While the couple was packing their luggage, Joel received a phone call and then announced ecstatically:
"The boss from the power supply station just called—my application for the electrician position has been accepted! I need to report to the station within three days. It’s a formal position with a monthly salary of $3,000 to $4,000."
His wife was equally excited.
"A formal position is great! Electricians with formal jobs are just as well off as civil servants. You won’t need to run around construction sites or handle small ho renovation jobs with difficult clients anymore."
"Of course, having a formal position is great," Joel agreed. But after a mont of joy, his brow furrowed.
"But if I take the job, I won’t be able to live in the relocated house, nor will I be eligible to receive one."
His wife replied, "Getting the relocated house would definitely be more beneficial..."
Just then, Joel received a call from Arthur. After answering, he nodded.
"Alright, I’m on my way."
He turned to his wife.
"Arthur and Brandon are back in Rosemont City. They want to treat to a al—they say they have good news. I’m going to et them now."
His wife said, "Go quickly. Call right away if there’s good news."
Indeed, Joel received good news.
Arthur said, "Our eldest cousin ssed up and is too ashad to stay in Rosemont City. He’s planning to return to Hartselle. The relocated house is now yours. We’ll transfer it to your na as soon as the new deed is signed."
Joel bead and quickly raised a toast.
"Thank you both. You’ve worked hard. Co on, let toast you!"
Brandon added,
"However, the compensation for the relocated house isn’t based on individuals, but on square footage. For example, the five of you lived in a 750-square-foot house. That ans, on average, each of you had 150 square feet. The compensation caps at 300 square feet per person. So, in total, it’s no more than 1,700 square feet."
"Only 1,700 square feet?" Joel was stunned.
"That’s nowhere near enough for each of us to get our own house!"
At that mont, the door to the private room was suddenly kicked open. Five or six burly, tattooed n stord in, slamd the door shut, and flashed their knives.
Before Joel and the others could react, they were pinned to the table, knives pressed to their necks.
"Don’t move! One wrong move and I’ll cut your ears off!" one of the n barked.
Joel trembled in fear, his face pale.
"Brandon!" he cried out.
The bald man leading the group patted Brandon’s cheek with his knife.
"The $200,000 you owe us is due. With interest, you now owe $400,000. Pay up—or I’ll cut off your ear and deliver it to your family."
Arthur shouted,
"You loaned him $200,000 for just three months and now demand $400,000? That’s usury—it’s illegal!"
"He signed willingly," the bald man replied, slapping a promissory note on the table.
"So, are you paying or not?"
Brandon raised his hands in surrender.
"I’ll pay! I swear! But I don’t have that kind of money right now. Give a few days, and I’ll write you an IOU for $40,000 to cover the interest."
"Just don’t tell my family about this. If they find out, they’ll throw out of the house."
"I don’t believe you have that much money," the bald man said.
"How about this: You three split the $440,000 equally. Each of you writes an IOU for $146,000. This old note will be voided."
Arthur cried out,
"I... I’ll write it. Just don’t hurt Brandon."
Joel, terrified, began to cry.
"I... I’m just their cousin. I’m not even close to them. I won’t write it..."
The bald man slapped him and nicked his ear with the knife.
"You call each other brothers, and now you want to say you’re not close?"
Joel sobbed,
"I’m really not close to them! I haven’t spoken to them in over ten years. I didn’t even invite them to my wedding. I’m just here for a short visit—I’m going back to my hotown soon."
Arthur shouted,
"Joel, you can’t do this! When things are good, you call us family, but now you’re backing out? That really hurts."
Brandon added coldly,
"Joel, if you can’t stick with us during tough tis, then stop calling yourself our relative."
Joel protested,
"We’re cousins, that’s all. We haven’t spoken in ten years. How could we be close?"
The burly n exchanged glances and whispered among themselves.
Then the bald man spoke slowly and clearly,
"We only collect debts from close family. If you’re really not close to them, write a statent saying you haven’t had contact with Brandon or his family for over ten years, that you can’t help them repay any debts, and that you won’t support them in tough tis. Also state that if they face any future troubles, they shouldn’t co to you because you’re not involved. Do that, and we’ll leave you alone."
Joel, slightly drunk and terrified, nodded quickly.
"I’ll write it. I’ll do it now. Just let go afterward."
The bald man handed him a pen and paper.
"Write exactly what I said."
Without thinking, Joel wrote:
"I am not familiar with Brandon Carter’s family. I have not contacted them in over ten years..."
He signed it and stamped his thumbprint.
The bald man picked up the statent and said,
"You can go now."
Brandon kicked Joel hard, his eyes filled with hatred.
"Joel, Arthur and I will rember what you said today. Don’t forget it—ever."
"If you ever try to associate with our family again or claim to be our relative, I’ll hire these guys to break your legs."
A chill ran down Joel’s spine. He didn’t dare stay a mont longer.
Clutching his phone and covering his injured ear, he staggered out.
"I... I won’t bother you again. Please don’t involve ..."
He didn’t even consider calling the police. He rushed back to the hotel and told his wife what had happened. She was terrified as well.
Combined with Joel’s new, stable job in town, the temptation to stay was strong. They decided not to get too attached to the relocated house. They quickly packed up and returned to town.
What they didn’t know was that the entire scene in the private room had been staged by the Carter brothers and those burly n. Their goal was to force Joel into writing that statent and make him leave Klimore City for good.
By writing that statent, Joel had forfeited any right to claim benefits from the Carter family.
And what Joel never realized was that the Carter family had secretly helped him secure the ironclad job at the power station—and even helped Gavin’s wife get a teaching position at a top middle school.
To be precise, Avery was the one behind it all.
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