Nella's exaggerated reaction left Frederick somewhat taken aback."Who’s that person outside?" he asked, his tone shifting between anger and concern."My ex-boyfriend! He's a gambler—a reckless one! He's capable of anything!" Nella's face was ashen. "So, Mr. Lester, I'm begging you—please don't open the door! If you do, I'm certain I'll be in serious trouble!"Frederick paused, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he made a decisive turn and reached for the door handle."Don't!" Nella's desperate cry was too late. The door was already opening."Nella!"A man with a relatively handsome face barged in. Upon seeing Frederick, his expression turned furious. "You filthy liar! So you're really sneaking around with another man! What a tramp!"He raised his hand, and slapped Nella hard.The blow made Nella stumble, crashing into the coffee table. Her knee struck the edge, immediately drawing blood."How dare you hit me?" she demanded, her eyes wide with shock and fury. She l
Nella's face instantly turned ashen when she heard those words. Her expression was one of utter despair as she cast a final, hopeless glance at Frederick. It seemed that, once again, she was reminded of the unreliability of men. Her late alcoholic father had been like this, and now, her gambling ex-boyfriend was proving to be just the same!For someone as young and accomplished as Frederick, a small-time livestreamer like herself was indeed insignificant."Carl! Why are you here again? I'm no longer your girlfriend! Get out!" she yelled, her eyes bloodshot and her voice dripping with venom."Nella, stop causing a scene. If you come back to me, I'll treat you the same way I did before!" Carl seemed unfazed, reaching out as if he intended to embrace her just as he had in the past.No matter how outrageous his behavior had been, a little flattery was usually enough to win her back and draw her into his arms. But this time, his usual tricks didn't work.Nella stepped forward qui
"Is that really an option?" Carl's face lit up with joy at the suggestion. "No problem! After all, she's my woman. I've been with her many times before—she knows the ropes! It'll be a piece of cake for her to please you."Drake smirked, and rested his chin on his hand. Then, he said, "Not bad. You may be a jerk, but you know how to play the game!""Carl Jordon! Are you even human? Are you really selling me off?!" Nella yelled. She was thunderstruck, her anger boiling over. She couldn't believe she had once been so blind as to be with such a person. Look at what he was saying—how could he even be considered human?"Nella, why are you making a fuss? This isn't the first time. Haven't we done this sort of thing before? This time, it's just with Mr. Drake instead!" Carl laughed shamelessly, reaching out to grab Nella. "Come on, hurry up and serve Mr. Drake properly!"However, she refused to obey him and lashed out. "Get away! I told you, we already broke up! You don't have the ri
The thugs, poised and ready, looked like they were about to spring into action at any moment."That guy owes us so much money. If he dies, who will we get it from? From you?" Drake sneered dismissively.Frederick remained calm and composed. "He owes you twenty million, correct? I'll give you thirty million."At these words, Drake and his men were momentarily stunned."Are you serious? Don't think you can just trick us with this little game! Do you think we're fools living on the streets?" Drake's skepticism was evident."I'm Frederick Lester, the general manager of Aerowind Enterprise. Here's my business card." Frederick tossed a card at their feet."Is he really a big shot?" One of Drake's subordinates picked up the card, gasping in shock. "I remember now! Nella kept calling him 'Mr. Lester', right? That's really Aerowind Enterprise's boss's name! It's that up-and-coming livestreaming company making waves in Centropolis, right?"Drake's demeanor immediately shifted from arrog
"I didn't say I wouldn't give you the money. Why are you in such a hurry?" Frederick said with a smirk."But thirty million is no small amount. Even as a company general manager, it's difficult for me to access this money without drawing attention."Drake's face shifted between anger and being calculative. "So what do you want?" "Let's go to the bank. I'll personally withdraw the money for you," Frederick said, his smile devoid of warmth."Great! Mr. Lester, you're a straightforward person! I'll remember this favor. If you need any dirty or tough jobs done in the future, just let my brothers and me know, and we'll be right there!" Drake's demeanor brightened as he spoke, his previous hostility melting away.However, his tone turned more calculating. "But leaving Ms. Garcia alone here doesn't seem right. Why not come with us to get the money? It's better to have someone to look out for her on the way."Frederick's smile remained unchanged. "That's fine."Drake was a crafty old
Drake's face twisted into a snarl. "Withdraw forty million now! I'll break your legs if you come up short by even a penny! And your woman? She can't leave until each of my men has had his turn with her!"Frederick's shameless antics only further enraged Drake. The consequences for doing so were severe!He was ready to rip off the facade of civility. Today, Frederick was going to get a taste of his wrath!Nella's face turned ashen. "You want money and to use us like that? Do you even have a shred of humanity left?""Humanity in our underground society?" Drake scoffed. "You might as well go hug god's statue in a church!""Nella, I command you to shut up." Frederick calmly pulled her back into his embrace, and added nonchalantly, "You talk too much, and it lowers my status. Do you understand?"Nella was at a loss for words. The shock of Frederick's cold demeanor left her unsure how to respond.Trembling, she said, "Mr. Lester, don't you realize we're surrounded?""Really?" Fre
