Inside the living room of the McCall family villa, only Dustin remained seated. Whoosh! A sharp sound cut through the air, and a long object shot toward Dustin. With a swift motion, he extended his hand and pinched it between his fingers. It was a piece of paper. Two lines of writing were scrawled on it: [Jonathan McCall intervened and offered a jade pendant. Arthur Williams withdrew reluctantly.] Dustin’s gaze sharpened. A jade pendant… Something capable of making even Arthur Williams wary must be significant. As the paper burned to ashes in his hand, Dustin’s face turned contemplative. The McCall family was not to be underestimated. Tap, tap… The soft sound of footsteps came from outside, and Dustin’s face quickly returned to normal. “Mr. Dox…” Jonathan entered with a smile with his hands clasped behind his back. He was followed closely by Allison. “I’ve come to express my deepest gratitude, Mr. Dox, for saving my life,” the old man said as he offered a
“I once made a vow. Whoever could save my grandfather, I would offer myself to them. Tonight, I am here to fulfill that promise…” Allison’s cheeks flushed. Her beauty was made even more irresistible by the shy vulnerability in her gaze. Dustin froze. Was she serious? How was anyone supposed to maintain composure in the face of such boldness? “Miss, I…” Before he could finish, he was gently but firmly pushed into the room. She used her slender leg to push the door close. Then, she approached Dustin. Dustin swallowed hard. The temptation was overwhelming. If not for his steadfast principles, he might have already lost control. ‘She must be too warm… That’s why she’s removed her outer robe… She doesn’t mean anything else…’ he thought to himself. “Sir, to give myself to you is my honor,” Allison whispered in her low and sultry voice. Every syllable dripped with allure. Every movement and every glance she cast at him was like adding fuel to a fire that Dustin
“Good evening, Mr. Dox…” Allison’s cheeks flushed crimson as she entered with a delicate bow. It was the next evening. She was there to serve Dustin some tea. Her face glowed, and memories of the previous night were still fresh and overwhelming. She could not even meet his eyes. After all, she had practically thrown herself into his arms and then woken up in his bed… Dustin glanced up and smiled. “Miss Allison, there’s no need to trouble yourself.” Allison whispered, “I am already yours, Mr. Dox. Why would you treat me like a stranger?” The corners of Dustin’s lips twitched. ‘What in the world?! I didn’t enjoy a single moment of “that,” yet I’m stuck with the blame?’ he thought. Screw that meddling old prude! He was seriously thinking about adding more drugs in his courtyard. He took a sip of tea and asked, “How’s your grandfather?” “I don’t know what happened to him, but he howled all night. He sprinted around the courtyard like a madman. It wasn’t u
“Trying to use stealth against me? You’re far from qualified,” Dustin said coldly. Brutus’s face shifted from cocky confidence to growing frustration as he swiftly ingested an antidote and prepared for another attempt to vanish into the shadows. Dustin calmly set Allison down, and with a burst of speed, he shot forward. He was faster than the eye could follow. Brutus’s face twisted in alarm as he hurriedly scattered a rainbow of toxic powders. Each one was potent enough to kill. Yet, Dustin moved through the poisonous haze without hesitation. Bam! With a swift motion, Dustin seized Brutus by the throat and slammed him hard against the wall. “You’ve been exposed to at least five of my strongest poisons. Any moment now, you’ll start bleeding from every orifice,” said Brutus and sneered confidently. His lips curled into a malicious grin. Dustin said dismissively. “When it comes to toxins, you’re the amateur here.” Lucas had tested every poison under the sun on him
“Grandpapa, didn’t you sleep well last night?” In the living room of the McCall family villa, Allison looked at her grandfather in shock. Jonathan’s disheveled hair, bloodshot eyes, and haggard expression made him look nothing short of terrifying. “It’s nothing. I was inspired to train all night, so I’m just a bit tired today,” he said curtly. As he glanced past her to Dustin, who was standing behind her. His face grew even darker. “Grandpapa, you’ve just recovered! How could you push yourself like this?” Allison said sternly in concern. Caught off guard, Jonathan could only offer a sheepish nod. Last night, in a misguided attempt to drug Dustin with some aphrodisiac and force his granddaughter into a closer relationship, he had somehow fallen victim to his own scheme. If not for his strong constitution, the consequences could have been far worse. Looking back, he was almost certain Dustin had seen through his ploy and turned the tables. “Allison,” Jonathan
“Miss Allison, is this your friend? You’re aware that everyone attending this gathering is admitted strictly by invitation...” said the doorman with thinly veiled displeasure. Allison was known for her distant and untouchable persona. Even the most prominent heirs in Grayvale struggled to approach her. Seeing someone like Dustin standing so close to her was enough to spark envy and resentment. “He’s…” Allison glanced at Dustin and blushed as she hesitated. She was unsure how to explain their relationship. Her hesitation only fueled the doorman’s irritation. His expression darkened further. No way... Could someone as beautiful as her... with someone like him… There was no way… As the thought festered, his jealousy intensified. He was even more reluctant to let Dustin in. “This is Fustin Dox,” Allison said after regaining her composure. “He’s currently staying with the McCall family as a guest.” The doorman’s eyes widened. He barely registered the rest of her exp
