The Unexpected Heir

Embarrassment

Chapter Three

Charlie came to a sudden halt, a sneer twisting his lips as doubt flickered in his eyes.

“Is this even real?” he questioned, his tone laced with skepticism.

The man before him, filled with an air of confidence, reached into his pocket and pulled out a neatly folded invitation. With a flick of his wrist, he presented it to Charlie, showcasing the words that confirmed its authenticity.

“If you're willing to humble yourself, get down on your knees, and beg me,” the man stated, his voice dripping with arrogance, “then I might consider helping you.”

Alice furrowed her brows, recognizing the man's actions as nothing more than a display of his capabilities. Despite his attempts to impress her, she knew deep down that her heart could never belong to him. Her presence at this party was fueled solely by the pursuit of a potential business opportunity, nothing more, nothing less.

Charlie's expression twisted into a sneer, withholding any response as he patiently awaited his butler's arrival. However, the man before him misinterpreted his silence as a challenge to his dignity. Taking advantage of the moment, he burst into a hilarious laugh.

“You should know by now,” the man began, a touch of superiority in his voice, “that you're nothing without your ex-wife's money. Each morning, you should wake up and give thanks to your creator for crossing paths with such an extraordinary woman.” His finger pointed at Alice, emphasizing her alleged greatness. “She's truly a remarkable woman for marrying and supporting a man like you, who lacks employment.”

Despite his biting comments, Charlie remained composed, choosing to respond with a wordless smile rather than engage in the verbal sparring match.

Alice, perceiving the man's comment as reasonable, found herself leaning towards his perspective. Believing that Charlie needed to find employment on his own.

“Charlie,” she called out, her voice carrying a sense of urgency. Charlie subconsciously yet obediently lifted his head and locked gaze with her, his expression reflecting a mix of curiosity and caution.

“You should consider begging and accepting his offer,” Alice suggested, her words laced with a hint of urgency. “He's trying to help you, and you should appreciate his gesture by accepting the opportunity.” As Alice spoke, Charlie's face contorted into a frown, a flicker of frustration and resistance evident in his eyes.

“I mean no harm,” she proceeded, her tone softly. “There's no harm in considering the option of begging to achieve what you desire. Being stubborn won't put food on your table, especially now that you find yourself without a home. It's about survival, Charlie.”

Charlie's anger flared, his voice tinged with hurt and frustration. “Alice, what do you take me for? Are you truly asking me to beg? Are you in support of me humbling myself on my knees? I never realized that you held such a low opinion of me all these years. Why did you always see me as a useless man?”

Charlie's frustration continued to mount, his voice laced with a tinge of anger.

“I am here because I was invited to this gathering. After all this time, you should have known me well enough to understand that I wouldn't attend if I wasn't invited. Being invited was the reason for my presence here!”

The man's laughter reverberated through the room, his chuckles filled with amusement, as if Charlie had just shared a rather comical joke. His confidence seemed unwavering as he responded, still wearing a playful grin.

“If, by some miraculous turn of events, you were actually invited,” he chimed in, managing to speak amidst his laughter, “then I would gladly strip down to my clothes and sprint around this entire building naked. But, alas, your joke is truly hilarious. I've heard it countless times before, trust me.” His laughter continued, punctuating his words with bursts of amusement.

In response, Charlie couldn't help but chuckle, thoroughly amused by the man's playful and ignorant banter. Taking the man's words as a cue to mess with him, he let a mischievous smirk tug the corner of his lips, and his eyes twinkle with a devilish glint.

He swiftly reached for his phone and dialed his butler's number. He was filled with anticipation, relishing in the impending mischief and the unconventional spectacle that was about to unfold.

“Hey,” Charlie said, his voice laced with a hint of excitement, “we've got something quite entertaining happening here. There's a daring individual who's planning to take a little jog around the building without his clothes on, I mean naked. Do you by any chance want to join forces with me, and enjoy the spectacle together?”

A burst of laughter escaped his lips, driven by the sheer anticipation of witnessing this peculiar act. Charlie simply couldn't contain his eagerness to witness the man's potentially embarrassing display.

The man's sneer deepened as he closed the distance between himself and Charlie, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. Doubt dripped from his words as he questioned Charlie's claims.

“You're just bragging, right?” he taunted, his voice laced with skepticism. He nodded knowingly.

“You almost had me fooled there,” he remarked, his voice tinged with skepticism.

His words dripped with doubt as he questioned Charlie's purported familiarity with the Thompson family. With a slight air of condescension, he mused aloud, wondering if Charlie truly comprehended the significance of having any association with the Thompson family.

A smile crept across his lips before he casually brushed an imaginary speck of dirt from Charlie's shoulder, a gesture laced with both superiority and disbelief.

“You should stop dreaming, this party is hosted by the Thompson family, and nobody would dare make any trouble here. It would be in your best interest to leave immediately if you would rather not face the consequences the Thompson family is capable of.”

The door flew open with an urgent force, revealing the flustered figure of the butler. Beads of sweat lined his furrowed forehead, evidence of his hurried journey. As the man's eyes met the butler's disheveled appearance, his mouth fell agape in a mixture of shock and curiosity. He certainly hadn't expected the butler to come rushing out so abruptly, his dismay evident on his face.

Yet, amidst this unexpected encounter, the butler's gaze remained fixed upon his true purpose. He paid no mind to the man before him, for his presence was of no consequence. The butler's sole focus lay with his young master, unfairly barred from entering the room beyond. Anxiety gnawed at him, aware that his actions or inaction could potentially draw the ire of his master.

The words of apology started to form in the butler's mouth, ready to be offered as recompense for the unfortunate situation. However, a subtle signal from Charlie, halted him mid-sentence. The butler's apology was stifled, replaced by a silent understanding. Charlie's gesture, a plea to let the matter rest, hoped to prevent further tension or embarrassment.

"Mr… Mr Jacob?!" The man and Alice stammered, mouth opened wide.