"I understand the rules. I'm the one who understands them best!"Rocky gritted his teeth, and cut two of his own fingers.Nella nearly screamed. Oh my god, it was horrifying! He had voluntarily mutilated himself!Frederick was stunned. "I only asked for one finger.""Mr. Lester, you asked for one finger. The other is my own punishment!" Rocky said in a booming voice.Indeed, Rocky lived up to his name.Frederick decided not to press the issue further. "Alright. I'll leave this man to you. This matter is concluded."Rocky nodded vigorously. "Thank you, Mr. Lester! Thank you for the opportunity!"He then turned and stepped on Drake's head with a loud crunch. A piercing scream followed as Drake's skull was crushed.Seeing this, Frederick took Nella, who was trembling, and left the scene."Mr. Lester, why are the people from the underground world so respectful to you?" Nella asked, still in shock.She hadn't anticipated that her boss had such a formidable presence in the under
It was Willard and Jillian—the deputy human resource manager Frederick fired before, and the livestreamer who had made it to the interview through her connections.At this moment, they strutted about like victorious roosters, their airs of superiority palpable.Jillian, with her hands on her hips and nose in the air. "Jasmine, things have changed. Don't talk to us with that condescending attitude! You're not in a position to do so."We're here representing the bigshots behind the scenes to demand a refund! Everyone knows your boss at Aerowind Enterprise is missing. After failing to reach him for so long, the major investors and backers have pulled out."And here you are, still trying to act tough?"Jasmine's face paled, as if her wounds had been exposed. "Our general manager is just missing, not dead! We're actively trying to contact him, so stop spreading false rumors! Besides, even without Mr. Lester, Aerowind Enterprise still has me and a team of elite staff. We're still stan
Heston was still scoffing when he received a call from Giovanni.He was taken aback, and he nervously glanced at Frederick. 'No way…'The moment he picked up the phone, he got a torrent of scolding.Meanwhile, a bloody power struggle was underway in the Imperial Capital.After the Conservatives took down Woody, their ambition surged. They now aimed to dismantle the entire Radicals faction. Though the Radicals had already compromised in the Woody affair, they were taken aback by the Conservatives' greed and refused to back down any further.A fierce conflict broke out between the two sides, quickly escalating into open warfare. The entire Imperial Capital was placed under lockdown, with martial law in effect. Gunfire and smoke filled the air as both sides clashed, and the violence soon spread across Drakonia. Armies from all regions were mobilized, and a war was about to erupt. At this critical moment, the First Elder woke up.Years ago, after deposing the Dark Monarch of
Senspiras, located in the southeast of Drakonia, was also a neighboring country of Drakonia. It also has the largest population of overseas Drakonians. Many of the wealthy families in Senspiras migrated from Drakonia within the past century or two. The current richest man in Senspiras was one such example."Is Mr. Stone your father?" Frederick raised an eyebrow and asked."Looks like you've got some sense! Name your price!" Heston smirked, and pulled out a checkbook.Frederick's expression darkened."Your dad's assets are not even enough to wipe my shoes. Who do you think you are, pretending to be a big shot? Get lost!"Frederick quickly realized that Heston was just a spoiled brat who would throw money around bullying people. Since he wasn't much of a real threat, Frederick wasn't bothered by dealing with him. Upon hearing Frederick's words, Heston was stunned. "Are you out of your mind? My dad is the richest man in Senspiras! How dare you belittle him?" “So what? Your enti
Sylvia had so many questions. She wanted to know what Frederick had been doing to provoke such dangerous enemies. She wanted to know if Frederick had really killed a hundred people. She wanted to understand how her son had gained such abilities. And most of all, she wondered if Frederick had been living this kind of disturbing life all these years."Mom, we'll talk about it when we get home," Frederick said, gently lifting Sylvia and leaving the company.On the way, Frederick lightly tapped on Sylvia's head, and she quickly fell unconscious. He had used a special method to erase part of her memory.When they arrived home, Sylvia slowly woke up."Fred! Why are you suddenly home?" Sylvia exclaimed in surprise when she saw Frederick."I'm about to go on a long trip, so I came to visit. Why are you sleeping on the couch instead of in your room?" Frederick smiled.Sylvia sat up from the couch, feeling a bit stiff and sore."I was talking to your sister on the phone. How did I
