The Formidable Son in Law "Lucas Gray" - Updated by Moh96

Chapter 1: Retiring After Success

The wind whistled, and leaves fluttered.

Lucas Gray pulled his coat together and once again looked at the campground that he had long gotten familiar with, as well as the familiar faces. He clenched his jaw tightly.

“Let's go.”
Lucas turned around and stepped onto the hatch door of the helicopter that had been waiting at the side for a long time.
Behind him were teams of tall, toned, and muscular men standing uniformly in neat rows. Despite having tears in their eyes, they were standing still with their backs straight in the cold wind and raising their hands in unison to perform a standard and reverent military salute.

“Farewell from the Assault Team, Captain!”

“Farewell from the Special Forces, Captain!”

“Farewell from the Logistics Team, Captain!”

Amid the sounds of the helicopter's propeller continuously rotating, the loud yelling sounded consecutively.

It was full of enthusiasm and pride!

“Captain, can you really bear to…” Jordan muttered with reluctance in his eyes as he wiped his tears and closed the helicopter's hatch door.

The wings of the helicopter rotated, and it ascended. The familiar campground and teams were gradually turning into tiny marks on the ground.

Lucas looked away and said with a faint smile, “Everything comes to an end someday. There's no longer a need for me to continue staying here.”

He had stayed on this land for six whole years.

During these six years, Lucas was quickly promoted from a fresh recruit to a general who held great authority after various close shaves with death. The invincible Falcon Regiment under his command firmly guarded the vast territory around the state of Calico.

And Lucas became the most powerful God of War in the eyes of the tens of thousands of members of the Falcon Regiment because of his excellent command ability and combat power.

No one dared to invade Calico anymore, as it was now well fortified. Having achieved success, he could finally retire, even though he was only twenty-eight years old.

The helicopter flew south toward the nearest airport.

Lucas took out an antique pocket watch from his chest, in which was a slightly yellowed photo.
It was a photo of him and a young woman taken six years ago. Back then, he was still slightly immature.

The woman's face was beautiful, delicate, and exquisite. Her lips were pursed stubbornly, and her slanted, crystalline eyes seemed to be staring straight into Lucas's hand through the photo.


The scene that seemed like a farce at that time was still fresh and vivid in his memory.

Lucas smiled bitterly as he began to recall the events from six years ago. At that time, Cheyenne Carter, who had just graduated from college, had already established the Brilliance Corporation with her outstanding bravery and wits, thus making her a gorgeous and famous female CEO.

However, her image was soon ruined.

The young and beautiful CEO with a glamorous appearance actually had a disgraceful private life, as she had had an affair with the company's chauffeur! The media made a big deal out of it and released all sorts of malicious, speculative, and untrue reports.
Cheyenne's image was ruined overnight, and she fell to rock bottom together with her Brilliance Corporation that was thrown into jeopardy.

No one bothered to discover that the truth was that they had actually been drugged.

The masses were only interested in gossip, and the Carters just wanted to cover up the scandal.
In the end, the chauffeur married into the Carters and became her husband.

However, the marriage did not save the image of Cheyenne and the Carters. Everyone mocked and criticized the greatest beauty of Orange County, who used to be the envy of everyone, and made remarks about the penniless chauffeur who was lucky enough to marry into a wealthy family.
The penniless chauffeur was Lucas.

Both of them were well aware of the truth of their marriage.
Soon, Lucas quietly left for the military camp and vowed to make a name for himself so that he would be worthy of the woman who used to be favored by God.
Six years had passed, and he finally returned after achieving success.

Lucas looked at the woman in the photo, his emotions mixed with inexplicable remorse and apology.

He wondered how she was doing after years of being away from her.

“Finally back!” Jordan stretched his back and looked at Lucas, who had a look of nostalgia.

The two of them passed through the crowded Orange County International Airport and casually ordered some fast food at the mall outside the airport.

“Captain… No, I mean, Lucas, your hometown is in Orange County, isn't it?” Lucas casually nodded.
It had been a long time since they left Orange County, and now that they had just returned, there were many things for them to tend to.

“Mommy… I want Mommy…” All of a sudden, a puerile and crisp crying sounded near them.
Lucas stopped in his tracks.
For some reason, the tender crying was tugging at his heartstrings.

Lucas pushed aside the crowd and followed the sound.

There was a little girl standing below a billboard near him and weeping, her face stained with tears.

The girl was about four or five years old and was holding a stuffed rabbit in her arms. Her tiny face was as fine as jade, and tears were welling up in her large, dark eyes. Her small and delicate nose was sniffling because of her crying, and she looked particularly adorable and pitiful, making Lucas's heart scrunch up.

In particular, she seemed bizarrely familiar to Lucas.

At this moment, the girl saw Lucas as well, and she abruptly stopped crying. Her eyes full of surprise, she suddenly leaped toward Lucas and hugged his thigh!

“Daddy!”
Lucas was stunned speechless and at a complete loss for what to do.

Chapter 2: Take You Back to Washington DC​

At the side, Jordan blinked and exclaimed, “Lucas, this kid really looks like you. Since when do you have a daughter? We've never heard you mention anything about it before!”

“Don't spout nonsense.” Lucas was somewhat at a loss. It was the first time in his life that he had ever had a child hug his thigh trustingly and call him ‘Daddy'.

After thinking about it, he squatted down, rubbed the little girl's hair, and said softly, “I'm not your Daddy. You made a mistake. Did you wander off from your parents? I'll take you to look for them.”

Hearing this, the little girl looked at Lucas in shock and suddenly began wailing loudly. “Daddy, you're a bad guy. You don't want me anymore!” Lucas was dumbfounded and at a loss.

After some painstaking effort, he finally managed to cajole her and convince her to go to the service counter of the mall. Lucas informed the service staff about the little girl being lost and gave a thorough explanation before leaving the mall.

When he left, the little girl was bawling her eyes out, almost causing Lucas to cave in.

Unfortunately, he still had important things to deal with. Otherwise, he would have kept her company until her parents arrived.

Soon after they left, a woman hurried to the service counter of the mall and hugged the weeping little girl, extremely heartbroken.

“Amelia, I'm sorry I'm late…”

There was still some lingering fear within her.

Earlier, she had intended to just make a quick trip to the bathroom, but she ended up running into a troublesome client who pestered her for a long time before leaving.

Over the years, she had been cherishing her daughter like she was her life. If anything happened to her daughter…

She didn't dare to think about it any longer.

“Mommy, I saw Daddy just now. But he said that I had mistaken him for someone else… How could I be mistaken? He was Daddy!” the girl exclaimed, her lips pursed and on the verge of tears.

“What?!” The woman's body suddenly stiffened.

Outside the mall, eight tall and burly bodyguards with domineering auras and clad in suits walked toward Lucas and stood still in front of him.

All eyes were on them.

Remaining still, Lucas raised his eyebrows.

“Mr. Gray.” The bodyguards parted to the sides, revealing an old man and a middle-aged man behind them.

The old man, whose hair and beard were white, was around fifty to sixty years old and donning an immaculate suit. He looked smart and energetic. The middle-aged man beside him was also decked out in subtly luxurious designer apparel. It was obvious that they were wealthy.

The old man walked up to Lucas and kept his aged eyes fixed on him. All of a sudden, he bowed to Lucas.

“I'm Chad Kennedy, the chief butler of the Hutton family. I'm here to take you back to Washington DC.”

The indifferent gaze in Lucas's eyes suddenly became sharp!

The Huttons? Taking me back to DC? This must be the greatest joke ever!

He grinned contemptuously. “It's surprising that the prestigious and noble Huttons still remember me. I remember getting kicked out of the Hutton family together with my mother by you people two decades ago. You people said that I'm unworthy of being a Hutton and even warned us not to go near DC again, or else my mother and I would be taught a hard lesson.

“Where in DC are you taking me back to? Or is it that all the Huttons have dropped dead?”

Lucas's voice was full of the endless hostility and anger that he had been suppressing for years.

Kennedy was speechless.

Lucas's words were certainly aggressive and harsh, but he knew that the Huttons had indeed let him down back then.

He let out a long sigh. “No matter what, so many years have passed, and Old Mr. Hutton has gotten on in his years. He just wants to spend time with his children and grandchildren. After all, you carry the blood of the Huttons.” “My last name is Gray, not Hutton.” Lucas continued unwaveringly, “If that nonsense is all you want to say to me, pardon me, but I won't entertain you.” Lucas turned around to leave, but Kennedy hurriedly stopped him. “Mr. Lucas, wait a minute!”

He grabbed a PIN-locked briefcase from the middle-aged man behind him and handed it to Lucas respectfully with both hands.

“This is all the information and the equity transfer letter of the Stardust Corporation, which used to belong to your mother. Now, it's only right for you to take over its operations. Treat it as compensation from the Huttons.”

“Compensation?” Lucas smiled mirthlessly. “The Stardust Corporation belongs to my mother in the first place. The Huttons forcefully snatched it away from her and encroached on it. Even if you didn't return it, I'd snatch it back on my own!

“You snatched someone else's asset, and now you're acting like you're giving it to me out of kindness. Are you still expecting me to be grateful too? How thickskinned! Let me warn you, don't treat me like a fool, and don't provoke me ever again. Or else I'll tear your family apart!”

Lucas pushed the bodyguards away and left with the briefcase.

Staring at his taut back, Kennedy shook his head and sighed. “Ah, he's still as hot-tempered as ever.”

As the chief butler of the Hutton family, Chad Kennedy was well aware that the Huttons had indeed gone overboard back then. However, the situation in Washington DC now was unfavorable, and he had no choice but to think of a way to repair the relationship between Lucas and the Huttons.

Kennedy patted the middle-aged man on his shoulder. “Ethan Sawyer, you're now one of the most prominent figures in Orange County. You ought to do something about the matter regarding Mr. Gray.”

The middle-aged man nodded respectfully. “I managed to achieve what I have today, all thanks to you and the Hutton family. It's only right for me to do this.

Don't worry. I will definitely do my best to help Mr. Gray.”

If there were people who knew the middle-aged man and saw him being very polite and respectful toward Kennedy, they would have definitely been astonished.

Well, because he was Ethan Sawyer, the wealthiest man in Orange County and the business tycoon who owned businesses in several states!

Chapter 3: I'm Back​

Lucas was sitting in the backseat of a car with a sullen expression. Kennedy's appearance reminded him of the past that he didn't want to remember.

Back then, he was called a bastard and an illegitimate child at a tender age, and got chased out of his home together with his mother, whose assets and valuables were all seized. He had a high, persistent fever at the time. And while holding him in her arms, his mother knelt by the Huttons' doorstep and pleaded for help, only to hear them say coldly,

“We don't care about the lives of those who are not one of the Huttons.”

Afterward, his mother moved around and brought him to Orange County, where she worked hard to make ends meet. Although life was tough, she managed to raise him to adulthood. However, his mother developed an illness and collapsed after years of toiling and living a strenuous life.

