Chapter 488


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    Gideon and James shoved through the crowd to get to Gino. "Are you all right?"


    Gino was moved to see theme over to check on him. He reached behind him and rubbed his throbbing back. Gideon immediately lifted the child''s shirt, only to see arge bruise on Gino''s back. Clearly, the kid had been shoved against the w machine with quite some force.


    "Apologize to him now!" Gideon snapped at the boy who had pushed Gino. He and Gino might not get along most days, but he was still protective of thetter when it counted.


    However, the boy who had pushed Gino merely lifted his chin and eyed Gideon defiantly. The teenager standing behind the boy smirked as if Gideon had just cracked a joke.


    At that moment, a heavyset woman stormed through the crowd and came to a stop next to the smarmy-looking pair who had assaulted Gino. "Which imbecile dares to use my son of cheating? How dare you demand an apology after insulting the Atkinses'' good name?"


    James recognized her right away. Mabel Hutchinson was married into the Atkinses, which happened to be one of the top ten prestigious families of Jedburg. The youngest boy must be Rnd Atkins, her son.


    Linda hailed from the Atkinses before she married into the Killian family. It was thanks to the Killians that the Atkinses had grown from a small-time factory to thergest original equipment manufacturer in Agrecia a decade ago. They became one of the top ten prestigious families because of it, too.


    The Everetts were in no position to cross the Atkinses. Nothing good coulde from it, especially because Mabel was a famous shrew in Jedburg. Rnd straightened up at the sight of his mother and pointed at Gino. He said boldly, "He was the one who used me and Ss of cheating!" "Nonsense! Ss is the 99th-best hacker on the Global Hacker List! He wouldn''t need to cheat on some childish game. You''re just insulting our family on purpose!" Mabel snapped, determined to use the Everetts of libel.


    After that, she summoned an attendant. "Who are these insubordinate fools? What are they even doing at XS Corporation''s anniversary party? Throw them out right now!"


    "Mrs. Atkins, perhaps there''s been a mistake. Children argue all the time during games. There''s no need to cause such a scene," James pointed out. He didn''t want to get on the Atkinses'' bad side.


    It seemed Mabel had not noticed


    James and Gideon''s presence until


    that moment. She drawled mockingly, "Well, if it isn''t the


    Everetts champions of the nouveau riche. Dheard you were bankruptst year and only turned things around with XS Corporation''s help. In other words, you''re nothing more than a bunch ofp dogs!"


    James truly did not want to cross the Atkinses, but his pride did not allow him to take a public degradation. Furious as he was, he did not want to cause a scene in front of so many people, so he let the insult slide. Content belongs to


    Gideon, however, stepped forward to shield his family and snapped, "We might or might not be XS Corporation''spdogs, but at least we aren''t going around barking like a bunch of mad mutts like you and your son!"


    "Why you! How dare you call me a dog!" Mabel shrieked. "You Everetts owe me an apology for disrespecting my family! Better get to it before I tear your pitiful fortune out from under you!"


    "What kind of apology are you looking for?" Gideon asked.


    Mabel thought he was intimidated by her threat. She sneered, "I want the three of you to apologize to us. Also, have the kid beg my son for forgiveness. After that, we''ll let this incident pass."


    Rnd and his cousin, Ss Atkins, crossed their arms as they assessed the Everett trio cockily, smirking as they waited for thetter to kneel. Male pride kept the Everett trio from kneeling.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Gino was fuming. He hadn''t been in the wrong. He had been shoved against the w machine, and his back was still hurting from it. He refused to beg for forgiveness.


    He whined, "They cheated! I saw it! So what if he''s the 99th-best hacker on the Global Hacker List? He''s è ranked secondst here among the other pros. He couldn''t even pick up the console from the w machine even after he cheated!


    "And you''re using me of insulting you? If you''re so great, why don''t you pick up the console in the w machine? I''ll prove to everyone that my usation against you isn''t baseless!"