"Like hell I’m coming back!"Charles Martin cursed under his breath, his face dark as he stormed toward the exit.But just as he was about to step out, he overheard a voice behind him—"Manager, we got another sucker! Three thousand dollars for a broken pair of chopsticks!"Charles Martin stumbled, nearly face-planting on the ground. He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and hastened away from the scam restaurant.After leaving the restaurant, Lincoln Myers hailed a cab. Once inside, he pulled out his phone and made a call."Hello, Malcolm? Just a heads-up—Charles Martin wants to join the investigation team."Lincoln Myers said casually."Didn’t he refuse to join before? Why the sudden change of heart?"Malcolm Gray sounded puzzled."He says he wants to see the truth for himself. At first, I wasn’t keen on letting him in, but then I thought—he wants to investigate Joseph, but don’t we want to investigate him too?""Old Malcolm, I feel like we don’t know enough about this Professor

Alice had been out for over an hour now, and Joseph couldn’t help but send her a message. "Where did you run off to?" He asked. "Huh? I’m coming back soon!" "By the way, Joseph, are you going grocery shopping?" Alice asked. "We still have some ingredients at home, but not enough. I’ll definitely need to go out and buy more." Joseph replied. "Then come out now. I’m waiting for you in front of the fresh produce store in the villa complex." Alice said. "Alright, I’m heading out now." Joseph responded after reading the message. "Okay, I’ll be waiting for you!" Alice replied sweetly. Joseph glanced at his phone, put the book back in the study, tidied up briefly, and then stepped out. Whispering Pines Villas was an expansive residential area, with standalone villas occupying two-thirds of the space, while the rest consisted of high-end condominiums. Given the large number of affluent residents, the community was equipped with top-tier facilities. Not only was there a sizabl

At the sound of his father’s voice, Mason Morgan swiftly tucked away the check and pen, plastering a wide smile onto his face. "Why are you grinning like that? What were you two talking about?" Blake Morgan eyed Mason suspiciously. "Heh, nothing much. Just having a friendly chat with my future son-in-law." Mason Morgan put on an amiable front, even reaching out to clasp Joseph’s hand and giving it a couple of hearty pats. "A friendly chat?" The old man raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. Just moments ago, Mason had been brimming with hostility. Now, they were suddenly all friendly? "Of course! Dad, would I lie to you about something like this?" Mason Morgan’s voice was full of conviction. "Joseph, is that really the case?" Blake Morgan turned to Joseph, his gaze carrying a deeper meaning. Mason Morgan shot Joseph a sharp look, silently warning him not to reveal the truth."Well, I suppose you could call it small talk. While we were at it, I also gave Uncle Mason a quick

"Alright, Mason, Joseph, Alice—why don’t we all share a drink?" Blake Morgan suggested. "Dad, I’ll have to pass. I need to drive later. You know the rule—don’t drink and drive." Mason Morgan hesitated. "Then just substitute tea for wine." Blake Morgan said without missing a beat. Joseph then turned to Alice. "Your alcohol tolerance isn’t great—you should just have juice." Joseph advised. "Alright, I’ll listen to Joseph." Alice nodded obediently. Mason Morgan quietly observed the exchange, glancing at Joseph. This kid truly knew how to take care of people. At the very least, the fact that he wasn’t letting Alice drink showed that he genuinely cared about her. "Th

"Fine, I get it. I’ll save his contact, alright?"Under Blake Morgan’s insistence, Mason had no choice but to comply.It was just a phone number—nothing major.He pulled out the check with Joseph's number scribbled on it and tucked it behind his driver’s license. This way, it wouldn’t get lost.He didn’t even bother saving it in his phone.To him, Joseph was just spouting nonsense. How could he possibly have a serious health issue?That phone number was as good as useless.No—more than that. It was completely unnecessary. A man should have confidence in his own body."Let’s go. We’re done talking. Once you've made your decision, we can see about arranging a family dinner."With that, Blake Morgan turned and started walking back. Mason hesitated for a moment before following.A few minutes later, the two returned to the villa.At that moment, Joseph and Alice were still tidying up the dishes."Joseph, your Uncle Mason and I are heading out. We won’t disturb you two any longer."Blake M