"Our marriage, of course!" Rachel said, catching Gideon completely off guard.Gideon rolled his eyes. "What kind of nonsense are you talking about now?"Rachel huffed. "Word is, you're divorcing Elara. That makes you practically single, which means we can finally talk about our wedding.""Not interested," Gideon replied flatly."Not interested? Hah! Do you even realize how many men would kill for a chance with me? You're taking your blessings for granted.""I'm afraid I'm not cut out for such blessings. You'd better find someone else," Gideon said, a playful glint in his eyes as he watched Rachel pout in frustration.He continued, "You're still young—why waste time on romance? A woman should prioritize her career. Focus on running Avila Group instead."Rachel sighed inwardly, knowing full well that Gideon's true status was beyond imagination. Even as Goldspire's most accomplished businesswoman, she couldn't hold a candle to him.The conversation shifted as Rachel began briefing
Jacob handed the documents to Matthew and said, "Good luck, son. I'll be waiting for the good news."Matthew, grinning, made his way to Avila Group. He contacted Rebecca and then headed to the CEO's office.When Rebecca saw Matthew, she was dumbfounded, her lips twitching."You like what you see, old woman? Too bad. You're too old for me and not my type. Otherwise, I'd take you to the moon, too!" Matthew thought smugly as he noticed Rebecca couldn't take her eyes off him."Ms. Penn, here are the documents," Matthew said."Thank you," Rebecca replied, suppressing her disgust as she flipped through the papers.Matthew took a seat and asked, "Ms. Penn, isn't Ms. Avila coming over to take a look?""I'll go through this first," Rebecca responded.After briefly reviewing the documents, Rebecca furrowed her brows and said, "Is this really all the Carters can provide?""That's right. It's everything—nothing is left out. Even my company's losses are included. Absolutely nothing hidden,
"Alright. Come back to me once you've handled everything," Rachel said as she stood up to leave.No words could fully capture her disdain for Matthew. If it weren't for the task Gideon had assigned her, she would never have wanted anything to do with him.In stark contrast, Matthew was elated, barely able to contain his excitement. As soon as he left Avila Tower and got into his car, he burst into laughter."My moment of glory is almost here. Who would have thought Rachel Avila would recognize my worth? "One day, I'll definitely make her mine. She may be the head of the Avila family and the chairwoman of the Avila Group, but in the end, she's still just a woman!" Matthew said to himself, brimming with confidence.His priority now was to visit the families and cancel every contract they had signed.That night, after spending the entire day running around, Matthew finally arrived at the Seymour residence to cancel their contract. They were the last family on his list, and he was u
"Of course!" Matthew assured. "Then, Mr. Seymour, why don't you bring your copy of the contract over so we can destroy it now?""Sure thing!"Arnold was more than happy to comply. Destroying both contracts meant the Seymour family business was back in his hands, finally putting his mind at ease."Oh, by the way, Matthew, about the money we invested in you…" Arnold probed tentatively.What had already been swallowed cannot be spat back out.Matthew was prepared for this and explained, "Mr. Seymour, the invested funds have been filed and deposited into the public account. It's genuinely impossible to return them to you."It's not just the Seymour family. Other families' investments are also with me. Please rest assured."Gathering these funds shows my capability to Rachel, demonstrating my value. This way, Rachel will hold me in even higher regard."If each of you were to pull your investments out, it would be like stabbing me in the back. However, if you're absolutely set on tak
"Ella, Mrs. Seymour is right. It's boring driving alone. Come keep me company and chat with me." Matthew gestured for Elara to get in.Marion was overjoyed and quickly nudged Elara."Alright, then." Elara hesitated for a moment before stepping into the car and leaving the neighborhood with Matthew. Thrilled, Marion planted a few kisses on Arnold's face. "Arnie, we're going to make it big!"Arnold frowned and asked, "What are you talking about?""The Carter family is on the rise! With our connection to Matthew, how can they not help us? Besides, with Ella going home with Matthew tonight, she surely won't be coming back.""What?" Arnold's face darkened.Marion scoffed. "What's with that reaction? Don't tell me you're upset about this!"Do you realize how many heiresses from prestigious families will be chasing Matthew in the future? If we don't act quickly to solidify this relationship, we'll end up with nothing.""But Ella and Gideon haven't divorced yet. They're still in the
The villa was decorated in a nightclub style. After all, it was meant to be a place for indulgence, so the ambiance fit perfectly."Ella, take a seat," Matthew said, motioning to a chair. He grabbed a bottle of Louis XIII cognac, poured himself a glass, took a sip, and smacked his lips in satisfaction."I never imagined I'd have such an opportunity. Truly, the heavens are looking out for me."In no more than a month, I'll be establishing my own company. With Avila Group's support, families and corporations from all over will scramble to work with me."I'll make sure to share some clients with the Seymour family. That way, your family's business can quickly grow to the next level.""Matthew, you're so kind!" Elara said happily."Silly girl." He ruffled her hair affectionately, looking at her tenderly. "We've known each other for so many years. Don't you know how I feel about you by now?"Her cheeks flushed red upon hearing this."Ella, trust me. When I make it big, I won't for
