Chapter 417: Fools

[Mama]

"Congratulations on your new car, Slater," Allison congratulated happily, reaching out to hold her youngest son’s hand. "I’m really happy for you. You deserve it."

Slater smiled arrogantly. "Thanks, Mom. I’m so proud of myself too."

"That’s your car?" Jessa, who was standing near the table with her eyes on the entrance where Slater’s car was parked, scoffed. "It’s ugly."

Slater scowled. "Aunt Jessa, you don’t even have a sports car. How can you tell?"

"It’s ugly," Atlas commented casually while placing a handkerchief on his lap. "Aunt Jessa might not have a car, but her scooter’s better than that. I would ride her scooter and not that filth."

"Hehe." Jessa snickered as she walked over to the table. Passing by Atlas, she ruffled his hair. "Good boy."

Instead of smiling, Atlas stiffened when he felt Jessa’s hand run through his hair. "Aunt Jessa, did you disinfect your hand?"

"Why don’t you smell your head and find out?" Jessa smirked as she sat down beside Haines. She raised an eyebrow at him. "What? Do you have a problem with me?"

"I’m not looking for a fight," Haines chuckled. "Don’t look at me like you’re going to butcher me. I’m innocent."

"Tsk." Jessa shook her head and clicked her tongue. "No man is as courageous as my husband. It takes a real man to handle a real woman."

"You mean a crazy woman?" Slater blurted out, flinching when Jessa’s eyes glinted at him. "Hehe, I’m not talking about you, Aunt Jessa. I just remembered a script — hehe. Right, a script."

"You boys always come in just as we’re about to close. I hope you all know how to wash dishes." Jessa shook her head. "Should we charge them double, Ali?"

Allison chuckled. "Don’t worry about it." She winked, already having done just that.

"Mhm..." Charles cleared his throat and glanced at his eldest son. He knew Jessa and Allison would charge him double because they came in late. Before he could even ask Atlas to split the bill, Atlas spoke up.

"I haven’t gotten my paycheck yet."

Charles sighed and shifted his eyes to Haines. Surely, his cousin wouldn’t let him down. But Haines was busy talking to Jessa, deliberately ignoring him.

’Hah!’ Charles scoffed internally, trying again to get Haines’s attention. But even in such a small space, his calls for Haines fell on deaf ears. Even when he tried to call Haines’s phone, Haines shamelessly rejected the call right in front of him!

Charles clicked his tongue and shot Hugo a meaningful look.

Hugo smiled kindly at his father, causing Charles to heave a sigh of relief — until Hugo spoke, still smiling.

"I just bought a motorbike, Dad. It’s not even fully paid yet. A soldier’s benefits are good, but my pay is just enough. Thanks for the meal, though."

Charles’s heart sank, and his eyes accidentally fell on Penny. She smiled at him sweetly and spoke before he could say anything.

"I’ll eat to my heart’s content, Daddy!" she giggled, taking a bite.

Charles wasn’t going to ask his daughter to pay, but he couldn’t help but sigh. Then, surprisingly, Slater volunteered.

"Dad, I’ll pay for tonight’s meal," Slater said with a charming smile, practically glowing. "Don’t worry about it. Your youngest son is the richest, most generous, and most successful Bennet. A simple meal for the family? I don’t mind paying. So, everyone should just eat. I have plenty to spare."

Atlas, Hugo, Haines, and even Penny lifted their sharp eyes toward Slater.

’Richest?’ Atlas’s ears perked up.

Hugo: ’Most generous?’

Penny: ’Most successful?’

Haines: ’Among the Bennets?’

"Among the Bennets?" Charles laughed, waving his hand. "Never mind, my son. Never mind."

Jessa and Allison furrowed their brows, sensing a shift in the atmosphere. Allison opened her mouth but was too tired from the day to try and stop the inevitable.

"Jessi," Allison smiled at Jessa, "Shall we open our most expensive wine?"

Jessa raised an eyebrow. "That one bottle no one’s ever bought?"

"Tonight... someone — or exactly six people — will want to buy it for us." Allison grinned. "Let’s enjoy it."

"Hohoho~!" Jessa laughed, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

Sure enough, Allison was right. One minute later, everyone was volunteering to pay, fighting over the bill and urging Jessa and Allison to hand it over.

Meanwhile, Allison and Jessa simply said, "Yes," while enjoying their wine, not handing over the bill until they felt like it. They simply watched them argue as if they were watching a noontime soap.

When they finally saw the bill, Hugo was the first to sulk in the corner, hugging himself as dark clouds formed over his head.

"I am broke as hell," he muttered, drawing circles on the floor.

"This is unreasonable," Atlas remarked, glaring at his mother and Jessa. "This is robbery."

Jessa smiled, raising her wineglass toward him. "If you can’t afford it, let your little brother or sister pay for you." She shared a look with Allison, who chuckled at her provocation.

The veins in Atlas’s forehead protruded, but he held back his anger, knowing Jessa was trying to provoke him.

"Penny, don’t argue with us," Charles, Haines, and Slater said in unison. "Just join your mother and aunt. We’ll settle this."

Haines nodded toward Penny. "Enjoy some wine with them."

"Penny, stop showing off," Slater added, shaking his head. "Just because you’re running a small business doesn’t mean you should act like this."

Penny’s eyes lit up with fury but before she could respond, Atlas pushed her aside.

"Get out of here," he said coldly, stepping in to face the others. "Slater, you’re just a little famous. It’s not good to splurge. Learn some financial literacy."

Slater scoffed, more insulted by being called "a little" famous than the comment about his finances.

Penny, meanwhile, glanced at her mother and aunt, who smiled at her. Jessa even crooked a finger, signaling Penny to join them.

"Just let those fools fight over who’s going to pay," Jessa playfully remarked as Penny sat between them. "Here, have a drink."