At that time, Lucas had just graduated from college, and his meager wage was a drop in the bucket compared to the hefty medical bills. He swallowed his pride and tried to seek help from the Huttons, only to receive a heartless rejection and harsh mockery and criticism, which made him feel hopeless and resentful toward the Huttons.

Shortly after, he and Cheyenne were drugged, thus resulting in the scandal that spread like wildfire in the entire county. The Carters requested that he marry into their family.

He agreed on the condition that the Carters would lend him fifty thousand dollars for his mother's treatment.

However, by the time he rushed to the hospital with the money, his mother had already passed away.

At that time, Lucas was devastated and felt like a complete failure in life. He failed to save his mother and wasn't worthy of an outstanding girl like Cheyenne either.

To make matters worse, the Carters often mocked him in the past. Lucas decided to leave the Carters and join the military. He swore to make a name for himself so that he could stand proudly beside Cheyenne.

Now, he had returned.

The car sped along the road, and he soon arrived at the Carter residence. Lucas stood outside the courtyard gate that he was familiar with and seemed rather nervous about returning home.

Years ago, he left without saying goodbye, and he didn't know what Cheyenne thought of him now.

Just as he was about to go up and knock on the door, he heard some boisterous laughter coming from outside.

“Mr. Miller, since you're so sincere about Cheyenne, we shall be straightforward. Let's just settle on a date.”

Lucas was stunned. He reckoned that the voice belonged to Karen, his motherin-law and Cheyenne's mother.

“Missus—Karen, you're being too polite. Since we're going to be a family in the future, don't be so formal. Just call me by my name.”

“Sure, sure, you're so young and eloquent. Cheyenne is so lucky to have met you! As her parents, we can rest assured now!”

“However, I heard her former…”

“You mean that good-for-nothing? It's alright. The law states that a missing person can be declared dead after being missing for four years. He's already disappeared for more than six years, so he must have died in some hellhole! If you're still worried, let's go to the court and get a certificate.”

“In my opinion, Cheyenne is brilliant in all aspects, except that her husband, my brother-in-law, is a good-for-nothing.”

“That piece of trash isn't your brother-in-law. From now on, your brother-in-law is Mr. Miller.”

When Lucas heard this, his face turned incredibly gloomy, and he couldn't tolerate it any longer.

He had come back for Cheyenne, and yet he heard her family talking about her remarriage. No matter what, he had to see her to clarify.

Bang! Bang! He knocked on the door.

“Who is it? Coming.” Having settled her eldest daughter's marriage with a wealthy man, Karen was in a good mood, and she opened the door with a gleeful grin.

However, her expression changed dramatically when she saw the person at the door.

“You… you're not dead?” Shock was written all over her face, which seemed to have paled all of a sudden. Her expression was now full of disgust and disdain. This good-for-nothing is back!

Although Lucas's appearance had changed over the years, she could still recognize him, as she would curse him in her head dozens of times each day! “I'm back, Karen,” Lucas said calmly.

“How could you have the cheek to come back, you wastrel?! Don't act so close to me! It's Mrs Carter. Didn't your dead mother teach you any manners!” Karen hollered, her brows furrowed and her hands on her waist. Her saliva almost landed on Lucas's face.

Lucas's heart was suddenly full of fury!

His mother's death would forever be a sore spot in his heart and the reason for his rebellion!

He clenched his fists and repeatedly warned himself not to get physical because the woman in front of him was Cheyenne's biological mother. “What? Do you want to hit me? You're such a jinx. Of all times, you had to come back now. I bet you're bent on making life hard for us!”

“Who's out there?” When Cheyenne's father heard the ruckus, he walked out of the living room too.

When he saw Lucas's face, his eyes widened immediately, and he charged forward with a furious expression in a bid to punch Lucas!

“Bastard, how dare you come back?! Why didn't you die outside?! Huh?” Just as his fist was about to land on Lucas's face, a hand that was as strong as an iron clamp pinched his tightly.

“Old man, you must be tired of living! How dare you try to hit Lucas…” Jordan had been Lucas's subordinate for years and had long treated him as his closest kin. How could he stand by and watch him get humiliated by others?

With an icy-cold gaze in his eyes, he emitted a murderous aura that frightened Cheyenne's father to the point that he turned as pale as a sheet!

 

[moh96]

1221 Each With an Agenda

These two families were from Arizona and Nevada, but they had never had much of a relationship with the families of California. It was unclear why they suddenly came here.

Although they didn’t know why the helmsman Anthony and Joel were here, Bruce wouldn’t ignorantly turn them away since they had already come all the way here.

“Invite them in!” Bruce instructed.

Before long, Joel and Anthony brought their families’ elite bodyguards into the reception hall.

Bruce stood up and said courteously, “Mr. Gillen, Mr. Cross, it’s an honor to have you here!” Although Bruce had long handed over the position of the Hales’ helmsman to his grandson Connor, Connor was still too young, and the helmsmen who visited were both in their sixties. So Bruce showed them respect by greeting them personally.

Joel was a thin and petite elderly man with a sparse beard and slanted eyes. He was obviously someone to be trifled with.

Standing in the hall, he said mystifyingly, “Mr. Hale, save the formalities and pleasantries. We have already heard about it. The top families of California are facing a crisis, but you didn’t even inform us. Are you looking down on us?”

Anthony, the chubby helmsman of the Cross family, said, “Mr. Gillen is right. We live so close to each other, but you didn’t even inform us about such a major matter. If we didn’t get the news by chance, I’m afraid the Hales would have been eradicated, and we wouldn’t have even known about it!”

What these two people said was puzzling and harsh, as if they were close to the Hales. They actually thought that Bruce should tell them about the trouble the Hales encountered.

Connor was speechless, and he immediately wanted to say that the Crosses and the Gillens were in no place to meddle in their affairs.

On the other hand, Ethan stood up and said to them, “We are grateful for your goodwill in coming here, but we didn’t contact you because we didn’t want to implicate you.”

He thought that since several top families of California were now facing the threat of the Hamiltons, they might be able to increase their chances of dealing with them if they could obtain the support of the two top families from neighboring states, whose helmsmen had come uninvited.

At this juncture, it was better not to offend them even though their tone wasn’t pleasant.

Hearing what Ethan said, Joel and Anthony finally seemed satisfied.

“Don’t worry. We live in neighboring states, so we should be considered friends. We’ve already heard about what happened to you, so we’ve specially brought our experts here to join forces with you. With so many families standing together, even if the Hamiltons really want to cause trouble for you, they might not dare to do anything!” Joel said firmly.

Anthony said, “Yes. Since you are in trouble, we obviously won’t stand by and do nothing. Mr. Gillen and I brought our experts here with good intentions. As long as we stand strong together, even though the Hamiltons are a royal family branch, they will definitely be scrupulous facing so many of us!”
He wasn’t lying. They had indeed brought about a hundred experts, who were now waiting outside.

Edmund and Ethan had brought their expert bodyguards as well. Including the hundred-odd experts of the Hales, there were around 400 experts present. It was a rather grand scene.

This was an extremely powerful force.

Edmund, sitting quietly on the couch, looked at Anthony and Joel coldly. After hearing what they said, he snorted coldly and mocked, “Hah, you two make it sound so nice!

“Why would you be so kind as to help us? The Hamiltons must have gone to your families and threatened you to pledge allegiance to them too. You’re unwilling, so you’re here to seek an alliance with us, right?

“Since you’re looking for allies, you should show us the proper attitude instead of acting self-important and condescending like you’re doing us a favor!”

As soon as Edmund said this, Joel and Anthony turned sullen.

They indeed had such plans in mind, but Edmund saw through them so quickly!

Joel narrowed his eyes and said with displeasure, “Mr. Cole, what do you mean? Mr. Cross and I brought our experts to your aid with kind intentions. However, not only are you not thanking us, but you’re even mocking us. Is that how the families of California treat your friends?”

Anthony touched his belly and said threateningly, “Exactly. We were kind enough to help you, but you’re maliciously suspecting us. How disappointing! Mr. Cole and Mr. Hale, if you don’t want our help, just say so. We won’t bother to worry about you! Once you get wiped out by the Hamiltons, you’ll regret it!”

Edmund didn’t buy it at all. “Don’t bother to play tricks in front of me! I’m much older than you two. Do you think I can’t see through your tricks?

“If you want to form an alliance, do so properly. I can’t stand how you’re pretending to do us a favor. If you’re not happy, leave!”

Among everyone present, Edmund, who was in his seventies, was indeed the oldest and the most senior person. He had the confidence to challenge Joel and Anthony.

They were about to get into a heated argument, and tension arose in the reception hall.

1222 How to Deal With It

As the host, Bruce immediately stepped forward to stop them. “Everyone, please calm down. Don’t fight!

“I know everyone is gathered here today in respect for my family and for the sake of handling the matter with the Hamiltons. In that case, let’s not scatter our forces and unite to resolve the threat of the Hamiltons!

“The Hamiltons are a royal family branch, and they are far more powerful than us. If we don’t stand as one, we might really end up having to give our businesses away to the Hamiltons. I believe none of us wants that, right?

“So, I suggest we sit down and talk things over calmly. Let’s not fight, okay?”!!

Ethan chimed in, “You’re right, Mr. Hale. Since everyone is here because of the Hamiltons’ threat, we should each take a step back and unite to solve the problem first! Come, Mr. Gillen, Mr. Cross, please take a seat. Mr. Cole, please have a seat and a cup of tea!”

Under the meditation of Bruce and Ethan, the few of them calmed down.

After snorting coldly, Edmund no longer bothered to argue with Joel and Anthony. Since Edmund had exposed their purpose, the two of them no longer tried to justify themselves. They snorted coldly and sat down, stopping arguing over what just happened.

They were well aware that the biggest issue to deal with now was the threat the Hamiltons had given them.

As the helmsmen of the top families in their states, no one wanted to give away their businesses and succumb to others.

Besides, the Hamiltons were just a family from elsewhere. What right did they have to take over the businesses they had managed for years?

Thus, the most important thing now was for them to join forces and deal with the Hamiltons before deciding anything else.

Seeing everyone quiet, Bruce finally coughed twice and said, “Everyone should have already reached some common ground. In that case, let me say a few words!”

“Okay, Mr. Hale, please go ahead.”

“Right, this is the Hale residence. Mr. Hale, please offer your advice!”
Joel and Anthony had changed their attitudes and spoke more politely.

They had been family helmsmen for years. Since Edmund had already exposed their purpose, there was no need for them to continue putting on airs and pretending.

Bruce glanced at Lucas and found that he didn’t have any intention of speaking. So he knew that Lucas didn’t want to get involved and had given him full authority to lead the discussion.

Thus, Bruce immediately took charge of the meeting and said, “I’ll tell everyone what I think. Three days ago, the Hamiltons came to us and demanded that we pledge allegiance to them. We will never agree to that!

“Of course, the Hamiltons are royals and far stronger than the eight top families of DC. We are no match for them at all. In fact, I think all our families are unable to rival them. Does everyone agree with this?”

Hearing Bruce’s question, the helmsmen present all nodded quietly.

