Dustin was dressed casually with a half-dazed and half-drunken expression. Nothing about him stood out. And yet, this seemingly unremarkable young man was someone even the top family in Hattan could not afford to cross! The onlookers were filled with doubt, and they were struggling to believe their eyes. This was especially true for Brad and the bartender. “Captain Hamilton, are you seriously saying that even the Mabry family wouldn’t dare cross this kid? You must be joking.” Brad’s face was full of disbelief. “Do I look like I’m joking?” Bryce asked coldly. Brad was skeptical. He assumed Bryce was just trying to cover for that kid. “Then tell me, who exactly is he, that even the Mabry family wouldn’t dare mess with?” All eyes turned to Bryce. They were eager to hear his answer. The curiosity in the room was palpable. But Bryce was at a loss for words. He did not even know Dustin’s name. “I do not know his real identity, but I know one thing: he is som
The bar manager hesitated before finally taking over the phone from Byrce. “Hello?” he said cautiously. “You goddamn idiots!” The voice on the phone erupted in anger. “Have you lost your damn minds? Do you have any idea who you just offended?” The sheer force of those words made the bar manager waver. “W-Who… who are you?” he stammered. “I am Yohan Bailey! When Euphoria Lounge first opened, the head of the Mabry family personally invited me to the opening ceremony. You were the one who handed me the scissors that day. Do you remember?” The bar manager froze. His face turned pale, and cold sweat formed on his forehead. The shift in his demeanor sent a ripple of unease through the room. It was clear that the person at the other end of the call was someone powerful. Brad started to feel uneasy as well. “Bailey… Director Bailey…” the bar manager stuttered. At the mention of the name, everyone was stunned. There was only one Director Bailey in Hattan.
“Let me go… Let me go!” The bartender was pinned down against the bar. He struggled frantically as his face filled with terror. “You had this coming!” Devina spat as she felt a deep sense of satisfaction. After all, this bartender and Brad had seriously pissed her off. Bryce’s men restrained Brad and the bartender and dragged them before Dustin. “Kneel!” Bryce barked and delivered a sharp kick to the back of their knees. The two men collapsed onto their knees in front of Dustin. They looked utterly miserable. Their emotions were a tangled mess. Devina was just an ordinary woman. Who would have thought she knew someone this terrifying? Even the highest-ranking figures in Hattan were furious over this incident, and he was willing to shut down the Mabry family’s Euphoria Lounge without hesitation. Who was this man? They were kneeling before Dustin and the only thing they felt was pure fear. Neither of them dared to lift their heads to look at Dustin. The on
Drinking this much would definitely cause problems. “Leave me alone,” Dustin said impatiently. He was clearly more drunk than before, though not completely wasted. He was still conscious. It had been a long time since he had felt this drunk. The last time was when he had shared drinks with Lucas. Unfortunately, that would never happen again. ‘How big is this problem between him and Shawna? How could anything still be an issue?’ Devina wondered. At this point, was there really anything about Dustin that could be a problem? What was that woman thinking? Just then, a commotion broke out outside the lounge. “Holy cr*p! There’s a whole convoy of luxury cars pulling up outside! And some guys are getting out… they’re all elites! Apparently, all of them are terrifyingly important. Even the big shots from Somerton are here…” someone exclaimed after stepping in from outside. Many people rushed out to see for themselves after hearing this. The scene at the lounge’s ent
A commotion erupted in the lounge. A group of wealthy young heirs had just arrived together, each hailing from the most powerful families in the area. Standing at the pinnacle of wealth, influence, and power, their presence alone sent waves of excitement through the crowd. The lounge had barely settled from the last incident when another storm began brewing. “Mr. Gus is hosting tonight, treating these heirs from prestigious families. But does he even know that his lounge is about to be shut down?” some people whispered among themselves as they sensed that things were about to get interesting. And the person responsible for that closure was still sitting right inside. He was a man with the power to shake the highest echelons of Hattan and backed by some power shrouded in mystery. The Mabry family could not afford to offend him. But what about the young heirs that Gus had brought along? These men were from outside Hattan. Most of them hailed from Central Harbor’s top
Crash! The glass shattered and the liquor splashed across the floor. “Get this drunk out of here and entertain my guests properly,” Gus ordered icily. “If you defy me again, you’re fired.” The manager grimaced. He felt torn. “Mr. Gus, I really can’t…” He sighed and was prepared to explain everything. “How dare you smash my drink?” Dustin’s face was cold as his gaze locked onto Gus in rage. “Uh-huh.” Gus turned to Dustin with a face of pure disdain. “Yeah, I did. So what?” His tone was condescending as his irritation grew. “Get him out of here. I don’t want to see him in this lounge ever again!” Gus barked. Several men stepped forward at his command but none of them moved. A strange hesitation filled the air. At this point, no one in the lounge dared to even touch Dustin. “What’s wrong with you people? Do you want to lose your jobs too?” Gus roared in a rage when he saw his men, who stood frozen on the spot. “Gus, this is quite embarrassing, don’t you th
Gus stared at Dustin for a full thirty seconds, yet no matter how he looked, he could not see anything remotely impressive about him. “Is it really because of him that our lounge is about to be shut down?” he asked incredulously. “Yes, Mr. Gus,” the manager said. “Director Bailey personally called. He was absolutely furious and said outright that the lounge would be shut down.” “What’s his background?” “I don’t know either, but when Captain Hamilton arrived, he was extremely respectful toward him. He even said that this was someone our Mabry family could not afford to offend.” Gus’s face darkened. He had no idea when such a figure had appeared in Hattan. This man could alarm the higher-ups and, with a single word, order the closure of his lounge without showing the slightest mercy. “This is all your fault! You have brought disaster upon us!” Gus roared as he glared fiercely at the manager. The manager knew he was in the wrong and did not dare to meet his eyes.
