“What did you say?”Chris froze, thinking he had misheard him.“I said I’m not interested in a business that’s about to go bankrupt,” Dustin repeated.“Bankrupt?”Everyone was too stunned to react to his words. “How dare you! That’s nonsense!” Chris was shocked, but he quickly denied it. “Nolan Pharmaceuticals is raking in profits every day and is at its prime. How could we go bankrupt? Stop fear-mongering!” “Only you know whether this is fear-mongering or not. Anyways, I’ve received news that Nolan Pharmaceuticals will be investigated due to the sale of counterfeit illicit drugs. It’s just a matter of time before they go bankrupt.” Dustin’s words were very shocking. “Counterfeit drugs? Investigated?” Now, everyone was even more puzzled.Their gaze turned to Chris. “Nonsense! All of it is nonsense!”“Dustin, stop spreading these rumors. Nolan Pharmaceuticals is a law-abiding company. How could it go under investigation? I can sue you for defamation!” Chris threatened.
Chris’ words made everyone nervous.How could they let this opportunity to make a fortune slip away so easily?“Chris, ignore this fellow. He’s obviously jealous of you. But we’re not, we all believe you!” Florence immediately took a stand. “That’s right! Chris, you promised us about the stocks. You can’t just forget about it.”Everyone agreed right away. As they spoke, they turned and glared at Dustin.“Dustin Rhys, don’t stop us from making a fortune! Otherwise, I won’t let you off so easily!”“Yeah! Get lost if you wish to continue on with this nonsense!”The crowd chattered and chimed in one after another. From their perspective, Dustin was slandering Chris and preventing them from making money. He had such malicious intentions!“Do all of you really trust Chris? Hasn’t anyone ever doubted if he was lying?” Dustin asked with a frown.“That’s none of your business! We’ll do what we want!” James glared at him. “That’s right! Even if we were cheated, it would be on our own
Edwin, the richest man in Swinton, was drinking tea leisurely with an old man at Hummer Villa the next morning.“Mr. Lawson, it’s too bad that the lady was so cautious and left before the drug could take effect. Otherwise, I will definitely have subdued her!” Edwin lamented.“Don’t worry, Mr. Hummer. She doesn't have the antidote for the drug I gave her. She will definitely come begging if she doesn’t want to die. You can have your way with her then,” Fletcher joked. “Is that so? That’s perfect!” Edwin’s eyes lit up. He had been longing for a thorny rose like Natasha for a long time. The thought of toying with such an exquisite woman in bed made his heart race. “Sir Hummer…”Suddenly, a bodyguard came and whispered something in Edwin’s ear. “What? Trevor is dead?”Edwin’s face darkened and he demanded, “Who did it? Who dared touch my men?” Trevor was his right-hand man and did his dirty deeds. His sudden death was quite a loss to Edwin. “It was rumored to be his adopted s
“Edwin Hummer, the richest man in Swinton!” Dahlia answered. “What? Sir Hummer?”Lyra’s eyes widened in shock as if she had seen a ghost. Everyone knew that anything Sir Hummer said was obeyed without question in Swinton.Trevor was big in East City, but Sir Hummer was the true master of Swinton. He was so powerful that he could just demand anything with the snap of his fingers. He was also very influential in business, politics, and the military.Anyone who wronged Sir Hummer would face a fate worse than death.“Ms. Nicholson, don’t tell me this matter really involves Sir Hummer?” Lyra gulped. “It’s hard to say. Trevor was one of Sir Hummer’s men. Now that he was suddenly killed, Sir Hummer will definitely investigate this matter. It would be troublesome if Dustin was involved.” Dahlia’s expression darkened. “Even if that were the case, it would be Dustin’s fault. It has nothing to do with us, right?” Lyra asked tentatively. “This depends on how Sir Hummer sees this matter
Before the matter of Trevor’s death could come to a rest, there was a surprising announcement the next day. The Harmon family had decided on a partner, and today would be the opening ceremony of the new company. Once the news was released, everyone came forward to offer their congratulations.At 8.00 am, luxurious cars were already gathered at the entrance of the Emerald Building. However, Natasha, one of the important attendees, was not present. Instead, she was drinking coffee leisurely at some coffee shop.“Over here, Mr. Rhys.” As soon as she saw Dustin enter, she jumped to her feet and waved.“Isn’t today the opening ceremony of your new company? Why did you want to meet here?”Dustin sat across from her.Natasha was wearing a white blouse and a skirt today. Her dark hair was tied in a bun, making her look even more mature. Her top wrapped tightly around her chest, looking as if it were about to pop. “It’s only the opening ceremony. A date with you is much more important.” N
