The Secretly Rich Man

Gerald Crawford:The Secretly Rich Man Novel (Invisible or Poorest) Chapter 191

Gerald looked up. “What’s up?”

“We’ve got a gathering between old friends tonight. It happens every couple of months. I’ve never mentioned it before—but since we’ve bumped into each other, this is me letting you know!

“Also, Sharon will be there.” Lilian stifled a little laugh. “Come to think of it: Back in high school, you’d come first place in grades, and she’d come second. The two of you were close—in fact, you were after her, weren’t you?”

Gerald didn’t reply.

Sharon Leslie, an old friend from high school. It was true that they got along well back then.

It was also true that Gerald had harbored feelings for her, but that had been before… all of this.

Had he pursued her? He hadn’t dared.

Early on, during their first year of high school, they’d chat together often. Later, even on those few occasions when he’d tried to strike up a conversation, she hadn’t replied. And so, they’d drifted apart.

Three years had passed in a flash.

“Tee-hee! Come on… you know, last month, Sharon’s boyfriend was treating us to some eats, and then the topic of you came up! Sharon wanted to know what Gerald was up to—no one could answer her at the time, but now… you free tonight?”

As she spoke, Lilian stole a peek at Gerald, searching for a hint of despair.

But no such expression was to be found in his features.

“Tonight? Yeah, I can make it!”

“Great, great. You have to come, then—let everyone have a look at you!” Surreptitiously, Lilian snuck out her handphone and stole a snapshot of Gerald, which she sent to the chat group for the gathering:

“Guess who this bozo is?”

“Who? Looks familiar… I’ve definitely seen him somewhere before!”

“Same here, but… he just doesn’t look like anyone worth remembering! Ring a bell with any of you?”

Sharon Leslie: “Is that Gerald?”

“Oh, yeah!” Lilian gushed. “You two were buddies back in high school, huh? Only took you one look—it’s Gerald!”

It’s exciting to be the one who brings up something that gets everyone excited. That was the main reason why Lilian had suddenly decided to invite Gerald to the gathering.

They had a lot of former schoolmates in Mayberry—there was a handful in her class alone. Perhaps they wouldn’t recognize Gerald, but they were guaranteed to have heard his name before.

If he showed up at the gathering, she was certain he’d be the hot topic of the night.

Just look at the uproar in the chat group right now…

Sharon Leslie: “Were we buddies in high school? I don’t recall anything like that! Hehehe…”

Lilian’s fingers flew over the keypad. “Alas! Found yourself a hunk in Sunnydale now, so your ex doesn’t matter anymore?”

Sharon Leslie: “Get out of here! What do you mean ‘ex’… How about you ask him along to our gathering? We should catch up—we’re all old friends, after all!”

“Alright!”

Lilian turned to Gerald. “Everyone’s eager to see you again—especially Sharon. She even said it herself. Since you’ve got time tonight, just come for the gathering! If you’re worried about whether you can afford it, I’ll cover you for the time being!”

Gerald had just been about to turn her down. Truth be told, he hadn’t made a lot of friends back during those years. He’d have nothing to talk about with everyone there.

But now that Lilian had said all that, he couldn’t very well say no anymore.

“Alright, tonight then!” Gerald nodded his agreement.

Lilian gave him the venue, then went on her way.

Gerald shook his head in exasperation. “Lilian’s teaching at my new school. It’s a small world after all!”

He’d been planning to take a stroll through town, but talking to Lilian had ruined his mood for that.

Well, it was noon, and he was hungry, so Gerald headed out anyway.

At the school gates, there were three children in tattered clothes, perhaps four or five-year-olds. They were peering inside.

“Is this a school, brother? It doesn’t look like what Ms. Queta was talking about…”

Gerald Crawford:The Secretly Rich Man Novel (Invisible or Poorest) Chapter 192

Her face smeared with dirt, the little girl was talking to the boy beside her.

“Maybe they haven’t started classes yet—that’s what’s missing!” The boy wiped away some snot. “I wanna go too!”

