Chapter 7 Insufficient Balance

• Oscar's gaze was steady, his eyes cold. Howard, feeling the weight of it, let out a mocking laugh. "What? Now that everyone knows the truth, you think you're going to hit me?" Howard's voice dripped with contempt.
• He crossed his arms, leaning in with a sneer. "Why don't you go home and be a man where it matters?"
• Oscar was about to speak, but his phone interrupted him with a sudden, sharp ring.
• He fumbled, pulling out an old, beat-up flip phone from his pocket. The room filled with snickers and whispers.
• "Is that ... a flip phone? Must be one of those prepaid ones you get for dirt cheap."
• Oscar paid no attention to the laughter. He answered the call, his face tightening as a voice shouted on the other end, "Oscar! Why haven't you cleaned the bathroom yet? Get back here right now!" It was his mother-in-law, and the command rang through loud and clear.
• Oscar closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the weight of her words. He had forgotten all about the chores. A wave of regret hit him—he shouldn't have bothered coming to this reunion at all.
• "Look at that! Even here, his mother-in-law's still giving him orders!"
• "Wasn't that her on the phone just now? Telling him to go home and clean up?"
• "If I had to live like that, I'd rather be dead," another voice added. "I don't make a lot of money either, but no way I'd let myself be a live-in husband."
• "He's a shortsighted guy, after all."
• The room buzzed with murmurs, growing louder with each passing second. Even Snow, sitting quietly nearby, sighed. It hurt her to see Oscar in this situation. Her neighborhood had a security job opening, and she thought she might suggest it to him. At least then he wouldn't be stuck cleaning all day.
• "Go on. Get out of here. This reunion isn't for people like you."
• Then, turning his full attention back to Whitney, Howard smiled smoothly. "Whitney, don't let this loser ruin your night. This place? My cousin's close friend owns it."
• He leaned in, dropping his voice slightly, "You probably know my cousin—Lawrence? He works at your company. He's a big shot. How about I get us the best wine they've got here? Let's toast to the good life."
• Before she could answer, Howard hit the service bell. When the waiter arrived, Howard didn't bother to hide his irritation. "What kind of service is this? he snapped. "Took you long enough. Bring us your finest wine—two bottles."
• The waiter hesitated, glancing at Howard cautiously. "Sir, our best wine is ... quite expensive. Are you sure you—"
• Howard slapped his Audi keys onto the table, cutting the waiter off mid-sentence. "Does it look like I can't pay? Howard barked. "And by the way, my cousin Lawrence is a friend of your boss. You know who he is, right? Now go and bring us that wine."
• He threw a quick glance at Whitney, watching her reaction closely. Her eyes widened, impressed. Howard leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. He was sure he had her attention now.
• Oscar was taken aback when he realized Howard was Lawrence's cousin. The resemblance in their behavior was striking, and he found it strangely entertaining. He watched Howard with interest, wondering what other displays of arrogance were yet to come.
• Moments later, the waiter arrived with two bottles of wine. He gave a polite smile and began, "Sir, here's your wine. But—"
• Howard waved him off impatiently. "Forget the ‘but.' Just open it!" He laughed, showing no concern. "Tonight, we drink until we're all wasted. Cheers, everyone!"
• Howard raised his glass, then glanced at Oscar, who was still present. With a scowl, he added, "Oscar, you should have noticed by now. We don't want you here. Are you really thinking of sticking around and drinking with us?"
• Oscar opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by Howard's dismissive attitude. He shook his head, choosing not to engage further. Instead, he approached Snow. "Do you want to leave with me? There might be some trouble later if you stay."
• Snow hesitated. She had been friendly with Oscar back in school, but tonight was clearly Howard's event. Leaving now might cause more trouble than it was worth.
• Howard's irritation grew as he saw Oscar not only refusing to leave but also trying to talk to Snow. He glared at Oscar and sneered, "Oscar, you not only refuse to leave but now you're trying to flirt with our classmates? Do you think you're important? Remember, you're just a live-in son-in-law. Having you as a classmate is embarrassing enough for us!"
• "Yeah, look at us. We're all doing well, and there you are—making a fool of yourself!"
• "Get out now! Snow, don't let him fool you. He's just a live-in son-in-law."
• The room was Howard's stage. The classmates, eager to please and make a show of their status, joined in the mockery.
• Oscar frowned. He'd never have said a word, but Snow might be dragged into the mess that was waiting for them.
• Feeling slighted by Oscar's defiance, Howard slammed a silver card onto the table. "Waiter, bring the bill. If some people can't take a hint, they need to see what a meal like this costs. It's more than they'll ever make in a lifetime!"
• The room buzzed with surprise. The silver card was a symbol of significant wealth, reserved for those with assets over a million.
• Howard's youthful appearance and the card's presence astonished everyone. It was clear that despite his age, he had achieved more than anyone expected.
• Oscar stood out sharply against Howard's display of wealth. While Howard flaunted his riches and confidence, Oscar appeared humble and defeated. The difference between them was glaring.
• Whitney, noticing Howard's newfound confidence, looked at him with fresh interest. It was clear that Howard had some real resources, something she hadn't expected.
• Howard, catching Whitney's approving glance, grew even more self-satisfied. Turning back to Oscar, he continued with a smirk, "I've changed my mind. Tonight, we'll split the bill evenly among everyone. But for Oscar, he'll cover his own share. The rest is on me. Get two bills ready."
• The waiter nodded and left to prepare the bills.
• Snow, looking at Oscar with a hint of sympathy, thought it might have been better if they had left earlier. With the meal likely costing over 15 hundred dollars, she worried whether Oscar could handle his share. Each person's bill would exceed 150 bucks. Could Oscar afford that?
• With a sigh, Snow quietly pulled out her credit card. She decided she would cover Oscar's part of the bill to spare him further embarrassment.
• At that moment, the waiter returned, accompanied by a man who looked like a manager. The waiter bowed apologetically to Howard. "Sir, I'm very sorry, but there's an issue with your card."
• Howard stared in disbelief. "Are you joking? I have over 150 grand in my account. How can it be insufficient?"
• Unfortunately, your bill totals 270 thousand dollars. After subtracting the amount Mr. Oscar is responsible for, you still owe 255 thousand dollars.
• Oscar had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing. Howard's predicament was just too ridiculous.
• Howard was embarrassing himself more and more. While most wouldn't recognize the two bottles of wine just brought out, Oscar knew them well.
• They were Eaton XIII, a special royal reserve from Falencia. Each bottle cost around 120 thousand dollars. With Howard ordering two, the wine alone had already topped 240 thousand dollars.
• Howard, now visibly distressed, was clearly losing his earlier confidence. He pointed an accusing finger at the waiter and said, "We're fewer than twenty people here. How can the bill be close to 300 thousand? That's 15 thousand dollars per person! Call your manager. I want to see how your hotel can justify these outrageous prices!"