As soon as Augustus McCrae's words ended, Prairie Steakhouse erupted in an uproar.
The crowd felt like they were dreaming.
Had a pleasant movie plot truly become reality?
The Prairie Steakhouse was a high-end restaurant chain in White City.
At the very least, people should spend about a hundred dollars when visiting. On average, each person spending nearly a thousand dollars wasn't out of the ordinary.
Someone paying for everyone in one day would accumulate hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Augustus decided to speak once more. He said, "Oh, yes! Everyone should start calling their friends and family. Tell them they can come to eat and drink here today, all thanks to the generosity of the gracious Mr. Pace."
Boiling excitement began to bubble with enthusiasm.
A golden goose had visited the place that day, that was for sure.
So someone could go there to eat for free?
If that was the case, would hundreds of thousands of dollars be enough?
It seemed more likely an entire million dollars might be spent.
What was the background of the person willing to cover the place so thoroughly?
Was he the richest man in White City?
Was he the heir of one of the top families?
Hordes of visitors shifted their attention to Charlie's table.
There were customers there who had participated in the charity auction earlier.
Instantly, they recognized who Charlie was.
"That's him! Isn't he the handsome man who spent a million dollars on a little raccoon plush?"
"Well, that explains it. No wonder he's able to pay and invite everyone here, so they can wine, dine, sip, and suck for free."
"I'm curious which of the twins is his wife?"
"Being his wife would make you so happy!"
"The man is talented and his woman is beautiful. I feel envious!"
"Even though I know he has a wife, I still feel like marrying him."
...
The crowd continued to talk.
Among them was Rich Snobly. He had just managed to coax his girlfriend out of her anger.
He didn't expect to be so unlucky.
It was bad enough that Charlie had stolen his thunder once. But now, at a steakhouse, he had the misfortune of running into him and having the spotlight stolen once again.
All the food they ordered would be free, right?
Well, if that really happened, he would show the company what it meant to spend money.
Rich Snobly called the waiter.
Then, he ordered the most expensive items on the menu that money could buy.
One by one, the dishes they ordered arrived.
Rich said to his girlfriend, "Come on, honey. Let's drain that guy dry, and make him pay for robbing you of your little raccoon plush."
Rich's girlfriend suddenly slammed her knife and fork onto the table.
Her disappointment was tinged with anger.
"You're really embarrassing! That other man is capable of coughing up a million dollars for everyone here to eat their fill. Do you really think he'd be afraid of you ordering a lot?"
"After being together for so long and seeing how others treat their girlfriends, the way you treat me is terrible."
"We're breaking up!"
"We're not compatible, at all!"
Her words fell like a hammer.
The woman stood up, grabbed her Louis Vuitton purse, and stormed out of the steakhouse in an angry style.
Rich Snobly didn't care about the food and drink he ordered.
Panicked, he hurriedly stood up to chase after her.
"Honey, don't go!"
However, when he reached the door, he was stopped by security.
"Sir, you've ordered several dishes. Please finish your meal before leaving."
"Uh, isn't someone treating all this food for free?" Rich asked.
"Yes, but you are suspected of deliberately wasting food. That is not permitted in this restaurant. If you don't finish your food, you must pay for what you have ordered."
"This..."
Rich's face turned green.
...
Charlie and the two girls soon left Prairie Steakhouse.
They did so under the gaze of many watching eyes.
Today Madison had experienced what it was like to live a lifestyle that attracted the envy of many people.
While Madison thought this made for a refreshing change, she also realized that she was a member of that envious troop.
She was the one who was truly envious of her sister, Kate.
The only way she could enjoy the glory of such a lifestyle was if she followed her sister around.
After the events of that evening, there was one thing Madison could be sure of.
That was the fact that her brother-in-law was not a leech as her sister had portrayed.
He was clearly a trophy husband; the type everyone wanted to marry.
...
In the Maserati MC12.
Charlie helped fasten Kate's seatbelt. He did it very familiarly.
It made Kate's heart flutter.
In her hands, she inspected the supreme membership card. It was the one with the tiger design.
"Charlie, how much money was used to charge this card?" Kate asked.
"Not much. Only five million or so."
Charlie told the truth.
Kate would have to accept the reality she was now living sooner or later.
There was no use hiding anything from her.
"Five… five million?"
Kate's beautiful eyes widened in shock.
Her husband had said it as calmly as a breeze.
He said it as if five million wasn't a high amount.
Kate, on the other hand, didn't know how many years she would have to work to have that much money.
Nervously, Kate returned the membership card to Charlie.
"That's too expensive… I don't want this. You've already given me too many things today."
Madison saw this as an opportunity. She immediately snatched the membership card.
"Sis, since you don't want it, I'll take good care of it on your behalf," said Madison.
"Huh? That doesn't make sense. You should return it to your brother-in-law," Kate replied.
However, Charlie didn't feel the same way.
For him, it was just a drop in the bucket now.
Since his sister-in-law wanted it, it wouldn't hurt to give it to her.
"Katey, if you don't want it, Maddie can have it," Charlie responded.
Kate hesitated for a moment.
The decision was made.
Kate pushed the little raccoon plush towards Madison.
Then she deftly stole the membership card from Madison's stunned hands.
"Maddie, since you seem to really want a gift, then this little raccoon plush will be Charlie's gift to you," said Kate.
Madison hugged the little raccoon plush but she did so with a sulky face. "Sis, I thought you didn't want the membership card."
"Turns out I want it now," Kate said smugly to her.
Compared to a little raccoon plush, Kate much preferred the membership card.
After all, in the future, it was only a matter of time before Charlie got hungry again.
She could use this membership card to order takeout for her husband.
You couldn't eat a little raccoon plush.
So, she might as well give the little raccoon plush to her sister.
As for Kate's decision to give up the little raccoon plush, Charlie didn't have much opinion to share.
There were enough plush animals and teddies at home like that. The bed was buried in them.
He could do without one extra little raccoon.
Madison was still happy with this arrangement.
After all, this was something Charlie bought. Now it had been made hers, and it was like a gift.
And that meant, if her brother-in-law was willing to give her a gift once, there would definitely be a second and third time.
Moreover, the little raccoon plush was worth one million.
That was much more expensive than the priciest high-end bags and clothes.
Thinking of this, Madison decided to take a picture. She shared it with her friends.
"It's my first time receiving such an expensive gift. I'm overwhelmed with joy, hahaha!"
The post quickly gathered many likes.
The compliments she received were paired with the sound of broken hearts.
Madison was only eighteen years old. This year she was just a college freshman.
But she was very beautiful, and she – quite naturally – was viewed by others as a sort of campus goddess.
As long as she was there, many seniors were after her.
Even when boys launched their romantic pursuits with grand gestures, no one had ever succeeded in winning Madison's affection.
Now, many in Madison's friend circle saw the picture she just posted.
A raccoon plush?
Wasn't this a typical gift a normal guy would give her?
Oh my God, their school goddess had fallen.
She was actually moved by a stuffed animal.
And plush toys usually only cost a few dollars.