Archie was looking like an imbecile who just transmigrated into a new planet.
"Speak you fool!!!" Wirtz blarred like a siren.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this. I did as told." Archie mumbled.
"You did what? Who told you to do what?!" Elaine asked looking concerned.
"The pot. I was supposed to hold it to his face for a while. It will help his bones. He will stop getting tired easily..." Archie tried to explain.
"For how long?" The caregiver interrupted. "Huh? For how long were you told to hold the pot up?"
"Long enough." Archie mumbled.
"Get lost!!!" Wirtz barked.
Archie felt useless and dejected. He still didn't understand what he did wrong. He dragged his feet away.
"Enough." The old man called for order.
"Father! We cannot let this slide. This could have gotten worse! We need to punish Archie and his entirely family!!!" Wirtz argued fervently.
"Really, Wirtz? And his entire family?" Elaine asked. "Why drag his family into it when it was a mistake?"
"A mistake? Did you just say it was a mistake? A mistake that could have caused father's life?!" Wirtz wasn't backing down.
"I said enough!" Old Chairman Hullevard slapped his chair. Although his voice was hoarse and old, yet it held enough authority to put his children in check.
Everyone gave up, then strolled back to their positions. Grunting, grumbling and cursing under their breaths.
The old man beckoned at his wife and whispered in her ears.
"No more gifts will be taken. Which means, the favor has been also invalidated." The caregiver announced.
Wirtz felt as though he had been shot in the chest.
"What!" He exclaimed, huffing in utmost rage.
He could recall how long it took his family to prepare the Guqin. If it was only about the money, Wirtz wouldn't be so worried.
Making a Guqin as beautiful and traditional as this demanded the genuine efforts of a very skilled artist. Else, the end-product would have been a laughing stock.
Wirtz had to kiss up to a couple of influential people and used the connections to reach the artist who built the Guqin!
And why had he gone through all the troubles? It was to win the favor of his father!
This by extension means that he wanted his family to remain the face of the company!
A big contract is around the corner that would change his life and status forever! He couldn't believe that this was about to be blown into the air!
Why?! All because of the son of a whore who bewitched his father! He believed.
"Do you dare to argue after I gave a command?" The old Mr Hullevard said directly to Wirtz.
Wirtz wished he could do more than this, but being called out like this in the presence of everyone was not a good thing.
If he were to offend his father, then he not only risked the favor but might end up being disowned! That was the gravest punishment the old man could subject his children to.
It has happened once, and could happen again.
"I dare not, father." Wirtz grumbled, bowing softly, before settling down in his seat.
When he realised that the gaze of his father was tough on him, he forced a smile. After this, he glared at Archie, gritting his teeth.
The old man coughed after this and everyone was concerned.
He beckoned at the caregiver again and whispered into her ears.
Old Mr Hullevard could not talk for a long, else his cough would be triggered. Hence, he used the caregiver as a medium of communication.
"If you insist on bringing your gifts, just walk down here and drop the gifts in this big box." The caregiver said after listening carefully.
One after the other, the rest of the family members started walking forward to present their gifts.
"Should I go now?" Marcus turned to his mother to ask.
Marcus had something else in mind to say but he couldn't. If he had gone to present his gift earlier just as he wished, this probably might not have happened.
"Don't give me that look." Elaine snapped at him. She could easily hear his thoughts from his judgemental gaze.
"Sometimes it's good to act fast." Marcus eventually made his thoughts known.
"And then what? Would that have stopped Archie from creating a scene?" Elaine questioned intensely.
"But ---" Marcus wanted to argue further, but he realised that his argument was not strong yet, so he decided to hold it back.
"Go on then." Elaine said out of the blue.
Marcus got up on his feet and picked up the small box of present.
"Not you." Elaine opted.
"Huh?" Marcus was quite stunned by the decision of his mother.
He watched as his mother nodded at his younger brother, Gerard.
"Mom?" Marcus couldn't believe his eyes.
"Don't just sit there!" Elaine snapped at Gerard.
"Me?" Gerard was equally stunned by the choice of Elaine.
Gerard had already accepted that he was the handbag of the family. He does not have to do anything. In fact, not many people knew him. He just had to follow them for the fact that he belonged to the family.
Right now that he had been given his first task of recognition, Gerard felt his ego pumping. He picked the box and walked away, without taking a glance at his elder brother.
There were a couple of the family members that were all over the aisle, returning from giving donations, and going.
When Gerard got to the front, there were only three people giving gifts at that time. The gifts presentation was already wrapping up.
Gerard took the small box to the collection box and gently placed it inside.
The patriach caught a sight of him when he was putting the small box inside the collection box.
"Let me see that." Old Mr Hullevard called at Gerard.
Gerard picked the box and walked straight to the old man. He was timid. He had never come close to the old man before.
"Open it." The old man urged.
Gerard opened the box to reveal a small ring that had green pendant.
"What is this?" The caregiver asked before the old man could.
"That's a Jade ring, grandfather." Marcus called at the top of his voice, stealing Gerard's shine. "It wades off evil energy if you wear it." He added with a smile.
Old Mr Hullevard nodded then waved his hand. Gerard placed the ring back into the box then returned it to the collection box.
All the gifts were already given. The hall was silent again.
"Thought he was going say something special about the ring?" Marcus mumbled.
"Maybe he would have if you hadn't spoken out of turn." Gerard scoffed.
"What the hell did you just say to me?" Marcus flared up.
"Is there anyone else yet to give a gift?" The loud voice of the caregiver broke the potential scuffle between the two brothers.
Marcus resorted to glaring.
Everyone was looking around to see if there was anyone left to give a gift. There was no one.
"If there's no one else left to gift." The caregiver finalized. "Then I'll give my husband the ground to---"
Suddenly the door of the large hall flung open and a young man walked in.
All eyes drifted in the direction of the doors,
"I haven't given a gift." A deep manly voice announced.