After a long pause, Charlie turned to Bill. “This old man seems to be quite sharp. He thinks that he won’t be punished as long as he doesn’t answer. Bill, shatter both of his legs!”“Yes, Mr. Wade!” Bill obeyed.Looking at Dylan, who was now panicking, Charles spoke in a cold tone. “You only have your son to blame.”Following two horrifying screams, Dylan Hunt was now crippled as well. At the sight of his father being beaten up, Jerome felt as though he had lost control of his body. In just a few moments, he was sitting in a pool of liquid that had a strong and unpleasant smell.He had actually wet his pants!Charlie chuckled. “Well, won’t you look at that? It looks like you can’t control that thing of yours! It’s the main cause of everything that has gone down up till now! I’d say that you would no longer be needing it anymore!”He then ordered, “Since that’s the case, destroy the one thing that makes him a man!”Bill seemed to hesitate. As a man himself, upon receiving such an
Charlie then had his men carry the five of them out, adding before they left, “I’ll spare your lives for now. However, if any of this is leaked to anyone else, I’ll kill all of you, understood?”The five of them nodded without hesitation. It was pure luck to be still able to walk out alive after this, how could they dare to defy Charlie even further?Knowing that the five of them no longer dared to defy him, Charlie nodded in satisfaction and turned to Lawson Lewis. “Trying to manipulate my brother comes at a great price. I want you and your daughter out of the restaurant and for it to be transferred under my brother’s name by tomorrow, understood?”Lawson nodded repeatedly. “Understood, I’ll be out of the restaurant by tomorrow for sure!”Charlie then turned to Dylan Hunt. “Your son hooked up with my brother’s fiance, even going as far as to beat him up this badly. You’d better prepare two million dollars as a compensation fee to him, and don’t you dare try and cut corners, unders
Charlie nodded. “Just get some rest. Once you’ve recovered, you can then run the restaurant. If I need anything, I’ll be sure to find you.”Douglas exclaimed, “Whenever you need me!”Charlie then added, “Oh, by the way, don’t tell anyone about what happened today. I don’t want people to know who I am, understood?”Douglas nodded. “Understood. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to take this secret with me to the grave!”Charlie smiled. “I’ll have two caretakers to take care of you, just get some rest. I’ll be off.”Upon reaching home, Charlie didn’t plan on telling Claire about what had happened since he didn’t want her to know too much. It was safer if she didn’t know anything about his identity.The next day, as he was buying groceries, Charlie received a call. When he picked up the phone, he realized it was the daughter of the boss of Vintage Deluxe, Jasmine Moore.Confused, Charlie couldn’t help but wonder what Jasmine wanted from him.As the call went through, Jasmine spoke, “Mr. Wa
Jasmine had only told the truth. She really did think that the new chairman of Emgrand Group was a mysterious man.After all, he had been able to acquire a group that was worth over a hundred billion just because he wanted to. Moreover, he hadn’t shown his face at all throughout this process. It would seem that his net worth was much grander than that of Emgrand Group.In comparison, the Moore family would seem quite insignificant.However, she had not realized that the chairman of Emgrand Group was currently sitting in her passenger’s seat. Charlie, on the other hand, was a man who liked to keep things as low-profile as possible. Although he would dismissively respond to Jasmine, he never once revealed any information about his identity to her.In a fast but steady speed, they had arrived at a small garden near the river in just a few minutes. The garden was elegant and tranquil. On the outside, it seemed quite worn and crude, however, it was extremely grand on the inside. Fro
The fat man glanced at Travis before placing a simple wooden box onto the round table. Inside the box was a crimson red jade, seemingly an ancient treasure. As soon as the box was opened, everyone present felt as though the lobby had been filled with a hint of warm energy.Everyone’s eyes lit up.Jasmine turned to Quilt. “Uncle Quilt, what do you think?”Quilt stared at it and nodded. “I think it’s the real thing. It seems to be the Bloody Jade from the Zhou dynasty. It also appears to have been blessed by a very powerful monk!”Jasmine nodded and then turned to Charlie. “What do you think, Mr. Wade?”Charlie, on the other hand, scowled in disgust. “It’s a fake……” Quilt glowered at him. “You’re just a youngster, who gave you the right to lie through your teeth in front of this many people?” Matthew Gibson, the elderly man who was sitting next to Travis, opened his eyes and stared at the piece of jade. “May I hold it?”The fat man let out a cold laugh. “Mr. Gibson, are you kid
“Of course! Just speak your mind!” Quilt chuckled. “I would also like to see how you con artists lie to others!”Charlie shrugged. “I didn’t want to expose you guys, but if you insist, it would be rude for me to ignore you.”“Expose? So you’re saying that we have overlooked something?” The calm and collected Matthew Gibson laughed.Charlie took a glance at him and laughed. “He is the most idiotic one out of all of you…”“Do you have a death wish, you brat?” Matthew was infuriated.“The jade is real, don’t get me wrong.” Charlie then added, “But it’s not some bloody jade from the Zhou dynasty, nor was it blessed by a powerful monk. This is just a high-quality nephrite, but it is worth around fifty thousand maximum.”“Bullsh*t. Can’t you see that the jade is red in color!?” Quilt scowled.Charlie continued as if he had never been interrupted. “The red color of the jade is due to it being corrupted by potassium permanganate minerals. Did you really think that it was doused in the
