Chapter 6: Chapter 6: A Meeting Gift for the Niece-in-law
A cemetery on the outskirts of the city.
Quentin Blackwood brought a bouquet of white roses to visit his mother.
The photograph on the headstone was slightly yellowed. The woman in it had a brilliant smile; she wasn’t even thirty, what should have been the prime of her life.
The Blackwood family had ruined his mother’s life, and after she passed away, she wasn’t even allowed into the Blackwood family cemetery.
Quentin Blackwood stayed at the cemetery all afternoon, not leaving until dusk.
Zane Linton had been waiting for a long time outside the cemetery. When Quentin Blackwood emerged, Zane stepped forward, phone in hand. "Lord Quentin, Caleb Blackwood has called several times. He wants to invite you to dinner tonight."
"The address," Quentin Blackwood said, his voice devoid of warmth.
"The International Hotel." Zane Linton had been by Quentin Blackwood’s side for many years. He knew Quentin’s style and was adept at anticipating his next questions, so he had already gathered all the information.
"We’re not going. Tell Caleb Blackwood to hold the dinner at the Blackwood estate. Then I might consider it."
...
The members of the Blackwood family had been waiting respectfully at the entrance for a long time. Ivy Sherwood stood at the very back of the crowd.
The Blackwood family’s estate was magnificent, but it felt like a gilded cage. The dark side of human nature hidden beneath its glamorous facade was suffocating.
The meeting was originally scheduled for eight, but it wasn’t until ten that Quentin Blackwood’s car finally made its slow arrival.
After waiting in the wind for two hours, many in the Blackwood family were full of complaints.
Caleb Blackwood personally opened the car door for Quentin Blackwood. "Third Brother, please, come in."
Ivy Sherwood watched the tall figure in the darkness. ’If I had known he was coming, I would’ve found an excuse to leave,’ she thought.
Quentin Blackwood was nearly one-point-nine meters tall. Just standing there, he seemed like an untouchable god, while everyone else was a mere mortal, not even in the same world as him.
This was Quentin Blackwood’s first time returning to the Blackwood estate since he left at the age of fourteen.
When his mother brought him back to the Blackwood family as a child, everyone called him a bastard. The younger generation, only a couple of years his junior, even made him crawl and bark like a dog and forced him to live in the doghouse.
For a time, Silas Blackwood even deliberately took him out, locked him in an unfamiliar courtyard, and chained him up, saying that dogs belonged on a chain to guard the house. He didn’t give him any food for a whole week.
Back then, he was lucky enough to meet a little girl.
There was a high wall between them, with only a small doggy door just big enough to pass some food through. And just like that, the little girl brought him meals for a whole week.
Although he never saw the girl’s face, Quentin Blackwood just knew she had to be a beautiful girl.
And he, in turn, placed the only memento his mother had left him inside a clean food container and gave it to her.
His return this time was for several reasons: to visit his mother’s grave, to make the arrogant Blackwood family finally pay the price for their years of hubris, and also, to find that girl.
Pulled back to the present, Quentin Blackwood’s gaze fell upon a woman on the outskirts of the crowd who was staring intently at him.
Ivy Sherwood had an ordinary face, but her eyes were exceptionally beautiful.
"Niece-in-law, come here." Quentin Blackwood beckoned with his hand.
In an instant, everyone’s eyes snapped to Ivy Sherwood.
Bracing herself, Ivy Sherwood had no choice but to walk to Quentin Blackwood’s side. She greeted him quietly, "Youngest Uncle."
With a wave of Quentin Blackwood’s hand, Zane Linton, who was beside him, immediately presented an item. It was in an expensive-looking box and appeared to be a scroll painting.
"A welcome gift for my niece-in-law."
Caleb Blackwood, however, was stunned. This was an authentic work by Master Archer that a mysterious buyer had purchased for two hundred million at the last auction. He had tried to buy it then but had been outbid.
’I can’t believe Quentin Blackwood was the one who bought the painting,’ he thought.
Caleb Blackwood quickly prompted his son to accept it. "What are you waiting for? Thank your Youngest Uncle for your wedding gift!"
Silas Blackwood reached for it, but Zane Linton didn’t hand it over. "President Blackwood specified this is for Miss Sherwood."
Ivy Sherwood didn’t move. She knew the item inside was extremely valuable, and she also knew what Quentin Blackwood meant by this gesture.
’It’s about last night. He’s trying to solve it with money,’ she thought.
"Ivy, why aren’t you taking it?" Caleb Blackwood urged.
’If it really is that painting, I’ll find a way to get it from Ivy Sherwood later,’ he thought.
With so many people staring, Ivy Sherwood had no room to refuse. Besides, whatever Quentin Blackwood was giving was surely worth a fortune. She accepted it graciously. "Thank you, Youngest Uncle."
Quentin Blackwood gave a slight nod, and then was ushered inside, surrounded by the crowd.
The Blackwood family had long since prepared a grand banquet, waiting only for Quentin Blackwood’s arrival.
"Third Brother, it’s been a long time since you’ve been home. I’ve had a room prepared for you. It’s always more comfortable to stay at home."
Quentin Blackwood’s steps faltered. He looked over at the doghouse.
The doghouse now was different from the one over a decade ago. It was less a kennel and more a small house built for the dogs, not small at all. A person could sleep in it without a problem.
He had once lived there for half a month.
Quentin Blackwood’s lips parted slightly, his pupils filled with shards of ice. "I think that doghouse over there looks quite nice. Don’t you agree, Big Brother?"
In an instant, cold sweat beaded on Caleb Blackwood’s forehead. When Quentin was a boy of about ten, Caleb had made him sleep there.
’What is Quentin Blackwood implying?’
"Y-yes... yes, I think it’s nice too."
"Since you think it’s so nice, Big Brother, why don’t you sleep there tonight?"
Caleb Blackwood’s expression changed. He was the head of the Blackwood family. If he were to sleep in a doghouse, he would become a laughingstock if word got out.
However, before he could speak, Silas Blackwood, who was at the side, had already started shouting.
"On what grounds? If you like it so much, why don’t you go sleep there yourself? Who the hell do you think you are, telling my dad to sleep in a doghouse!"
Silas Blackwood was already in a bad mood because of the engagement today. Adding to that the two-hour wait and now this humiliation from Quentin Blackwood, he couldn’t hold back any longer.
Silas Blackwood hadn’t yet taken over the Blackwood family’s company, so he was unaware of the family’s current situation. He couldn’t understand why his father was so terrified of a mere uncle.
He wasn’t afraid of Quentin Blackwood!
"Shut up!" Caleb Blackwood scolded.
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