2024-09-08 19:31:08However, upon entering, Heidi Cooper noticed Maria Long, Stephen Cooper, and Fiona Cooper sitting at the dining table, staring at each other. The atmosphere felt a bit off.
"Um, what's going on? Why isn't anyone talking? Where's brother-in-law?" Heidi sat down cautiously, sensing the unusual atmosphere.
"What brother-in-law are you talking about?" Maria Long asked with a displeased expression.
"What? Joseph Wilson, my brother-in-law," Heidi was momentarily confused.
"He's not your brother-in-law anymore," Maria Long said with disdain.
"What? How is he not my brother-in-law anymore?" Heidi was completely baffled.
"I divorced him. He's already left," Fiona said coldly.
"What? Divorced?"
"Sis, are you crazy? Why did you drive him away? What did he do to offend you?" Heidi was perplexed.
"He and I are from two different worlds. I, Fiona Cooper, look down on men like him," Fiona said with indifference.
"No, I don't know how he falls short. He's always been diligent, honest, and humble."
"You don't want to marry that Charles Martin, do you? Sis, you've gone mad. Charles Martin is not a good person," Heidi said, utterly bewildered.
"I never said I wanted to marry anyone. Eat your food," Fiona said emotionlessly, poking at her rice bowl.
"Calling him brother-in-law all day long, what's so good about that loser? Eat your food. Do you need to manage your sister's affairs? Why do you care so much about that Joseph?" Maria Long said irritably.
"Enough, let's all eat. Stop discussing that outsider," Stephen Cooper finally spoke.
"You..." Heidi was momentarily speechless.
"Enough, stop talking. Just eat!" Maria Long gave Heidi a turkey leg, trying to shut her up.
Heidi had nothing to say. She instinctively took a bite, but as soon as the food entered her mouth, she spat it out with a disgusted expression.
"Pfft... Pfft! What the hell is this? Why is the food so awful today? What's going on?" Heidi looked miserable.
"Awful? How is it awful? Your mom was busy today, so your dad cooked. Just make do with it!" Maria Long glared at Heidi.
"Mom, you have no self-awareness about your culinary skills. Your cooking is even worse than Dad's. I'm not eating. This life is unbearable. I'll go eat instant noodles by myself." Heidi stood up and returned to her room in a huff.
"Hey, you..." Maria Long was helpless seeing this.
"Is it really that bad?" Maria Long couldn't quite believe it.
"It's a bit unpleasant," Fiona had already eaten some. Although it was bearable, the food couldn't compare to what Joseph cooked.
Maria Long also tasted a bite.
"Pfft, pfft..." As soon as the food entered her mouth, she spat it out.
Stephen Cooper watched this scene with an innocent expression. His cooking skills were poor, but Maria Long's were even worse. Fiona took after her mother, with a similar level of skill.
"Stephen Cooper, what are you doing? You can't even cook a few dishes properly. Is salt free?" Maria Long exploded in anger.
"You've all gotten used to that loser's cooking. Besides, as a grown man, I can't spend all day studying how to cook, right?" Stephen Cooper said, a bit exasperated.
"I'm full. I'll go back to my room first," Fiona stood up and left for her room.
Maria Long and Stephen Cooper sat at the table, both in a bad mood.
"We can't go without eating in the future. Let's hire a housekeeper," after a long while, Maria Long finally spoke.
"That's the only way," Stephen Cooper also had a sullen expression, looking at the table full of dishes, feeling quite helpless.
Heidi returned to her room, still full of resentment.
"What's the big deal? Who does she think she is? She really considers herself a goddess? You're so high and mighty, you're so great, no man in this world is worthy of you," Heidi tossed her things on the bed, grumbling incessantly.
After taking off her outer clothes, she lay directly on the bed and took out her phone. She found Joseph's phone number and called him right away.
"Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently switched off. Please try again later," the voice prompt indicating the phone was off came from the other end.
"What's going on? Why is it switched off?" Heidi tried calling several more times, but the message remained the same.