Another somewhat chubby boy piped up, “You need money to go to school. We don’t have any money. Ms. Queta is already working several jobs to feed us. We can’t ask her for any more!”

“I’m hungry!” the little girl whined.

“I’ll find you some bread in a bit!”

“Why are you urchins crowding the gates? Get lost!” A security guard came out, hollering in fury.

The three children leaped up in fright.

The guard was in his fifties, the sort you might find at a construction site.

The children were visibly terrified by him, and on the verge of fleeing—but they kept on gazing at the school, just a little longer…

Gerald spoke up: “They’re only looking. That’s fine, isn’t it? It’s not like you paid for this school.”

“Kid, I didn’t say anything about you going inside earlier, but don’t be putting on any airs with me! You don’t own this school any more than I do… now, get lost!”

The man was red and blustering. He had clearly had a few pints to go with his lunch—his breath reeked of alcohol.

“Here, buy yourself a real drink.” With a little smile, Gerald reached into his wallet and tossed him a hundred bucks.

This money obviously wasn’t being offered as a compliment. Gerald made a note to recommend the man to be fired later. A lousy old drunkard in charge of security, probably hustled in by a friend in the company.

“Yo! Alright, alright! Thanks a lot, man!” Then the guard left.

Gerald knelt down and smiled at the children. “You kids wanna go to school, too?”

The girl in the middle nodded vigorously. “I do!”

The other two were more cautious and watched him wordlessly.

Truth be told, seeing these three young children, yearning to go to school like this… it tore at his heart.

No one understood that feeling better than him.

That was why he couldn’t resist the urge to do something for them.

“Anyone hungry? How about I take you guys out for lunch?”

“Ms. Queta says we shouldn’t talk to strangers—and we absolutely mustn’t follow them anywhere!” The two boys stepped out in front of the girl.

Gerald laughed and nodded. “Alright… then I’ll buy some stuff and bring it to you here!”

With that, he ran off to the KFC opposite and procured a pile of burgers, fried chicken, and drinks.

“You don’t have to follow me anywhere. Just take it and eat it. Besides, I’ll help you go to school, too!” Gerald patted the girl on the head and handed the food to them.

“Thank you!” The children’s eyes came alight.

The moment they received the food, they began gobbling it down.

“Why are you just eating something that he gave you?”

It was the dulcet sound of a woman’s voice—pleasant, yet anxious.

“I can’t apologize enough, sir. How much was all that food? I’ll pay for it!” the woman babbled nervously.

However, when Gerald saw who she was, his eyes shone.

“It’s you!”

Gerald Crawford:The Secretly Rich Man Novel (Invisible or Poorest) Chapter 193

Gerald recognized her straight away.

He had met her in Homeland Kitchen just a few days ago. Jane had been scolding her—back when she still worked for them.

She’d left an impression on him. Even just seeing her from the side, he had known that she was an extraordinary beauty. Seeing her again now, she’d immediately seemed familiar to him, and then he’d placed her.

“You know me?” she whispered, gathering up the three children protectively.

She was evidently frightened of him. What if he was involved in human trafficking?

“Yes, we bumped into each other in Homeland Kitchen. Have you forgotten me?” Gerald smiled at her.

The woman spent a moment in recollection, then brightened up. “Oh, it’s you, sir! Thank you for helping me out, that time!”

That time, she was being scolded so hard she didn’t dare look up from the floor. It was only when she was leaving that she had stolen a brief glance at Gerald.

Meeting him again now, what she recognized was his voice.

He had saved her that time.

Also, he was rich!

“Don’t mention it. At least you won’t have to keep your guard up around me. Have you been looking after these three children?” Gerald inquired curiously.

“Yup, yup!” Queta Smith nodded, bringing over the three kids.

As they walked along together, she told him the story: It turned out that these three children had been wandering urchins who had managed to escape after being kidnapped by slavers.

With such muddled circumstances, no orphanage had been willing to take them in, and so they’d been wandering the city on their own, begging for scraps… until Queta found them, and took them all under her care.

