Chapter 6095

In the morning, Charlie finally returned to Aurous Hill. Upon arriving home, Charlie found that Elaine was the only one in the family. Claire had been preoccupied with managing the company's partnerships lately. She wanted to provide the best possible explanations to her partners before her departure. Jacob, on the other hand, continued to enjoy his time at his calligraphy and painting association every day. Elaine, in contrast, had a more relaxed schedule. Her thoughts were entirely focused on the upcoming trip to the Maldives, as she shopped for swimsuits, goggles, and even some snorkeling gear online. Seeing Charlie return, she beamed with joy and said, "Good son-in-law, you're back! We're heading to the Maldives the day after tomorrow! You must not take on any Feng Shui work during this time!" Charlie smiled and reassured her, "Don’t worry, mom. I won’t take on any jobs before the New Year." "That’s a relief!" Elaine responded, feeling comforted. "I told Claire to wrap things up quickly. She shouldn’t take her computer to the Maldives!" Charlie nodded and smiled, recognizing how much Elaine looked forward to this trip. It was a rare opportunity, and certainly a wonderful thing for his family. With the trip approaching, Charlie made a point to visit the Elys-Champ Hot Springs Hotel, where he met with Nanako, Zeba, and Tara, who were all practicing there. Nanako had shown rapid improvement in her skills, and Charlie speculated that she would soon surpass Tara. Zeba and Tara had entered seclusion to fully absorb the effects of the Great Cultivation Pill, which significantly strengthened their cultivation and laid a solid foundation for the future. That evening, when Charlie returned home, Jacob's Cullinan was already in the driveway, but Claire had yet to arrive. Charlie spent some time chatting with his in-laws when Claire finally returned home, looking exhausted. As soon as Claire stepped through the door and spotted Charlie, a flicker of pain crossed her eyes. In the days leading up to this, she had tried various mental exercises to prepare herself. She thought she was ready to face Charlie, but when he appeared before her, the pain resurfaced. Charlie, not particularly adept at noticing subtle changes in women, immediately broke into a smile and said, "My wife is back! It’s almost New Year’s, and your company still hasn’t taken a break?" Claire managed a bittersweet smile, fearing Charlie would see through her facade, and sighed, "Well, things tend to be busier toward the end of the year. But tomorrow is our last working day. We have the company’s annual dinner tomorrow night, so I won’t be back for dinner." Elaine quickly chimed in, "Claire, we’re leaving early the morning after tomorrow. Is your company still working tomorrow?" Claire nodded glumly and replied, "I’ve had so much work piling up before the New Year. I've paid everyone overtime, so we're pushing to finish up. I'll jump right back into it as soon as we return from the Maldives." Charlie felt a bit troubled. Their trip to the Maldives would only last five days and four nights, but typically, companies would grant at least eight to ten days off for the Lunar New Year. Claire’s upcoming work commitments meant she was left with barely five days off for the holiday. Concerned, Charlie asked, "Wife, is your company really so busy? Why not take on fewer orders?" Claire managed a slight smile, tinged with bitterness, and explained, "There are no new orders coming in right now, but we still need to expedite progress on the existing orders so we don’t delay any of Party A’s work." Charlie offered, "Most of your orders are from Emgrand Group, right? I'm quite familiar with their Vice-President Doris. Would you like me to mention something to him and ask them not to push you so hard?"

Claire felt even more unsettled by his suggestion. After meeting Stephen Thompson, she realized just how many lies Charlie had to maintain in his daily life. Emgrand Group was not only the Wade family's business but also a company acquired specifically for Charlie by the Wade family. She had long considered Doris Young to be the most significant benefactor in her career; however, it turned out that Doris was just Charlie’s proxy. All the advantages from Emgrand Group were secretly orchestrated by Charlie behind the scenes. By February 2, the Emgrand Group project would certainly not be completed on time. She was left to wonder whether to apologize to Doris Young or to Charlie, the actual owner. This realization left Claire feeling somewhat defeated. Previously, she had thought her work abilities had garnered the respect of prominent entrepreneurs, leading to the orders being handed to her. But now, it seemed that even if her performance were subpar, her association with Mr. Wade’s name would ensure continued support. This revelation was a blow to Claire, who aspired to become a strong woman and hoped to help Charlie retire soon. Noticing that Claire was lost in thought, Charlie asked her, "Wife, what are you thinking about? Do you want me to speak to Dorus over at Emgrand Group?" "Ah…" Claire snapped back to reality, vigorously waving her hands. "No, no, no, I would feel embarrassed to trouble her. I'll manage everything responsibly." Not wanting to meet Charlie’s gaze again, fearing he might see through her, she added, "I need to head upstairs to pack my suitcase. I have a dinner tomorrow night, and I’m afraid I'll run out of time to prepare." Charlie quickly stood up and offered, "Let me help you pack." "No need," Claire replied, brushing back her hair awkwardly. "You can spend some time with my parents; it’s been a while since you’ve seen them." Jacob added, "Yes, good son-in-law, I’ve been wanting to have a good talk with you. Chairman Price mentioned today that he would be interested in connecting to see if he can help me out. When would be a good time for us to have a meal with Mr. Don Albert?" Charlie smiled and asked, "How has Chairman Price been performing lately?" "Really well," Jacob replied. "This old fellow has learned to be more humble. Even though my official position has diminished, he’s much more respectful when he sees me now." Charlie nodded and responded, "When I return from the Maldives, I’ll carve out some time to have a chat with Don Albert." Jacob beamed, "That sounds fantastic! Thank you, good son-in-law!" As Claire walked upstairs, the image of Don Albert's somewhat fierce face flashed before her eyes. During her studies, she had heard of Don Albert—he was undoubtedly a well-known figure in Aurous Hill and a notorious godfather in the underworld. Yet, shortly after the Wade family acquired the Emgrand Group, he had bowed to Charlie and ingratiated himself with Master Wade. In retrospect, it was clear that Don Albert had long known about Charlie’s true identity, which explained why he was so polite and respectful toward him. When her mother had fallen victim to a P2P scam and her father had joined the calligraphy and painting association as a vice president, it was all due to Mr. Don Albert stepping in to help. Now, it seemed this assistance was also tied to Charlie's status as the Young Master of the Wade family. For quite some time, her family had been discreetly supported by Charlie, which filled Claire with a sense of shame. She reflected internally, "Charlie, for so long, I have been grateful for how you’ve looked out for our family and considered us in every way. Moving forward, we should start considering you as well…"