Chapter 147

Amber stepped out of the dealership, her face still a shade too pale, her hands

shaking slightly.

She was the General Manager of New Chesire Group, second in command only to

Patrick. In truth, however, Patrick was hardly ever at the company. Amber was the

one with the real clout, managing finances and personnel.

She tackled major challenges for the company recently, facing one crisis after

another.

However, to casually drop nearly 3.6 million to buy her parents cars was beyond her

wildest dreams.

“Amber, time to hop in,” Alexander called out, already in the driver’s seat. He settled Olivia into the back and tapped the

passenger seat invitingly. “The cars will be here

tomorrow. No need to worry.”

Amber managed a wry smile.

It was not about worry; it was sheer disbelief. Just how deep were Alex’s pockets? He

Amber had only been in the car for a short while when she pulled a worried face and retrieved her phone from her crossbody

bag.

It was her aunt calling.

“Could this be about...” Her heart raced as she looked at the caller ID.

The end of September was a time her aunt rarely reached out except for one thing: Grandma’s birthday was the big event of the

season!

“I understand,” Amber answered with a forced smile and quickly ended the call.

What a nuisance.

Her aunt loved to make a big deal out of Grandma’s birthday, throwing a lavish party and expecting the whole clan to show up—

no exceptions.

However, her aunt’s motives were not all about respect. She was more interested in rubbing elbows with the wealthy and

powerful guests, always looking to snag a favor or two. She ran the show, calling the shots from start to finish.

In the past, when money was tight, Susanne could barely scrape together a modest gift, sometimes just 30 dollars. At every

party, the family’s stinginess was the talk of the town, leaving them to face a barrage of snide remarks and scornful glances.

This time, I’m going with Mom and Dad. We're all in.” Alexander, who knew the

situation, gripped the wheel and offered Amber a reassuring smile. “I’ve got the gift for Grandma covered. You don’t have to

worry about anything.”

“But...”

Amber started to protest but then just nodded, resigned.

Alex had been back for a while but had not yet met her grandmother. Her eightieth

birthday bash was the perfect chance. Besides, on such a milestone day, there was no way she would miss it-not with Patrick

and Susanne sure to be there.

They were going, no question about it.

The next morning, in the old town of Ol‘ Mare, the Braine family gathered.

The Braine family’s home was buzzing with excitement, both inside the courtyard and spilling out onto the street. The old

neighborhood had not been designed with parking in mind, so guests’ cars lined the block outside the community entrance.

Inside, the limited parking was already packed. Thankfully, the Braines‘ ground- floor apartment came with a quaint twenty—

square—meter courtyard spacious enough for the gathering crowd.

“We're out of plates! Someone dash to the store and grab more!”

“Who picked out these veggies? They're not even fresh! Swap them out! I only buy top-notch imported greens. What did you do,

store them for the dogs?”

“Sis, where’s the dress I got for Mom? Get her changed, quick! It’s a high-end piece Cirroc brought from Europe and costs a

pretty penny!”

Carmela Braine’s booming voice dominated the courtyard chatter. A hefty woman

with a commanding presence, she had married Gavin Lowe, a government worker

with enough clout to be known around the old quarter.

Ever since, Carmela had taken the reins of the Braine household, parading around as

if she owned the place, making sure everyone knew she had married up.

“Where’s big sis? What's taking them so long?” Carmela grumbled, peering out the

gate as the clock neared noon. “Sure, they’re strapped for cash, but they could at

least show up to lend a hand. I’m swamped here!”

Gavin lounged on the couch, munching on snacks with a sneer. “Patrick? That guy’s a lost cause. Big sis must've been blind to

marry him. And their daughter Amber,

hitched to some lowly grunt? That family’s got no vision.”

“If they don’t show, there’s no skin off my back. It’s not like they’d bring anything.

worth having anyway!”

Just a stone’s throw away, Carmela’s sister Yessica Braine caught a glimpse of the scene and chimed in with some perspective,

“Big sister’s clan hasn't shown up, and neither has your boy Cirroc, right? Dinner’s not even ready yet. We're not in a rush.”

Carmela, arms akimbo and with a huff, retorted, “What do you know, sis? Cirroc just got his driver’s license, and Gavin splurged

on a new car for him, which cost a pretty penny too—over twenty thousand dollars!”

Beep, beep, beep!

No sooner had Carmela finished her sentence than a series of assertive honks

echoed from the community's gate.

“That honk’s unmistakable. It's gotta be Cirroc!” The sound of the horn sent a wave of excitement across Carmela’s face. “Let’s

go, folks! Time to check out Cirroc’s new

ride!”

With that, she dashed back inside, gently guiding the frail old woman, Missus Thompson, and made their way to the entrance of

the community.

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