Frederick immediately grasped Grace's vicious plan.She wanted him dead!If not for her connection to June, Frederick would have killed her.With forced composure, he turned to Scarlett. "It seems this private room isn't meant for us. Let's go."Scarlett picked up the Draken Order, which had been thrown into the trash twice, and clenched her fists tightly. To insult this symbol was to insult her father, and such a transgression demanded retribution!Tyger and Jacob's eyes were burning with rage, and they were poised to fight to the bitter end at Scarlett's command.All three were bound by fierce underworld loyalties. They expected the Monroe family to honor past debts. But the Monroes were businessmen. Their world was driven by profit, not the codes of the underworld. This clash of values lay at the heart of today's explosive confrontation.Clifford stepped in front of Frederick, blocking his exit. "Leaving? After insulting a valued guest of the Monroe family? You think it's tha
"This is an age driven by wealth, and mine gives me the power to have these underlings deal with you."Clifford was not yet 30 years old. He'd been a child when Drake fell, too young to grasp the complexities of the world. To him, Drake was simply a powerful gangster who died.As for the Draken Order, he dimly recalled a grand occasion where the family head acknowledged it, much like Sirius introducing Priscilla a few days ago.However, with Drake's death, the Monroes wouldn't dwell on favors to a dead man. Businessmen like them prioritized profit. Why remember Drake now that he was gone?With a self-satisfied smirk, Clifford gestured to his guards. "Toss them out. And remember not to ruin this woman's face."The security guards stepped forward in unison, their strength enhanced by regular training together.Seeing them close in on Frederick, June cried, "Leave him alone!"Grace swiftly clamped a hand over June's mouth. "Your sister's marrying into the Monroe family. You can't l
Even the well-trained security guards did not expect Tyger to charge at them.It was like a sheep rushing into a pack of wolves. It was a suicidal move.Then, Tyger hurled the two lead guards aside with a roar like a fierce tiger. Only now did they grasp his formidable strength. Before they could regroup, Jacob pulled several throwing knives from within his coat and flung them toward the multitude of guards.The guards dispersed, briefly disoriented. Tyger capitalized on the confusion, his fists a blur among them, their cries of panic echoing through the room. This was the culmination of 30 years of synergy; Jacob causing disruptions, Tyger delivering crushing blows. It was a partnership in its prime. It was unrivaled in its execution.Within minutes, a dozen guards lay groaning. They were victims of the relentless duo. Tyger's muscles were rippling as he surveyed the scene. His eyes blazed with a cold fury. "You dare insult Ms. Samson, huh? Your crime earns you death."Seei
Tyger was taken aback by the willingness of someone to shield Clifford.Saving him once was daring, but twice would invite disaster.He readied another blow, but Scarlett's voice cut through the tension."Enough, Uncle Tyger, let's go."They were in Stanva City, after all. Killing a Monroe, even one as contemptible as Clifford, would spark retaliation and endless trouble.Tyger glared at Clifford who was still sprawled on the floor. "Young man, count yourself lucky."After the commotion, Frederick, Scarlett, and the others left the Skyland VIP room.Clifford swiftly shoved the injured Blackie away. "How dare you lay your filthy hands on me, you dog!"Under the force of the shove, Blackie coughed up more blood, then slipped into unconsciousness.June watched, appalled by Clifford's treatment of his savior. "He risked his life for you!"Clifford gave June a cold look. Knowing she was Priscilla's younger sister, he did not dare offend her. He vented his anger on Blackie instea
Scarlett's usually cheerful demeanor was gone. It was replaced by a deep sadness for their journey. She hadn't spoken a word since they left.Jacob shared her worry while driving. "Ms. Samson, what do we do now? The Monroe family turned their backs on us. We won't be able to attend the auction, and there is no chance to treat that significant figure. Our mission has failed."She rubbed her temples. "Let's head back to Jenaire City for now. It's such a shame we can't find the truth about my father's death."Tyger heard this and punched the car window beside him. "Damn it, it's all the Monroe family's fault for forgetting favors and breaking promises. If it weren't for that guard, I would have killed that Monroe family bastard with my punch just now."Frederick became more and more confused as he listened. Did Scarlett and the others participate in the auction this time to investigate the cause of Drake's death back then?Still, that wasn't his concern.Hearing their plans to retur