Gus put on a pitiful act and his words successfully irritated the young heirs from Central Harbor. How could a so-called big shot from Hattan compare to them? “And this Director Bailey… who exactly is he?” another heir asked. “One of the most powerful figures in Hattan,” Gus said. “He is at least someone our Mabry family wouldn’t dare offend.” The young men from Central Harbor considered this for a moment but quickly dismissed it. In their eyes, it was nothing remarkable. “Small city, big egos,” one of them said and sneered as he glanced at Dustin with a smirk. “Gus, your family is pathetic. You call yourselves the top family in Hattan, yet you let someone like him walk all over you?” “Yes, yes, I agree. It’s humiliating. But we’re just a small family. How could we ever compare to the great families of Central Harbor? There’s simply no contest,” Gus said quickly, although he was smirking inwardly. “Ha! At least you know your place.” The heirs from Central Harbor
The Riverine had seven floors, each with a unique and elegant design. As you went higher, the view of the river became even more beautiful, and the rooms grew more luxurious. Anyone who could go to the Riverine was either rich or important. Just being there showed status and was a way to flaunt one’s position. However, Evan and Yvonne did not hold a high position in the Yeager family. They could only dine in the dining area on the first floor. Even Zack could only go up to the third floor. The important figures from the three newly rising noble families in Hattan could only go up to the fourth floor. Only someone like Nico, who came from a powerful family and held a key role, could go up to the fifth floor. “We actually have the chance to go up to the fifth floor of the Riverine! This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! What a great honor! We owe it all to Mr. Zabel.” Evan and Yvonne grinned from ear to ear. They kept complimenting Nico and tried to flatter him constantl
“Hello, Mr. Zabel,” Patricia said with a forced smile. Her voice sounded a bit awkward. Inside, she felt uncomfortable but did not want to upset someone from such a powerful family. “Sorry for keeping everyone waiting,” Nico said with a big smile. He was clearly happy with Patricia. “By the way, why are you all on the first floor? It’s so crowded and noisy here.” “Oh, don’t flatter us,” Yvonne said. “You know, the Riverine is the top restaurant in Hattan. It has seven floors, and the higher you go, the fancier it gets. But you need money and a certain status to go higher. “With our status, we can only eat on the first floor. We can’t go any higher.” “Is that so? I’ve heard a little about it,” Nico said. “On the second floor, only high-ranking people are allowed. The third, fourth, and fifth floors are for people from Hattan’s top families.” “I’ll ask someone to see how high I can go.” Nico called the manager over. “You’re the heir from the Zabel family of Hattan?
Faced with their aggressive questioning and yelling, Dustin stayed calm and did not seem bothered at all. “It doesn’t matter if you agree or not. What matters is whether Patricia is willing,” he said with a smile. “As long as she agrees, no one can stop us from being together!” The others all thought highly of themselves and believed their opinions were the truth. But Dustin did not feel the need to argue. If that was their mindset, he might as well go along with it. However, his calm response only made them angrier. Evan’s eyes widened in anger as he yelled, “You’re shameless!” Yvonne, dressed in expensive jewelry, agreed with Evan. She said disdainfully, “You should look at yourself in the mirror. You want to marry Patricia? Do you think you’re worthy? “A broke guy like you could never afford to come to the Riverine. How could you give her a good life? We’re just looking out for her happiness!” she added with an entitled look. “Don’t think just because you got picked
After leaving the hotel, Patricia wanted to go straight back to Mayhill. Things were going well there, and she wanted to stay there 24/7 in case something went wrong. But she got a phone call that changed her mind. “My uncle invited us to dinner at the Riverine,” Patricia told Dustin over the phone. “We haven’t had a proper meal with them since we got back.” Dustin did not say much and just went along with her. The Riverine was a fancy restaurant by the river in Hattan. It was known as one of the most elegant and luxurious places in the city. The seven-story building stood tall by the water. It looked like a grand old pagoda. Every floor was beautifully decorated and gave off a classic and sophisticated feel. By the time Patricia and Dustin arrived, Evan and Yvonne were already waiting in the dining area. When they saw Patricia, they greeted her with warm smiles. Patricia looked puzzled and asked, “Uncle Evan, Aunt Yvonne, why pick such an expensive place for dinner?”
