May’s cheeks flushed slightly as she said, “What are you talking about, Fin?”
The two of them exchanged flirtatious glances right in front of John Baker, who stood there with a foolish grin on his face. It was almost as if they were openly mocking him. From this subtle interaction, it was evident that May had some feelings for Finnian Baker. Whether something had happened between them before was unclear, but if things continued like this, something was bound to happen.
“This house is so big, Fin!” May tilted her head back, her face full of envy as she admired Finnian Baker’s villa.
It was a three-story villa. The ground floor boasted a spacious living room, large enough to accommodate over a hundred people. Above that were the second and third floors. Compared to the old apartment John Baker owned in a rundown neighborhood, this villa was in a league of its own.
“I wonder when we’ll ever be able to live in a villa like this,” May sighed, casting a forlorn look at John Baker. “I remember someone back in Vernon once promised me that he would buy me a big villa one day. But after all these years, we’re still crammed into a tiny apartment. I deeply regret it.”
When they were in Vernon, their villa had been far larger than this one. But now, the world seemed cold and cruel. A villa like this was enough to fill May with envy.
Finnian Baker chuckled and said, “Oh, May, don’t say that. I believe John will buy one eventually. Once he masters Mr. Greenbriar’s medical skills, he’s destined to make it big! Look at Mr. Greenbriar-he earns a fortune just by casually treating someone.”
After saying this, Finnian seemed to remember something and added, “Though I’ve heard that mastering Mr. Greenbriar’s skills takes decades. By the time he’s done learning, wouldn’t it be past the age to enjoy life?”
His words were a mix of praise and insult, an outright slap to John Baker’s face.
“Exactly! Fin, you’re really amazing,” May said, gazing at Finnian Baker with admiration.
Finnian laughed and said, “You’re always welcome to come over anytime. What’s mine is my brother’s-it’s all the same!”
May nodded in agreement, exchanged pleasantries, and then someone walked in from outside.
“Dad, Mom!” It was Emma. After two days apart, she had cut her hair short, with straight bangs, and was wearing a dress. She looked like a completely different person.
When Emma saw Kayden, she froze for a moment. After a few seconds of hesitation, she finally lowered her voice and said, “Kayden!”
After calling Kayden, she glanced at her father’s expression before adding, “I’m sorry about last time. I misunderstood you.”
“It’s nothing,” Kayden replied indifferently. He didn’t care about trivial matters like this. To him, Emma was insignificant, and he had no interest in harboring grudges against her.
Before long, they all found themselves seated at the same table.
Once they sat down, May leaned over and quietly berated John Baker. “Look at him-look at Finnian! He’s so capable! If only you had worked harder at the company back then, would we be in this position now? Maybe you’d already have bought a villa like this. My daughter and I followed you here, endured so much hardship, and lived in that tiny place for over ten years. John Baker, I’ve really lost faith in you!”
John Baker wanted to argue, but as he opened his mouth, no words came out. Deep down, he knew he had failed his wife and daughter.
“Well, if it isn’t Mr. John Baker,” a woman at the table suddenly exclaimed, pointing at him and the others.
It was the wife of one of John Baker’s former colleagues. Back when they all worked at the same company, they had been relatively close because they were all struggling financially and starting from scratch. However, after John left the company, they had drifted apart.
The woman’s gaze shifted to Kayden and Emma, and she exclaimed, “Oh, is this your son-in-law? What’s his name? I don’t think I’ve seen him around the Western Frontier.”
“By the way, my daughter’s boyfriend also bought a villa here as their marital home! They’re planning to hold the wedding here next month. Have you bought your daughter’s marital home yet? If not, I can introduce you to someone. I know someone who sells houses in this villa community. They’d even give me a commission, and I’d pass it all to you.”
“Mrs. Rayne, don’t be ridiculous!” Another woman at the table cut in, her face heavily made up. “Everyone knows your relatives sell houses here, but do you think just anyone can afford a villa here? Each one costs at least a few million. How could someone without money possibly buy one? Sell their life to pay for it?”
This woman was also the wife of one of John Baker’s former colleagues. They often attended gatherings together, so they were all familiar with one another. Her words reflected an unspoken truth: friendships with people of vastly different social statuses often don’t last.
Mrs. Rayne responded, “Oh, you just don’t understand. Maybe they feel emotionally attached to that old place. Honestly, there’s nothing wrong with living in such a place. At least the family gets to stay together-it’s cozy.”
“Yes, cozy, so cozy! Hahaha!” The others at the table burst into laughter. Their laughter was filled with mockery, scorn, and an intent to humiliate John Baker and his family.
Mrs. Rayne continued, “By the way, did you buy the villa I mentioned last time? If not, you should hurry up. I heard the prices are going up again. Don’t wait until it costs hundreds of thousands more.”
“We didn’t buy a villa,” May cut in, her tone stiff. “But we did buy three 200-square-meter townhouses. That cost us several million.”
“Oh, back in the day, we all had similar living conditions. Honestly, those were good times. Living in a small, crowded place could be tough, but life felt meaningful. Nowadays, life feels so empty. I worry about what to eat or what to buy. I don’t worry about daily necessities anymore, but this lack of purpose is truly frustrating. There’s money-more than enough-but it just sits there unused.”
It was a blatant slap in the face for John Baker and May, flaunting the luxury of having so much money that it became a burden.
May’s face turned green with anger. The comparison was unbearable, and the bitterness stung deeply.
“Oh, Mrs. Baker, you’re so lucky to still live in that kind of environment, worrying about the little things in life like groceries. Going to the market and being careful not to overspend-that kind of life is truly wonderful! It’s a pity we can’t go back to those days.”
“Yes, we envy you, Mrs. Baker. Truly, we envy you!”