Austin chuckled when he saw Aldus and Wolf coughing from the smoke.The one billion dollars had shocked them, but to Austin, it wasn't as important as the message behind the transaction.This time… fate was on his side!Walter and Ezra had made sure that Austin's hard work was not done in vain.Austin wasn't worried about anything else.As long as he was still in the game, and he wasn't eliminated, he had the right to keep fighting!Stretching, Austin smiled and said, "Wolf, go and get breakfast. I'm a little hungry.""Sure, Mr. Campbell."After Wolf went out, Aldus finally came to his senses. He smiled as if a burden was lifted off him. "Sir, the stab you took was worth it. Mr. Walter and Mr. Lockwood succeeded.""Yes, but there may be more troubles lying ahead."Austin rubbed his nose, his gaze deep as he said, "This incident won't blow over just like that. Mason isn't the sort of person who would suffer in silence, either."Aldus nodded, deep in thought.Taking out his p
"Does that have anything to do with you?"Over the phone, Mason sounded as arrogant as ever. He seemed to be giving orders as he said, "A private plane from the Campbells will be landing in your city tonight. Be sure to give them a warm welcome.""Oh, yes, of course. I'll do my best."Jacob hastily answered. Then, he asked, "Pardon my boldness, but may I know who from the Campbell family is coming?""If you're aware that you're being too bold, why would you ask?"Mason's voice was cold, and it was filled with intense disdain. "Remember, if you intend to be a hound, be prepared to be one. Dogs never ask their masters questions!"The call ended abruptly.Jacob's face was flushed, and he seemed to be in a daze.Under his gold-rimmed glasses, subtle fury burned within his eyes.In an instant, he suppressed the anger in his eyes as he put on a smile. He slowly lowered his phone.Chuckling self-deprecatingly, he muttered, "Yes, I've become a dog now, haven't I?"At midnight, thing
In the night sky, the roar of the engines of the fighter jets was deafening.The strong wind was like an invisible hand that was brought down upon the ground.The fighter jets were supposed to be weapons in a war, but now, they were downgraded to the role of protecting and escorting a private jet.The scene was extremely majestic to behold.Even Jacob, who had experienced and seen many things in life, could barely keep himself calm.Meanwhile, in the waiting area, everyone was already drawn to the grand scene outside.The whole place was in an uproar.Everyone was shocked.Amidst the rumbling of the fighter jets, the private jet slowly landed on the airport runway and began taxiing.After the private jet had come to a complete stop, the ten fighter jets in the night air let out an explosive noise at the same time.It sounded like a peal of thunder in the sky, and it was very intimidating.Right after that, the ten fighter jets traced an arc in the sky. They turned around and
Jacob kept trying to decide between helping Austin and helping Mason, but that was because he was looking for a chance to climb the social ladder.Now, if he could leave a good impression on Dorothy, it would be an unimaginable help to him in the future.Jacob ruled the business field and would cut off anything that should not be kept around. He was not a hesitant person.Jacob's speech was enough to inform Dorothy that he had connections to Mason, and it also described his power in this city. He was worthy of being Dorothy's errand boy."Darling Mason?"As expected, when Dorothy heard Mason's name, her expression softened. It wasn't as cold as it used to be. Instead, she put on a warm smile.In the Campbell family, Dorothy held an extremely esteemed position. She wasn't the head of the family, but even the head of the family had to treat her with care.Of those in the younger generation, Mason was one of the rare people who pleased Dorothy.Jacob was good at observing people,
When the first rays of dawn shone on the earth, Austin opened his eyes to find an extra person in the ward.Ezra had a tired look on his face as he leaned against the couch in the ward. He had a hand supporting his head as he closed his eyes and rested.Austin was immediately overjoyed.He hastily looked at Wolf, who was already up, with a curious gaze."Mr. Lockwood, Mr. Campbell has woken up," Wolf simply reported in a loud voice.Austin frowned. He was looking at Wolf because he didn't want to disturb Ezra's rest.Ezra had appeared in the ward this early in the morning, which meant that he must have rushed back here overnight.Ezra opened his eyes. Looking at Austin, he rubbed his face in exhaustion as he smiled, saying, "Sir, I was the one who told Wolf to wake me up as soon as you're awake."Austin nodded. Then, he frowned, asking, "How is it going in the Campbell family?"He was sure that the matter with the family rules was resolved.But there would be lots of trouble
Ezra panicked. Austin was speaking as if he was going against Dorothy."Summoning" was a way for Dorothy to display her status. Even in the Campbell family, the head of the family was summoned to see Dorothy as well."Hah! You have to meet her as long as you're still alive." The man in the suit sneered. "Even if you're dead, if Mrs. Campbell Senior wants to see you, we'll carry you in your casket to meet her!"Austin narrowed his eyes, feeling upset inside.He was about to say something when Ezra smiled apologetically, saying, "I'll bring him to visit Mrs. Campbell Senior at 8:00 pm.""Go to Tetra Club outside the city."The man in the suit mentioned a location. Then, he turned around and left with his men.Throughout the process, he never said anything more than necessary.He was arrogant and cold.Even when faced with Ezra, he never tried to be nice."Mr. Lockwood, you're not quite respected as a household staff, are you? The three young men didn't even seem to care about y
Austin endured the searing pain coming from his wound.He leaned against the seat, taking deep breaths with all his might. Still, he couldn't hide his pain.In a trembling voice, he smiled and said, "Since she wants to hold me responsible, if I appear before her looking all fine and dandy, I'll get more blame, won't I?"Ezra's expression froze.In an instant, he felt as if something was stuck in his chest, and a terrible feeling filled his heart.From how he saw it, Austin had done this out of desperation. That was why Austin purposely wanted to show Dorothy how badly he was wounded.If Mason was the one who got hurt, he definitely wouldn't do something like that.In the Campbell family, Mason was Dorothy's darling grandson. If he got hurt, he just had to kneel in front of her and let out a few cries of pain. Then, Dorothy would want to seek justice for him.As for Austin, he had to open his wound that was almost healing just so that Dorothy would go easy on him!They were bot
Every time Austin moved, it would cause intense pain in his wound. So, Austin looked extremely haggard.They didn't walk far before a small courtyard appeared before them.The courtyard was plain and simple. It didn't fit in with the rest of Tetra Club."Mrs. Campbell Senior, Mr. Austin is here to see you."Stepping forward, Ezra raised his voice a little as he shouted."Come in."A voice rang out from within the small courtyard.With Ezra and Aldus supporting him, Austin awkwardly covered his wound as he walked into the courtyard.As they walked, Ezra reminded Austin in a low voice, "Sir, bear with it as much as you can."Austin smiled bitterly.His gaze flickered, and his right hand subconsciously pressed harder against the wound on his abdomen.If he didn't know that, he wouldn't have opened up his wound that was just about to heal.As they slowly walked out of the darkness, Austin was very sure that sometimes, bowing his head appropriately would help him soar to greater
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