The Secretly Rich Man

Gerald Crawford:The Secretly Rich Man Novel (Invisible or Poorest) Chapter 381

“Sir Herring Jenkins is the head of the county. Who on earth could make him wait at the bus station?”

Montana could not mask her surprise.

Was it that rich dude from the city?

No way. Why would someone as rich as him come here by bus?

“Wait here; I’ll go say hi!”

Montana’s boyfriend straightened his suit and tidied up his hair.

He was ready to go over.

“But Jonathan, will this work? Will Mr. Jenkins pay any attention to you?”

Montana couldn’t help but worry.

“I guess so. After all, he knows my dad too, and I’ve had dinner with him twice.”

Jonathan reassured Montana and headed over to the other side.

Montana, however, didn’t dare go with him. The other side was filled with big shots, and several heads of the Ministry of Education were also present.

As a fellow staff member, of course, Montana didn’t possess the courage to approach them.

As for Jonathan, he went and came back quickly.

While there, he looked very proud, thinking that he had a chance to stand out among the crowd if he just greeted everyone.

But when he came back, he was dejected and his face the color of an eggplant.

“Huh? What happened, Jonathan? Did the mayor ignore you? Ugh, I told you so didn’t I? better not go over where all the big shots are!”

“Mmhmm, it seems like the mayor and the others are indeed waiting for someone’s arrival, someone important. I heard them talking about a Mr. Crawford, the one about to bring a massive change to the entire Serene Town! He’s a big boss, but something isn’t right. If it really is Mr. Crawford, why would he come here by bus?”

Jonathan was confused.

“Hmm, the mayor probably did not tell you the truth. Let’s go now. The few heads from the Ministry of Education are also there,” said Montana in a hurry.

Jonathan simply nodded.

He hoped that Mr. Crawford could speed up his journey as well.

Gerald had been following from behind and heard them mentioning his name. Could they have come here to pick him up, he thought to himself.

But he had already told Zack Lyle not to turn his arrival into some grand event. He simply wanted to return home and get his own stuff sorted out, and he wanted to stay out of it.

Right now, though, it was a bad time for Gerald to go over and ask them.

He pretended that nothing happened.

His hands were full of Montana and Jonathan’s luggage. Her driver stopped in front of them as soon as they exited the Station.

“The heat is killing me! Jon, get the luggage inside, and let’s leave!”

Montana rudely snapped at the driver.

After putting their luggage inside, Jonathan and Montana got into the car, and the driver drove away.

Gerald was left alone at the station with his luggage on the side, looking like an idiot.

He might be just a servant, but the least they could do was to greet him, right?

Inside the car, Jonathan looked at the rear-view mirror and saw Gerald, now standing stupidly at their pickup spot. He felt a little sorry for him.

“Montana, I forgot to greet that classmate of yours. We should’ve at least asked where he was heading and perhaps give him a lift, right?”

“Forget about him. We’re not giving him a lift. He’s just pathetic, and we’re not going to risk soiling our car because of him!”

“Alright then.”

Cursing Montana under his breath, Gerald decided to call home and prepared to leave.

On the way back, he remembered to give Mr. Winters a call.

He wanted to tell them not to make him any food as he would take away something on the way back.

The phone back home rang for quite a while, yet no one picked up.

He called three times until someone finally picked up the phone. A faint, weak voice came on the other side of the line.

“Hello? May I know who you are looking for?”

“Mrs. Winters, it’s Gerald here. May I know where Mr. Winters is?”

“Oh, Gerald? You’re back for your break, huh?”

Mrs. Winters sounded a little surprised.

Back when they were kids, Jessica and Gerald were both raised by Mr. and Mrs. Winters.

It was why the siblings had an incredibly deep affection for the old couple, treating them as their own grandparents.

In the past few years, Jessica was the first to rise to the top. Since Gerald still had to support his poor self, he could not provide Mr. and Mrs.Winters a comfortable life. The only thing he could do was give them financial aid discreetly.

So basically, Mr. Winters and his family still retained their original lives.

After Jessica received news that Gerald was about to have a break, the first thing she thought of was helping Mr. Winters and his family settle down.

Gerald would never forget about him.

Gerald Crawford:The Secretly Rich Man Novel (Invisible or Poorest) Chapter 382

“Ahem, Mr. Winters was hospitalized this afternoon. I’d just come back to pack some clothes when I heard the phone ringing.”

“What? Hospitalized? Which hospital?”

Hearing Mrs. Winters’s gloomy tone, Gerald’s heart thumped in his chest. He hastily asked for the hospital’s location.

Mrs. Winters told him the address.

It happened to be at a hospital in the same county.

