"Wow... It's rare to find a guy like you who can stay true to his wife and not get tempted by other women. If only my fiancé was even a tenth as great as you, I'd be so happy!" She sighed softly, and they both fell into a deep silence, the room as quiet as could be. Elio tried hard not to overthink and eventually drifted off to sleep. With someone to keep watch, Yarely slept extra soundly that night, her heartache all gone, feeling totally at ease. In the early morning, the beautiful Yarely woke up early, tiptoed across, and looked closely at the young man sleeping on the floor, a smile spreading across her face—what an adorable little brother! Yarely got busy in the kitchen, whipping up a tasty breakfast for Elio with simple ingredients. Her cooking was just amazing. After eating, Elio headed back to Evamor Tower, ready for his afternoon meeting. Later that day, a line of cars showed up in front of Evamor Group, a black Hummer leading the way, looking powerful with a golde
The assembly of street leaders simmered angrily, subdued amusement evident among them. Fat Mantis, renowned for his deceitful and brutal nature, had deceived too many in the past. Now, it seemed, he had met his match.Why else would he summon Third Master Chance for support? The others were not there to be manipulated; they were merely observers, curious about the unfolding events.Outside the Leisure Tower, a convoy of vehicles led by a black Hummer arrived and parked at the curb. Doors flung open simultaneously, and a group of impeccably dressed men emerged, exuding an air of formidable professionalism that outmatched the onlookers. Their aura was commanding.Elio and Sam disembarked from the Hummer, surrounded by their security detail, and made their way toward the building. The sight of the assembled multitude of burly men awaiting them took them aback.At the entrance stood a middle-aged man with a ghastly scar running from forehead to mouth, robbing him of one eye and lending
Cyclops guided the two inside the building, and upon their entrance, the clamor of the hall hushed. A collection of formidable leaders regarded them with surprise.Sam was a familiar figure in Cloudsea, his presence sparking speculation about his connections and why Golden Eagle was safeguarding him.Each person in the hall exuded toughness, accustomed to the harsh realities of their world, their gazes sharp and penetrating.An ordinary individual might have quaked under the intensity of their scrutiny, consumed by fear.But Elio was far from ordinary. A veteran mercenary, he had weathered gunfire and bloodshed, surviving battles that would haunt most. Thus, he felt no pressure, remaining unruffled.When Tiger, with his rugged, scarred visage, spotted Elio, his features contorted with anger. He snarled, "Kid, see these faces? They're the heavyweights of Cloudsea's underworld. You think you can throw your weight around and bully others? Think again. None of us here will tolerate th
All eyes fixated on Elio and Wystan as they braced for confrontation, the tension in the room palpable.A cough from the rear interrupted the charged atmosphere, heralding the arrival of Third Master Chance, leaning on his ornate cane. Instantly, the cacophony ceased, all attention shifting to him.Assisting him were two striking women. Jeanette, Tiger's wife and proprietor of the Grand Emperor Bar, exuded glamour in a form-fitting dress. On the other side walked Alicia, tall and regal in a black gown reminiscent of a snow queen, the owner of Jade Dojo and Third Master Chance's youngest daughter.Upon spotting Third Master Chance, Elio felt a surge of pressure. He knew Jeanette well—greedy and spiteful, she was someone he loved to loathe.His surprise was evident when he saw Alicia, the same woman who had zoomed past him in a Porsche, gestured rudely, and nearly administered CPR after their sparring match at the dojo.Alicia was just as stunned. That was the guy who had faked bein
Sam erupted with fury, veins bulging on his forehead as he thundered, "How dare you! If anyone lays a hand on Master Rinz, they'll face me!"Tiger sneered dismissively, "Big talk. Do you really think your Golden Eagle gang can protect this kid? Keep dreaming."Third Master Chance intervened sternly, "Sam, calm yourself. We must abide by rules, or chaos will reign. Elio has committed grave offenses and must face the consequences."It was evident that Third Master Chance was allowing Tiger to exact his revenge. As a member of the Golden Eagles, Sam stood little chance against the authority of Third Master Chance, leaving Elio in a precarious position.Alicia furrowed her brow in concern, unwilling to stand idly by. "Father, yes, Elio erred, but this punishment is excessive. He's young. Is it fair to cripple him for life by severing his hand?"Her dissent shocked the onlookers. What was happening? Something felt amiss.Even Elio was surprised. Alicia was the daughter of Third Master
In the hall, Cyclops gave Theodore a note saying that Sherman “Cloud Hand” Abbott was here to see him. Some of the other big shots looked surprised.All of them knew Sherman. Thirty years ago, he arrived in Cloudsea to start a company. However, the top mobsters of the time, Barnett South and Eustace Rim, extorted him. It escalated into an all-out war that almost got Sherman's brother killed.Sherman was no pushover. After that, he barged into Eustace’s territory bare-handed, grabbed a machete, and took down dozens of men all by himself. In the end, he cut off both of Eustace's arms, crippling him and destroying the mobster’s career forever.Since then, Sherman gained the nickname "Cloud Hand" and rose to prominence, becoming a well-known figure in Cloudsea.After so many years of silence, Sherman had finally reappeared. The question was… Why?Theodore glanced at the note with a cold expression. He was also very puzzled. He had never even met Sherman before. Why did Sherman appear
