Chapter 5

Gennifer shuddered. “Marvin, how could you be so cruel! Don’t you love me anymore?” Gennifer’s eyes were red and brimming with tears.

Derick stood up and put his hands on his hips. Staring down his son-in-law, he said, “You’ve lost your mind, Marvin. For a full year, your wife took care of you, brought you food every week, and stayed loyal to you—yet now you’re the one breaking her heart.”

Elena didn’t budge. Fixing a venomous glare on Marvin, she snapped, “Shameless! Talking like that just means you’re desperate to divorce Gennifer in the first place.” Truthfully, they didn’t care about the marriage itself; they just didn't want their daughter humiliated because of this foolish son-in-law.

The stakes Marvin had just thrown down sounded completely insane. If the Winston family had been struggling tooth and nail for months just to scrape together a lobbying deal to keep their business afloat, how could a man who had literally just walked out of prison instantly deliver a mountain of crude oil?

Unanimously, they decided Marvin had lost his grip on reality. If someone like Raymond needed a full week just to process everything—and even that wasn't guaranteed—here was Marvin, talking utter nonsense. Was he hallucinating?

Marvin stared intently into Raymond’s eyes. “Are you scared?” he asked coldly.

Hearing that, Raymond blinked in disbelief. “Ha? You think I'm scared? By talking like that, you’re insulting my good name, you idiot! You’re completely out of line!”

Marvin defended himself, refusing to act like a coward. “You crossed the line first. You tore my dignity to shreds by telling me to lick the soles of your shoes.”

Raymond reached for the red roses that had been discarded on the table all this time. He handed them directly to Gennifer, making sure Marvin watched every single move.

Crouching down in front of Gennifer, Raymond said tenderly, “I can’t wait for tomorrow, Gennifer. Before you’re legally divorced from this pathetic husband of yours, I’ll declare my love for you—right in front of him.” Raymond flashed a sweet, warm smile.

Gennifer’s heart wrenched violently. A turbulent storm of emotions swelled in her chest: panic, worry, fear, anxiety, hope, love for Marvin, and utter disgust toward Raymond.

Her lips twitched with irritation at Raymond’s arrogant display. Any woman loved roses, but under circumstances like these, Gennifer felt like vomiting, even if the man handing them to her was the son of the country’s richest billionaire.

Marvin let out an angry snort. “Don’t accept those cheap hundred-dollar flowers, my wife! Tomorrow, I’m going to buy you a Gloriest Blossom!”

What? A Gloriest Blossom?

Gloriest Blossoms only existed in Gloriston City and bloomed exclusively during the autumn season. When every other flower withered and died, the Gloriest Blossom alone survived and thrived. These breathtaking flowers could last for ten years without water, and their fragrance was sweeter than any perfume in the world.

Russel was stunned. “Do you even know that the cheapest one costs ten thousand dollars?” he asked, furrowing his brow.

Marvin offered a faint, calm smile. “I’m buying the finest one for my wife—the five-hundred-thousand-dollar tier.” With that, he pulled his wife close and sharply ordered Raymond to cut out his nonsense. “Sit back down in your seat!” he commanded.

Shocked beyond words, Elena clapped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes widened into perfect circles. For all her years among the elite, Elena had never once owned one of those flowers.

Gloriest Blossoms were far too luxurious, with only a single bloom managing to grow each year.

Derick shook his head in disbelief. His son-in-law was truly going off the deep end with these absurd delusions. He had hoped Marvin would show some sign of positive change after prison, but this was a total miss.

How utterly disappointing.

Marvin stood up, pulled out his wallet, and drew out a single hundred-dollar bill. “Take this money and throw those flowers straight into the trash can!”

Refusing to be disrespected, Raymond snapped angrily, “You’ve insulted the young master of the Harvard family. I will never forget this!”

Returning to his seat, Marvin replied casually, “You crossed the line first. I won't stand for you insulting my wife with cheap hundred-dollar flowers. Are you trying to spit on the Winston family?” he challenged.

Turning to Russel, Raymond said, “Your brother-in-law is getting worse, Russel! If he isn't dealt with soon, I guarantee the Winston family will slowly drag themselves down into the abyss.”

How could Marvin possess such unyielding boldness?

Back in his school days, Marvin hadn't just buried himself in laboratories and libraries; he was well-versed in the harsh realities of life. He had frequently served as class president and played a pivotal role in various organizations.

Throughout his undergraduate and graduate studies, he was fiercely active in student leadership. He was accustomed to intense discussions and fierce debates. Moreover, he frequently conversed with elite business figures and seasoned professionals, sharpening his oratorical skills to a razor edge.

And finally, his time in prison had taught him invaluable lessons, forging his mental toughness to absolute steel. Show weakness and get trampled, or fight back and protect your peace? Marvin chose to fight, or at the very least, engage in verbal warfare with the toughest inmates in the block.

Keeping a watchful eye on his parents-in-law, Marvin said firmly, “If I told you right now who Raymond truly is and what his real motives are, the two of you wouldn’t believe me. But you’ll find out soon enough. I’ll prove it to you.”

Russel clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Enough, Marvin. Stop spouting all this garbage! If you keep bragging like this, our nerve endings are going to snap from sheer cringe.”

Raymond patted Russel reassuringly on the shoulder and pulled him into a brief embrace. “Your brother-in-law is deeply paranoid about the two of us, Russel. Is there something fundamentally wrong with his head?”

Exhaling a frustrated sigh, Russel muttered, “I’m at a loss for words. Tomorrow, he’ll be out of our hair anyway. Come on, I’m heading to work.” Russel stood up to leave.

Marvin watched them go. “Remember your bets! Russel, your clock is still ticking—three months left, so you’ve got plenty of time to think. And Raymond, your window is just twenty-four hours. If you change your mind, feel free to apologize to me and my wife right now.”

Apathetic, Raymond didn't even bother looking back.

“Young Master Harvard, you coward!” Marvin taunted.

Raymond stopped dead in his tracks and spun around. “Fine! It's a deal! I hope you buy a mask to cover up that face full of humiliation tomorrow!” he sneered viciously.

“We’ll see whose face is red tomorrow!” Marvin cheered with absolute confidence.

The father-in-law quickly ordered his wife to the kitchen to supervise the maids. “I’m heading to work. Let these two lovebirds enjoy their final moments.” Derick and his wife brushed past Marvin without sparing him a single glance. Not an ounce of them believed a single word coming out of his mouth.

Only Marvin and Gennifer remained in the living room. Gennifer burst into tears, letting out all her bottled-up sorrow. “You’re so cruel to me, Marvin. I thought you would reward all my kindness and loyalty while you were locked away.” Her face flushed red. A surge of resentment boiled up, but her love for him was simply too deep to break.

Marvin pulled his wife tightly into his arms. “It’s precisely because I love you so much, my dear Gennifer. I refuse to let them treat you like a pawn. I have to teach them a lesson,” Marvin declared from the bottom of his heart. “Trust me, the Rock family and the Winston family will rise together!”