Left with no choice, she could only send messages.
"Brother-in-law, where did you go? Why is your phone switched off?"
"Brother-in-law, what's wrong? Are you okay? Reply to me when you see the message!"
"Brother-in-law, you're not thinking of doing something stupid like committing suicide, are you? Don't do anything foolish. If you need any help, just tell me..."
"Brother-in-law, can you at least reply? You're making me really worried about you..."
"Brother-in-law?"
"..."
Heidi sent many messages in a row. She lost count of how many she had sent.
Previously, Joseph's phone was always accessible 24/7, and he would reply to messages instantly. He never disappeared like this and was basically available whenever needed, always responding to everything.
After sending numerous messages, she finally stopped.
Perhaps brother-in-law was heartbroken and didn't want to see anyone from the Cooper family anymore. It made sense. All these years, this family had always treated him as an outsider.
Thinking this way, Heidi stood up, took her cup, and went out to get some water.
"Joseph Wilson? Joseph Wilson? Get me a glass of water. Also, I'm going to wash my feet. Prepare the foot bath water for me," at this moment, Fiona's voice came from her room. Hearing these words, Heidi was a bit exasperated.
"Joseph, are you deaf or dead? Can't you hear me talking?" When there was no response, Fiona stormed out of the room.
"Sis, are you crazy? What Joseph? Didn't you drive Joseph away?"
"From now on, get your own foot bath water. Or see if Charles Martin, whom you'll marry in the future, is willing to get foot bath water for you," Heidi shook her head and sighed.
Hearing these words, Fiona remembered that Joseph had left and felt awkward.
"I... forgot," Fiona opened her mouth, but in the end, only uttered this sentence.
"He's a man, after all. Don't keep ordering him around. People have dignity. Serving you all day and getting scolded. He must feel liberated now. You're on your own!" Heidi took a sip of water and slowly walked back to her room.
Hearing Heidi's words, Fiona rubbed her forehead.
"Am I going crazy? Joseph is gone. Why am I calling for him? What an exhausting day," Fiona sighed, shook her head, and also returned to her room.
Back in the room, Fiona sat down and wearily slumped over the table.
A few minutes later, she took out her phone and stared at it, lost in thought.
"Did I... go too far?" After a long while, Fiona murmured this sentence.
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After much inner struggle, Fiona finally dialed Joseph's number. Over the years, she had never taken the initiative to call Joseph unless there was a particularly important matter she needed him to handle.However, after dialing, the voice prompt indicated that the phone was switched off. Upon hearing this, Fiona put down the phone and continued to rest her head on the table with her eyes closed.Suddenly, her phone vibrated again. Startled, she immediately opened her phone, only to feel a sense of disappointment when she saw it was a Facebook message from her best friend, Hannah.Fiona suddenly felt a bit ridiculous. What was she expecting? For Joseph to come back and beg her not to divorce him?Thinking this way, she still opened Facebook and read the messages from Hannah."Dear Fiona, congratulations on regaining your freedom and getting rid of that loser!""So, when shall we meet up and celebrate?"Hannah sent two messages."Let's forget about celebrating. I'm busy these days. I h
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"What does it have to do with you?" Blake Morgan was the first to reply."Grandpa is right. What does it have to do with you?" Alice also replied in the group.Seeing their responses, Mason Morgan was speechless and could only send a series of question marks in the group to express his astonishment."Dad, although you have the final say in Alice's matters, and I trust your judgment, I should at least know what kind of man my daughter is going to marry, right? I'll find time to go over and take a look after a while. There are too many things going on here in Metropolis City at the moment. @Blake Morgan," after a long time, Mason Morgan sent another lengthy message."Do as you wish. It's not like you can change anything anyway," Blake Morgan said rather domineeringly."Dad, you're overthinking. It's only just beginning now!" Alice was obviously a bit exasperated too.After replying, Alice put down her phone."Why aren't you eating yet?" At this moment, Joseph also came out from the kitc
