York straightened up, puffing out his chest as he bragged about his salary at the company. “My annual income is close to a million, and I’m an irreplaceable specialist there. The company’s future is practically limitless.”
His pride struck Justin as nothing short of ridiculous.
With a lazy, almost bored tone, Justin arched an eyebrow and drawled, “Oh? Irreplaceable, huh?”
York shrugged, his expression smug. “At Northcrest, folks with better degrees than mine don’t have my work experience, and those with more experience don’t have my credentials. I’m in a league of my own.”
Justin’s smile was hard to read. “You’ll find out soon enough just how replaceable you are.”
Rosie tried to ride York’s coattails, using his job to boost her own sense of superiority.
She lifted her chin toward Justin. “It’s not easy to land a good job in Northcrest these days. Where do you work, Justin? What’s your salary like? Then again, it hardly matters. Edith doesn’t spend much. She’s content with clothes that cost next to nothing.”
Justin never imagined he’d be questioned about his job like this, let alone hear someone mock Edith right to his face.
His gaze locked on Rosie–cold, sharp, and utterly unyielding. He didn’t have to say a word; that look alone made Rosie’s skin prickle with a sudden chill.
She couldn’t hold his stare. For a moment, she felt as if he could tear her apart with just his eyes.
York, seated further away and oblivious to Justin’s glare, mistook Justin’s silence for defeat. He smirked, certain that Justin’s job couldn’t possibly measure up.
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17.00
Chapter 100
“Don’t feel bad,” York said, flashing a condescending smile. “Not everyone can have a respectable job like mine, or go to a top university abroad. Just the tuition alone is more than most people could ever afford.”
Edith couldn’t help but find this laughable.
She remembered when York’s father, Gideon, had to sell the family’s house in Northcrest just so York could afford to study overseas. And now York had the nerve to look down on “regular people.”
Edith reached out, resting her hand gently on Justin’s arm. Leaning in close, she whispered, “Justin, don’t bother stooping to their level.”
A trace of warmth returned to Justin’s eyes as he lowered his gaze to Edith. “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”
But as he looked back at the Sumner relatives, that warmth vanished, replaced by an icy calm.
“My job’s nothing special,” he said coolly. “I’m not some hotshot specialist like you, York. But I am irreplaceable–unlike certain people, who might just find themselves replaced tomorrow.”
York was convinced Justin was just making excuses, unable to admit he couldn’t compete. The smugness radiating from him was almost
unbearable.
Rosie, emboldened, decided she’d finally gotten the upper hand. She pointed at the designer wedding dress tucked in the corner, sneering, “People these days are all about appearances–buying cheap knock–offs with no respect for real brands.”
Edith’s aunt Candida chimed in under the guise of defending her, but her words dripped with disdain. “Everyone wants to look good in front of others. Edith doesn’t care much for fancy things day to day, but she wants to look decent at her wedding. If she can’t afford the real thing, she’ll just have to settle for a knock–off, won’t she?”
Edith had just picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork, but the bitterness in their words killed her appetite. She quietly set her fork down, the food suddenly unappealing.
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17.00
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.