Chapter 175: Drinking (Part 2)
There's an old saying—"Has anyone ever died from holding in their pee?"
If Elliott really wanted to help Walter, there would have been countless ways to do it. The power and resources a billionaire holds are far beyond the imagination of ordinary people.
But Elliott knew full well what kind of person Walter was—and still chose to help him in a way that felt like charity, like tossing scraps from a high table.
"His real intention... might've been to humiliate Walter," Frank thought to himself, analyzing the situation.
Elliot wasn't just offering help—he was using money to humiliate Walter. And this was after Walter had already rejected him.
If Walter had accepted the help, Elliott likely would have doubled down, delivering his so-called assistance with a patronizing smile and a dagger behind the back—humiliation dressed up as generosity from a man looking down from above.
That's just the kind of person Elliott was: seemingly kind on the surface, but always calculating inside—a mind full of schemes.
This all probably traced back to their school days.
Back then, Walter had been a rising star, a famously gifted genius. Elliott, though his friend on the surface, had always lived in Walter's shadow. When people spoke of Elliott, the first thing they said was, "Oh, he's Walter's friend."
Even if they seemed close, Elliott's true feelings behind the scenes were anyone's guess.
And to make matters worse, Elliott had secretly been in love with Gretchen—who, at the time, happened to be Walter's girlfriend.
That was salt in the wound.
The relationship between Walter and Elliott was probably no different from those so-called "plastic besties": all smiles on the surface, jealousy and resentment underneath.
Elliott had always come up short next to Walter. Now, after all these years—thirty years of fate's turning tides—Walter found himself in need of Elliott's help. Naturally, Elliott saw this as a chance to settle the score.
Still, if you think about it, Elliott's attitude was somewhat understandable.
After all, he and Walter hadn't kept in touch. They were no longer the close friends they once were during school. As Walter himself put it, Elliott had become a distant figure, someone who no longer belonged in his life.
Now, Elliott was a billionaire and a business celebrity, while Walter was just a public high school chemistry teacher. They were worlds apart—one in the heavens, the other grounded on earth.
Elliott even acknowledging Walter was already a kind of courtesy. So many people, once they make it big and step into new social circles, completely forget their old friends.
Even if Elliott's attitude was condescending, he still would've given Walter the money if he'd agreed. A billionaire wouldn't miss that little bit of cash.
Whatever was said, whatever the tone—it was still real money on the table.
Face or funds?
For most people, it's an easy choice.
Think of that one famous internet celebrity who, in a rough patch, even dressed in drag to gain followers and traffic—just to help his company survive.
But Walter's pride wouldn't allow him to accept charity.
That younger guy who once followed him around like a loyal sidekick now stood atop his neck, trying to spit down. Anyone would feel sick to their stomach.
"Forget it. Let's drink—no more of that depressing talk. It's all in the past now," Frank said, brushing it off as he raised his glass.
"By the way, how did you meet Skyler?" Frank asked, hoping to change the mood with something lighter.
"Skyler..." Walter's face softened as memories surfaced.
"She was working as a waitress in Los Alamos, just a summer job at her family's restaurant. Technically, she was the young boss—helped out at the cashier too."
"My research institute was nearby. I used to bike there a lot for lunch. The food was great, and the place was close to my lab."
"One day, I noticed this new girl at the counter. When I had free time, I'd watch her. Sometimes she'd sneak a break, leaning on the counter, secretly working on her crossword puzzles while pretending to be busy." Walter smiled at the memory.
"She wasn't very careful though—once I caught her. Turns out I liked doing crosswords too, especially while eating grilled cheese sandwiches. So we ended up solving the New York Times crossword together over lunch every day. That brought us really close."
"Eventually, one day I caught her looking at me. So I said, 'Excuse me, what did you put for 14-Across?' And that's how we started talking."
"Truth is, I'm terrible at crosswords. I could never finish one. I just used them to kill time. But Skyler? She was a natural. I was always asking her for help." Walter smiled fondly as he recalled the early days with his wife.
"So that's how it started—before you knew it, you two were a thing," Frank laughed, playfully punching Walter on the arm.
But Frank kept one thought to himself.
Walter had left the research institute after breaking up with Gretchen.
Yet back when Walter was still at the institute, he'd already had his eyes on Skyler. In other words, his interest in Skyler had started before his relationship with Gretchen had officially ended.
In a way, Walter had emotionally cheated on Gretchen—maybe not physically, but the emotional betrayal was just as real.
In fact, emotional betrayal can be even more painful. It meant Walter had already grown distant, even tired of Gretchen.
As the saying goes: If someone likes you, everything you do is right. If they don't, everything you do is wrong.
Walter had already begun to drift away. And then when he visited Gretchen's home and was mocked by her family—it pushed him over the edge.
So from Gretchen's perspective, Walter's sudden outburst, the abrupt breakup, and his complete withdrawal from their shared research felt like a storm out of nowhere.
Later, neither Gretchen nor Elliot could find any trace of Walter. The next time they heard his name—it was on his wedding invitation with Skyler.
That's why Gretchen was heartbroken. And Elliot, who had stayed faithfully by her side, seized the moment to take Walter's place.
So yes—everything had a reason.
Walter, drunk and angry, might have lashed out about how Gretchen and Elliot had betrayed him and stolen his research—but that was just his side of the story. People always like to cast themselves as the victim, the righteous one.
Human nature is complex. There's no clear-cut right or wrong.
And to be honest, Frank didn't feel qualified to judge anyone either—he'd had a thing with Gretchen too.
In the end, they were all the same.
No one better than the other. No one with the right to laugh at anyone else.
(End of Chapter)
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