chapter 3 Got the certificate

Maxwell scratched his head in disbelief. "Mr. Jerome, isn't this... a bit too rushed?" Victor chuckled. "No rush at all! I discussed this with your master twenty years ago! It's settled!" Peter couldn't hold back anymore, pointing at Maxwell. "Dad! Are you really going to marry Abigail to this... this country bumpkin? What will relatives think? Our Jerome family will become the laughingstock of Delington!" "Yeah..." Sophia chimed in hastily. "And this guy, I think his character is questionable too! Look at his first visit, he only brought two cans of cheap coffee beans! What does he take our Jerome family for?" Maxwell calmly replied, "Madam, the coffee beans are premium Black Ivory Coffee." "Black Ivory Coffee? Premium?" Sophia scoffed. "You, a hillbilly, how could you possibly have such tribute-grade coffee beans? I bet it's just unknown coffee beans picked from somewhere." "That's enough!" Victor's roar cut off Sophia's words. "Sophia, is this how you speak to your son-in-law? Whatever this gift is from Maxwell, it's a token of his sincerity." "You! Go and immediately ask Abigail out! She should go get married to Maxwell!" "Um... Alas!" Sophia sighed heavily, reluctantly going to call her daughter. Victor held immense authority in the Jerome family; his son and daughter-in-law dared not openly defy him. However, both Peter and Sophia secretly resolved to find a way to sabotage this marriage. A few minutes later, Sophia brought Abigail to the living room. Abigail was also repulsed by this marriage arrangement. Otherwise, she wouldn't have gone to the bar to unwind yesterday. Last night, Maxwell had exhausted her, and now her legs were somewhat sore. Abigail directed all her resentment towards her unseen fiancé. She had decided that since she couldn't resist her grandfather, she would wait until after obtaining the certificate to teach this country bumpkin a lesson, to make him realize the gap between them and to willingly divorce him! However, when Abigail saw Maxwell on the sofa, her expression froze. "Why is it you?" Maxwell was equally embarrassed at this moment. Well, this was going to be interesting. He never imagined that the rich woman he spent the night with yesterday would turn out to be his fiancée. "Abigail, do you two know each other?" Everyone in the Jerome family looked puzzled. "We met on the way here, didn't we?" Maxwell smiled at Abigail, feeling a pang of regret. He couldn't possibly tell Abigail's elders that they spent the night together. "Yeah." Abigail nodded, returning to her icy demeanor. "Haha!" Victor laughed. "I knew you two were destined! That's fate! It's getting late, go get the certificate! Abigail, go and drive your car here!" Peter still couldn't give up and tried to intervene. "Dad... Do you really want Abigail-" "Shut up!" Victor's face hardened as he waved his hand. "It's settled! Abigail and Maxwell, go to get married quickly. Don't procrastinate." ... Sitting in Abigail's car, Maxwell couldn't help but stretch lazily. "This is a small car, right... The seats are as comfortable as a soft sofa, really comfortable." What a country bumpkin! Seeing Maxwell like this, Abigail snorted coldly. She grew more disgusted by the minute. Not only was he uncouth, but he was also a scumbag who went to bars for flings. He even took her... virginity! Throughout the journey, Abigail didn't want to say a word to Maxwell. After leaving the marriage registration office, Abigail put away her marriage certificate. "Maxwell, marrying you is Grandpa's order, and I can't disobey him. But there are things we need to clarify beforehand!" "Even if we're legally married, I won't acknowledge you as my husband! As for last night, it was an accident! Don't think you can use it to blackmail me!" "Remember, we are not people of the same world! We are destined not to be together." Abigail's voice was cold. It was devoid of any emotion. Maxwell sneered, "Not people of the same world? Which world are you from? The one where you spend money for thrills?" "Hey! That's right, I'm going to spend money for thrills. You can go back by yourself!" Abigail was momentarily speechless, realizing she had no retort. She got into the car in anger and drove away hastily. "Ah! This girl...." Maxwell was irritated to the core. ... When Maxwell returned to the Jerome family, as soon as he entered, he saw Sophia carrying a clay pot, grumbling as she walked out of the kitchen. "What kind of lousy coffee beans are these? The taste is so bland, they're not even good for baking tiramisu! Maxwell, could it be that the coffee beans you brought have been used before? And you lied to us, saying they were premium Black Ivory Coffee! The tiramisu made from this are inedible!" Hearing this, Abigail couldn't help but disdainfully glance at Maxwell. He actually brought fake goods as gifts. He was too despicable! "Sophia, what's going on?" Victor asked, puzzled. "Dad!" Sophia said, "Master Quinn loves the tiramisu I make, so I wanted to prepare a few for him when he comes to our house. But the coffee beans Maxwell brought taste too bland, and the color is light. I suspect they've been brewed and dried after someone drank them! How can I give them to Master Quinn like this?" Victor furrowed his brows. "Why did you use Maxwell's gift to bake tiramisu?" Sophia glanced disdainfully at Maxwell. "Such dubious origin of goods, if not for baking tiramisu, they'd just be thrown away. He's just..." Before she finished her sentence, accompanied by hearty laughter, an elderly man about the same age as Victor was led in by a servant. Victor ignored Sophia and hurried over. "Haha, Quinn! You've come at the right time! Maxwell, come over and let me introduce you. This is George Quinn, known as Master Quinn, a nationally renowned calligraphy master. The works hanging in the national banquet hall are his!" Master Quinn didn't respond but sniffed. "Black Ivory Coffee! Premium! The most distinctive cup! Haha! Isn't that right, Mr. Jerome? You're amazing! You've managed to get such good coffee to entertain me. It is true friendship! You're my good friend! Where's the coffee? Over there, right... What Sophia is holding..." Seeing the steaming clay pot, Master Quinn's expression turned strange. He took a few steps forward, examined closely, and his face changed drastically, stamping his foot, "This... What? What is this? This is a waste of good things! You're squandering valuable resources! What a wasteful act toward something of high quality and value..." Sophia looked puzzled. "Master Quinn, what's wrong with you? I specially prepared these tiramisu for you. Don't you like them?" Victor found it odd. "Quinn, Sophia knew you liked them, so she made a few more." Master Quinn stamped his foot and said, "Tiramisu! What? Is the Jerome family a gold mine? Even if it were a gold mine, you can't waste it like this! Baking tiramisu with premium Black Ivory Coffee? Today, I've seen what it means to squander money like dirt! What it means to be filthy rich! All your talk about financial constraints is fake! You, old man! You're just pretending to be pitiful!"