Fabian was already 85 years old that year. However, his age had not caught up to him in the slightest. In fact, he looked extremely energetic. This was especially true with the fiery look in his eyes which was filled with vicissitudes, making him seem like he would still be able to live for another decade at least.When Zayn sized Fabian up, Fabian had also done the same and had a smile filled with admiration for Zayn.Leo and Kai could not help but tremble the moment they saw Fabian and even seemed terrified.On the other hand, Malcolm revealed an aggrieved expression as he yelled, “Grandpa, thank goodness you’re here! These two country bumpkins seemed to have found their way into our house through some hole. I was patiently asking him why he was here, but he did not answer me. So, I had no choice but to ask them to leave, then they started beating me up. Look, grandpa, look how swollen my hand is, it hurts so much. You must seek justice for me, Grandpa!”Malcolm had flawlessly ju
The bodyguards were stunned for a moment before they hurriedly pinned the Owen brothers down.Malcolm panicked and begged quickly, “Grandpa! Grandpa! I’m sorry, Grandpa! It’s my fault for dismissing him as your guest of honor. But I didn’t offend him. Look at my hand, he…”Thwack!Before Malcolm finished his words, Fabian had landed a slap on his face, hard and merciless. Malcolm’s face swelled immediately, blood seeping out of the corner of his lips.When his mother saw her son being hit, she felt a pang in her heart, but she dared not express her dissatisfaction. Fabian was the patriarch of the Owens and held absolute authority. No one in the family was bold enough to defy him.“You incompetent brat! So inept and all you know is to babble nonsense. You’re a disgrace to us Owens!” Fabian reprimanded harshly, his voice loud and sonorous. His words echoed through the massive mansion and sent chills down the Owens’s spines, especially Malcolm’s.Without waiting for Fabian to come f
Not intending to get even with the three spoiled brats, Zayn waved his hands magnanimously.Right away, Fabian waved his hands to dismiss them and sat down to personally pour his guest some wine, but that only served to make Zayn more uncomfortable. “Mr. Owen, this is too much! I can’t have you pouring wine for me!”Zayn had always been a gracious and polite man. Fabian had been nothing but kind and friendly to him all this while. He could not find it in him to let an eighty-something-year-old man pour him a drink, so he quickly stopped him.Not trying to insist, Fabian chortled and looked at Zayn with even more approval. “Alright. Since you’re honoring me so much, Mr. Larson, I’ll accept that. Seth, come pour Mr. Larson a drink.”Seth came over from the side to serve the men.This was a study room the Owens used specifically to host their guests. It was spacious, taking up hundreds of square feet, and was decorated with various antiques, paintings, and books. One glance at it spo
Simply put, the social circles Fabian mingled in were no longer limited to the business industry. His friends were notable names in Rheasia as well.It took Zayn a moment before he snapped out of his shock and asked, “Mr. Owen, I’m not on good terms with the Northmob Council right now. Aren’t you worried about offending them?”Zayn was both coming clean and testing the old man, but Fabian merely laughed. “What could the Northmob Council do? What would they dare to do if I decided to extend a hand to a person of my choosing?”The dominance and confidence in Fabian’s voice showed how much he disregarded the Northmob Council. Zayn could discern that he was not bragging. Fabian was actually confident he could do it.Nevertheless, if his words rang true, Zayn was all the more bewildered. He was not close to Fabian. Strictly speaking, this was their first time meeting each other. Why was Fabian roping him in? It did not make sense.Was it really due to his relationship with his grandfat
“Why? Do you not want that?” Fabian asked, ruffled when he noticed Zayn’s expression.Zayn laughed dryly. “Grandpa Owen, truth be told, I’m already married, so it’s just not my luck to marry your granddaughter.”The fact that he married into the Carters was not a secret in Waltz City. How could Fabian not know that? For him to suggest something like this, Zayn seriously suspected that the old man was playing him for a fool.Fabian did not appear surprised by his admission. “I know. Your wife’s Faye, Faye Carter, granddaughter to George Carter. She’s also chairman of Neotech Lighting Co. From what I understand, it was your backing that put her in that position.”“Grandpa Owen, why are you betrothing your granddaughter to me when you know about this?” Zayn chuckled humorlessly. His expression was screaming, ‘Are you trying to string me along?’“Haha, Zayn, do you think I’m joking with you?” asked Fabian.Zayn rolled his eyes and stated the obvious, “Are you not?”It got a guffaw f
Analyzing the situation, Zayn felt that Seth was still hiding something from him.Just when he was about to speak, someone shoved open the door to the study. A slender figure barged in accompanied by an enraged voice, “I won’t ever get married to him!”Zayn was not surprised by the woman’s intrusion. He had long heard her footsteps. Turning around to get a glimpse, he saw a gorgeous girl, tall and fair, who appeared to be very young—18 or 19 years old and probably still a college student. Without a doubt, this was Seth’s daughter, Allana Owen.Fabian frowned at her immediately and chided, “Allana, who allowed you in here? Get out!”Not only did Allana not exit the room, but she also walked in with large strides. She gave Zayn an icy glare before telling her father and grandfather grimly, “Grandpa, Dad, I’m still in college and I have a boyfriend. I’ll never marry him! Forget it!”Seth was furious. He had just said to Zayn that the marriage would be greenlit upon the latter’s agree
Mr. Hyde replied cryptically, “Lady Lysithea has your best interests at heart.”Zayn made no comment about this and said, “I want to meet her. Arrange it for me.”Mr. Hyde was silent for a moment before he replied, “Lady Lysithea will come see you when the time is right.”What else could Zayn say when Mr. Hyde had put it so bluntly? Rationally, Zayn thought that this so-called Lady Lysithea meant him no harm and he would see her one day. What he ought to do now was to increase his capabilities as quickly as possible!After Zayn and Mr. Hyde left, Fabian and Seth talked as well.“Father, Zayn Larson seems faithful to his wife. A marriage of convenience isn’t a good way to recruit him,” Seth said, looking worried as he stared in the direction Zayn and Mr. Hyde had gone.“There’s no such thing as absolute devotion in this world. Zayn will be tempted if the bait is worth it,” Fabian answered.“Father, I still don’t get it. Is he so valuable? We Owens are quite an influential family
“Is being a master fighter so incredible?” Seth was curious. “If it is, why would Zayn do something so foolish as to offend Northmob?”Fabian scolded him immediately, “Idiot! How’s offending Northmob foolish? It’s just Zayn’s stepping stone. It’s no threat to him. As a master fighter, Zayn’s intelligence and judgment exceed that of normal people. He’s calculated countless possible outcomes. Northmob won’t be able to do much to him.”Quickly waving his hand, Fabian spoke rather impatiently, “Whatever it is, we’re getting Zayn on our side. We must. If my guess is right, the Sullivans and Gibsons might try to pull him in as well. We need to be fast. Try to persuade Allana the soonest you can and get them together. Best if they do what can’t be undone. That’ll secure our place.”“Yes, Father!” Seth gave a fervent nod, eager to carry out Fabian’s orders dutifully. Now that he knew what the fuss over Zayn was all about, he had no more worries.The next day, Zayn continued to train the bo