Chapter 1

I went home for the holiday season. However, the most annoying person in the family, Karen, had shown up with her brat of a son, Toby. Karen was the wife of my father's younger brother.

Every limited-edition figure and model kit in my display case had been used as toys, taken apart, and smashed to pieces. I was so angry I almost blacked out from my blood pressure rising.

Karen cut me off first. "Oh, our VIP is finally awake? He's just a kid, and he does not know any better. Speaking of which, Toby is turning eight next year. Now that you're rich, you should at least give him a big present, right? Eight thousand dollars has a nice ring to it."

My parents had a dark look on their faces as I forced my anger down. "Sure, Karen. That amount is nothing, but we need to be proper with the timing, right? I promise I'll give him a big one on the actual New Year's Day!"

Then I took out my phone and saved the invoices for everything he had destroyed so I could print them out later.

You wanted a big present, right?

Fine. I would make it a big one!

Chapter 1

Karen was so pleased she could not stop smiling as she slapped her thigh. "That's right! That is exactly what I would expect from a VIP! You really do think differently now that you're a business owner! Alright, then. It's New Year's Day. We have a deal!"

Then, she cheerfully dragged Toby outside. "Come on, Toby. Let's go buy some fireworks. Don't bother your cousin while he cleans the house. You'll get a big present in a few days!"

The smile disappeared from my face. I turned around and took out my phone before opening a shopping app.

I checked each item Toby had destroyed, took photos and screenshots, and saved them. After rounding it down, the total came to twelve thousand dollars.

By the time I finished cleaning my room, it was already noon.

After I came back from holiday shopping, the dining table was already covered with food.

Karen was sitting at the head of the table, gripping a crispy pork knuckle and chewing hard to the point of having grease all over her mouth. Meanwhile, Toby was using a fork and spoon to pick out food he did not like, scattering it everywhere.

My parents sat at the far end of the table, smiling awkwardly as they served Karen and Toby.

When Karen saw me come home, she spat a piece of bone onto the table. "Oh, you're back, Spencer. Come eat."

I looked at her coldly and sat down in front of my plate. Then, I picked up my fork and spoon.

"By the way, Spencer, you're twenty-eight this year, right?" Karen asked.

There it was again.

I kept my face blank. "Yes. Why do you ask?"

Karen's eyes scanned me up and down. "Why else? You're almost thirty and still single. Look at the neighbor's son. He's three years younger than you, yet he already has two kids."

I picked up some salad from the salad bowl and calmly said, "I'm busy with work at the company right now, and I don't have time to think about that."

"What's the point of being busy?" Karen smiled in disdain. "For a man, it's pointless no matter how big his career gets if he doesn't have a wife to run his home and children to carry on his legacy. No matter how much money you make, you're just a well-paid wage slave.

"Besides, when your company goes public eventually, you're just going to let outsiders benefit from it, right?"

As she spoke, she glanced at Toby. "Look at our Toby. He's clearly the future of the entire extended Lane family. You make so much money, but won't it all end up going to Toby if you don't have a son?"

I almost choked on the corn in the salad. Her scheme was so obvious I could see it from the other side of the planet.

I said, "Karen, I earn my money through hard work. I can give it to whoever I want. By law, my direct heirs would be my parents. What does Toby have to do with it?"

I set down my fork as my voice turned cold.

Karen's face stiffened. Then, she quickly put on a sincere look as if she was simply worried. "Oh, why talk like I'm an outsider? I am saying this for your own good. How about this? I know a good match. Should I introduce you to her?"

I was about to refuse, but my mother nudged my leg under the table. Her eyes were full of pleading. She was afraid I would argue with Karen and ruin the holiday season.

I took a deep breath and held back.

"What kind of person?" I asked casually.

Chapter 2

When Karen heard there was a chance, she perked up at once. "Oh, she's a very good match! She has a steady job at a local government office. Her family has a two-story house and both her parents have pensions.

"She said she doesn't mind that you're always busy away from home and don't care about the family. All you need to do is hand over your income, and she will manage all the household funds!"