She mainly worked as a kindergarten teacher and also did some other work on the side, thereby earning enough to keep them all fed. She had even been saving up money to send them to school.

Good thing Queta often worked with kids. She’d taught these three well.

What a mess. And the three children were all siblings.

His heart wrenching terribly, Gerald asked, “What about your family?”

“I don’t have one—I grew up in an orphanage.” As she told him this, Queta hung her head and picked at her clothes.

a phenomenally beautiful woman she was, though her radiance was being obscured by long

He knew it was because she

that Gerald used to be the sort of person who never felt he was good enough,

he’d gotten the short straw in life, but Queta here had it so much worse: A young woman with no parents, caring for three kids on

across a woman like this, these

deeply moved with admiration

do you

three children pointed towards an ordinary residential area, not far from the

I swing by for a

a moment’s consternation,

whole area was basically a collection of old squatter

stool and offered it to him. Then she shooed the three kids away to go get a bath. The children

Gerald Crawford. Shall we be

Gerald was a powerful man since he had been able to

Crawford:The Secretly Rich Man Novel (Invisible

man be interested

why, either. Today was just a

was a soft-hearted man and held particular sympathy

a nicer place to stay in, put all the kids in school… all it would take was a

had been racing wildly out of control. Some subtle emotion was compelling him to get closer to her,

didn’t understand this

he’d known from the first time he laid eyes on her… Just one

purely by chance. How could he be feeling this

that, from the moment he met her,

warming towards each

an entire afternoon

few days!” Gerald waved goodbye to

light, his soul

rang.

asked to exchange

and you’re going to be late for your first time?” Lilian’s voice was sharp with reprimand. “I

came up, so I was held back.

word, she’d hung up on

Gerald smiled wryly.

have just stayed out of this

He returned to the car park, started up his car, and made for the hotel where the reservation had been

the car, and found the

You’ve really kept everyone waiting for you, you know?” Lilian’s face

these years! No patches on your clothes… have you started dressing like normal

Oh, Gerald, I hear you’re in Mayberry University? That’s a swanky place! How have you been doing lately? The internship is coming up

tell us all about what you’ve been through, these past few

table that could easily seat two dozen. That was the number of ‘old friends’ who were in attendance this evening,

smiled at everyone, then spotted a girl at

prettiest girl in class, and his best friend in high school. They

had been harboring

involved with

hadn’t dared to get involved

too great a fault in their

so, they’d never been much more

had changed tremendously. She’d learned how to use make-up, and her appeal was

first-class beauty

a place to sit down!” Sharon replied with a smile and in a tone that was neither

three years without contact, anything they had had between them

just strangers,

spotted an empty seat, and

you could sit there?” Before he could actually do so,

Man Novel (Invisible

one thing to have been a loser back then, but after three years of university, you still

even remember her name anymore, and he couldn’t be bothered to pick a fight with her

by the door, where all the food would be brought

that this had been everyone’s intention all

left her handbag on there, indicating that she was saving the seat for somebody. Certainly, she’d made no move to

then turned and asked,

he’ll say he’s almost there—but you’re

sounded upset, in truth her

sales manager of an upmarket business along Mayberry Commercial Street? Are the two of

he’s a Mayberry big shot, you’re full of complaints? Actually, you just want

how he landed that job? Gosh, sales manager at Mayberry Street… I wouldn’t trade it for a

whole table was abuzz about

know about that!” Sharon laughed. “When he gets

the doors opened, and two men

greeted the tall, thin

was

and he casually took the seat that Gerald had almost

Let me introduce you… That guy over

penniless tramp, Gerald? Pleased to meet you!” Wearing a look of awe,

his seat

he was really starting to get annoyed by all

this to be a simple reunion between old

craved the odd bit of socializing,

suspect that Lilian might have had other motives behind inviting

cared about him, not even Sharon—Gerald didn’t even know who

out to be a

had no interest in this

are, Gerald! Sorry, I was only joking around. I heard

Gerald, Murphy was offering to shake hands with you, just now! Where are your

Murphy, you don’t have to apologize to this guy at all!

