As Charlie looked at the photo of the snowy courtyard, he recalled that snowy night in Kyoto many days ago.Under that heavy snowfall, he saved Nanako and unintentionally saved both Jaime and Sophie Schulz.With this thought, he quietly sighed and replied Nanako, “Thank you, and a happy New Year to you too!”He did not respond to the matter of snowing Kyoto that Nanako had brought up. He knew that he should not have too many emotional interactions with Nanako.At first, he felt that she shouldn’t be burdened by the injuries inflicted by Aurora all her life, so he wanted to heal her.Now that she had been cured and he saved her life, so technically speaking, they were even-steven. He would only complicate things if he kept having unnecessary interactions with her.Charlie also knew that his hands were tied and was unable to return their feelings when it came to the women who admired him, including Nanako.Therefore, keeping these women at a distance could be considered the mo
However, Nanako did not deny it immediately nor ran away on the spot. Instead, she put her hands in front of her body and bowed deeply. “I understand, Eminent Father!”Yahiko smiled graciously and said, “I’m too old to stand the freezing wind. I’ll go back to rest first. Don’t stay up too late.”Nanako hurriedly said, “Let me send you into the room, Eminent Father!”Yahiko waved his hand. “Never mind. Since you like pondering, I’ll let you ponder for a while longer.”With that, he made a half turn while controlling his electric wheelchair and slowly went back to his room.Nanako watched her father disappear at the end of the corridor. As she still felt the flushing burn on her face, she gently placed her hands on the thick snow and then placed them on her face.The cold hands brought down the temperature of her cheeks and also made her heart gradually return to tranquility.A moment later, she once again stretched out her hand and used her fingers to write some beautiful words o
Getting worked up, Rosalie hugged Yashita’s waist tightly and asked, “Mom, why are you here? How did you get in here?”Seeing that the soldiers had retreated, Yashita said, “Rosalie, your father asked me to come.”“Father?” Rosalie hurriedly asked, “How is he now? Has he returned home? He didn’t encounter any danger, did he?”Yashita shook her head and said softly, “Don’t worry, he’s fine. He has returned to Eastcliff safely.”Only then did Rosalie heave a sigh of relief and murmured, “Thank goodness…”Yashita said, “Rosalie, your father wanted to come to Japan personally to get you out, but because he is now the main subject of strict monitoring by the Japanese homeland security department, so it’s not convenient for him to come to Japan again, for the time being, that’s why he let me come to see you.”Puzzled, Rosalie asked, “Mom, how did you get in here? The Self-Defense Forces are keeping close watch over me in this maximum-security prison. How did they let you in?”Yashita
Yashita said, “Your father said that you can name yourself whatever you want, and he will help you with the relevant identification registration.”A trace of joy flashed across Rosalie’s face. However before she could speak, Yashita added, “Rosalie, your father said that you can still use Schulz as your last name, and you can call yourself whatever you want, but you cannot make the name sound like his descendant.”Rosalie’s delightful grin froze and was replaced by a bitter frown. She looked at Yashita and asked, “Mom, he still doesn’t want people to know who I really am, does he?”Yashita said, looking rather ashamed, “Rosalie, you are after all your father’s illegitimate daughter, and not many people know about this. Only your father and your grandfather know about you in the entire Schulz family. Your father and his wife love each other very much. If she knows about you, she will certainly break up with him…”Rosalie choked. “Mom, does it mean that I can’t tell people that Sheld
Looking at Yashita, Rosalie nodded and said with tears in her eyes, “Don’t worry, Mom! I’ll come back alive to see you!”Yashita touched Rosalie’s face with her one arm and said lovingly, “After you go back this time, don’t go to the Schulz residence first. Stay with me at your grandma’s place for a while. We’ll go back after the dust has settled.”Rosalie nodded and said, “Okay, Mom. Take care.”Yashita reminded her in a low voice, “Regarding the mission of getting you out, don’t disclose it to any of the inmates, because we only plan to get you out alone. If they know about it, they may be upset and I’m afraid it will bring any unwanted trouble.”Rosalie sighed slightly. “Okay, Mom. I know…”Yashita nodded and only then reluctantly left, and Rosalie was brought back to her cell by the soldiers.However, at this moment, Rosalie was full of gratitude to Sheldon.Although she was an illegitimate daughter and he could never disclose her true identity to the public, he was willing
Elaine said seriously, “So what? Nowadays, you don’t need acting skills and an angelic voice to be a star. Pretty is enough! Look at those popular stars, they can make albums even if they sing like crap; they can even act in movies even if they can’t speak properly. Why? Because they are pretty!”Claire shook her head and said helplessly, “That’s enough, Mom. Just let me watch the show.”Elaine added, “Claire, I’m being serious. I really think that you have what it takes…”At this moment, Quinn started singing, and Elaine couldn’t help exclaiming, “Oh my! This girl’s voice is really nice!”Claire hurriedly waved her hand. “Be quiet, Mom!”Charlie was a little surprised when he heard Quinn singing. He thought that she was an idol star with a pretty face, but once she started singing, her voice and skill were definitely professional level.The song she sang had a melodious and fresh tune that was comparable to the songs of the well-known divas.Charlie couldn’t help but be immerse
