Chapter 797



Tanya laughed. “Then the kids cry and make a fuss, Of course! As they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so the ones who complain the loudest get the most attention. It’s very simple logic. It’s normal to think that way. Even if you were daddy’s real son, you’d still feel jealous, not to mention when you’re not!”

Joel: “…”

He denied. “I’m not jealous.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right, you’re not jealous at all.” Tanya laughed. She raised her head to look at him and then said solemnly, “You don’t have to feel embarrassed about it, any normal person would feel the same way. Gradually you’ll adjust and get used to it. Usually in families with more than one child, the eldest will end up loving his siblings as well. You’ll realize that you’ve just gained one more family member who loves you, that’s all.”

Joel: “….”

Why did Tanya sound like she was manipulating a child?

Joel put his head down and started to eat.

Tanya looked at him, “Hey, did I manage to comfort you or not?”

“Yes, you did.” Joel offered her a piece of fried chicken, at which Tanya immediately pursed her lips and said, “I’m a dancer, you know, am I supposed to eat such a greasy meal? Why are you so careless…”.

Despite saying that, she secretly grabbed a French fry.

Mₒᵣₑ ᵤₚdₐₜₑₛ ᵢₙ gₐₗₙₒᵥₑₗₛ.𝒸ₒₘ Joel: “…”

Why didn’t he see her being so self-disciplined when she was shoving the fried chicken in her mouth?

The smile at the corners of his lips deepened. She said, “I’ll talk it over with Nora later tonight. As for Dad, I have been too narrow in my thinking. I understand his actions and I also understand that to him, Nora is still different.”

How is it possible for a person’s feelings for their biological and adopted children to be the same?

Tanya, however, said, “It’s also different between the children they raised and the ones they didn’t! Didn’t you see the news a while ago? The child’s biological parents found him and got close to him after he grew up, but the child was only close to his adoptive parents. You were raised by dad, and dad has a very good relationship with you! Considering Nora’s personality – plus, she doesn’t know how to get someone’s attention either – Dad will definitely find her too distant!”

Joel: “…”

Tanya smiled after speaking. “So, for Dad, there is no difference between you and Nora. You’re both the same to him!”

Everything she said beforehand was for the sole purpose of saying this last sentence. Joel suddenly brightened. “Yes.”

After the two had eaten and Tanya was about to go home, Joel suddenly stood up. “I’m going home with you!”

Tanya was startled. “What’s wrong?”

Joel smiled and replied, “My subordinate did something bad to Nora. As her older brother, surely I have to apologize to her in person, right? Why don’t I cook for you today?”

Tanya laughed. “Okay! Then make me a beef steak! You know how I like it done! Eating beef at night helps you lose weight!”

Joel: “…”

The two went downstairs together and got ready to go home.

As they left, Mindy appeared in the doorway. When she heard Joel say ‘My subordinate did something bad to Nora. As her big brother, surely I have to apologize to her in person, right?’ she clenched her fists.

He lowered his head, aware that what he had done had upset Joel.

Moreover, it had almost destroyed their family harmony.

Then, he thought about how he had only been able to go to school because of Ian’s sponsorship of his studies. Only the old man had never taken credit for it.

Mindy took a deep breath. She knew she had really been wrong this time.

However, she wasn’t going to apologize for it anymore, because Mr. Smith had already taken the blame for her. The only thing she could do now was to never again take the liberty of acting without permission, AND never again cause trouble for Miss Smith!

🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙

Joel came home.

Even Ian, who was sunbathing in the living room and looking out the window on the way, was a little surprised to see him. “Why are you back so soon?”

Joel smiled and replied, “Isn’t Nora coming for dinner? I’ll cook.”

Ian gaped at him. “What are you going to cook for? It’s not like we don’t have a chef. Instead, come and sit with me for a while.”

Joel sat down next to Ian.

Ian, who was warm and comfortable from the sun, said slowly, “Joel, I want to thank you.”

Joel was taken aback. “Dad, what’s wrong?”

Ian said, “Remember the day your father…I mean, my brother hit you, then you ran and put your arms around my leg?”

Joel nodded.

Ian smiled and said, “That day, I really didn’t want to go on living.”

Joel’s expression suddenly became suddenly serious.

Ian continued speaking. “But the look in your eyes was just too pure and innocent. Because you looked at me like that and treated me as your last hope to hold on to, I had suddenly found a reason to live.”

Her words astonished Joel.

Ever since he was a boy, what his uncle had told him most was that he should excel and take over the Smith Corporation. And once he inherited the company, Ian would stop living.

For Joel, that was the most psychologically tormented period of his life.

He had thought that his uncle no longer had anything to live for because the Smith Corporation, the company that mattered most to his uncle, had found a successor.

But as it turned out…

He was the only one his uncle cared about?

As he thought about it, Ian said, “Later, I turned Smith Corporation over to you. Seeing how you had grown and your ability to fend for yourself, I felt there was no reason for me to go on living.”

“Dad!”

Joel’s eyes suddenly reddened.

Ian said, “So, Nora came back. It was only when she told me that there are a lot of people after her life and that she may not have long to live anymore that I finally found another reason to live. Even then, I still didn’t know how to treat her well. I had never taught her, never watched her grow up. Nor did I know what she liked or disliked…”

Joel thought about how Ian had accompanied him while he did his chores in the past. When he couldn’t finish his homework, Ian would scold him for giving him too much homework.

When he played, even though Ian didn’t play with him, he always sat nearby. Sometimes, instead, he worked in the study, but when Joel would occasionally glance over, he would see Ian standing in front of the window watching him.

In the past, he had felt that his uncle was too cold and distant, plus he only cared about his work. But in this instant, it was as if he was suddenly seeing those memories from a different perspective, allowing Joel to see what was really on the other side.

He took Ian’s hand.

Ian said, “Joel, I’ll ask you one last time, have you thought this bill through? You are a sensitive, introverted child who always prefers to suffer to make me happy. I want to hear the truth from you now.”

Joel gave a wry smile.

Now he understood, Ian hadn’t given Nora the account. He could have told her the group’s information instead. It was clear that she was among the people Ian cared about.

Joel’s expression became determined. “Sorry, Dad, I misunderstood you. Let’s give that account to Nora. I mean that with complete sincerity. Neither you nor I were with Nora growing up. This is the only thing we can give her now. With this, hopefully she’ll do better in the future.”

Ian frowned. “Are you sure? If you give it to her, the Smith Corporation may never reach the heights you aspire to take her to.”

Ian understood Joel.

He was an ambitious and capable man. Under his leadership, the Smith Corporation had prospered day by day and had become even more brilliant than when it was still in Ian’s hands.

Joel wanted even greater glory and wanted to create his own business empire, for which he had been working hard all these years.

He would only get it with the help of the account.

Joel smiled. This time, his smile was happy and reassuring, also liberated and determined. “Yes, I’m very sure.”

He knew exactly what he had given up.

No sooner had he said that, however, than Nora came into the room and asked hesitantly, “What are you so sure about?”

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