Chapter 13 Pay Our Respects

• Leo was visibly emotional.
• "Of course it's true. When have I ever lied to you?"
• "As long as you didn't serve time, that's all that matters."
• Tears welled up in Leo's eyes as he gave his son a firm pat on the shoulder, his tone softening. "But let's hold off on reopening the clinic. You never finished university, and you don't have a medical license. I'm not exactly a top-tier doctor myself, so we can't risk tarnishing the family name. Plus, we don't have any money right now."
• A penny can bring even the bravest man to his knees.
• "The priority is to find you a job. Once you've got stable work, your mom and I can start looking for a bride for you. Without money, no girl's going to want you."
• "Alright, I'll listen to you," Jonah replied without arguing. There were some things he couldn't reveal just yet, fearing his parents wouldn't be able to handle the truth.
• The father and son walked for nearly half an hour before they finally arrived at Sunshine Bay, a high-end, upscale neighborhood. Compared to Dreamland Garden, they were worlds apart, utterly incomparable.
• Ding dong...
• Leo pressed the doorbell.
• "Who is it? Coming,"
• A woman's voice called out from inside. Jonah instantly recognized it was his aunt, Scarlet Reed.
• "Scarlet, it's me, Leo..." Leo's face lit up with a humble smile, and he bowed slightly, looking painfully submissive.
• The sight of it pierced Jonah's heart.
• "Are you here to borrow money again?"
• As soon as the door opened, Scarlet's face twisted in disdain. She didn't even bother hiding her contempt and made no move to invite them in.
• "No, not at all."
• Leo waved his hands frantically. "We're just here to visit. Also, Jonah's out today, so I brought him along to see you."
• "Hello, Aunt Scarlet," Jonah greeted her politely.
• "Oh, it really is Jonah. Didn't they give you five years? You're out already? Don't tell me you broke out of prison?"
• Immediately, Scarlet's expression shifted to one of suspicion, as if she was ready to slam the door shut.
• "Aunt Scarlet, I..."
• "Do you even know how to speak properly?" A stern male voice interrupted from inside, and soon, Liam Clark appeared. "Does Jonah seem like the type to break out of prison?"
• "Hmph, if he's such a good person, why'd he end up in jail?" Scarlet sneered before turning away, still not inviting them in.
• Leo's face flushed with embarrassment, and he stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Jonah, on the other hand, merely furrowed his brow slightly, not letting it get to him.
• "Leo, Jonah, don't pay her any mind. Come in and sit down."
• Liam shot a sharp glare at Scarlet's retreating back before turning to usher Leo and Jonah into the house.
• "Jonah, would you like some coffee? I'll make you a cup."
• "Thank you, Uncle Liam. Just some water is fine," Jonah smiled politely, unfazed.
• As he glanced around the room, a sharp pang struck his heart.
• Liam's home wasn't opulent, but it was certainly the dwelling of a well-off family. The apartment spanned over 180 square meters, and the dining area alone was larger than Jonah's entire living room. A solid mahogany coffee table in the center was likely worth more than all the furniture and appliances in Jonah's house combined.
• It was hard to believe that just three years ago, Liam's financial situation had been far inferior to Jonah's family. With a family clinic, Liam and Scarlet had worked as senior white-collar professionals, while Jonah had been the excellent child, being top of his class, always first in everything.
• But after three years, after Jonah's imprisonment and return, everything had changed.
• "Liam, we really didn't come here to borrow money tonight," Leo stammered, visibly uneasy and tense, even in front of his own brother. He barely perched on the edge of the couch, looking small and pitiful.
• "Leo, why even bring that up? So what if you were here to borrow money? This is my house. I'm still the one who makes the decisions!"
• Liam shot a sharp glance at Scarlet, who was lounging nearby with a face mask on.
• "Of course, you are. You've become quite something now. So powerful, such a big man in charge," Scarlet sneered from the sidelines, dripping with sarcasm.
• "You..."
• "Liam, don't get upset with her. The truth is, we've caused you enough trouble over the past three years," Leo interjected, holding Liam back as he made to rise. "We're here tonight because Jonah just got back, and no matter what, we had to come and pay our respects to you two."
• "That's right."