"Yes, it was me. If no one managed to escape, the entire Steinfields family—except for children under sixteen and elders over seventy—should be dead by now," Frederick said with a smirk.If he didn't deter the Steinfields with a show of force, others might try the same methods against him in the future.Hearing this, Kaizer's face went blank and terror filled his eyes. At that moment, Frederick's phone rang. It was Melanie calling. Frederick answered, and put the call on speaker. "How did it go? Tell me, so Kaizer here can hear," Frederick said."There were a hundred and seventy-three Steinfields. Fifty-two were children and elders. The remaining hundred have all been executed!" Melanie reported. Kaizer spat out a mouthful of blood in shock. "No way! We're the Steinfields! The Steinfields of Imperial Capital! How could this happen?"In a panic, Kaizer fumbled with his phone, trying to call his family. However, every call he made went unanswered."You'll find out for sure onc
"Let her go!"A sharp voice rang out.Kaizer instinctively turned around, and he was stunned by Nella's beauty. He couldn't believe someone like her existed."Nella, why did you come down?" Jasmine called out, her eyes widened in panic. She had specifically told them not to come down.Nella trembled in fear. "Ms. Smith, we were worried about you!"Though she was terrified, she still stepped forward. She couldn't just stand by and watch Jasmine get assaulted."Well, well, Frederick sure is lucky with women. But now, they're all mine. Who would've thought that I'd be blessed with a feast before leaving Drakonia!" Kaizer was practically drooling.He let go of Jasmine, and rushed toward Nella eagerly. Nella backed away step by step, but soon found herself cornered."Haha, come to me!" Kaizer spread his arms wide, lunging toward Nella.Just as he was about to grab her, a thunderous crash shook the room. The outer wall of the building crumbled down.Frederick had burst through it a
Meanwhile, Frederick had just gotten off the plane. As soon as he turned on his phone, he saw a long list of missed calls from Selene.He immediately felt uneasy. Selene would never call him so many times unless something urgent had happened.He was about to call her back when his phone rang again.Frederick answered Selene's call quickly, but before he could ask anything, Selene's tearful voice came through."Fred, Mom's been kidnapped!"Frederick's face darkened instantly, and his killing aura surged."Alright. Don't worry, Mom will be fine."With that, Frederick hung up the phone; he then immediately called Melanie, who was still in the Imperial Capital, lazily lounging in bed."Do you have any intelligence on the Steinfields in the Imperial Capital?" Frederick asked through gritted teeth.He didn't need much thought to figure out who was behind this. There was hardly anyone left in Mirage City bold enough to cross him, except for Kaizer. And now, Sylvia had been kidnapped
When the elevator doors opened, Jasmine stepped out into the lobby.Kaizer's eyes lit up as he eyed her from head to toe. Though he had seen pictures of her before, she was more of an eye candy in person. Kaizer, holding his rifle, approached her. "Ms. Smith, you certainly kept me waiting!""What do you want with me?" Jasmine asked coldly. She knew that showing fear or vulnerability would only embolden these lawless men."Ms. Smith, why don't you take a guess?" Kaizer reached for Jasmine and lifted her chin with the barrel of his gun, forcing her to look at him.Jasmine met his gaze without a hint of fear."Is it money you want? The company has ten million in cash reserves. You can take it, and I guarantee I won't call the police. We can pretend nothing ever happened as long as no one is hurt. As for the funds in the company’s accounts, you wouldn’t be able to take it even if I transfer the money to you with today’s financial systems," Jasmine spoke calmly."Ms. Smith, you're q
Bang!With a loud crash, the door was violently kicked open. Kaizer and his men stormed into Frederick’s place.Sylvia was startled, and she shouted, "What do you guys want?" "We're here to kidnap you!" Kaizer strode toward Sylvia. Then, he snatched away her phone and crushed it."Tie her up and take her away!" Kaizer and his men acted quickly. Selene, on the other end of the video call, was shocked by the strangers. Fortunately, she was still on alert. She quickly tried to call Frederick while shaking with fear. However, Frederick’s phone was off since he was on a flight."How’s everything going on your end?" Kaizer asked his men over the phone."We’ve rigged all four walls of Aerowind Enterprise with high-powered explosives. Once we detonate them, the whole building will turn to ashes," his subordinate reported.A smile finally appeared on Kaizer’s face. "Good, I’m heading over now." Soon, Kaizer arrived at Aerowind Enterprise with a backpack."I want to see Ms. Sm
Upon hearing Frederick’s words, Woody stumbled. "Take him away!" one of the senior officials from the Supervision Department ordered.The respected elder of the Drakonia Royal Court, Woody, was escorted away along with the evidence and witnesses."After today, the Lamberts will cease to exist, and you're finally free." Frederick sighed in relief, and smiled at Easton.Easton looked slightly lost. He wasn’t sure what to do next with his sudden freedom. "What's wrong? Struggling to find a new purpose in life?" Frederick teased.Easton nodded, and replied, "Yeah, my ambitions have been completely worn down these three years. I feel a bit aimless.""Should I find you a job?" Frederick suggested casually."It’s best if I could work for you, Mr. Lester!" Easton’s eyes lit up with excitement."I have a pharmaceutical company under me. If you're interested, you could take the position of Chief of Biomedical Engineering," Frederick said jokingly. To his surprise, Easton was genuinely