After placating Marion, Arnold suddenly received a call from Gideon.Knowing that Marion didn't like Gideon, he stepped out of the villa and answered the call in the yard. "Gideon, what's the matter?" "Mr. Seymour, has Matthew already canceled the contract with you? Is Seymour Corporation back in your hands?"Gideon was asking because Rachel had informed him, and he wanted to verify the situation to ensure that Matthew wasn't pulling any tricks.Arnold was surprised. "Yes. Matthew came by and voided the contract just now. Gideon, how did you know about this?"Gideon replied, "This was something I arranged through Rachel. Without giving Matthew some benefits first, he wouldn't have been willing to cancel the contract.""You asked Rachel to do this?" Arnold was stunned.Gideon chuckled. "Mr. Seymour, whether you believe it or not, the important thing is that Seymour Corporation is back in your hands, and you can finally be at ease."As for the money you invested in Matthew, I wo
Matthew was carrying Elara onto the bed."Perfect! Her figure… I've been craving it for so long. Unfortunately, this girl has always been so proud, never giving me a chance to make a move. And now? She's mine!" He let out a sinister, almost perverted laugh.He stripped off his clothes in a few quick moves, licked his lips, and teased, "You're still legally married to Gideon, aren't you? So, doesn't this mean you're cheating on him with me?"He laughed. "Unbelievable! Gideon, the former Four Elites of Goldspire and the eldest son of the Snow family, is getting cheated on, with me being the third party, nevertheless! How entertaining!"As he finished speaking, he lunged toward Elara.Just then, the sound of shattering glass filled the room as a figure burst through the window and kicked Matthew with tremendous force. Matthew was sent crashing into the wall and fainted instantly.Gideon glanced disdainfully at Matthew, who now lay unconscious like a beaten dog.Without a word, he p
"Cuff him!" the officer shouted sternly.Harold and the others looked on, pleased, while Elara was at a loss for what to do.Gideon was visibly displeased. Just as he was about to react, a cold voice rang out from outside the room, "What are you doing here?"Everyone turned to look.Harold was stunned for a moment. Then, he hurried forward. "Mr. Horne, it's you!"The newcomer was none other than Damian, the eldest son of the Horne family.Damian had been passing by and glanced into the private room. When he saw Gideon surrounded by police officers, his heart skipped a beat.The last time Gideon was arrested, the entire Goldspire was thrown into upheaval. If something like that happened again, the consequences would be unimaginable.Without hesitation, Damian stepped in to intervene. He cast a sidelong glance at Harold.He had heard of him before. Harold was a young entrepreneur and owner of a company in Goldspire. Although he might have been a promising youth, Damian didn't
Elara's heart skipped a beat. For some reason, she suddenly felt a pang of guilt. She lowered her head and couldn't bring herself to look at Gideon.However, the rich heirs in the room were not about to let this slide.In the past, they had to look up to Gideon. Now that the Snow family had fallen, they were not going to miss the chance to humiliate him."Did I say you could leave?" One of the rich heirs stepped in front of Gideon to block his path."Move!" Gideon barked coldly.The heir was startled for a moment before flying into a rage. "Why the hell are you acting up? Do you think you're still the high-and-mighty heir of the Snow family?"With that, he swung his hand to slap Gideon across the face.Gideon caught the man's arm, and with a sudden, crushing grip, a loud crack echoed through the room as the man's arm shattered.The rich heir's scream, like the wailing of a slaughtered pig, filled the room.Everyone was stunned.They stared in shock at the man's mangled and tw
"You're treating me to a meal?" Gideon asked."You saved me and stopped Matthew from assaulting me. Isn't it normal for me to thank you by treating you to a meal? Let's go." Elara gestured for him to follow.Rubbing his nose, Gideon felt a little puzzled. He couldn't figure out what she was up to.Since when did she become so polite? She even knew how to show gratitude, huh?They entered a high-end clubhouse and headed straight upstairs to the sixth floor.As they walked, Gideon sensed something wasn't quite right. The clubhouse was extremely luxurious, and the costs were undoubtedly sky-high. Elara couldn't possibly afford a private room on the sixth floor.A cacophony of loud laughter and voices filled the air when the door was pushed open."Ella, you're here!" A well-dressed young man approached her with a smile."And this must be Gideon! Mr. Snow, right? I've heard so much about you." The young man extended his hand toward Gideon.Gideon shook his hand, thinking it wou
