2024-09-24 19:23:51“How dare you talk about my mother like that?” Tedmond demanded, pinning Max against the table.
No matter how much they had talked about him, he hadn’t retaliated, but today they had gone too far. No one could talk about his mother now. That might have been possible in the past, but not anymore.
“What are you doing?” Maxine questioned. “How dare you hit your elder brother?”
Glaring back at her, Tedmond snarled, “You think of him as my elder brother now, don’t you? Why didn’t you say something when I was being insulted?” He released Max and stepped closer to Maxine.
Maxine trembled but stood her ground. ‘How can that bastard get so strong in just a day?’ she wondered. However, she quickly regained her composure.
“Why are you doing this to him when he just asked if you could afford to eat at the restaurant?!” Maxine yelled, switching the topic as fast as she could to make herself look less bad. “We all know you’ve been kicked out of the family without a penny! How can you afford to eat here?”
A smirk crossed her face as she spoke. “Isn’t that right? He was just offering to lend you some money so you could afford to eat here, and you insulted him!”
Tedmond paused, his glare unwavering. He wasn’t surprised she would say that. If the four boys couldn’t afford the restaurant, they wouldn’t have invited him.
‘So he can’t pay for the food here?’ someone from the crowd murmured. ‘I just heard him say his mother was a maid in their house.’
‘He’s not even grateful that they cared about him, even though he’s just the son of a maid who served them.’
Max rose to his feet, rubbing his face, which had been injured from being slammed against the table. Blood dripped from his face, staining his white shirt. Lisa hurriedly brushed past Tedmond and held Max.
“Are you alright?” Lisa asked Max before turning to glare at Tedmond. “How dare you hit Max? Who do you think you are? Are you jealous that I chose him instead of you? So jealous that you followed us here! You must’ve known he’d ask if you could afford to eat here!”
The murmurs filled the place.
‘That’s two people who have said the same thing. Why is he here if he can’t pay?’
‘We should kick him out.’
‘Where’s the security?’
Maxine grinned widely as she stepped closer to Tedmond. “You’ll be thrown out of this place like the trash you are.”
“Where’s the owner? I’d like to meet him!” Tedmond yelled.
Max, Maxine, and Lisa stared at him, eyes wide in shock and disbelief. But the moment of surprise was short-lived as laughter erupted around them. All three burst into laughter.
“You?!” Maxine mocked. “How can you ask to meet the owner of this restaurant?”
“Is that a joke or something?” Lisa asked. “You and I both know you couldn’t afford to buy me a meal here, even after saving up for three months. Who are you trying to fool?”
“Do you think doing this makes you look cool?” Max questioned, stepping closer to Tedmond. “Why would the owner of the restaurant come here in person?”
“You must be daydreaming.”
“What do you want to meet the owner for?” Maxine demanded, her lips curling in a mocking smile.
Tedmond returned her grin. “What else would I want to meet him for, except to ban the Griffin family from this restaurant?”
Hearing his words, Maxine’s grin widened. “Ban us from the restaurant?” She laughed. “How can someone like you convince the CEO to do that? Who do you think you are?”
Lisa was amused by his audacity to tell such a lie. Max, on the other hand, grinned from ear to ear.
“I’ll wait to see if the owner shows up for you!” he yelled. “You’re delusional! Has kicking you out of the house affected your mental health? Doesn’t living on the streets do that?”
Tedmond shook his head before pulling out his phone. He dialed the housekeeper’s number. Curious eyes lingered on him as he spoke.
“Tell the owner of Hans Restaurant to meet me here,” Tedmond ordered. “Give him ten minutes, or he won’t want to know what happens.”
“Okay,” Thomas replied.
The murmurs around the place increased as Tedmond ended the call.
“Did you just make a fake call?” Maxine taunted. “I didn’t know you’d stoop so low to get our attention.”
Just then, the manager hurried into the restaurant, his gaze trailing from Tedmond to Max.
“What’s happening here?” the manager questioned. “I was informed by an employee that someone here wants to meet the owner. If we’ve done anything to offend you, I’ll offer compensation.”
Max gritted his teeth. “Don’t you recognize me?” he growled at the manager.
Hearing Max’s voice, the manager was stunned. “Ah, Mr. Griffin! What happened to your face? Who did this to you?”
Max smiled, pointing his finger at Tedmond. “He did it. He punched me when I tried to pay for his meal. He can’t afford to eat here but tries to act all boastful.”
The manager’s head snapped in Tedmond’s direction. “Who are you? How dare you hit Mr. Griffin, and why are you here if you can’t afford to pay for our food?!”
Tedmond frowned. “Hey! Do you want to lose your job?” he threatened. “Why don’t you find out what happened before you judge?”
The manager flinched under Tedmond’s gaze and scanned him from head to toe. Seeing that Tedmond had no luxury on him, he concluded Tedmond was a nobody compared to Max.
“How dare you? I don’t need to know what transpired between you two! You’re a lowlife; you’re probably at fault!” the manager yelled. “Are you threatening me? Do you know who Mr. Griffin is?!”