The Spring Festival Gala was broadcasted live to 1.4 billion viewers nationwide, so when Charlie finished watching her solo performance in front of the TV, Quinn had just finished her performance and came backstage.The first thing she did was to send Charlie a message before she got changed. She was most concerned about Charlie’s opinion of her performance.Initially, the gala director team wanted her to sing another song which was about friendship, which she had promised them a long time ago, but after meeting Charlie again, she had a change of heart.Therefore, she negotiated with the director team and expressed her wish to change the song.At first, they were reluctant to do so as the program was meticulously planned and such things as the temporary song changed almost never happened.However, as Quinn continued to reason her change persistently, the team finally made a compromise seeing that she really wanted to sing the song so badly.The reason why Quinn chose to sing the
So, Charlie replied, “Then you should hurry up and go back to accompany Uncle and Aunt. Help me to send a greeting to them. I would like to wish all of you a Happy New Year!”Quinn also replied, “Thank you, Charlie. I wish you a Happy New Year too!”After that, Charlie put away his cell phone and he concentrated on watching the Spring Festival Gala with his wife, Claire.When it was almost twelve o’clock at midnight, Jacob lamented, “Although it is really much more environmentally friendly now that firecrackers have been banned, the New Year atmosphere seems to be lacking. It is really a pity…”“That’s right.” Claire who was aside could not help but sigh as she said, “When I was young, I especially liked the smell of the fire and smoke after the firecrackers are lit. It is rare for us to have the opportunity to see firecrackers nowadays.”Charlie replied, “Although we are not allowed to set off firecrackers in the urban area, it is still possible for us to set off firecrackers in
Holding up a thumb at Charlie, Julien exclaimed in approval, "You're right, my friend! That's far more exciting than having him jailed!"Just hearing that he would be sent to a kennel, Jimmy knew nothing would come of it—even if he didn't know the details, it was so obvious that Julien was thrilled by the very idea!Turning nervously toward Charlie, he was sobbing as he asked, "Mr. Wade…? What's this about a kennel…?"Julien chuckled coolly even before Charlie said a word. "A kennel is where you keep dogs, of course. Though there are literal dogs and metaphorical dogs, and you are the latter."Oh, don't worry. It's a really nice place where you get your own cage, and you'll be fed every day. You don't even have to work, so just sit tight and keep eating until the day you die."Jimmy's soul left his body in that instant.He was going to be locked in a cage?! That was way worse than being locked up and sent to jail! Where was the humanity around here?!Even as the thought struck h
Matilda was actually caught off guard by Jimmy's pleas, and even Paul found it hard to watch.Turning to Charlie, he said, "Please, Mr. Wade—my uncle can be a little despicable, but he is my father's brother. Please, let him have a chance to turn over a new leaf, seeing that he's earnestly repenting."While Paul spoke with Charlie, Jimmy was still confused and wondered why Paul would plead his case with Charlie instead of Julien. If there was anyone Paul should ask, it was Yolden since he was Julien's friend. So, why would he ask some young man instead of Yolden?That was when Charlie asked in curiosity, "You want to let him off? After he tried to take away your parents' legacy?"Paul smiled awkwardly. "I mean, I know the guy. He made sure to travel all this way to make a scene because he had nothing legal that could help him claim Smith Group Corporate Law from us. Otherwise, he'd have already filed the lawsuit in the States. Sure, it's a dirty move, but that's basically a des
As Julien finished, he realized something was wrong and turned toward Charlie before he knew it.Charlie held his gaze in turn, his expression quizzical and amused.Julien cleared his throat right then. "See, there are people who can order me around, but they have my utmost respect. However, a third-rate lawyer like you? Who do you think you are?"That was when Julien's butler called, and he reported respectfully as soon as the call was answered, "Sir, I've spoken with Nate Ellis, the owner of Ares LLC. He has since agreed to fire Jimmy Smith right away as well as disbar him nationwide."Julien asked, "Good. Anything else?""Well, Mr. Ellis also delivered some documents that can be used as evidence against Jimmy Smith, which he claims is enough for a lifetime sentence. If you deem it necessary, we can have it sent to the FBI.""Yes, let's go with that!" Julien replied, his tone satisfied. "And ask the director to handle it personally—I want this prick to never set foot stateside
