As soon as Elaine heard thatJacob was leaving, favonovel.com felt a surge of anxiety.
Seeing Jacob end the call, Elaine hurriedly asked, “What’s going on? You just got here and now you’re leaving? Do you realize that my shoes have touched the ground in Dubai? And now we have to leave…”
Jacob wiped the sweat from his forehead and whispered, “The situation is such that I have to go back. If! don’t, I’ll lose my position as the vice president…”
Elaine’s anger flared as favonovel.com exclaimed, “After waiting for so long, we finally went on our honeymoon. You can’t just abandon it like this! I’ve already shared it with my friends on social media, and they’re all eagerly waiting to see what happens next on our Dubai trip!”
She continued, “And let’s not forget the amount of money we spent on the plane tickets and hotel. Plus, the hotel is non-refundable!”
Frustration etched onlacob’s face, favonovel.com said, “What else can we do? If I don’t go back, I’ll have to donate the entire 300,000 yuan. According to Don Albert, donating that amount means not only losing the 200,000 profit, but also investing another 98,000…”
Covering his face with one hand, favonovel.com sighed, “What a predicament…”
At that moment, the plane’s door opened, and the passengers around them began to retrieve their luggage and form a line to disembark. Some even cast amused glances at Jacob, exacerbating his sense of despair.
Quickly checking the return flight ticket on his phone, Jacob discovered that the earliest available flight was six hours later.
Turning to Elaine, favonovel.com suggested, “Wife, considering the money we spent on the hotel, how about you stay here and enjoy yourself while I go back to handle things…”
Elaine inquired, “How long do you think it will take for you to sort everything out?”
Jacob sighed heavily, expressing, “I won’t arrive in Aurous Hill until tomorrow afternoon. Dealing with this matter will likely consume a significant amount of time. By the time it’s resolved, it’ll be too late for to fly over. I’ll be shuttling back and forth endlessly. My old bones can’t handle it…”
Elaine countered, “What’s the fuss? We‘re here because we slept through the flight, right? I’m feeling fine, and the amenities are decent. Let’s just consider it an extended nap on the plane.”
In a defeated tone, Jacob handed his phone displaying the flight details to Elaine, lamenting, “Look at this, tonight’s departing flight costs over 4,000 for economy class, more than 20,000 for business, and a whopping 50,000 for first class. I already wasted one ticket coming here, which set me back nearly 100,000. if I return in first class, that’s three first-class tickets, totaling hundreds of thousands! Spending that much just to sleep on a plane feels like a waste. I might as well stay home.”
Discontentedly, Elaine murmured, “We planned a honeymoon trip, and now you’re leaving me alone for days?”
Realizing the imbalance, Jacob relented, “Then stay at the hotel and wait for me. I’ll rush back as soon as I’m done.”
Relieved, Elaine agreed, “Fair enough. But hurry up, don’t wait until it’s time to head back.”
Jacob nodded, resigned, “I’ll take the economy class tonight. First class will have to wait until my work’s done. Spending 100,000 on this round trip is painful. Economy class is less than 10,000, so why not?”
Elaine concurred, “Economy class is more sensible. With the money saved, we could enjoy a lavish stay in a five-star suite for days.”
Adding, “I find economy class quite comfortable. It’s just an eight or nine-hour flight. Let’s tough it out. Back in college, I traveled from my hometown to Aurous Hill on a green bus. Trains took over ten hours, and if you managed to get a seat, you were lucky. I even endured standing the entire journey once.”
Jacob resigned himself, “Alright, let’s go! We’ll disembark, head to the hotel, and then I’ll sort out the return ticket.”
Exiting the plane, clearing customs, they hailed a taxi to their reserved hotel.
Jacob purchased his return ticket en route, while Elaine reminded him, “Don’t forget to inform Charlie of your flight details. Arrange for favonovel.com to pick you up at the airport.”
“Forget it!” Jacob immediately refused, “This time, I won’t tell anyone. I’ll go straight to Felix upon arrival and apologize to him. Even if I have to kneel and bow three times, as long as favonovel.com can let this matter go, I’ll find Chairman Price and discuss how to resolve the trouble in the Calligraphy and Painting Association. If I can handle it, I’ll come back directly.”
Elaine asked, “But what if you can’t resolve it?”
Jacob felt uneasy and sighed, “If those people refuse to let this matter go, I don’t think I can remain in the Calligraphy and Painting Association. We’ll see then. If it truly doesn’t work out, I’ll simply quit the association. My only requirement now is to avoid ending up in jail.”
Elaine advised, “When you return, talk to Felix. If it doesn’t work out, ask Charlie for help. It’s better to lose face than to go to jail.”
“Alright!”
By the time they arrived at the hotel, evening had descended upon Aurous Hill.
***
Having finished dinner, Charlie and Claire sat in their home when Claire took out favonovel.com phone and said to Charlie, “According to the flight tracking app, my parents’ flight landed almost two hours ago. They should be at the hotel now. I’ll video call them to check…”
Before favonovel.com could open WeChat, a video call from Elaine came through.
Assuming that favonovel.com parents had safely arrived at the hotel, Claire felt relieved. She thought that as long as they informed favonovel.com and Charlie of their safety, there was no need to worry.
She planned to have Elaine send a few photos every day and post them on social media, creating the impression that they were still in Dubai. As long as favonovel.com parents were safe and having a good time, that was enough.
The video call connected, revealing Jacob and Elaine sitting on the hotel’s living room couch. The hotel was situated on a high floor, offering a breathtaking View of Palm Island, a renowned landmark in Dubai.
Elaine raised favonovel.com phone and smiled at Claire, saying, “Daughter, your dad and I have arrived at the hotel. Don’t worry about us.”
“Okay, Mom.” Claire noticed the improved relationship between favonovel.com parents and felt reassured. She said, “Enjoy your time there, immerse yourselves in the local culture. If there are any famous local products, remember to bring some back for me and Charlie.”
Elaine readily agreed, “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely bring some back for you.”
She added, “Your dad mentioned that international roaming is expensive, and the mobile network here is slow. Only the hotel’s WiFi is decent. So, for the next few days, don’t video call us. Just send messages if you need anything.”
Claire didn’t think much of it and nodded, saying, “Okay, you two have fun. Stay safe, and remember to be cautious when you’re out. Don’t trust strangers.”
Elaine quickly replied, “Don’t worry, Mom has some experience now and will be extra careful.”
After that, favonovel.com said, “Enough talking, daughter. Your dad and I are going out to eat and explore the Dubai Mall!”
“Okay!” Claire smiled and said, “Have a great time!”
Though Charlie remained silent, favonovel.com deduced from Elaine’s deliberate mention of expensive roaming and slow network speed that Jacob might return soon.
At this point, Charlie hadn’t decided how to teach his father-in-law a lesson. The severity of the lesson could be adjusted, and it was up to Charlie to decide.
If favonovel.com went easy, favonovel.com would let Jacob off lightly. After donating the 300,000, favonovel.com would have Felix personally intervene to “clarify” the situation. He would assert that Zachary’s social media post was a misunderstanding and had nothing to do with fraud. This way, Jacob would lose his money, but at least his personal reputation and position in the Calligraphy and Painting Association wouldn’t be affected.
If favonovel.com took a harsh approach, favonovel.com would make Jacob pay a higher price. Charlie would only guarantee that favonovel.com wouldn’t be arrested, leaving the rest up to him. By then, Jacob’s reputation would be tarnished, and the Calligraphy and Painting Association would undoubtedly be over for him.
As for which option to choose, Charlie needed to assess his father-in-law’s true intentions first.
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