He was stating the obvious. They were facing a royal family branch that was far stronger than the eight top familes. There were only nine such pinnacle families in the US. How could they compare to them?

“But the Hales can’t just sit and wait. It would be shooting ourselves in the foot,” Bruce said. “They all say that you can’t beat a local tyrant. No matter how impressive the Hamiltons are, they are a family from elsewhere, and they don’t have a strong foundation in California. If we join forces, it will be impossible for the Hamiltons to wipe out all of us.

“I think the Hamiltons want us to pledge allegiance because they want us to control and manage California for them, so they won’t aggressively try to eliminate us. In that case, we have a chance to negotiate with them.”

Joel frowned and asked in puzzlement. “Negotiate? You mean we’re going to go negotiate with the Hamiltons?”

Bruce nodded. “Yes, it’s impossible for us to fight head-on against a royal family branch like the Hamiltons. In that case, we have to think of another way to negotiate with them.

“If it’s just one of our families, the Hamiltons won’t be bothered at all. At worst, they’ll get rid of one of us and find another family to replace us.

“But if we join forces and negotiate terms together, they will be more mindful. This is the confidence we have to negotiate with them.
“As long as we insist on the same terms, the Hamiltons won’t be able to do anything to us.”

After Bruce spoke, the others immediately showed thoughtful expressions.

What Bruce said really made sense. It was exactly what they wanted.

However…

After thinking about it, Joel said, “That’s indeed a great solution, but what if the Hamiltons aren’t willing to negotiate with us and insist on making us succumb by threatening to eradicate us?”

Everyone immediately fell silent.

This was the worst-case scenario, but none of them could guarantee that it wouldn’t happen.

In fact, although they had gathered plenty of manpower and planned to suppress the Hamiltons’ ambitions by outnumbering them, they were all well aware that it was just a means to deter the Hamiltons. They didn’t really dare to get physical with them or kill Brett.

If they really went hard against the Hamiltons, they wouldn’t beat them as local tyrants, but rather, they would be pitting themselves hard against a powerful opponent.

If they really hurt Brett or killed the experts of the Hamiltons, the Hamiltons would definitely see them as enemies and use the severest method to deal with them.

After all, the Hamiltons were royals, and even the eight top families of DC didn’t dare to become enemies with them. They were really insignificant in the face of the Hamiltons.

Once the Hamiltons really planned to deal with them, they wouldn’t get any time to consider at all. The Hamiltons would gather their forces and destroy them in less than a day.

Amid the silence, Edmund’s voice was extremely clear. “Isn’t it obvious? If the Hamiltons don’t intend to let us off, then we can only fight them to the death!”

1223 Surrendering is the Only Option

Edmund’s vigorous and powerful voice made everyone’s hearts shake.

However, not everyone agreed with his decision.

“That’s absolutely impossible!” Joel was the first to step forward and voice his objection. “That’s the Hamilton family, a royal family branch. Do you think it’s some weak family? How can we fight against them? Hah, given the Coles’ strength, you’re just seeking death!”

“If you have a death wish, go ahead and kill yourselves. Don’t drag us down with you!”!!

His words and tone were extremely rude.

Anthony looked at Edmund with disapproval and snorted coldly. “Yeah! Some people really think too highly of themselves! You think your family is very powerful, but you’re nothing in the eyes of the Hamiltons! Fancy you thinking of fighting against the Hamiltons. With what? What a joke!”

In their opinion, the Hamiltons were not a family they could afford to provoke.

Joel and Anthony wouldn’t have dared to go against the Hamiltons if it wasn’t for the fact that they were unwilling to succumb to them and hand over the family businesses they had been managing for years. It also happened that the families in California had received the same threat, so they planned to join forces with them to negotiate with the Hamiltons.

In Joel and Anthony’s opinion, fighting the Hamiltons to the death was incredibly foolish, and they would never do this.

Edmund had been in the military, where he had trained hard and developed a strong character. He had great tenacity and wouldn’t easily succumb to others.

But the others clearly didn’t have his courage.

Joel and Anthony weren’t the only ones who didn’t dare to make an enemy of the Hamiltons. Even Bruce and Ethan were contemplating hard.

Seeing the way they were behaving, Edmund snorted coldly. “Hmph, are you all that timid? Once the Hamiltons decide to show a tough attitude, I’ll see what you do!

“Hah, I was wrong about all of you. You brought so many experts with you, so I thought you’d at least have the courage to fight against the Hamiltons. But I didn’t expect you to be all cowards! You brought so many people here just to give yourselves a little more courage, didn’t you? The truth is that they’re useless, right?!”

Edmund’s merciless mocking made a few people subconsciously look away.

Indeed, they had brought so many experts with them purely for the purpose of emboldening them rather than to deter the Hamiltons.

They would never fight against the Hamiltons, never in this life.

Knowing that Edmund was a tough nut to crack, Joel simply ignored him and instead turned to ask Bruce, “Mr. Hale, tell us how we should be dealing with the Hamiltons. Do we negotiate or get physical? We ultimately need a strategy.”

Bruce mused but remained silent.

Ethan said, “I think if we can win against the Hamiltons, I will definitely agree to starting a war with them. But the problem is, even if the eight top families of DC join forces, they might not be a match for them. Even if we join forces, we won’t be able to do much to the Hamiltons, right?

“Although the Hamiltons only brought a few people, they’re all top-tier experts far stronger than ours! Since we can never defeat them, do we have any other choice?”

Bruce subconsciously nodded.

Indeed, the Hamiltons’ experts were all incredibly impressive. If they resorted to firearms, they might be able to defeat them, but it would definitely result in a lot of casualties. If the Hamiltons pursued the matter and retaliated, they might really have no way out.

Just as Ethan said, since there was no way they could defeat them, they didn’t have a choice.

Edmund looked at the people in front of him with disappointment. “Hah, since you are too scared to fight against the Hamiltons, there’s no point in discussing anymore! Just submit to the Hamiltons now and become their dogs. Why are you talking so much nonsense here?”

Joel yelled furiously, “Edmund Cole! Stop making sarcastic remarks! We are here to discuss a solution for the matter. Who said we’re going to submit?”

Edmund refused to compromise. “What’s there to discuss?! Isn’t the matter obvious? None of you dare to fight against the Hamiltons, so what right and confidence do you have to negotiate with them?

“You don’t even have the courage to fall out with the Hamiltons. As long as the Hamiltons aren’t stupid and have a slightly tough attitude, they will see that you’re just a bunch of cowards. Then they won’t bother to negotiate anything with you!

“In that case, isn’t your only choice surrendering to them and obeying their orders obediently? Am I wrong?”

Hearing this, the crowd fell silent again.

Although Edmund sounded harsh because he was furious, he was stating facts.

Since they didn’t even have the courage to go against the Hamiltons, how could they negotiate with them?

It was just as ridiculous as someone who didn’t dare to even pick up a rod saying that they would negotiate with robbers using knives. The robbers would definitely take it as a joke and ignore them.

What else could they do then?

Lucas remained sitting on the couch in the corner, watching everything in front of him quietly.

In his opinion, the Hamiltons were nothing to fear. But he wanted to know the attitudes and standpoints of Bruce, Edmund, Ethan, and the rest.

Only after knowing where they stood could he decide what to do next.

Seeing Bruce caught in a dilemma, Connor gritted his teeth and whispered, “Grandpa, at this juncture, you should ask Mr. Gray for his opinion!”

Brue suddenly trembled and finally realized that he had forgotten to ask Lucas for his opinion in his folly and confusion!

When Lucas first returned to Orange County, Bruce had already personally sensed how terrifying he was. On the day of his great-grandson’s baby shower, Lucas had gotten soldiers to take away all the Hales and almost eradicated them.

Later, Lucas had given the Hales a chance to return, which Bruce had seized and offered all of his family’s businesses to Lucas in exchange for the opportunity to work under him.

Of course, Bruce had made the right decision. Ever since the Hales pledged allegiance to Lucas, they had not only not declined, but they even became many times stronger than before with the help of Lucas’s influence. Now, they had even become a top family that was second only to the Coles in California.

Their achievements were all thanks to Lucas!

Now, Lucas was sitting in the corner of the hall, yet he was so muddled by the matter regarding the Hamiltons that he had forgotten to ask Lucas for his opinion. It was too inappropriate of him!

Joel’s eyes were keen, and he noticed the sudden change in Bruce’s expression after Connor said something to him. He couldn’t help asking, “Mr. Hale, it seems like you have some ideas. Why don’t you share them with us?”

1224 The Third Option

All of a sudden, everyone turned to look at Bruce.

Without hesitating, Bruce walked straight over to Lucas, who was sitting in the corner, and bent forward respectfully. “Mr. Gray, you’re the most honored patron of the Hales. Please decide how we should deal with the Hamiltons! We will follow your instructions!”

Connor quickly followed suit and stood in front of Lucas respectfully. “Mr. Gray, the Hales will obey your instructions!”

The two of them were extremely respectful to Lucas, and they clearly viewed him as their master. Their actions immediately made the others stunned speechless.

Edmund knew Lucas’s true identity, so his reaction wasn’t too bad, and he could roughly guess what the relationship between Lucas and the Hales was.

Ethan was astonished, wondering when Lucas and the Hales had such a close relationship. It seemed that Lucas was the true master of the Hales. It made Ethan rather uncomfortable.

As for Joel and Anthony, they were incredibly shocked.

It was their first time coming to the Hale residence, and they had barely interacted with the families in California in the past, so they didn’t know who Lucas was.

Because they didn’t know Lucas’s identity and because they were too shocked, they looked at each other and couldn’t say anything for a while.

When Lucas saw Bruce and Connor standing in front of him and asking for instructions, he nodded slightly.

When Bruce was thinking on his own about how to deal with the Hamiltons, Lucas had thought that Bruce had completely forgotten who the true master of the Hale family was and who had brought them to the success they enjoyed now.

If Bruce had really forgotten, then Lucas didn’t need to help the Hales anymore.

But it seemed that Bruce and Connor weren’t that foolish as to forget who had helped them.

Lucas said, “I think Mr. Cole is right. You should negotiate with the Hamiltons first. If it doesn’t work out, just get physical.”

Although he didn’t mind fighting directly with the Hamiltons, they still had a high status in the US after all. If they could negotiate with the Hamiltons and get them to give up, it would be for the best.

Bruce had no doubts about Lucas’s decision at all. He agreed right away.

“Yes, Mr. Gray. Since you have already spoken, the Hales will definitely do as you say. If the Hamiltons really refuse to drop their ambitions, we’ll fight them to the death and force them away!”

Edmund smiled. “Haha, that’s how it should be! How can we be so cowardly and allow the Hamiltons to bully us?”

Now, the two helmsmen had already decided to resort to force against the Hamiltons in the event that negotiations fell through.

Ethan looked at Bruce and Edmund, feeling extremely conflicted.

He didn’t have much confidence in Lucas.

In the beginning, Ethan got close to Lucas and helped him entirely because Chad Kennedy, the chief butler of the Huttons of DC, had asked him to look out for Lucas and cooperate with him if possible.