Theodore was not happy with Sherman's attempt to intervene, and he showed it. He snorted and said, "I'm afraid my son-in-law won't just let things be. After all, this young man injured many of his subordinates."As long as he had his father-in-law’s support, Tiger was not afraid of Sherman. "That's right! I can’t show my face in the underworld anymore if I don't teach this kid a lesson today. I have to cut off one of his hands at least."Elio’s killing intent surged. "Just try it, fat pig."Tiger was furious. "Damned brat! I’ll break you if it’s the last thing I do!” Wendell and the rest of Tiger’s men gnashed their teeth like barely restrained beasts, dying to rip Elio from limb to limb.“We can’t forgive that brat!”"We should break his limbs and make him spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.""Shut up, all of you!" A deafening roar shut them all up. It even made the cups on the coffee table tremble. Everyone went pale and instinctively fell quiet.Sherman’s eyes were
That witch wanted to break him and earn a profit at the same time! Elio cursed her inwardly, but just as everyone thought that he would shoot her down, he said readily, "Fine, I’ll take the bet.”The brat really was an innocent little lamb. He had no idea how strong Fat Mantis was, and he had even fallen into Jeanette’s trap. The outcome was already obvious to all those watching. He was sure to bear a huge debt while suffering heavy injuries. His life was ruined!Almost no one was optimistic about Elio’s chances. Only Sam Jenck knew that Elio was stronger than everyone else thought. The winner was not decided yet!Sherman may have retired, but he continued to keep an eye on everything that happened in Cloudsea's underworld. When his informants told him about Elio’s predicament, he rushed to Leisure Tower immediately to help. How could he stand by and do nothing now? After all, Elio was Chloe’s savior, so he was determined to help the young man however he could.After Elio agreed to
"What?" Charlie's anger boiled over, his face turning bright red as he yelled, "This is too much! I want to see your chairman! He needs to apologize, or he'll regret it when I trash this place!"Laird gave a cold snort, grabbed the ready walkie-talkie, and called out, "Security, get in here, quick! We've got someone trying to wreck the place."In a flash, four security guards in black suits rushed into the room, grabbed Charlie, and marched him right out the door.The poor Jones family heir thought he could throw his weight around, but instead, he got a beating from the guards and ended up tossed outside, his suit torn and his face a mess of bruises.He tried to get up, wanting to shout insults, but the angry stares from the guards scared him silent. He scrambled into his Audi and sped away.Afterward, General Manager Howe filled in the chairman on what had happened. Elio could not help but feel a rush of glee. 'Charlie, you think you can take me on? Look where that got you!' Elio
That night, the news about the Aerin Group taking on the shanty town makeover project was all over the Cloudsea TV show. It shook up the whole business world in the city. Bosses from real estate and construction companies were all on the phone, trying to get the scoop.The Aerin Group was pretty new and not well-known in Cloudsea. Now, all of a sudden, it was the talk of the town. The big project that everyone wanted had somehow ended up with them, and it was really weird.The project to fix up the old town was massive, and lots of companies wanted to work on it. If they got even a piece of the job, they would be rolling in dough. So, they all rushed to make connections, hoping to meet with the big boss of Evamor Group to talk business.What surprised all the big shots was that nobody knew a thing about the boss of Evamor. It was like a big secret. Clearly, that person liked staying out of the spotlight, pulling strings from behind the curtain.Who would have guessed that this amaz
York nodded non-stop, apologizing. "Got it. Please forgive me. I'm really sorry."With the bill canceled, Elio felt they had done enough. "Let's call it even. Time to go."They walked out, heads high, leaving the staff and the hostesses in awe. York sat on the couch, face grim, and gulped down the fake Louis XIII. It was liquor from some other brand, cleverly resealed to look like the fancy stuff. It tasted pretty good, and hardly anyone could tell it was not the real deal. However, somehow, that kid figured it out. Who was he, anyway?York was fuming. Ever since his shop opened, he had sold bottle after bottle of this top-notch liquor to all sorts of important people, and no one had ever called him out. Now, some nobody had caught him."That little troublemaker, causing a scene in my shop," he grumbled. "Just you wait. I'll take care of you."As the boss was getting worked up and ready to get even, one of the girls spoke up, "That Mr. Rinz seems pretty impressive. I heard he even
