The higher you climbed, the more terrifying the people above became.
Only poor people viewed "the rich" as a single group.
The truly wealthy understood hierarchy better than anyone.
Drew didn't so he think if he gets rid of prim start live as a songwriter he had entered the world if the rich but even that rich not elite rich gap is very large you might be earning large let you still be a upper middle class family.
So he confidently ordered several additional dishes.
When the bill arrived, he casually glanced at it.
Then froze.
1,250,000 CU dollars.
The wine glass in his hand trembled.
His face nearly turned green.
Lucas saw it and snorted.
Without even looking at the total, he paid the entire bill
.
Then he stood.
Everyone immediately followed.
Before leaving, Lucas walked toward the reception counter.
Prim looked up.
Lucas casually handed him a card.
"Call if you're interested."
Then he left.
Prim accepted it politely
.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
But Drew had seen everything.
His entire body shook.
Why him?
Why would Lucas give Prim his personal card?
Why not him?
None of them gave him their personal card not Luis not Lucas not the two investors and but Lucas gave to prim whyyy
It wasn't fair.
After everyone left, Drew immediately walked toward the counter.
"Tsk."
He looked Prim up and down.
"A loser job really suits you."
Prim smiled.
Drew continued mockingly.
"Do you think you're important now just because Lucas gave you his card?"
His eyes landed on the card in Prim's hand.
"If you know what's good for you, give it to me."
Prim blinked.
Then smiled
.
"Ten thousand CU dollars."
Drew stared.
"What?"
"Take it or leave it."
Prim shrugged.
Drew's face twisted.
"You... how dare you?"
Prim looked surprised.
"Brother Drew."
His voice sounded innocent.
"I don't have much money."
Then he looked down at the card.
"As for this..."
He seemed to think of something.
"Maybe this person can help me in the future."
Drew immediately panicked.
Of course Lucas could help.
The man's family owned airlines, telecommunications companies, scout agencies, and countless other businesses.
A direct contact like this was priceless.
"Fine."
Drew gritted his teeth.
"Give it to me."
Prim suddenly paused.
"Hmm..."
Drew narrowed his eyes.
"What now?"
Prim looked at the card again.
"Actually..."
He scratched his cheek.
"Thinking about it carefully..."
"This is Lucas Quinn's personal contact."
"Ten thousand CU dollars feels a little cheap."
Drew's eyelid twitched violently.
"How much?"
Prim smiled brightly.
"Fifty-five thousand CU dollars."
"Brother Drew is a successful person now."
"You won't lack such a small amount, right?"
"Transfer first."
Prim immediately held out his phone.
Drew nearly vomited blood.His face darkened.
But the thought of obtaining Lucas's direct contact overwhelmed his reason.
In the end, he transferred another 1,100,000 zen.
After the transfer notification appeared, Prim smiled.
Only then did Prim finally hand over the card.
Drew grabbed it immediately.
His heart filled with excitement.
He felt as though he had just obtained a priceless treasure cussing prim for being a fool in his mind for missing such a chance.
Meanwhile, Prim watched the transfer notification arrive.
His smile became even brighter
.
What a kind person.
Giving him money for a card he had no pleasure in using and even if drew take the card what is he going to do with demand money what an idiot.
Prim shook his head after Drew left and continued working.
When his shift finally ended, he headed toward the staff room to rest for a few minutes.
The moment he entered, several of his coworkers immediately surrounded him.
"Thank you for sending Luis's pictures to the group!"
One of the female staff members clasped her hands together gratefully.
"We didn't dare take photos ourselves. What if he noticed? I'd probably get a nosebleed from nervousness before I even unlocked my phone."
Everyone laughed.
"I never knew you had such good photography skills," one of the male employees said.
"I know, right?" another agreed immediately.
"Even I, as a guy, felt my heart skip a beat looking at those pictures."
He shook his head dramatically.
"That Luis guy is already ridiculously handsome in person. Somehow Prim's close-up photos made him look even more attractive."
The others nodded in agreement.
Prim simply smiled sweetly.
"I'm happy to help."
The group instantly felt their hearts soften.
Seriously.
