Alia appeared surprised and turned to look at him seriously, her eyes filled with a touch of doubt.
Jacob ignored the security guard and approached her, but Shaw stopped him, "Just stand there, don’t co closer!"
He had no choice but to stop and reassured again, "I really know my sister’s situation, but you have to pay before I can tell you."
Shaw snorted coldly and scoffed sarcastically, "You really are a great brother, doing such a thing for your own financial happiness."
Jacob smirked disdainfully, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "My sister, what good is she? When she cos to , isn’t it always because she wants sothing from ? In the end, it’s for her own sake. Nowadays, people who don’t look out for themselves are dood."
Alia’s initial surprise slowly settled as she thought about the character of this family, feeling that her values were being challenged once again.
She really underestimated this brother.
She thought he was just a child, but his sches were already so deep.
It seems Fiona Marshall’s genetic influence is strong, with both her daughter and son perfectly inheriting her "virtues."
"How much money are you talking about?"
Shaw was shocked, "Sis, are you really going to give it to him? What if he’s lying to you!"
"I’m talking to my sister, none of your business!" Jacob scolded Shaw and looked at Alia, holding up two fingers.
Alia guessed, "Twenty thousand?"
Jacob felt insulted, "Twenty thousand? You think I’m a beggar? Two hundred thousand!"
Shaw was about to explode again.
But before she could speak, Alia stopped her and then instructed the security, "Show him out."
Lily’s whereabouts weren’t all that important to her.
After all, Kane was here, the children had soone to take care of them, and what could Lily, a pregnant woman, possibly stir up?
And as for Christopher Hart, even if they couldn’t find the person in the next couple of days, they would eventually, right?
She wasn’t about to waste money on such a scoundrel.
Jacob thought he had the upper hand, but Alia wasn’t buying it, which made him anxious.
"Hey! If you think two hundred thousand is too much, we can negotiate! Don’t you want to know where my sister is? She’s planning to go against you! And your children! Aren’t you worried at all? How about one hundred and fifty thousand? Or even one hundred thousand?"
Despite his repeated concessions, Alia walked resolutely out of the store.
Once in the elevator, she didn’t hesitate and imdiately called Christopher Hart.
At that mont, President Hart was confronting Kane.
Both had prepared lunch.
One Chinese, the other Western.
The dining table he had bought a few days ago was rectangular, perfect with its six chairs for five people and a dog.
Thus, the scene in the dining room was this.
Two n occupied each head of the table, Noah and Ethan sat side by side on one side, with Hope and Little Dunham lined up across.
Indeed, even Little Dunham was sitting obediently on a chair, stretching his doggy head and staring with round eyes, occasionally tilting his head to observe the strange atmosphere around the table.
"This pork chop is absolutely delicious, Dad has tried it, it’s very fragrant, you guys should try," Mr. Hart was proudly promoting his own culinary efforts, a true enactnt of Old King selling lons.
Hope, smiling, picked up her chopsticks and graciously grabbed a piece of the pork chop.
Ethan swallowed and also reached out with his chopsticks.
But Noah slapped his hand away, making him retract it.
"What are you doing..." the younger brother weakly protested.
"What are you doing?" the elder brother asked, standing his ground.
"I’m hungry."
Kane imdiately bead with a smile and promptly offered his own "creation," "Ethan, here’s your favorite Kobe Beef Steak, sll it, doesn’t it sll great?"
He introduced it while lifting the steak, making a deliberate circle in front of the children.
The delicious aroma of the steak imdiately filled the air, and not only did Ethan drool with envy, but even the very daddy’s girl, Princess Hope, lifted her head to stare at the juicy steak, suddenly finding the ribs in her bowl less appetizing.
Little Dunham on the side was already so anxious that he barked continuously, spinning on the chair, and even put his cute little paws on the table, barking twice at Kane, aning I want to eat!
Christopher was furious, his face filled with scorn.
This jerk has no respect for the rules!
Who doesn’t know that Kobe Beef Steak is the Rolls-Royce of steaks?
Just a simple sear turns it into a mouthwatering dish. Is there any skill involved?
"Unsportsmanlike!" he grumbled irately.
Naturally, Kane didn’t understand the idiom, but friendly as ever, he lifted the sliced Kobe Beef Steak towards his rival, "Mr. Hart, would you like a piece?"
Christopher, "..."
Such provocation was like digging right over his ancestor’s grave!
But before he could retort, his phone rang.
Angrily, he pulled out his phone and the stern look in his eyes turned to surprise, softening considerably.
But realizing this woman seldom initiated contact with him, he suddenly got it and scowled again, looking at his rival across the table, "Did you complain to her about ?"
"What?" Kane didn’t understand, looking at him perplexed, pausing in his steak-cutting.
Ethan couldn’t hold back anymore. He grabbed a fork, stealthily stretched out, forked a piece of steak back, and put it in his mouth, his expression instantly impressed.
Christopher witnessed this and felt even more choked up, his face growing even grumpier.
However, answering the call was urgent, so for the mont he put aside his irritation, stood up and walked away to answer: "Hello."
Alia Garcia imdiately asked, "Have your n found Lily Garcia yet?"
Christopher was startled. Was it not to rebuke him for coming so early to trouble her "lover"?
Surprised for a second, he composed himself and responded seriously, "Not yet, what’s up? Did she co to see you?"
"She didn’t co, but my half-brother did."
He was taken aback, "What did that kid want with you?"
"He first pressed for Lily’s whereabouts, which I said I didn’t know. As I turned to leave, he detained again, claiming he knew about Lily’s situation but demanded two hundred thousand to disclose the information."
Christopher was even more astonished and couldn’t help but remark sardonically, "Like they say, ’like family, like door’, he’s willing to betray his own sister for money?"
"What’s so surprising about crooked beams leading to crooked posts?"
"That’s true. So, did you give him the money?"
"I’m not like you, foolishly rich."
"I—" The man was struck speechless, wanting to defend himself but then suddenly rembering his prior offer to pay five hundred million to end his marriage with Lily, montarily at a loss for words.
The matter Alia was referring to was indeed this very issue.
"I didn’t give him, if I started that precedent, he would endlessly find reasons to ask for money, a bottomless pit."
Hearing this, Christopher sincerely complinted her, "You’re really clear-headed."
"..."
Seeing that she no longer responded to him, he returned to the matter at hand: "Looks like my guess wasn’t wrong, Lily doesn’t have anyone to rely on, she definitely would go to her brother. But now it seems, even that is futile. Being betrayed by her closest kin, she’d probably be devastated when she finds out."
"Jacob Garcia did tell this, but whether they actually made contact, I’m not sure. I’m telling you this so you can check it out clearly and see if you can find her soon."
"Alright, I’ll have soone follow up on this right away."
After the important matter was discussed, Alia fell silent. Just as things quieted down, suddenly a few barks were heard.
Christopher looked over and saw Little Dunham had climbed onto the dining table and was feasting on a plate of ribs!
His face drastically changed, and he almost lunged over, scooping up Little Dunham and tossing him onto the floor.
On the other end of the phone, Alia sensed sothing and imdiately asked, "Where are you? Did you go to my house? Why did you go so early? Christopher Hart, I’m warning you, be nice to Kane! He has helped a lot over the years; without him, I wouldn’t have been able to raise the kids!"
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