She would not mind? I forced down the urge to flip the table and gave her a thin, cold smile. "I am afraid I'm not worthy of such an outstanding woman."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Karen said unhappily. "She's a good woman and a capable wife. You would be lucky to marry her!"

"That's enough. Let's just eat." My father finally stepped in to calm things down. "Spencer can make his own decisions."

Karen looked a little sullen after being cut off like that. She wanted to say something else, but my father shut her down again with one look.

After lunch, I helped the family clean since there was nothing else to do.

By evening, Karen had brought the woman over herself.

I sat on the couch and frowned at the door.

A woman wearing heavy makeup with a heavyset physique walked in carrying two cartons of milk. She looked about 300 pounds.

The moment she entered, her shrewd eyes darted around the room before landing on me.

"You're Spencer, right?" The woman smiled at me, lipstick stuck on her teeth. "You look better in person than you did in the photo. I'm Annabelle Williams. You can just call me Belle."

I almost choked on the water I had just drunk.

Without another word, she walked in and sat down on the couch. "Karen said you're some big-shot business owner?"

Belle casually picked up an apple from the fruit plate, took a bite, and spoke with her mouth full as she munched. "This house looks nicely renovated. Did you buy it? Did you pay in full, or do you have a mortgage?"

My parents sat nearby, their faces already dark.

I set down my glass and said, "I paid in full. What about it?"

"That's good!" Belle's eyes lit up. "Then, after we get married, add my name to the deed. Don't think you're losing out. I may not have much money, but I'm good at running a household.

"You can handle things outside, and I'll handle the home and the family. I'll help you manage your money and keep everything in perfect order."

I almost laughed out of sheer anger. "Do you have an accounting certificate? Do you even understand investing or financial planning?"

Belle froze for a second, then waved it off. "What good are those useless certificates, anyway? A good life is about being practical! Besides, you're a grown man. If you have that much money, you'll only spend it recklessly. Shouldn't you give it to your wife to spend?"

Karen chimed in from the side. "That's right, Spencer. Belle made a very good point."

I ignored her and kept my eyes on Belle. "I heard you have a son too?"

"Yes. I had him with my ex-husband, and I got custody." Belle clearly saw nothing wrong with that. "He's ten this year. If you marry me, you can become a father right away and save me the trouble of carrying a baby for another nine months. But if you want me to have another baby, I don't mind that either."

Chapter 3

I nodded at Belle's words, and I smirked faintly. "So, what you're saying is that I have to earn money to support the family and give you half the house. And in the end, I still have to hand all my money over for you to manage?"

Belle nodded as if that were obvious. "Of course. That's what living together means. Don't worry. You're not missing out on anything. I work at a government office, and that's a very respectable job."

That was the end of my patience, and I splashed my glass of water at her.

Belle's face darkened, and she shot to her feet. "Are you insane?! Why did you throw water on me?!"

I laughed coldly. "Get out. You're not welcome in my home."

Belle flew into a rage and pointed at my nose while cursing. "You... You ungrateful, rotten man! No wonder you're single! So what if you have a little money?! I don't care!"

She grabbed the cartons of milk from the floor and left, muttering curses under her breath.

The room went silent.

Karen was still standing there, her expression livid. "Spencer! You've crossed a line! I introduced someone to you out of kindness, and you threw water at her?! Do you still have any respect for me as your aunt?"

"Karen, I'm showing you too much respect. That was the only reason why I held back until now." I looked at her coldly. "Just look at what kind of woman you introduced to me. Do you think my life is too cushy, so you wanted to make some drama for me?"

"What? She's a good woman," Karen argued. "Your standards are just too high. No wonder you're single!"

"Enough!" My father slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "Spencer is the pride of our family. If you keep bringing trouble into my house like this, you won't like me when I stop caring about our family ties."

Karen was startled by my father's anger and backed away. "Oh, what did I do to deserve this?! I'm just trying to help! My brother and sister-in-law got rich, and now they refuse to acknowledge their poor relatives! You're all ganging up to bully a helpless mother and son! I might as well die!"

