When Gus heard this, his expression changed, but he quickly regained his composure. “Mr. Fox, I don’t know who Wilhelm Proud is, and I have no connection to him,” he said calmly. Dustin was displeased. He knew Drake’s information was accurate. Gus was pretending to be clueless. “I’ll ask you again. Are you sure you don’t know him?” His voice became more forceful. “Mr. Fox, I wouldn’t lie to you. I really don’t know him.” Gus refused to admit it. “Alright.” Dustin nodded flatly. Then, he grabbed Gus’s shoulder and forced him down. Bam! Gus fell to his knees, and the tiles beneath him cracked. His face showed his pain, his pale lips trembled, and he almost passed out. He had thought Dustin was just an arrogant, rich heir. He figured if he denied knowing Wilhelm, he could get away with it. He never expected Dustin to deal with him so quickly. The bar was completely silent. No one expected Dustin to hurt Gus so suddenly. Raiden and the others watched from a dist
Birds chirped outside the window, and warm sunlight shone on Dustin’s face. He rubbed his eyes and slowly woke up. His head still felt a bit heavy from drinking too much last night. He sat up and checked his phone. It was already quite late. “Who brought me back here yesterday? Was it Devina?” He patted his forehead. He got out of bed and opened the door. From the kitchen, he heard the sound of a spatula hitting a pan. Looking over, he saw Simone wearing an apron and cooking. That was unusual. Simone did not like cooking, and her skills were not great. But ever since Dustin moved into her house, she had started learning to cook. Unfortunately, that meant he often had to taste her cooking. Seeing her in the kitchen, he could not help but feel a little nervous. “You’re up?” Simone looked at Dustin when she heard the noise. “Go wash up first, then drink the milk on the table. Breakfast will be ready soon,” Simone said. Dustin felt a bit conflicted. She was
“Let’s go inside.” Simone noticed Dustin was uncomfortable. She took his arm and led him in. As soon as they entered the living room, everyone stood up when they saw Dustin. “Have a seat,” Alvern said with a smile. He pulled out the chair at the head of the table and signaled for Dustin to sit. That seat was usually reserved for Alvern. Not long ago, Dustin did not even have a seat here, but this time, everyone was trying to get him to sit in the most important spot. “I don’t want to sit there.” Dustin took Simone’s hand and simply chose two other seats. “Wherever you want to sit is fine,” Alvern said with a smile and motioned for everyone to sit down. The family dinner began. But no one started eating until Dustin did. They all stared at him, and the atmosphere felt awkward. “Dustin, eat up,” said Simone and broke the silence as she put some food on his plate. Only then did Dustin start eating. When they saw this, the Langley family smiled and finally started eat
At the family dinner, the Langley family completely focused on Dustin. Everyone was careful around him and tried to win his favor by complimenting him. Simone did not enjoy the meal. She wondered what would happen when Dustin’s true identity was revealed. When that happened, Dustin would face pressure from both the Fawkes and Langley families. The more Dustin was praised, the more Simone felt worried. She was afraid that, when the time came, she might not be able to help him. After dinner, Alvern and the rest of the family personally saw Dustin and Simone out. They only went back inside after they had left. While driving home, Simone suddenly asked, “What will you do in the future?” “What?” Dustin asked in confusion. “You’re the adopted son of the Fawkes family. What will happen if that gets exposed? “You’ve made enemies with so many people and upset powerful families all over the province. Without the Fawkes family’s protection, how will you survive?” Simone was
“You’ve been in Hattan long enough. It’s time to go back to Central Harbor and claim what’s yours,” Otto said. “What if I don’t want to go back?” Dustin asked coldly. “Please take this call first.” Otto pulled out his phone, dialed a number, and handed it to Dustin. Dustin frowned. “Hello?” he said cautiously. “Dustin,” a woman said from the other end. Dustin’s face instantly darkened. He recognized the voice right away. It was the woman who, after the patriarch of the Fawkes family died, immediately turned on him and kicked him out of the family. She was Russell’s wife and the matriarch of the Fawkes family! “Dustin, you should come back,” Marissa said. Dustin sneered. “So, it’s you. What’s this? You couldn’t wait to kick me out of Central Harbor, and now you want me back?” Surprisingly, Marissa did not get angry. “You may not be a Fawkes by blood, but the will is clear. You have a rightful share. It belongs to you, and it’s time for you to claim it.” Her
Outside the fancy villa, Otto stood with a dark expression. Marissa pushed Otto hard, so he had to swallow his pride and ask Dustin to return to the Fawkes family. Dustin had agreed at first, but he still had not left. The pressure from Marissa made Otto anxious, so he had to come here every day to urge Dustin to go to Central Harbor. However, Dustin ignored him. The gate was locked, and Dustin had not even bothered to see him. It made Otto furious. As the head butler of the Fawkes family, he held a high position. Only Marissa had the authority to order him around. He did not even have to listen to other family members. He had never been disrespected like this before. Otto’s hatred for Dustin grew stronger. He had come here several times in the past few days, but each time, he was turned away. He could barely contain his anger. “Get Mr. Fox out here now! Or I won’t be so nice!” Otto said coldly to the guard. What kind of world was this? Even a lowly guard dared to t
