he suggested after a moment’s hesitation.

Neera smiled. “Don’t worry; I’m fine.”

Early the next morning, Neera received the hospital bill.

Seeing the long list of medical tests and the extremely expensive medication bill, Neera could only respond with a sneer.

She found the couple’s behavior utterly disgraceful, but she had grown accustomed to it, so she didn’t take it to heart.

No matter how they choose to act out, she wouldn’t care.

That day, after finishing the design draft, Neera sent it to Levi, asking him to help find the best raw gemstone, stating that he could accept it regardless of the price.

Levi gladly agreed.

After resolving a matter of great concern, Neera stretched lazily and finally stepped out of the study.

At that moment, Jean and Chad were playing chess in the living room. Hearing her footsteps, they turned their heads toward her, their eyes filled with a faint hint of amusement.

The moment his gaze met hers, an uncontrollable smile spread across Neera’s face.

With a spring in her step, she walked over and stood beside him, her gaze lowered to observe the chess game.

“Um… It seems like you’re on the verge of losing, Uncle Chad.”

11:03 Fri, 1 Dec With a helpless sigh, Chad scattered the remaining chess pieces in his hand across the board.

“All right, all right, no more. No matter how much we continue, it’s clear I’m the one losing. My nephew-

in-law’s chess skills are indeed exceptional. I admit, I’m outmatched.”

Jean’s eyebrows lifted in amusement, his face radiating an indescribable confidence. He modestly said, “It’s only because you let me win, Uncle Chad.”

At this point, Adriana also came over to join in the fun, teasing Chad by saying, “No more winning, huh? You used to always crush me at chess. Now someone’s giving you a taste of your own medicine.

And it’s my nephew-in-law, no less.”

Chad couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re really something, Adriana. Your man loses, and you come over to kick him while he’s down. Whose side are you really on?”

Without a second thought, Adriana took Neera’s arm and said confidently, “I stand with Neera, of course. Jean is Neera’s husband, so it’s only natural that I would support them.”

Feigning heartache, Chad said, “It seems I really don’t have much of a standing in this household.”

The four of them were chatting and laughing, the atmosphere was just right, when suddenly the butler came forward to report.

“The vice president of the Bartitsu Guild has arrived.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the laughter abruptly ceased.

The four of them exchanged glances, their expressions involuntarily turning serious.

“Let him in,” Chad said indifferently.

Soon, Matthew walked in, with his assistant, Darren, trailing behind him.

Matthew, leaning on his cane, was dressed in traditional attire, his expression stern and serious.

Upon entering the living room, his gaze swept over everyone present. Then, parting his furrowed lips.

slightly, he said, “Everyone’s here, perfect. I came personally because there’s something I need to discuss with you all.”

His voice was aged yet steady and powerful, carrying an inexplicable sense of pressure.

Neera exchanged a glance with Chad, then said with a smile, “What brought you here, sir? Please, have a seat.”

Afterward, she turned her head and instructed the butler to brew some coffee and prepare some snacks.

However, Matthew interrupted her, “That won’t be necessary. I came here for an important matter. I’ll leave once I’m done. I won’t stay long.”

Neera’s eyebrows twitched slightly, already guessing the purpose of his visit, but she pretended to know nothing, nodding and saying, “All right. Whatever it is, just say it.”

Matthew’s murky eyes swept around, first landing on her, then on Chad. His mustache twitched slightly above his lips, his voice raspy as he began to question them.

11:03 Fri, 1 Dec \ R slightly above his lips, his voice raspy as he began to question them.

༣༤༣ 74%

“Ms. Garcia, have you given any thought to the matter we discussed earlier? I believe it’s time for you to give me a response today, isn’t it?”

Neera blinked, maintaining her polite smile, courteous yet subtly distant.

“You really are a punctual person, Mr. Lozano. You said you wanted a result early this morning, and here you are. You could have just given me a call, though. I can’t be troubling you to come here in person, can I?”

Matthew nodded nonchalantly in response. “I’ve always been a person of my word. When I give you a timeframe, that’s the timeframe you get. Unlike some people, who keep postponing things. I really don’t know what games they’re playing with me.”

His words, both overtly and covertly, were laced with sarcasm toward Neera.

Even so, Neera acted as though she didn’t notice his sarcasm and continued to smile faintly at him.

“You sure are straightforward with your words, Mr. Lozano. Speaking with someone like you really saves me a lot of energy. Since that’s the case, I won’t beat around the bush with you any longer. To be honest, I was very tempted by the invitation you previously extended to the Gordon family. After all, who wouldn’t be tempted by the opportunity to leap from the position of the ninth elder seat to the third elder seat? Moreover, the benefits you promised to the Gordon family also made us feel greatly honored.”

At this point, she abruptly changed the subject, speaking candidly, finally laying her cards on the table with him.

“However, I must regretfully inform you that the Gordon family has decided not to accept your invitation.”