Mrs. Winters also happened to arrive at the same time after hitching a ride on one of the county’s bread trucks.

Gerald assisted her down from the truck before rushing to the emergency room in one of the hospital’s buildings.

Mr. Winters had apparently suffered from cardiovascular problems and passed out while having his lunch.

The incident gave her a big scare, and she immediately called for an ambulance. Now, the doctors were still doing all they could to save his life.

“Why are we the only ones paying for his hospital bills? Big brother, he’s our dad… your dad, so you’ll have to chip in too.”

In the emergency room doorway, a woman with textured, caterpillar-like eyebrows was speaking to a couple.

Opposite her were also several couples with young children.

Upon closer inspection, Gerald realized they were Mr. Winters’s two sons and daughters.

Those young children were his grandkids.

After hearing of the incident, they had apparently rushed to the hospital as well.

“My brothers and sisters, what you said wasn’t exactly accurate. You’ve all been living with dad the longest, and I’ve always been out, busy with business; as for the bills, I’m only asking you to settle in advance. Never have I mentioned once that I’ll make you pay for it all, so calm down! At the end of the day, the four of us will split the bill equally!”

The eldest of the bunch had always been out managing his business. He crossed his arms, taking a drag from a cigarette.

“Why should the four of us pay an equal share of the bill? Both of you brothers are the eldest of the family, so it only makes sense that you foot a little more. Sister and I should pay the lesser part. Besides, my daughter just graduated from university this year, and she’s getting an internship soon. I’ll need some money for that!”

The third sister was disgruntled.

Gerald understood that they were somehow fighting over the medical bills.

And when Mrs. Hayward heard the fight brewing among the siblings, she was so angry she almost fainted.

“Can you guys stop arguing for once?! If none of you are going to pay, I’ll pay for it, even if it costs me a kidney. Are you happy now?”

Mrs. Winters stomped her foot in exasperation and frustration.

“Calm down, mom. Didn’t you use up most of your savings to help your grandson start his own business?” quizzed the second eldest son.

“How much are the medical bills?”

Gerald finally spoke up.

“Huh? Gerald is back?”

Only then did the crowd notice Gerald.

“Hmph! Why did you even bother asking? It’s not like you’ve got the money anyway!” a young lady named Queeny Winters snapped coldly. She was the same age as Gerald.

During their childhood, Mr. Winters had always been more fond of Gerald compared to Queeny. As a result, she was dissatisfied. What grandparents would care more for a poor kid rather than their own granddaughter?

“Stop pretending to be something you’re not and start showing us what you can do,” interjected Clifton Winters, the other youngster who had just set up his own enterprise.

Like Queeny, he despised Gerald all the same.

His hate stemmed from Gerald getting good grades since he was a kid, and his grandparents had often compared him to Gerald. As time went by, his jealousy slowly turned into hatred.

As for Gerald, he knew that Queeny and Clifton disliked him since the beginning.

Yet, he did not say anything.

It was then that a nurse approached them.

“May I know when the surgery fee will be paid? The total is 20,000 dollars, and I suppose all of you can afford it, right?”

The nurse droned on with a tone of indifference.

“Listen to me, brother. Settle it now. I’ll give you the money later,” said the eldest brother.

“And why should I listen to you?”

“…”

Soon, the jabs against each other that had supposedly mellowed down boiled up into a heated quarrel all over again.

The second daughter-in-law and the third sister had joined the quarrel. They even brought up past issues, saying something about how the second-daughter-in-law owed money to the third sister.

Then, the entire scene turned chaotic.

Everything was a royal mess.

The nurse didn’t even try hiding the scowl that had grown across her face.

“I’ll pay,” Gerald whispered to the nurse as he shook his head in helplessness.

“You?”

Gerald Crawford:The Secretly Rich Man Novel (Invisible or Poorest) Chapter 383

The nurse led Gerald downstairs to pay at the counter, though she felt somewhat skeptical about him.

What then could be the reason for her doubts?

It was all because of the way Gerald dressed. He didn’t look like one that would have much money on him.

The medical bill came up to 20,000 dollars, almost impossible for the average family to fork out, let alone someone like him.

Gerald proved her wrong, though. He paid the 20,000 dollars for the surgical fee and even settled the accommodation as well.

It was a whopping 30,000 dollars in total!

He paid for everything without even batting an eyelid.

The nurse was stunned, unable to move.

Gerald paid no attention to her and walked back to the hallway.

They were still fighting.

“Everyone, stop fighting, I’ve settled the bills,” said Gerald.

“Huh???”

Only then did the fight die down.

The siblings were stupefied when they heard that.