Tedmond shrugged. “He’s just my former half-brother. Now, I don’t have someone as stupid as him as my brother.”
“Half-brother?” The manager paused, his eyes darting between Tedmond and Max. ‘They don’t look alike.’
Max glared at the manager. “Are you not doing your job? That boy is only a bastard! Kick him out, or you’ll be fired!”
The manager didn’t hesitate to call security, and when they arrived, he ordered, “Throw him out of the restaurant, and he is hereby banned!”
The security headed for Tedmond, but he began counting. “I told the owner of this restaurant to arrive in ten minutes.” He glanced at his wristwatch. “He’ll be here in three, two, one…"
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As soon as Tedmond finished counting, the others hadn't had time to react when the door of the restaurant swung open. A man in a tailored creamy suit hurried in, followed by three others, with sweat dripping down his forehead.Everyone’s gaze turned to the man who had just walked in, and the security guards froze in their tracks.“What is going on?” Max demanded, glaring at the manager. “Throw him out!”Blood drained from the manager’s face as he stared at the man. “He really came!” he yelled. “The owner of the restaurant is really here! How is that possible? I messed up!”Max and Maxine’s eyes widened in disbelief. Even when their father had tried to speak to the owner of the restaurant, he was told to book an appointment. Yet Tedmond had managed to call him with a single phone call.Lisa glanced at Tedmond and noticed the smile on his lips.“He really came?” murmurs began to spread.“The owner arrived in ten minutes, just like he said.”“Who the hell is that guy?”“How can he call t
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Dinner ended faster than they had anticipated. Tedmond walked down the street with his four friends; they hadn’t asked him anything after his last statement.They quickly switched the discussion and spoke about school instead, avoiding anything related to him. Tedmond glanced at his wristwatch; it was almost 10:30 p.m., and he wasn't home yet.He wasn’t one to go home early since he would usually take on more jobs at night. A smile crossed his face; he was glad he wouldn’t have to do that kind of work anymore and would finally be able to sleep properly.Picking up his necklace, he glanced at it. If only his mother were there to see him find her family, it would have made up for the terrible things the Griffins had done to her.A frown crossed his face; he wasn't going to let go of the Griffins for what they had done to both his mother and himself. He needed to work on his revenge plan.“Are you alright?” Noah’s voice brought him back to reality. “You were zoning out on us.”Tedmond gl
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Seated in his office, Tedmond crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. The seat had been adjusted, making it look puffy and soft. His gaze was fixed on the tablet, but he wasn’t reading from it.He couldn’t help but wonder what expressions the Griffins must have had when they received Lora's call.They would do everything in their power to gain further recognition from him, but he had no intention of revealing his identity just yet. He pondered whether he could play with them a little, like chess pieces.Considering all the terrible things they had done to him and his mother, it was only fair that he did as he pleased with them.Just then, Lora walked into the office. “Sir, I called them as you asked, and I’ve also gotten the mask and a voice changer.”Tedmond raised his head from the tablet to look at her. “A voice changer? Is that really necessary?”“I thought you didn’t want them to recognize your face, and you might also want to disguise your voice,” she replied.Thinking ab
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A glint of satisfaction crossed Tedmond’s face when he saw the look of astonishment in the eyes of the Griffins. He had intentionally called Max dumb, knowing that Max hated being called that, even though he was.Max was taken aback and hurt flashed in his eyes for a few seconds. His lips parted as he searched for words, but he couldn’t find any. After a few moments, he finally spoke up.“Why do you think I am dumb?” Max questioned hastily. “I only said what needed to be said.”Tedmond grinned. “No, you didn’t,” he replied. “Xinca doesn’t need to put others down to get ahead or stand out.”Harold didn’t like the fact that his son was being called dumb. From how things were going, he had a feeling they might lose this opportunity, so he stepped in.“I am sorry for my son’s rudeness, President,” Harold said. “He didn’t mean to offend you.”Harold gestured for Max to apologize, but before that could happen, Tedmond spoke up.“Are you sure you know what your son did?” Tedmond asked.Harol
From Illegitimate To A Zillionaire Heir CHAPTER 17
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Getting back to the company, Tedmond couldn't stop grinning. His plan for revenge was going smoother than he had expected.At first, he had thoughts about revenge, but he had no idea that the Griffins would be connected to the first company he visited.Their presence made it easier for him to deal with them, but so far, nothing had been accomplished yet.“You're grinning so much, brother,” Bianca said. “Is it because of those crazy people from before?”Tedmond froze and glanced down at Bianca, seeing her curious blue eyes staring at him.He hadn’t expected her to be awake. What did he expect? They had been too loud, and their voices had woken her.“No, it's not because of them,” Tedmond replied.“Who are they? And why did you lie that you’re my father?” she questioned, her brows furrowing as if she was about to scold him.“Mommy said that it isn’t good to lie, and all liars aren’t good children. Does that mean you’re a bad child?”Tedmond peered down at her, worried about how to answe
