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 family had to squeeze themselves to fit into the
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
the corridor and sat
had officially
guests at the banquet were treated to a sumptuous feast with successive delectable, mouth-watering gourmet
round of
over and ordered the
his family could not contain their rage and resentment anymore. What do they take us for? Beggars or
tipping point, Benson gave an uncharacteristic scowl and stood up abruptly from the table. “Let’s go,” he urged stoutly.
at his banquet when Samuel approached him and whispered in his ear, “Dad, Benson, and his family have skipped the dinner and
really here to celebrate or to curse me? Why
...
exited the hotel, Leah,
suitable birthday present for Sean. What the hell were you thinking, presenting him with an embarrassing pill as a gift? Thanks for making us look like a fool in front of everybody, making them feed us with leftovers as if we were some kind of beggars.
to placate her mother, “I’m sure that
friends and relatives today. I’m sure that dad would only find us more repulsive
Soon they’ll be knocking at our door,
shot him a rueful smile, “Come on, Nathan. We’ve had enough of your
everyone? What makes you think
sick, he has the cash and means to seek out
I’m convinced they’ll eat humble
he had predicted
were befuddled by his words. What made him so
hungry, Papa. When can we have our lunch? I saw them having so much food on their tables earlier!
was made up of glamorous and expensive dishes that had included
explained
can’t afford them? Come on, let’s treat ourselves
have the money, Nathan...” Penny
pay for the meal. I do have a few pennies for that,” Nathan reassured
was pretty sure that he had a bankroll of up to tens of millions. It had all meant nothing to
most expensive restaurant in
of the highest
premium ingredients and the most accomplished chefs who would whip up dishes that could swoon
Palace was exclusive, being available to only those who could boast
filthy rich but lacked the prestige and position in society would be snubbed at
brought Penny and her family to the Pinnacle, taking
by the poshness of the place when they learned that Nathan was taking
and lavish, Penny,” Benson intercepted nervously. “I guess it would cost a
stated taciturnly, “It is one of the most expensive restaurants in Channing, but it doesn’t just cater to the rich,
robbery. Where would we find the money to dine here? It would
“Come on, guys. Don’t be silly, how much could a simple meal
words, Nathan and company were on their way into the
be the security of the restaurant. A man who seemed to be their supervisor gave them an unfriendly look and announced, “I’m sorry, according to our dress
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!