CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 38: WHEN A SCUMBAG IS EDUCATED (PART 1)

Nick Zeller watched with a big smile, proud and satisfied: "I told you, Lawrence is not only smart and perceptive, but most importantly, she’s lucky!"

"She just guessed randomly and got it all right!"

"Honestly, she’s been with me since she started apprenticing with me at six, taking on jobs and doing feng shui everywhere. After all these years, this is just a small affair. How could a small fry like Benjamin Winchester be hard to handle?"

"When it comes to unreliable guys, with my guidance, Lawrence can see right through them, heart and soul!"

"Who dares to fool our Lawrence into a relationship and ask her to cut her fallopian tubes? Believe it or not, our Lawrence would fool him into cutting off his own balls first!"

"Characters like this, with no roots, no foundation, just crush them with raw power. See, didn’t she just turn around and get your money back?"

Though fifty thousand isn’t much, it’s quite a fortune for families like Lucy Winters and Martin Saunders.

The two of them were extremely grateful to Nick Zeller.

The atmosphere in the private room improved even more.

After everyone finished a round of food, Nick Zeller, Gabrielle Winters, Lucy Winters, and Martin Saunders went to play mahjong.

Lawrence Winters and Martin’s daughter sat together singing karaoke.

The TV nearby was playing the Spring Festival Gala as background music, adding to the harmonious atmosphere.

The private room wasn’t crowded, but it was lively and noisy, perfectly capturing the bustling feeling needed for the New Year.

Kenneth Osborne had called her several times, but she didn’t hear it.

At the moment, Kenneth was standing on his own balcony, looking at the distant dark blue river view, then glanced at his watch, slightly smiled and shook his head.

He was having New Year’s Eve dinner at home, with his aunt Joan Lawson, uncle Liam Lloyd, and their son Lance Lloyd coming over to celebrate.

There weren’t many people there, but his cousin Lance, at sixteen, was particularly lively. Fortunately, his sister Brooke Osborne, gentle and considerate, was there to cook and take care of everyone, allowing the adults to watch TV while playing mahjong.

Brooke came out with some fruits, circled the living room and dining room without seeing Kenneth, then turned and spotted a tall figure through the large floor-to-ceiling windows leading to the balcony, hurriedly walking over.

"Kenneth, come inside, it’s too cold outside. I washed some fruits, including your favorite honey persimmons." Brooke smiled and waved at Kenneth.

Kenneth threw the cigarette in his hand away and turned around to walk back.

Suddenly, he heard a ringtone.

He quickly checked his own phone.

Nothing, it wasn’t his phone.

Brooke paused, then sheepishly rubbed her forehead, "It’s my phone."

She took out her phone and swiped it open, finding an unfamiliar number.

She wondered who would call her on such a festive day.

Brooke answered while laughing, "Even if it’s telemarketing, I’d wish them a happy New Year. Working on New Year’s Eve, they deserve praise."

Kenneth pulled her inside while smiling, "Sis, you’re too kind. I just block those calls directly."

"Everyone’s just trying to make a living, life isn’t easy for anyone." Brooke said as she picked up the phone and spoke into it: "Hello, who is this?"

The person on the other end seemed momentarily surprised, then mockingly laughed: "Who I am, you don’t need to know. Just know that you’re incredibly shameless! Your man doesn’t want you anymore, and you’re still stubbornly refusing to divorce!"

"If I were you, I’d have jumped to my death long ago. Why waste food by staying alive?"

"Useless harlot!"

Brooke’s face turned pale, trembling like a leaf in the wind, unable to utter a single word.

Kenneth noticed Brooke suddenly freeze, turned to glance at her, saw her holding her phone with a gray face, mouth slightly open, as if struck by something and unable to breathe.

"Sis?" Kenneth looked at her closely, realizing she changed her expression after answering the call, then withdrew her phone to listen.

The person on the other end was cursing delightedly: "Worthless woman! @#!!@#&..."

A string of vulgar insults like an angry market woman fighting.

Kenneth frowned, coldly said: "Are you looking to die? I’ve got your phone number remembered, and I recorded your call today. Tomorrow, I’ll report your harassment to the police!"

The person was gleefully cursing and suddenly startled by the low male voice, choking on their own saliva and frantically coughing.

Kenneth immediately hung up, blocked that number.

Returning the phone to Brooke, Kenneth asked with a stern face: "...Did someone from Gregory Quinn’s side call?"

Brooke covered her face with both hands, took a long time to reply, "I don’t know."

"No need to not know, it must be him."

Kenneth sneered, "Sis, prepare the divorce papers, get it done as soon as the civil office opens."

Brooke, feeling disgraced but still nodded, replied in a muffled, choked voice: "I know."

...

The caller was none other than Grace Day’s mother.

After insulting Brooke, she promptly phoned Grace: "Grace, mom already cursed that bitch. The person you wanted is ready too, you can use them once you’re back on the second day."

Grace felt delighted, exchanged some celebratory New Year words, and then hung up.

She was having New Year’s Eve dinner at Gregory Quinn’s place.

She and Gregory went back to the Cotton Mill neighborhood in the old town the day before to celebrate New Year’s Eve with his parents.

Originally, Gregory Quinn and Brooke were officially married and Brooke should have come to his house for New Year’s.

But this year, with the pregnant Grace Day staying in their home, Gregory’s parents played deaf and dumb, as if they forgot about Brooke, paying extra care to Grace.

They finished their New Year dinner, waited for the bell of the Spring Festival Gala to ring, then went to sleep.

The next morning, on the first day of the new year, Gregory got up, went to the bathroom to look in the mirror, and found the stiffness on the left side of his face seemed set.

Not as rigid as at first like cardboard, but hardly improved.

His face now appeared forcibly split in half: one side still handsome, the other a bit of an ugly bystander.

Overall, his looks dropped by a full eighty percent.

He’s no longer the suave, charming guy who could win over women with one glance.

Gregory ground his teeth in frustration.

He still hadn’t found out who hit him that night.

He had probed every connected woman around him, finding no clue.

Emerging from the bathroom to the dining area for breakfast, Grace watched him walk and hesitated: "Gregory, why are you walking in that synchronized way again?"

"Really?" Gregory broke into a nervous sweat.

He wasn’t surprised by his synchronised walking again, but by the fact that walking like that felt perfectly fine!

What does this mean?

It means his body has gotten used to synchronized walking!

Oh My God!

Is there anything more terrifying?!

His body adapted, but people outside certainly hadn’t!

He suddenly recalled all those looks of either pity, disdain, or ridicule over these recent days.

Turns out they weren’t admiring or envying him!

Gregory’s face felt stinging hot, even being so self-focused and vain, he now had to face this frightening reality.

What’s wrong with him?

At breakfast, Gregory’s expression was exceptionally grim.

Grace cautiously watched him, softly saying: "... Perhaps, after the holidays, you should go to the hospital and have another check-up..."

"Check-up for what?! I told you I’m not sick! There’s no pain or discomfort, how could I be sick?!" Gregory yelled at Grace.

Grace shrank back in shock, thrown off by Gregory’s yelling, she tossed her chopsticks, angrily saying: "You’re not sick? If not, why suddenly walk in sync?! And your face... don’t tell me it’s haunted!"

"Haunted?!" Gregory’s mind turned, suddenly realizing with a jolt, "Of course! I think I’ve been possessed!"

The night was dark and windy in such an isolated place, could it not be that he was haunted?!

Perhaps when he was attacked, some evil slipped in...

It must be so!