CHAPTER 115: CHAPTER 115: WHAT’S WRONG, BABY?

Renee Winslow was never someone with a bleeding heart, whether it came to friends or family.

Generally speaking, if someone’s request wasn’t excessive and it was within her capability, she’d help out, hardly ever refusing.

But if the request was outrageous, like her grandmother’s behavior of asking her to loan money to her father to buy a house, it was out of the question—she’d refuse without a second thought.

After hanging up the phone, Renee was quite agitated, as if her chest was stuffed with a huge wad of cotton, suffocatingly uncomfortable.

She wanted to take a walk in the garden to clear her mind, but with the temperature outside at 36 or 37 degrees, it was so hot even the dog didn’t want to go out, leaving her stuck inside.

When people are upset, they often want to find someone to talk to, as a way of relieving their mood.

Renee picked up her phone, opened her contacts, and upon seeing "Third Master Yates" pinned at the top, she hesitated not the slightest bit as she scrolled down.

When she saw Ivy Jansen and Joyce Pierce, her thumb paused for a moment. After a brief hesitation, she continued scrolling down.

Ivy and Joyce were her college classmates. They didn’t know about her family situation, so it wasn’t suitable to talk about family matters with them.

Out of everyone she could choose, there was only one person she could confide in—Sanga, her high school classmate and best friend.

Renee: [Cat scratching head.jpg]

Renee: [Are you there?]

Renee: [I miss you.]

The chat interface showed "The other party is typing," and after a while, Sanga sent a message.

Alpine Aster: [You miss me, my foot. Tell me, how long has it been since you last contacted me?]

Renee: [Not that long, right?]

Alpine Aster: [Half a month ago, I called you and you didn’t answer, I texted you and got no reply. I thought you had died somewhere outside.]

Renee: [I was almost dead outside, indeed.]

Alpine Aster: [???]

Renee: [Just kidding.]

Alpine Aster: [I’m busy now. I’ll come find you when I’m done, and we’ll talk in person.]

Renee swiftly caught the key word.

[In person?]

Renee: [Where are you now?]

Alpine Aster: [Northcity. I arrived last night around eight because I had to come for an audition this morning, so I didn’t tell you. I planned to call you after the audition.]

Renee: [Audition for a film crew? As an actor or assistant?]

Alpine Aster: [For a short film crew, auditioning for a minor supporting actress role.]

Renee was surprised and quickly sent a message to ask.

[How did you decide to become an actor? You didn’t even study acting.]

Alpine Aster: [Who says you must study acting to be an actor? There are so many actors in the entertainment industry who aren’t trained in it. Besides, I’m only acting in a short film.]

Renee thought it made sense and asked again.

[Where are you? I’ll come find you.]

Alpine Aster: [No, it’s hot outside. Don’t trouble yourself coming out here. I don’t know when I’ll be done. I’ll contact you once I’m free.]

Renee: [Okay, let me know when you’re done, and I’ll treat you to lunch.]

Renee chatted with Sanga for a while. Although she didn’t vent about her troubling family issues, her mood wasn’t as bad as before.

Thinking about Sanga’s audition for the short film, Renee sent a message to her senior, Faye Garrison.

Faye Garrison was the previous president of the drama club, having graduated college this year and was now a screenwriter at a fairly large film and television company.

Finally, Renee introduced Faye Garrison to Sanga, hoping she could help Sanga advance more smoothly on her acting path.

For such help that does not exceed her principles, Renee was happy to assist.

However, while she was helping her friend broaden her network, her grandmother, Winnie Lowell, had already bypassed her and called Jack Yates.

Jack Yates listened patiently and then chuckled, "We’re family, no need to be so formal as to call it lending."

After hanging up the phone, Jack instructed Kyle Sheffield to handle the matter.

He specifically instructed, "No need for it to be too big, four bedrooms and two living rooms will do. Buy it in The Riverbend District, make sure it’s in a good school district."

By the time Renee found out about this, it was already a month later.