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Lenny stood frozen on the sidewalk, his fists clenched at his sides as he watched the car drive off. The taillights glowed red in the distance, slowly fading into the night. His heart pounded in his chest, a mix of anger, humiliation, and disbelief washing over him.She didn’t remember him.Not only that—she had brushed him aside like he was nothing.Lenny ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling inside him. How could she forget? They had spent hours together as kids. He had always been there, always admired her. He thought she would at least hold some memory of him, even if it was faint.But the way she had looked at him—like he was just some random guy—made his stomach churn.And that driver.Lenny’s jaw tightened as he recalled the way Persis had clung to Tedmond, how she had locked hands with him so easily as if he meant something to her. He had assumed Tedmond was just a hired worker, someone beneath their world. But Persis had stood beside him, defended him, and left wi
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Back outside, Tedmond continued to ignore the brown-haired man. No matter how loud or insistent he was, Tedmond glanced at his wristwatch, checking the time.“Hey! Aren’t you listening to me?!” the man snarled. “Is that watch more important than what I’m saying?!”Tedmond raised his head and looked at him, nodding. “You were talking, but I wasn’t interested in hearing anything.”The man’s glare darkened, and his teeth clenched. “What could you possibly understand? You’re just an ordinary driver.”Just then, the sound of clicking heels drew their attention.Both men turned toward the source of the sound.Persis was stepping out of the building.The brown-haired man’s face lit up, and he rushed toward her. “You’re here!”However, she brushed right past him and stopped in front of Tedmond.Holding his hand, she peered up at him with a bright smile.The brown-haired man froze, his face turning pale. He was so stunned that he couldn’t move for a few seconds. When he did, his expression wor
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As soon as the words left the man’s lips, Tedmond gave him a blank expression. He had never seen the man before and had no idea who he was.However, one question caught his attention. The man had just asked what he was doing in a house that was supposed to belong to someone else. Holding roses and mentioning Persis' name was enough for Tedmond to understand what the man wanted and what was going on.“Even if you’re a driver picking us up, why are you so damn dressed up like that?” the man demanded, pointing the bouquet of flowers at Tedmond. “Why are you overdressed? Are you trying to seduce your boss?”Hearing the man’s question, Tedmond arched a brow and glared at him. They didn’t know each other, yet the man had the audacity to make assumptions.“If you’re done delivering the flowers, you can leave,” Tedmond replied. “Or hand them over—I’ll give them to her when she gets here. It wouldn’t be right to keep you waiting when you have other jobs to do.”As soon as Tedmond spoke, the ma
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"The company isn’t going bankrupt!" he snapped."Alright," she said simply. "Make sure it doesn’t. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. And get your wounds treated—I don’t want a hospitalized husband."With that, she turned and walked out.Max watched her leave, his blood boiling.As soon as she was gone, he let out a furious grunt and grabbed the nearest object—a mirror. He raised it high and smashed it onto the ground. Shards of glass scattered everywhere as he glared at the broken pieces."Tedmond!" he snarled. "Not only did you cause trouble for me when you were in this house, but now you’re causing even more trouble from the outside!"Running a hand through his hair, he turned toward the door."If he’s Father’s backup son, then I’ll just have to get rid of him," he muttered. "I’ll prove to everyone that I’m better than that useless bastard."Then, another thought crossed his mind.Alicia.Since she wanted his love, he was going to give it to her.But on his terms.He had
CHAPTER 171
Max’s jaw clenched, his breathing heavy. His father’s words cut deep, but he refused to let them break him.All because he had told his father about Alicia and how he had asked for her help—only to be rejected—he suddenly became the bad son.Harold never missed a chance to remind him of his failures. But comparing him to Tedmond? That was new.Max swallowed hard. "You're seriously bringing up Tedmond?" He let out a humorless chuckle. "You hate him. You spent years making sure he knew he wasn’t wanted. And now you're saying you wish he were your son instead of me?"Harold's expression twisted with disgust. "I despise that bastard, but at least he knows how to take advantage of an opportunity. You, on the other hand, keep embarrassing me." He sneered. "If he weren't such a stain on my reputation, I'd say he played his cards better than you ever could."Max's fingers twitched at his sides. He wanted to hit something. Anything. But he knew better. His father would only take satisfaction i
CHAPTER 170
Rising from his bed with a groan, he walked to the door. Pulling it open, he stepped out, running a hand through his hair.“The kitchen,” he mumbled.Walking down the stairs, he entered the living room only to find two men sitting on the couch, their expressions sour.“Annoying,” he grumbled.His voice caught their attention, and they turned to look at him. The moment their gazes met his, one of them brightened immediately.“Oh, Duncan!” Lucas called out, beaming. “Did you finally get out of your room after all this time? I thought you planned to stay locked up for a while.”Duncan’s eyes fell on his second elder brother, Bryan, who wore a smug expression.“If Bryan told you that, he’s lying,” Duncan said flatly. “I came down to get some water and, at the same time, discuss what you two have decided to do with the evidence.”Hearing this, the smile faded from Lucas’s face, and he tilted his head. “I should’ve expected that to be the first thing you’d ask. Go get your water and come ba