After speaking, Dustin looked at Curtis. His eyes were intense and confident, as if he already understood everything. Curtis was taken aback, then quickly composed himself. He was filled with uncontrollable joy. “Thank you for your trust! On behalf of the whole Swansong Group, I swear to serve you with my life. We will do everything to follow your orders!” Curtis’s voice trembled in excitement. At this moment, Curtis felt both awe and gratitude. It was truly a huge honor to receive the mysterious and powerful master of Star Tower’s trust and be given such an important responsibility! He also knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. If he helped Dustin succeed, the Swansong Group would experience huge growth and success. Thinking of this, he silently vowed to give his best and not let Dustin down. When the rest of the Swansong Group heard this, they would feel just as excited as he did. After all, Dustin’s words carried great weight. In this competitive and power-driven w
Dustin returned to Mayhill Pig Farm. He walked up the mountain with an umbrella. From a distance, he saw several people waiting at the entrance. “Mr. Fox, you’re here!” When they saw Dustin, the middle-aged man in front immediately tensed up and ran over. He did not care about the rain or getting covered in mud. “Curtis Zeller, the general manager of the Swansong Group, reporting to Mr. Fox.” Curtis stopped before Dustin and bowed to him respectfully. The others behind him also ran over and bowed to Dustin. The Yeager family members did not see this. If they had, they would have been shocked. They thought Dustin had just gotten lucky and won the favor of someone from the Swansong Group. They had no idea that the famous company in Grayvale was just a tool Dustin used. Dustin nodded, and only then did the Swansong Group people straighten up. “Mr. Fox, please come in,” Curtis said with a smile. He did not dare to stand up straight before Dustin and always kept his head
In the past, Dustin could only stand beside Patricia since he was not even offered a seat. After a few minutes, Dustin finally put his phone down. “What can I do for you?” Dustin asked despite knowing why they had come here. “Dustin, you’re impressive! I don’t know how you earned the Swansong Group’s approval. They value you so much… even more than us,” Zack said with a smile. “We underestimated you.” “Well, now you should see me differently,” Dustin said with a smile. “I do see you differently now,” Zack said with a meaningful look. Dustin just smiled and did not respond. “I’ll cut to the chase. Since the Swansong Group only wants you, you’re the only one who can handle this project. I’ll give you back all the authority. Go sign the contract with them,” Zack said seriously. But Dustin shook his head. “What do you want? Just say it,” Zack said straightforwardly. “I brought this great project to the Yeager family, but I got no credit and lost all my rights. Honestly,
Bam! In the Yeager family villa’s living room, Zack angrily threw a teacup on the floor and shattered it. Alex, who was kneeling, flinched in fear. “Did Dustin really say that?” Zack asked Alex darkly. “Absolutely!” Alex quickly said. “Grandpa, I sincerely asked Dustin to come back. I even apologized to him, but he completely ignored it. He cursed us and said that even if you went to ask him personally, he’d still have to think about whether or not to come back.” Alex’s exaggerated words made the Yeager family members angry. “He’s gone too far this time! Just because of a little luck, he thinks he’s all that! Hmph! What an ungrateful person!” “He is just someone with no family or status! How dare he act so arrogant with us! He’s ungrateful!” “A clueless person like him should just disappear!” Everyone shouted angrily. After all the shouting, everyone went quiet. What could they do? The success of the 1-billion-dollar project was at stake. What could they really do t
“Are you serious?” Patricia’s eyes widened in surprise. She could hardly believe it. Dustin was right. The Yeager family did send someone to take him back. Of all the people, Alex, who hated them the most, had to swallow his pride and come in person. What was going on? Patricia was shocked but also a little flattered. She glanced at Dustin, who was still focused on his game. Had he really seen this coming? ‘There’s no way the elders would ever lower themselves to ask Dustin to come back. Something must have happened,’ she thought. Being quick-witted, she quickly sensed that there was more to the story. “Come in.” She let Alex step inside. Alex looked at Dustin, but Dustin kept playing his game without even glancing at him. It was obvious he was ignoring him. Alex was furious, but no matter how much he hated this, he had to hold it in. “Dustin, Grandpa wants me to tell you that you’re getting the project back. He wants you to go to Mayhill and sign the contract ri