Why was he always so nice?
After chatting for a while, Prim checked the time.
"Anyway, I'll be heading home now."
Everyone waved goodbye as he left through the restaurant's back entrance.
Outside, Prim checked his account balance.
Before today, he had around 1.9 million zen.
After adding the remaining 5 million zen from Drew's uncle and the money Drew had recently sent him, his total savings had risen to almost 8 million zen.
Around 400 CU dollars.
To most students, that would already be a fortune.
To Prim, however, it wasn't much.
Almost all the money he earned from competitions, projects, and other activities and the allowance the school gives and so on went directly to his mother.
According to her, too much money would distract him.
It would make him arrogant.
Wasteful.
Cause him to focus on dating instead of studying.
So she only gave him enough spending money to maintain appearances at school.
This 8 million zen was one of the few private savings accounts she didn't know about.
As he stood by the roadside, Prim began planning.
Grandpa needed nutritious food.
The house needed groceries.
And honestly, he should probably hire a nanny.
His grandmother wasn't exactly known for taking proper care of people.
Then he remembered the medical robot.
Maybe it had a cooking function?
He made a mental note to check later.
A taxi stopped in front of him.
After getting in, Prim opened his phone and began placing orders.
For Grandpa:
Honey Garlic Pork Bites.
Coconut Chicken Curry Rice.
Peach Lemonade.
Several fruit-shaped desserts.
For himself:
Salt and Pepper Pork Chops with Rice.
Additional fruits.
Grandpa loved sweet things.
Even when the doctors told him not to.
By the time the taxi reached the hospital, the food delivery had arrived as well.
Prim spent five thousand CU dollars on the order without hesitation.
After paying for both the taxi and delivery, he carried the bags toward the hospital.
The elevator doors opened.
A few moments later, he arrived on his grandfather's floor.
His grandfather's room was a shared ward.
The moment Prim entered, he immediately spotted several familiar faces.
His grandmother, Varel.
His uncle, Edward Varel.
Brigid.
Their son, Cassian.
Cassian's girlfriend, Penelope.
And several distant relatives who rarely appeared unless they smelled money nearby.
Standing among them was the medical robot.
The robot that had cost thirteen million zen.
Well...
Rented for thirteen million zen.
Not purchased.
But nobody in the family knew that.
Not even his mother.
If she found out he had spent so much to rent it , she might genuinely lose her mind.
Ignoring the crowd, Prim walked directly toward his grandfather's bed.
The bags of food swung gently in his hands as he smiled.
"Grandpa, I brought dinner."
"Kid, you're back."
Grandpa Varel smiled when he saw Prim enter.
"I'm about to be discharged. Just waiting for this IV drip to finish."
Prim placed the food beside the bed.
"You are so lucky," one of the relatives sighed.
"Having children willing to spend this much money on you. An old man like me can only envy it."
Grandma Varel immediately snorted.
"Lucky? He should be grateful"
She shook her head dramatically.
"My daughter isn't as good as my son."
Everyone instantly sensed trouble.
"She already bought a new house, but she won't even let us stay in the old one permanently. She's planning to kick us out after only two months."
Grandma Varel clicked her tongue.
"If it were my son, he would never do something like that."
The room fell silent.
Then Grandpa Varel slowly looked up.
"Really?"
His voice was calm.
"So tell me, where is this wonderful son of yours?"
Grandma Varel froze.
Grandpa Varel pointed at the medical robot standing nearby.
"My daughter paid thirteen million zen for that robot." Even though he knew it was prim he still played along with his daughter claim of buying cause if they know it is prim these blood suckers would try to drain him dry.
Then he pointed at himself.
"My daughter arranged a place for us to stay."
His eyes shifted toward Edward.
"Meanwhile, your precious son couldn't even pay my hospital bills."
The room became awkward.
Grandpa Varel wasn't finished.
" How embarrassing it is for the nurse to wake an unconscious man if he wants surgery as his family were preparing funeral as they refuse to pay the surgery bill I had to wake up from my hospital bed to pay my own fees."
He looked at Grandma Varel.
"You keep praising your son every day Fine Then prove me wrong."
