Queenie's voice attracted everyone's attention to their table.
Everyone had a playful look on their faces.
The Long Life Pill that Liam had offered to give as a gift was priceless.
Queenie's announcement that Finnegan was Bernice's boyfriend implied that Finnegan's gift must be even more precious than Liam's, turning up the heat on Finnegan's upcoming gift presentation.
It was a sly move to put Finnegan on the spot, as whatever he presented would now be compared to Liam's gifts. If it wasn't as valuable as Liam's, it could be interpreted as Finnegan's lack of respect toward Bruce.
Liam smirked. He was unaffected by Queenie's remark about him being an outsider.
In fact, he responded with a playful tone, “Well, as Bernie's boyfriend, Finnegan should naturally give a gift that's more valuable than mine.”
“Absolutely! Finnegan, what have you prepared? Show us something impressive.”
“Mr. Sable, an outsider, has already given such a precious gift. Your gift must be even more valuable.”
“Come on, my future brother-in-law. Don't be shy. Let's see what you've got!”
Around the table, both Timothy and the younger Zimmerman family members spoke up, clearly aiming to create an awkward moment for Finnegan and Bernice.
Bruce frowned slightly, thinking this might not be the best approach. Still, driven by his aversion and dislike for Finnegan, he refrained from intervening and simply watched the scene unfold.
Perhaps this would be a good way to make Finnegan back down.
In the face of their deliberate provocation, Finnegan reached out to stop Bernice from speaking up.
He rose from his seat and said, “You're right. As an outsider, even Mr. Sable has presented such a precious gift. As Bernie's boyfriend, I can't fall short. However, before I reveal my gift, I have two questions.” He turned to Queenie and the others, a piercing look in his eyes. “Mr. Sable, an outsider, has presented such a precious gift. As members of the Zimmerman family, why are your gifts so simple?”
The question hit like a verbal blow, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
Queenie and the others stiffened visibly, their faces clouded with embarrassment.
They had been so focused on targeting Bernice and Finnegan that they had forgotten they were also part of the Zimmerman family. Their own gifts were equally lacking in value compared to Liam's.
Yet, despite the awkwardness, Queenie said, “The value of the gift for Grandpa's celebration doesn't matter. It's the thought that counts.”
However, before Queenie could finish, he caught the faint mockery in Finnegan's expression.
Her brows furrowed, and her expression changed when she realized she had made a mistake.
Finnegan said sarcastically, “The value of the gift doesn't matter for your gift, but it's crucial for mine? You have such double standards!”
No one had expected that Finnegan's wit and words were able to turn the situation around so swiftly. With just a few sentences, he had dispelled the awkwardness in the air.
From that point on, whether Finnegan's gift outshone Liam's or not, no one dared to comment another word about it.
A hint of a gentle smile appeared in Bernice's eyes.
Sasha, the representative from the Miles family, nudged her brother Trey. Her eyes sparkled as she said, “Trey, Mr. Larkin is impressive. If it were me, I'd probably just end up feeling awkward.”
Trey replied in a hushed tone, “Someone who's caught our dad's attention is surely formidable.”
After returning the awkwardness back to Queenie and company, Finnegan was no longer concerned about the situation.
How could Liam possibly be this generous?
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