Chapter 6097

Jacob had always relished the opportunity to show off and felt the need to maintain a facade. Even if he couldn't wait for the moment to display his possessions, he still had to feign confidence. In his eyes, the kid today was just another chance for him to flaunt his status. Did you think my Rolls-Royce car keys were fake? Allow me to demonstrate just how genuine they really are. The middle-aged man named Mr. Halbrook took the Rolls-Royce key, toyed with it for a moment, pressed the button and let out a mocking laugh. He tossed the key back to Jacob dismissively, sneering, "What a piece of junk! This surely didn't come from Rolls Royce, did it?" Jacob was taken aback when the key was suddenly thrown at him. He fumbled it in the air multiple times before finally catching it, frustration boiling over as he shouted, "Hey! What’s your problem? You’ve never seen anything like this? I wanted to show you something impressive and you just toss it away like that? If you break it, can you even afford to replace it?" With disdain, the middle-aged man Mr. Halbrook replied, "Why do I care about a broken fake?" Elaine, standing beside Jacob, seethed with anger and shot back, "You better open your eyes and see that these are real Rolls-Royce keys!" "Pfft!" The middle-aged man Mr. Halbrook dismissed her with a scoff. "Who are you trying to fool? I saw you get out of a rideshare vehicle!" Jacob quickly defended himself, "I didn't want to drive today. We were heading abroad for a trip and leave the car at the airport. I was worried someone would scratch it, so of course, we took a cab!" The middle-aged man Mr. Halbrook rolled his eyes and huffed, "Your stories don’t add up. You say you’re traveling abroad and didn’t drive, yet here you are with your car keys in your pocket. What’s the point of having them if you’re not going to use them? Do you think you’re impressing anyone?" "I...I...I..." Jacob stammered, unable to come up with a valid response. Laughter erupted from the crowd around them, as the middle-aged man, though rude, made a point that resonated. If Jacob wasn't planning to drive while abroad, then keeping the car keys meant nothing. Is he just showing off those keys while traveling abroad? Everyone thought this behavior didn't align with the image of a true Rolls-Royce owner. If someone could engage in such petty antics, they surely weren't fit to be a proud owner of a luxury vehicle. Seeing Jacob’s silence, the middle-aged man Mr. Halbrook pressed on, "At your age, why are you still so obsessed with flaunting? Whether you own a Rolls-Royce or not doesn’t warrant keeping the keys in your pocket for a flight, does it?" He then patted his own pockets, smiling, "Look at me! I'm a genuine and refined Bentley owner, but I don't carry my keys around. I’m heading off to the Maldives. What use would I have for my car keys? And mind you, I have a driver. Who actually drives a Rolls-Royce themselves?" "Oh and just wait until you're at security. When the staff asks you to empty your pockets, can you imagine pulling out a Rolls-Royce key? You really think that’s going to impress anyone?" Jacob, realizing he had been caught in his charade, blushed and replied, "I...I didn't mean to! It just ended up in my pocket!" "Pfft!" The middle-aged man rolled his eyes. "Your face says otherwise. Who would believe you?" With a sigh, he added, "Look, I suggest you tone it down when you go out in public. Bragging just makes you the subject of ridicule. You may not care about your own reputation, but what about the people with you?" Jacob, not the quick-witted type, felt utterly defeated. He couldn't think of a response and resorted to searching something on his phone instead.

Elaine, who had been seething, finally delivered a sharp retort: "Being smug about driving a Bentley doesn't mean you’re not a fool. Go ask around. My husband was the executive vice president of the Aurous Hill Calligraphy and Painting Association. If you talk to anyone from there, they'll know he drives a 2B version of the Cullinan!" Jacob quickly corrected her, "Not 2B, it’s BB! BB version of the Cullinan!" Elaine waved her hand dismissively, "What’s the difference? It all means the same thing." The middle-aged man, seemingly unfazed by Elaine’s outburst, turned to Claire with a grin. "Beauty, I’m guessing these two are your parents? Perhaps you can advise them to rein in their vanity." He then gestured to the attractive woman beside him with a charming smile, "Let’s hurry to the first-class lounge and relax." Feeling vindicated, the woman replied flirtatiously, "Good husband! I’ve always said not to engage with the less fortunate. You can't reason with them." The middle-aged man chuckled as he and his wife left the scene. Once they had departed, Jacob shouted angrily after them, "Hold on! Look at me! I have photos of my car! Check if it’s Cullinan or if I’m just making it all up!" When Jacob realized they didn’t turn back, his frustration peaked, and he fumed, "Open your eyes and see clearly!" Claire, feeling extremely embarrassed, stepped forward and said, "Dad, that's enough! You shouldn’t have even pulled out the car keys!" Claire’s embarrassment stemmed from how their parents felt compelled to show off possessions linked to Charlie's status. It wasn’t just the fact that they were being watched or ridiculed, but also that her father had secretly kept the car key in his pocket despite claiming they wouldn’t drive to the airport. What was he thinking? Deep down, Claire understood what had motivated her father to carry the key, he hoped to garner some attention upon revealing it. This shallow need for validation left Claire feeling disheartened. Charlie, however, found the scene amusing and didn’t interject, content to watch as Jacob’s bluff collapsed. With no support from his daughter and son-in-law, Jacob felt overwhelmed. He realized that keeping the car key with him was indeed rather childish. Initially excited about their vacation, Jacob now felt dampened by ridicule. He looked at the Rolls-Royce keys in his hand, what was once a source of pride now felt more like a liability. He couldn’t discard it, but it no longer brought him joy. He quickly pulled out his phone and called Chairman Price, "Hey, Lester, what’s up? I’m out on vacation and forgot that I had the car keys with me. Can you give me your address? I’ll have an errand runner deliver them to you. Can you hold onto them for me?" Chairman Price replied, puzzled, "Why would you go through all the trouble? The key isn’t heavy. Why waste money sending it to me?" Jacob reluctantly said, "You know how it is, I didn’t want anyone seeing it. If I take it out during security, people will think I’m showing off!" Chairman Price casually suggested, “If you’re not using it, just throw it in your suitcase. Security isn't going to check every key. They won't care." "Oh..." Jacob sighed, feeling dejected. "You’re right. I’ll just hide it in my bag for now." After hanging up the phone, he opened his small suitcase and spitefully stuffed the Rolls-Royce keys into a pocket. Though Charlie found the situation amusing, he kept it to himself. After Jacob dealt with the keys, he urged him, "Alright, it's getting late. Let’s head inside!"