Sherah immediately screamed when she heard Liam wanted to come along, "What? What do you mean you want to go as well? What's the point? What does this have anything to do with you?""No, no, he can come if he wants! That way, he'll finally realize just how little he has on me and that he can't even compete against me!" Kayson said, sneering. He was already beginning to formulate a plan in his head. He would teach Liam a lesson once they arrived at their lunch venue later, and Liam would finally realize just how little he had compared against Kayson and give up trying to resist!When that happened, Celena would become his once and for all!The thought of the most beautiful woman in the entire Drunham City becoming his wife, the person he would spend countless nights with, made Kayson shudder with ecstasy. Upon hearing this, Sherah stifled her displeasure and forced out a meek smile. "Very well then, Mr. Wheeler. Since you've allowed him to, we shall bring him along to our lunch!"
Kayson stepped out of his Porsche and tossed the keys to the valet, then sauntered over to Celena's side and offered her his hand. "Celena, I've purposely booked a private room in the Quintessence Grill for you! This restaurant is known for its team of Michelin five-star chefs who cook only with the freshest ingredients flown in by air every single day! A private room here requires a minimum spend of fifty thousand dollars and has a waiting list that's subject to availability. I do hope that the food here will suit your fancy!"As he said this, Kayson glanced at Liam out of the corner of his eye and even deliberately raised his voice to make Liam realize just how rich he was and hopefully leave out of insecurity.To his surprise, Liam replied calmly, "Just fifty thousand dollars? That's not even that much."Kayson froze at this, then sneered and said, "What? Just fifty thousand dollars? Come on, Liam, you're already in your thirties, so stop acting like a child. Don't lie about thin
Celena stood off to the side, clad in a flowing white dress, cradling Jovie in her arms. They seemed to glow with an otherworldly charm, turning heads as they went. Celena, worried Liam might lose his composure, kept shooting him warning glances."Liam, please, keep it down. I know you can't stand the guy, and neither can I, but my folks... Let's just get through this meal quietly and head home, okay?" Celena murmured, her face etched with discomfort.Liam caught Celena's gaze, then shot a look at Kayson, who was smugly smirking and throwing challenging glances his way. He let out a heavy sigh, quelling the fire in his chest, and gave a slight nod."Fine, your call."Liam's composure made Kayson think he had backed down, which only made Kayson's sneer grow wider. With a snide chuckle, he strutted into the restaurant ahead of everyone else.Trailing behind were Sherah and Yafe with their trio, followed by Liam and Celena's little family. The sight of a family bringing their son-in-
Kayson always aimed to impress Celena with his gentlemanly charm, so he did not plop down in a seat right away when they entered the private room. Instead, he gave Yafe and Sherah a warm, inviting look, waving them over with a smile. "Go ahead, take a seat! Feel right at home!"Sherah's smile stretched from ear to ear, and she eagerly responded, "Mr. Wheeler, you're too much! So courteous and such a catch. If you were my son-in-law, I'd be over the moon!"While Kayson helped Yafe and Sherah get comfortable, Qemal wandered around the room, curiously inspecting everything. Kayson did not bother to call him over, and he outright ignored Liam.Sherah sank into a chair, her face lighting up with delight. "Oh, this chair is like sitting on a cloud! It's gotta be pricey, huh?""You bet. Each one's a grand, and they swap them out daily. Bet there are folks who couldn't even dream of affording a chair like this!" Kayson boasted, puffing up with pride. His tone was lofty, as if he owned ever
Kayson then looked at Liam as if he was doing him a huge favor for Celena's sake. "I'll pull some strings and get you in. How's nine hundred a month sound? That's more than what many office workers make in Drunham City!"What he left unsaid was clear: Liam should be thankful for that opportunity, considering he would be hard-pressed to find anything better.Sherah spoke up quickly, "Liam, what are you waiting for? Go on, thank Mr. Wheeler! And wipe that frown off your face. You know you can't just coast on your wife's coattails forever, right? Jovie's just a kid now, but what about when she's older and in school? You're gonna lean on Celena then, too?""Yeah, I've never seen anyone as brazen as you, getting hooked on being a freeloader?" Qemal chimed in, his voice dripping with contempt.Celena's face turned a sickly shade of pale. Since they had arrived at Quintessence Grill, Kayson had not stopped putting Liam down, and it was getting worse by the minute. Then her own parents wer
Sherah shot Liam a withering look and added, "Liam, don't take it to heart. We all see what's going on; nobody's making up stories about you!"Celena's scowl deepened as Sherah pushed her back into her seat with an iron grip. One hand clamped down on Celena's arm, the other pinching so hard it drew a pained gasp from her.The mood in the private dining room turned awkward. Kayson, noticing the tension, hit the service bell. The door swung open, and in glided a woman in a striking blue and white uniform, balancing a tray with the grace of a dancer, a waiter with a cart of dishes trailing behind her.Each dish was a testament to freshness, flown in that very day and crafted with care by the renowned Mr. Waine. They were as much a feast for the eyes as for the palate, luxurious and artfully presented.As the feast unfolded before them, Qemal and Sherah could hardly contain their excitement, their eyes wide, their mouths watering.Kayson watched, a smug smile playing on his lips as he
