Chapter 3

"Eek! Mikey! How dare you hurt him!" Sophie screamed, still in disbelief that Harrison had taken out "Black Belt Michael" with a single counterattack.

Everyone else was in an uproar as well.

Randall slammed the table and stood up. "Harrison, do you realize what you've done?!

"Michael's a member of the Krasters, who are worth billions of dollars! Do you think you'll be able to face their wrath if it comes down to that?

"Stop immediately and break both your hands and legs as an apology to Michael!

"Do it now, or not even I can protect you from the consequences!"

Randall seethed, his nerves unraveling. He had worked hard to win Michael over and was about to propose to the Krasters that he and Sophie marry, a union that would elevate the Barnes' wealth.

But now, Harrison had likely ruined everything.

To make matters worse, Michael had been injured on the Barnes' property. If the Krasters chose to take action, the family couldn't avoid the fallout.

Harrison laughed in disdain. "Billions of dollars, huh? I love the sound of that!"

With a loud crack, Harrison broke Michael's leg, then picked him up and slapped him repeatedly.

The force of the slaps shattered Michael's teeth, blood splattering across the floor.

Soon, bruises contorted Michael's face.

"Mikey, are you all right?"

"Somebody! Get an ambulance!"

Sophie's family rushed to help Michael, still in shock over the brutal beating he had suffered at the hands of what seemed like a country bumpkin. After all, Michael came from a prominent family.

Drenched in blood, Michael bellowed, "I'm going to kill you… I'm going to kill you! I'll use my family's influence to ensure you and everyone close to you suffer a slow, painful death!"

His fury sent him into a frenzy, causing the surrounding guests to retreat in fear of being caught in the crossfire.

They believed Harrison was a dead man, certain he'd soon beg for death rather than endure constant fear.

Thinking she had the upper hand, Sophie arrogantly yelled, "You're a dead man! We're going to have your head!

"You're going to regret angering Mikey very soon! You've just poked the hornet's nest, and now not even my grandfather can save you—"

Just then, a cold voice echoed. "I'll save him."

"It's Ms. Thatcher!"

Everyone immediately stopped and turned toward the main entrance.

A dozen bodyguards in black entered, followed by a woman whose beauty seemed angelic, as if she had descended from heaven in her long dress.

The other women paled in comparison, making Sophie look utterly insignificant.

Harrison looked up, stunned. 'Esther?'

"Isn't that Esther from the Thatcher family? Oh my God, she's so beautiful! I've heard about her beauty, but seeing it in person... I can die happy now."

"That's not all. I heard her grandfather's gravely ill, and she's now in control of the Thatcher Group's tens of billions in assets. She's as rich and powerful as the other family heads now."

"Is she here for Randall's birthday too? I didn't think their family was that influential..."

"I doubt it. She looks pretty pissed..."

Randall, flushed with excitement, rushed over to welcome Esther. "It's our greatest honor to have you here today, Ms. Thatcher."

He added with a laugh, "Please, take a seat."

Esther gave him a cold glance and asked, "Do I know you?"

"Huh?" Randall's smile froze, quickly shifting to embarrassment. He had extended his hand, ready for a handshake, but it was clear she wasn't interested.

The other guests wondered what the Barnes had done to offend Esther.

In truth, Esther had seen how the Barnes treated Harrison when she stood by the door, which likely explained her anger.

Ignoring the Barnes, she faced Michael. "Michael Kraster, right? Harrison's my friend, and I'm going to save him. Do you have a problem with that?"

'What?! How could she possibly help someone like that loser?!'

While the crowd stood stunned, Harrison felt a warmth in his chest.

After all, who could resist help from such a stunning woman, even though he was perfectly capable of handling the situation himself?

Michael's mind went blank. He was clearly stunned by Esther's words.

He mumbled, "M-Ms. Thatcher, I—"

"It was a rhetorical question," she said coldly. "I'm going to show you that I can save him."

Esther turned gracefully to Alfred. "Alfred, how many projects do we have with the Krasters?"

Alfred, his white hair immaculate and his posture perfect, replied respectfully, "We have 17 projects with them, worth over 78,000,000 dollars."

"Cancel them all. From now on, the Thatcher Group will no longer collaborate with the Krasters."

Though Esther's tone remained calm, everyone sensed the anger beneath her words.

With a single command, she not only severed 78,000,000 dollars in investments but also cut off all ties with the Krasters and their affiliated companies and families.

Looking back, the Krasters hadn't just lost 78,000,000 dollars—they had lost hundreds of millions. It would take them at least three years to recover their cash flow.

'She's amazing! That's the power of the strongest family in Zicco!' the guests thought.

After gathering his thoughts, Michael challenged Esther's decision furiously. "Are you insane, Esther? Are you really going this far just to protect a country bumpkin? You do realize you're declaring war on my family, right?"

Esther stood firm. "Go ahead, try to fight me. But first, ask your father if he has the courage—and the means—to do so."

"Damn it!" Michael's fury quickly faded.

He would be lucky if his father didn't punish him for losing so much money, let alone for declaring war on the Thatchers.

As the host, Randall awkwardly cleared his throat, trying to ease the tension. "Ahem! Ms. Thatcher, Michael is young and impulsive. I'm sure he's sorry for what he said. Why don't you let it slide on my account—"

Esther interrupted calmly, "On your account? Didn't I just say I don't know who you are?"

"What?!" Randall fell silent, his face flushing with embarrassment.

Ignoring him, Esther took Harrison's hand. "Let me introduce my friend to you. This is Harrison Stark, an esteemed guest of my family. We will protect him and stand against anyone who chooses to harm him.

"Farewell. Let's go, Harrison."

"Sure."

Harrison and Esther exchanged a brief smile before turning and leaving the Barnes family's villa, leaving a stunned crowd behind.