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"Hello? Brother-in-law? Is that you, brother-in-law?" Upon discovering that the call had connected, Heidi's anxious voice came from the other end."Um... Heidi, it's me, Joseph," Joseph calmly replied."Brother-in-law, what are you doing? Such a grown man, not answering calls, not replying to messages, disappearing for an entire day. Do you know how worried I was about you?""I called many neighbors and relatives, and they all said they hadn't seen you. I was so anxious that I was about to call the police.""Do you have any idea how concerned I was that you might have jumped into the river in despair?""..."Without letting Joseph say much, Heidi started scolding him.Hearing all this, Joseph could only smile helplessly.After thoroughly reprimanding Joseph, Heidi finally stopped, feeling much more at ease."Are you done?" Joseph asked with a smile."I'm done. Don't do this again next time. And I'm serious, don't think of doing anything rash," Heidi continued."I just didn't have my p
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Just then, Mason Alvarez pulled out her phone and snapped a quick photo of their intertwined hands."There we go. I’ll send this to my parents—they’ll finally believe me." She looked quite pleased with herself."What if they ask you to bring your boyfriend home?" Joseph asked, casually releasing her hand as he got into the car."We’re still just getting to know each other. Holding hands doesn’t mean we’re ready for a family dinner. That’s still years away—three to five at least, don’t you think?""Either way, I’m done chatting with all those weirdos my parents keep picking."Mason mumbled from the passenger seat, her voice full of exasperation."Fair enough," Joseph said as he started the car and pulled out onto the road.As they drove, Joseph couldn’t help but notice how different Mason Alvarez seemed. The change had started the moment she took his hand.Before, she’d always come across as bold and difficult. But when she held his hand, something shifted—she became gentle, almost
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After leaving the night market, Joseph and Mason Alvarez strolled down a quiet street. It was still a bit of a walk back to where they had parked. They had wandered quite far without realizing it."Mr. Wilson, are you out of your mind? That guy was throwing questions at you left and right—didn't that strike you as suspicious? How could you just share your personal information with a total stranger?""Especially things like your phone number, ID number, and other personal details—you should never reveal those to anyone.""These days, society’s a mess. Who knows what someone might do with that kind of information?"Mason walked steadily along the road, speaking in a casual tone."I know," Joseph replied with a nod."Then why did you do it?"Mason shot him a disbelieving look."Because I didn’t think he was a bad person. He had this air about him—stern, principled. He said he was a soldier, fresh off the battlefield."Joseph smiled faintly as he spoke."You can sense someone’s aura? He
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“Nothing really,” Clarence Bennett said, scratching his head with a sheepish smile. “Just saw a familiar face and wanted to say hi.”“But you seemed like you were in a hurry, as if something important was going on,” Joseph replied with a faint smile.“Did I?” Clarence chuckled awkwardly. “You two were walking so fast, I could barely keep up.”Joseph raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.“To be honest, Mr. Wilson, you remind me of someone I used to know.”“You remember last time, I asked if you had any military experience?”“I remember,” Joseph said calmly. “And I already answered that question.”“Maybe I was just hoping too much,” Clarence admitted. “You’re just so much like him. But how could someone forget whether they served or not?”“I’ve forgotten a lot of things. Much of my past is just... blank.”Joseph’s tone was light, but distant.“You know, you’re really nosy,” Mason Alvarez suddenly cut in, her voice sharp. “Mr. Wilson clearly isn’t that close to you, yet you keep asking
Chapter 346
Joseph’s dart shot through the air like a streak of silver light.Thud!With a sharp snap, it embedded itself deep into the spinning wheel. The moment it struck, the wheel froze in place.The dart had landed precisely in the red zone.The crowd around the stall gasped, stunned into silence.“Boss, does that mean I get to take the bunny home now?” Joseph asked with a grin.“This... this can’t be real…” the vendor stammered, momentarily speechless.“Was that really a bullseye? Am I seeing things?”“No, you’re not. He nailed it—one shot, dead center.”“My God… are there really men in this world who are that accurate?”The onlookers were in complete disbelief. To say he’d do it in one throw—and then actually do it? It was surreal.“Mr. Wilson, did you really hit it with just one dart?” Mason Alvarez rubbed her eyes, still unable to believe it.“What do you think?” Joseph replied, clearly amused by her expression.“If I’m not hallucinating, then yes… one dart. You nailed it.” Mason shook h
