"Ever since a new leader took over the Harmon family, the family bowed to the Grant family. They even took over the Harmon family's properties. I think Tyler Grant will show his true colors soon after the engagement." Natasha's expression became serious.The dispute within the Harmon family brought about bad blood among the brothers. Families were now enemies. It was a serious crisis in the family. Fortunately, she foresaw this. She had transferred the properties under her name to Oakvale. By doing so, she had protected some of the family's foundation."Natasha, speaking of the Harmon family, what does your father think of all this?" Dustin asked. With Hector's network and reputation, he had a high chance of winning if he decided to fight back."My father is still trying his best to salvage the situation. He's trying to talk some sense into my uncles. However, I don't think it's working." Natasha shook her head.Her father was a good man. Too good to a fault, in fact. He wa
Trent and Kate stood beside him meekly. They didn't dare to make any noise, and they appeared pitiful.When they were captured by the Dark Panther Cavalry, they were released in just two days. From what they could deduce, Tyler must have convinced the Scarlet Warrior to let them go. This was enough to prove that they had placed their loyalty on the right person."Our engagement is tomorrow. Is everything ready?" Tyler finally spoke after finishing one round of chess."Well …" Trent's expression froze when he heard that, and he instinctively looked at his daughter."Tyler, we almost succeeded. But Dustin Rhys, that bastard, ruined our plan and captured us." Kate cursed as she explained."That's enough. I don't want to hear excuses." Tyler threw them an icy glance.He continued, "I want to see results, not the process. According to our deal, you'll get me the treasure map, and I'll give you my support to rise to power. "After that, we'll unite our families by marriage and achie
Trent had already lost his son. He didn't want to sacrifice his daughter's happiness and future as well. As such, he wouldn't mind being the bad guy, even if it meant betraying his brother."Dad! I knew you had it in you!" Kate was very happy when Trent agreed to her plan. "I believe we can solve any issue when we work together as father and daughter!" Everything else would fall into place once she had convinced her father."Kate, I accept your idea on one condition. You can't put your uncle's life in danger." Trent gave her a stern warning."Don't worry, Dad. I'm only doing it for the treasure map. If Uncle Hector surrenders the map to us, I won't hurt him, of course," Kate promised immediately. However, if he refused to cooperate, they couldn't blame her if she decided to be inhumane."Very well, I feel a lot better with your guarantee." Trent nodded.He continued, "Anyway, we still have another problem. There's a very competent martial artist protecting Hector in secret. Wi
He had seen many pretty women. However, he had never met a vixen like Kate. She knew how to flaunt her charm to its peak. The most important thing was this exceptional beauty before him was his future sister-in-law. The real abyss of desire was the excitement of committing the forbidden. It was tempting.Kate suddenly let out a sad sigh."What's the matter? Is there anything bothering you?" Vlad asked."It's nothing. Please enjoy your meal. It's just a small issue. It's nothing." Kate forced a smile, pretending to be reluctant. It would be very suspicious if she asked for help directly. But, if the other party insisted on finding out, it'd be a different scenario. "Kate, we're family. Please tell me if something is troubling you. I'll definitely help!" Vlad appeared to be very sincere, placing a hand on his chest."It's fine. You're injured. I shouldn't trouble you." Kate shook her head pitifully."Kate! What are you talking about?" Vlad put down his fork.He said unhappily
It was late at night. The crescent moon shone with a faint silver glow as a black car stopped in front of the Grant mansion.Vlad was the first to get out as the door swung open. He quickly directed his men as they carried a huge burlap sack and rushed into the house.Silently and discreetly, they made their way to a secret room.These were the lupine guards of the Grant family, and the secret room was a place for interrogation."Open it!" Vlad ordered as he sat on a chair, pouring himself a glass of wine. One of the men deftly tore through the sack with a knife. Out tumbled a man, his hair disheveled and wounds visible across his body. It was Hector!"Old man, do you know who I am?" Vlad asked with an icy gaze, swirling the wine in his glass."Are you Vlad Grant?" Hector took a careful look at him. He was quick to notice that something was amiss."Hey! You're quite smart. You actually know me." Vlad took a huge gulp of wine and said coldly, "Since you already know who I a
Hector's muscles on his face began twitching uncontrollably, and he was sweating profusely. Nevertheless, his gaze remained steadfast despite the extreme pain inflicted upon him."Well, well! It looks like if I don't up my game, you won't give up the map easily." Vlad was annoyed. He chucked away the boning knife and browsed through the torture rack again. As such, many torture instruments of different sizes and functions began piling up on the table."See these treasures? I will use all of them on you. I hope you don't die quickly!" Vlad sneered, picking up another torture instrument.With that, the endless cycles of physical torment continued.Time ticked by slowly. The secret room stank of blood while things appeared calm and well just outside the room. Kate paced outside restlessly. It had been three hours since they started interrogating Hector. However, they still got nothing. Time was running out as they only had a few hours till the break of dawn. If she didn't have t
At the break of dawn, in a luxurious mansion somewhere. Natasha, who was sleeping, suddenly opened her eyes when she heard something moving. She got up, walked to the window, and opened a slit between the curtains. Under the hazy moonlight, she was shocked to see the bodyguards on night duty lying on the ground."Hmm?" Natasha furrowed her brow. She quickly took out a pistol from a drawer in her headboard. Opening the door gently, she carefully observed her surroundings before going into the room next door."Ruth …" Natasha patted her sister, who was still asleep. When Ruth woke up, Natasha covered her mouth and signaled her to keep quiet. "Don't make any noise. There's an intruder.""Intruder?" Ruth rubbed her sleepy eyes and mumbled, "Natasha, are you dreaming? Our house is surrounded by exceptionally skilled bodyguards day and night. Who would risk their lives?""They have been defeated. It's very dangerous now. Come with me now!" Natasha said with a serious expression.
