Evelyn stared at the contract in front of her. The terms were terrific, way better than any deal she had seen before. The job seemed easy, but the pay was huge—it was like winning the lottery.She was over the moon, her face all lit up with surprise. "You guys have thought of everything," she gushed. "We're totally on board with this contract.""That's great! And guess what? Our boss said once we sign the contract, he'll send you $750,000 right away to help with any money troubles.""Is that so? That's amazing; thank you so much to the boss and you for believing in me!" Evelyn's face lit up with a big smile, her happiness too big to hide."It's because you are such a good guy. Here's to working well together!"Sunny watched Evelyn's grin and thought to herself, 'You don't even know the whole story. Good things like this don't just happen. Your husband worked super hard to make this happen, and you didn't even realize you hurt his feelings.'In another room, Elio watched Evelyn's
Elio was waiting by his BMW in the underground parking lot. Evelyn marched over, looking really mad, and Elio thought to himself, "That grumpy old man is always picking on me. If he wasn't Evelyn's grandpa, I'd tell him off.""What's wrong?" Elio asked with a nervous smile."Evelyn snapped, "Get in." Her face twisted with disgust. Whenever this guy was around, trouble followed. Couldn't he just chill out?The BMW zoomed out of the parking lot, heading straight to Jones Real Estate. Inside, it was dead quiet. The man and woman inside did not say a word to each other.At Jones Real Estate, the conference room was packed with family. The old man at the head of the table was fuming, his face dark as a storm cloud. His favorite grandson, Charlie, stood off to the side, his face a mess of bruises. He was a sorry sight."Grandpa," Charlie whined, "Elio didn't pay back what he owes the company, but he bought Evelyn a wedding dress that cost over $120,000 and a fancy BMW for $150,000. They
Elio was family, his son-in-law, and Howard stepped in quickly, "Little bro, take it easy. For our brother's sake, let's not make a big deal out of this."Brandon backed down, but with a stern look on his face, he said, "If I weren't considering your feelings, I would have taken him down already."It was clear that his father-in-law still had a soft spot for him, way more than his mother-in-law did. Elio saw that and made a mental note to always keep his father-in-law happy."Quiet down, everyone." Old Master Jones's roar echoed, silencing the whole room. Nobody dared to make a peep.The old man's glare landed on Elio as he scolded, "Look at the mess you've made, sending someone to attack Charlie. How are we going to fix this?"Evelyn's eyes flicked to her cousin, spotting the bruise on his face. He had been beaten, and she could not help feeling worried. Could Elio be involved? It was tough to tell.Lately, Elio had been acting braver and seemed to be hanging out with the wrong
"You monster, who are you calling trash? I'll rip your mouth off!" Sienna was so angry she could explode, lunging forward like a wild tiger, her nails ready to tear into Elio. Evelyn stepped in, cool as ice, blocking Sienna's way. "Stop right there, or you'll have me to deal with," she warned. Sienna looked up at her tall cousin, her eyes fierce, but a flicker of fear showed through. "Oh, so you're defending him now?" she snapped. "He's my man, and you have no right to insult him. If you want respect, you've got to earn it," Evelyn said, her face set in a hard line. Elio was floored, watching Evelyn's lovely back. He could not believe she was standing up for him. He felt a warm glow inside, knowing she still cared. "He's a nobody, and you're treating him like he's gold. Are you out of your mind?" Sienna spat out."Sienna, you're out of your mind," Evelyn snapped, her patience running thin. "I'm warning you, talk to me like that one more time, and you'll be sorry." Harry an
They were right about one thing: Elio was their son-in-law, and if he couldn't pay up, it was up to Evelyn to shoulder the burden.Evelyn bit her lip, knowing all too well that Grandpa had made up his mind about the money. Talking more would not change a thing. Luckily, Elio had given her $1,000,000 earlier, and today she got another $750,000 from Aerin Group. She could pay part of it back without hurting the company's cash flow.She sighed and said, "Alright, I'll pay back $750,000 now. That's okay, isn't it?"Grandpa huffed, "Fine, but you have one month to pay the rest of the $750,000. No mistakes."The other relatives piped up, "Right, nobody's money just blows in with the wind. She needs to pay it all back and fast.""We've got a big project coming up at Jones Real Estate. We need the money ready. A month's grace is more than fair."Evelyn shook with anger. She saw them for what they were—no family, just cold interest. She promised through clenched teeth, "One month, then. I
The family meeting wrapped up as the evening set in, and everyone went their separate ways.Sienna, in a rush to her next meeting, stormed past Elio in her high heels, shooting him a look that could cut glass.Lana was just as upset, her face stormy with anger.Outside, Evelyn, her face cold as ice, got into the car first. Lana, sitting in the BMW X5, yelled at Elio, "You better find the money, and fast. You have one month to bring back 765,000 dollars, or you're not welcome in this house."Howard, feeling sorry for Elio, spoke up from the back seat, "Let's be reasonable. Let Elio go home, and we'll figure out the money issue in time."Howard was taken aback by his wife's scolding, which was as loud and fierce as a lioness. "Enough of your nonsense, be quiet! It's not your turn to talk," she snapped.Howard fell silent, not daring to utter another word. He stole a glance at Elio, thinking, 'I can't protect you now. If I try, we'll all be in trouble.'Elio replied, "I got it, Mom
"Awesome! I'll head over now. Thanks for the chance, Elio. I'll switch up my style for you. Just send me where to meet," Yvonne bubbled with excitement as if she could hardly wait.Elio's spirits lifted instantly. He texted her the location and waited, thinking how great it was to have a friend like Yvonne. She could always make him smile, which was a welcome change from the gloom of dealing with the Jones family.After over twenty minutes, a bright red Ferrari roared up and came to a sudden stop with a screech. The tires screamed against the pavement, showing off a bit too much.Elio's eyes went wide when Yvonne stepped out of the car. She was dressed in a school uniform, with a white short-sleeved shirt tucked into a navy-blue skirt, knee-high socks, and sneakers. A bit of her white thigh showed, and it was hard not to stare.Her face was softly made up, and her wavy, chestnut hair fell over her shoulders. Dressed like that, she looked years younger, almost like the most popular
Sienna was trendy in her floral dress, her bare shoulders drawing attention.Young folks often get restless, don't they? Her husband was in the hospital and, after having a taste of excitement, Sienna was not likely to sit quietly at home.Lately, Sienna had been spending a lot of time with Maxwell, a cool guy with an earring and a red spider lily tattoo on his arm. He was super handsome, even though he was really pale and had big dark circles under his eyes.Maxwell Roberts was having a great time hanging out with Sienna. Why not? Her husband, James, was stuck in the hospital, so Maxwell figured there was nothing to worry about. Plus, he came from a rich and powerful family, so he was not scared of anyone.Out of nowhere, everyone at their table noticed a pretty girl in a school uniform and just could not stop staring.Sienna thought she looked familiar but just could not place her. Actually, Yvonne had been at Sienna's wedding too, as a guest of the Sampson family, but they did
"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