But deep down, Ethan felt that the royals were a far more terrifying family than the eight top families of DC and far more powerful than the Huttons. They were just some wealthy families in California. How could they possibly have any chance in a confrontation with such a horrifying family?

Ethan really couldn’t make up his mind. He clenched his fists tightly while his heart raced rapidly.

Seeing that Bruce and Edmund had chosen to follow Lucas’s lead, Joel and Anthony immediately had a drastic change in expression.

Joel said with displeasure, “Mr. Hale, isn’t your decision too frivolous?

“Who is this young man? Why are you obeying him after just hearing what he said? This matter concerns the future of your family, yet you’re leaving it in the hands of a greenhorn. What a joke!”

Antony narrowed his eyes as he glanced at Lucas with disdain and said coldly, “Yes, Mr. Hale. Your decision is too hasty! Moreover, your decision not only concerns the future of the Hales but also the direction of our alliance. One mistake will ruin the Hales and us too! Why should we leave such an important matter to a clueless, unknown young man?”

Bruce snapped angrily, “Shut up! Mr. Gray is the Hales’ most honored patron, and he has every right to make decisions on our behalf. You people are in no place to criticize him!

“If you’re upset, just leave. That way, you don’t have to be afraid that we’ll implicate you.”

Hearing this, Joel and Anthony were stunned.

They never thought that Bruce, who had treated them with courtesy from the very beginning, would rebuke them so mercilessly for the sake of a young man.

They were the helmsmen of top families on par with the Hales. How could their statuses be inferior to the seemingly ordinary young man sitting here?

Edmund mocked too, “Exactly. Mr. Hale is right. If you’re so afraid of dying, you should leave sooner so you won’t be implicated by us.

“I think you weak cowards should just surrender to the Hamiltons as soon as possible and become their dogs!”

“You!” Joel was furious. “What are you saying? We came here to discuss a solution on how to deal with the Hamiltons. If we were really weaklings, why would we still be here?!”

Anthony chimed in, “Hah, you Californian helmsmen are really arrogant! We specially came here with good intentions to form an alliance to deal with the Hamiltons together. But I didn’t expect your attitudes to be so horrendous. You don’t take us seriously at all. In that case, I don’t think there’s a need for us to stay here any longer!”

Seeing that Anthony and Joel were furious, Ethan hurriedly stepped forward to smooth things over. “Everyone, please calm down!

“Now is the time for us to unite and think of a way to tide through this ordeal. We mustn’t start internal strife and conflicts at this juncture!

“Given the current situation, it’s impossible for any of our families to deal with the Hamiltons alone. We have to set everything else for now and focus on the problem at hand. Everyone, please do me a favor. At this time, we should work together and not fight against each other!”

Joel snorted coldly. “We aren’t the ones who started it. It’s because of Mr. Cole and Mr. Hale’s problematic attitudes! I just told them not to treat this like child’s play, and they lashed out at me instead. Why can’t I be angry? What working together is there to speak of when they’re giving us such attitudes?!”

Edmund sneered aggressively. “You’re blaming us? Aren’t you just cowardly? Since you don’t even have the courage to wage a war with the Hamiltons, what’s there to discuss? By acting that way, haven’t you already chosen to surrender?”

Joel gave him the side-eye. “Is surrendering the only solution left if we don’t fight? There’s clearly a third option. Just because you haven’t thought of it doesn’t mean we haven’t!”

1225 Divided Opinions

“The third option?” Ethan asked doubtfully. “Mr. Gillen, if you have other ideas in mind, why don’t you share them with us?”

Joel glanced at Edmund before saying, “Before that, I’d like to confirm something. Our five families have already agreed to have a good discussion with the Hamiltons. No one objects to this, right?”

Edmund, Bruce, Ethan, and Anthony nodded in agreement.

Although they were still deciding on whether or not to go to war with the Hamiltons, they didn’t have any doubts about first negotiating with them.

Joel continued, “Okay, it seems that everyone has agreed to this issue. Let’s continue talking about the situation.

“In my opinion, it will be best if we can reach an agreement with the Hamiltons and they give up the idea of controlling our families. But if they refuse to agree and greet us with a tough attitude, we don’t have to fight them. We can each take a step back, and maybe we’ll be able to resolve this problem.”

Bruce asked in puzzlement, “Each take a step back? How so? Mr. Gillen, please explain it in detail.”

Joel continued, “It’s simple. None of us are willing to give away the businesses we’ve painstakingly built to the Hamiltons, and what the Hamiltons want is nothing more than to expand their development in California, Nevada, and Arizona. So I think we can let the Hamiltons come to our states to develop their forces and establish footholds. Meanwhile, we can also cooperate with them and provide them with some support.

“In that case, the Hamiltons will not only not become our enemies, but they will even likely become our allies. We can help the Hamiltons secure a footing in our three states, and the Hamiltons can also help us. This is the way to achieve a win-win solution.

“Isn’t this option better than fighting the Hamiltons to the death?”

After Joel finished speaking, the people present had their eyes glisten.

Anthony was the first to stand up and express his support for Joel’s plan. “Mr. Gillen is right! We should be striving for a win-win solution. If we support the Hamiltons to set up footholds in our three states and form an alliance with them, it will be greatly beneficial to our future development. In my opinion, this is the best option now!”

“Mm… I think Mr. Gillen’s plan is good. Why don’t we work in this direction when negotiating with the Hamiltons?” Ethan also thought it was a good idea. He wouldn’t have to submit to the Hamiltons and give away his family’s businesses or fight a tough battle. Moreover, he could possibly form an alliance with a powerful family like the Hamiltons. This was simply the best option.

“Bullshit!” Edmund objected without hesitation and sneered. “There’s always been an old saying, indulging one’s enemy is asking for trouble. How can we accept others meddling in our territories?

“If you really support the Hamiltons to expand their forces in our three states, how could they possibly be satisfied with sharing control together with us?

“Even if the Hamiltons agree to your plan, after they establish firm footholds here, within three months, they’ll definitely encroach on our power little by little!

“And you still want to achieve a win-win solution with them? Hah, the Hamiltons will only treat us as tools and a springboard to dominate our three states. They won’t allow us to share the same status as them. What are you dreaming of here?”

Bruce nodded. “Indeed, the Hamiltons are too domineering. It’s impossible to achieve a winwin situation with them. Therefore, we can’t allow them to have a place to stand firm from the start!”

Edmund and Bruce made some sense.

The Hamiltons were far stronger than these families to begin with. Once they really secured a footing in the three states, they would naturally establish their sole hegemony. The other families would either have to pledge allegiance or vanish from here. There wasn’t a third option.

Joel thought that he had come up with a brilliant idea and even despised Edmund and the rest over it, thinking that they were foolish. But now, he was criticized, so he snapped furiously, “Damn it! How do you know that the Hamiltons will really encroach on our power and annex us? Since you refuse to agree with my idea, does that mean, in your opinion, the only option we have is to go to war with the Hamiltons?

“Hah, your plan is really courting death!”

Edmund said furiously, “Since you think we’re courting death, then get lost, lest you say that we’ll implicate you!”

“You!” Joel was furious, and it took him a great deal of effort to suppress his anger. Looking at Bruce, who was sitting in the middle, he said, “Mr. Hale, okay then, what do you think we should do?”

Bruce glanced at him before saying slowly but firmly, “Actually, I agree with Mr. Cole. We’ll be inviting danger into our territories by letting the Hamiltons establish footholds in our states. It will inevitably lead to disaster. I don’t care about what happens to Nevada and Arizona, but we can never let the Hamiltons set up a foothold here in California!”

Joel immediately looked gloomy.

Anthony sulked as well.

In fact, the two of them had come up with the idea of letting the Hamiltons set up footholds in the various states. They initially thought that the families of California would agree to it without hesitation, but they didn’t expect them to object outright.

Among the five helmsmen present, only Joel and Anthony supported the third option, while Edmund and Bruce decided to go to war with the Hamiltons if negotiations fell through. Ethan was the only one who hadn’t expressed his stand yet.

“Hah, I thought that since the Coles and the Hales are the top families in California, you should be knowledgeable people. But I didn’t expect you to be so stubborn as to think of going head-on against the Hamiltons. I won’t court death with you!

“Since we can’t come to a consensus, there’s no need for us to stay here any longer. Mr. Cross, it seems we’ve come to the wrong place. Let’s go! I refuse to believe that we can’t find any allies in the three states!”

Joel and Anthony stood up and turned around to leave.

When Ethan saw this, he immediately stopped them anxiously. “Hey, wait! Please stay.
There’s still room for discussion!”
1226 Winning Over the Sawyers

Ethan blocked the door, preventing Joel and Anthony from leaving.

Joel stopped, but his face was still full of anger as he said, “Mr. Sawyer, you don’t need to say anything else. Mr. Cross and I came all the way here with the intention of forming an alliance and resolving the problem together. But look at the way Mr. Hale and Mr. Cole are behaving. It’s clear that they don’t take us seriously! In that case, what else is there for us to say?”

“Hah, they actually want to go to war with the Hamiltons. They must be dreaming! The Hamiltons are so powerful that even the eight top families of DC don’t dare to provoke them easily. We are just a bunch of small fries!

“Since we can’t reach an agreement and the two of them insist on courting death, of course we can only leave to look for other allies! I don’t believe that we can’t find other families to form an alliance with in our three states!”

Anthony said, “We came here only to discuss with you because the Coles and the Hales are on par with us in terms of power and capabilities. But apart from them, there are also many other decent families in Arizona and Nevada! Why should we continue staying here and tolerating their insults and terrible attitudes?!”

Ethan hurriedly said, “Please calm down, you two. Having different opinions is a common matter. Let’s sit down and talk things over calmly!”

Then Ethan looked at Edmund and Bruce and said, “Mr. Cole, Mr. Hale, don’t be so hostile! We’re all allies, and we’re all doing this for the sake of our families. We can just talk things over nicely and come up with a plan.

“Actually, I think Mr. Gillen and Mr. Cross make a lot of sense. Going hard against the Hamiltons will do none of us any good. So I think we’d better agree to let them establish footholds in our states first. But we also have to keep an eye on their situation. In any case, we mustn’t let the Hamiltons really dominate our territories.

“If the Hamiltons are really so greedy as to want to dominate our three states and annex our power, it won’t be too late to fight them head-on then. What do you think?”

Bruce glanced at Ethan and shook his head. “If the Hamiltons really secure a footing here and control other wealthy families, what will be the use of the few of us joining forces against them?”

His words immediately left Ethan speechless.
Indeed, the Hamiltons weren’t fools. If they really established footholds and took root here, it would be difficult to get rid of them in the future.

But the thought of going to war with a terrifying family like the Hamiltons made Ethan afraid. He didn’t want to face such a situation at all. So he tried his best to convince Edmund and Bruce to compromise and give in to the Hamiltons for the time being.

