Eric did not share blood ties with the Johnsons, so it was more convenient for him to handle this matter.-At night, Eric tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Sylvia's words from earlier in the day occupied his thoughts. He thought she might be one of those people who appeared cold on the outside but warm inside.It differed from their high school days or early marriage when she had been quite distant. He considered trying something tonight—slipping into Sylvia's room quietly.This idea ignited like a spark in a dry field, and he swiftly got out of bed, taking a deep breath. Approaching Sylvia's door, he reached for the doorknob and turned it gently, but it remained immovable despite his efforts.Eric sighed, and suddenly, his mind cleared.Just as he was about to return to his room, he heard Sylvia's voice from inside her room. "Who's there? Eric, is that you?"Embarrassment washed over Eric—he had assumed Sylvia was already asleep. He made an effort to compose himself
Sylvia's cheeks were flushed. She gritted her teeth and muttered, "What a jerk!"Eric's attempt to do that kind of thing with her had left her quite irritated. However, a notification on her computer screen caught her attention.After having her meal, Sylvia had been searching through newspapers from 20 years ago in Salt City. Apparently, her diligence had paid off, and she managed to find the advertisements Blake had placed. She also had someone check the little bear pacifier that Eric had as a baby.That pacifier was her only lead.This investigation yielded some interesting findings. Twenty-eight years ago, the economy was not doing well, especially in rural areas. People mostly used wooden sticks from the pepper tree as teething toys, and pacifiers were a luxury that few people could afford. They were scarce because they cost money and were hard to find back then.Only a few domestic manufacturers produced pacifiers, and the one Eric had was likely made in King City.While mo
'Is he holding a grudge?' she thought. In the end, they did not spar. After breakfast, they headed to Williams Corp.Meanwhile, Sylvia's lawyer filed a lawsuit against Richard and his group.-Sylvia sat at her desk and rested her chin in her hands, lost in thought. When Sylvester came in, he asked, "Vee, is something troubling you?"Sylvia snapped back and asked, "Sylvester, can you produce energy bursts with punches now?""Energy bursts?" Sylvester shook his head and smiled bitterly. "Nope. I'm afraid I'll never achieve that in my lifetime. Have you already achieved it? You're our family's only hope now. If you can't do it, the rest of us don't stand a chance."Sylvia shook her head, "I can't do it either. But when I was teaching Eric martial arts this morning, he managed to produce energy bursts from both Jab Punch and Eagle Claw.""What?!" Sylvester was astonished. "Are you sure about that, Vee? Didn't you say he's only been practicing martial arts for less than three mo
After the court's decision, Eric and Sylvia left immediately. They needed to return to their hometown due to the lack of updates from the police, which suggested slow progress in the case.As they were about to enter their car, Richard and his group hurriedly approached.Seeing Eric about to get in the car, they urgently called out, "Wait, Eric, wait for us!"Eric turned and asked, "Uncle Richard, is there something else?"With a friendly grin, Richard replied, "Eric, you still call me 'Uncle Richard'. Your father and I are brothers. Given our family connection, could you reconsider the lawsuit? We won't pursue the money anymore. It wasn't meant for me, after all.""I'm sorry, Uncle Richard." Eric chuckled. "It's too late now. I won't withdraw the lawsuit. I never expected you to mention that you're my father's brother. Please prepare for a public apology, remove all the Internet posts, and..."He smiled at Richard and continued. "Be prepared to pay 70,000 dollars. Otherwise, the
Sylvia was infuriated and had her lawyer and the court take coercive measures the next morning.Firstly, they used legal procedures to remove the defamatory posts from the Internet and then froze Richard's bank accounts.-"Fuck!" Gavin cursed when he received the call.The call came from the court, instructing them to publicly apologize online. Additionally, a total of 70,000 dollars had been withdrawn from their bank accounts. Richard felt like someone had stabbed him in his heart when he realized he had lost so much money. It was the compensation money for the land. His initial goal was to obtain Blake's money, but instead, he lost his own."I'll sue them! I'm going to sue them for taking my money!" Richard fumed."Dad!" Gavin said, wearing a bitter expression. "It was the court that took your money. Are you going to sue the court?"This brought Richard to his senses.Jared and Kayden faced more difficulties than Richard and Gavin. Their financial situation was not as good
Blake said calmly, "Mom, how am I making things difficult for them? I have no idea what you mean."Blake was not lying. He had not been involved in the lawsuit and was unaware that their bank accounts had been frozen.Alyssa lamented, "You are all brothers! As the eldest, why can't you give in a little to your younger brothers? Why must you do this to them? Do you want them to die?"Richard had complained to her before coming here. He had told her that Blake not only failed to share the compensation money with them but also took legal action against them. As a result, their bank accounts were frozen.Alyssa had a stronger bond with her two younger sons and supported them regardless of their actions. As for her eldest son, she didn't have much concern for him.Blake looked somewhat troubled, "Mom, I really don't know what you're talking about. What did I do to them? They are the ones who have been trying to cause trouble for Elly and Eric."Blake remained calm as well. Perhaps he
"Even now, they still want to steal the money my father struggled to get back for his land. How could you not blame them but us instead? Don't you think that's a little bit illogical?" Eric continued. "If anyone should apologize, it should be them. Otherwise, I won't let this end."The bank accounts haven't been unfrozen because they haven't apologized. If they don't do so, we have the right to sue and demand compensation again. I hope the balance in their bank accounts can last until that time."The mention of another lawsuit alarmed Richard and his group. "Eric!" Richard said, grinning from ear to ear, "I'm sorry for everything we've done. Can you ask the court to unfreeze our accounts? Also, can you return the money? We're all family. Why make things difficult for each other?""Return the money?" Eric chuckled, "What money? Besides, I haven't made things difficult for you guys. I'm just asking you to post an apology to clear our name. You're skilled at posting online, right? Th
With Richard and his group leaving, the nail salon finally quieted down.Blake let out a long sigh and said, "We've completely fallen out with your uncles."He had not wanted things to escalate to this point but had become older and had less energy to manage these issues. Moreover, he learned to take many things in stride after the recent car accident.Eric understood his father's feelings and reassured him, "Dad, consider it a lesson to Uncle Richard and Jared. I haven't used a single cent from their money."After that, he took out the bank card and handed it to Blake.Blake pushed the card back and said, "The court wanted them to pay you for a reason. Your uncles went too far this time. Don't return it. Consider it a compensation for these years for you and your sister."He knew his two brothers were not short of money, and his children were doing well, too.Eric accepted the bank card without saying more. However, he noticed that his father's back seemed to have stooped a lit