It turned out to be a group of paparazzi. Leading them was Blaise Hale, a scruffy young man with bleached hair, grinning widely. "Ms. Reed, you're best known for your pure image in the entertainment industry right now. Everyone's calling you the 'Nation's Darling.' Who would have thought you'd be here in a hotel room with another man? This is shocking news!"His words stirred up murmurs among the other paparazzi, all of them wearing smirks that suggested they had evil intentions up their sleeves."Ms. Reed, stop hiding under the covers. We've already taken the pictures. Let's discuss how to handle this. If these photos get out, I'd say your image in the entertainment industry is over."Kara's eyes reddened with anger. She sat up from under the covers, glaring at the group of paparazzi at the door. "You're despicable and shameless! Can't I have any privacy? Why do you always have to follow me?""You're a celebrity, and we're paparazzi. If we don't follow you, who should we follow,
"50 million dollars! Not a cent more, not a cent less! Pay up, and we'll leave right away!" Blaise demanded.Kara's vision went black. 50 million? Where was she supposed to come up with that kind of money? Maybe she could if she were still with the Reed family, but that wasn't an option anymore. She had just started her career a year ago and couldn't possibly come up with that amount."50 million dollars? Why don't you just rob a bank?" Timothy's temper flared. He had thought these were just a bunch of clueless young men who could be let off with a little warning. However, he soon realized they were essentially criminals.Blaise pointed at Timothy and shouted, "Shut up! You don't get a say in this. Look at you—dressed like you're going dumpster diving. How did you even get involved with the Nation's Darling? Did she order you like some kind of delivery?"The group burst into laughter. "So the Nation's Darling has a thing for this? You should've asked us earlier, and we'd have d
This was the first time Kara had seen someone stand up to paparazzi like that.Timothy scratched his head. "It's all taken care of. Don't thank me. I don't want those photos getting out either as it'd be hard to explain."Kara gave him a resentful look. "What is there to explain? You did sleep with me."Timothy didn't know how to respond. Suddenly, a charming smile appeared on Kara's innocent face, her cheeks flushing with a shy pink."Timothy, you were quite manly just now. If you weren't so broke, I bet a lot of girls would be interested in you and might even jump into bed with you. Unfortunately, you don't have the money."Timothy's mouth twitched. "Will no woman in this society like a man if he has no money? Is he worth nothing?"Kara pouted thoughtfully. "Not necessarily. There are some girls who don't care about material conditions.""What about you?"Kara bit her lip and said softly, "I don't care either. If a man can give me a sense of security, truly love me, and be my
Timothy had no intention of dealing with Isabelle and Serena. He simply pretended not to see them and headed toward the entrance of the Lormford Chamber of Commerce.Isabelle—her face turning purple with anger—blocked his path and snapped, "Are you deaf? Can't you hear me?"Timothy stopped and frowned at the two of them. Although he found them quite irritating, he reminded himself that Zack had requested the herbs from the Barton family, so he owed them a favor.Suppressing his irritation, Timothy said, "What does me being here have to do with you? Move aside!"Instead of moving, Isabelle stepped closer with an air of superiority. "Of course, it matters! This is the Lormford Chamber of Commerce, not some place anyone can just walk into. "You don't even have a delivery box, so you're clearly not here to make a delivery. Tell me, are you here to cause trouble or steal something?"Timothy was exasperated by her ridiculous logic. Serena chimed in with a huff, "I bet you have some
Losing her composure, Isabelle pointed at the security guard and demanded, "Hey! Open the door!"The guard glanced at her and replied, "Who are you looking for? You need to register, and I'll notify them."Irritated, Serena snapped, saying, "Why do we need to register? The person who went in just now didn't have to.""No comment," the guard said curtly.Isabelle and Serena were fuming, but their anger was mixed with shock and confusion. Why had Timothy been able to walk in without a word?A terrifying possibility crossed Isabelle's mind. Could Timothy be an employee of the Lormford Chamber of Commerce?Isabelle shook her head vehemently. Timothy was just a broke guy. How could he possibly be an employee there? She decided to find out more about him.She bit her lip and addressed the guards again, saying, "We're here to see Mr. Zack Larson to deliver herbs. You can call him to verify."One of the guards glanced at Isabelle and then went into the security booth to make a phone ca
Zack smiled and said, "Yes, Chief."He stepped out of the office, closing the door behind him with reverence. As the door shut, the elevator opened, and Isabelle and Serena stepped out. Seeing Zack, they immediately greeted him with practiced smiles."Mr. Larson!"Zack glanced at them and headed toward his office. "Let's discuss this in my office. The chairman is resting, so please keep your voices down."Isabelle nodded quickly and stole a glance. Her eyes widened in shock when she noticed the "Chairman's Office" sign on the door. When did the Lormford Chamber of Commerce have a chairman?She exchanged a look with Serena, who also appeared surprised.Zack turned back and frowned at them. "Ms. Barton?"Both women flinched and quickly followed Zack, reluctantly pulling their eyes away from the office.This was the office of the chairman of the Lormford Chamber of Commerce, a position of far greater prestige than Zack's. Even catching a glimpse of him would be a great honor, let
