Chapter 2025

Sam pondered how to connect with Ms. Young when he received a WeChat message from his mother, Lydia. The message stunned him:

“You bastard brat! How did you mess with Charlie Wade again?! Trevor from the Sun family just called, furious that you’ve caused more trouble. Charlie Wade wants to extend your Aurouss Hill punishment to two years!”

Sam nearly collapsed. “Two years?! That’ll kill me!” he exclaimed. “I’ve only been in Aurouss Hill for two days and I’m already fed up! I can’t even imagine another year, let alone two! Why has Charlie Wade added a year? How did I even offend him?”

He looked at Charlie Wade and blurted out, “Mr. Wade, I…”

Charlie Wade cut him off, handing him a cup of tea. He smiled faintly. “Mr. Kilgore, please. This tea is excellent; I brought it back from abroad. Drink it. Two years is two years. If you don’t drink it, it might become three, four, or even five.”

Sam’s face fell. He understood the threat. Charlie Wade wanted him to stay quiet. Two years for silence; three, four, or five for defiance.

His heart sank. “Charlie Wade is a devil! What have I ever done to deserve this?!” He wondered, “Could it be Doris? Did I offend him trying to pick up Ms. Young? She’s not even his woman! She’s the Emgrand Group vice-chairman! What business is it of yours, Charlie Wade? You’re too harsh!”

Sam’s despair was palpable. Others, equally surprised, stared at Charlie Wade, confused by the “two to three, four” comment.

Claire Wilson asked, “Charlie, what are you talking about? I don’t understand.”

Charlie smiled slightly. “My dear, I was just playing riddles with Mr. Kilgore. We discovered a shared fondness for riddles last time, so I improvised one.”

Claire nodded, smiling. “And the answer?”

Charlie chuckled. “The answer is irrelevant; it’s meaningless to reveal it.” He pushed the teacup towards Sam. “Mr. Kilgore, care for some tea?”

Sam knew refusing meant a longer stay in Aurouss Hill—perhaps three or four years. Damage control demanded he drink the tea.

His eyes welled up. “Two years! Living in this rundown town for two years is like being in jail! It might as well be jail! What sin did I commit to meet a beast like Charlie Wade? My life was fine before I met him! Since Jasmine’s birthday, nothing good has happened!”

A horrifying realization struck him: “Shit! I offended Charlie Wade trying to court Jasmine! He’s a beast! He’s married, his wife is beautiful, and yet he stops me from dating? Are all women his?”

Sam wanted nothing more than to avoid Charlie Wade for the rest of his life. Resigned, he tremblingly took the teacup, forcing a pained smile. “Mr. Wade, thank you. I’ll drink it.”