“Keep an eye on her every move and report back to me immediately,” Dustin ordered one of the Hell Guards as they exited the alley. Although he had given Bianca three days, he was not going to wait around. Someone as arrogant as Bianca would only grow more insolent under direct threats. His ultimatum was a deliberate trap. It was paired with round-the-clock surveillance to ensure she led them straight to his father’s remains. After issuing his orders, Dustin returned to the West family villa. Recently, the West family had been rising to prominence with his support. Most members were now preoccupied with various affairs, and the villa was quieter during the day. “Master Fox…” Irene stood by a pillar and called out to him softly. She was still struggling to address him like that. The young man she had once recruited from a bar had now become “Master Fox” to the West family. Lucius wanted everyone in the family to show Dustin the utmost respect. This left Irene feeling awkwa
“Still acting tough? Refusing to admit defeat until you hit rock bottom, huh?” Phoebe sneered. “Don’t forget our little bet—if your so-called ‘perfect date’ doesn’t show up or fails to impress, you’ll have to get on the floor and squeal like a pig!” Irene’s face turned ashen. She regretted her impulsiveness and bitterly cursed herself for agreeing to such an absurd and humiliating wager. If Dustin did not come, she would be forced to crawl on the ground and oink in front of everyone... That would be utterly disgraceful. Her reputation would be ruined forever. “He will come!” Irene said firmly. “Alright then. Let’s wait until 7:30 p.m. Get ready to become a sow,” said Phoebe in disdain and smirked. Time ticked away at an agonizing pace. Irene’s heart was racing, and anxiety gnawed at her insides. Still, she maintained a facade of composure and refused to let her unease show. Phoebe and her friends, on the other hand, continued their relentless stream of taunts a
“Drape a stone in silk and jewels, and it still won’t become a gem,” Dustin said indifferently. As soon as he said that, Phoebe’s face darkened. Everyone could tell the remark was a jab at her. “Who do you think you are? How dare you show up here? This isn’t a place for the likes of you. Someone, get him out of here!” she ordered coldly. Her lackeys leaped into action and stormed toward Dustin in menace. Dustin remained unfazed but waved his hand abruptly. “Ah—!” Thud! Thud! Thud! The lackeys were thrown back like rag dolls and rolled across the ground in a heap. Their faces were bruised and battered. The spectacle stunned the students at the ball. “Looks like Irene’s date is quite something,” someone murmured. “A bunch of fools!” Phoebe spat angrily. Dustin turned to Irene. “Sorry for the delay. I had something urgent to take care of.” “It’s okay. You’re here now. That’s all that matters,” Irene said and shook her head. She turned to look at Pho
The contrast between the two pairs on the dance floor could not be more striking. On Phoebe’s side, their dance was lively and graceful, and each movement showed elegance and versatility, which earned enthusiastic applause from the surrounding students. In stark comparison, Dustin and Irene’s performance was stiff and riddled with mistakes. Irene nearly twisted her ankle several times. “Is there even a comparison? This is just pathetic!” said Phoebe with a scoff. Her confidence soared as she saw victory within reach. Irene’s frustration grew with every misstep, and her anxiety was evident in her increasingly unsteady movements. “Let me lead,” Dustin suddenly said in a calm yet firm voice. Before Irene could respond, he had taken the lead. He tightened his grip ever so slightly and took control of their movements. In that instant, everything changed. Their dance transformed, like a machine that had just been oiled. It was seamless, breathtaking, and utterly mesmeri
The dance battle ended without any debate. The difference between the two sides was clearly visible to all. As Dustin and Irene finished their stunning performance, many in the crowd turned their attention toward Phoebe. Irene had won, so it was her turn to fulfill the bet. She had to get on the floor and oink like a big. “Phoebe is the daughter of the most prestigious family in Lannopolis. For her to kneel on the ground and squeal like a pig? It’ll be the headline in the local paper tomorrow, and the Chandler family’s reputation will be in ruins!” someone muttered. “The heiress of the Chandler family forced to squeal like a pig after losing in a dance-off? By noon, Lannopolis Elite College will be abuzz with gossip. How will Phoebe ever show her face here again?” Amid the murmurs, Phoebe’s face soured, as if she had just swallowed a fly. How could she possibly stoop so low? “You’ve won. What happens next is up to you,” Dustin said to Irene. Irene looked at Phoe
She only began resenting Irene after that incident and targeted her relentlessly ever since.Little did she expect that, at the graduation ball, Aaron would propose to Irene in front of everyone with the Verdigris Emerald ring. This was madness!Irene’s face reflected discomfort as she was surrounded by chanting students. “Aaron, I’m sorry, but I can’t say yes,” she said helplessly. “Why not? Irene, I’ve liked you for four years! Isn’t that enough to prove my sincerity? I’m willing to sacrifice so much for you. Why won’t you say yes?” Aaron lifted his head, and his voice grew agitated. So many people were watching them. He had spent a fortune on the Verdigris Emerald from the Central Harbor Auction House. Irene’s rejection felt like a public humiliation to him. “Aaron, stop fixating on this. I simply don’t like you!” Irene had no choice but to be honest. Irene’s words struck Aaron like lightning. “Why? What’s wrong with me? Did you fall for someone else?” he asked an
