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Carlisle chuckled, trying to ease the discomfort in the air. “Regardless, this money came to me unexpectedly. Let’s just enjoy it while we can.”
He entered his phone number into the sleek Motorola Razr V3, with the SIM card freshly installed, and soon, the phone in his pocket began to ring.
“Mom, give it a try and see if it works!” Carlisle handed the phone to Hilda, his voice full of pride.
Hilda, noticing the immaculate phone in her hands, hesitated. She had been working with her hands coated in lubricating oil, assembling hardware for years. She didn’t want to dirty the phone, so she excused herself to wash her hands first.
After a few moments, Hilda returned, her hands now clean, and cautiously pressed a button to make a call. Carlisle walked to his bedroom, setting the scene for a lighthearted conversation.
“Mom, can you hear me?” he asked, his voice coming through clearly.
“Yes. I can hear you!” Hilda’s voice wavered with emotion. She couldn’t believe she was holding such an expensive phone, a far cry from the old second-hand PHS Gordon used to own. She had never even used that phone herself, and now she was holding something so exquisite.
Carlisle’s voice softened as he spoke, full of hope for the future. “Do you like the gift? I promise, Mom, in the future, I’ll make sure you and Dad live in a mansion, drive luxury cars—”
Hilda’s eyes misted over as she heard her son’s words. “Silly boy, you mustn’t spend money recklessly in the future!”
Carlisle went quiet, feeling a mixture of guilt and determination. He lay down on the carpet, staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought.
Eventually, the room grew still. Hilda opened the door to find him already asleep, probably from staying up the entire night. A tender smile crossed her face, but her eyes were full of concern. She closed the door quietly, letting him rest.
Just then, Gordon entered the room, his expression darkening when he saw the groceries on the table.
“Honey, is our son home?” he asked, his tone more stern than usual.
Hilda frowned slightly. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”
Gordon sighed, running a hand through his hair. “The circuits needed maintenance, so I’m off today.” He worked part-time, and a day off meant no income. As he surveyed the table, he frowned. “Why did you go grocery shopping so early today? Why buy so much? Are we expecting guests?”
Hilda glanced at the groceries, trying to act casual, but her gaze faltered when she noticed Gordon’s eyes locked on a white gift box on the table. His pupils widened with disbelief.
“Which bastard gave you this?” His voice was filled with suspicion.
Hilda froze. What was he implying? she thought, her lips tight with anger. The box contained the Motorola Razr V3, which had cost over 4000 dollars.
Gordon’s expression grew darker, and Hilda could feel his jealousy simmering beneath the surface. He had always struggled with his finances, and seeing such an extravagant gift triggered his insecurities. But when he saw the second gift box on the coffee table and the phone in Hilda’s hands, his mind began to race.
“If it’s from another man, why would there be two phones?” Hilda’s eyes narrowed as she shot a piercing glare at Gordon. “If you don’t explain yourself today, I won’t let this slide!”
Their marriage had been built on trust, or so Hilda thought. They’d been together for over twenty years, and never had she imagined that Gordon would doubt her loyalty.
Realizing his overreaction, Gordon slapped his face, clearly regretting his words. “Hilda, don’t be angry. I spoke without thinking.” He took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. His jealousy had gotten the better of him, and now he was ashamed.
Hilda, still seething, recounted the entire story about how Carlisle had sold game equipment for a large sum of money. She explained how the phones were a gift for her, but Gordon was far from convinced.
“Sold equipment for 30 thousand? Are you sure about that?” Gordon’s skepticism was evident, and he rose to his feet, anger bubbling up again. “I’m going to wake up Carlisle and get to the bottom of this!”
“Gordon, sit down!” Hilda shouted, blocking his path. “Can’t you stop jumping to conclusions? You need to stop making wild assumptions before you know the full story!”
Gordon grumbled, but eventually, he sank back into his chair. Still feeling uneasy, he pulled out his old PHS phone and dialed a contact from his former company.
“Lewis, do you play The Legendary Tale?” Gordon asked casually, trying to keep his tone light.
“Yeah. Gordon, are you thinking of playing too?” Lewis replied, surprised.
Gordon hesitated, then asked, “Can you really make money with this game? I heard someone sold a piece of equipment for over 30 thousand. Is that true?”
Lewis chuckled on the other end. “Oh yeah, that’s true. It’s a bit crazy, but some people make real money out of it.”
Gordon’s expression softened, his suspicions slowly dissolving as he began to grasp the truth. “I see…” he muttered, feeling both embarrassed and relieved.
