It felt like there was a void in people's souls that just could not be satisfied, particularly for those who fought their way up from nothing. They might have stumbled upon a fortune, but the sight of Elio's remaining seven hundred thousand was too tempting to ignore. Dividing the spoils three ways was tolerable, but watching the younger guy they had underestimated walk away with the lion's share? That was enough to make their blood boil.With Zaffino running the show at the trading spot, Tiger could not just blow his top then and there. If they came to blows, it would be an all-out war, with both sides taking hits. Since Tiger did not have a leg to stand on, starting a fight would be more trouble than it was worth."We'll see about that," Tiger growled, his eyes glinting with a dangerous light as he swept past Elio. With a dramatic wave of his hand, he led his crew and their newfound fortune out the door.Jeanette clicked her heels and shot Elio a look that could freeze lava, her s
Elio had actually clocked the tail way earlier but played it cool. He flashed a grin and said, "Let's ease off the gas and see if they are really gunning for us.""They are totally after your dough. Take it down a notch," Maird instructed, her lips pursed in frustration, her eyes shooting daggers at the rearview mirror.As the Prado slowed, the Santana did the same, sticking to them like glue and not bothering to pass. The clarity was undeniable—they were up to no good."These jerks are asking for it!" Maird fumed, rolling down the window. She leaned out, her lithe figure half out of the car, and with a crossbow in hand, she let an arrow fly."Thwack!"The Santana's windshield now sported a neat little hole. The bolt sailed right between the two hulking goons inside, scaring the daylights out of them. They ducked on instinct, and the driver, in a panic, swerved hard. The car skidded off the road and nosedived into a ditch.Maird could not help but smirk as she watched the chaos u
On the couch, Howard, who was trying to read the paper, just shook his head. There was never a moment's peace in this house, no chance for a little quiet time.He glanced at the two snakeskin bags by the door and frowned. "Elio, coming back is one thing, but hauling in two bags of rubbish? We're already tripping over each other in here. Where's that supposed to go? Just dump it already."Dylan was at the dining table, chomping on an apple. The last time he had seen Elio's tough side, he had learned to keep his head down. His curiosity, however, did not stop him from eyeing those bags, wondering what was inside. Actual trash, maybe?"Beat it, and take your trash with you! Evelyn's done with you. Don't you dare come back until you've paid up every last cent," Lana bellowed, as if she was confronting her worst enemy.Elio was no stranger to his mother-in-law's harsh vibes. He had built up a sort of immunity to her barbs and just shrugged it off, "Look, Evelyn's my wife, no matter what
"And get me an iPhone 11, plus some new kicks," Dylan chimed in, not wanting to miss his shot."Buy, buy, buy, is that all you think about? Your sister's business is strapped for cash, and we are still in the hole for a cool ten hundred thousand to the old man. Forget your wish list and let's see how much we have actually got," Lana cut in.The kids were bummed but hey, just getting to touch that kind of loot was a thrill. They plopped down on the floor and started counting, lining up the bills in neat little stacks.When they were done, the grand total was a whopping seven million, with an extra couple hundred thousand that Elio had stashed in the trunk of the Cayenne for walking-around money. That was what they were working with.Howard was scratching his head in confusion. It had only been a day, and Elio, his usually luckless son-in-law, had rocked up with a whopping seven million bucks. Something did not add up, and Howard knew he had to get the scoop. He turned to Elio and as
Elio could not believe his bad luck. Stuck with a mother-in-law who was the epitome of greed and selfishness, who never played fair, yet she was the mother of Evelyn, his perfect match, who had him wrapped around her finger and ready to face any disgrace.Lana could not see past her nose, or maybe it was more like she was blind to what was right in front of her. She was fixated on the idea of her daughter landing another rich husband, so she could live vicariously through her, soaking up luxury and wealth.What she failed to realize was that her son-in-law was from one of the most elite families around. If only she had been kinder to Elio, she would not have wanted for anything—mansions, sports cars, jewels, and all the designer goods one could dream of. She could have had it all.Elio was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He was head over heels for Evelyn, which meant putting up with his mother-in-law's antics was just part of the deal. Money issues? They did not faze him one
"No..." Evelyn shook her head, her expression serious. "Don't get it twisted. I'm not implying anything. I just feel sorry for you. Let's face it, what we have isn't going to last. We're bound to split up eventually."Elio's smile turned to ice. He felt a pang of resignation as he said, "I get it. You've never really respected me."Evelyn let out a weary sigh. "You just don't get it. You can't force fate. You're nothing like the guy I picture myself with, so it's only a matter of time before we split. It's for the best... I'm heading back." With those words, she turned and walked away, her elegant silhouette vanishing as she climbed the gentle slope.It appears I have just two years to win Evelyn's heart. Should I fail to make her fall for me by then, it seems we are just not meant to be. Rolling with it is the only option!Elio had come to accept it too. Marriage is all about love, and without it, you are just signing up for misery. He left his place, hopped into his Cayenne, and
The night was alive with the roar of engines as the Cayenne and the Porsche sliced through the traffic, racing forward with the reckless abandon of two flying fish. The other drivers knew better than to stick around. Anyone behind the wheel of such pricey rides was not just rich—they were powerful. Nobody wanted to tangle with the kind of trouble that could come from crossing paths with a wild rich kid. It was better to steer clear and stay out of the fray.When it came to handling a set of wheels, the lady driving the Porsche 911 was a force to be reckoned with, giving Elio a run for his money. Her supercar was nimble, and she drove it with such skill that they were neck and neck, each taking turns in the lead. The crowded streets, however, made it tough for either of them to really let loose and show what they were made of.This was Elio's first real race since he had moved in with his in-laws, and he was feeling the rush. His heart pounded with the kind of adrenaline he had not fe
She watched him, all laid-back and unfazed, which just made her blood boil even more. Clenching her teeth, she hissed, "Don't get cocky. You'll see what I'm made of soon enough. Just stick close behind me.""Fine by me, let's get moving," Elio said, clearly over the drama."Just you wait!"The woman's face was livid with rage as she steered her car forward, her eyes darting to the rearview mirror. Only when she saw the Cayenne keeping pace did she hit the gas. She was on high alert, ready to whip her car around and ram into it if that kid even thought about running.After a tense ten-minute drive, she led Elio to the Jade Dojo and was the first to step out.She was a vision of fashion, towering at least five feet nine inches tall, with a figure that turned heads. Her legs, long and sculpted, shone like polished marble beneath her miniskirt, and her high heels made her even taller than Elio, giving her the presence of a supermodel, a queen in her domain.Elio emerged from the car,
"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