Kate was impatient as she quickly ordered them to open up the burlap sacks. Very soon, the unconscious Natasha and Ruth were freed from the sacks. "Great, we've got both of them. There shouldn't be any problem now." Kate was pleased about the current turn of events. Hector would definitely surrender the information with his two weaknesses in their hands now."What? It's her!" Vlad was stunned when he saw Natasha."Why? Do you know her?" Kate frowned. If they knew each other, there'd be trouble."I saw her once." Vlad replied solemnly and continued, "I was injured by an ignorant man when I got into a fight at the hotel yesterday. She's with that man."After he was defeated, he sent his henchmen to investigate Dustin. However, he couldn't find Dustin's whereabouts. What a coincidence; they actually kidnapped his woman. Things were really going in their favor now."Vlad, the person who defeated you yesterday, was his name Dustin Rhys?" Kate quickly asked."I think that's his n
An hour later, Nathaniel quietly entered a private mansion wearing a disguise.Inside the living room, Tristan had already prepared tea and refreshments. He looked as if he had been waiting for a long time."Sorry to have kept you waiting, Tristan." Nathaniel took off his coat and walked forward with a smile."No need to apologize. I'm happy that you made the effort to arrange this. A few extra minutes are nothing, especially since it's rare for us to meet." Tristan gestured for him to sit while he poured two cups of tea and handed one to his brother.Nathaniel accepted the cup and discreetly set it aside. Whenever he was out, he was always cautious about food and drink—this wariness had become second nature."You asked to meet me on short notice. Is this about official matters or something personal?" Tristan took a sip from his cup and got straight to the point."Both," Nathaniel replied, still smiling."Oh?" Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear it, then.""Given how things
In another luxurious mansion in the Inner City, a female spy dressed in black, cloaked in a hood, was reporting the results of her investigation to Nathaniel."Your Highness, the Moseys have been particularly active recently and are rallying allies. Many of the eight great families and other influential factions have already allied with them. If left unchecked, they'll pose a serious threat to us," she said, kneeling with her head lowered slightly."So the Moseys are backing Matthias, huh?" Nathaniel sat quietly, his expression unreadable."The Moseys have grand ambitions. While they claim to support Prince Matthias, they're merely setting him up as a puppet to rise to power and expand their own influence," she revealed.She had been infiltrating the Moseys' mansion for years and had gained a deep understanding of their operations, from the smallest details to the key players.Though Seamus appeared as a benevolent philanthropist, it was all a façade. Behind closed doors, he was r
That night, two young men sat playing chess inside a secluded mansion in the Inner City. On the left was Anders, who had visited the Ballard estate earlier. Across from him sat Matthias, a broad-shouldered man dressed in richly adorned robes.The game was intense, with fast moves followed by moments of deep thought. About ten minutes later, Anders finally conceded defeat."Anders, you've really improved since we last played. You almost had me there," Matthias said, stroking his beard in mild surprise."You flatter me, Your Highness. My chess skills are nothing compared to yours. If you hadn't gone easy on me, I wouldn't have lasted half as long," Anders replied with a modest smile."You're as smooth with words as ever." Matthias let out a hearty laugh with a look of smug satisfaction. Winning was in his nature—whether in war or on the chessboard, defeat was not an option."Well, we've eaten, and we've played. Let's get to business." With a wave of his hand, he signaled his men t
"Honestly, we shouldn't waste time debating who's better suited to be king. We just need to figure out who's most likely to take the throne," Jensen said matter-of-factly.As a businessman, he only cared about maximizing profit. To him, it didn't matter who sat on the throne but who had the best odds. He felt that backing that person would be the wisest choice."Who's most likely depends on who has the strongest backing," Jonathan said thoughtfully."Oh, right! I forgot to ask—who are the Moseys supporting?" Jovian asked, smacking his forehead. They'd been discussing this for so long but still hadn't figured out where the Moseys stood."My guess is Prince Nathaniel." Jensen narrowed his eyes as he analyzed the situation. "He's close to Anders. With his immense potential and the king's favor, the Moseys might see him as their best bet.""Anders' personal ties can't speak for the entire Mosey family," Jovian countered, shaking his head. "Family interests outweigh personal relationsh
