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“Joanne, do you ever stop to think? Douglas is our best friend; he’s definitely going to help us if we need anything.”

A man with a square face interjected, lifting his glass and finishing its contents in one swift motion.

Charlie cast a brief glance at them, recalling their days as college friends. The woman was Joanne Hampton, and the man was Jerry McLean.

Douglas spoke up timidly, “Oh, I can’t take all the credit for that. Sigh, it’s a long story—let’s just drop it!”

He then turned to Charlie, feeling a mix of gratitude and emotion.

It had been a challenging time for him, having been involved with someone unfaithful, nearly losing everything, even enduring physical abuse because of her.

Fortunately, with Charlie’s support, he managed to regain control of the restaurant and secured two million in compensation. Therefore, everything he owned now was essentially thanks to Charlie; he felt he couldn’t claim any credit for it.

So, he shifted the conversation, starting with, “Anyway, Jerry, you seem to be doing quite well these days! I’ve heard you’ve become one of the top executives at your company! You must be pulling in six figures!”

Jerry sighed in response, “Oh, let’s not talk about that. The company doesn’t appreciate me at all. I’m thinking of resigning and applying to Spikeworth Corps to see if I can find better opportunities. Remember George? George Harris? I heard he’s a senior manager there, which is quite impressive! Who would have thought he’d come this far?”

“Oh, George…” Douglas managed a forced smile. He and George were not on the best of terms, which was precisely why George hadn’t been invited to this dinner.

Meanwhile, Jerry and George were relatively close. If Spikeworth offered Jerry a position, George’s recommendation would certainly carry weight.

Loreen, after some thought, chimed in, “I’ve heard that Spikeworth is a reputable company in Aurous Hill. It’s impressive to learn how well George is doing these days.”

Claire was momentarily taken aback when she heard Spikeworth Corps mentioned.

Having severed her ties with the Wilson family and been dismissed from the Wilson Group, she had spent the last few days sending out her resume, including to Spikeworth Corps, in hopes of landing a new job.

With a smile, Claire said, “Hey, I also sent my resume to Spikeworth! If we both succeed in the interview, we could end up working together!”

Joanne looked a bit surprised. “Claire, you’ve been at your family’s company all these years—why the sudden change to apply for a job at Spikeworth?”

Claire’s smile turned slightly bitter as she replied, “I’ve cut ties with my family now, so I need to find my own job. Otherwise, I won’t be able to support myself.”

This prompted Joanne to glance at Charlie with a look of contempt. “Charlie, look at your wife. She’s working so hard for the family while you seem completely useless and oblivious to her struggles. It’s shameful.”

Though Jerry wasn’t particularly close to Charlie, he laughed openly. “Charlie, why don’t you try your luck at George’s company too? Given your qualifications, you might only qualify as a cleaner, but with our college history, he might just promote you to head of the cleaning crew!”

Charlie responded flatly, “No thanks, you can keep that opportunity for yourselves. I’m not interested.”

Jerry, irritated by Charlie’s indifference, retorted with a sharper tone, “Charlie, I know you have a big ego, but just look at where you are now. Everyone else is doing better than you. Take it from me—don’t aim too high! Get real!”

Douglas frowned at the exchange and intervened, “Alright, that’s enough! We’re here for a class reunion today; let’s not pick on Charlie like that.”

Turning to Charlie, he added apologetically, “Hey, don’t take it to heart. You know how they can be; they speak without thinking.”

Joanne scoffed dismissively. “Douglas, we’re just being honest. Charlie is always so laid-back and passive. He lacks any real ability but pretends otherwise.”

Jerry chimed in with disdain, “This is what a deadbeat loser looks like…”

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