Otto had originally thought that a guard, even if skilled in martial arts, would not be much of a challenge. He did not think the guard was worth his attention. But this surprised him. The strong force and powerful pure energy from the guard’s palm made Otto step back in shock. At the very least, the guard’s strength was equal to his own. “A guard who is a Martial Saint?” Otto could not believe it. He was shocked. Even the most powerful martial groups in Lovellia would not have a Martial Saint as a guard. Where did that useless Dustin find someone like this? Otto could not believe it and was struggling to accept it. “Who are you? Why are you stuck doing this job?” Otto demanded. A Martial Saint should not be reduced to being a guard. “How much did that useless Dustin pay you to lower yourself like this? The Fawkes family can offer you three times as much!” he angrily said. But as soon as the guard heard this, he got furious. “How dare you insult Mr. Fox! You’ve
“My Liege, we found a possible candidate based on Gus Mabry’s description. That person is Arno Jepperd!” Drake reported to Dustin. “Arno’s location is unknown at the moment, but I found something. Wilhelm Proud has a daughter who is studying at Hattan University. Her name is Patricia Proud. She was targeted by a daughter of the Jepperd family, Ashlyn Jepperd, after Wilhelm’s death. Ashlyn is currently holding the girl captive. “Ashlyn has a visual impairment condition in both eyes. She cruelly removed Patricia’s eyes for her own use. She also disfigured Patricia…” When Dustin heard that, his expression darkened. Wilhelm had died because of Dustin’s own sister, Diana. How could he possibly allow Wilhelm’s daughter to suffer this way? “Where is Ashlyn now?” Dustin asked icily. “She is in a high-class establishment celebrating her birthday.”“Get the car.” … Ashlyn’s birthday was a huge event because she was a member of an affluent family in Hattan. Ashlyn loved throw
The middle-aged man’s face immediately changed, and he shouted, “What did you say?!” Alex was shocked by his reaction. He felt nervous. He was not sure what had gone wrong. “You kicked Mr. Fox out? How dare you treat him like that?! You… Argh!” The man was furious, and his face twisted in anger. Alex was scared by his reaction. He did not understand why the representatives of the Swansong Group were so upset about Dustin being replaced. After all, Dustin was just the surviving descendant of the Fox family. Why would such a small thing make such important people so angry? What was Dustin even worth? “Please calm down,” Alex said humbly. “I’m the highest-ranking member of the third-generation descendants of the Yeager family. I’m here to sign the contract with you in complete sincerity.” “You?” The man looked at Alex coldly and sneered. “Who are you? Do you really think you can even talk to me?” “I…” Alex was left speechless. He could see how much the man looked down
The sky was gray today, with light rain. But no matter how bad the weather was, the Yeager family was too excited to care. Everyone had gathered together, and their faces were full of joy and excitement. Today, they were signing a contract with the Swansong Group. Alex held the contract proudly. Zack patted Alex’s shoulder and said hopefully, “Alex, our family’s future depends on you!” Everyone looked at Alex. This deal was a huge opportunity for the Yeager family. It could make them twice as powerful. “Grandpa, don’t worry! I won’t let anyone down. I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly!” Alex promised confidently. He was overjoyed and had been feeling great since yesterday. After all, he had taken this opportunity and credit away from Dustin. Just thinking about how Dustin had no choice but to accept it made Alex happier. “It’s just signing a contract. How hard can it be?” Alex was not worried at all. Dustin had already done all the negotiations. All Alex neede
“Alex, I’m putting you in charge of the Mayhill development project. Make sure you handle it well.” Zack publicly announced that Alex would be in charge of the big project. It was no surprise, as Alex was his favorite grandson. “Got it, Grandpa. Don’t worry, I’ll do it right and won’t let you down!” Alex patted his chest and promised. He was thrilled. He did not expect Dustin’s hard work to end up benefiting him. It was a huge surprise. The more he saw Dustin’s angry face, the happier he felt. The Yeager family members watched Dustin with cold eyes and gloated. Alex was happy and looked at Dustin with mockery. “This isn’t fair!” Patricia yelled. “Why should Alex take the credit for a deal Dustin made? Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves?” “Enough!” Zack shouted. “Patricia, know your place! How dare you speak like that to your elders?” someone yelled at her. “Patricia, the Yeager family has done a lot for you and your mom over the years. You should be more respectful