Toby copied her and lay on the floor, rolling around and throwing a tantrum as he cried. "Wah! Bad cousin! Spencer is bullying us!"

Looking at the mother and son, I felt nothing but irritation. "Enough. Stop screaming. If you keep screaming, I'll go back to the city right now, and you can forget about that present."

The crying stopped at once.

Karen's eyes darted around, and she quickly forced an awkward smile. "Oh, Spencer, why say that? I'll stop, alright?"

I then pointed at Toby, who was still rolling on the floor. "Karen, I don't like noise. I don't want to hear any more of it. If you bother me again like you did today, I'll buy a train ticket and leave immediately."

Karen's smile froze, and she immediately pulled Toby up from the floor. "Toby, let's go home. Let's not disturb your cousin's rest!"

She still did not forget to glare at me before she stormed out.

"Spencer, sorry about today. If I had known this would happen, I would not have let them come," My mother said as she held my hand, her eyes red.

"It's fine, Mom." I patted the back of her hand. I already had a plan. "Since they're here, we have to treat them properly, or people will talk behind our backs. By the way, Dad, could you help me buy something tomorrow?"

"What should I buy?" My dad asked.

"Buy the largest envelope you can find. An extra-large one." I smiled. "After all, I would still like to give Toby a big present. A man has to keep his word."

Chapter 4

Over the next two days, the house was unusually quiet. Karen did not bring Toby over to cause any trouble again.

I was not sitting idle either. I contacted a lawyer and asked about the rules for seeking compensation for damaged property.

I had a collector friend issue detailed appraisal reports and price certificates for the damaged collectible figures and the model kits in my home.

I also found a renovation company and had them estimate the cost of repairing the wall that had been scribbled on by Toby earlier.

I then organized all the bills into one document.

That was the "big present" I had prepared for Toby.

Then, New Year's Day arrived.

Just after dawn, the house had already become lively.

According to our hometown custom, relatives and neighbors came by on the morning of the first day to exchange greetings.

Karen had deliberately gotten up early and brought Toby with her. The two of them sat in the living room like guards at the gate.

Every time a guest arrived, Karen would loudly show off.

"Oh, Martin is here? Sit down, sit down. Let me tell you, Spencer has really made something of himself! He's a business owner now! He's giving our Toby a big present worth thousands of dollars!"

"Really? Thousands?"

The guests were shocked, and they all looked over in envy.

"Of course it's true. Spencer promised it himself!"

Toby also looked smug. "I want to buy superhero figures, a game console, and a big plane!"

I sat at the side and quietly drank my morning coffee. My parents sensed something was wrong, but they could not say anything with so many people watching.

Soon, the living room was full.

Relatives from every side of the family and neighbors from next door were all waiting to see the big present that was worth thousands of dollars.

Once almost everyone had arrived, Karen finally could not hold back anymore. She gave me a look and said loudly, "Spencer, today is New Year's Day. Everyone's waiting to see the big present."

Everyone's attention instantly turned to me.

"Sure." I took out a large envelope from my bag.

Everyone's eyes widened. They had not expected something like that. I then said, "Before I give him the big present, I have a few things to say."

Karen stared at my hand, growing impatient. "Oh, if you are giving money, just give it. Why so much nonsense?"

"No rush." I looked around at the relatives in the room. "Everyone knows I'm a businessman. Since I'm giving Toby such a big present, I can't be stingy, of course."

"That's right, that's right!" Karen said as she nodded repeatedly.

I handed the extra-thick envelope to Toby. "Toby, this is the big present I promised to give you. I hope you understand that in the future, you have to pay a price when you do something wrong."

Toby did not register my words. He simply snatched the envelope and tore it open immediately.

The thick stack of cash everyone expected did not appear. What fell out was a thick stack of white paper printed in black ink.

Everyone froze.

"What... What is this?" Karen pulled out a sheet of paper, her face blank.

I smiled faintly. "It's the bill."