Chapter 451 Have It Your Way
The next morning at 9 AM, James arrived at the Emerald Lake Elite Hotel with his parents.
This place was a popular spot for coffee and casual conversation, bustling with people every morning.
James and his parents had planned to go to the funeral home to pay their respects to Bruce, but the family had arranged to meet them here instead, so James had no choice but to come.
On the third floor, James gave his name to the server and was quickly led to a luxurious private room at the end of the hall.
James pushed the door open and saw Marigold and a few others chatting and laughing, all looking radiant and well-dressed, exuding an air of sophistication.
The owner of Dragon & Phoenix Jewelry Store was also there, sitting next to Marigold, looking spirited and occasionally patting Marigold's thigh, showing their closeness.
Coralie sat beside Marigold, sipping her coffee with her head down.
Her eyes were a bit swollen, and her neck injury hadn't healed yet, covered by a silk scarf. It was clear she had been grieving for Bruce.
The incident with Bruce had been classified as a home invasion by Marshall, with Bruce heroically defending his family, resulting in both their deaths.
The police had even awarded a million dollars, giving Bruce a respectable conclusion.
"Michelle, Virgil, you're here?"
Seeing James and his parents, Marigold looked up and smiled. "Please, have a seat."
James led his parents to seats near the door.
Coralie glanced at James, nodded in greeting, and then went back to her tea.
"Marigold, aren't you going to the funeral home today?" Seeing the room filled with laughter, Virgil's eyelid twitched as he asked Marigold, "Isn't Bruce being laid to rest today?"
"I had him cremated at five this morning." Marigold spoke without a hint of hesitation. "I wanted to send him off before dawn, so today could be a fresh start."
Virgil was taken aback. "No one even got to see Bruce one last time. Why did you send him off so quickly?"
"What's there to see when someone's dead?" Marigold shrugged. "I never planned on holding a memorial service for Bruce. It's too much trouble, and all the crying is a waste of time and emotion."
"Besides, keeping him around would just be a constant reminder, making Coralie sad all the time."
"So I had him cremated early. That way, we don't burden ourselves or trouble others."
"You were Bruce's good friends, and it's rare for you to come to see him off. I appreciate it."
She gestured for Coralie to pour coffee for James and his parents. "The thirty thousand dollars yesterday and this breakfast are my way of hosting on Bruce's behalf."
"You..." Virgil wanted to say something, but Michelle grabbed his arm, signaling him to stay quiet. Marigold, as the family member, had the right to make all decisions.
"Are you that eager to start a new life?" James smirked and then looked at the middle-aged man next to Marigold. "Aunt Marigold, aren't you going to introduce this big shot?"
"People die, and life goes on. Don't you understand?" Marigold's eyelid twitched as she scolded James, then pointed to the middle-aged man.
"This is Sidney Lawson, the owner of Dragon & Phoenix Jewelry Store, vice president of Glowing Oasis Gem Association, and an old friend of Mr. Murphy and Trevor from the Mystic Alliance."
"Bruce did a lot of business through his connections, and Sidney's been helping us handle things since our family faced this crisis."
"He's also the Little Miracle Doctor of Rosewood City."
"Not only did he gift Coralie over twenty million dollars, but he also brought her a contract with Cloud Sound Company."
"Coralie is about to become a big star."
Marigold was very pleased with Sidney, listing his credentials and contributions in one breath, then pulling out a thick contract.
James almost laughed when he saw the contract. It was the same one he had given Coralie as a birthday gift, which she had casually tossed aside.
He never expected it to end up in Sidney's hands and become one of his achievements.
"See this? It's a contract with Cloud Sound Company. They're signing with Coralie."
Marigold didn't notice James's sarcasm, tapping the contract heavily.
"In the next three years, not only will Coralie get a fifty-fifty split, but they'll also invest at least a hundred million dollars in her promotion."
She turned to Coralie. "Coralie, aren't you going to thank Sidney?"
Coralie was very grateful to Sidney. "Thank you for your help."
Bruce's death had deeply saddened Coralie, as he was her father, but the Cloud Sound contract quickly overshadowed her grief, making her look forward to the future.
Sidney waved his hand. "It was nothing, Coralie. No need to remember it. Twenty million dollars and the Cloud Sound contract are just small matters for me."
James almost spat out his coffee, surprised at Sidney's shamelessness.
He coughed and looked at Sidney. "Mr. Lawson, did you really do all of that?"
"Of course!" Before Sidney could respond, Marigold snapped. "If not Sidney, then who? You?"
James smiled faintly. "Maybe it really was me."
As soon as he said that, the room burst into laughter, everyone mocking James, a kept man, unafraid of being exposed.
