Chapter 574
Chapter 574:
Leo sprang upright, rage twisting his features as he jabbed a finger at Yelena. “You snake! You tricked me p>
Yelena merely quirked an eyebrow, a cutting smile on her lips. “You’re only figuring that out now? How stupid are you p>
“You said you’d help if I got on my knees!” Leo sputtered.
Yelena shrugged lightly. “I never promised to help. I only suggested you show the right attitude when begging for a favor. Not my fault you made assumptions p>
Leo stared, dumbfounded. Yelena had no intention of helping him—there was no way she’d stick her neck out for someone like him.
Yelena wasn’t that stupid.
Ava, who had been watching everything unfold, finally exploded. She jabbed a trembling finger at Yelena’s face, her voice shrill with anger. “You heartless brat! Jack took care of you all these years, and this is how you repay us? Aren’t you scared karma will come knocking one day p>
Unruffled, Yelena replied calmly, “Great-uncle Jack was indeed good to me, and I’ll return that kindness. But Leo’s gone and broken the law. Don’t expect me to fix his mess p>
“Yelena, you p>
“Enough!” Jack spoke with quiet command, his gaze flicking briefly to Leo before settling on Yelena. “You’re right not to help him. Someone that reckless needs a dose of reality p>
Jack had known Leo’s nature all along.
Watching his grandson blow through money and bask in his newfound power as a project manager only confirmed Jack’s suspicions that trouble was on the horizon.
And trouble had arrived, right on schedule.
𝖈𝖍𝖊𝖈𝖐𝖊𝖉 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖞 𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊: 𝖌ⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⫺𝖼𝗈𝗆
Ava rounded on Jack, fury alight in her eyes. “Leo is your own grandson! And you’re just going to let some outsider ruin him p>
Jack’s lips trembled for a moment, loaded with words he couldn’t quite force out. A heavy hush fell over the room before he finally spoke up again.
“I’m doing all this because I don’t want Leo to destroy himself,” he said quietly. “You lot keep banking on other people’s help, never thinking to rely on your own efforts. Sure, folks might bail you out once or twice, but it won’t last forever. To truly help yourself, you’ve got to work hard on your own. Daydreaming about easy money? It’ll only drag you down in the end p>
“You old fool, you’re talking nonsense!” Ava snapped.
Ignoring her outburst, Jack turned to Yelena, a flicker of apology in his eyes. “Yelena, thanks for coming to my birthday banquet. I’m sorry it turned out like this, though p>
Yelena studied his tired face, sensing the weight of the choice he’d made. “Great-uncle Jack, if you ever run into a jam in the future, just say the word. I’ll do whatever I can. You know I will,” she said softly.
Jack patted her hand, dismissing the offer. “No need to worry about me, child. I don’t have many years left anyway, and there’s peace enough in a simple life—rich or poor p>
Soon, the group prepared to leave the restaurant. As they reached the entrance, an acquaintance of Jack’s ambled over, greeting him politely. The man’s attention was immediately snagged by the ginseng in Jack’s hand.
“Mind if I take a closer look?” he asked, brows lifting in interest.
He wasn’t exactly a dear friend of Jack’s, but his day job involved sourcing high-end goods for wealthy collectors; his eye was keen, particularly for anything of value.
Leo sneered at the man. “Don’t let it fool you. It’s just one skinny carrot p>
The man looked at Leo as though he were looking at a fool. He then remarked, “A carrot? Are you crazy? Its value far surpasses that. When I was sourcing such ginseng for an affluent client in Kheley, I bought one for eight million. This one, even bigger and with its superior appearance, is worth no less than ten million p>
“What… what did you just say?!” Leo stammered, his voice laced with shock and disbelief.