Chapter 771

With Samantha gone, the responsibility of hosting the family banquet naturally fell on Noman.

Norman was deeply fond of Quintis and Samantha, but that didn't mean everyone else felt the same.

Quintis was the second eldest in the family. He had a younger brother, Augustine, and a younger sister, Josie.

Still, blood runs thicker than water. The family made an effort to catch up with Quintis, inviting him to sit and talk about the past few years.

The Lycan family had grown large over the years. So, the older generation had taken up all the chairs. Jack, therefore, was placed at the table with the younger generation.

That table, too, was full. Among them was Greta, who had described Jack as a country bumpkin.

Tristan wasn't present as he was currently busy taking over operations at the Quintis Sandalwood Group and usually worked in Alnewgo.

Having been away for so many years, even the cousins Jack used to play with as a child now seemed distant.

To make matters worse, Greta had stirred up the group beforehand, urging everyone to make things awkward for the country bumpkin.

So, the moment Jack sat down, the previously full table suddenly echoed with the screeching sound of chairs being dragged away.

The seats around him were quickly vacated. The others preferred squeezing in together rather than sitting next to Jack. It was as if he were a stinking fly from the countryside.

This was clearly premeditated; everyone knew who was behind it.

Norman's son, Maverick, was nearing thirty and already held the position of assistant-director level. Word had it he was about to be promoted again.

Like his father, Maverick was a source of pride for the family and had become a leading figure among the younger generation.

Maverick frowned slightly when he noticed everyone was ostracizing Jack. "What are you all doing? Jack is your cousin. Aren't you going to greet him?"

The younger ones looked at each other awkwardly, then collectively turned their eyes to another influential figure among them-Augustine's second son, Knox. He was just two days younger than Jack.

Unlike Maverick who pursued a political path, Knox had gone into business since college. Before he even graduated, he already owned a company valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars, with his own shares worth tens of millions.

Though family support undoubtedly played a role, Knox always insisted that the company had grown step by step through honest effort.

Hence, Knox and Maverick were the rising stars of the younger generation. Aside from Maverick and Tristan, Knox held the most clout.

Since Maverick was slightly older and stern, the others found it easier to gravitate toward the more easygoing Knox.

So long as Maverick wasn't angry, the younger cousins weren't particularly afraid of him.

So they all looked toward their "leader", Knox, ready to follow his lead.

Knox cast a sidelong glance at Jack, then said lazily, "Jack? I don't recall anyone by that name."

Greta chimed in with a nod, "That's right. I remember Grandma saying I only had three male cousins-there's you, Maverick, and Tristan. When did we get another one? I don't know him at all."

Maverick's expression darkened immediately. "Knox, what's wrong with you? Is that how you talk to Jack?" For more chapters visit find{n}ovel.net

But Knox didn't back down. "That is how I talk. If you don't like it, go ask Grandma. She feels the same way."

With Samantha backing him, Knox wasn't afraid of Maverick. Then, the former looked at Jack with contempt.

Samantha had always treated Jack's family with disdain-especially Emily, whom she absolutely loathed. She believed Quintis had disgraced the Lycan family by marrying her.

Moreover, Samantha was biased against Jack as she felt that after years away from the family and presumably living a rough life, he had likely picked up all kinds of bad habits and was no better than a thug.