Zack took a sip of coffee, shook his head, and said, "Sorry, Ms. Barton, I'm not authorized to mention the chairman's name."Isabelle's face went pale, shocked by Zack's statement. Zack was a major figure, the richest man in Lormford City, and among the highest-ranking individuals. Yet, he spoke so humbly, saying he wasn't qualified to mention the chairman's name.Serena was also startled. She quickly grabbed Isabelle's sleeve and whispered urgently, "Don't ask further. The chairman's identity is not something we are allowed to know!"Isabelle bit her lip, finally managing a forced smile at Zack. "I understand, Mr. Larson. I apologize for my presumptuousness."Taking a deep breath, she stood up and said, "Mr. Larson, we don't have any other business here, so we'll take our leave."Zack waved his hand with a faint smile. "Goodbye, Ms. Barton."As Isabelle and Serena left the office, her heart was still racing. Zack's words had hit her like a sledgehammer. If even Zack was so hum
Isabelle bit her lip and suddenly exclaimed, "Oh right, isn't Harry an employee at Lormford Chamber of Commerce? Maybe he can find out for us!"That could work. I'll contact him right away."Isabelle pulled out her phone and called her cousin, Harry Wagner. Soon, the call connected. "Hello?"Isabelle quickly responded with a smile. "Hi, Harry, it's me, Isabelle!""Oh, Isabelle! What's up? Why are you calling me?"Isabelle replied, "I need a favor, Harry.""What is it?"With a gleam in her eyes, she asked, "Do you know anything about a new chairman at the Lormford Chamber of Commerce?"Harry was taken aback and sounded confused. "A chairman? I didn't know about that. What's going on?"A bit disappointed, Isabelle sighed and said, "Never mind if you don't know. Could you keep an eye out for who this chairman is? I visited the Lormford Chamber of Commerce today and saw an office labeled 'Chairman's Office.' I'm hoping to find a way to connect with this chairman."Harry chuckle
Timothy remained silent and enjoyed the show. Cecilia knelt and looked up with a sensuous gaze. She bit her red lip and asked, "Master, do you want me?"Timothy's expression was one of amusement, and his emotions remained inscrutable to Cecilia. She slowly reached out and touched Timothy's belt. As she observed the changes before her, her eyes were filled with shock. She gasped subtly, swallowing hard. The comparison between Leon and Timothy was like night and day.Her cheeks flushed as she looked up at Timothy, her eyes full of astonishment. It wasn't for any reason other than the fact that Timothy was… simply too overwhelming. She had dated several guys and had seen plenty, but none could compare to Timothy. Her hands trembled as she tried to undo his belt. Her throat felt dry, and she licked her lips nervously. She made a few attempts but ultimately failed. A light sheen of sweat formed on her face.Timothy continued to watch her, feeling amused as she knelt in front of him
"Time to die." A whisper, like the voice of death, echoed in Leon's ear. Just as he was about to speak, Timothy's hand moved in front of him—a simple, light swipe.Leon's body froze instantly. Seconds later, his lifeless body collapsed to the floor. Cecilia looked at Leon's body and let out a hysterical scream. Leon's face was gone—his entire face was gone! Where his face used to be was now a flat, bone-smooth surface, as if it had been cut by a saw. The cut was so clean and smooth that it looked terrifyingly unreal. It was a gruesome sight.Cecilia had never witnessed something so horrifying. After her scream, her voice was caught in her throat as fear consumed her. Her stomach churned, and she couldn't hold back as she vomited. She slid down to the floor, looking disheveled. She looked at Timothy with tears welling up in her eyes. Her face was absolutely pale as she sobbed, shaking like a leaf. "Please… Please spare me… I'm begging you…"Timothy's eyes darkened, a bloodt
Leon's expression was twisted in anger as he shouted, "Did you think I'm powerless against the likes of you? Raise your hands and get on your knees!"Timothy wasn't the least bit surprised. He stared at Leon with deep, intense eyes. "Put the gun down. I don't like being aimed at."Leon cocked the gun and loaded it with a click. His finger rested on the trigger as he sneered. "You're still acting tough at a time like this. I'll admit that you're gutsy, but you must die here today."Timothy shook his head with a regretful expression. "I told you I don't like being aimed at. Put the gun down. If I'm in a good mood, I might spare your life. But if you don't put it down in three seconds, I'll have no choice but to send you to hell.""Send me to hell? You don't have what it takes! I've been with Blackgeld for years. I've seen it all," Leon responded.Timothy's expression shifted as he asked, "Has someone in Blackgeld been planning to kidnap Mavis Jefferson, the CEO of Jefferson Group, l