She could understand what they were saying, but she could not grasp why the Stones just could not stand her. Why did her grandparents and uncle have such a dislike for her?With that in mind, Jovie turned to Liam, her voice quivering as if she were about to cry. "Daddy, please don't be mad. I won't eat anymore. I'm not hungry..."Liam saw the hurt in Jovie's eyes, her brave attempt to hold back tears, and her mature statement. His heart ached for her, and he wrapped her in a comforting embrace.Celena was torn apart inside. Caught between her own family and her daughter and husband, Jovie's distress twisted her heart even more. She shot Qemal a fierce look and demanded, "Qemal, what are you trying to do? Jovie's just a child. How can you be so cruel? She's my daughter. What's the big deal if she has a bite to eat? Didn't you all ask me to come to dinner?"Perhaps Celena's words were too sharp. Sherah could not take it any longer. She threw her silverware down on the table, her face
Yafe held back from saying anything too harsh, worried that too much pressure might backfire.Celena's expression turned stormy. Her own family, blinded by greed, were shamelessly pushing her into another marriage. The thought alone soured her heart, and tears of hurt cascaded down her cheeks. "No way! I won't have it! I refuse to remarry! If we can't see eye to eye, then I've lost my appetite! Liam, grab Jovie, we're leaving!"With that, Celena rose to her feet, scooping up the bag, while Liam followed suit, cradling Jovie in his arms.Kayson's worry spiked, but Sherah was already by Celena's side before he could move, gripping her hand with a gentler touch. "Okay, okay, let's drop it for now. We promised to share a meal today, and I won't press you any further. However, do give it some thought to what I've said. It's all logical. Mr. Wheeler went out of his way to invite you here to this fancy place. It'd be rude to just walk out now, wouldn't it?"Sherah realized she had been to
However, Andy was a smooth talker, so the eldest member of the Drayton family liked him. Because of that, the head of the family tolerated him. That was why Andy, who was just a member of the branch family, dared to be so cocky.Andy saw Howard standing at the side from the corner of his eye as he spoke. He thought of what Howard said earlier, and that made his blood boil.He pointed at Howard and bellowed, "Uncle Derrick, this Howard is trash as well. You have no idea. I told him I was a member of the Drayton family, yet he did not take our family seriously at all."Not only did he have his men capture me, but he said cockily that he wanted to lock me up forever, and nobody could stop him."Weren't you very cocky before this, Mr. Mosier? Go on. Continue acting cocky in front of my uncle now. Detain me and lock me up forever."Andy took a couple of steps closer to Howard as he said that. He extended his hands arrogantly and said, "Come on. I have my hands stretched out for you. Hu
Soon, Andy and the thugs from the nightclub yesterday were released.Andy saw Derrick standing at the entrance of the police headquarters at a glance. He got so excited that he shouted, "Uncle Derrick! Uncle Derrick!"Fletcher's subordinates were incredibly excited to see Derrick as well. All of them shouted, "Mr. Derrick Drayton!"One of the subordinates was in Drunham City because Derrick arranged for him to be there. After he was brought to Derrick's side, he smiled apologetically and said, "Thank you for saving me, sir. Don't worry. Fletcher's faction and properties are all here. I'll be able to rebuild the faction here very soon."In other words, even if Fletcher was out of the picture, he would be able to thrive in Drunham City and replace Fletcher.However, Derrick shot an icy glare at him and sneered. "Hmph! How shameless of you to say that? There are so many of you, yet you can't deal with a small loser who only married into the Stone family."If it wasn't because this w
Howard did not expect that the Drayton family would have a connection with the Carter family. They could even produce a token from the Carter family."Mr. Derrick Drayton, I didn't expect that your family and the Carters go way back. You even got the Carter family's token out," said Howard.Derrick sneered and said, "Enough with the nonsense. Howard, my family did the Carter family a favor back then, that's why the general of the Carter family gave this token to us. He promised us that we could take out this token if we were ever in a bind in the future, and they would help us!"I'm taking out this token today to tell you that I'm going to bail Andy out of here. I'd like to see who in Drunham City has the guts to stop me!"Howard was stunned, and then he fell silent.He did not think that Derrick would take out a token from the Carter family.The Carter family was the top family in Mirstone. Nobody in Mirstone would dare to go against the Carter family. Derrick became even more