Edmund saw through Ethan’s thoughts and sneered. “Ethan Sawyer, you don’t have to say anything else. If you’re so scared of the Hamiltons and don’t dare to fight them, go ahead and join Joel Gillen and Anthony Cross! It’s up to you if you want to submit to the Hamiltons and become their dogs!

“Speaking of which, I didn’t see you help Mr. Gray when he encountered a crisis in San Francisco! Later, when he became the overlord of California, you came running back to him! You’re quite smart, huh? Hmph!

“Let me make things clear. If we really resolve the problem with the Hamiltons under Mr. Gray’s lead this time, you can’t be shameless and run back to try to get a slice of the pie, okay?”

Edmund was an extremely upright and straightforward person, and he hated two-faced fence sitters, so he looked down on Ethan.

If it wasn’t for the fact that Ethan seemed to be on good terms with Lucas and had quickly developed into the third top family in California thanks to Lucas, Edmund would have ignored him.
Bruce said, “That’s right. Ethan Sawyer, you can either fight against the Hamiltons with us or leave early since you’re so afraid of facing revenge. Stop sitting on the fence. If you continue saving yourself during times of danger and then come running back to reap benefits when it’s safe, I will look down on you too.”

Edmund and Bruce spoke harshly and didn’t bother saving Ethan any pride.

In fact, they had long been displeased with Ethan’s behavior.

The moment Joel and Anthony came over today, Ethan had repeatedly spoken up for them. It was apparent that he just didn’t want to offend the Hamiltons. Bruce and Edmund were very much dissatisfied with him.

Ethan turned pale and gloomy.

He knew that his behavior was indeed mercenary, but he felt that it was only human nature to want to avoid trouble.
But when Edmund and Bruce said that he was a shameless fence sitter, it made him extremely uncomfortable.

Frankly speaking, Ethan had indeed yet to make up his mind.

Although the Huttons wanted him to obey Lucas as much as possible, he didn’t trust Lucas that much, nor did he want to bet the Sawyers’ future on him.

Joel patted Ethan on the shoulder and guffawed. “Mr. Sawyer, I see it’s hard on you too! How about this? Since the Coles and the Hales are alienating you and even mocking you, I think you should just leave California. You don’t need to put up with the humiliation anymore!

“Just come to Nevada with your family to develop! I promise I’ll turn you into the second most powerful family in Nevada once you come, and you don’t have to suffer such insults either. What do you think?”

Anthony said with a smile, “I admire you very much too, Mr. Sawyer. If you’d like, Arizona will also welcome you to join us. You’ll immediately become the second top family in Arizona!”

They weren’t talking nonsense. After all, they were the helmsmen of the top families in Nevada and Arizona, and the Sawyers were second only to the Coles and the Hales in California. If he went elsewhere, he might really rise up a notch.

All of a sudden, Ethan began to waver.
1227 A Strong Enemy Appears

Although most of the Sawyers’ businesses were in California, it wouldn’t be that difficult to relocate them or expand to another place.

Moreover, the Sawyers might be able to make greater achievements in another environment, especially with the strong support of the Gillens or the Crosses.

But after he thought about what the Hutton had said to him, his enthusiasm calmed down a little.

The Sawyers rose to power with the help of the Huttons and Chad Kennedy, the Hutton’s chief butler, so Ethan didn’t dare to go against the will of the Huttons.

If he really moved the Sawyers to Arizona or Nevada, it would mean that he gave up on Lucas.

Likewise, the Huttons would abandon him and the Sawyers.

The Huttons, one of the eight top families of DC, were naturally more powerful and helpful to the Sawyers than the Gillens and the Crosses.

So from this perspective, Ethan couldn’t leave California and go against Lucas for now.

“Thank you for seeing my value, but the Sawyers have been rooted in Orange County for years, so it won’t be easy for us to leave. Thank you for the offer, but I’ll have to decline!” Ethan said with a smile.

Hearing Ethan decline their invitation, Joel and Anthony showed a trace of disappointment on their faces.

In fact, they didn’t really want to win over Ethan and the Sawyers. They just wanted to teach Edmund and Bruce a lesson and watch them be embarrassed.

Unfortunately, their plan didn’t work out.

Meanwhile, Edmund glanced at Ethan coldly with dissatisfaction hidden deep in his eyes.

At his age, he had seen everything there was to see, so he could tell at a glance that Ethan had really wavered and seriously contemplated moving out of California.

It made Edmund even more certain that Ethan was just a mercenary fence sitter who could betray them.

Lucas saw Ethan’s wavering too.

But he didn’t feel much about it.

Although Lucas had interacted a lot with Ethan, he knew that Ethan had approached him because of the Huttons.

Lucas might no longer hate the Huttons, but he didn’t have a strong relationship with them either.

Thus, Lucas was very calm about Ethan’s wavering and fickle attitude.

If Ethan really showed enough loyalty to Lucas, he wouldn’t mind giving the Sawyers a hand.

Conversely, if Ethan only cared about his own interests, Lucas wouldn’t value him or help him.

Simply put, Lucas wouldn’t pay much attention to irrelevant people.

Ethan knew that he had left a terrible impression on Edmund and the others by hesitating just now, but he couldn’t explain himself now. So he could only cough and try to play it off. “The Sawyers are from California, and since Mr. Cole and Mr. Hale have already come to a decision, we naturally have to stand with you.

“If the Hamiltons really refuse to give up, then… we’ll just join forces to fight against them.”

Ethan was well aware that since the Sawyers couldn’t move away from California and develop elsewhere now, they had to stand together with the other families here and weather all storms as one.

Thus, no matter how reluctant he was to go against the Hamiltons, he didn’t have a choice now.

The only thing that made him feel better was that the Coles and the Hales would face this together with him and that Lucas was here too. Perhaps the Huttons might give them some support on Lucas’s account.

In this way, the three top families of California reached a decision. If the Hamiltons refused to drop the idea of controlling them, then they would unite to deal with the Hamiltons. If necessary, they wouldn’t hesitate to fight against them.

“Hah, what a joke!” Joel sneered. “Looks like we made a wasted trip today. When you get destroyed by the Hamiltons and regret your decision, even if you come to us for help, we won’t help you!”

“That’s right. Since you don’t know any better, don’t come to us when you encounter a lifeand-death crisis in the future!” Anthony also sneered.

They were both extremely displeased with the decisions of the three helmsmen, but they didn’t have the right to oppose either.

They couldn’t reach a consensus since they had different mindsets!

“Don’t worry. We will never ask you for help! Please excuse yourselves!” Bruce stretched his arm toward the door of the hall and gestured for them to leave.

“Hmph, fine. It’s not like we want to be here.”

Joel and Anthony turned to leave.

However, at this moment, the butler of the Hales ran over with a pale face and stammered, “Mr. Hale, bad news! The Hamiltons are here!”

“What?!” Bruce and the others immediately rose from their seats in shock.

Before he could say anything else, they saw that two people had already reached the door and stepped straight in.

The young man in his thirties who had just entered narrowed his eyes and smiled. “What a coincidence. You helmsmen happen to all be here. That saves me the trouble of traveling too much and going to each of your homes.”

The moment they saw him, the five helmsmen in the hall all looked as if they were facing a
formidable enemy.

The slender young man in front of them was Brett Hamilton, a direct descendant of the Hamiltons, one of the royal family branches!

Behind him was an elderly man dressed in a long white coat and white pants. He was obviously a top expert of the Hamiltons.

Brett didn’t seem to notice that the atmosphere in the hall had become extremely tense because of his arrival. He simply walked to Bruce as if there was no one else around and said with a relaxed expression, “Mr. Hale, how are you considering the proposal I gave you three days ago? I hope you’ll give me a pleasing answer today.”

Although he spoke relaxedly and casually and had brought only one expert with him, no one present dared to underestimate him in the slightest.

Reason being, the elderly man guarding him was exuding a fierce aura that made them too scared to even make eye contact with him.

After they heard Brett ask Bruce for his decision, the atmosphere became even heavier.

All of a sudden, the hall was dead silent.


1228 Who is Trash?

Although Brett was asking Bruce, the other four helmsmen in the room tensed up upon hearing his question.

In particular, Joel and Anthony, who had failed to reach an agreement with the families of California, clenched their fists tightly with panic and horror all over their faces, clueless as to how they should deal with the issue later.

They had planned to come to California in advance in hopes of finding some allies to get a chance to speak in front of the Hamiltons.

But in the end, after they fell out with the three top families of California and before they had the chance to look for other families, the Hamiltons showed up, completely catching them off guard.

After his initial shock, Bruce quickly recovered.

They had just made up their minds, so he wasn’t too flustered and uneasy facing Brett’s question.

“Mr. Hamilton, you previously said that you wanted the Hales to pledge allegiance to your family, and my answer is…” Bruce took a deep breath. “Sorry, I’ll have to decline.”

At first, Brett was very composed and confident, but the answer stunned him.

“Are you rejecting me?” Brett questioned.

Although his expression soon became mellower, there was still an obvious trace of anger in his voice.

Clearly, Brett didn’t expect the Hales to have the guts to turn him down.

Since Bruce had already said it once, he didn’t mind repeating himself so that Brett could hear him clearly. “Yes, the Hales already have our own development roadmap, and we don’t plan to pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons. I seek your understanding, Mr. Hamilton!”

The smile on Brett’s face vanished completely.

He looked around at the other helmsmen in the room and suddenly sneered with a smirk. “Now that you are gathered here, you’re not considering how to pledge allegiance to the
Hamiltons, but rather, you’re discussing how to go against us, right?”

As soon as he said this, the temperature in the room seemed to plunge.

Although Brett didn’t lose his temper and was even smiling, everyone in the hall sensed a formidable aura coming from him.

This was the immense threat that only a descendant of a pinnacle family like a royal family could bring.

Although Brett was only in his thirties and decades younger than the helmsmen present, none of them dared to underestimate him because he represented the Hamiltons.

In this situation, they might end up offending Brett and the entire Hamilton family as a result.

Seeing that Brett seemed to misunderstand that they were in the same group, Joel hurriedly explained, “No, no, Mr. Hamilton. We absolutely don’t dare to go against the Hamiltons!”

Anthony similarly put on a deferential smile and echoed, “Yes, Mr. Hamilton, please don’t get the wrong idea. We’re different from the rest here, and we definitely don’t intend to go against the Hamiltons! The Hamiltons belong to the royal family and are at the summit of the country. Small families like ours can’t compare to your family!”

Brett glanced at them and suddenly said, “Yes, small families like yours are like trash to us. We can easily destroy ants like you with the lift of a finger!

“You people are pretty smart not to get up to any nonsense. Or else… hmph!”

Joel and Anthony subconsciously shuddered.

It was only now that they realized how afraid of the Hamiltons they were. Even though Brett didn’t issue any threats and even only brought one person here, they didn’t have the courage to look him in the eye at all.

Originally, Joel and Anthony had thought of joining forces with other families to obtain the opportunity to negotiate with the Hamiltons. But now, it seemed that they didn’t even dare to speak to Brett. So what was there to negotiate?