Jimmy was sweating profusely in fear, but he argued back before he knew it, "That's impossible! Everything you say is bullshit! Gaiman simply thought he had a fair chance of winning and didn't want to pay Ares that much, and I have no idea who he partnered with, and I'm certainly not involved. Don't you try to slander me!"Nate chuckled. "Come on, Jimmy. We're all adults here, so there are things we shouldn't have to be so direct about. Mills Gaiman and your old classmate met in private many times, not to mention the private conferences you three had in secret, discussing your overall strategy and decisive points. Just so you know, Gaiman recorded every conversation, and I have the tapes with me."Jimmy's heart was left pounding as he blurted, "B-Bullshit! That's impossible!""Grow up, Jimmy," Mr.Goodman chuckled. "Every partner in every law firm always strives to rise higher, so I'm going to need as much leverage as I can. Otherwise, I'm not about to let them advance any further, e
Although the ringtone and vibration frequency were the ones Jimmy always used, this call somehow felt more urgent, leaving him exceedingly uneasy.When it abruptly stopped and left a missed call on his log, Nate Ellis soon sent a text: [Answer your damn phone this instant!]Just seeing the text left Jimmy feeling like his throat had gone dry, and as he gulped, it felt like his throat was being ripped, leaving him hurting.Still, he couldn't care less as his boss called again.Having seen the text, Jimmy didn't hesitate this time and promptly answered, watching Julien's smug face as he started tentatively, "Y-Yes, boss...?"Nate immediately yelled at him hysterically, "What the hell did you do?! Why did the Rothschilds call to complain about you?! And the complaint was from their heir apparent, at that! I worked hard for them and always toed the line for years, and I still haven't gotten a chance to meet the man, so how the fuck did you upset him?!"Jimmy's heart sank to rock bott
Fuming, Jimmy snapped at Julien, "If you insist on playing it like that, I will call my boss, and you can talk to him yourself!"Julien chuckled. "That's unnecessary. I've never met him. He would never recognize my voice."Jimmy laughed and nodded despite himself. "Impressive—you can really come up with anything! You don't have his number because he's beneath you, you refuse to call him because he's beneath you, and when I say I'll call him for you, you say he won't recognize your voice. Well, how do you suppose we should sort this out? At least prove you're a Rothschild, or anyone could claim that they are—"Julien held up a hand to stop him. "Then, how about this? I'll ask my butler to talk to your boss."Jimmy laughed even more loudly as if it were the best joke ever. "Hahaha!!! Butler, you say?! You really know how to talk! Alright, I'll wait and see what your 'butler' can do… I mean, what you can do. We'll see whether my boss calls me!"Julien ignored him and whipped out his
Naturally, Jimmy couldn't care less about Julien's suggestion, even looking at him pointedly from head to toe while smirking in contempt, "What, do you think I'd just do what any nutjob tells me to do just because they're claiming to be the Rothschilds' heir apparent?"Julien nodded, still smiling. "Good point, but don't worry—it's the same whether you call him or he calls you."Jimmy laughed. "I was offering you a way out, but you want to keep pressing your luck? Since you don't care to back off, let's see how you're going to finish this fight."Then, he shrugged while pointing at Yolden. "Well, it's the perfect chance to measure Matilda's husband, I guess."Based on what he saw of Yolden, there was no way he would buy Julien's claims, and thus labeled him an impostor in his mind.An ordinary lecturer in Aurous Hill, being friends with the Rothschilds' heir apparent? Not to mention that there had been plenty of fraudulent cases outside the States where the Rothschild name was use
Jimmy was taken aback since he didn't recognize Julien at all, mainly because the Rothschilds had always kept out of the public eye.In fact, it was basically impossible to gather genuine information about the Rothschilds online, as it was a mix of press releases and gossip. Most online biographies would only be about the older generations or certain frivolous figures. Any information about key members like Steve would never be searchable online.Matilda was confused as well, not quite understanding who Julien was since he wasn't on the list of guests invited.Seeing that she was confused, Julien turned and smiled at Yolden, "So, Professor, shouldn't you introduce me to the bride?"Yolden finally remembered that and quickly nodded, "Sorry, it slipped my mind."Turning toward Matilda, he smiled, "Darling, this is Julien Rothschild… A friend of mine from the states…"Julien's full name left everyone within earshot gaping as the Rothschild name was way too famous across the globe.
Seeing that Jimmy was getting a little nervous, Charlie smiled and assured him, "Please, you have nothing to worry about. No one's going to do anything to you, but if you feel threatened in any way, you can call the cops. The Oskian emergency hotline is 110, by the way."Jimmy was slightly relieved as he could see that Charlie really wasn't trying to make things awkward for him, and he straightened his collar as he said, "Actually, I didn't mean to cause trouble—I'm pleased that Matilda has found true love once more, and if we can be friends, I can set aside my claim and stay for the rest of this wedding, offering the newlyweds our best wishes as a representative of my family."Still, his expression showed contempt as he turned toward Yolden. "Also, I'm really curious and looking forward to seeing what connections Professor Hart might have that you say could be better than Bill.""You'll see soon enough," Charlie smiled and nodded.Jimmy remained skeptical and scoffed, "I really do