Chapter 4

Russel exclaimed, “You finally made it, my wealthy brother!” He immediately pulled Raymond into a warm hug.

Upon hearing the news that Marvin had been released and was visiting the Winston estate, Raymond had rushed right over this morning. He wanted to see firsthand what the face and physique of the former convict looked like.

In the living room, Raymond looked at Marvin with utter contempt. “Hey! You filthy man, you shouldn't even be here! If you’re lucky enough to escape a prison sentence, you should be doing odd jobs or selling things on an online shop. You have no business handling major enterprises!”

Seeing Raymond’s arrogant and cocky demeanor, Gennifer grew even more resentful; as time went on, her heart found it harder and harder to accept any offers from the Harvard family. Gennifer felt a rising wave of disgust. She defended her husband, saying, “Arrogant! You are even less deserving to be here because you’re a nobody!”

An instant silence fell, and all eyes turned toward Gennifer. Up until now, whenever she faced pressure, Gennifer rarely spoke out and chose to endure it silently, even though her heart fiercely rejected it. This was the first time she had shown such boldness, likely because Marvin was right by her side.

Startled, Elena immediately intervened, “Gennifer, you have no right to speak like that! You must show respect to the young master of Harvard!”

Derick reacted similarly, flying into a rage at his own daughter. “Don’t you ever snap at him again, Gennifer!”

Feeling awkward, Russel quickly threw an arm around Raymond’s shoulder. “Gennifer is just going through some things. Please forgive her lack of manners just now. Have a seat, my brother. What would you like to drink?” Russel treated Raymond vastly differently than he treated his own brother-in-law. It was utterly outrageous.

As the heads of the household, Derick and Elena naturally gravitated toward Raymond in every possible way, far preferring him over their ex-con son-in-law. After heavy pressure and smooth-talking persuasion from Russel, Derick and Elena had firmly resolved that Raymond was the only man fit to be Gennifer’s husband.

When Raymond and Marvin were placed side by side, Derick and Elena viewed it like comparing an emerald to a pebble—a completely mismatched comparison. In terms of business, for instance, Rock Electra was merely one-fiftieth the size of Harvard Corp. It was miles apart.

The only way to revive the Winston family's business was to forge an alliance with Harvard Corp. That was the sole option in their minds, with no alternatives. It was a do-or-die choice. If they turned away, they would face bankruptcy within a few short months.

Russel gestured for Raymond to sit right beside him, then said warmly, “My brother, if you’ve never seen a pitiful, delusional convict before, take a look now. He’s standing right in front of us!”

Raymond beamed with smug delight, a cynical smirk curling at the corner of his lips. “He looks even worse than I imagined. If only he had surrendered and chosen to be an ordinary citizen, things would be better for him, Russel.”

Russel scoffed dismissively. He snorted and remarked, “I suppose prison life has one perk: once you get out, your skin gets thicker and you completely lose your sense of shame.”

A heavy tightness gripped his chest as Marvin stared at the two men for a long moment. Yes, they were the true masterminds. For now, Marvin couldn't do much, but just wait—he would soon silence these trashy mouths.

Raymond was arrogant, deliberately putting on a show to curry favor. If he had genuinely wanted to be kind, he would have done so long ago. And another thing: if he supposedly loved Gennifer, it was strange how cold and indifferent he acted. Amusingly, the Winston family was completely oblivious to it.

Raymond spoke casually, “I’ll help Winsoil with their crude oil supply for the next month. I’ll try to arrange it by next week. There are no conditions—just one.”

Derick, Elena, and Russel were overjoyed beyond belief. Hearing Raymond’s words made them feel as though they had been granted a second lease on life. “What condition?” Derick asked, consumed by curiosity.

Straightening his posture, Raymond replied coldly, “Make this ex-con lick the soles of my shoes right now!”

Gennifer was the first to react. “You’ve lost your mind, Raymond! Don't you dare look down on my husband!”

Before Gennifer could rattle off any further, Elena quickly cut in, “Stop it, Gennifer! Stay out of this! For a whole year, you’ve constantly failed at managing the family business—you're completely unreliable!”

Russel tried to pacify his sister. “Calm down, Sis. You'd better just stay quiet and watch. Licking the soles of a shoe is far better than us having a headache for a full month. And I'm sure Marvin would rather lick Raymond's shoes than spend even one more day behind bars.”

To the Winston family, Raymond's degrading terms meant nothing. Whatever Marvin had to endure, they readily accepted. Even if Marvin had to do it a thousand times over, they wouldn't care.

Though the stigma of being an ex-convict could never be erased for the rest of his life, Marvin was a man who fiercely guarded his honor and reputation. “I won't accept this! Listen here, Raymond, your supposed one-week timeline is nothing. I am going to fulfill Winsoil's entire month's worth of crude oil needs—by tomorrow!”

Everyone was left dumbfounded.

Russel’s eyes nearly popped out of his head in sheer shock. “You, Pathetic In-law! Stop dreaming! I know you went a bit crazy after spending time in prison, but please, spare us your insanity!”

Derick’s jaw dropped. Had his son-in-law lost his mind? Tomorrow? Marvin was going to secure a month's supply of crude oil? “Marvin, you can't even take care of yourself, how on earth could you help our family business?! Stop talking utter nonsense!”

Raymond stood up and began slow-clapping, mocking Marvin with a feigned expression of admiration. He sneered contemptuously, “You've just stepped out of prison, Fool—don't make a complete fool of yourself in front of your wife's family. Lick the soles of my shoes right now, and we'll forget your crazy talk from just now.” Raymond crossed his arms over his chest with an air of supreme arrogance.

“Let’s make a bet!” Marvin challenged. “If you’ve got any spine!”

Raymond offered a one-sided smile, narrowing his eyes. “Good grief! What on earth could you possibly bet, you lunatic?!”

“I know that the cost of crude oil specifically for Winsoil over a month is one billion dollars. So...”

“Hahaha.” Russel and Raymond burst into roaring laughter, doubled over with amusement. To them, Marvin was hopelessly naive—a statement like that sounded like something a high schooler would say.

Raymond flashed a mocking smile. “Aren't you clever, coming out of your PhD program in a prison cell? Haha.”

Gennifer was filled with agonizing anxiety. In her mind, she worried Marvin would make the same kind of reckless wager he had made with Russel. Her heart hammered against her ribs. What she was hearing right now made zero sense. She felt utterly helpless.

Sweeping his gaze across the room, Marvin said firmly, “Alright, if tomorrow a billion dollars' worth of crude oil is delivered to Winsoil, you, Raymond, will lick the soles of my shoes! If I fail, I will divorce my wife—and you can go ahead and marry her!”