Charlie was now furious. “Do you think you can get out of this by not talking, fatso? I’ll have you know, this is Aurous! Don’t you know that the people in this room are all just as powerful within this area? They can have you die in a ditch as long as they say so! I’d advise you to tell us the truth this instant, otherwise, you won’t even be able to save yourself!”Jasmine knew that Charlie was trying to manipulate him, hence, she put on a stern expression and played along. “The Moore family is fairly powerful. If anyone intends to scam any of us, we will surely teach him a good lesson. After all, if we were to spare them, our reputation in the public’s eyes would certainly be damaged!”The fat man was shocked to his core. He knew that the Moore’s indeed held extreme power in this area. If he were to piss Jasmine Moore off, he would surely die in Aurous!Panicking, he turned to Quilt in desperation. “Quilt, help me out! This isn’t what we agreed on!”Quilt’s facial expression chan
Jasmine had a very indifferent expression on her face as they sat in the car. For her, the fact that there was such a useless scumbag in her family was extremely frustrating. Moreover, what was even more vexing was the fact that Uncle Quilt had tried to set her up in front of so many outsiders.If he had fooled her into giving him the money today, Uncle Quilt would have escaped with all that money. Jasmine would have been really embarrassed if she had discovered the fact that she had been cheated only after losing a vast fortune that belonged to the Moore family!Fortunately, Charlie was present at that time and had saved her, helping her avoid losing her family fortune.Jasmine took out a bank card from the glove box in her car before she handed it over to Charlie. “Mr. Wade, there is about one million dollars in this card. The passcode is six ‘eights’. Please accept this as a form of my gratitude.”Jasmine could not help but sigh as she spoke. Why had Charlie chosen to join suc
Jacob wasn't really concerned with the invitation. He wouldn't be going anyway, and he wouldn't tell Elaine about it.Right now, he had a question.After hanging up on Walker, he asked curiously, "A designated driver would be just a few dozen bucks at most. Why get Walker?"Mr. Bay sighed meaningfully. "Jacob, my boy—it's not just my job description you must handle when you succeed me. You must understand the unspoken rules of the workplace as well as interpersonal relationships."Raising his right index finger, he chuckled, "Earning the loyalty of subordinates is a science. But it has to be a carrot and stick—never just the carrot, while offering them chances to be of service.""Take Walker, for example. As his boss, buying him lunch is 5 points. Ask for a favor, but it's 50 points instead!""As a leader, you should also make sure to give requests that are reasonable. That way, they will consider you to be their ally, or soon enough.""People are strange that way—psychology sim
Jacob certainly agreed with Mr. Bay. When going to a dinner where alcohol would be involved, having a designated driver would be most convenient.Still, Jacob had another plan in mind.Since he had a Cullinan and this was the perfect chance to show off, it would kill him not to drive."Actually, we should go on our own," Jacob told Mr. Bay right then. "We will take my car and get a designated driver to take us home. We can hang out in the backseat to chat—I mean, you'd be in a bad mood if you get a bad driver, bringing a car that stinks of tobacco. You know how bad it can get."Mr. Bay nodded cheerfully. "Alright! I'm counting on you!""Oh, it's only right!"Coming to an agreement, they hurried outside, with Jacob driving and Mr. Bay riding shotgun.They were having a pleasant conversation when Jacob suddenly got a call from Walker, who was his sub at Senior University.Answering with the in-car Bluetooth system, he said, "Hey, Walker. What's up?""Mr. Wilson! I'm done with cl
As such, Albert did not hesitate to say right then, "Don't worry, Mr. Wilson—since they are your friends, I will offer the half-price rebate as you've suggested! When the guests take their seats, I'll personally deliver a couple of nice bottles over as a token of my sincerity!"Oskia truly sets the bar when it comes to being humanistic.There were times when one must show due respect, but not too much either in case it changed the status quo.It was just like a couple eating out with a third-wheel.Even if the third-wheel was better off and happily took the check as the girl watched, there would inevitably be competitiveness. The generosity might even lead to the girl getting attracted to the third-wheel.As such, since Jacob was actually secondary in importance at the event, Albert would have to make sure not to rain on the host's parade while showing his respects to Jacob. Otherwise, the host may hold a grudge against Jacob even if everything was free of charge.And when it cam