Leon laughed heartily and reached out to grope Cecilia's ample bosom. She let out a soft moan, squeezing her legs together instinctively as arousal traveled up her body. She wrapped herself around Leon like a snake, her eyes seductive as she bit her lip.She whispered, "Leon, I want it again. Come and give it to me."Leon's eyes became bloodshot. "Oh, you little vixen. It seems like you're not satiated yet. I'll make sure you get more than you bargained for today!" He flipped over, positioning himself on top of Cecilia. Just as they were about to enjoy their moment, a knock came from outside. "Hey, open up. Don't be a coward," Timothy called out.Leon shouted mockingly, "Idiot, did you think I'd be stupid enough to just stand where I was and wait for you? You've taken the bait. You're dead meat now!"Outside, Timothy shrugged helplessly and said, "If you open the door now and apologize on your knees, I'll leave your corpse intact. If you don't, things won't end well for you whe
Cecilia stared in disbelief at the man downstairs. It was like something straight out of a movie, yet it was happening vividly right before her eyes. She had never imagined that in real life, someone could actually take on dozens, or even hundreds of men alone. Timothy demonstrated what it meant to be fiercely skilled. Those thugs wielding machetes and clubs became nothing more than straw men in front of him. Every punch, every kick, every movement of his body became a deadly weapon. No one could get close to him. It was as if he had some kind of sixth sense for dodging attacks. He consistently slipped away just before the weapons could land. Timothy moved effortlessly with a relaxed expression. Every one of his moves was fluid and purposeful. One thug after another fell. They were reduced to nothing more than bouncy balls in the courtyard, as they were sent flying in all directions by Timothy's kicks. With each casual slap or kick, someone would be launched through the air.
At that moment, Leon was just done having his way with Cecilia in a luxurious villa. Cecilia lay naked on the bed, her face flushed. Her fair, long legs were posed seductively. Leon, breathing heavily, touched Cecilia's smooth bottom and grinned wickedly. "Babe, you've gotten even better. I almost couldn't handle you."Cecilia looked at him with a seductive gaze, tracing circles on his chest with her finger as she said sweetly, "Leon, I have my eye on a new bag recently. It's so pretty. I want it so badly.""If you want it, just buy it. How much is it?"Cecilia's face lit up, and she replied coquettishly, "It's around 80 thousand dollars."Leon, puffing on a cigar, scoffed. "80 thousand? That's nothing."He got up and walked to the safe in the corner of the bedroom. Then, he entered the code. Cecilia looked over and was stunned. The safe was full of cash and gold bars! Her heart raced as she also saw a gun inside. It was the first time in her life she had seen one, and she was
The store assistant became excited and recounted, "It was a young man, and he just left the store. He didn't dress well and didn't look wealthy. But he came in, barely glanced around, and bought a bracelet. "That bracelet was close to three million dollars, and he bought it right away! We've been in business for several years. This is the first time I've seen someone who keeps such a low profile."Susan was stunned, and Jason was equally shocked. He looked at Susan, swallowed hard, and stammered, "Could it be… Timothy?"Beside him, Susan did her best to suppress the shock she was feeling and asked the store assistant, "Can you describe what he looked like and what he was wearing?"The store assistant described him briefly, and Susan was absolutely flabbergasted. The person she described was indeed Timothy!She felt like she'd just been struck by a bolt of lightning that left her head buzzing. She couldn't believe that Timothy had bought a bracelet that was about three million dol
Susan had broken up with Timothy and cheated on him back then because he was poor. If Timothy was rich now, it would be a bitter pill to swallow for her. But on the other hand, she felt something for Timothy deep in her heart. It was a kind of feeling that she couldn't quite place her finger on. After all, she had genuinely loved Timothy back then. She ultimately left him because he was dirt poor. If he was rich now, wasn't there a possibility for them to rekindle their relationship?Susan refused to believe that Timothy had no lingering feelings for her at all. Back then, he had been so deeply in love with her. In the present time, it didn't seem like he had a girlfriend or a woman by his side. Even if he did, she was probably nowhere as good as her.Those two conflicting thoughts occupied Susan's mind. As such, a conflicted expression appeared on her beautiful, delicate face. Timothy had no idea what was going through Susan's mind at that moment. If he knew, he would have tol
Susan bit her lip, and a complicated expression appeared on her face. Since she and Timothy had been in a relationship in the past, meeting again at this moment was somewhat awkward. After a brief silence, Susan bit her lip again and forced a smile at Timothy. "We meet again. Are you shopping at the mall too? What a coincidence."Timothy shrugged. "It's not a pleasant coincidence, though. After all, someone here clearly doesn't welcome my presence."Without a doubt, he was referring to Jason. Jason's expression soured in response. He glared at Timothy and scoffed coldly as he said mockingly, "It's good that you know. Indeed, I don't wish to see your face. Running into you brings bad luck."He looked Timothy up and down before sneering again, remarking, "It's not that I have bad luck—it's this place. How could someone as broke as you even think of coming here?"Susan tugged at Jason's hand and said with a frown, "Jason, we're all classmates here. Is it necessary to be so harsh w