“You paid for everything? Gerald, it was 20,000 dollars! Where did you get the money from?” asked the eldest brother in astonishment.

“Well, not just 20,000 dollars, but this handsome lad paid 30,000 dollars, including the hospital bills!”

Unbeknownst to Gerald, the nurse had followed him all the way here.

“30,000 dollars?!”

The crowd became even more surprised.

In a worse state were Queenie and Clifton were even more embarrassed, considering how they kept mocking Gerald before this. Now, he had really forked out the money. They felt as if they had been slapped on the face, one hard slap after another.

“The money wasn’t stolen, right?” Clifton asked with a twisted face.

“Yeah, I remember an online news site reporting how someone lost their money! Gerald, did you happen to find that money and not return it?”

“It must have been it! Beware, someone might just call the police on you. That 30,000 dollars might just land you a death sentence!” Clifton warned viciously.

After all, he owned an entire enterprise, and it wasn’t surprising that he knew such things.

It was also precisely these words that scared Mrs. Winters.

“Gerald, where did you get that much money from anyway?”

just won the lottery, so there’s nothing to worry about, Mrs.

to conceal his

he panicked and ended

and Clifton’s eyes opened wide

Especially Queenie.

did you win?” she asked in an

that it was quite bold that a young

a nice young man, and he intended for them both to

would like a poor guy like

So, Queenie rejected him.

heard Gerald say that he had won the lottery, she

If he really did become a wealthy man, would that mean she missed

me, Gerald. How much did

jumped to

while showing

Half a million?”

the other hand, Mrs. Winters

really won half a million

it, auntie. Just relax. I’ve already

Mrs.

as though a swarm of ants was crawling all over

she do

he seemed to have won a

be

Gosh!

more anxious she became. Thanks to Gerald getting ridiculed a while ago, he had chosen to

by Mr. Winters’ side all the time in the hospital. The good news was

lunchtime, he first waited for Mr.

to the hospital’s cafeteria to get

Gerald?

queueing up for food, he felt a

back, he saw a beautiful girl, all

with the makeup

Secretly Rich Man Novel (Invisible or

“You’re Morgana Lopez?”

was a little

the same class in high school and even representative of the English class. Her name was Morgana

was pretty yet looked normal

to four years, and all dolled up, she looked really

was

bump into high school classmates long before he returned to his

all, the ones that should be working had

You were carrying a duffel

Morgana straightened her hair.

after graduation, it was common for some teachers to leave behind their contacts

F*ck! Gerald was stunned.

and how on earth did he

have taken the picture after she

over her luggage while she was holding her phone

Fck. That btch…

it may seem, Gerald still

why are you in the

had a quick chat with Gerald. Last time, they did not talk quite as much, but now, it seemed

How

patients here. Say hello to your uncle later for me. I sincerely hope

Morgana smiled.

understand now. You must be a doctor here,

probation, and in a short while, I’ll become a full-time doctor

“That’s great!”

to have some connections with the hospital, but

connections was a pretty common thing to do when students were nearing their

on them, and those without connections would need to rely on

It was nothing surprising.

time for Gerald to

you

hollered to the canteen lady, and she soon filled up both of

was

haven’t seen each other for quite some time now, so

her mouth

Thank you so much

then took

have seemed like some innocent catching up, but what she really wanted was to show off a little bit. Nonetheless, she

listened, occasionally inserting praises with a

male doctor in a white

“Who’s this?”

I ran into him here, so I treated him to lunch! Hey Gerald, let me introduce my boyfriend to you. This is Gabriel Lyons. He’s the one I

Morgana smiled.

school classmate of yours. Wouldn’t it be better to get him a proper restaurant meal than in our

afternoon, so how would I find any time for that?

good,” Gerald nodded as he shoved two

it was actually alright that things turned

meal, he listened to Gabriel and Montana

classmates coming here tonight? I think it’s Cameron Laver and the others. They’re back for their break, and it

I’ve to treat them as well. Even if I have to take a day off. I haven’t seen them for four years now… Oh, by the

Johnsbury Bistro

too ordinary. How about Buntingford Grand Hotel?” After all, we haven’t seen each ever since we left high school, that’s four years now. You’re not going to make me look too

other directors for a meal to settle this? You know that your director is the hospital’s chief, and there’s nothing

Gabriel laughed bitterly.

matter? I’ve just

fork onto

he had heard, Gerald guessed that Morgana had to

Crawford:The Secretly Rich Man Novel (Invisible

giving face to your father at all! Doesn’t he know we are both seeing each other?

