Susie felt even more outraged. If not because of what Harvey could give her, she would have slapped him already.Her and Harvey's marriage not only led to Nancy's divorce but even ruined the life of Harvey's unfortunate ex-brother-in-law.Susie abruptly felt sorry for the man named Austin Campbell. He had such rotten luck.Then, upon recalling the name, her eyes flashed with resentment.As she eyed Harvey, something made her ask, "Harvey, your ex-brother-in-law is called Austin Campbell, right? Are you sure he doesn't have any money?""Hah! He's just a moocher. How could he possibly have any money?" Harvey scoffed while rolling his eyes. "Why are you asking about him?"Susie shook her head. She felt like she was going crazy thinking about the man she spent the night with.Austin Campbell was a fairly common name, so why did she think it would be the same guy?She explained, "A week ago, a customer by the name of Austin Campbell came to the bank to withdraw money. He had a debit
Susie felt like she was dreaming.How could it be such a coincidence?The Austin that Harvey described to her was nothing like the Austin she met at the bank.Yet, the icy face she saw through the windshield was the very same one.After that humiliating night, how could she forget his face?"Oh, right. I forgot you're penniless now," Harvey remarked.Not noticing Austin's hostility, Harvey continued to mock, "What a shame. If you'd only taken our advice and let your mom die, you wouldn't have had to divorce my sister. Well, you really have nothing left now."Austin was clenching his fists so tightly that the veins along his arms were bulging.Ever since he married Nancy, he had to suffer constant disrespect from the Welches, and because Nancy took her family's side, his standing in the family dropped even lower.Even though he became the assistant general manager of Dominion Properties in just three years and frequently gave money to the Welches, they still looked down on him
Austin sneered, but his gaze hardened with determination.Dahlia was everything to him. She was his rock and his foundation.Even if he had a do-over, he would have chosen to divorce Nancy anyway.Nancy was willing to do everything within her means to help a useless person like Harvey, but not Austin."That's enough!" Susie snapped as she abruptly flung Harvey's hand off her. "You've gone too far, Harvey! Apologize to Mr. Campbell at once!"Harvey's gloating expression was replaced by one of shock."W-Why are you so worked up, Susie? I didn't do anything wrong, so why should I apologize to him?"Turning red, Susie rebuked Harvey, "You were too rude to Mr. Campbell! I refuse to allow you to treat him that way!"She was berating Harvey because she wanted to stop Harvey from mocking Austin any further, lest Austin became so mad that he exposed what happened that night. Also, she was trying to take Austin's side so that she would leave a good impression on him.Harvey was clueless
The encounter with Harvey was merely a minor annoyance. Austin did not care about it.He devoted all of his attention to the west city slum redevelopment project.It was the answer to the test given to him by his father whom he had never met.It was also his first time being able to fully show what he was capable of.An exorbitant contract that cost Dominion Properties an additional 30 million in losses was indeed a calamity for the company.Every single employee knew what such a loss meant.Thus, when Austin arrived at the office, he found that the atmosphere was unusually heavy.Everyone was focusing on their work, but there was tension in the air. The entire office was alarmingly silent.Feeling a little helpless about it, Austin ignored the situation and walked into his office.He knew that they stayed even after finding out about the contract because they had faith in him.But, the trust they had was not enough to stop them from feeling nervous and agitated.He could no
"I'm your mother! Here I am doing my best to introduce you to a new guy! How dare you refuse to go? Do you know how humiliating it would be for me?" Urma screeched.Derek, who was sitting on the couch, kept sighing as he watched the fight."Dad!"Feeling desperate, Nancy turned to Derek. "Please help me talk Mom out of it.""As if he'd dare to!" Urma shrieked.Derek felt bad for Nancy, so he said, "I think the guy you picked isn't right for Nancy either. He's in his 40s. That means he's almost our age.""So what if he's in his 40s?"Urma frowned and continued, "Men get better with age, and he's rich too. He's an eligible bachelor. Nancy's a divorcee. She's used goods. Do you think she can get a handsome and wealthy young man? Would they even want her?"Nancy was stupefied. She stared at Urma in disbelief.She never expected Urma, her own mother, to call her used goods."Mom …" Nancy cried out tearfully."Shut up!" Urma fumed. "You're the one who insisted on marrying that use
After getting off work that night, Austin rushed home to prepare some soup. Once it was ready, he rushed back to Legacy Hospital.When he came to Dahlia's hospital room, he ran into Isaac and a few other doctors who were doing their rounds.When Isaac saw Austin, he waved at his colleagues for them to leave without him. Then, he smiled at Austin and said, "You're a very loving son, Mr. Campbell. I see you cooking for your mother everyday."Austin smiled before asking, "How's my mom doing, Dr. Navarro?""She's been recovering well. In a few days, she can be discharged from the hospital. However, with all organ transplants, there's a risk period where the patient's body might reject the new organ. It can last between six months to a year. We'll have to wait until that passes before we can say she has fully recovered."Austin grew anxious, but Isaac smiled and added, "However, you don't need to worry about that, Mr. Campbell. Mr. Lockwood has spoken to me. The hospital will do our be