If they accidentally angered Brett, they might end up in a worse plight than they would if they had pledged allegiance to the Hamiltons!

Unknowingly, they were already cowering. The Hamiltons were too strong, and they couldn’t even raise the thought to defy them.

Ethan stood behind them without daring to say a single word.

Edmund narrowed his eyes and looked at Brett with disdain.

In Edmund’s opinion, Brett was just throwing his weight around and behaving like a tyrant because of his family’s power. He was worlds apart from Lucas, who was completely selfmade and had attained success with his own abilities.

Noticing the disdain in Edmund’s eyes, Brett looked at him and sneered. “What’s wrong? Are you displeased with what I said?”

Edmund asked, “Are you saying that we’re small fries that you can easily manipulate and control at will just because we’re weaker than the Hamiltons?”

Brett said, “Am I wrong? The law of the jungle is the truth of the world!”

Edmund chuckled. “There are always people stronger and more powerful than you. Are the Hamiltons the strongest in the US or the world? There are definitely other families stronger than yours. Does that make your family a small fry or trash to them?”

His words instantly stifled the conceited smile on Brett’s face.

Joel, Anthony, and the rest had an ominous feeling.

Edmund was really daring to have the guts to talk back to Brett like this!

They thought that Brett was definitely furious.

The truth was indeed so.

Brette had called them insignificant trash inferior to the Hamiltons, but the Hamiltons weren’t the strongest in the world. In fact, the Hamiltons weren’t even the top family among the nine royal family branches in the US, let alone the terrifying behemoths around the world.

Edmund had precisely used his words against him to make Brett contradict himself, rendering him speechless.

But the Hamiltons were a noble family, and now that Edmund, the helmsman of a trivial family they despised, actually called them trash, Brett and his family would never be able to tolerate it.

“You must have a death wish!” Brett’s face was completely gloomy as he stared at Edmund with an intense murderous intent in his eyes.

The elderly man in white standing behind Brett suddenly exuded an aggressive aura that surged toward Edmund.

As long as Brett gave the order, he would immediately strike and kill Edmund.

The tension in the hall rose to its peak, and it felt as if death was imminent!

1229 Qualifications to Be a Dog

There wasn’t a single trace of fear on Edmund’s face. Instead, he smiled mockingly. “What’s wrong? Mr. Hamilton, are you embarrassed, so you want to take it out on me?”

If he was facing Brett alone, Edmund might restrain himself.

But Lucas was now sitting here. What was Edmund afraid of?

Joel and Anthony were astonished by Edmund’s hostile tone, and they were afraid that Brett would be angered and vent his anger on them.

Before Brett said anything, Joel lashed out at Edmund, “Edmund Cole, you old fogey, you’ve got a foul mouth! I can tolerate you insulting me, but you actually have the audacity to speak like that to Mr. Hamilton. You really don’t know what’s good for you!”

Anthony quickly chimed in and hollered at Edmund furiously, “Yes! Edmund Cole, we chose not to hold it against you because of your age, but this doesn’t mean we’re afraid of you! You actually spoke to Mr. Hamilton so rudely. Even if he forgives you, I won’t forgive you!

“If you’re tired of living, you can find a place to bury yourself. Don’t be such an eyesore!”

While scolding him, they also took the chance to draw a line between him and themselves.

In order to avoid Brett thinking that they were in the same group as Edmund, Joel and Anthony hurriedly explained to him, “Mr. Hamilton, before you came, we’ve already fallen out with this old fogey! Both of us insisted on accepting the Hamiltons’ proposal, but Edmund Cole and Bruce Hale, these two old fogeys, weren’t willing and even said that they would go to war with the Hamiltons! Before you came, we already planned to sever ties with them.

“Now, this ignorant old fogey actually has the guts to offend you. Mr. Hamilton, as long as you say the word, we’ll be at your beck and call and help you get rid of them!”

At this juncture, Joel and Anthony had already given up on the plan to negotiate. Just by looking at Brett’s aura, they could tell that the Hamiltons would never be willing to merely establish a few footholds.

At the end of the day, what the Hamiltons wanted was to control these states completely.

In that case, they might as well follow Brett’s wishes and pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons as soon as possible, especially in front of Edmund and Bruce, who were stubborn tough nuts to crack. Perhaps Brett would even value them for it.

Brett glanced at Joel and Anthony from the corner of his eye and asked with doubt and contempt, “You think you can destroy the Hales and the Coles alone?”

Joel gritted his teeth and said, “Actually, the Gillens and the Crosses have already realized that the Hales and the Coles are not to be trifled with and that they might oppose you. That’s why we’ve arranged for enough people to lay an ambush outside. With one order from you, we will immediately gather all our people to take down the Hales!

“Afterward, the Gillens and the Crosses will join forces to deal with the Coles! This will be a small welcome gift from us!”

Joel and Anthony sounded extremely deferential.

After hearing this, Edmund and Bruce were furious.

These two uninvited guests indeed harbored evil intentions. At the beginning, they had kept claiming that they came here to help the Hales, the Coles, and the other families of California pull through the ordeal. They had even thought of making the Californian families owe them a huge favor through this matter. But after Edmund exposed them on the spot earlier, they stopped mentioning it.

But now, Joel and Anthony actually revealed that they had secretly ambushed many people outside and that they wanted to wipe out the Hales as proof of their allegiance to the Hamiltons. This made Bruce and Edmund furious and contemptuous at the same time.


Brett said with raised brows, “In that case, you’re willing to be the Hamiltons’ dogs and get rid of all obstacles for us?”

It wasn’t nice being called dogs, especially since Brett sounded derisive and contemptuous when he said it. It was enough to make anyone with any self-respect feel ashamed and humiliated.

If others called them dogs, they would definitely lose their temper.

But the person who said this word was an esteemed scion of the Hamiltons, so they naturally didn’t dare to say a word of rebuttal despite blushing with embarrassment.

Joel gritted his teeth, completely swallowed his pride, and flattered shamelessly, “Yes! As long as you’re willing to accept us, the Gillens are willing to be your dogs and be at your beck and call, Mr. Hamilton!”

Anthony hurriedly said, “The same goes for the Crosses! As long as you issue an order, we will definitely do our best to fulfill it! We will do anything you say!”

The two of them were extremely subservient, utterly devoid of the mannerisms and dignity of helmsmen of wealthy and powerful families.

Seeing their disgraceful behavior, Edmund and Bruce were full of disdain.

On the other hand, Ethan was wavering while looking at the two distinct camps.

Although he had already agreed to stand with Edmund and Bruce just now, he began to waver again after seeing Brett’s formidable aura and the way Joel and Anthony, who were domineering earlier, behaved in front of Brett.

Based on the current situation, the Hamiltons were clearly far stronger than them.
Otherwise, Joel and Anthony wouldn’t behave this way and choose to be Brett’s dogs.

He wondered if the Sawyers could really survive if he chose to stand against the Hamiltons.

While Ethan was stuck in a dilemma and wondering if he should re-evaluate the situation and change his stand, Brett suddenly sneered.

“Hah, there are many people who want to be my dog, let alone so-called rich and powerful families like yours. Even in DC, there are countless people who flatter me. What makes you think I’d accept you?

“You have to consider if you have the qualifications to be my dogs!”

Hearing this, Joel and Anthony had a drastic change of expression.

1230 Surprising Outcome

Joel and Anthony had both abandoned their dignity and were willing to become Brett’s dogs, yet Brett actually said that they weren’t qualified to be his dogs.

Although what he said sounded extremely insulting, Joel and Anthony didn’t feel humiliated. Instead, they were afraid.

If Brett even refused to let them be his dogs, what value would they have?

People of no value were worthless to the Hamiltons, and they would end up extremely miserable!

Joel and Anthony immediately knelt in front of Brett without hesitation.

“Mr. Hamilton! Although we are indeed insignificant compared to you, and we’re just trash, we can still be of some use! As long as you say the word, we will do anything for you! Be it destroying the Hales and the Coles or dealing with other defiant families, we can definitely get the job done!

“Please give us a chance to perform, Mr. Hamilton!”

The two of them had no dignity at all as they knelt on the floor and begged Brett to reconsider them.

Brett smiled lightly. “Oh, is that so? Then I’ll be kind and give you a chance to perform.

“Since the Hales have turned down my good intentions, get rid of them first. I want to see if you really have the ability. If you do a good job, I will naturally consider letting you help me handle some other matters.

“But if you can’t even accomplish such a simple thing, it means that you’re just blowing your trumpet. You should know very well what happens to useless good-for-nothings who are all bark and no bite!”

Joel’s and Anthony’s hearts skipped a beat, and their faces turned bitter.

Although they had said it themselves, they started feeling conflicted now that Brett really told them to destroy the Hales.

They had indeed brought many experts from Arizona and Nevada, but this was the Hales’ base camp, and the Hales definitely wouldn’t have fewer people than them.

Moreover, Edmund was here, and he had brought numerous people too. If they really got into a fight, Edmund would definitely stand on Bruce’s side.

In that case, it would be difficult to decide who won.

Besides, there was also the Sawyers, who should be on the same side as the Coles and the Hales. Joel and Anything were on their turf too, so they definitely wouldn’t have a good time.

Not to mention taking down the Hales, they might even end up getting destroyed by the families of California.
Joel and Anthony just wanted to show their loyalty to Brett, but they didn’t really plan to attack the Hales at this time!

Joel and Anthony were on the verge of tears, and they even felt as though they had shot themselves in the foot.

Seeing their hesitant expressions, Brett sneered. He knew that these two begging him on their knees were just bragging. They were actually just good-for-nothings.

Brett didn’t take such good-for-nothings seriously.

On the contrary, the three helmsmen who didn’t plan to succumb to the Hamiltons had quite the backbone and made Brett see them in a better light.

“How about this? Mr. Cole, Mr. Hale, and Mr. Sawyer, I’ll give you another day. I hope you’ll seriously consider what I said. If you’re willing to submit to me, the Hamiltons will definitely not treat you badly.

“That’s all I have to say. I will come back at this time tomorrow. I hope you will give me a satisfactory answer.”

With that, Brett turned around and walked straight to the entrance of the hall. He actually didn’t pursue the matter of Edmund, Bruce, and Ethan refusing to pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons. Instead, he gave them another day to consider and even promised to give them some benefits.

This treatment immediately stunned Joel and Anthony!

They had knelt without caring about their pride at all. They had tried their best to show their loyalty to Brett and had even been willing to be his dogs, but Brett didn’t even pay attention to them.
However, Edmund and Bruce spoke rudely to Brett and even directly rejected him. But Brett actually took the initiative to show that he valued them. The drastic difference in attitude left them on the verge of vomiting blood.

Seeing Brett about to leave the Hale residence with his bodyguard, Bruce looked at Lucas and hurriedly said, “Mr. Hamilton, please wait a moment!

“You don’t have to wait until tomorrow. The Hales have already decided not to pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons. Please forgive us!”

Lucas happened to make a rare appearance here today. Of course, Bruce hoped to use this opportunity to completely resolve the matter with the Hamiltons.
Even though Brett gave them until tomorrow, the answer would still be the same, so they obviously had to end this quickly.