so enraged that her fork almost slammed into the

tried to

he ate, and

was that Morgana Lopez’s entry into the hospital as an intern clinician had

she was very professional and was very proficient with

be at odds

the victim of the

more than challenging to become a permanent doctor her, and if her

from the director’s side, but that

apparent that the director deliberately

things had become quite upsetting for

that things wouldn’t work out in their

wanted to have a night out with Cameron and

gang were since they were from the same class in

and his

going to have a

as

finished

done? Have you eaten enough? See, I’ve got a lot going on here, so don’t take this

asked the question blandly. It didn’t sound

only polite for the first few minutes.

hard time at work? Don’t worry too much, and just relax. I believe everything

lunch

could, however, give her a reassuring word or

that if he could help her, he

invited him for a meal, regardless of whether expensive or not,

Gerald sought to help

Gerald. Right, tell me the room number to your uncle’s ward, and I’ll have Gabriel go over

“Alright!”

them the

interrupting Morgana and Gabriel, he walked out of the cafeteria to go look

called Zack, seeing if he could pull some

wasn’t a big

did Gerald’s long-term investment plan include free-market industries, but it also included many of Serene

were also part of

Gerald, I wonder

were about to hang

“Why, what’s wrong?”

County knew you had returned for a few days. It was all my fault, I let slip of it when I was drinking, and they even went to the station specifically just to greet

it’s in the evening…

feeling in his gut was right, all along. They were indeed there at

Gerald felt quite bad for

feel like going, they would just

Secretly Rich Man Novel

he agreed to

finally slept off, Gerald left for

would be held in Cape Grace Hotel, somewhere around Serene Town

always been a top priority for the region, and this time, much thought had been put in to make it as

owners of Serene Town County would be

Gerald

entrance,

at the parking space. A couple

elegantly and formally, and the man

should’ve left earlier. Look at

it always my fault? You were the one taking hour upon hour to put that makeup on! My dad even called a couple of times to hurry us since Mr. Crawford will be arriving. It’ll

than Montana and her

let’s get inside!” said

his shoulder and saw that a boy had

one of your students?

Your eyes must be playing with y… f*ck,

look of her face, she was seriously

“Gerald! Stop right there!”

ready to enter the hotel, he heard someone calling

Lewis, what

greeted with

to kick Montana

planning a grand event, so what are you doing here?” asked Montana,

reply, Montana looked as if she

didn’t know you had quite the eye for the finer

and

well. I’ll remember to spare you

then grabbed Jonathan’s hand and went

Hehe…

wait and see, I’m going to make you cry, you b*stards!” Gerald

step into the

hall was

hands behind his back, scouring the

felt his face pelted by a small

was that? That person

Morgana sitting by a table, covering

sat next to her, and they all

all looked at Gerald

Get over here!”

Secretly Rich Man Novel (Invisible or Poorest)

walked over to their table

of your students? He looks pretty good… hey, why isn’t he in a uniform?” said a woman next

in their uniforms, and he’s the only

the handyman then. He’ll work wherever there’s work to be done, so he

to find a

to my side. There’s an empty seat beside me. Come sit and have

so many rich and young CEO today, so you’ve got to appreciate your

looked quite handsome

Montana rolled her eyes.

asked you to sit down?! Are you

end, Gerald could not

with them for a little while. He would then cross over to Zack’s table

a little annoyed, mostly because Montana had been incessantly abusing him with

Why?

their teacher-student relationship, Gerald did everything that she asked had him to do, yet he didn’t even get

ever since

welcoming party. Instead, he became the ladies’ laughing

it certainly didn’t mean he was easy

sat

I can’t believe you sat down after being

Montana rudely jeered at

women giggle

spouses of Serene Town’s business elite, their husbands’ moguls involved in

the other hand, was just

she endlessly flattered them on some

so happy, she was even

Thwack!

back of Gerald’s

some wine for Libby and the others? Think

burst into

remained silent, standing up and pouring everyone a glass of

when it was Montana’s turn, Gerald deliberately shook the bottle, aggressively pouring its contents without the

he and spilled the wine directly

her dress was full

My skirt!”

pour wine??? Do you want to die?! Any idea how

Montana was enraged.

second, and there

Gerald looked

thought Gerald was a brat who had never attended

she was the one who made him do it anyway, so all she could do was hold her

sit here from the beginning! If I didn’t, my skirt wouldn’t

are you standing there for? I’m heading to the toilet. Hurry up and get me some

be weirdly unattractive just to go the get tissue by herself, she

“Alright!”

he looked at Montana. He nodded and followed Montana to the

box of tissue! What the fck am I

in a blurred

men’s and women’s washrooms were

girl

happened to walk over to the sink

Crawford:The Secretly Rich Man Novel (Invisible or

Why are