Chapter 8
Sean gave Benson and his family a dismissive glance and announced, “We have no tables for you in the main hall. There’s a small table in the corridor that would be enough for your whole family. Tuck in now; dinner is about to be served.”
All eyes in the room turned towards Benson and his family as if they were some strange-looking aliens who had just descended on earth.
Peony Hall, Benson and his
be more humiliating than to be treated like some downbeat outcasts. How they had wanted to walk away from the banquet, snubbing all the insults. Nonetheless, Benson and his family put up with the embarrassment with gritted teeth and clenched fists. They did not want to be seen as impertinent and
the lone table in the corridor and sat down, under the mocking eyes of their
had
a sumptuous feast with successive delectable, mouth-watering gourmet dishes. All except
the guests had finished their last round of desserts, yet there was still no food served
finished, Samuel came over and ordered the servers to serve the leftovers to Benson
if it was the final straw, Benson and his family could not contain their rage and resentment anymore. What do they take us for? Beggars or
reached the tipping point, Benson gave an uncharacteristic scowl and stood up abruptly from
his banquet when Samuel approached him and whispered in his ear, “Dad, Benson, and his family have skipped the dinner and
What are they thinking? Are they really here to celebrate or to curse me? Why should I feed them with
...
exited the hotel, Leah, who was bitter, lashed
a gift? Thanks for
to placate her mother, “I’m sure that
of our friends and relatives today. I’m sure that dad would only find us more repulsive than ever. Our situation would only take a
Soon they’ll be knocking at
smile, “Come on, Nathan. We’ve had enough of your
of everyone? What makes you think that they
if grandpa would fall sick, he has the cash and means to seek out the best medical treatment. He doesn’t need
no qualms about his prediction, “Just relax, I’m convinced they’ll
when he had predicted Mr. Harvey’s appearance for his
were befuddled by his words. What made him so sure
When can we have our lunch? I saw them having
banquet. The exhaustive list was made up of glamorous and expensive dishes that had included Wagyu beef, foie gras, caviar, abalone, lobsters, and many more. Any single dish could cost them a month to even a whopping full year’s salary, burning a hole
explained to her daughter,
you think that we can’t afford them? Come on, let’s
the money, Nathan...” Penny trailed off in a
worry, let me pay for the meal. I do have a few pennies for that,” Nathan reassured
sure that he had a bankroll
- the most expensive
at the highest level of
ingredients and the most accomplished chefs who would whip up dishes that could swoon your palate
available to only those who could boast excessive wealth, power, and
the prestige and position in society would be
to the Pinnacle, taking the exclusive elevator to the
family were daunted by the poshness of the place when they learned that Nathan was taking
Penny,” Benson intercepted nervously. “I guess it would cost a bomb to dine
is extremely costly; a simple dish could cost up to tens of thousands.” Penny stated taciturnly, “It is one of the most expensive restaurants in Channing, but it
gasped, “My god, this is as good as daylight robbery. Where would we find the money
tried to allay their worries with a tranquil smile, “Come on, guys. Don’t be silly,
and company were on
man who seemed to be their supervisor gave them an unfriendly look and announced, “I’m sorry, according to our dress code, we deny entry to
were bemused by what he had said. Despite not being dressed in Gucci, Armani, or some designer labels,
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!