Even without the king's involvement, the ambitious individuals would tear the Ballard family apart and leave nothing behind.If Simon chose the right side and it prevailed, his family could enjoy a century of stability and prosperity. But if he backed the wrong prince, everything could fall apart in a single night.At that moment, he didn't know what to choose. This was a critical decision—one mistake and the entire family could be ruined."Regarding this matter, I need to think it over carefully. I can't give you an answer just yet," Simon said. He knew the stakes were too high. A single misstep could lead to disaster, so he had to be cautious."I understand," Anders replied with a faint smile. "This isn't an easy decision. Still, I hope Your Lordship can decide soon.""Your Lordship, the forces seeking a marriage alliance with the Mosey family aren't limited to your family alone," Zack added coolly. "Don't think you can afford to wait for the highest bidder. Time is running out,
"In response to Your Lordship's question, this marriage alliance between our two families isn't my decision alone—it's also my godfather's and the entire Mosey family's," Anders said with a smile."According to the established rules, marriages between royal bloodlines are forbidden. Have you forgotten?" Simon replied coolly. "Sticking to outdated rules only holds us back," Anders said, shaking his head with a smile.He continued, "Right now, Dragonmarsh is going through a turbulent time—internally and externally. I've also heard the king's health is deteriorating. There are rumors he plans to name a successor and step down soon."With that, Oakvale will likely be in turmoil. When that happens, all the powerful families—the four ancient houses, the eight great families, and other factions—will be dragged into the chaos."That's why I'm hoping our families can form a marriage alliance to navigate the coming crisis together."Simon remained calm and said, "It's natural for the king
"Dad, what do you think?" Jonathan asked, turning to Simon."A guest has arrived, so we can't be rude. Invite them to the living room so we can discuss things properly," Simon replied calmly.Anders represented the Mosey family, and regardless of his intentions, Simon couldn't simply turn him away. As for the proposed marriage alliance, it was a matter that required thorough consideration."Understood," the butler replied promptly before leaving."Go on with your meal. I'm going to meet with Anders," Simon said, excusing himself from the table.Jonathan, Jensen, and Jovian exchanged glances and, without hesitation, followed their father. They were curious to see what the Mosey family had in mind."Alright, let them handle it. Let's focus on our meal," Gemma Letcher, Natasha's grandmother, said with a smile and signaled everyone to continue eating.…Three minutes later, in the Ballard family's living room, Simon sat at the head of the table near the entrance. Jonathan and his b
After leaving Dash Corporation, Dustin and Natasha headed to the mall, where they picked out gifts for every member of the Ballard family. From the eldest to the youngest toddlers, no one was left out. Later, they stopped by an antique shop and chose a beautiful calligraphy painting as a special gift for Simon.By evening, Dustin had everything ready for his first visit to the Ballard estate, located in the heart of Oakvale's city center. The estate was a sprawling courtyard mansion built on a large plot of land.Simon, the Duke of Lachshire, had three sons and a daughter. His eldest son, Jonathan Ballard, was a third-ranked official in the government. The second son, Jensen Ballard, was a successful entrepreneur in the pharmaceutical industry in Oakvale, with billions in assets. Meanwhile, the youngest son, Jovian Ballard, had made a name for himself in the military and was now a third-ranked general.Simon's youngest daughter, Jessica—Natasha's mother—was highly favored with
While Dustin was away, Natasha couldn't help but worry about him. She would always keep an eye out for any news about him. But no matter how much she missed him, she wouldn't call him. She didn't want to distract or cause him to lose focus on the important matters concerning the nation's affairs. Understanding how busy he was, she kept her feelings in check and buried herself in work to keep her mind occupied.But when Natasha finally saw Dustin again, all the emotions she had bottled up came rushing out. Months of longing turned into overwhelming affection, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.Her assistant, Tanya, watched in shock. She had no idea Natasha—typically the poised, decisive, and commanding chairwoman—was in a relationship. What surprised her even more was how different Natasha seemed around Dustin. The usually unshakable "queen" now appeared soft and tender in his presence.Tanya couldn't help but watch Dustin more closely. His looks and charisma were u