Dahlia was afraid Raquel would overthink. So, she explained, "You've done everything well. I like you a lot. Why would I fire you? "Oh, there's one area you don't seem to do well in. You don't seem to give yourself enough rest!"Raquel's eyes turned red. She sat beside the bed and began to cry. "Madam Emerson, you scared me. I thought you wanted to fire me. This job is really important to me."Dahlia smiled kindly. She looked at Raquel and patted her on the shoulders. Dahlia said softly, "You're a good kid. I won't fire you. Why don't you give my son a call?"I'll ask him to accompany me for the night while you return home and rest for the night."Raquel began to shake as she wiped away her tears. "Madam Emerson, Austin is very busy. He hired me to take care of you. How can I call him here while I return home to sleep?""Alright then. However, you should listen to me. Have a good rest at night. There's no need to wake up the second I move."As Dahlia spoke, her expression
Nancy winced as she looked at Urma with a dumbfounded expression."Mom, regarding the engagement party, I had already discussed things with Susie beforehand!" Nancy said with a hurt tone.The incident during the engagement party had thoroughly humiliated the Welch family. Nancy had explained herself countless times while enduring Urma's blame."You're still lying to me!"Urma was so angry that her breathing became haggard. She said angrily, "Susie comes from a good background. Are you saying she purposefully made a scene during the party?""Nancy, what are you trying to say?" Harvey also felt frustrated and began to rise. Harvey continued, "I know what type of person Susie is. She would never do such a thing."Nancy's body began to tremble as tears pooled in her eyes.She sounded like she was about to cry when she said, "Who won't you all believe me? Mom, aren't I your daughter?"Urma's face turned red as she put a hand over her chest. "I'm focusing on the issue at hand
Urma seemed to have thought of something as she turned to look at Harvey. "Harvey, Susie must have been troubled after the engagement party. Did you talk things through with her?""Mom, Susie has been ignoring me for the past two days. I went to her house to send her to work, but she refused to get in my car. She won't even speak to me."Harvey's face turned red as his expression morphed into anxiousness."Oh no …"Urma looked at the ceiling and sighed. "If it weren't for Nancy, that brat, messing around, none of this would have happened. We could have managed to scrape together 100 thousand dollars."Urma's words caused Harvey to think of Susie.He suddenly remembered Susie had shouted at him. She had claimed that Austin was wealthy. She had even asked him to ask Austin for money.Then, he forced Nancy to settle his problem. Why didn't she talk to Austin? Why did she look for Susie instead?The thought of it made his anger grow. He stamped his feet harshly and said, "Mom, Da
Raquel did not intend to dodge as she faced Harvey's swinging fists. She used to be a national-level boxing athlete.She was not afraid of a fistfight.Not to mention, she would be in the same weight group as Harvey.With a quick move to the side, Raquel dodged Harvey's fist.She lowered her body and swung her fist. Bang!She punched Harvey in the stomach.Harvey shouted in pain as he held his stomach and took three steps back. Then, he squatted down on the floor.Raquel's actions had been sharp and precise.Raquel stood up and arranged her hair. She smiled with contempt and said, "Back then, I could have fought with ten of you!" "You motherfu—"Harvey held his stomach. He wanted to shout at her, but he felt like someone was twisting his intestines together. He was in so much pain that he could not speak.He never thought a woman like Raquel would be able to knock him down with a single punch. "Now, get the fuck out of here!"Raquel grabbed Harvey by the collar and t
Raquel's violent actions shocked everyone there."Get out! I told you to get the fuck out!"Raquel pushed Harvey in the chest.Dahlia could not get upset. If Harvey continued to make a scene, the consequences might be dire.Raquel turned around to see Dahlia crying and trembling. She quickly ran up to Dahlia to comfort her."Madam Emerson, it's alright. I'm here now. Nothing will happen to you!""What can you do? You're just a caregiver!" Harvey shouted angrily.He had always been spoilt as a kid. Now that he had finally seen through Austin's "facade", he wanted to demand answers.He could not stand being treated like that."Stop making a scene. Madam Emerson can't get too upset. You're just hurting her." Raquel pleaded."Hurting her? Her death will have nothing to do with me!"Harvey waved his hand. "You and your son come from the countryside. You tried to mooch off my family. "Your bastard of a son nearly used up our family's wealth to save your stupid life. Doesn't he f
Isaac's words shocked everyone present.They never thought Harvey, who complained against injustice, would have done such a thing.Instantly, all of the judgment and pointed looks fell on Harvey.Harvey's face turned red as he became speechless.He glared at Raquel harshly before turning to leave.Raquel hurriedly entered Dahlia's ward. She gently patted Dahlia's back as she comforted her. "Madam Emerson, you need to be more careful of your health. I'll go and inform Austin about what had happened."Dahlia stopped Raquel. Dahlia took a deep breath and said, "Don't. Don't tell him anything. I-I'm fine.""But …" Raquel was hesitant.Dahlia shook her head. "Austin is working too hard. There's no need to alarm him about what happened.Then, Isaac entered the ward. He frowned as he looked at Dahlia with concern. "Mrs. Emerson, I need to run a few tests on you. I'll help you keep this incident a secret from Mr. Campbell after ensuring you're healthy."Harvey rushed back to Ur
"That's enough, Harv!"Nancy gritted her teeth, sounding aggrieved. "I know you want to get married as soon as possible. Let me handle Austin. "You should just relax and take care of Mom. Don't tell Mom and Dad about this. I don't want to get them to work up over this."Then, she turned around to leave.Harvey still looked angry. "Handle this? If you could handle it, why would you choose to trick Susie? Our family would not be in such a bad place if you could handle it."However, Nancy had already left and did not hear Harvey's words.…Back at Dominion Properties, Austin had been busy with work.The west city slum redevelopment project had his full attention.Although he had settled the problem with the extravagant cost of the proposal, he still had a lot of things to do.He had to start with the construction and pre-sales as soon as possible!The project would only stabilize itself when money flowed into his account.Only then would he be able to meet his father.Ding
After running multiple tests, it was clear that Dahlia was still in good shape.However, Raquel and Isaac were still worried about her.When Austin arrived at the hospital at night, neither Raquel nor Dahlia mentioned the incident.As a mother, she felt sorry for her son.Dahlia knew how hard Austin was working. She didn't want to burden him any further.Raquel came close to mentioning it as she looked at Austin. However, Dahlia's words caused her to hold it in."Austin, you seem exhausted recently."Dahlia looked at her son and felt her heart break. Her eyes turned slightly red.Her surgery and Austin's divorce had all happened within a month.Both issues were enough to make a normal person fall under heavy pressure.Not to mention, Austin was shouldering the burden alone. He was also busy working hard to pay her extensive medical bills."Mom, I'm alright."Austin smiled. His mother's health was slowly improving with each day, lessening the burden in his heart.As for bei
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