When the last of the metal powder fell from Dustin’s hands, he chuckled. “Am I qualified to enter now?” he asked calmly. “Uh… yeah…” The doorman was still in a daze, and he barely managed a couple of incoherent responses. Allison was clearly pleased with his stunned expression. She turned to Dustin with a satisfied smile and beckoned him to follow her inside. The radiant smile left the doorman momentarily dumbfounded. She was so beautiful… The famously aloof Allison could smile like that? When the pair disappeared into the venue, the doorman snapped out of his trance. Then, as though in disbelief, he dropped to the ground and began gathering the scattered metal powder. He was indeed doubtful about the authenticity of the metal sphere. But the texture was unmistakable. It really was that type of metal… “Impossible! No one can crush Onyx Iron into powder… No one!” he murmured in a trembling voice and was lost in disbelief. Meanwhile, Allison led Dustin in
Henry could no longer keep his composure. How dare a country bumpkin lay a hand on the goddess of Grayvale? To them, Rivenesco was nothing but a backwater village. What kind of talent could possibly come from Rivenesco? Nearly every young heir in the room wore the same expression of disdain mixed with indignation. How had this bumpkin managed to win her favor? The jealousy was palpable. “Well, if Miss McCall has acknowledged you herself, then you must be quite extraordinary. Welcome to Grayvale’s gathering,” Henry said and kept up a pretense of politeness. But as he turned his head, he shot a subtle glance at the two men behind him. “You’re from Rivenesco? What kind of talent could possibly come from that place? Hey, kid, have you even reached the fifth grade yet?” one of them asked and sneered. “Just because Mr. Henry is being polite doesn’t mean the rest of us are. If you’re not qualified, you don’t belong here. Not even Allison’s backing will change that.”
The Yeager family members looked at each other at a loss.What the hell was the CEO doing? Everything was so elusive and confusing. They were unhappy, but they dared not show it. While they remained silent, Dustin slowly sipped his red wine, picked up a napkin, and wiped his mouth. “No signing,” he said indifferently. The Yeager family members looked over at him.“What did you say?!” Zack yelled at him with a dark face. Why was he speaking?Did he even have the right to speak? It was an extremely important collaboration. Even if Terry was protecting him, Zack could not care less. Dustin must be out of his mind since he dared to interrupt such an important discussion. “Shut up! This isn’t your place to speak!” Percy shouted. The Yeager family members were furious. They were afraid that Dustin’s reckless words would ruin the deal. “You think just because you say, ‘no signing,’ it’ll be done? Do you think you’re the CEO of Duscia Corporation?!” Damien yelled at him. He
“What’s going on with our great-grandfather? Dustin is not even related to our family. How can he treat him better than us?”A few members of the Yeager family stood on the side awkwardly while watching Dustin and the others chatting happily. Damien whispered in dissatisfaction. They could not bear the sight of this, and they felt very resentful.“Stop talking!” Warren snapped.“Don’t worry, he won’t remain so arrogant for long. Dad favors him. So? In this society, ability speaks louder than anything else,” Zack said in a low voice. “A man who lives off an inheritance without a proper job… even if he has some luck and inheritance, he’ll squander it away in no time. Then, he’ll struggle to get by. Dad will see the truth in time.“Besides, who knows how long Dad can stay conscious? Do you really think that kid can make Dad young again? I don’t believe in such an absurd thing.“Dad is already very old. We should just go along with this for now. They’re lucky they get to hang around
Dustin did not say anything. Terry was smart indeed. Zack and the others were blinded by the lure of great benefits. A while later, some voices were heard. It meant that the guest had arrived. Percy led Adrian inside. “Dad, this is Mr. Adrian Pierce, the general manager of Duscia Corporation. We always communicated with him about the collaboration,” said Warren as an introduction.Terry nodded, and he looked closely at Adrian. “This young man is not someone ordinary.” His eyes gleamed sharply as he recognized Adrian’s extraordinary presence. Different people, depending on their status and identity, carried themselves with different temperaments. When Terry was young, he used to work in Summerdale and meet many upper-class people. Adrian’s temperament was on par with the young heirs of Summerdale. “I’m Adrian Pierce. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Yeager.” Adrian walked to Terry and bowed respectfully.This shocked the Yeager family. Adrian had such a high status, but he