After hanging up, Frederick noticed the odd looks of the three people in the car."Is something on my face?" he asked in puzzlement.Scarlett's mind was reeling. How did Frederick get hold of an invitation, and one for her no less? Could he be exaggerating?That didn't make sense. Bragging would be pointless. The lie would be easily exposed later.Suddenly, she recalled the two invitations from Jenaire City for Priscilla and Vivianne. Weren't these two women both connected to Frederick?Was Priscilla's invite not due to Sirius' interest, but a favor owed to Frederick?"Did you request the invitations for Priscilla and Vivianne?"Frederick shook his head calmly. "Priscilla's was because the Monroes didn't know about our divorce. But yes, Vivianne's was through me.""Why do the Monroes respect you so much?" Scarlett questioned.Frederick explained, "When I first returned to Salmasian, I treated the head of the Monroe family, saving his life. It was through an introduction."F
After checking into the hotel, Scarlett secured four rooms at the counter. They were weary from a day of travel and decided to eat before retiring.They found a private dining room, where Tyger and Jacob, grateful for Frederick's role in the auction, gave him a toast. Under the warm hospitality of the two, Frederick had no choice but to accompany them continuously.Midway through the meal, Scarlett felt tired and said she would go back to her room to rest first."I'll head back to freshen up. Don't keep me waiting, darling," she said with a playful smile toward Frederick before leaving. Frederick merely shook his head, well-accustomed to her teasing.Tyger and Jacob exchanged a knowing glance. Their initial plan to use Scarlett's charm on Frederick had evolved. They saw potential in this unlikely pair.Both men were aging, and their days protecting Scarlett were numbered. They sought vengeance for Drake and a secure future for Scarlett, whom they cherished.But what about t
Frederick's eyes lingered on Scarlett's figure, drawn to the vibrant red of her dress. Her crossed legs and the play of emotions across her face held him captive.He felt a simple "thank you" was enough, but her actions seemed like such a grand gesture.Noticing Frederick's lingering gaze, Scarlett broke into a laugh."'Hehehe, what sweet nothings are you dreaming up, my darling? I just came to say thank you." Scarlett teased him.He almost choked. "All this to say thanks?"Fredrick couldn't help but question Scarlett's peculiar way of showing appreciation. Was her seductive attire and late-night visiting really meant as a simple "thank you"? Couldn't she have found a more appropriate time and way to convey her appreciation?"Scarlett giggled. "Indeed, it's just to say thank you. What else did you think?"Frederick was embarrassed as he stammered, "I thought you were going to, well, just say thanks too."Noticing his discomfort, Scarlett decided to ease up. "Honestly, I did com
Mary's case was the most severe, while Ivan's symptoms were the mildest, and Frederick could roughly deduce the sequence of transmissions among them. It was clear that Mary infected Nigel, who then passed it to Kimberly, then finally passed it to Ivan. Frederick also saw that Ivan was actually a decent person who unfortunately ended up being betrayed and infected. However, Nigel was primarily worried that Ivan might start trusting Frederick, as he wanted Ivan to believe in his capabilities to carry out his plan.Originally, he intended for Mary to insult Frederick for being poor and unskilled, but she ended up attacking him for having an unpleasant odor, which backfired when Frederick exposed her for contracting syphilis. Now, Nigel had no choice but to take matters into his own hands, he then said to Frederick, "Hehe, Frederick. We all know Ivy is a director, what exactly do you do to be worthy of her?"Nigel assumed that Frederick was just a low-level salesperson, something
Hearing Frederick's words, Kimberly jumped with joy and stopped crying. While wiping her tears, she pointed at Mary, laughing and said, "You're covered in syphilis, yet you're making fun of me.""Slut, I wonder how many people you've slept with!" After being pointed and insulted, Mary was furious and she was ready to fight Kimberly. "You bitch! I am going to teach you a lesson!" At this moment, Nigel felt terrible. If Mary was diseased, he'd be the first victim. He grabbed Mary and shouted, "Bitch, let me teach you a lesson first. Now I know why you always wanted the lights off! I thought you were shy, but you just didn't want me to find out."In a fit of anger, Nigel slapped Mary hard across the face. Just as Mary was about to explain, she was interrupted by another slap. Holding her face, she yelled angrily, "Nigel, how dare you hit me?! Do you want me to expose all your little schemes and tricks?"Nigel froze in horror; if Mary exposed him, it would have been disastrous.