Marigold sneered, "You couldn't even come up with thirty thousand dollars, let alone twenty million. You wouldn't understand something as high-end as Cloud Sound."
She was blunt, "Don't meddle in things you don't know about, or you'll just make a fool of yourself in front of Sidney."
Coralie was very disappointed in James. Her mother was right; James loved to show off and take shortcuts, completely unworthy of her.
"Virgil, Michelle, James, I called you here today for four reasons," Marigold didn't waste any time, looking at James and his parents. "First, thank you for coming to see Bruce off. As his family, I appreciate it."
Virgil, still upset about not seeing Bruce, didn't respond, but Michelle nodded. "It's the least we could do."
"Second, Bruce once mentioned a marriage agreement with Virgil, and I want to clarify it face-to-face," Marigold continued. "It was just drunken talk from back then. I hope you don't take it seriously."
Sidney chimed in, "To put it simply, James should stop clinging to Coralie and give up his delusions."
"Are you sure you want to sever all ties between James and Coralie?" Before Michelle or James could speak, Virgil sat up straight, looking at Marigold. "No regrets?"
Virgil knew how successful James had become. Although the choice of a daughter-in-law was a headache, he didn't mind, for Bruce's sake, letting James and Coralie have some connection.
This way, even if they didn't end up together, the marriage agreement would bring them closer, making it easier for Coralie to get James's help. With James's support, Coralie and her family would surely prosper.
But now, Marigold wanted to cut off that connection, and Virgil felt she was being shortsighted.
"Regret? What is there to regret?" Marigold sneered, "You sell coffee and do freight, and James is a kept man. We're thrilled to break off the engagement, not regretful."
She thought Virgil was just putting on a show.
Virgil gave Coralie a chance, "Coralie, you used to play well with James. Do you also want to cut ties with him?"
"James and I aren't suitable. It was my father who forced me to interact with him," Coralie glanced at Marigold and Sidney. "The past is the past. Let's not bring it up."
Michelle sighed.
"Alright, that marriage agreement was a joke back then, but since you care so much, I'll make the decision for James," Virgil was decisive. "The engagement is off, and we have no further ties."
A final decision.
"Good, good, very straightforward. I appreciate your decisiveness," Sidney gave a thumbs up. "If you ever want to stop doing freight, you can come to me. I have friends in Rosewood City who can help."
Virgil responded calmly, "Thank you, but I'm fine selling coffee."
"Ungrateful," Marigold muttered, then looked at James.
"Third, you've been fired by Vance. Don't go back to Wish Group for work. If you want a job, rely on your own abilities. Neither Coralie nor I will help you anymore, so don't go back to Wish Group and pester them."
She reminded him, "Bruce was alive, so Vance gave him face. Now that he's gone, Vance won't keep you around."
James chuckled, "This Vance is really something."
He hadn't planned to deal with this small fry, but seeing Vance act up, James didn't mind kicking him out of the Wish Group.
"Fourth, Bruce left you some assets in his will. This money is meant as a wedding gift for you. But we think it's inappropriate for you to take it since you're not part of our family. And since your father just said you and Coralie are no longer engaged, we hope you'll give up this money."
She placed a statement in front of James. "Sign it."
"Yes, sign it quickly!" Sidney chimed in. "After coffee, we have to go to Lucky Hotel for the Mystic Alliance banquet."
Hearing about the Mystic Alliance banquet, Coralie's eyes lit up, eager to see the president of Glowing Oasis.
"Alright, I'll sign," James picked up the pen and looked at Marigold and the others. "But I want to tell you that once I do, it means I have no further ties with your family. All the goodwill Bruce accumulated for you over the years will vanish."
With Bruce gone, James had intended to support the Howard family, but Marigold wanted to sever all ties, leaving James no choice but to sigh.
"Sign it already. Stop thinking about our money," Marigold was impatient. "I already said, it's best if we have no connection. You don't know how much I dread you clinging to us."
"You couldn't even get in here without me talking to the server, and we're going to a top-tier Mystic Alliance banquet tonight."
"With such a huge gap, you have the nerve to talk about goodwill, as if you're richer than us and can help us."
These were her heartfelt words. If not for Bruce's constant thoughts of James, Marigold would have cut ties with James's family long ago.
Sidney's voice turned stern. "Don't think about what's not yours. Sign it, or your life will be tough."
Seeing James being pressured by Marigold and the others, Coralie's eyes showed a hint of pity, but she quickly became proud.
She was about to become a star, with a future of luxury cars, mansions, and flowers, completely different from James's world.
"Have it your way," James smiled, signed the waiver, and then left with Virgil and Michelle.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