Jacob put a hand on his chest. "Don't worry—everything is going to be fine when my son-in-law takes the stage."As soon as he finished speaking, an unknown number called his phone.He answered, hearing a familiar voice he couldn't quite place, "Good afternoon. Am I speaking to Mr. Jacob Wilson?""Yes. May I ask who I am speaking to?""Albert Rhodes, owner of Heaven Springs at your service. Would you happen to remember me?"Hearing that, Jacob turned on the speaker excitedly as he continued, "Oh, yes, Don Albert! Of course I remember!"Mr. Bay's eyes lit up when he heard Albert announce himself, and he mouthed, "Is that really Don Albert?!"Jacob nodded repeatedly, his vanity burgeoning.Mr. Bay was naturally thrilled too, and he leaned closer to listen just as Albert spoke humbly, "If it's alright with you, Mr. Wilson, please don't address me as Don Albert. It's just a title some brats came up with—you are Master Wade's father-in-law, which means you have seniority over me. So,
Mr. Bay was overjoyed, seeing how quickly Jacob agreed to it. "Thanks, Jacob! I owe you!" He exclaimed, but soon added, "It's past four now, and that bunch like to fraternize in the room before they eat. Could you get the room soon? I think they'll be arriving soon."Then, he moved closer to add quietly, "If you can get a Diamond Room like before, I will bring you along. I'm not going to lie, these are officials with decision-making authority. Being friends with them might propel us to new heights!"Jacob already knew that Mr. Bay was sucking up to his friend, otherwise, he wouldn't be so concerned when the dinner was organized by said friend. Understanding that the friend must be important too, Jacob was at once buoyed.After all, he had presumed that becoming vice president was the most he could achieve.Now, if he could attend that dinner with Mr. Bay and establish a good relationship with those bigwigs, he would have his turn when Mr. Bay got promoted too.With that in min
Reservations in Heaven Springs had always been unpredictable, and most rooms weren't open to the general public—even if said rooms were vacant for the night.It was not as if Albert Rhodes didn't want to make money when he built Heaven Springs. He simply didn't do it solely for profit, but only mostly for social events and posturing.Back when he was a humbler member of society, he realized that many bigwigs and even his fellows cared for pride a lot. Be it food, liquor, or even simply everyday consumption, they always strove for the best and the most expensive.That was why polite society valued their privacy and established their respective social circles, which was why Heaven Springs ensured that everything was first-rate: atmosphere, service, food, and clientele.Just like how bigwigs wouldn't dine at the same table as their goons, said goons wouldn't eat at the fancy places those bigwigs frequented even if they had money, as it may appear as if they were overstepping.That wa
As such, intent on keeping up his pretense, Jacob answered the phone, "Looking for me, Matilda?""Uh-huh," Matilda replied, and asked, "You didn't show up at Senior University, and your sub is saying you probably won't be coming for a while? Is that true?""Oh—right, that," Jacob quickly said. "Well, it's true—the gist of it is that the Association is getting busy with a project. As the vice president, I probably shouldn't be staying at Senior University all the time, right?""Heck, Mr. Bay called me last minute, telling me how busy we're going to be and that I was needed. That's why I had to go back, but I will head over to campus again when I have the time."Matilda knew right then that those were all excuses.However, she did not expose Jacob, instead asking, "Well, when are you free? So that I can send you my wedding invitation?""Oh, the invitation?" Jacob quickly chuckled. "You really didn't have to come to me—just pass it to Walker, my sub lecturer. He can pass it to me wh
The next afternoon, there was a sudden change of lecturers for the calligraphy class.Despite being the vice president of the Calligraphy and Painting Association, Jacob never showed up, instead getting a substitute instructor to replace him.Matilda had come with the invitation Yolden had written for Jacob, but seeing that Jacob wasn't at the lecture hall, she waited until the class was over to ask the sub, "Excuse me, can I ask why Mr. Wilson wasn't teaching this class?""He's busy at the association," the sub replied. "So, I'm taking over his class."Curious, Matilda pressed, "Then, would you happen to know when he will be coming?""Probably not for a while," the sub replied. "He delegated other classes to me as well, telling me that I could just stick to the PowerPoint slides."Then, he asked, "Do you have business with Mr. Wilson?"Matilda nodded. "Yes, but I can call him myself. Thank you."Leaving the lecture hall, Matilda called Jacob, who was goofing off in his office
On the other end, Matilda was left staring at Jacob's reply in confusion.She had presumed that Jacob would understand when she mentioned inviting his whole family that he should be coming up with an excuse to skip attending her wedding.That was the most ideal solution.As such, she was shocked that instead of playing along, Jacob's reply was short and blunt.[No problem. The four of us will be there!]Perplexed, Matilda was left wondering what Jacob meant. Was he really going to attend her wedding with Elaine?The thought left Matilda frowning as she absolutely didn't want to see Elaine—especially not at her own wedding.Yolden was writing an invitation when he saw the somber look on her face, and he couldn't help asking, "Is there a problem?""Jacob replied," Matilda admitted. "And he's saying that he will bring his whole family.""Really?" Yolden was confused too, as he was hardly as eccentric as Jacob. "But he's afraid of his wife and shouldn't be telling her at all…