Chapter 220: Gary's Visit

Elena was relentless. "No good? I think it's very good. I don't believe my brother would refuse if he can marry you! A talented girl like you would be sought after anywhere. So in the end, it's my brother who would benefit." She wasn't mindlessly praising Martina; she genuinely believed that Martina was truly remarkable. Whether it was her skills in painting, her demeanor, her personality, or her looks, there was nothing to criticize. Elena had thought about this before. Back then, Martina was deeply in love with Benjamin, so Elena had pushed these thoughts aside. Now that Martina wanted to leave Benjamin, couldn't she look for her own happiness? Martina shook her head, not wanting this misconception to persist any longer. "Your brother and I aren't really compatible, and even if Benjamin and I can't be together, I won't be with your brother either." Upon hearing Martina's straightforward rejection, Elena knew that her plan was doomed. Although she felt disappointed, she didn't want to lose a great friend like Martina. She had to accept the reality. "Alright," she shrugged, "if I can't have you as a sister-in-law, I'll keep you as my best friend. After all, we're going to be together for a lifetime, and no one can change our relationship." In the afternoon, Jack was tending to his garden and watching the birds, enjoying some leisure time. However, before he could relax for too long, an announcement from outside suddenly disrupted the tranquility. In their household, they generally didn't allow outsiders to enter. So if someone did arrive, they would have to wait outside until they received proper confirmation before entering. From a distance, Jack saw one of the gardeners rushing in with sweat pouring down his forehead, clearly in a hurry. "What's the rush? Why are you in such a hurry? If you have something to report, take your time. There's no need to be this agitated. Don't you understand the rules of our household?" Jack said grimly. He had established clear guidelines, emphasizing the importance of staying calm no matter how urgent the situation was. The gardener wiped the sweat from his forehead and replied, "Sir, there's a visitor from outside." Jack furrowed his brow. "Who's this visitor? If it's not something important, then send him away. Don't they know our rules?" The gardener scratched his head in embarrassment. "But this person claims to be from the Paloma family and invites you to visit, saying they haven't seen you in a long time and really miss you." Jack pondered for a moment. What's going on? Jack had subconsciously concealed his return to avoid letting others know about it right away. But why had the Paloma family learned about it so quickly? Could it be due to a spy within the household? Jack instinctively turned to look in Nathan's direction and demanded, "Nathan, what's going on? Explain this to me." Nathan understood that Jack was very angry, as he wouldn't have used such a tone otherwise. Indeed, what's going on? Jack had sealed off information about his return, so it shouldn't have been known so quickly by the Paloma family. At the very least, it should have been kept a secret for a week. Nathan felt the mounting pressure and replied, "Sir, I'm not aware of the circumstances either. I had genuinely secured the information..." At this moment, Jack still had some trust in Nathan, so he didn't press further. He was convinced that this wasn't something Nathan had done, but rather, the information had leaked from someone else. In this situation, Jack couldn't remain passive. If the Paloma family had discovered his return, ignoring them would only lead to further dissatisfaction on their part. Reluctantly, he tidied up his clothes, cast a glance in the direction of the main door, though it was too far to see anything clearly. "Never mind, I'll change into a different outfit in my room. Later, you'll accompany me to meet Gary," Jack requested. Normally, Jack and Gary would be glad to meet every day. But considering the current circumstances, Jack had no desire to see him. He was well aware that Amy dared to commit the crime likely because she had secret support from Gary. In that case, the relationship between Jack and Gary would have been somewhat affected; how could it have been the same as before? Martina was the future granddaughter-in-law recognized by Jack; no one could have changed that. But then, in his old age, Gary had tolerated his granddaughter's bullying. Did that make any sense? It had just been outrageous! Now, Jack could have suppressed his anger and not confronted the situation directly, all because of the family ties. He hadn't wanted to escalate things. However, if Gary had still wanted to continue with this, Jack wouldn't have minded going all the way with it. Jack had donned a one-of-a-kind suit, tailored to perfection, enhancing his commanding presence. No one had dared to underestimate Jack, even as he had gracefully aged. Whenever he had donned that suit, a magnetic aura had enveloped him. Even women of his age hadn't been able to help but be irresistibly drawn to his charm. No, even those 10 or 20 years younger probably hadn't overlooked Jack. After all, it hadn't been easy for a man of his age to maintain such a physique. Despite a previous leg injury that had almost made him lame, with years of self-discipline, he had appeared to be fine. At most, there had been some scars on his leg that couldn't have been erased, but it had been like a badge of honor for a man, actually quite appealing. With everything prepared, Jack had had Nathan bring some valuable gifts. "Let's go, we'll visit Gary, it's been a long time since we've seen him..." His gaze had become more piercing.