That day, after finishing her class, she was about to head back to The Winslow Estate, which was a birthday gift from Jack Yates when she turned nineteen—a standalone garden house and her little home with Jack.

Just as she sat in the car, she received a call from her grandmother.

Winnie Lowell excitedly said, "Renee, we moved into a new house today."

Renee was baffled and surprised, "What new house?"

Winnie Lowell was surprised, "Oh dear, you haven’t heard? Yates got us a new house in The Riverbend District, with four bedrooms and two living rooms, very spacious. You’ll have a place to stay when you come back."

Renee: "..."

Winnie Lowell’s joyful laughter came through the phone into Renee’s ears.

Renee felt as though a sharp thorn had pierced her ear, causing excruciating pain that spread to her entire head.

Yet, Winnie Lowell continued to gloat.

"I called you that day, and you didn’t agree. I thought you were just young and too shy to open your mouth. So, Grandma thick-skinnedly called Yates, and surprisingly, he agreed right away."

"Originally, I just wanted to borrow money to buy a three-bedroom, but he ended up getting us a four-bedroom, two-living room house outright. He paid in full, it didn’t cost us a penny. It’s like he gifted us a house for free."

Renee was furious, trembling all over with anger!

Winnie Lowell continued, increasingly delighted, "The young man is quite nice. With the national holiday coming up, bring him back, and I’ll invite your great-aunt, aunt-in-law, uncles, we’ll have the whole family look him over."

Renee didn’t say a word, her face cold, and hung up the phone.

Afterward, she calmly instructed the driver, "To Starkwood Group."

The car parked in the reserved space beneath the Starkwood Group headquarters, and Renee got out of the car to call Jack Yates.

CEO’s office.

Jack Yates’ face was somber as he lit a cigarette, his voice sharp and cold as he ordered, "Book a flight to Maekong for tomorrow, the earlier, the better."

Ian Lynch said, "Third Master, let me go instead. This issue was my mishandling."

Jack glanced at him coldly, "You think you can handle it?"

Previously, when Ian mentioned the two Cathan students to Jack, Caleb Yates had already taken them to Maekong. By the time Ian tried to follow up, it was too late, and he had to report the situation to Jack.

Unfortunately, the company had a new project this month, and Jack had been shuttling between Northcity and Maridia, unable to address it.

Yesterday, the project finally landed, giving him the time to tackle this issue.

Ian, though reprimanded, dared not complain. It was indeed his oversight in handling the situation properly.

However, the matter was difficult, not merely a business battle anymore, but a family feud between the Yates uncle and nephew. Ian might not handle it well, mainly because he couldn’t gauge the limits properly.

Jack turned to Kyle Sheffield, his voice cold, "Call Anson, tell him that regarding the election, we can’t directly intervene, but..."

Before Jack could finish his sentence, the phone on the desk rang.

The three in the office, chief assistant Kyle Sheffield, sales director Ian Lynch, and secretary Frank Lowell, all held their breath upon hearing the sudden phone call, sympathetically sweating for the caller.

Of all times, why now, disrupting Jack’s already foul mood, and just when he was mid-sentence—this was courting disaster.

Unsurprisingly, Jack’s already darkened face turned even grimmer the instant the phone rang.

Yet, as the three held their breath, eyes cast down, avoiding eye contact and preparing for the impending scene, they noticed Jack’s lips curve slightly when he picked up the phone, a rare smile.

It was clear to the three that the slight curve of Jack’s lips wasn’t a sneer, nor a vicious grin, but a smile tinged with tenderness.

Except for Kyle Sheffield, the other two were puzzled.

Jack answered the call, the corners of his mouth lightly lifted, his deep, magnetic voice filled with a teasing smile, "What’s up, sweetheart?"

Renee’s voice came over coolly, "I’m right downstairs at your company. Come out for a moment."

Jack promptly stood up and headed out, asking worriedly, "Why did you suddenly come over? Did something happen?"