004

Bernard's 4th Family Reunion…

Chase was moving around the hall, trying to serve all the guests at the same time. Before he could finish handling one, Raven would call out to him, making him bump into people in his haste to meet up with her unending requests.

“Instead of moving around the whole place, why don't you serve only us?” Kirsten asked, peering at Chase as he re-filled her glass.

“I'm sorry, I have other duties to handle.” He replied with a smile and a little bow.

Meanwhile, Raven who was sitting directly opposite him was seething with anger. Her friends have kept bugging her to make Chase serve them because they wanted to make fun of him.

Pursing his lips, “I will take my leave now.” He said.

“No, sit with us.” Raven said, making him halt as he slowly turned in her direction with a raised brow.

“I…” he tried to talk but the glare she sent his way sent the rest of his words back into his mouth.

Lowering himself on the closet chair, he tried to calm his raging breath but the stares he was receiving from Raven and his friends were boring holes inside of him.

When he couldn't bear it anymore, he quickly filled his glass with some wine and then gulped it all at once.

“Why did you decide to make the life of our friend miserable?” Kirsten asked, she was sitting next to him.

“I’m sorry, it's not my intention to do that.”

Leaning forward and with his hands clasped together, he said, “I’m working my ass off each day so she would live a comfortable life but I just can't… Please don't misjudge me, I'm trying my best.” He rapped, still staring at the girls who wouldn't take their eyes off him.

“Your best isn't enough. I can't flaunt you as my best friend's husband because of the backlash we will receive.” Prisca snarled.

“I'm sorry…”

“Can you even afford a ring?” Diane asked, swirling the content of her glass.

For a moment, Chase was quiet. He had endured the insult he was receiving from his in-laws on a daily basis and now Raven had given her friends the leverage to insult him too.

While he was trying to bottle up the anger that was threatening to tear him apart, he dug his fingers in his palm, drawing out blood in the process.

“...I even doubt if he can even afford the cheapest earring in your jewelry box.” Kirsten said and at once, Raven and her friends burst into a mocking laughter.

“I can.” Chase said suddenly and the laughter died down. He had his head to the ground but when they didn't say anything to him, he raised it, looking from Raven to the rest of her friends before he settled his gaze on her.

“I can afford the ring you want.” He said, his voice firm and unwavering.

Startled with his sudden change of mood, Raven quickly emptied the content of her glass as she darted her eyes around.

She was becoming uncomfortable with the stares she was receiving from her friends. She knew they all wanted her to put him up to the challenge but she was scared, knowing fully well that he didn't have the money he was claiming he had.

“Stop bluffing.” She said after a while.

“Bluffing? Come on Raven, he admitted he could afford the ring you so much wanted and you are saying he is bluffing? You really need to stop underestimating him.” Diane said with a little chuckle.

After this, the mockery resumed and Raven couldn't help but feel embarrassed with it all. Right there where she sat, she was already cooking up the tale she was going to tell to her mom so they would deal with Chase jointly for embarrassing her.

Suddenly, Diane cleared her throat and then placed her phone on the table. With a smile at the edge of her lips, she began to swipe through the catalog of jewelries she had found online.

“Raven, you need to choose from all these rings. They are of high quality and they suit your taste.” She said.

“The cheapest one here is just $50,000.” Prisca said. Her eyes first went to Raven before fixing it on Chase who was just staring at them.

“I don't like that one.” Raven snorted. Since she was a lover of jewelry, she threw caution into the wind and then began to fill her eyes with the pretty items.

Chase allowed her to make her choice and when she was done, she pushed Diane’s phone towards him.

“I will take this one.” She said, staring intently at him. The silver ring she had chosen was sold for $200,000.

Leaning close, Chase began to stare at the jewelry and after what seemed like forever, he started swiping until he stopped at a pure gold ring of twelve karat.

Pushing the phone back to them, he said, “I will purchase this instead. It suits you more than the other one.”

At once, the friend began to exchange glances among themselves. For a while, they tried to contain the laughter that was threatening to burst through them but it didn't last for long though.

This time around, it was Raven that led the laughter and her friends joined her. Their action did nothing but to draw the attention of others who began to wonder what the issue was.

Chase was now left with the duty of trying to let the onlookers know that it wasn't a cause for an alarm.

“Why do you like embarrassing yourself?” Raven yelled at him, her eyes glistening with anger. At this point, she wanted to lunge towards him and snap his head out of his neck. She was livid and trying to keep still was difficult for her.

“I can afford it.” he said with a calm voice which did nothing but to increase her rage.

Tilting her head to the side, her hand went to her forehead as she tossed it backwards.

“Enough of your talks, prove it.” Kirsten said.