Linda said, “It’s so boring being home alone. They only started asking me to play with them since last month. It’s no big deal. The necklace isn’t worth much anyway.”

Jessica and Chris walked toward the kitchen, and Chris quietly asked about the diamond necklace.

Jessica replied irritably, “The necklace Mom says isn’t valuable is a new piece by the Wilder Group from last quarter, priced at 6 million dollars, and that’s not including the accompanying products.”

Chris was rendered speechless. He really didn’t understand these women very well.

Linda had just started playing and was still excited about it. After dinner, she asked the two of them to play with her and improve her skills.

Unexpectedly, Chris turned out to be quite a master. Jessica and Linda lost badly, with only Chris winning.

“Not bad, when did you learn to play?” Jessica stuffed some chips into Chris’s hand.

It was hard to imagine Chris wearing a doctor’s overalls and sitting in front of a card table, but it was quite a breakthrough.

Chris said, “I learned from my mom. She likes to play sometimes. When she can’t find enough players, she calls me. After a while, I got used to it. Mom, you should have played this card earlier…”

“Let’s go again.”

They spent the entire morning in front of the card table. Albert sat behind Linda to assist. Two inexperienced players combined couldn’t beat Chris, and in the end, Linda lost a lot more to Chris.

That was when the doorbell rang.

“Who could it be at this hour?” Albert went to open the door. “Coming.”

When the door opened, Albert’s smile faded noticeably. He glanced behind subconsciously but didn’t step aside, his voice cold.

“Mr. Hall, why have you come?”

Jessica, who was just about to start another game, froze at the mention of “Mr. Hall” and immediately stood up. Chris held Jessica’s hand and shook his head slightly.

He whispered to Linda, who now had a cold look on her face, “Mom, Michael is a junior. If he wants to pursue Jessica, he definitely has to work through you. Coming to pay New Year’s respects is expected.”

Linda snorted coldly. “Even if you two were divorced and never spoke again, Michael would never be allowed into the Wilder family. Throw him out–I don’t want to see him."

Because Chris and Jessica had started reinvestigating her husband’s death, Linda often thought about the time when she had just lost the man she loved most. She was utterly despondent and hopeless inside. Everything she had done was to protect the man she loved, but unexpectedly, she was still set up, as if all her efforts were in vain. Time was supposed to heal everything, but no one understood her loneliness. The matter wasn’t caused by Michael, she knew she couldn’t blame him. But Michael was as bad as those behind it all and he wasn’t exactly a nice person either.

“Come on, it’s the New Year–how could we kick someone out? How about this, I’ll go talk to him. If he just comes in to say a few words, I hope won’t get upset. I’ll keep playing cards with you later on and teach you how to beat me.”

At those words, Linda’s tone softened a little.

“It’s better if he doesn’t come in.”

“Alright, I’ll go talk to him.”

Jessica and Chris stood up together. She held Chris’s arm and said, “You’re the one with the solutions. Mom doesn’t like Michael, especially during the New Year. He just wants to upset her.”

“It’s something we can’t just avoid, but I think Michael has come for a reason." Chris told her to stay and said that he would handle it with Albert. He would let Michael in if absolutely necessary.

The house was filled with warmth and harmony, but Michael made things feel awkward just by standing there.