They couldn’t possibly wait until Brett brought his people here tomorrow. If Bruce asked Lucas to come over again, it would be wasting Lucas’s time.

Edmund also stood up and said, “It’s the same for the Coles. I’ve already made up my mind. Even if the Coles get destroyed, it’s absolutely impossible for us to pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons!”

Ethan opened his mouth and looked at the two decisive people in front of him. For some reason, he was at a loss for words.

He should have stepped forward like Edmund and Bruce and resolutely rejected the Hamiltons’ recruitment. But he couldn’t bring himself to say anything when it was time for him to speak.

In the end, he still chickened out.

Brett stopped in his tracks, narrowed his eyes, looked at Edmund and Bruce, and suddenly smiled. “Oh, is that so? In that case, even if your families are destroyed because of this, you still won’t pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons?”

Although he was still smiling, it was mirthless.

Cold murderous intent appeared deep in Brett’s eyes.

Edmund and Bruce immediately felt a pressure that made their scalps tingle.

But they still nodded without hesitation and said firmly, “Yes!”

Brett laughed and said with a twisted smile, “Very good! Since you’d rather have your families destroyed than submit the Hamiltons, I’ll fulfill your wishes! From tomorrow onward, the Coles and the Hales won’t appear again!”

As soon as he said this, the elderly man behind him suddenly exuded a strong murderous aura while staring at Edmund and Bruce, making them shudder involuntarily.

Brett turned to look at Ethan, whose forehead was covered in cold sweat. “What about the Sawyers? Are you planning to make the same decision as them?”

Large droplets of sweat emerged from Ethan’s face, and his back had long been drenched in cold sweat.
After hearing Brett’s question, Ethan gritted his teeth and said, “I, Ethan Sawyer, am willing to lead the Sawyers to pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons!”

 

[moh96]

1231 You Reap What You Sow

What Ethan said was like a bomb suddenly exploding in the reception hall.

Bruce and Edmund looked at Ethan in disbelief. “Ethan Sawyer, what… what did you say?!”

Lucas narrowed his eyes slightly and glanced at Ethan.

To be honest, Lucas was surprised by what Ethan said too.

He had always known that Ethan was a mercenary person who greatly valued benefits and wasn’t very principled.

He had interacted with Lucas on several occasions before, but it was all for the sake of the Huttons and the benefits he could get from helping Lucas.

But Lucas didn’t expect Ethan to defect to the Hamiltons.

Not only was he betraying the Coles and the Hales, his allies from California, but he was also betraying Lucas and the Huttons, who had always supported him.

It seemed that in Ethan’s eyes, the Hamiltons were much stronger than the Huttons. So he would rather betray the Huttons and pledge allegiance to Brett.

Lucas sneered and thought that Ethan better not regret his decision.

Brett looked at Ethan with interest. “Mr. Sawyer, I didn’t expect you to be different from those two. If I’ve guessed correctly, you’re the helmsman of a wealthy family in California. In that case, won’t your current decision be thwarting your initial agreement?”

Ethan’s eyes flashed with guilt, and he didn’t dare to look at Bruce’s and Edmund’s expressions. He gritted his teeth and said to Brett, “Mr. Hamilton, they all say that wise people adapt to circumstances. I may have had some immature thoughts before, but after seeing your majesty, I think submitting to the Hamiltons is the most correct choice. Everything else doesn’t matter.”

What he meant was that even if he had previously thought of fighting against the Hamiltons with Edmund, Bruce, and the others, he had changed his mind now and planned to submit to the Hamiltons.
Ethan was the first to succumb to the Hamiltons in California, so he believed that Brett would definitely appreciate him and value him greatly.

But Brett glanced at Ethan and shook his head. “Hah, how is someone like you who can easily betray your allies worthy of pledging allegiance to the Hamiltons? We’re not garbage collectors who take in all kinds of garbage!

“You’re worse than those two from the Gillens and the Crosses. You’re not worthy of pledging allegiance to the Hamiltons!”

Ethan immediately felt a stinging pain in his face. It was as if he had suddenly received two slaps in his face that made him so dizzy he almost fell to the floor.

He never thought that after going all out to betray the other families and the Huttons and defecting to the Hamiltons, he would only end up hearing this!

He was called garbage who wasn’t worthy of pledging allegiance to the Hamiltons because he had betrayed his allies. These words were like violent slaps that made Ethan’s face red with embarrassment.

On the other hand, Lucas became more interested in Brett after hearing what he said.

After witnessing Brett’s earlier behavior, he had thought he was just an arrogant and willful scion who relied on the backing of his powerful family to behave like a tyrant and throw his weight around.

Lucas had met many such people. Generally, they didn’t have any decent skills and only enjoyed the flattery of people around them. The more humble and lowly these people behaved, the more conceited they felt.

But Brett actually turned down Ethan, who had betrayed his allies, and the spineless Joel and Anthony, who had begged like dogs in front of him.

On the contrary, he was impressed by Bruce and Edmund, who had refused to pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons, and was extremely tolerant toward them.

His behavior made Lucas think that Brett was different from other wealthy scions.

Bruce looked at Ethan, who was pulling a long face, and sneered. “Ethan Sawyer, you betrayed us and wanted to suck up to a powerful family, but your plan failed. You must regret it now, don’t you? Unfortunately, there’s no cure for regret in this world!

“Since you’ve already done this, the Sawyers can forget about staying established in California!”

Edmund said coldly, “Traitors and fence sitters will always end up being defeated because they try to act too smart! Since you’ve betrayed us, all consequences shall be borne by you and the Sawyers in the future! To put it bluntly, if it was on the battlefield, traitors like you should be shot dead on the spot!”

Ethan’s face became even paler, and his legs went limp as he really fell to the floor.

He didn’t expect Brett to react that way. One mistake cost him everything!

Now, Brett despised him for betraying his allies and didn’t want to take him in.

Meanwhile, Edmund and Bruce were furious about his betrayal and would naturally sever ties with him in the future.

What would happen to the Sawyers in the future?

Ethan began to panic.

He couldn’t just sit back and do nothing!

Ethan suddenly looked at Lucas, who had been sitting in the corner without saying much.
Seemingly finding a straw to clutch at, he hurriedly knelt down in front of Lucas and begged, “Mr. Gray, I… I’ve indeed made a mistake in a moment of folly. Please forgive me! Please give me a chance and don’t give up on me and the Sawyers!”

He knew that he had brought the Sawyers to the most terrible situation and that the only person who could change the Sayers’ fate was Lucas.

Ethan knew that Lucas had an extremely high status in the hearts of Edmund and Bruce.

As long as Lucas forgave him and gave some instructions to Bruce and Hale, he might still have a chance to turn the situation around despite his mistake.

Edmund and Bruce frowned without saying anything. They just quietly waited for Lucas’s decision.

Only Lucas had the right to decide whether or not to forgive Ethan.

Brett looked at Lucas with surprise.

In fact, not long after he entered the hall, he had already noticed the young man sitting quietly in the corner.
Moreover, Lucas was extremely calm, which was completely different from the five helmsmen. Due to this, he had attracted Brett’s attention and made him take a few extra glances at Lucas.

But Brett didn’t know what Lucas’s identity was. It was only when Bruce asked Lucas for his opinion that he realized Lucas seemed to have extraordinary influence and wasn’t just a random small fry.

And now, when he saw Ethan kneeling in front of Lucas and begging for forgiveness, Brett was even more certain that this young man, who was a few years younger than him, definitely had great authority in California.

He just didn’t know what Lucas’s identity was.

1232 Drawing A Clear Line

Lucas glanced at Ethan but said nothing.

Ethan was kneeling on the floor and begging bitterly.

Bruce couldn’t stand it any longer and ridiculed, “Ethan Sawyer, you’re really thick-skinned! After betraying us, you went to flatter the Hamiltons. But I bet you didn’t expect him not to want you, did you?

“You failed to cozy up to the Hamiltons, and now you’re trying to seek Mr. Gray’s forgiveness and protection? Hah, you must be dreaming!”!!

Edmund said disdainfully, “Hah, Ethan Sawyer, you’re just a disgusting traitor who’s an absolute disgrace to all people! You failed to pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons, and now you turned out and begged Mr. Gray instead. What do you think Mr. Gray is? Do you think he’s someone who will take you in after someone else has abandoned you?”

The two of them spoke extremely mercilessly, causing Ethan to turn pale before blushing again. His entire face stung and burned.

He knew how embarrassing his current behavior was. But since things had already developed to this point, if he couldn’t give up his pride and beg for Lucas’s forgiveness, the Sawyers would really have no place in California!

So despite feeling ashamed and aggrieved, Ethan could only continue shamelessly begging Lucas.

“Mr. Gray, I… I really don’t mean to say that! I was just too muddled and thought that pledging allegiance to the Hamiltons would solve the issue. But I didn’t expect… But no matter what, I’ve never thought of betraying you or becoming your enemy!”

Ethan tried his best to explain himself and even looked at Lucas nervously with a pitiful expression.

Bruce couldn’t tolerate seeing Ethan’s feigned expressions anymore and said coldly, “Ethan Sawyer, I think you should just be an actor instead of a family helmsman. Unfortunately, your acting skills are still too poor. You think we don’t know what you were thinking just now?

“If Brett Hamilton had really accepted you just now, you’d probably be behaving differently now. If he had asked you to deal with Mr. Gray and us, you’d definitely agree without hesitation.

“You even said that you would never become Mr. Gray’s enemy. What a joke!”

Edmund said to Lucas, “Mr. Gray, there’s an old saying that says you can never trust a traitor twice. Since Ethan Sawyer has betrayed you once, he can betray you countless times! You really don’t have to forgive this scoundrel or give him any chance because he’s not worthy at all!”

Brett narrowed his eyes slightly.

He could tell from Edmund’s and Bruce’s speech and tone that they were extremely respectful to Lucas. Not only did they address him respectfully, but they clearly saw him in a superior position.

This made Brett even more curious about Lucas’s identity.

Edmund and Bruce had rejected his offer earlier and would rather be destroyed than pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons. Clearly, they had strong backbones and would never submit to anyone easily.

Brett found it incredible that they were so harsh to him but so respectful to Lucas.

Could Lucas Gray be from a family even more prestigious than the Hamiltons?

As soon as this thought arose, Brett dismissed it.

The Hamiltons were one of the nine royal family branches in the US, and among the branches more powerful than the Hamiltons, none of them had the last name Gray.
Could he have some extraordinary traits that allowed him to earn the respect and loyalty of the Hales and the Coles?

Apart from this, Brett couldn’t think of any other possibility.

Joel and Anthony immediately looked shocked and bewildered.

They were from the top families of Arizona and Nevada and had very little interaction with the families of California, so they didn’t know who Lucas was.

But anyone could tell from the way the Californian helmsmen treated Lucas that he had a high status.

Just a few minutes ago, Joel and Anthony had even reprimanded Lucas, and they were now worried that it would bring trouble to their families.

