Austin was stunned.Dahlia's words hit him like a thunderbolt."Invite me back to the Emersons to inherit the position of the family head?"Austin's mind was filled with confusion in that very instant.If the Emersons dared to disregard blood ties and greedily seize the legacy left by Walter for him and Dahlia, how could they now ask him to return as the family head?What was going on?Did they want to put their enemy in charge and let him wield the knife to slaughter them?"Hah! Because he understands that all of his precious sons are worthless!"Dahlia sneered contemptuously. "All my brothers are useless. All they ever know is to indulge in entertainment. How could they truly lead the Emersons to glory? Even without the Emersons' resources, the achievements I made were a hundred times more impressive than theirs!"I hate that I was born a female! This female body stripped away everything from me and brought upon the Emersons' cruel and heartless tyranny."Dahlia clenched he
The interior of the car was dimly lit.Silence enveloped the space.Suddenly, Austin burst into laughter.Rubbing his nose, Austin said, "Mom, have we ever knelt down in these past 20 years, no matter how tough things got?"Dahlia silently shook her head."That's right. Then there's no need for me to choose. We've overcome the toughest situations standing tall, so why should I kneel down now and swallow the Emersons' cold-blooded treatment?"Following that, Austin opened the car door."I'll take what I want on my own terms. Even if the Campbells pose a thousand obstacles, I'll still stand and rise. I've got self-respect. I won't kneel down to become the head of the Emersons!"His voice was cold but firm.Dahlia's eyes sparkled with determination, and she finally smiled.She looked at Austin and then gradually calmed down. She fell into deep thought.Dahlia said in a solemn tone, "If you choose that, the Emersons may not let us off.""I'm not even afraid of the Campbells. Wh
Austin's face fell.He furrowed his brows and stared intently at the text message on his phone. A cold glint flashed across his eyes.That shameless old bloodsucker. How low could he stoop?"Sir..."Noticing Austin's grim expression, Aldus called out.However, Austin focused on replying to the message.He went straight to the point. "Get lost!"Putting his phone away, Austin suppressed his disgust and forced a smile. "It's nothing. Let's have breakfast."As they ate breakfast, his phone buzzed again. He received another message.Austin didn't bother to check it immediately.He wasn't sure if it was from the old guy from the Emerson family.He couldn't guarantee maintaining his composure if it was that guy.Revealing his agitation would affect his mother's mood.Since he had decided to ignore the Emersons, he didn't want any further involvement with them.He could only control himself and try not to escalate the situation.It wasn't until Austin was in the car on his way
Timothy's expression stiffened when he heard that. He smiled awkwardly. "My apologies, Mr. Emerson Senior, but the Bamboo Parlor is already occupied.""Ask them to move out." Itijah sneered, his face full of arrogance.The arrival of the head of the wealthiest family in the capital was akin to a god descending.With his status and position, he had full confidence that no one in this city would dare to challenge his authority, let alone match his stature.However..."I can't do that!" Timothy said directly. A fleeting trace of coldness flashed across his eyes.He respected the Emersons and Itijah.But it didn't mean he would allow himself to be bossed around and dictated by them.They were in his territory, and Edward, who was staying in the Bamboo Parlor, was his close friend.Besides, the Grahams were not inferior to the Emersons."What?"Itijah frowned, his expression suddenly turning cold. "Timothy, is this how you treat your guests?"Timothy sat up straight and locked e
When Austin arrived at Tetra Club, it was noon.They didn't have an invitation, but Aldus smoothly drove the Rolls-Royce into the club.This was because Timothy had already instructed that Austin could enter and leave the Tetra Club without an invitation.After parking the car, Aldus asked, "Sir, shall I accompany you inside?"Since Austin had mentioned that someone was here to look for trouble, he thought it was only natural for him to stay by Austin's side, just in case the person might harm Austin."Alright."Austin nodded as he stepped out of the car.He raised his hand to beckon an employee. "Where is Mr. Emerson Senior?""He's in the Mountain Parlor.""Lead the way."Following the staff, they made their way deeper into Tetra Club.Austin wore a faint smirk all along.Having visited Tetra Club several times before, he had gained some understanding of its room types.The Mountain Parlor was considered a high-class parlor, but it still fell short compared to the Bamboo
Jacob would never miss the opportunity to get acquainted with the Emersons.Although they weren't as influential as the Campbells, he could improve his chances of advancement."Mr. Emerson Senior, you can rest assured. After today, I'm sure your grandson will willingly return home with you."Of course, Jacob knew why they were invited here.To put it plainly, this banquet served as a showcase for Itijah to demonstrate the extent of his influence and persuade his wayward son to embrace his heritage and return to the fold."I am truly grateful."Itijah calmly expressed his gratitude, yet he didn't sound sincere.In fact, he couldn't be bothered with thanking Jacob.In his eyes, Jacob was nothing more than a pawn under the protection of the Newmans.Suddenly, mocking laughter resounded from outside the door.It captured everyone's attention.Jacob, who had been wearing a confident smile just moments before, froze in disbelief. His eyes widened in shock.Samuel looked astonishe
Timothy and Jacob's faces fell when they heard that.Indeed, no one dared to accept Austin's apology.Moreover, Austin didn't do anything wrong.He arrived right on time, so he was clearly right.Instead, it seemed like Itijah was pressuring Austin.Sitting in the main seat, Itijah turned pale.He wanted to showcase the power and influence of the Emersons through this meal.Even in this corner of the city, he could summon all the local bigwigs with a wave of his hand.In his eyes, Austin would never have the chance to meet such influential figures.Though Dominion Properties was rising rapidly in the city, it still couldn't catch Itijah's attention.In his opinion, connections were far more important than money.Yet, Austin was behaving like a rebellious young man.His plan was completely ruined.Bump!Fuming with anger, Itijah slammed his cane forcefully against the ground."Jacob..." he said through gritted teeth.Jacob's heart skipped a beat. His already livid face t
"Damn it! What a shameless old man!" Austin thought to himself."How dare you?"Itijah trembled with rage. Austin's arrogant remarks hit him like lightning.This meal was supposed to be his stage. It was his opportunity to showcase the power and influence of the Emersons, not to be publicly humiliated by Austin.His face was flushed with anger, and his chest was heaving. Itijah pointed at Timothy. "Do you have any idea who these people are? He is one of the most influential figures in our city!"This guy here is a big shot in the business world!"And he's a luminary in the medical field."…Itijah listed off their impressive credentials through gritted teeth while pointing at them.Consumed by rage, he failed to notice the subtle changes in Timothy and the others' expressions.As the introductions came to an end, Itijah slammed his cane on the ground.He exuded an air of dominance."Where did you get the nerve to act so insolently in front of me on such an occasion?"The E
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