Chapter 772 How Could He Love Her
Herschel didn't call Nathaniel over just for drinks today; he had something else in mind.
His eyes landed on the bag next to Nathaniel. "Hey, did you bring the money?"
"Of course. You hardly ever ask for anything, so how could I say no?" Nathaniel replied, handing over the bag. "There's $100,000 in there. Just got it from the bank. Not a penny more, not a penny less. If your grandma needs more, just let me know."
He added, "Between us, there's no need to talk about borrowing. If you can pay me back, great. If not, no worries."
Herschel took the bag, hesitating for a moment.
Once he unzipped it, there was no going back.
Nathaniel had always been good to Herschel, treating him like a true friend. But no matter how rich a friend was, it wasn't the same as having his own money.
After a moment's hesitation, Herschel decided to unzip the bag. Inside were stacks of cash.
He poured the money onto the table and roughly counted it.
"Did you really think I'd shortchange you?" Nathaniel asked casually.
Herschel shook his head. "I'm not worried about you giving me less. I'm worried about you giving me more. We know each other well. Look, I asked for $100,000, but you gave me $120,000."
He handed the extra two stacks back to Nathaniel and said, "You don't need to do this."
"I already withdrew it from the bank. Just take it. Think of it as a gesture of goodwill for your grandma. Keep it." Nathaniel had no plans to ask for it back.
Herschel nodded and raised his glass. "No need for words between us. Tonight, we drink until we pass out."
They downed glass after glass, oblivious to someone in the distance capturing it all with a camera.
For two hours straight, they kept drinking.
Nathaniel lost track of how much he had consumed.
He started with beer, but for him, drinking beer felt like sipping water. The more he drank, the clearer his mind became.
Saskia's image flickered through his thoughts.
He switched to whiskey.
After a few bottles, Nathaniel finally blacked out.
"Nathaniel? Wake up. Let me take you home." Herschel gently shook Nathaniel. Seeing no response, he reached for Nathaniel's phone.
Just as he was about to use Nathaniel's finger to unlock the phone, Nathaniel suddenly opened his eyes.
Their eyes met.
Herschel quickly set the phone aside. "Good, you're awake. I thought you were out cold. I was going to call your family to pick you up. I don't know where you live now, so I couldn't take you home myself."
Herschel came from an ordinary family. Despite years as a judge, he could only afford a small house.
But Nathaniel was different.
His background meant he had more houses than he could ever live in, so he could stay wherever he wanted.
Thinking of this, Herschel couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.
"I'll call myself. How are you getting home?" Nathaniel opened his contacts, instinctively scrolling to the bottom.In a crucial moment, the first person Nathaniel thought of was Saskia. He wanted her to come get him.
"I'm not as drunk as you. I'll just grab a ride. Rideshares are super convenient now. Should I wait for your family or head out?" Herschel had spent most of the time watching Nathaniel drink, and he hadn't had much himself.
Nathaniel shook his head. "No need to wait. Head home. Text me when you get there."
"Alright, I'll go then." Herschel stood up and left quickly.
After walking a bit, he looked back and sighed.
He wanted to be good friends with Nathaniel, but their family backgrounds were worlds apart.
No matter how hard he worked, he would never reach the same starting point as Nathaniel.
In this situation, what was wrong with him wanting to change his circumstances and seek a better life?
At that time, Saskia had just finished her shift and was resting on the couch.
She was exhausted.
But looking at her bank account balance, she felt it was all worth it. She had earned so much!
"Saskia, you look dead tired. How much do you make in a day?" Azalea offered to massage Saskia's legs and shoulders.
Saskia waved her off. "You're pregnant. Besides, the doctor said you need to rest. How can I let a pregnant woman take care of me?"
"I'm not really exerting myself, just moving my arms. I feel bad for you. You're way more tired than I am." Azalea felt guilty.
George was always busy, and so was Saskia, juggling multiple jobs. Of the three, Azalea was the least occupied.
Azalea sighed. "Sometimes I feel like I'm wasting away just sitting at home."
"You're not like me. You don't have any burdens. Why put in so much effort? I'd love to live a life like yours," Saskia replied with a bitter smile.
Her envy toward Azalea wasn't about having someone to depend on, but rather the freedom that came from a life without burdens.
If only Benjamin were a healthy child.
Saskia could use her earnings to improve his life. Instead of being stuck in a hospital room, he could go to preschool, make friends, and play outside.
"You should find a good man. That would ease your burden. Then the four of us could go out and have fun. Wouldn't that be great?" Azalea dreamed of such a life.
Hearing this, Saskia just smiled, not saying a word.
Azalea had a different set of experiences. Saskia had been through more and had a better understanding of things.
Azalea was still caught up in a youthful mindset.
Nathaniel played the role of a good husband in front of Azalea, giving her everything.
But what if, one day, he decided to stop playing that role?
Just then, Saskia's phone rang. It was Nathaniel.
Her phone was on the coffee table. Saskia's first instinct was to snatch the phone and hang up when she saw the screen.
But Azalea looked up and recognized the number. "That's George's number. Why is he calling you so late?"
With that, Azalea picked up the phone and answered it.
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