Secretly Rich Man Novel (Invisible or

graduates, he might very well

to get in on

colleagues! Let’s

have to hear about

what she’d seen

even made things awkward for

was why, the moment this guy was introduced to him as Gerald, Murphy couldn’t resist having a bit of fun at his expense, just to see how he’d

this Gerald had no social skills to speak of whatsoever. Once

like him to get a job in Mayberry Street,

you never told us how you scored that

had been returned to

that’s a long story—but I suppose it could be because this is my field of specialty. But my boss thinks I’m still kinda green, so my salary’s only 45k per year for now. Ahh, I still have such a long way to

“Whoa! That’s amazing, man!”

fresh graduate commanding that level of pay was a rare thing. What’s

green with envy toward Sharon now. She was her equal in terms of looks—but Lilian was more carefree, while Sharon

Sharon was beaming

sought out

by horror—imagine if, during those years, she’d succumbed

I just got lucky. Lilian, you and the others have done pretty well for yourselves too—I hear you’re an elementary school teacher

Lilian nodded. “Yup, yup!”

to hear. From now on, we can all continue to grow with the Mayberry family. I’m planning to get my own place in the district in

yes—Gerald, bro, what are your plans for after you graduate? Gonna apply for a government position? Have you got a job lined up for yourself? Interested in sales? Design? Perhaps

for design, it sounds great on paper, but the reality is a

Murphy said all this, everyone watched

keeping his own counsel. The only thing he said in reply was, “We’ll see how it

yo! There’s that attitude, again…

enough how hopeless you are, but you won’t

to

of youths were having a disagreement with

a big group—it has to be this room!” snapped a crude sort of fellow. “Name your price, d*mn it, and then kick everyone out of

Man Novel (Invisible

way! Their

know who you’re talking to? Three minutes, that’s all I’ll give you—and if you

it a shot.” The waitress hurried

and the others would have none of

They had gotten here first—they had even begun eating

you think you

them we’re not moving!”

who that is hollering in there, thinking she’s

private room opened, and the other

building up toward a

side. He had nothing to fear from your run-of-the-mill rich brats—especially not now that he was working for the Mayberry group. Everyone looked toward him

“My friends, we did reserve this room first. Changing places now is simply not an option—that’s just unreasonable. How about this, next time, I make it my treat? We can have a meal together at Homeland

and collected, smiling

a statement bearing multiple payloads: They were standing their

be from Mayberry these days! You think just because I don’t work there myself, that means I don’t have any big friends in

appeared at the doorway, strolling through with

this man, Murphy’s stern countenance instantly gave way to effusive

Sunnydale University and had been painting the town red regularly with

at cruise parties, where he was said

not your typical rich

know who I

you!” Murphy was in total doormat mode now. Gone was the

huh?” Yancy smirked. “I came here to have dinner… is switching tables for my sake really

Ziegler, we’ve already started here, you see… Couldn’t you

was done playing nice. “Enough horse crap—will you move

hard. So did everybody else

not

Aiden and he could kiss his precious job in Mayberry Street

were burning now, there was nothing for it but to grit his teeth and say, “Understood!

on the table… How shall we do this?”

matter as before,

our new table. Clear the room for Mr. Ziegler!” one of

That’s the way we’ll do it, then!” Everyone

froze

Gerard?

toward him, just quietly eating away without

walked in here, he had glanced at that same guy and thought

had been spoken, Yancy burst into

very nearly shrieked aloud. It was

Yancy stammered, remembering what Aiden had said

who had also met Gerard before were too stunned

Man Novel

would have thought that Mr. Crawford would be here,

know this hobo, Gerard?”

some reason, when Yancy Ziegler greeted Gerard Crawford by name, Murphy and many of the other guys present at the scene were overcome with jealousy.

What was this?

any of your business whom I happen to know? Get the hell out of my sight!” Hearing what Murphy had called Gerard, Yancy was

drained out of Murphy’s