Chapter 54
917 Words
The murmurs in the waiting area stopped abruptly. Everyone turned toward the commotion. Did someone sneak in with fake invitations? This was a serious matter!
This was the Yonderville Government Building, the stronghold of Colonel Elliott Wellington. Tonight's banquet was immensely important, gathering all the elites of Yonderville.
Whoever crashed this event with fake invitations would face severe consequences.
Mark had heard about this from Sophia last night. She noticed something odd about the invitations they received from the second lieutenant when she compared them to the ones Mark had. The front looked identical, but the back had a faint golden "A" on the ones from the second lieutenant.
Sophia speculated that Jonathan must have faked these invitations by ordering them from a custom card company. She believed the second lieutenant and the military vehicles were just hired by Jonathan to put on a show.
Mark found her theory convincing. Ever since last night, he plotted his revenge on Jonathan. He planned to expose Jonathan in front of everyone. Now, with Sally's added suspicion, Mark was certain Jonathan had no real connections and was just a fraud.
Jonathan raised his eyebrows. A cold glint flashed in his eyes. He stared coldly at the smug and arrogant Mark and asked, "So you're saying my invitations are fake, right?"
"Yes!" Mark said confidently. "I'm holding the real card. Take yours out, and we'll compare."
Mark waved his invitation card under the spotlight and said loudly, "Everyone, take out your cards and compare them. I bet yours are all real. If his is different, it's fake."
Everyone pulled out their cards and compared them. Sure enough, they all looked the same.
Jonathan didn't take out his cards immediately. Mark smirked. "What's wrong? Are you too scared to show yours? I knew it. You're trying to sneak in here, huh? You'd better leave now, or it'll get ugly for you."
Jonathan sneered, casually pulled three invitations from his pocket, and held them up to the light.
Mark's grin turned vicious. He quickly snatched the invitations from Jonathan's hand and shouted, "Look, everyone! The back of his cards is different from ours. These are clearly fake!"
Everyone could see the golden "A" on the back of Jonathan's cards.
The Harrison family started to panic. They had the invitations delivered by the second lieutenant last night. Thinking their invitations were fake, they grew terrified.
Except for Samuel and Sophia, the rest of the Harrison family were in a frenzy.
"What do we do? Ours are different too."
"Damn it! Jonathan's gotten us into this mess. This is the Yonderville Government Building!"
"If this gets out, will we get arrested?"
Suddenly, everyone started blaming Jonathan and cursed him vehemently.
Olivia clutched Jonathan's arm tightly. Ruby started crying in Jonathan's arms. "Daddy, I'm scared. I want to go home."
Jonathan gently patted Ruby's back and comforted her, "Don't be afraid, Ruby. Daddy's here."
Mark turned around and sneered. He pointed at Jonathan and shouted to the guards, "Guards, arrest this fraud!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
In an instant, four armed soldiers rushed in and aimed their guns at Jonathan.
Everyone else took a step back, fearing they might get caught in the crossfire.
A captain, clad in military boots, strode over and glared at Jonathan. He took two invitations from Mark and scrutinized them. He saw the difference immediately.
"Forging invitations is an offense against Colonel Wellington and an insult to the five-star general! Do you know this is a capital crime?" the captain shouted.
The other Harrison family members' legs turned to jelly. Their hearts were filled with hatred for Jonathan.
"We're done for!"
"It's all Jonathan's fault. Why would he do this? Are we really going to die?"
"Arrest them and anyone here with these fake invitations!" the captain ordered, ignoring the pleas from around him.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
In a flash, a dozen armed soldiers rushed in and quickly rounded up the Harrison family members holding the suspected invitations.
Cries of panic filled the air.
"Ah! Don't arrest us! We don't want to die!"
"It has nothing to do with us! Jonathan forged them! We're innocent!"
"Yeah, don't arrest the wrong people! Jonathan, it's all because of you, you damned bastard!"
The Harrison family glared at Jonathan with venomous eyes and shouted curses. They wished they could tear him apart right then and there.
Sally trembled with fear, pointed at Jonathan, and shrieked, "It's all because of you! You worthless piece of trash! You jeopardized us! You should just die!"
Chad desperately pleaded, "Sir, it's not our fault. He did it. Just arrest him. We won't attend the banquet. Please, just let us go." He collapsed and wept on the ground.
This dramatic turn of events made the bigwigs mock the Harrison family with cold laughter.
Samuel's face was full of shame. He wished he could disappear on the spot. 'This is the most humiliating day of my life. To think I brought my whole family here to be laughed at!'
However, Jonathan turned to the captain and said casually, "You'd better ask your superior before you declare these fake." Jonathan was furious. He came to this banquet out of respect for Elliott. He was a five-star general. Even the president of Novaria would have to personally invite him.
The captain furrowed his brows at Jonathan's boldness and scoffed, "Fine. If you won't admit it, I'll make sure you do."
He immediately used his communication device to contact his superior at the banquet.
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