Austin felt a headache coming on.Frazzled, he said, "Please leave. Don't ever visit my mother again.""I refuse!" Susie shook her head and giggled mischievously. "If you stop me from visiting your mother, I'll tell her about your divorce."Having lived in the city for some time now, she had a few tricks up her sleeves. She understood men and knew how to get her way with them.If not, she would not have chosen to visit Dahlia after getting ignored by Austin."Are you threatening me?" Austin growled. His eyes blazed with hostility."That's right. I'm threatening you. Do you want to get even with me?" Susie asked with a coy smile. She raised her hand and tapped her finger against Austin's chest.Austin took a step back. "I want you to leave!"Susie's smile froze. She did not expect Austin to reject her so firmly.He was nothing like the man she slept with that night!Susie was a smart woman. She knew when to stop.Taking a deep breath, Susie withdrew her hand. Her sultry expre
As a light rain started falling, Nancy felt a stone-cold feeling in her heart.She stared listlessly at her phone. Austin's response cut her like a knife."Go in, Nancy. He's waiting for you," Harvey urged. He did not know about Nancy's WhatsApp conversation.Nancy wiped her tears away and walked toward the restaurant. She slowly looked up at the night sky and smiled in despair. "In the end, I have to bear the brunt of everything alone, huh?"The warm light and relaxing music of the dimly lit restaurant made it the perfect dating spot.In the corner, Brock was lounging on a couch. Now and then, he would smooth out his hair while ogling at the photo of Nancy.Getting married at his age was considered quite old, but he did not mind.He did not want to get married. He had not had enough fun yet.His older sister had married a wealthy man, and with their help, he led an easy life of luxury.When he was the general manager at Dominion Properties, he used his position to demand sexu
Austin never expected that Nancy would come back.As he returned to the Tetra Club, he remained sullen, his eyes dark with unresolved anger.Seeing Austin like this, Cecily felt a pang of sadness.She gently tried to comfort him, "It's all in the past now, isn't it? I'm here with you, and we have our baby on the way.""I can't just let it go," Austin shook his head."The best I can do is not seek revenge against them, but to truly forgive and forget—I can't do that."The actions of Nancy's family were still fresh in his memory.Austin wasn't someone who sought revenge for every slight, but he was far from the kind of person who could simply forgive and forget, moving on with a carefree "Hallelujah."Dahlia's despair as she lay in bed, the arrogance and cruelty of the Welch family…In the eyes of the Welch family, Dahlia's life wasn't worth as much as Harvey's wedding.Even when the time had passed and he was about to finally be happy with Cecily, the Welch family not only dem
After leaving this city, Nancy put in a tremendous amount of effort to "rebirth" herself.Meeting Ethan had shown her a different side of life.While he wasn't part of the uppermost echelons of wealth and power, he had enough. Most importantly, he treated her with the utmost respect.She understood Ethan's background, which made that respect all the more valuable.A man of his stature could have any woman he wanted in his bed the same night.Yet Ethan had shown her incredible patience, making her question whether the rumors about him were true.Tonight, returning to this city was her way of bidding farewell to the past and embracing the future.After all, people need to look forward, don't they?Meanwhile, Ethan was feeling more dejected than he'd ever been.Lying in his luxurious bed in Brook Villa, he couldn't sleep, tossing and turning restlessly.He had hoped to establish a connection with Austin. A figure like him would be incredibly valuable to have on his side.He tho
The river breeze was cool, and the lights reflected on the water flickered softly.The figure in front of them wore a long black coat, standing quietly by the railing. Her fair, delicate profile, partially obscured by a few strands of windblown hair, carried a hint of melancholy."Sir, Mrs. Campbell, is something wrong?" Aldus noticed the change and quickly stepped forward to inquire."Let's go home," Austin suddenly said, his previously cheerful expression now somber, with a touch of disdain.Go home? They had just arrived.Aldus was surprised and quickly followed Austin's gaze. When he saw what Austin was looking at, he immediately understood.Without a word, he turned to leave with Austin.But a soft hand gently grabbed Austin's arm."It's been so many years, aren't you going to say hello?" Cecily asked."I have no desire to greet her," Austin said, his disdain clear and unhidden.Three years of marriage, filled with nothing but pain.Even when Dahlia was gravely ill, Nan
