Chapter 221: Like Grandfather,Like Grandson

In a restaurant with a history of at least several decades, Jack and Gary were seated in a private dining room. They had witnessed the restaurant's inception and its gradual expansion. While it might not compare to a five-star establishment, it boasted an extensive roster of loyal customers. The two of them used to frequent this place regularly, either together or separately, and had brought along many friends. However, it had been a long time since Jack had fallen ill, and he hadn't visited in quite a while. As for Gary, recent family troubles had preoccupied his mind, so he, too, hadn't had the leisure to visit. Thus, this was their first visit in a very long time. They occupied the same seats as before, and their demeanor appeared no different from usual. Yet, there was an underlying sense that something had changed. Nathan stood silently behind Jack, both to ensure his safety and to be ready in case there were any arrangements to attend to. Behind Gary, there was also an individual, but not a servant or staff member. It turned out to be Adam, that guy was quite shameless—maybe he had inherited the "good" traditions of the Paloma family. Jack placed the gift he had prepared on the table and said, "It's been quite some time since we last met. I've brought a gift for you this time." At the very least, Jack had done a good job with appearances, leaving no room for criticism. However, the reason Gary had come to this place today was to cause trouble, and many things couldn't be changed by mere words. Gary didn't make a move; instead, it was Adam who reached out and took the gift box, placing it aside. He then took a seat next to Gary. "Good to see you, Jack. It's been quite some time since we last met. How have you been lately?" Despite Adam's seemingly polite demeanor, his true thoughts might be quite different. In fact, he was constantly pondering matters related to his sister. He had been contemplating how to rescue his sister, and, aside from that, he didn't care about anything else. It was worth noting that he had been wanting to do this for a long time, but he hadn't succeeded. Instead, he had nearly dug his own grave. If he could change things quickly, it would be for the best. The longer he waited, the more dangerous it became for his sister. Now, the judgment about his sister's situation was about to come down. They couldn't drag it out for too long. If they couldn't come up with a solution, it would be very risky. Adam stood before Jack, dressed flashily as ever, and Jack genuinely disliked him. Despite their previous good relationship, Jack didn't express his disapproval strongly. But what Jack didn't know was that from the beginning, Adam and Benjamin didn't share a particularly strong bond; it was all just an illusion. "Good to see you, young man. It's been quite a while since we last met. I appreciate your concern for my health. I'm doing great," Jack said. Hearing Jack's words, Adam smiled. Whether it was fabricated or not, at the very least, he managed to keep up appearances. "That's good to hear. I genuinely hope that you will stay safe and healthy," Adam said. On the surface, everyone seemed to be doing well, making it hard to find any faults. But if someone truly believed that this was what they all longed for, that would be a mistake. Many things couldn't be judged by surface appearances alone; one needed to delve deeper to understand. For instance, Adam was clearly smiling, but who could really understand what was going on in his mind? Gary was similar. The two of them seemed like they came from the same mold. Although they didn't look identical, their demeanor and way of handling things were quite similar. Jack could see through it, or at least a part of it, as he turned his gaze toward Gary. Actually, upon closer inspection, one could see that Gary now gave off a completely different vibe. At the very least, things couldn't return to how they were before, especially with all the recent events. Many things no longer needed to be explicitly discussed. "It's been quite a while since the two of us met. I actually miss you quite a bit." Gary was pretending to be confused while knowing exactly what's going on. "A while ago, your health wasn't good, and you had to take forced rest. I've been thinking about you all this time. Now that you've finally returned, we can finally get together now." "But because of your health, we better stay away from alcohol. Drinking too much can still be problematic," he continued. Jack nodded; he hadn't planned on drinking any alcohol. Instead, his attention was focused on Gary. It's fine to disguise some words, but pretending indefinitely only backfires. Gary seemed to understand this as well. They exchanged pleasantries for a while, but it didn't last long. "I heard you just got back. How could you not think to inform me? Does that mean our bond has weakened?" Gary intentionally spoke these words, and the consequences could be severe if this topic wasn't handled well. "Yeah, that's right," Adam chimed in. "My grandfather really missed you. He's been talking about you all the time when he's at home. Who would have thought that we'd hear about your return from someone else? Why hide it intentionally? It makes it seem like our two families have become strangers." Jack gently pursed his lips and exchanged a subtle glance with Nathan. Nathan explained for Jack, "There's a misunderstanding, sirs. It's just that when Mr. Jack Walker had just returned, he was tired from the journey and wanted to rest. He simply wanted to notify Gary after fully recovering."