York asked with a friendly smile, "I don't think I've met this young man before. Can someone introduce him?"Yvonne replied with a grin, "This is Mr. Rinz, a dear friend of ours. He's the one who wanted to meet you."York did not know Elio's story, and he looked like an average guy. However, he had ordered three bottles of the fancy Louis XIII cognac and seemed to be friends with some pretty important people, including a famous TV beauty. York could not help but be impressed."Really? I'm super honored and happy to meet you, Mr. Rinz. Hope you'll come to hang out with us more," York said with a big smile. He's the kind of guy who knew just what to say and was ready to shake hands, showing lots of respect. However, Elio did not reach out his hand at all, which made York's smile disappear, and he felt really annoyed inside.Elio just frowned and said, "I think once is enough for this place." Yvonne and the others exchanged puzzled looks. They had no clue why Elio was upset and wh
"You think you can hit me and get away with it? I could ruin your family in an instant. Now, get out of here, do you hear me?" Tanner yelled at her."You..." Fear flickered in May's eyes. She was too scared to argue, worried about what he might do to her.Jenny let out a sigh, went over to help her friend up, and whispered, "Let's just go. We can't stand up to him. We've just got to deal with this bad luck."May knew the truth. She and Jenny might come from money, but they were nothing compared to Tanner's powerful family. What could she do? If she pushed him too far, she was afraid he might make her disappear for good.May had no choice but to follow her best friend, looking all messy and upset. She did not think she would end up like that, feeling so angry. She was mad at Tanner for messing with her feelings and even madder at Elio, thinking he had a big part in her troubles.The room was super quiet; no one wanted to talk. Tanner was in a bad mood—he got tricked by someone not
As Evelyn's figure vanished from view, May frowned deeply and sneered, "She's so hopeless. She can't even handle her husband. Being a woman like that is just embarrassing.""Come on, don't be so hard on her," Jenny said. "Evelyn's got guts. She was ready to divorce Elio to stand up for what's right. Friends like her are rare.""Hmph, what good does that do? She still didn't get the stuff back. I really thought she could handle that jerk, but it was a waste," May said, not hiding her scorn."May, just a heads-up," Jenny lowered her voice, "the divorce might be good for Evelyn, but it puts you at risk. I've noticed Tanner looking her way a lot. Be careful."May felt a chill, sensing trouble, but she pushed back, "No way. Tanner told me he only loves me. You're just worrying too much."Jenny could tell what her best friend was thinking but kept it to herself. "Okay, let's just say I didn't mention anything. Let's head back."In the private room, Tanner was eager to hear the news. Wh
Jenny and May were shocked, staring at each other and not knowing what to do.The couple was at a breaking point. May felt a rush of panic. Did that mean she would never get back the fancy watch and the big Benz? She quickly pulled on Evelyn's arm, trying to tell her friend not to say things she could not take back. However, it was too late."That's for the best," Evelyn snapped. "From now on, we're nothing to each other.""Let's just hope we're both happy from here on out," Elio said, trying to sound indifferent. However, inside, it felt like a thousand needles were poking his heart.Evelyn did not look back. She turned and walked away fast, a cold air swirling around her.Jenny and May ran after her, calling out, "Evelyn, wait up!""Don't leave, wait for us!"Evelyn felt a heavy sadness. They had been married for three years, together every day. To say she felt nothing would be a lie. Even though she never really respected Elio, going their separate ways was still hard to take
The Seven Fairies Team was a tough bunch, and except for Helen, each one had fought their way to success in the cutthroat world of business. They were not about to let anyone push them around.With a loud "smack," Jenny's cheek stung from a fierce slap. She let out a sharp cry and glared at Yvonne. "Ouch! How dare you hit me?""You insult us, and you think a slap is too much?" Yvonne spat back, her teeth clenched in anger.May was not lucky, either. She, too, got slapped, leaving a bright red mark on her face. Lydia, who did it, shouted at her, "Who are you calling names, huh?"Jenny and May were no pushovers, but now, with their cheeks burning from the slaps and surrounded by a group of fierce-looking girls, they were boiling with rage inside. Yet, they did not dare to strike back, appearing utterly defeated and powerless.It was not the super-tough opponents they needed to worry about. It was the teammates who messed everything up!Evelyn had been sure she could get back those
The women finally got it—the beautiful woman was Elio's wife. Yarely and the others stood up for a better look.A bunch of girls with eyes as wide as saucers were watching everything unfold, each one silently agreeing that Evelyn was the picture of perfection. It was no surprise that Master Rinz could keep his cool, even with all those stunning girls around him.Evelyn scanned the room, and it hit her—they were all gorgeous girls, and Elio was the only boy. It was just like the old saying: he was the lone rooster in the henhouse.When Yvonne tried to be friendly, Evelyn was not having any of it. She huffed, "Forget it. I just need to talk to Elio about something private. I'll be out of your hair in no time."That made Evelyn seem super stuck-up and hard to talk to. Yarely and the others felt put off, so they just sat back down on the couch.They were all tough cookies, top dogs in their own right. If she was going to act all high and mighty, why would they want to hang out with he