Meanwhile, Derrick and his men were already at the entrance of the police headquarters.Derrick's eyes were burning with rage as he looked at the door that was shut tightly. A sneer appeared on his lips as he said, "Hmph. Looks like they already know I'm coming, so they are deliberately trying to assert dominance."Then, he asked his driver next to him, "Where are our men? Have they all arrived?"The driver nodded and said, "They're here, Mr. Derrick. They are all waiting at the side. We'll tear down the main door to the police headquarters once you give the command."Derrick nodded with satisfaction. Then, he shouted at the police headquarters, "Howard! You're just the chief of the police headquarters! How dare you lock me outside?""I'd like to see how powerful you are today, Howard! Come on, guys. Take it down!"At his command, a group of burly men rushed out of the black van next to him. They were all holding thick bats, and they rushed up to the door ferociously.Right at t
At first, Yafe and the rest of the Stone family were stunned after they heard what Liam said. Then, they all burst out laughing.Yafe looked at Liam with a mocking gaze and said, "Are you kidding me, Liam? You're going to get the Draytons to come and apologize in person? Come on, that's the Drayton family we're talking about! Do you think they are just some nobody?"Right now, I don't want to waste my breath anymore. As long as you're able to stop the Drayton family from targeting us, I'm more than grateful. Don't you forget that you're the one who wanted to leave the Stone family? So, stop dragging us into your mess."Liam shot the crowd with an icy glare and brought Celena out of the Stone Mansion.Celena was still in a slight daze after they got into the car. Liam put on her safety belt for her and asked, "What's the matter, dear? Are you still worried about the Draytons?"Celena nodded and replied, "Yes. After all, all these were caused by the conflict between Andy and us. Jus
Liam wanted to ask what the family heirloom was, but he had no choice but to let it be after he heard what Yonatan said.However, Liam heard Yonatan's voice again, saying, "I've never seen that thing, but I heard from the Drayton family members that it was from a big shot in the military."The military?Liam's eyebrows furrowed once he heard it had something to do with the military. Then, he kicked Yonatan away, making him land next to the thugs.Yonatan passed out because of that kick.Once the thugs saw their leader was out cold, they took a couple of steps back in fear.However, Liam did not care about them at all. He looked at Yafe and the others instead.Once the Stone family members saw that they were out of the woods, they became cocky again.Yafe and Sherah, in particular, were so cocky that they ran up to Liam and condemned him, "Look what you've done! You're bad luck! What else can you do other than cause us trouble? Do you know who that is? He is from the Drayton fam
Yonatan was infuriated and bellowed, "So this is how you're going to play! Alright! I'm not going to stop until I kill you today!"Yonatan was radiating an intense desire to battle. That was the air exuded by a fighter of Fourth Order War King caliber.The Stone family was so frightened by the air he exuded that their faces turned pale. All of them took more than ten steps back in fear, afraid they would be injured by mistake.Yonatan clenched his fist and charged at Liam like a ferocious beast. His fist was packing so much power that it created a sonic boom, cutting through the air and going for Liam's face.The punch was so powerful that it could kill a bull right away.The Stone family thought Liam was going to die. Nobody would be able to survive a punch like that.Yonatan thought the same. He was very confident in his ability. He looked into Liam and knew he used to be a soldier, as well as a good fighter. However, so what?No matter how skilled Liam was in combat, could he
The moment Liam stepped into view, the Stone family members lit up as if they had spotted their guardian angel. They pointed at him, their voices rising in a chorus of relief and accusation. "Mr. Yonatan, look over here! It's Liam! I said they weren't with us!""Exactly! Mr. Yonatan, see for yourself, Liam's not part of our family!""Mr. Yonatan, now that Liam's here, if you're looking to pin the blame on someone, he's your man!""Liam, you actually showed up. If you hadn't crossed the Drayton family, would we, the Stones, have ever been dragged into this mess?""Liam, Celena, you two are nothing but trouble. You've left the family, so why keep stirring the pot for us?"...The air crackled with the Stone family's collective outrage, their faces twisted in anger as if they were ready to rip Liam and Celena to shreds.Celena and Liam's arrival was pure happenstance. They were just in the neighborhood to check in on an old friend when they overheard Yonatan's boastful taunts.Lia
Yonatan did not even bother to look at him. He checked his watch with a chilling laugh and said, "You've got ten minutes for Liam to show up. Don't say I didn't warn you."The words sent a wave of shock through Yafe and the rest of the Stone family, who stared at Yonatan, panic-stricken.Yafe was a mess, desperate to explain, but the sight of Yonatan's henchmen, eager and ready for a fight, stopped him dead in his tracks."Mr. Yonatan, I swear it's the truth. Liam has nothing to do with the Stone family anymore. You've made a mistake!"Yafe's face was flushed with urgency as he tried to convince the unmoved man."It's true, Mr. Yonatan! Liam and Celena were kicked out of the Stone family ages ago.""That's right! He's got nothing to do with us anymore. If you're after Liam, go to the villa at Emerald Lake. He's there, not here with us.""Mr. Yonatan, if you head over to Drunham City and ask anyone, they'll tell you the same thing: Liam and Celena have no ties to us Stones anymor