“You are the one who should be leaving.” Dustin’s gaze locked onto Aaron as he spoke calmly. The ballroom buzzed with murmurs of disbelief. The Burke family was one of the elite families of Lannopolis. Even in the elite circles of Lannopolis Elite College, where wealth and influence were abundant, few would dare cross someone like Aaron. But Irene’s date was a completely unknown person who did not seem to belong to any notable family. How could he be so bold? Phoebe sneered mockingly. She knew Aaron’s temper all too well. There was no way he would let such an insult slide. Irene’s “perfect date” was bound to suffer. Aaron’s face darkened. He slowly got up while still holding the engagement ring in one hand. “You’re the first person to speak to me like that…” he said in an icy voice full of menace. A twisted smile spread across his face. “And you’ll be the last!” “Aaron, what are you trying to do? Think before you act!” Irene quickly stepped in front of Dustin
Irene felt a little uneasy. She thought that Dustin had gone a bit too far with his words. How could anything compare to the 30 million dollars Verdigris Emerald ring? “It’s just Verdigris Emerald. Why do you act like you’ve never seen anything like this before?” Dustin asked with a soft smile. “Coincidentally, one of my men recently unearthed a piece of these from the North Pole and sent it to me. I find the color too overwhelming, so I’ll just give it to her.” He nonchalantly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pouch. He handed it over to Irene. “Nothing too special. You can do whatever you want with it.” Irene hesitated for a moment before reaching out to take the pouch. She did not open it right away as she was worried that whatever was inside might not be worth much. “Why are you hesitating, Irene? Afraid to embarrass yourself?” Phoebe sneered. “Go on, open it. Don’t just stare at it,” Dustin said flatly. With a deep breath, Irene finally ope
There was an invitation card on a table at the villa where Simone and her family were staying. David and Simone frowned as they looked at it. It was from the main Langley family. “Alvern Langley will have his seventieth birthday soon and has invited us to the banquet. They even said that they will return the things we seek,” David said. “Our families are estranged, so why did they send us this invitation? It must be a trap!” Simone agreed as well. “Let’s ignore them. They’re on the verge of bankruptcy anyway. When the time comes, they will naturally have to return those things to us anyway.” Dustin only smiled. “We should go. Why shouldn’t we? I sure want to see what they have planned.” It was about time to deal with the main Langley family once and for all. … It was a big day for the main Langley family. Alvern Langley, the eldest member of the main Langley family, was about to celebrate his seventieth birthday. Dustin and Simone were all cleaned up and
The members of the main Langley family gathered in the main hall of their home. They had been thoroughly humiliated during the launch event. At the same time, all their hopes had been crushed. Without the sales rights of those drugs, their pharmaceutical company had no way to grow. At this point, Dusmone Pharmaceuticals had pushed Sunrise Pharmaceuticals right to the edge. The company’s stock price reached a trench, and the main Langley family lost nearly a trillion dollars in just a few days. As for Dusmone Pharmaceuticals, they were currently doubling down on their efforts. The main Langley family could do nothing to challenge them. None of them had any ideas for how to counter the situation. Right then, a member of their staff came up with more bad news. “Is this true?” In the seat of honor, Conan glared at the servant. “Sir, it’s true! All of Rivenesco knows about it. Everyone knows that Dustin beat up the eldest son of the Wilder family of Somerton. He’s cur
“Please sit.” The movers were very polite as they placed the chairs behind David and Monique. Brian took over from a mover and placed Simone’s chair for her personally. “Miss Simone, please sit,” Brian said with a smile. Simone and her family were stunned and did not dare to sit down. Why was Foxtin suddenly treating them so well? Conan and the others were similarly confused. Their expressions were ones of shock. Why was Foxtin treating these insignificant members of the branch family so well? They were the important ones here! “Mr. Foxtin, these three are not members of our family!” Conan had no choice but to remind Foxtin loudly. “Are you certain?” Foxtin’s voice was chilly. “Positive!” Conan said solemnly. “Since you have no relation, what did you come in here for? Do you think you have what it takes to be in this hall?” Foxtin suddenly shouted. The members of the main Langley family were stunned. “But… didn’t you ask us to come in?” someone asked weakly
