Chapter 506: Chapter 516: Everything Is With Me

James Brown arrived at the City Center and, after meeting with Melody Yoody, Melody told James Brown the whole story.

Melody Yoody is said to be a prominent figure of the current generation of the Yawk Family, a key individual nurtured by them. At only twenty-six, she’s already reached the level of Mayor, and soon could move up further, especially with the great support from the W Region for her. Therefore, the Yawk Family highly values the marriage alliance with the W Region and wishes for Michael Wilson from the W Region to marry Melody Yoody.

Michael Wilson also favors Melody Yoody, which has made the Yawk Family think there wouldn’t be any issues. Who knew that Melody Yoody would suddenly reveal she’s pregnant.

If the child were Michael Wilson’s, the Yawk Family wouldn’t mind and would happily let the two get married soon. However, Melody Yoody claimed that the child isn’t Michael Wilson’s, which has greatly upset the Yawk Family, immediately urging Melody Yoody to get an abortion.

Engaging with other men before marriage is something people wouldn’t overly concern themselves with; young people nowadays often find such situations normal. The main point remains who she marries. As long as Melody Yoody aborts the child and keeps the matter away from the W Region, it wouldn’t be an issue.

But Melody Yoody outright refused to abort the child and even presented her medical diagnosis, which infuriated the elders of the Yawk Family further. If Melody Yoody aborts the child, she might not be able to conceive again, and why would the W Region welcome such a bride? On the other hand, if she keeps the child, the W Region definitely wouldn’t want Melody Yoody as a bride. Even ordinary people wouldn’t want to take such a burden, let alone a prestigious family like the W Region.

Thus, Melody Yoody’s marriage alliance with the W Region was considered broken. The Yawk Family, in their anger, naturally wanted to find out who got Melody Yoody pregnant.

Melody Yoody initially refused to answer, but the elders of the Yawk Family wouldn’t agree to that. How could they allow Melody Yoody to give birth to the child of an unknown father? That would be disgraceful for the Yawk Family.

Helpless, Melody Yoody had to call for James Brown.

“It’s all your fault, you bastard. I don’t care about what’s next. You’re on your own,” Melody Yoody said while seated in the passenger seat, glaring fiercely at James Brown.

James Brown reached out and held Melody Yoody’s hand, saying, “No worries, I’ll handle things with your family.”

Melody Yoody rolled her eyes at him and replied, “What can you handle? Even Lucy Campbell is counted as your friend, but she’s just a friend. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Do I have to rely on others? Can’t I make your family recognize me myself?”

“Go to hell! If you could make my family recognize you, why would we have parted ways before? The people from our family only think of the family’s interests, dreaming of marrying into big families to gain greater benefits. What can you offer to satisfy them?”

Melody Yoody spoke without any courtesy, yet James Brown didn’t get angry. Melody Yoody has always been like this, and without taking offense, he remarked, “Things change. I’m a manager now, aren’t I?”

Melody Yoody rolled her eyes again and said, “Your manager title is only good for fooling young girls. To delude the people in our family—isn’t that just daydreaming?”

James Brown replied cheerfully, “Then what should I do? I don’t have much to show off.”

“You… I’m really pissed off. I asked you to come to help me figure things out, but now you’re completely indifferent. I might as well clear up—I understand now, you’re eager to cut ties so you can peacefully live your little life with your wife.”

At the mention of this, James Brown felt uneasy and laughed dryly, “I didn’t mean that. You are the mother of my child—no matter what, I won’t neglect you. Don’t get angry, anger might harm the baby. In our lifetime, we’ll have one such small treasure. I certainly don’t want anything to go wrong.”

What James Brown said made Melody Yoody feel somewhat relieved. She rolled her eyes at him and said, “At least you’ve got some conscience.”

“How you treat me is clear to me. With your temperament, being able to tolerate me being with Gina is truly remarkable. Don’t worry, I will definitely sort things out with your family and ensure you give birth to this child of ours.”

Not wholly convinced, Melody Yoody looked at James Brown and asked, “Do you really have a solution?”

“Of course I do,” James Brown affirmed confidently.

Melody Yoody stared at James Brown and suddenly realized he wasn’t that reckless young boy she remembered. When she had a severe bleeding during an abortion, James Brown was terrified then. Now, however, he appeared calm and composed in handling such troublesome matters—very manly.

“Then how will you do it?” Melody Yoody asked tentatively.

“I have many solutions. Let’s see how things go.”

“Bragger. If you fail, I’ll just die—two lives with one blow.”

James Brown glared at her and said, “Your life isn’t entirely yours. You need my assent to die.”

Melody Yoody’s face showed a smile, which grew increasingly radiant. Even if James Brown was different from before, she had to admit, she really liked him like this.