After a busy day, just as Austin was about to finish up, a new invitation appeared on his desk."Who delivered this?" Austin asked."Ethan," Wolf replied.Austin chuckled, didn't bother opening the invitation, and instead tossed it directly into the trash."I've got to get home to Cecily."When he returned to the Bamboo Parlor at Tetra Club, Raquel had already prepared a delicious dinner.The dishes were beautifully presented, with vibrant colors and enticing aromas.After dinner, Austin and Ezra stepped out into the courtyard."Mr. Lockwood, any news from the Campbells about my dad?" Austin asked, the text message from Walter still weighing heavily on his mind.Considering the Campbells' efforts to find Walter, and given their intelligence resources, they should have been some leads by now.But Ezra shook his head. "Nothing, Not a trace.""The Campbells' intelligence network has never been this weak, has it?" Austin frowned, speaking in a low tone.Ezra gave a wry smile. "
"Childhood?"Austin stopped his workout, wiped the sweat from his face, and smiled bitterly.His childhood had been bleak.Only Dahlia had brought some light into the darkness.Seeing Austin's pained smile, Aldus immediately realized his mistake.He quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, Sir. I spoke without thinking. You don't need to answer that.""It's fine," Austin replied, gesturing towards a nearby bench, and inviting Aldus to sit with him.Once they were seated, Austin slowly began to speak. "There's not much to tell about my childhood. It was mostly just being called an 'illegitimate child' and living day to day, never knowing where my next meal would come from."If it weren't for my mom fighting tooth and nail to raise me, I'd probably be dead by now."With just a few simple words, he conveyed a world of suffering.Aldus felt a wave of guilt. He had only been trying to find clues from Austin's past that might explain his exceptional combat instincts and incredible physical
Austin's gaze softened as warmth flooded his heart.Who hasn't longed for a light left on just for them in a sea of lights? But in reality, how many actually have that?Cecily did that for him.Given her background, the fact that she went to such lengths truly surprised Austin.In the three years he spent in the past, he had never experienced something like this.His nose tingled with emotion as he pulled Cecily into his arms, speaking softly, "Thank you. Marrying you is the greatest fortune of my life.""Alright, alright, I asked Raquel to prepare breakfast earlier this morning. You go to the dining room, and I'll have her bring it over," Cecily said as she gently slipped out of Austin's embrace, her graceful smile lighting up her eyes."Doesn't Bamboo Parlor have a kitchen?" Austin asked, curious.Cecily gave him a playful look. "The chairs in the living room are so hard, and you spent the whole night on one—how could you have slept well? If Raquel had been clattering around
The room fell into a heavy silence."Deactivating the phone number… was Dad trying to prevent me from tracking his location?" Austin murmured with a frown.Ezra pondered for a moment, his voice low and serious. "Perhaps he was more concerned about someone else tracking him."Austin's eyes widened in realization.Of course—if Walter could send him a message to let him know he was safe, he wouldn't be worried about Austin tracking himDeactivating the phone was likely to prevent others from tracing his location."But who is he trying to avoid?"Ezra shook his head, remaining silent.Having followed Walter for many years, he knew the man's temperament and habits. But this time, he was truly baffled.He couldn't even begin to piece together a clue.Taking a deep breath, Ezra forced a bitter smile. "I'm afraid I'm at a loss this time, sir. There's no sign of anything unusual from the Campbells either."This statement only deepened Austin's confusion.If there were anyone who cou
Austin knocked softly on the door.Almost immediately, he heard the sound of shuffling from inside.Ezra opened the door, his face full of curiosity. "Sir, what's going on?"Austin quickly made a shushing gesture, worried about disturbing Cecily.Then he gently pushed Ezra back into the room."Sorry to bother you so late, Mr. Lockwood," Austin said.Ezra smiled. "It's no trouble at all. The older you get, the less you need. I was just reading."Austin glanced at the book on Ezra's bedside table and couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated.This old rascal!Ezra blushed and quickly shoved the book under his pillow.Austin sat on the bed and pulled up the text message from Walter, showing it to Ezra."I just received this message."When Ezra read the text, his eyes lit up with a sharp gleam, and he was overjoyed. "This is from Mr. Walter!"Austin nodded, his expression serious. "But I've sent several messages back, and there's been no reply. I called twice—once it was immedi
"The underground king of Eastbrook bows down."This news swept through Eastbrook like a storm.Ethan knew that by doing this, he would become the laughingstock of the entire city. But he also knew he had no choice—he had to do it!Even if he became a joke, he would remain the underground king. But if he refused to lower his head, he would end up a dead man.He understood the situation perfectly.In fact, that very night, a message was released from Brook Villa.No one is to compete for the land!This is a clear warning to all real estate companies in Eastbrook. It was also a gesture of goodwill toward Austin.But Austin didn't pay it much mind.If not for Derrick's involvement, he had no idea how Ethan would have responded—but Austin knew his response would have been much tougher.A mere city's underground king? He didn't even compare to the richest man in Basin City or the capital—he wasn't even worthy of carrying their shoes!After leaving Brook Villa, Austin didn't linger