Chapter 174: Drinking (Part 1)
"Frank, did you know they betrayed me? We used to conduct research together, and I led those projects. It was my hard work, my research, but they took it all and made millions!" Walter exclaimed, pointing to himself in anger.
"Now, Grey Matter's products are all derived from my original research. They stole everything! It should have been mine!" Walter shouted, taking a big swig of his drink.
"They've become wealthy off my work, pretending to be my friends, flaunting their success in my face, and offering me charity like I'm a pet they're tossing scraps to!"
"Why do they think they can give me money they stole from me?" Walter yelled, downing more alcohol.
"What really happened back then?" Frank asked once Walter calmed down.
"I spoke with Gretchen. She said you were the one who left her," Frank mentioned.
"That's bullshit! She left me!" Walter retorted, slumping into his chair with a heavy sigh, reflecting on the past.
"One day, I was at Gretchen's family home. You know how my background compares to hers. My family was ordinary, while Gretchen's was wealthy, involved in business."
"Her parents and brother insulted me during dinner, mocking my success and my life. Sure, they funded the research, but I was the one doing all the work. Gretchen knew nothing."
"To them, it was as if Gretchen was responsible for everything, and I was just a parasite. Gretchen did nothing to defend me, just acted innocent."
"I used to find her innocence sweet and inspiring. Her smile motivated me and gave me hope."
"But that night, I saw her true colors. She never truly valued me."
"I was so furious that I left the research and took nothing with me. After I left, they used my work to create Grey Matter. Those two must have been together all along," Walter recounted, drinking his beer.
Frank joined him for a drink, pondering the situation.
Having heard both Gretchen's and Walter's sides, Frank realized the crux was their mismatched backgrounds.
The old adage about marrying within one's social class holds true universally, in both Eastern and Western cultures.
Romantic tales often feature unequal classes, like Romeo and Juliet or Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. Across cultures, these stories share the common theme of class disparity.
Gretchen's family likely looked down on Walter, saying harsh things.
Walter, proud and hot-headed in his youth, couldn't tolerate their jibes.
Caught between family and love, Gretchen found herself in a difficult position.
In the end, their relationship crumbled, and they went their separate ways. Such stories are not uncommon and happen daily.
Though time and life have softened Walter's edges, he retains his pride and self-respect.
Recent events—drug-making, murder, and cover-ups—highlight his complexity.
To Walter, Gretchen and Elliott's offer of help felt like an insult.
"It's Skyler's fault for telling them, letting them laugh at me," Walter grumbled, turning his ire on Skyler.
"Tell me, what did Elliott say at the party?" Frank inquired.
Walter recounted the events to Frank.
"Elliott's no good," Frank concluded.
While Gretchen might genuinely want to help Walter, Elliott's motives were suspect.
Having known Walter since school, Elliott was aware of his personality.
True friendships formed in school often endure, unlike those made later in life.
Despite knowing Walter's temperament, Elliott 'accidentally' mentioned his medical benefits.
Frank saw this as intentional.
Having spent years at the bottom of society, Frank could read people well. He knew Elliott from school and never trusted him.
Elliott might be wealthy, but wealth doesn't change one's nature, only magnifies it.
Like Joseph, who remained unchanged despite his fortune, Elliott's core remained the same.
Elliott knew Walter's pride well and used it against him.
But why would a billionaire begrudge a mere $90,000 for treatment?
Walter had already declined the job, yet Elliott offered to pay his medical bills, dropping all pretense.
If Elliott sincerely wanted to help, there were countless discreet ways to do so.
He could have used a charity to fund Walter's treatment, making it appear as luck.
Alternatively, he could have coordinated with Skyler to get her the funds.
A plausible excuse might involve Skyler's short story collection gaining unexpected success, covering the costs.
A little media publicity could create the illusion of her book's popularity.
Or, he could have printed books and placed them prominently in stores, fabricating a bestseller narrative.
(End of Chapter)