A day passed in the blink of an eye. In the evening, Dustin and Patricia drove to the Yeager family villa. When they got out of the car and walked to the entrance of the Yeager family villa, they saw Percy waiting at the door. When Percy saw them, he turned livid, and his face darkened. “Uncle Percy,” said Patricia in greeting. “Hmph! So, you still recognize me as your uncle,” said Percy coldly and glared at Patricia. Patricia remained silent. Percy glanced at Dustin. His gaze shone with hatred. Patricia used to be very obedient and never dared to go against the Yeager family members. But lately, she had become so insolent even toward the patriarch of the family. Percy thought that Dustin must have led her astray. “Today, your great-grandfather invited you over for a meal. You’d better behave at the dining table and make him happy,” Percy said. “We will,” Patricia said. “Well, why are you so stubborn then? The Yeager family has agreed to let you return, yet you in
“The Tonra family sent me here to prepare to take over Hattan. We will start from the market in Hattan before we develop the market in the south. The future profits are immensely worthwhile. I’m determined to build a huge business kingdom. “Honestly, these families in Hattan are just so-so. I don’t take them seriously at all. But Duscia Corporation is fine. You just invested a hefty 2 billion right off the bat. That’s quite impressive.” Crispin smiled. “I came from the Southwestern region. I didn’t bring many workers, so we’re lacking some manpower. You’re an expert. Why don’t you work for me? I’ll make it worth your while. How about it?” He confidently offered a job to Dustin and waited for his response. Dustin stared at him calmly. “Regardless of your background, you look quite ambitious to me, but you don’t have sufficient capabilities. Hattan has limited you. If you work for me, your future will be promising!” Adrian found that amusing. Such rich spoiled brats were
Dustin observed what was going on at the front desk on the security feed on his screen. Adrian arrived at the front desk. “Mr. Pierce, you’re here.” The receptionist nodded at Adrian, and Adrian nodded back. Crispin and the driver, Nicholas Olson, assessed Adrian. “What a self-important person the general manager of Duscia Corporation is! How dare you make Mr. Tonra wait downstairs?” Nicholas asked in displeasure. Adrian did not spare the driver a single glance. He could not be bothered to speak with an insignificant staff member. If Dustin had not given him the orders, he would have chased these two out already. “You’re the general manager of Duscia Corporation, Adrian Pierce, yes?” Crispin looked at Adrian contemptuously. “I’ve never heard of the Pierce family having a person with your name. You’re quite capable of fooling the families of Hattan so easily with the same last name.” Thinking that he had dirt on Adrian, Crispin smiled very tauntingly. “What are yo
“I find it all quite interesting. This Duscia Corporation, this fake rich kid… Let’s go take a look.” “Yes, sir.” At around 2 p.m., the Lamborghini stopped at the entrance of Duscia Corporation. The young man walked into the building with his driver. “Hello, sir. How can I help you?” the receptionist asked. “This is the son of the Tonra family of Articora. Have the person in charge of your company come and welcome him,” the driver announced loudly. “Do you have an appointment?” the receptionist asked with a smile. “What?” The young man, Crispin Tonra, immediately frowned. “What kind of receptionist are you? Haven’t you heard of the Tonra family of Articora? Mr. Tonra of the ultra-rich Tonra family doesn’t need an appointment to come to your company. Go and tell your boss about his arrival. Have the person in charge rush over here to welcome Mr. Tonra,” yelled the driver at the receptionist. “I’m sorry. The person in charge of our company is very busy. All guests mu
The great Dhillon family of Hattan was destroyed just like that. It was said that Kendall had become a useless cripple and would have to spend the rest of his days relegated to bed. He could not even move, and there was nothing that could be done to treat him. The other families in Hattan thought that it was the ultra-rich Cabello family of Summerdale that had done this. They were impressed at how powerful the Cabello family was and pitied the Dhillon family. It was true that one could not afford to offend a family like that. After spending a day at the hotel, Dustin took Patricia back to their apartment in the suburbs. The place had been cleaned up and was immaculate. All the damage from the fight had been fixed, and everything looked good as new. Patricia was a strong woman. Thus, she recovered from her ordeal very quickly. She even went to work right after. Dustin went to Duscia Corporation, and Adrian reported to him. “It’s impossible for the Dhillon family to mak
A life like that would be worse than anything. To put it crudely, it would be a luxury for Kendall to be able to kill himself. This was the consequence of daring to hurt Patricia. Dustin went to stand before Patricia and reached out to touch the red veil surrounding her. With a plop, the light burst like a bubble, and Patricia landed on the floor. “Dustin,” Patricia called. She threw herself into Dustin’s embrace. She cried softly as she held onto Dustin tightly. “You’re alright,” Dustin said comfortingly as he patted her on the back. Patricia did not speak. She clung to Dustin without letting go. She had just realized that she could not live without Dustin in her life. Before that moment, she had been so worried about Dustin and wanted him to leave without coming in. It would not have mattered if she had died because of it. She finally understood. She had long accepted Dustin into her heart. After a long time in Dustin’s embrace, Patricia finally cal