Chapter 35 Better Than Yours.
Now that the “guests-of-honor” had arrived, most of the group followed Xandra to welcome them, leaving only Nancy and a few others behind.
When he saw the bunch of university students sucked up to those with power, Finnegan didn’t know whether to appreciate their realistic attitude to life or lament their actions.
“Finn, we should go over too.” Giving Finnegan a tug, Rhiannon whispered, “Amelia Rogan’s brother, Dexter, is a team leader in the Pentariver Group sales department. She says that her brother can get me an internship at the company. If I can gain experience working there, securing a job after graduation will be so much easier. In fact, it would be fantastic if I’m lucky enough to be offered a full-time position there.”
Rhiannon would never ingratiate herself with anyone for the sake of her future previously.
Evidently, her experience at home over the last few years had thought her a thing or two about the realities of life.
Feeling sorry for her, Finnegan held her hand. “Rhia, as long as I’m around, you don’t have to curry favor with anyone. I’ll make arrangements for your internship when the time comes.”
Even if he didn’t seek out Bernice, he could easily get the Miles family to provide her with an opportunity.
Thinking that her words had inadvertently hurt Finnegan’s pride, Rhiannon quickly clarified, “Finn, that’s not what I meant.”
“I know. You don’t have to explain.”
Meanwhile, behind the Mercedes-Benz S-Cla*s that arrived was a Mercedes-Benz C-Cla*s.
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When the doors to the Mercedes-Benz S-Cla*s opened, a young man around stepped out quickly. Ignoring Xandra and the others who went up to greet him, he walked to the front pa*senger seat and opened its door. “We’re here, my dear.”
Thereafter, a plum woman in her late thirties alighted.
The sight came as such a shock that Xandra gaped in disbelief.
The man was none other than Amelia’s brother, Dexter. Xandra had seen him more than once and had, in fact, intentions of seducing him on the account of his success.
Therefore, when she saw him address an older woman as “my dear,” she was simply dumbfounded.
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“I’m sorry to have made you guys wait. I just collected my car before coming over.”
At that moment, an ordinary-looking girl in heavy makeup and a revealing outfit got out of the Mercedes-Benz C-Cla*s. Standing by the car, she was deliberately showing it off despite pretending not to do so.
Xandra’s eyes glistened as she strode over. “Amelia, is this your car?”
“You’re amazing! You’re already driving a Mercedes-Benz even though we’re only in our junior year.”
“I recognize this model. It cost about four hundred thousand on the road.”
The look of surprise on Xandra’s and her cla*smates’ faces filled Amelia with a sense of satisfaction. Nevertheless, she behaved as if it wasn’t a big deal. “Of course, I can’t afford the car. My brother and his girlfriend bought it for me on the account that I’ll need a car for my internship soon.”
Upon the approach of the two, she held one of them on each side. “By the way, this is my brother, Dexter. I’m sure some of you have met him before. And this is his girlfriend, Jessica Burton, the vice president of Pentariver Group’s sales department. She has secured an internship for me at her company. I’ll be starting work next week.”
Just a moment ago, some of them looked down upon Dexter for being a kept man.
However, they swiftly cast that thought out of their head upon learning of Jessica’s position in Pentariver Group. In fact, some of the boys in the group were envious of him.
All of them began to shamelessly ingratiate themselves with the couple.
In contrast to Dexter who smiled in response, Jessica maintained an arrogant look and simply nodded to acknowledge the flattery showered on them.
Meanwhile, Amelia felt a sense of pride when she saw how her cla*smates were falling over each other to cozy up to her brother and his girlfriend.
When she noticed Rhiannon and Finnegan standing behind the crowd, Amelia’s eyes sparkled as she walked over to them. “Rhia, this is your brother, I presume? I wonder what birthday gift he has prepared for you today? I’m sure it will definitely be better than my Mercedes-Benz C-Cla*s, right?”
As an icy glint flashed across Finnegan’s eyes, he instantly knew that Amelia harbored hostile intentions against Rhiannon.
Otherwise, why would she ask Rhiannon such a question in public despite knowing her family’s situation? Amelia is clearly trying to embarra*s Rhiannon, to the extent of humiliating me too.
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At the same time, mischievous looks began to descend upon the faces of Xandra and the others. They were well aware of the resentment Amelia felt toward Rhiannon.
The simple reason was that Rhiannon was one of Jadeborough University’s campus belles who was also popular in school. Moreover, the guy Amelia had feelings for was pursuing Rhiannon.
However, due to the fact that they were cla*smates who shared the same dorm, Amelia never showed her hostility openly and would usually harm Rhiannon from behind her back. Now that they were going off on their internships soon, Amelia decided to humiliate Rhiannon in public lest she wouldn’t get another opportunity in the future.
Nancy, cognizant of Amelia’s hypocrisy and insidiousness, was prepared to stand up for her
friend.
Before she could do so, Finnegan spoke with a slight smile on his face. “Your guess is correct. The gift I’ve prepared for Rhia is indeed more expensive than your Mercedes-Benz C-Cla*s. In fact, it costs more than the Mercedes-Benz S-Cla*s that sells for a million and four hundred thousand!”
A momentary silence descended upon the scene before everyone broke into a smirk.
Well aware of Rhiannon’s humble family background, all of them naturally a*sumed that Finnegan was just bragging.
In an attempt to brownnose Amelia, Xandra sneered, “Rhia, your brother is certainly amazing to be able to present you with a gift that’s more expensive than a Mercedes-Benz S- Cla*s. If that’s the case, why do you have to scrimp and save during school meals and even rely on Nancy to pay for you occasionally?”
As the mischievous smiles on their cla*smates’ faces deepened, all of them looked at Finnegan as if he was a fool.
Rhiannon blushed in embarra*sment as she replied, “The value of a gift isn’t measured in monetary terms but of the thought behind it. That’s why regardless of what my brother has prepared for me, it’s worth more than a Mercedes-Benz S-Cla*s!”
Despite her words, Rhiannon was annoyed with Finnegan.
Can you not get carried away with your boasting?
Given how obsessed Amelia was with humiliating Rhiannon, there was no way she was going to let the opportunity sl*p. Wearing a grin, she asked deliberately. “Finnegan, I wonder where your present is? Why don’t you show us if it’s really more expensive than a Mercedes-Benz S-
Cla*s”
Dexter and Jessica broke into contemptuous smiles as if they were watching a fool being
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exposed.
Finnegan subsequently pointed at the front. “There it is.”
As the crowd looked in the direction he was pointing, they saw a gleaming new Porsche 718 rolling into their view. The sight caused everyone’s heart to skip a beat. Can this be true?
A top-spec 718 cost about two million and was indeed more expensive than the Mercedes- Benz S-Cla*s priced at one million four hundred thousand.
Nonetheless, everyone quickly cast the idea out of their heads. Since Rhiannon has always been scrimping at the university cafeteria, where would her family get the money?
Once the car came to a stop, the fashionably dressed Lindsey alighted from it. Her appearance immediately caught the attention of all the guys present.
ofall
They recognized her as a senior who graduated from their university and was formerly one of the campus belles back in her time.
Xandra let out a snort. “Rhia, we’re well aware that you’re good friends with Lindsey. Don’t tell me that you have borrowed a car from her showroom just to boost your ego?”
Amelia subsequently joined in the mockery. “Rhia, although your brother is less successful than mine, is it really necessary to put up such a charade that can be easily exposed?”
Despite having just arrived, Lindsey, who quickly grasped the situation, sneered, “What’s the problem? Do all of you not believe that Rhia’s brother really bought her the car?”
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