Chapter 450: Chapter 450: Feudal Ideology
Lucas Pierce’s eyes lit up at the mention of money, through his drunken haze: "Yes, ten billion. Earlier, Leon Keane told me to get lost. My feelings were severely hurt. I need ten billion as compensation."
"Grandpa~"
Lucas Pierce pouted at Mr. Pierce, a grown man acting coy, which came across as nothing but nauseating rather than cute.
Sarah Pierce felt like vomiting.
Not only Sarah Pierce, but Ivana Monroe and the two children felt like vomiting too.
It was revolting.
"My darling grandson has been wronged." Mr. Pierce appeared indulgent. He seemed poised to cuddle and coo at Lucas Pierce, and then turned to Mrs. Keane with a changed demeanor: "My grandson says ten billion, not a cent less, have Leon write the check right away."
To prevent any complications later.
Mrs. Keane was in a difficult position, hoping Preston would admonish Lucas Pierce and persuade Mr. Pierce, but Preston turned away, not even glancing at her.
Greedy!
Mrs. Keane cursed in her heart.
Peter Pierce stepped forward to help Mrs. Keane: "Jackie, you can’t do this, Leon has helped you enough already. He even gave you a company as large as MicroTech, aren’t you satisfied yet? Dad, you can’t always indulge Jackie like this; one should have a conscience..."
Mr. Pierce suddenly jumped up, grabbing chopsticks to hit Peter Pierce’s head, cursing: "Who has no conscience? Who has no conscience? You brat, failing to produce a grandson, still have the nerve to talk here? You’ve lost all face for me! Thankfully, I have Preston, who gave me Jackie. Without Jackie, the Pierce family’s legacy would end."
Some of the guests were Mrs. Keane’s friends, invited under Mr. Pierce’s request to enhance the birthday party’s prestige.
They were appalled by Mr. Pierce’s words. Can’t produce grandsons, and the legacy ends? Aren’t daughters human?
Also, Lucas Pierce was "bullied" and now demands ten billion in compensation?
Is Lucas Pierce made of gold?
No.
Even gold isn’t as "valuable" as Lucas Pierce; is he made of diamonds?
Utterly absurd!
The guests, after all, are guests. Mrs. Keane didn’t dare say anything to Mr. Pierce, so they wouldn’t be the "villain" either.
This is a family affair!
Some guests were discerning, while others were not.
The old friends Mr. Pierce invited were the latter, meddling in family matters.
"Peter! You’re in the wrong. When your dad speaks, how do you have the right? In our old days, a son unable to produce grandsons had no voice in a big family, nor did the daughter-in-law."
"Right? Can’t continue the legacy, just makes them a waste of space. What’s the use in supporting them?"
"Exactly, Mrs. Keane, you’re a member of the Price family. With money, you should think of your own family. Your husband’s family and son are so wealthy; ten billion to you is peanuts. Give it to your dad, why let his birthday be unhappy?"
"A painting worth billions was given away without batting an eye, so giving away ten billion isn’t excessive either!"
"..."
Ivana Monroe frowned listening to this; Mr. Pierce’s old friends were all birds of a feather, bringing outdated views into the modern age. Do they know the Qing dynasty has fallen?
This idea of "since several billion have been given away, another ten billion isn’t too much" is so shameless, so disgusting!
Peter Pierce, retreating from the blows, dared not retaliate against Mr. Pierce, only pleading: "Dad, stop hitting me. Stop, spare me some dignity."
Shirley Pearson was speechless from anger but didn’t help Peter Pierce.
He’s a dutiful son who won’t fight back after being hit; it’s what he deserves.
Sarah Pierce couldn’t stand it, pushed back her chair, and ran to help Peter Pierce. Shirley Pearson reached out but couldn’t stop her.
Sarah Pierce, enraged, grabbed Mr. Pierce’s chopsticks, breaking them in two and tossing them on the table, angrily saying: "I won’t eat this meal, Dad, let’s go home."
Peter Pierce froze, looking at his daughter, rebuking: "Sarah, how can you treat your grandfather like this? Apologize."
Sarah Pierce’s eyes reddened again from anger: "Mom is right. You’re a dutiful son, foolishly dutiful all your life. I won’t apologize. I won’t learn from you."
Sarah Pierce turned and ran out.
"Sarah."
Shirley Pearson picked up chopsticks and threw them at Peter Pierce’s head, angrily saying: "Our family will be ruined by your dutifulness sooner or later."
"It’s rebellion, rebellion! Peter Pierce, look at your good daughter?" Mr. Pierce, furious and resentful, said: "I’ve long said, raising a daughter is useless. Once married off, they belong to another family, never filial to their parents, only their in-laws."
This was quite unpleasant in Mrs. Keane’s ears.
Raising a daughter is useless?
How much has she contributed to the Pierce family? She subsidized Lucas Pierce with such a large industry like MicroTech, not to mention many other financial contributions, including Mr. Pierce’s retirement funds every month.
She did all this, yet in Mr. Pierce’s eyes, it was useless, unfilial.
Mrs. Keane felt deeply aggrieved.
This is her own father saying this in front of guests! Like a knife stabbing her heart, and others’ gazes felt like sharp daggers piercing her.
Wronged!
So wronged!
Mrs. Keane dared not cry, dared not show it, only had to swallow the tears.
"You say raising a daughter is useless?"
Ivana Monroe stood up, smiling at Mr. Pierce.
He drank a bit too much, Mr. Pierce’s vision blurred, seeing one Ivana Monroe and several Ivana Monroes, all smiling at him.
"Yes, that’s what I said. What use is raising a daughter? She won’t give me ten billion to show filial piety. Such a daughter is a waste to raise." Mr. Pierce was initially scolding Sarah but thinking of the ten billion, he turned his ire to Mrs. Keane: "Might as well raise a dog."
"Dad~"
Mrs. Keane’s face turned pale, looking at Mr. Pierce in shock, unable to believe the words came from his mouth.
For all she’d done for the Pierce family, in Mr. Pierce’s eyes, she was worth less than a dog.
Those words hurt deeply.
"Dad, you’ve drunk too much." Preston was equally surprised, hurriedly persuading Mr. Pierce. It’s fine for him to favor Jackie, but usually, he knows what’s appropriate to say. If he antagonizes his fourth daughter and she stops helping Jackie, what then?
"Fourth sister, don’t blame Dad! It’s his birthday today; he’s too delighted, drank too much, and is speaking nonsense."
Lucas Pierce suddenly grabbed Preston, tipsy and said: "Dad, come over here. I think grandpa’s right; raising a daughter is indeed to support her birth family. Since aunt can’t support ours, she’s not a qualified daughter."