Chapter 99 Exposed On The Spot
Mr. Swindell is here?
In an instant, Hugo’s expression changed.
He hastily sprang to his feet and strode toward the door with the cane in his hand. “Quick! Hurry up and come with me to welcome Mr. Swindell!”
“Understood!”
Hearing that, the Smith brothers abandoned their squabble with Jonathan. They hastened toward the door after Hugo.
Outside the door, Randall appeared suave and dashing in a black suit.
Despite being the mayor of Jadeborough, he didn’t come with an entourage. Instead, he came alone and even brought a gift at that!
“You’re here, Mr. Swindell. Do come in.”
At the sight of him, Hugo hurriedly acted all subservient.
He wasn’t the only one, for Ezra and Miguel behind him likewise feigned servility.
Truthfully, they knew all too well the status of the Smith family in Jadeborough.
“You don’t have to stand on ceremony with me. It’s the Smith family’s annual party today, and I’m the guest here. There’s no such thing as a guest proceeding the host.” Smiling, Randall allowed Hugo to walk ahead of him. He also took out the gift he brought. “This is the gift I prepared. I hope it’s to your liking, Old Mr. Smith.”
“Of course! How could I possibly not like a personal gift from you, Mr. Swindell?” Hugo was very much flattered at the man’s courteousness.
After all, the man had never attended such an occasion ever since he took office.
This event by the Smith family was the very first in history.
Furthermore, he was even being so courteous. That had Hugo instantly feeling so proud that he was bursting at the seams.
“Please have a seat, Mr. Swindell!” Hugo had personally arranged a seat for Randall, and it was right-center in the front row.
Since he graced us with his presence, he’s the most esteemed guest of the Smith family! Therefore, he naturally has to be seated right in the middle!
“I’m flattered, Old Mr. Smith.” Randall quickly brushed it off, but his eyes were scanning the place, seemingly in search of something.
“What are you looking for, Mr. Swindell?” Miguel perceptively noticed that the man seemed to be scouting for something.
“Where is Mr. Goldstein? Why don’t I see him?” Randall couldn’t help querying.
The only reason I’m here at the Smith family’s annual party is because of him. Otherwise, why would I even bother with this insignificant event?
“Mr. Goldstein? Who do you mean?” Miguel was stunned for a moment, not realizing the person he meant. There doesn’t seem to be anyone with such a last name among the guests we invited today.
“Jonathan Goldstein, Mr. Goldstein!” Randall answered.
I remember that he’s Josephine Smith’s husband. Hence, he’ll naturally attend the Smith family’s annual party. With him here, I don’t have the right to sit in this seat reserved for the most esteemed guest!
“Jonathan Goldstein?” Hugo and his sons immediately frowned when they heard that name. “You’re acquainted with him, Mr. Swindell?”
“Of course!” Randall prompt nodded and asserted, “How could I possibly forget him after having witnessed his might at the Blackwood residence? So, where is he?”
“I’m here.”
Out of the blue, Jonathan’s voice sounded from an obscure corner.
There were still a few servants standing near him, caging him in. If it weren’t for Randall’s sudden arrival earlier, they would’ve likely thrown him out long ago.
“Mr. Goldstein!” Upon hearing his voice, Randall, who was initially seated, sprang to his feet. He didn’t even dare sit down. “It’s been a long time, Mr. Goldstein!”
“Indeed, it’s been a long time.” Sweeping a nonchalant gaze in his direction, Jonathan waved a hand and murmured, “You may be seated.”
“How would I dare sit when you’re standing, Mr. Goldstein?” Randall said, his voice full of respect.
“Have you gotten the wrong person, Mr. Swindell?” Seeing Randall’s humble attitude toward Jonathan, Hugo couldn’t quite wrap his head around it.
What is going on? He’s the mayor of Jadeborough, yet he’s acting like a servant before Jonathan. He’s all timid as though sitting on pins and needles.
Randall didn’t comprehend the meaning of his question at first. “Got the wrong person? How could I possibly make such a mistake? If I can’t even recognize Mr. Goldstein, I’ll soon be dismissed from my post as the mayor of Jadeborough!”
That comment from Randall stumped everyone present.
What? Jonathan’s just a worthless bum! Yet, he has the power to hold sway over the mayor of Jadeborough?
“You must be joking, Mr. Swindell!” Miguel joked with a chuckle.
Unexpectedly, Randall shot him a sharp glare after hearing that. “Joking? I’m not joking with you! Back at the Blackwood family’s banquet, if that old geezer from the Blackwood family hadn’t been so foolish to offend Mr. Goldstein, would he have ended up being banished from Jadeborough?”
His voice was exceedingly cold, but his words were no less than a bolt of lightning that struck everyone there to the core.
What? It was really Jonathan who banished the Blackwood family from Jadeborough?
When Josephine said that, everyone felt that it was absurd and merely regarded it as a joke. After all, how could a useless live-in son-in-law have the capability to banish the forerunner of the four prominent families from Jadeborough?
Now that Randall was saying it, however, they had no choice but to believe it.
After all, he was the mayor of Jadeborough, so he couldn’t possibly be making up stories.
“Mr. Swindell, are you saying that it was Jonathan who banished the Blackwood family from Jadeborough back then?” Hugo inquired again, seemingly unable to believe his own ears.
“Of course! Did you not know that?” Randall’s brows creased.
He’s the patriarch of the Smith family, yet he didn’t know about it?
“N-No, I didn’t.” Hugo felt as though something was stuck in his throat, almost causing him to keel over.
“In that case, Mr. Goldstein probably felt that it was just an insignificant matter and didn’t bother saying anything about it.” Randall then casually added, “I was there at that time and personally witnessed that old geezer from the Blackwood family begging Mr. Goldstein for mercy on his knees.”
At once, everyone was staggered.
That remark of his promptly caused a great uproar among the crowd.
In that instant, their gazes were all trained on Jonathan.
Nonetheless, Jonathan merely swept a nonchalant glance over them before shifting his gaze to Sammy, saying, “You’re Mr. Field, right? Didn’t you say that the Blackwood family was banished from Jadeborough back then because you asked the King of War for a favor?”
“What? Is that for real?” Having heard that, Randall instantly cast his gaze at Sammy.
The moment he bore his eyes into him, Sammy’s knees abruptly went weak. But still, he gritted his teeth and insisted, “Yes, that’s right!”
“Nonsense!” Sneering, Randall regarded him disdainfully and drawled, “You asked the King of War for a favor? Why didn’t I know about that? Back then, it was the man himself who ordered me to go to the Blackwood family and help Mr. Goldstein resolve all problems!”