Kimberly heard her laughter, and body odor had always been a sensitive issue for her; a wound she'd tried to cover up over the years. For Frederick to bring it up in front of everyone felt like rubbing salt into an open wound. Yet what hurt even more was Mary's laughter; as a fellow woman, it felt like salt to the wound, then roasting it. Kimberly was furious, pointed at Mary and said, "What are you laughing at? Do you want me to come over there and shut you up?"Mary felt wronged, she had only let out a reflexive laugh, but now Kimberly's anger was directed at her. "Did I laugh at you? What proof do you have that I laughed at you?""You're the one with body odor, yet you're taking it out on others. You're such an unreasonable woman!"Kimberly grew even angrier after hearing Mary's retort. "You're the one with body odor, your whole family has it!" "Look at what you're wearing, it's like you just threw on two pillowcases. You're a shameless woman, just trying to show off t
When everyone heard Ivy's words, they laughed even more. Her words effectively confirmed that Frederick did indeed have an unpleasant odor. It wasn't entirely her fault as Kimberly's words had been a bit of a trap. "Haha, if you smell, just take a shower and don't embarrass yourself here.""With all that cheap stuff on, no wonder he has a smell."Hearing this, Frederick simply gave a slight smile and then asked Mary and Kimberly, "Are two really that fragrant?"Mary and Kimberly lifted their heads proudly after hearing Frederick's words. "Why don't you ask everyone here, ask them if we smell good or not?""Exactly, go ahead and ask."Both of them considered themselves beautiful, and of course, they would smell pleasant. The men around them quickly chimed in, especially those eager to admire Mary, who was dressed in a way that gave them a bit of eye candy. "Of course, they smell good. How could these two beautiful ladies not smell good?""Hehe, Frederick with his cheap, th
In a hidden corner, Nigel said to Mary, "Damn it, that bumpkin Frederick keeps stealing my spotlight. I am worried that our plan won't go well later.""You should help me humiliate him properly, and Ivan's girlfriend will back you up."Mary pursed her lips and said to Nigel, "Every time something comes up, you just ask me to handle it. My bag hasn't been bought yet, and you've lost 300 thousand dollars"Although Nigel was annoyed by Mary hitting a sore spot, he kept his tone calm and replied, "Help me humiliate Frederick and talk him down in front of Ivan. After that, leave the rest to me. Once it's done, I'll get you more than one bag, I could get you ten bags and it wouldn't be a problem. I don't care about that small amount of money. You saw that Porsche just now, right? I wouldn't mind burning it if I had to." Hearing this, Mary was delighted and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, babe." She hadn't realized that Nigel was so wealthy and even had a Porsche. Up until th
Knowing Martin as someone who knew a lot about wood, everyone immediately looked as though they were ready for a good show. They were convinced that the Saint George statue couldn’t possibly be made of anything valuable.Martin let out a strange exclamation. "What the hell!"Kimberly, thinking that Martin was angry, quickly said, "Mr. Lawson, tell us what’s so disastrous about this wood. Are you saying it’s just a piece of junk?"Contrary to expectations, Martin replied angrily, "I’m saying that whoever preserved this Saint George statue was a jerk. This is genuine sandalwood, and yet it’s completely neglected, covered in dust."Most of the group had no idea what sandalwood was worth, but judging by the name alone, it sounded impressive.Kimberly asked curiously, "Mr. Lawson, are you saying this is really antique wood?"Martin examined the statue carefully, scrutinizing every detail. "Judging by the texture, this carving must have been made at least 150 years ago."Everyone was
"The Saint George statue was indeed a fitting choice for a karaoke." Nigel chuckled, turning to Ivy.“Why didn’t you just go on Amazon and buy a new one for a few dozen bucks? This one is obviously second-hand. Or was it picked up from some junk stall?”Frederick heard Nigel’s mockery and nodded in agreement, a faint smile on his lips. “You’re not wrong. This statue actually was picked up from a street stall.”“At the Treasure Hall in the antique trade market, no less. And yes, it’s an antique.”The truth was, the statue was from the Victorian era. Even the owner of Treasure Hall, Dominic, had recognized its age but dismissed it as worthless, tossing it onto a stall outside.Frederick had picked it up casually, thinking it would come in handy one day, and now it was the perfect gift for Ivan.Hearing this, Nigel burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. “An antique? Treasure Hall? You’re really trying to fool us.”Kimberly chimed in, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she glance
The group’s attention was fully captured by Frederick’s words, their eyes all on him. Nigel, knowing that Kimberly had informed Ivy at the last minute and that she likely didn’t have a gift, sneered at Frederick."Well, if you’ve got a gift, go ahead and show it.""Considering Ivy and Kimberly’s relationship, the gift should be pretty decent, right?"Everyone was now staring at Frederick with anticipation, curious to see what kind of gift he could produce.Ivy, on the other hand, was completely flustered. She hadn’t handed any gift to Frederick, though she understood he was trying to help her out of a tough spot. But wasn’t this making things even more awkward?Nigel continued to press him, "Where’s the gift? Come on, take it out already.""After all this time, you still can’t take it out. Don’t tell me you don’t even have one."Frederick glanced at Nigel with a calm smile. "Oh? Are you planning to bet 300 grand with me again?"Nigel froze. There was no way he had another 300 t
Ivan was deeply moved, feeling as though all the unpleasantness from their school days had been swept away. A sense of childhood nostalgia, unique to old classmates, welled up within him.The crowd continued to shower Nigel with praise, giving him thumbs up one after another."A gift worth 10 grand is no small amount. Nigel is truly generous.""That’s right. These days, even classmates hesitate to prepare gifts, but Nigel has shown such generosity.."Most of the attendees had come because of their connection with Kimberly. Each had prepared gifts with costs ranging from a few hundred dollars. Compared to Nigel’s grandiose gift worth 10 thousand, their contributions paled in comparison.Hearing the compliments, Nigel waved his hand dismissively, feigning modesty. "It’s nothing, really. After all, Ivan and I are good friends from way back."Then, Nigel’s expression shifted slightly as he added, "Speaking of good friends, I’m sure it’s not just me and Ivan here who share a special b