‘Who would have thought this loser could get so lucky? Damn it! How am I supposed to deal with him now?’ Alex thought. His face darkened in anger. He was the most upset person there. Patricia’s uncle and aunt, Evan and Yvonne, were also unhappy. They looked really upset. Dustin’s surprising success meant their plan had failed. They had hoped to get rid of Dustin and use their daughter to snag a rich husband, but that was ruined. Still, getting a 1-billion-dollar contract should bring some benefits, so it was not a total loss. “Dustin, you’re incredible!” Patricia said with admiration as she walked over to him. ‘After this, he won’t be looked down on in the Yeager family anymore,’ she thought. Everyone looked at Zack and waited for him to speak. Zack flipped through the contract a few more times before looking at Dustin. “Good job. This project is great for us,” Zack said with approval. “I checked the contract. The Mayhill development is based on the Yeager family’
“1 billion?” Alex’s eyes widened in shock as he repeated the number. He was not the only one. Everyone in the Yeager family was just as shocked. They were so surprised that they could hardly believe it. They had always looked down on Dustin, yet he had just secured a 1-billion-dollar deal. It was unbelievable. The dramatic turnaround was so unexpected that they could not process it right away. “1 billion? Someone invested 1 billion in you, and there is no repayment required?” Zack held the contract tightly and read it over and over again. He was afraid he was seeing things. His shock, confusion, and disbelief were so overwhelming that he lost his usual composure. “Did someone really invest 1 billion in Dustin?” Patricia jumped up from her seat and rushed over to check the contract in Zack’s hands. She was just as stunned. When she saw the clear terms of the contract, she could not help but feel overwhelmed. It took her a while to calm down. Dustin had actually achie
All the Yeager family members stared at Dustin and waited for him to continue. If he were just bragging, he would have to pay for what he said. ‘Dustin, oh Dustin, I didn’t expect you to paint yourself into a corner like this. You saved me the trouble,’ Alex thought happily. He was sure that Dustin would not be able to prove anything, and what awaited him would be Zack’s anger and the harsh rejection from the family. Patricia would also be dragged into this, and soon, both of them would be kicked out of the family. ‘When the time comes, I’ll do whatever it takes to torment and kill you,’ Alex thought as he stared at Dustin. He was already imagining the scenes in his mind. With everyone watching, Dustin remained calm. Not a hint of panic showed on his face. “You’ve all heard about Mayhill Peony Garden, right?” Dustin calmly asked. “Mayhill Peony Garden?” Everyone was briefly stunned. It had caused a lot of buzz recently. Mayhill Peony Garden was being called a miracle,
“The family entrusted you with the property to test your abilities, but instead of taking it seriously, you gave up completely. Do you even care about the family? Do you still respect me as the head of this household?” Zack’s stern rebuke was sharp as a blade and cut straight at Patricia. “Grandfather, I didn’t…” Patricia felt so helpless. She tried to explain, but the words would not come. The family had given her a pig farm with no value, yet they were using it as an excuse to scold her. How could this not feel like a personal attack? What fairness was there in this? Did the Yeager family even consider her part of the family anymore? “Then, where are the results? Show everyone what you’ve accomplished,” Zack’s voice rose. Patricia’s throat closed up. She could not utter a single word. How was she supposed to produce results from such a rundown place? Alex cheered internally as he watched her in distress. This was exactly what he wanted. While he basked in th
The days passed quietly, and Dustin did not bother doing much. Every day, he casually fed a few piglets at the farm and enjoyed a leisurely life. Patricia watched silently and often sighed to herself. She spent her days racking her brain to figure out how to break free from this predicament. But the starting point was too low, and no solutions came to mind. ‘At least get through this month. Spending this time with Dustin is something, at least…’ she thought gloomily. Dustin noticed her troubled state but did not say much to comfort her. He wanted to observe how long Patricia could hold out in adversity before deciding how much help he should offer her. If she lacked perseverance and determination, Dustin would only help resolve her immediate problems and ensure she lived comfortably in the future. But if she proved herself resilient, he would give her a platform big enough to showcase her talents fully. A week flew by in the blink of an eye. One day, they rec
“Have you heard? Something incredible just happened on Mayhill!” Overnight, news of Mayhill’s transformation spread like wildfire. By the next day, nearly everyone in Hattan was talking about it. The mountain of peonies became an instant sensation. A once-ordinary mountain had turned into a floral paradise and was blanketed in vibrant peonies in a single day. It was a sight so stunning that it defied convention! “I saw the pictures. Every inch of the mountain is covered in peonies! It’s unreal! I’m getting my friends together to go see it in person...” “And it’s not just any peonies! Some of them are incredibly rare. They’re flowers you’d never normally see, yet they’re all blooming on Mayhill!” “How is this even possible? Who on earth has the money to pull something like this off? To plant an entire mountain’s worth of peonies in a single day? The amount of manpower and resources needed is unimaginable!” Hattan was abuzz with speculation and awe. It was a miracl