“I don’t recall Dahlia inviting you. Are you really so shameless?” Chris sneered.“I invited Dustin. Do you have a problem with that?”Natasha took a few steps forward. Her domineering stance made Chris take a few steps back. “Hmph! You’re a man that needs a woman to stand up for you? What a useless man!” Chris grimaced disdainfully. He added, “And you! You'll regret it sooner or later, staying with this trash!”“What does that have to do with you? Stay away from me!” Natasha snorted coldly. She put her arms around Dustin and walked into the hall without a care.“Stupid bitch! You’re so full of yourself! I’ll get you in bed one day!” Chris gritted his teeth as he watched them walk away. He couldn’t understand why someone as useless as Dustin was so good with women. “Chris, you’re here to join the fun too?”A fashionably dressed man exited a Maybach. “Hey! Isn’t that Jeff Anderson? You’re here too?”Chris’s eyes lit up. It was none other than Hunter Anderson’s son, Jeff An
As time passed, more guests arrived to give their congratulations. The entire venue was filled with people. A famous entertainer was also putting on a performance on the main stage. Below, the guests were talking and laughing over some wine. “Dahlia, this is a nice place. You would be the owner in the future, right?” Florence glanced around, thrilled.“Mom, I’m just partners with the Harmon family. I’m merely a secondary stakeholder even if we established a company together,” Dahlia explained.“That’s good enough. Once we get on the same boat with the Harmon family, we won’t have to worry in the future!” Florence was delighted.“Sis! Your career is booming right now. You must have made a lot of money, right? When are you getting me a nice car?” James smiled flatteringly beside her.“I give you quite a lot of pocket money every month. Is it not enough?” Dahlia asked unhappily. She did not like giving handouts, even to her own brother. “It used to be enough. But I’ve invested all
His dad had also warned him never to get involved with a woman like Dahlia Nicholson.“You’re too kind.” Dahlia smiled politely.“Dahlia, I have good news for you.” Chris suddenly changed the topic and said, “I heard from Jeff that even the Steel Lady will be present for today’s grand opening.”“Oh? Is that so? That would be perfect!” Dahlia raised an eyebrow in pleasant surprise. Previously, only the Harmons’ general manager was present to sign contracts or discuss business matters. She had never met the daughter of the Harmon family. However, she had heard of Natasha before.Ever since Andrew retired, she took over the entire Harmon family’s business unaided. She relied entirely on herself to build and flourish the Harmon family business to greater success. In a way, they were both very similar to each other. Dahlia even regarded Natasha as her idol.Yet, it was a shame that she had never even met Natasha up to this day.Now that she knew Natasha would be present today, Dahlia
At the Ballard estate, Dustin was warmly welcomed to stay after dinner. This was the first time Natasha had brought her boyfriend home, so the Ballards made a big deal of it.Simon personally accompanied the young couple and invited them to the study to chat over tea. With his sharp eye, Simon could tell Dustin was no ordinary martial artist. His manners, speech, and broad knowledge set him apart from most people."Dustin, I fully support your relationship with Natasha. Your background or status doesn't matter. What matters most is that you two are happy together." Simon paused and said earnestly, "I want you to understand that she's been pampered all her life and hasn't faced much hardship. Now that she's with you, I hope you'll take good care of her.""Don't worry, Mr. Ballard. I would never let her down," Dustin replied sincerely.Though they had known each other for some time and hadn't yet taken their relationship to the next level, they had already made their feelings clear
After hearing Nathaniel's words, Tristan's expression darkened. His brow furrowed as he sank into deep thought.It seemed he had underestimated the situation. He had assumed it was just a simple rivalry between brothers; he hadn't anticipated Seamus seizing the chance to further his own agenda.Seamus already wielded considerable influence. Under the guise of supporting Matthias' ascension to the throne, he had been forming alliances and recruiting talents. His influence had grown to rival the royal family's.If Seamus really supported Matthias' ascension, he'd overshadow the king, and no one would be able to stop him. The worst-case scenario would be Seamus using Matthias as a puppet to overthrow the House of Linsor."Nathaniel, is everything you said true?" Tristan frowned."Absolutely. Every word," Nathaniel replied solemnly. "Of course, if you don't believe me, you can send someone to investigate.""I believe you. But… taking down Seamus won't be easy. Do you have a plan?" Tr
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