"Ms. Trott, what did you say? One billion dollars? Are you saying Ms. Avila is ready to invest that much in me?""No kidding!" Maggie rolled her eyes.Matthew was dumbfounded. Then, he immediately flushed with excitement, his body trembling.One billion dollars! Good Lord! If he were to just put it in the bank and live off the interest, he would be set for life!"I've said all I need to say. Think it over carefully. But remember my advice. Ms. Avila doesn't like delays. Act quickly, or you'll miss the once-in-a-lifetime chance to leap into greatness.""Okay, okay. Thank you, Ms. Trott. I'll treat you to a scrumptious meal sometime."Matthew hurriedly left the building and got into the car. He couldn't wait to call Jacob. "How did it go? Did it work out?" Jacob asked.From his tone, it was clear that Jacob was nervous, his voice slightly trembling with anticipation."Dad, file for bankruptcy immediately. Shut down the company and clear out all the junk."Jacob was stunned. "Y
"Ms. Avila, here is my proposal. Please take a look."In the office, Matthew handed the proposal to Rachel, waiting with eager anticipation.Truthfully, Rachel didn't have the slightest interest in looking at the proposal. She didn't even want to flip it open.However, for Gideon's sake, she decided to put some effort into putting Matthew and the Carter family through the wringer. Suppressing her impatience, she opened the proposal.Upon reading it, she found it to be complete garbage. The proposal that Jacob had arranged for someone to write had some level of competence, but unfortunately, it was entirely unworthy of Rachel's standards.For a second- or third-rate business owner, the proposal might have seemed decent. But for someone of Rachel's caliber and position, reading it was nothing but a waste of ten minutes.Matthew asked, "Ms. Avila, what do you think?""It's alright," she replied with a forced smile.Hearing this, he was overjoyed. "Ms. Avila, does that mean I've pa
Matthew was completely stunned after getting slapped. "Dad, what did I do?"Jacob roared, "What did you do? Because of you, the Lawson family has terminated all their collaborations with us."The company is already struggling, barely staying afloat with those projects from the Lawsons. Now that they've been cut, the company is completely paralyzed. We're one step away from bankruptcy!"Matthew finally understood. It had to be because he had embarrassed Kian at Avila Group earlier. That old man was getting his revenge."Dad, don't worry. The Lawsons won't be able to stay smug for long. Give it some time, and Kian will be kneeling in front of us, begging for forgiveness.""Bullshit!" Jacob slapped him again. "You little punk! Are you out of your mind? The company is on the brink of bankruptcy, and you're still spouting this nonsense! Have some shame!"Feeling wronged, Matthew protested, "Dad, I'm telling the truth! I was going to tell you yesterday, but I didn't come home.""Tell
Kian left Avila Group with a dark expression. On his way back, he wasted no time in contacting his company's project department to terminate all collaborations with the Carter family."That little punk. I want to see just how much of a splash the Carter family can make. I'll wait for you to come crawling back to me and begging to resume our partnership." He sneered coldly.He didn't believe for a second that Matthew could earn Rachel's favor. He knew exactly what kind of person Matthew was.…Meanwhile, Matthew was reporting the situation in Rachel's office. He started by mentioning that he had already canceled contracts with families like the Seymour family. Rachel nodded approvingly. "You've done a good job."Matthew was overjoyed. To be praised by Rachel felt like pure bliss."Ms. Avila, don't worry. I'll prove my abilities to you," he said eagerly. "By the way, when will you be investing in me?" he asked, his voice filled with anticipation.Rachel sneered inwardly, but her
The butler left to make arrangements.Not long after, news came back. The butler reported, "Mr. Carter, everything at the Snow residence seems normal.""Are you sure?""There's no doubt about it."Matthew frowned, cursing internally at Fisher for playing games.Could it be that Fisher didn't even take anyone to the Snow residence or follow through on his task? That damn idiot!"Find Fisher. I'm going to skin him alive! That bastard dared to mess with me!"Matthew was furious.…The next morning, the butler rushed into Matthew's room, panicked. "Mr. Carter, something big has happened!""What could be so important? Let me sleep.""Mr. Carter, wake up. Fisher has been arrested. It's not just him, but every single one of his men has been caught, too.""What?" Matthew bolted upright.The butler continued, "This is the latest information, and it's from a reliable source. They say soldiers were mobilized yesterday to arrest Fisher and his 300 men. They've all been taken to the de
With police cars, fighter jets, and soldiers, it was a lineup and display these gangsters had never seen before. Their legs went weak, and they began trembling uncontrollably.Fisher's face turned ashen.Even the Snows were terrified, thinking they must have committed some grave offense for the government to come knocking."What's going on?"Elara was filled with confusion and unease. She had never witnessed such a scene before and didn't dare to even breathe too loudly.Suddenly, a thought popped into her head. She turned to look at Gideon, who was still sitting in the main living room, as though nothing had happened. He continued to sip his coffee leisurely.Could it be…Did he summon all these police cars, fighter jets, and soldiers?That was impossible. How could Gideon possibly have such influence? Elara didn't want to believe it.At this point, the police cars stopped, and several hundred officers got out. Three thousand soldiers also halted, their gazes fixed on Fisher