He pointed toward the payment counter.
"Let your son pay the bills."
Nobody spoke.
Father and son both lowered their heads.
Brigid finally forced a smile.
"Father-in-law, Edward is trying his best."
She glanced toward the medical robot.
"It's just that Sister-in-law has more money."
Grandpa Varel laughed.
A cold laugh.
"My daughter is a single mother."
"She raises herself and her son."
"Yet she still has money to spare."
His gaze moved toward Edward.
"My son is healthy."
"Has a wife."
"Has a grown son."
"Works full-time."
"And somehow he's poorer than a single mother."
He leaned back.
"Brigid, is that what you're trying to tell me?"
Brigid's face immediately turned red.
Grandpa Varel wasn't done.
"Or perhaps all your savings went to your useless son?"
Cassian's expression darkened.
"The same son who spent money on his girlfriend."
"The same son who handed over his job opportunity to his girlfriend's brother."
"The same son whose girlfriend still refuses to get engaged to him."
Grandpa Varel smiled mockingly.
"How wonderful."
The entire room froze.
Cassian clenched his fists.
Penelope looked away awkwardly.
"You old man!"
Grandma Varel slammed her hand against the armrest.
"How dare you talk about your grandson like that!"
Grandpa Varel looked completely unimpressed.
"What about me?"
He waved dismissively.
"You annoy me every day."
His voice remained calm.
Dangerously calm.
"Keep annoying me and I'll divorce you."
The room exploded into silence.
Everyone stared.
Grandma Varel looked as if she had been struck by lightning.
Grandpa Varel continued.
"What use are you to me anyway?"
"You don't take care of me."
"You don't listen to me."
"You only know how to cause trouble."
He glanced at Prim.
"At least my grandson annoys me in an entertaining way."
Then he looked back at his wife.
"You?"
"You're worse."
He shrugged.
"The family is already falling apart."
"Let's finish the job properly."
"I should have divorced you years ago."
His voice contained no anger.
Only exhaustion.
"I'd rather take care of myself than spend my remaining years with a crazy woman."
Grandma Varel collapsed back into her chair.
Her face turned pale.
For the first time in years, she realized her husband wasn't joking.
He sounded completely serious.
Brigid immediately grabbed her husband's arm."Father-in-law, you can't divorce Mother-in-law."she whispered
"If he divorce her, she'll end up living with us permanently."
She sighed dramatically.
"She's already stayed with us for too long. She should go back to her husband."
Then she added bluntly,
"Besides, if people hear you divorced, they'll think we're the reason for it."
Edward immediately nodded his wife was right he turned to look at his father.
"Dad, I'll pay the medical bills."
He stood up hurriedly.
"Please don't talk about divorce anymore."
Then he turned toward his mother.
"Mom, you should take better care of Dad."
Without giving Grandma Varel a chance to respond, Edward quickly left the room to settle the payment.
His heart bled at the thought of spending the money.
But no matter how painful it was, he still had to save face in front of everyone.
Prim ignored the family drama and opened the takeaway containers.
"Grandpa, enough."
He pulled a chair closer.
"Come eat."
He began placing dishes on the small hospital table.
"Honey Garlic Pork Bites and Coconut Chicken Curry Rice are for you."
Then he pointed at another container.
"The Salt and Pepper Pork Chops with Rice are mine."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"I also bought those giant fruit-shaped desserts from Skyland Kitchen."
He took them out one by one.
"They looked really realistic online."
"And I know you like sweet things."
"There's also Peach Lemonade and some fruits."
Grandpa Varel's eyes lit up.
"You bought all this from Skyland Kitchen?"
Prim nodded.
"You said you liked it last time."
Grandpa Varel laughed loudly.
"Good boy."
He looked at the food with satisfaction.
"How much did all this cost?"
Then he snorted.
"I haven't eaten anything decent all day."
He pointed toward the medical robot.
"That thing made porridge for me earlier."
Then his face darkened.
"But your grandmother stole it before I could finish."
The room instantly became awkward.
"The robot nearly called hospital security."
Grandpa Varel grinned.
"It kept saying its primary responsibility was caring for me."