Melody Yoody brought James Brown to a courtyard in the suburbs. Though called a courtyard, it was actually quite expansive. Even being in the suburbs, this was the City Center, and to have such a large space must be quite valuable, showing just how deep the Yawk Family’s roots are.

James Brown drove the Mercedes that Lucy Campbell left here today. When Lucy was not here, her car was always casually used by James Brown.

After entering the large courtyard, Melody Yoody led James Brown through several courtyards and arrived at a traditional-style courtyard. Just from looking at this place, James Brown knew it must be where the most important members of the Yawk Family reside.

A middle-aged couple was waiting at the entrance of the courtyard. Upon seeing Melody Yoody and James Brown approaching, the couple immediately came up to them. James Brown recognized them; they were indeed Melody Yoody’s parents. Although he hadn’t seen them for many years and they were not as young as before, James Brown recognized them instantly.

Back then, James Brown and Melody Yoody were secretly together, trying to avoid them. When James Brown finally got beaten up, it was Melody’s father who did it. He surely couldn’t forget that.

“Good day, Uncle and Aunt, I am James Brown.” James Brown directly approached them and greeted them proactively.

Initially, the couple didn’t immediately recognize James Brown. He had grown significantly more robust, and his demeanor had changed a lot. However, after closely observing him, they finally recognized him.

“It’s you?” Melody Yoody’s parents gave each other a glance, and both of their expressions turned sour.

Melody Yoody had never revealed whose child she was carrying. They assumed that since Melody Yoody was now the Mayor, the people she interacted with must be somewhat influential, and though they may not match Michael Wilson from the W Region, they must have some clout that would allow Yawk Family elders to accept them. But who would’ve thought the father of the child was James Brown? This guy, when he was with Melody Yoody in the past, had been investigated by them: he was a single guy, with nothing to his name, unsuitable for Melody.

The couple only nodded at James Brown, and then Melody Yoody’s mother pulled her aside, frowning, and said, “What are you doing mixing with this guy again?”

But Melody Yoody was no longer that little girl from before. She simply smiled slightly and said, “Mom, your daughter has always liked him. Over the years, I haven’t gotten over it, so I still want to be with him.”

Melody Yoody’s mother frowned even more deeply and said, “This is absurd. Have you thought about your status now? You’re the Mayor; your rank will get even higher. You’re from completely different worlds. You were immature before, but now after years in the political field, how come you’re still so naive?”

Melody Yoody continued to smile and said, “Mom, people change. The past is the past, and the present is the present. You can’t judge James Brown with old eyes.”

“Is that so? What accomplishments has he made now?”

Melody Yoody turned to look at James Brown and said, “It’s not about accomplishments. I just know with James, I am happy, while such a political marriage would leave me unhappy.”

Melody Yoody’s father also coldly looked at James Brown and said, “I never thought you’d be together with Melody again.”

James Brown met the gaze of Melody’s father and said, “I need to thank Uncle Johnson.”

Melody’s father snorted and said, “Thank me? Don’t be so simple-minded. Don’t think that because Melody is carrying your child, I will agree for you to be together.”

James Brown shook his head and said, “I thank Uncle Johnson, not because of that. I thank him for beating me in the past. If it weren’t for that, I would have kept secretly seeing Melody, and perhaps at best gone to an ordinary university, got a degree, and found a mediocre job.”

“From the way you speak, it seems you’ve achieved something over these years?” Melody’s father looked at James Brown skeptically.

“Accomplishments aren’t enough to mention, but being with Melody, I wouldn’t fall too far behind either.”

“That’s quite a claim. Do you know the criteria our Yawk Family has for choosing a son-in-law?”

“I know. The Yawk Family looks for wealth or power, anyone who can bring benefits to the family.”

“You really understand. So tell me, what can you bring to the Yawk Family?”

“What I can bring to you is something that ordinary families cannot.”

“What arrogance.” Melody’s father laughed scornfully. That smile held a hint of ridicule and disdain. As a prominent family in the province, what they sought couldn’t be offered by a young kid. He simply didn’t believe James Brown’s words, naturally thinking he was bluffing. Many years ago, because of James’s relationship with Melody, he resented him, and now disliked his overconfidence even more.

“Cousin, is the person here? Let me see what kind of person wants to be my brother-in-law.” With a cheerful shout, an enthusiastic seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl ran out like the wind.

Upon seeing the girl, James Brown’s face instantly darkened because it was Little Grace, also known as Sarah Grandy’s best friend. Recently, she had frequently visited James’s house, and upon discovering she was Melody’s cousin, James expected meeting her here would be troublesome. But she had the surname “Bailey,” as her mother bore the surname “Yawk.” Typically, she should be at the B Household, but who knows, on his first time at the Yawk Family’s house, he encountered Emily Bailey, adding a considerable annoyance for him.