Chapter 74- jackpot

Chapter 74: Chapter 74- jackpot Being called a scumbag by Morrison didn’t faze Bert much — in fact, he kind of agreed with it. Yeah, he was pretty damn scummy. He’d always lived recklessly, never caring what others thought of him. Lately, he’d been feeling like maybe he was starting to turn a corner, heading towards being a better man. But even he couldn’t promise he wouldn’t slip back into being a jerk one day. Still, when he glanced at the poor girl getting scolded so harshly, Bert smiled and finally spoke up. "Boss, I admit I’m scummy, no argument there. But who she meets and how she handles things — that’s none of your business to lecture her about." His smile didn’t reach his eyes at all. "I’m her half-brother after all, so technically I’m the one with the right to scold her. But you? What exactly is your relationship with her? What gives you the right to boss her around like that?" Every word Bert said was a challenge to Morrison’s authority. Yet Morrison found himself unable to fire back with a single retort. Yeah... what was their relationship, really? Who was he to her? What gave him the right to tell her what to do, to worry about her safety? Bert, sharp as ever, sensed the tension between them. But since this was his first time dealing with Lilian and Morrison, he couldn’t be sure what was really going on. Besides, he’d heard from Daniel that Lilian was currently dating Morrison’s younger brother, Karl. That made things even more confusing, so Bert decided to stay out of it for now and watch how things unfolded. Morrison’s emotions threatened to explode after Bert’s words, but he swallowed it down masterfully and sneered coldly at Bert. "As Dave’s closest friend, you really think I’d let you take her out to eat? Don’t forget, you’ve got a record." Saying those words made Morrison feel like his mood had hit rock bottom. When things happened, the best he could do was protect her as ’her brother’s best friend’ — not as her boyfriend, not as the man she belonged to. Bert chuckled. "Alright then, boss, why don’t you join us for dinner? Consider it you helping Dave keep an eye on her." Here’s your passage translated into a novelhall-style English version with smooth dialogue and inner feelings: Lilian, standing beside them, couldn’t stand the back-and-forth tension any longer. She definitely didn’t want Morrison to join them for dinner. Just eating with Bert was already awkward enough. Adding Morrison to the mix? She was pretty sure all three of them would leave the table with stomachaches—emotional ones, at least. So she broke the silence, cutting through their standoff with a soft but firm voice. "Hey, you two, stop with the snide remarks already." She glanced at Morrison, offering a gentle, light smile. "Morrison, thank you for your concern. But I trust Brother Bert wouldn’t make things difficult for me. And since it’s lunchtime now, you should hurry back and eat." At last, Lilian had come up with a way to address Bert that wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable: Brother Bert. Morrison’s face instantly twisted into a scowl darker than night. He hadn’t expected that, between him and that scumbag Bert, she’d choose to keep eating with Bert rather than leave him behind. His pride and confidence got mercilessly crushed, round after round, and he ended up glaring at her with pure mockery. "Let Lord Washington treat you to fish this noon, then. Your brain clearly needs some serious nourishment." With that, he stormed off. Lilian shot Bert a painfully awkward look after Morrison’s cutting words. Bert seized the moment to invite her warmly. "Looks like you’re not exactly popular with your boss, huh? Why not come back to Washington Co.? I promise, you won’t get treated like that there." He said this while smiling at Lilian with gentle, affectionate eyes. Lilian blinked, surprised by Bert’s unexpectedly soft attitude. For a moment, she was at a loss for words. "What’s wrong? Scared?" Because of their height difference, Bert bent down slightly to read the expression on her face before breaking into a laugh. "Seems like this big brother of yours really has been too much of a scumbag before." There probably weren’t many people in the world brave enough to call themselves scumbags — yet Bert said it, and said it so openly and honestly. It actually made Lilian feel a little embarrassed. She gave a shy smile and said, "Can we just eat first? We still have work this afternoon..." "Sorry about that." Bert said as he led her toward the restaurant, then added with a hint of awkwardness, "Forgive me, I got a bit nervous and forgot we’re short on lunch time." When Bert admitted he was nervous, Lilian was momentarily stunned — then couldn’t help but laugh softly. Years of hearing about Bert’s conflicts with Burg Eltz had unconsciously painted a "bad guy" image in her mind. Not exactly ruthless, but definitely someone on the darker side. And bad guys were supposed to be harsh and cold, right? Yet now, he was smiling at her so gently, even admitting to being nervous. Lilian’s mental portrait of him shifted slightly. In fact, Bert’s nervousness was genuine. Being a bastard child and exiled abroad for years, he had no one close except his mother — no blood relatives, no family ties. But recently, after successfully taking over Washington Co. and slowly stabilizing the company, he’d started thinking about the girl he should properly call his little sister. Only then did he realize how quiet, well-behaved, humble, and mature she really was. Even though Washington Co. no longer belonged to Dave, Lilian never complained or blamed him for the sudden financial strain. She wasn’t a pampered heiress used to luxury, yet she carried herself with the poise a true lady should have. That earned Bert’s newfound respect. At the same time, he saw Tiffany — the one who’d raised Lilian into such a young lady — and suddenly understood why his mother had lost Daniel. For a man, a woman’s outward beauty matters, but inner qualities are the most captivating. If a woman has both, no man would willingly leave her. Clearly, in the battle for Daniel, his mother had lost — and lost completely. Thinking of Lilian sparked a desire in Bert to see her again. Maybe it was the blood connection pulling at him after all. Seeing her again, especially after how harshly Morrison had scolded her, made him care more than he expected. So, he invited the girl to come work at Washington Co. Back there, she would still be the company’s heiress, enjoying privileges no one else could touch — both financially and emotionally. Bert was certain no one at Washington Co. would dare speak to her with the cold sarcasm Morrison had used earlier, let alone question her with such hostility. He’d even reserved a table ahead of time, and now they sat down to order. "What do you like to eat?" Bert asked Lilian. Because he never really had any family, and Lilian was such a sensible, well-behaved girl — not to mention pretty — Bert found himself genuinely liking her deep down. He wanted to protect her, to care for her. And then there was Dave’s daughter, Emma Washington. Girls from the Burg Eltz family seemed born with an uncanny ability to win hearts, so Bert never had a single bad thought when facing them. Lilian responded easily, "You can just order whatever you want. Don’t worry about my taste—I eat anything." Bert looked up and smiled at her, "How about we order a fish?" Lilian blushed, "Hey!" Why was everyone bullying her? Morrison had just mocked her for needing to "reboot" her brain, and now Bert was joining in. Bert’s smile only grew wider, and his lighthearted teasing broke the tension between them. As Bert looked down to order, he’d check with Lilian after each choice. Naturally, she had no objections—she’d agree to whatever he picked. Bert glanced at her and said, "So easy to please. Your boyfriend really hit the jackpot."