With a sneer flickering across his eyes, he went on, "Second, grandpa is preparing a twenty-five percent stake for me, which made your mistress in Britain jealous and incite you to demand some shares from me for her newborn son. Is that so?"
"James, you don't have to say it in such an aggressive way," Jason said with a frown. "The twenty-five percent stake is left to our family by your grandpa, so you ought to share it with your brother. What's wrong with it?"
James smirked, his face full of sarcasm. "But I don't have such a brother."
"Admit it or not, he is your brother biologically!" Jason snapped word by word.
Thwack!
Denise slammed the cup on the table and stood up. "Jason, it's so shameless of you! You have always been philandering outside and paid no attention to your son and me. Now, as soon as he gets some shares in hand you come to ask for it for your love child. Why don't you feel shameful even by asking?"
In Angela's memory, Denise was always noble and elegant, like a perfect woman in the books or the films. She had never seen her go wild regardless of her image like today.
"I'm talking to James, and why do you chime in?" Jason said discontentedly.
James tapped on the table with his finger, tore off his tie, and threw it aside. "Why don't you confirm first that if your love child is of your blood before you rush to demand shares for him?"
"... What do you mean?" Jason changed his countenance.
James raised his eyebrow slightly and looked at him with an undiscernible smile. "Your little mistress is always accompanied by a handsome young man with blond hair, isn't she?"
"He's her half brother," Jason couldn't help explaining after a glimpse at Denise.
James laughed, "She told you he's her brother, and you believed it. When did you become so naive?"
Jason became purple with rage, his brow knitted. After standing for a while, he dashed out without a word.
"Wait!" James stopped him. "As to Adeline, and all love children you have, don't trouble me with those craps."
Jason stopped and turned to him, "James, Do you think you are so fully-fledged that you can thumb your nose at anyone now since you managed to threaten your grandpa?"
"Good is good, but better carries it. So I never thought that way," James said.
Jason snorted, "Don't think too highly of yourself. Never drive people to the wall, or you will regret it someday."
"I won't, and thank you for your concern," James said. "Let's maintain mutual noninterference. The next time your love children go to you to ask for the shares, you give them if you are able to, but if not, don't bite off more than you can chew."
After a pause, he strengthened his voice, "As regards me, I will never leave a penny to them!"
"Well, remember what you have said today! You don't come to me for a favor, and I will do likewise. I defy you to be cocky permanently!" With a smirk, Jason strode out.
Silence fell on the estate in no time, and even the sound of a needle dropping on the floor could be heard.
After a while, Denise broke the silence, "James, you don't have to fall out with him. If something happened in the future, at least you can ...."
"I would never beg him to help me no matter what happens," James interrupted her with an unnoticeable frown.
After a faint sigh, Denise turned to Angela instead of replying to him, "Sorry to bother you with such a mess."
"Since every family has a skeleton in the cupboard, you don't need to be sorry," Angela said.
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