All members of the Langley family were led to a medium-sized hall. “Mr. Foxtin’s right up there. Are we all here? Please don’t approach without permission,” Brian said flatly. They all agreed and stood in place to wait. The door before them slid open and displayed a set of curtains. Behind the curtains was a silhouette of a sitting figure. It was clear that they would not be seeing Foxtin face-to-face. “Greetings, Mr. Foxtin!” Conan bowed reverently to the figure behind the curtains. The rest of the main Langley family did the same. Foxtin was someone that even Brian treated with the greatest respect. Thus, they did not dare to show any disrespect. Just the longevity and the beauty pills meant that Foxtin would become a legendary figure. Simone, David, and Monique all carried themselves carefully as well. They quickly followed and prepared to bow. “You don’t need to bow,” Brian said and stopped them. Simone and her parents looked distressed. Did Foxtin not wa
Instantly, there was an uproar below the stage. Foxtin had not even shown up nor had there been any sort of selection process. How had the choice been made so quickly? Only the members of the main Langley family were pleased. They looked like they were the only ones who had been smart enough to jump on the chance. At this point, they were only waiting to see Foxtin. “Who did Mr. Foxtin choose?” someone below the stage asked. The host smiled and said, “The Langley family.” Thrilled, the members of the main Langley family jumped for joy. As promised, Brian had gotten them the sales rights. They had not wasted the money at all. “This is wonderful!” The members of the main Langley family were all happy and smug. Their noses were high in the air as they welcomed the attention of everyone around them. They had never gotten such an honor before. “The Langley family, huh?” When Simone’s family heard the host’s answer, they were somewhat torn. There were only them a
“Luna!” The members of the main Langley family were displeased as they watched Luna flee. They had come in high spirits and high hopes. Yet, they faced disappointment after disappointment. First, Orion and Archer were arrested on the charge of grand theft auto. Then, Luna had been humiliated in public and had to run off. The members of the main Langley family were thoroughly shamed. However, they could not leave as they had yet to get the sales rights of those two pills. “Thank you for risking your reputation as a guarantor for me, Mr. Copper. You’ve done so much for me,” Simone said gratefully. After all that had happened, Simone was still a little bit stunned to believe that Dennis had risked his reputation to give a fake statement because of Dustin. It was only in this way that they had been able to maintain their reputation. “Don’t mention it, Miss Simone. It’s an honor to be able to authenticate such an amazing piece of jewelry. Getting to help you out was
Everyone instantly fell silent and stared. That necklace was not fake? Luna was stunned. Her face was a mask of disbelief. “As for the amethyst on the necklace, it’s a perfect specimen. I have never seen such a perfect stone in my life. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it’s priceless! This necklace is the real Luxuria!” Dennis’s voice reverberated through the room and practically echoed. Everyone in the room was delighted. Luna could not believe her ears. The necklace was real? That flea market piece of junk was real? How was that possible? It was impossible! She refused to believe it! Luxuria was a piece of jewelry that even the Queen of Irkland could not get even though she offered an exorbitant price for it. How could Dustin compare to her? How in the world had he gotten his hands on it? “This is really a priceless necklace?” The members of the main Langley family were stunned. The necklace was not something a member from a branch of the Langle
Everyone looked toward the source of the voice. The speaker was a chubby middle-aged man in a pristine suit. He carried himself with some charisma. “It’s him! It’s the King of Jewels, Dennis Copper!” someone cried out upon recognizing the man. It was clear that Dennis was someone who was very well-known. “The King of Jewels!” Luna was taken aback. Dennis was a big shot in the jewelry business in Hattan and indubitably its top jewel magnate. His jewelry business had reached every corner of the country, and he had stores everywhere. That was why he was called the King of Jewels. Dennis was a very important person in Hattan, with a high standing in their society. Dennis was the leading authority when it came to jewels. “I can tell with just a glance whether a jewel is fake. Since we have such a lively crowd here, how about I authenticate that for myself?” Dennis said with a smile. “Mr. Copper, this is a piece of junk that costs only ten dollars. How can we bother yo
“A cheap fake necklace from the internet?” The socialites frowned. “How can you say my necklace is fake? This is an engagement gift from Dustin!” Simone said angrily. “That explains it,” Luna said with a smug look. “With a fiance like that, how could he afford the real thing? You really think too highly of him.” Simone’s face darkened. She did not know much about the necklace. But since it was a gift from Dustin, she liked it. She thought it was very beautiful and decided to wear it today. “Do you even know what the real one looks like?” Luna looked at her with mockery. “The real version, ‘Luxuria,’ was just released by the world’s top jewelry brand. The chain alone is made of 108 top-quality diamonds. Each diamond is worth millions!” Luna spoke proudly. She was pleased with her knowledge on the necklace. “The pendant is a purple gemstone that was mined from beneath an ancient iceberg in the far north, where it has been for millions of years. Its size and purity are rare,