Chapter 204 Swallowing the Bitter Pill in Silence
In the car, a man was restless, chilled to the bone.
The driver kept glancing at Myron through the rear-view mirror, sweating bullets from nerves.
Suddenly, a low laugh emerged from the man's throat. Everything was coming back to life, the iceberg was thawing.
It was as if the gloomy shadows of winter had been swept away, replaced by the scorching heat of summer.
The driver let out a long sigh of relief.
Although Myron's expression had remained unchanged until now, the intensity of his gaze that was fixed on the screen was unsettling.
When the driver saw him finally crack a smile, he felt a heavy load lift off his shoulders.
Myron lounged back in his seat, embodying lazy elegance and comfort. His long, well-defined fingers were interlaced over his lower abdomen, while a small, sleek Bluetooth headset adorned his ear.
He was pretty pleased with Luann's response.
The conversation continued on the other end of the phone.
It was a sweltering summer day, but Wilber Gilbert felt icy cold, as if he had plummeted into an ice cellar. A chill seeped from every pore, causing him to shiver uncontrollably.
Luann Weaver's words had taken a sharp knife and plunged it deep into his heart.
But what could he do?
He was solely responsible for what happened today. He was the architect of his own misfortune.
Regret filled his heart to the brim, making him miserably uncomfortable.
"Don't waste any more time here. Get in the car."
Before entering the vehicle, Luann Weaver glanced back at a Maybach parked near the roadside.
Myron looked up, offering her a gentle, teasing smile. Outside the car, Luann couldn't see Myron. But she knew that he must be watching her.
The car quickly stopped at the Gilberts' apartment building.
Luann got out of the back seat, taking a gift with her toward the residence.
In contrast, Wilber followed like a guest while she approached like the lady of the house.
When the servant saw her, he was momentarily taken aback, but he hurried inside to announce her arrival.
Soon after, an eager middle-aged couple emerged, their faces alight with joy.
"Luann Weaver? Is that you?"
"Why are you here?"
Wilber's parents had warm personalities and held a particular fondness for Luann. In fact, they were the ones who had insisted that she and Wilber hurry up and get married.
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert. Wilber came to see me this afternoon, so I thought I'd drop by," Luann said as she handed over the items she brought.
Mrs. Gilbert looked at Luann affectionately, a mix of concern and pity in her eyes.
"Oh dear, you shouldn't have brought anything. This is too much.."
Mr. Gilbert remained silent, instead casting his gaze on Wilber. "You, come here."
Wilber strolled over, his pace leisurely and unfocused.
Mr. Gilbert pulled him into the kitchen, his voice dropping to a hushed tone. "What in the world are you thinking? Are you trying to patch things up with Luann?"
He didn't wait for Wilber to answer. His mood suddenly flipped, resigning himself with a sigh. "Well, it's not out of the question, I suppose. It just depends on whether she's willing to be with you.
"Your mother and I have always been fond of that girl. We've always thought..."
Wilber cut in bitterly. "Dad, she doesn't want me."
Mr. Gilbert fell into silence, his gaze cooling perceptibly as he swept his eyes over Wilber and uttered, "Get out."
Wilber returned to the living room to find Luann and Mrs. Gilbert chatting pleasantly on the couch.
"Everything okay with you over at the Curtis family? They haven't been giving you trouble, have they? We Gilberts might not hold a candle to the Curtises, but at least we're not as cutthroat. If you ever feel wronged, just come over here. This is your home now..."
She had known all too well how Luann was the unloved black sheep of the Weaver family. If Brianna hadn’t constantly shielded her, she would have undoubtedly faced more hardships.
She had decided to make up for all the affection the young girl was missing from their first meeting when she had taken a liking to Luann.
It was just too bad she couldn’t rely on her fool of a son.
Luann grabbed Mrs. Gilbert's hand and offered a delicate smile. "I'm doing quite alright over there. You don’t have to be worried about me."
Mrs. Gilbert's heart eased. "That’s good."
Luann gestured to Wilber. He obediently went over and sat beside her.
Luann subtly shifted to put a polite distance between them without fuss. "Go ahead and relax, Mr. Gilbert."
Mr. Gilbert came out of the kitchen with a fruit platter and had the servants bring tea. He also brought out a variety of snacks Luann enjoyed.
"I've come here today to discuss something with you," she said.
Mr. Gilbert sat next to his wife, all ears now.
"Wilber's company took a major hit because of his issues with my sister. The stock prices have plummeted. Now, they're on the brink of bankruptcy due to cash flow problems...
"He had initially planned on returning to the Weavers to reclaim the money he once gave to my sister, but..."
Mr. Gilbert looked at Wilber Gilbert with a cold, disapproving gaze.
"Worthless child! Do you think you can just ask for your money back? You’re a disgrace to the Gilberts!"
Wilber hung his head low, not daring to speak.
Luann countered softly, "Mr. Gilbert, you can't blame Wilber for this. After all, he didn't get married, so why can't he ask for the money back?"
Mrs. Gilbert agreed. "Exactly. You were always too proud. Do you think it’s easy to earn money in this family? And let's not forget Juliet Weaver's meddling."
Mrs. Gilbert sighed deeply.
"Of course, our son did make a mistake."
Mr. Gilbert's face hardened as Mrs. Gilbert's candid words struck home. Indeed, his pride had kept him from asking for the money back. But deep down, he was more worried about the loss than anyone else. After all, it was frustrating to think about all that money gone for nothing.
"What you say makes sense, but Mike Weaver is no saint," Mr. Gilbert admitted.
"Once he's taken your money, you can’t expect to see it again."
Luann nodded, her voice tinged with deeper meaning. "Well, we can only swallow this bitter pill in silence."
Mr. Gilbert felt a twinge of dissatisfaction but held his tongue out of respect for Luann.
The Weavers were hardly as prosperous as the Gilberts. Why should they suffer because of them?
"Mr. Gilbert, I hope you can lend Wilber a hand," implored Luann. "We're family, so let's not fight over outsiders. Wouldn't you lose more in the end?"
Mr. Gilbert understood the logic. Wilber was his son, after all. He couldn't just watch his company fail.
He just needed an excuse to intervene.
Luann's words provided a graceful out, and Mr. Gilbert cleared his throat. "Since you’ve come to speak to me personally, it's hard to refuse... Fine, I'll help the boy out with his mess."
Luann thanked him with a nod. "Much appreciated."
After a pause, she added casually, "As for the Weavers, you can forget about getting the money back. I doubt they have anything to give, anyway."
Mr. Gilbert's heart skipped a beat. "Oh? What does that mean?"