He patted the robot affectionately.
"I like this robot very much."
Then he took a bite of the Honey Garlic Pork.
His eyes immediately brightened.
"Good."
Another bite.
"Very good."
Everyone's gaze unconsciously shifted toward the food.
The aroma alone was tempting.
Cassian stared for several seconds before finally speaking.
"Prim."
His tone was unhappy.
"You're really eating in front of everyone without ordering food for the rest of the family?"
"What kind of manners are those?"
The room became quiet.
Everyone looked toward Prim.
Prim calmly took a sip of his drink.
Then he blinked.
"It is my fault."
His voice was gentle.
"I thought everyone had already eaten."
He glanced around.
"And honestly, I assumed everyone would've gone home by now."
The room became even more awkward.
Prim continued innocently.
"Next time I'll make it up to everyone."
Then he smiled.
"If anyone wants some food now, you can ask Grandpa."
He pointed toward the hospital table.
"Everything belongs to him."
"I already gave it to him."
He tilted his head slightly.
"I can't exactly ask for it back now, can I?"
His expression looked genuinely troubled.
As if he were facing an impossible dilemma.
Grandpa Varel continued eating without even looking up.
The message was clear.
Anyone who wanted the food could fight him for it.
Nobody dared.
After all, the old man was in a particularly bad mood today.
Trying to change the topic, Penelope suddenly spoke.
"Actually..."
She looked toward Grandpa Varel.
"Grandpa I was thinking my dad could use the medical robot too."
She smiled politely.
"You could just share some treatment time with him."
"It would save a lot of money."
The room instantly fell silent.
Prim lowered his head and quietly continued eating.
Grandpa Varel slowly put down his fork.
Then he looked at Penelope.
For several seconds.
Without speaking.
The pressure in the room increased immediately.
Finally, he laughed.
"Who is your grandfather?"
Penelope froze.
Grandpa Varel pointed at himself.
"Me."
Then he pointed toward Cassian.
"Dont you know your grandfather who claimed their boyfriend's grandfather after they refuse to marry that so called boyfriend countless times?"
His smile disappeared.
"When did my medical robot become community property? No I e wanted to pay the 13 million for the robot nor my medicine not you not your boyfriend not your boyfriend father and mom not your boyfriend grandma but you want to use it are you smoking your sense"
Nobody dared answer.
Grandpa Varel leaned back.
"If anyone is eyeing my robot, let me make things clear."
He pointed at the machine.
"Five million zen per use."
The room exploded.
"Five million?!"
Grandpa Varel nodded calmly.
"If you can pay, use it."
"If not, forget it."
His gaze swept across the room.
"And if any of you have already made secret arrangements with my wife or son and his family regarding this robot..."
His smile turned cold.
"Prepare to go to jail."
Everyone immediately looked toward Grandma Varel.
Grandma Varel's face changed.
Grandpa Varel continued.
"My daughter Sadie already made everyone sign legal documents."
"The robot belongs to me."
"Nobody sells it."
"Nobody borrows it."
"Nobody touches it."
Then he looked at Penelope again.
"The audacity you have is fascinating."
Penelope's face turned red from embarrassment.
Grandpa Varel waved his hand dismissively.
"I'm tired."
He pointed toward the door.
"I want to rest."
Then he turned toward the medical robot.
"Remove everyone except Prim."
The robot's eyes immediately lit up.
"Command acknowledged."
Everyone froze.
The robot rolled forward.
"Visitors not authorized."
"Please leave the room."
"Visitors not authorized."
"Please leave the room."
The machine continued advancing.
Grandma Varel nearly jumped out of her chair.
The others hurriedly stood up as well.
Within minutes, the room was completely empty.
Only Prim remained.
Grandpa Varel looked satisfied.
Finally.
Luis arrived at his grandparents' estate and headed straight to his room. He placed the takeaway box on the table and was about to sit down when the door opened.
His mother, Emily, walked in.
"Oh, baby, you're finally home." She smiled before pointing a finger at him. "Now listen carefully. You'll need to attend the party later. I told all the kids to have their own gathering until dinner. After that, everyone and the guests can join together."