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Before long, the table was covered with dishes.In truth, Mason Alvarez had already eaten quite a bit earlier, snacking on all sorts of things. Now, she only picked at a few bites before deciding she’d had enough. After about half an hour, she asked the waiter to pack up the remaining food for Joseph to take home.“Mr. Wilson, your car’s parked near the plaza, right? How about we walk back through the pedestrian street?”Mason suggested casually.“What else would we do, call a cab for five minutes of walking?” Joseph shot her a look.“Then let’s take it slow. It’s still early, and this area isn’t far from where your little sweetheart and I both live.”Mason skipped ahead with a cheerful grin.It was peak night market hours and the pedestrian street was bustling with people. Stalls lined both sides, offering every kind of street food imaginable.Mason wandered from one to the next, her eyes lighting up at every new snack.“Mr. Wilson, look! There’s a dart game over there. Let’s go play
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“Huh? What did you say? Joseph can play the piano? How come I didn’t know that?”Alice’s voice was filled with genuine surprise.“You didn’t know either?”Mason Alvarez was equally taken aback. Joseph might have forgotten things, but Alice—his childhood friend—surely wouldn’t be unaware.After all, the two of them had grown up together.“Nope, I had no idea! But honestly, Joseph knows so many things, it wouldn’t surprise me if he could do anything.”“And he’s always been so low-key. Unless absolutely necessary, he never shows off his talents.”“Ugh, this Butterfly Lovers performance was so beautiful... and he’s never played a single note for me!” Alice grumbled, clearly annoyed.“The concert’s almost over. You’ll be getting your man back soon,” Mason quickly replied.“You better be right. [Bored.jpg]”Alice sent back a curt message, and Mason didn’t reply further.Just then, a waiter finally arrived with hot water. Joseph took a few sips and felt much better.“Mr. Wilson, it’s almost
Chapter 343
"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Zasit," Joseph said with a faint, bitter smile, "but I’m afraid I must decline.""I have a deep love for music, but the piano is only a hobby for me. I’ve never intended to pursue it as a lifelong career."The host translated Joseph’s response in real time, and Zasit’s face registered visible shock."Oh! What a pity," Zasit exclaimed, stunned. "You possess extraordinary talent. You should be shining on the world's grandest stages."He was clearly taken aback. It was hard for him to imagine anyone turning down his invitation."Is he insane? Do you know how many musicians would kill for such an opportunity?""If Zasit ever recognized me, I'd probably laugh myself awake from the dream.""Still, I suppose Mr. Wilson has earned the right to choose. If Zasit himself calls him gifted beyond compare, how many people in this world could match that praise?"The crowd buzzed with astonishment and admiration.“My performance is over, and I’ve done what I came here to
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“Mr. Zasit met the love of his life when they were just sixteen. At the time, he was penniless but hopelessly devoted to music.”“She supported his dream unconditionally. To make ends meet, she worked tirelessly, taking on odd jobs just to feed him.”“But when he finally achieved fame and success, tragedy struck—she fell gravely ill and passed away in his arms. He watched helplessly as the light faded from her eyes.”“Mr. Wilson’s music stirred memories long buried deep within him, transporting him back to those difficult yet beautiful days. For a fleeting moment, he saw her radiant smile again.”“That’s why he lost control of his emotions. He asked me to express his sincerest apologies to everyone here.”With those words, the host concluded Zasit’s story and bowed respectfully to the audience.The hall erupted once more in thunderous applause.Off to the side, Lewis Craig stood frozen, his face contorted in embarrassment. He gritted his teeth.What the hell just happened? How is this