The two of them became tense and regretful.

If they had known how powerful Lucas was, they would have been more careful when speaking earlier.

But it was too late now!

“Mr. Gray, I really know my mistakes! On account that we used to be close… and for the sake of my daughter, Lena, please just forgive me this time and give the Sawyers another chance!”

In order to get Lucas to forgive him, Ethan even brought up Lena, hoping that Lucas would forgive him on account of his friendship with Lena.

Deep down, Ethan had always hoped that Lena would be more than friends with Lucas so that he would be even closer to Lucas.

But Ethan made the wrong decision again.

Lucas didn’t have any thoughts about Lena in the first place, and now, he was facing an issue probably caused by her.

Even though Ethan had brought up Lena, it wouldn’t change Lucas’s decision at all.

“Ethan Sawyer, from now on, the Sawyers have nothing to do with me. I hope you can firmly remember this.

“If I find you using my name to get some benefits in the future, don’t blame me for being impolite to you and the Sawyers!”

Lucas’s warning immediately made Ethan’s heart sink to rock bottom.

The reason the Sawyers had managed to go from one of the four major families of Orange County to the third family in California was entirely thanks to Lucas’s prestige and power, which enabled them to receive olive branches from countless wealthy families and established enterprises in California. These great opportunities allowed the Sawyers to achieve incredible development.

If Lucas drew a clear line between him and the Sawyers, they wouldn’t be able to use his connections anymore, and they would definitely decline rapidly.

Ethan obviously couldn’t accept this outcome.

“Mr. Gray, please—”

“If you keep talking nonsense, the Sawyers will disappear from California today! Are you sure you’re going to continue begging?” Lucas’s cold voice immediately interrupted Ethan, causing him to shudder.

1233 Not Interested

Ethan opened his mouth, his face deathly pale, but he knew that he couldn't continue begging Lucas anymore.

Otherwise, the Sawyers would be destroyed today!

Ethan's heart was almost bleeding, but he could only say, "Yes, thank you so much for your magnanimity, Mr. Gray!"

In fact, Lucas was already being kind enough to Ethan and cutting him some slack for Lena's sake.

Lucas used to be part of the military, so he was an upright, straightforward, and determined person, and he hated betrayal the most.

Edmund was right. If it was on the battlefield, Ethan's act of betraying his allies would definitely warrant being shot to death on the spot.

The fact that he didn't make the Sawyers disappear from California immediately or punish Ethan was already a great act of kindness.
"Buddy, you look unfamiliar. This should be our first time meeting. May I know who you are?" Brett asked Lucas with a smile and obvious interest on his face.

Lucas glanced at Brett and said indifferently, "I'm not a big shot like you're thinking. I believe you can easily find out that I'm just an abandoned son of the Hutton family in DC. In fact, I've been living on my own for so many years that I'm no longer a Hutton."

Brett was surprised.

The Huttons were one of the eight top families in DC, so Brett was no stranger to them.

He had never heard of a Lucas Gray in the Hutton family. Besides, Lucas's last name was Gray. He wondered if Lucas was an unknown illegitimate child of the Huttons.

But if he was just an illegitimate child, how could people of Bruce's and Edmund's status be respectful to him?

Moreover, Brett could sense that Lucas was extremely confident and calm.

How could someone like him really be just an illegitimate child of the Huttons?

If he wasn't relying on the Huttons, his confidence definitely came from himself.

Thinking of this, Brett looked at Lucas with enthusiasm.

If he could get Lucas to work for him…

"Lucas, right? For some reason, even though it's the first time we've met, I felt like we're old friends. I'd like to invite you to help me with some matters. What do you think, Lucas?"

Seemingly afraid of Lucas misunderstanding, Brett added, "Of course, I'm not asking you to work for me. I want to become sworn brothers with you!

"As long as you can help me become the head of the Hamiltons, you'll get the most credit! I'll let you become the most distinguished elder of the family whom everyone will look up to and whose status will be second only to mine in the family!"

What Brett said made the eyes of the others in the room widen in shock.

Even Lucas was surprised.

None of them expected that Brett would suddenly extend an olive branch to Lucas and even promise to let him become the most distinguished elder of the Hamiltons.

This was an extremely hefty promise.

Lucas narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Brett's face. He found that Brett really seemed to mean what he said and that he was willing to invite Lucas to join the Hamiltons as an elder.

If he offered this opportunity to someone else, they would probably be so excited that they wouldn't know what to say.

A gentleman would sacrifice his life for his confidante. In the face of such a promise made by a wealthy scion with a high status, most people would be extremely grateful and be willing to express loyalty to Brett and fight for him.

Unfortunately, Lucas was not an ordinary person!

Back when Lucas was in Calico, he had already achieved the position of the leader of the Falcon Regiment and the supreme commander of the southern front and had hundreds of thousands of soldiers under his command. His status was on par with that of the helmsmen of the royal family branches.

He had even been willing to forgo his status as the leader of the Falcon Regiment, so why would he work for a scion of the Hamiltons for the sake of the status of an elder of the Hamiltons?

Under everyone's gaze, Lucas shook his head and said without hesitation, "Sorry, I'm not interested in the Hamiltons."

Brett wasn't surprised by his answer.

Those who were capable and competent usually wouldn't agree to work for others easily.

Only with genuine sincerity would they be moved.

Brett could tell that Lucas was a highly capable person.

The more Lucas refused to agree, the more he valued Lucas and the more interested he was in getting Lucas to join him.

Despite being only in his twenties, Lucas had already developed a calm and firm temperament. He even managed to earn the loyalty and respect of the helmsmen of the Hales and the Coles. If Brett could get such an outstanding man on his side to work for him, he was certain that Lucas would be of great help in his pursuit of the position of the head of the Hamiltons.

"Lucas, you don't have to be so quick to turn me down. If you have any requests in terms of remuneration and treatment, I'll definitely do my best to satisfy you! You're an extremely powerful and capable person. You should be standing at the summit of the world. Isn't it a waste of your talent if you stay in California?" Brett persuaded with a smile, unwilling to give up.

Lucas shook his head. "I have no intention of working for others, and I don't want to care about what the Hamiltons want to do. But as long as it's in California, I won't allow any other family to meddle with our business."

Lucas explicitly stated what he wanted.

If the Hamiltons wanted to take control of Arizona and Nevada, Lucas wouldn't interfere, but he would never allow the Hamiltons to meddle in California.

No matter what, California was where Lucas's foundation lay, and the helmsmen of the Hales, the Parkers, and the Coles were all here too. Lucas naturally wouldn't let other forces control them.

A cold and sullen look appeared on Brett's face, and he said half-threateningly, "What if I insist?"

Lucas wasn't afraid at all. He simply retorted mirthlessly, "You can try."

The tension between the two instantly became intense.

Everyone in the huge reception hall fell silent.

No one else had the qualifications to speak in front of Lucas and Brett. They could only remain still amid the oppressive silence.

After a long time, Brett finally smiled and said, "Since you've said so, Lucas, let's wait and see. Maybe you will change your mind when the time comes."

Then Brett turned around and walked out of the hall.

The elderly man in white behind him glanced at Lucas before following closely behind Brett.

After the two left, everyone in the hall finally heaved a sigh of relief, feeling much more at ease.

Joel glanced at Lucas awkwardly before suddenly walking over and saying flatteringly, "Mr.
Gray, I'm really sorry. I wasn't aware of your status just now, so I may have offended you.
Please don't hold it against me! As long as you need my help, the Gillens will be ready to give you a hand anytime!"

Anthony chimed in with a similar expression, "Yeah, Mr. Gray, the same goes for the Crosses. Feel free to inform me whenever you need my assistance in the future.

1234 Willing to Follow

Lucas didn't have a good impression of these two people, so he obviously wouldn't want their help. Hearing what they said, he simply said calmly, "As I've just said, I only care about the situation in California. As for the matters of Arizona and Nevada, you can settle them yourselves. They have nothing to do with me."

Hearing this, Joel and Anthony immediately became anxious.

"Mr. Gray, we know we've offended you earlier, but we truly know our mistake now! We beg you to be kind and help us! The Hamiltons have already shown their ambitions and greed, and there's no way we can resist them. The only ones who can help us now are you and the Californian helmsmen!

"If you refuse to help us, the Gillens and Crosses will only have a dead end! I beg you to help us!"

"Yes, as long as you help us, we are willing to treat you as the most prestigious guest of the
Gillens and the Crosses! We will satisfy all your requests!"

Joel and Anthony were really flustered.

Just now, they had taken the initiative to bow down and submit to the Hamiltons. But in the end, Brett despised them and rejected them directly.

The Hamiltons were clearly determined to gain control of the few states here. Thus, the only choice would be to get rid of the Gillens and the Crosses and then take over everything they had.

But now, Lucas could still be so stubborn and even seemed capable of resisting Brett, making Joel and Anthony feel as if they had found their last straw to clutch at.

Lucas was their only hope now.

Bruce said with contempt. "Joel Gillen, Anthony Cross, weren't you acting so servilely to
Brett Hamilton just now and saying that you'd get rid of the Hales for them? Now that the Hamiltons don't want you, you've come running to us and Mr. Gray for help. Do you have any shame?"

Edmund rolled his eyes and sneered. "You should leave! Otherwise, I will lose my temper and throw you shameless people out of here!"

Seeing how hostile Edmund and Bruce were to them, Joel and Anthony knew that they had completely offended them, and no matter how much they begged, it would be impossible for them to obtain the forgiveness of Lucas, Bruce, and Edmund.

"Okay, we'll leave right now!" The two of them could only leave the Hales residence with the people they brought.

At this moment, there were only five people remaining in the reception hall.

Bruce glowered with displeasure at Ethan, who was standing with his head lowered in a corner, and said hostilely, "You may leave too!"

Ether's face was a little sullen, but he forced himself to smile and said, "The Sawyers are from California too. Now is the time for us to unite and stand strong against the Hamiltons"

"Shut up! How can a traitor like you have the cheek to say that we should stand strong together against the enemy? What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get lost!"

Before Ethan could finish speaking, Edmund had already lost control of his anger and hollered at him.

Bruce stared at Ethan coldly as if he was just a stranger.

Ethan's heart sank.

He knew that from now on, he and the Sawyers would be completely ostracized from the upper-class circle of California and lose all right to speak.

He originally had the right to have a say, but he had ruined everything himself.

At this moment, Ethan's heart was full of regrets, but unfortunately, it was too late for regrets now!

Lucas glanced at Ethan coldly without saying a word, but it was obvious what he meant.

Ethan knew that there was no way he could turn the situation around anymore, so he could only say awkwardly, "Alright then… I'll get going now."

Then he left with heavy footsteps, taking one step at a time.

Now, only Lucas, Edmund, Bruce, and Connor were left in the reception hall.

These people were completely loyal to Lucas, so Lucas no longer had any reservations when talking with them.

"I'll be staying in Orange County for a few days. If the Hamiltons do anything, report to me right away," Lucas ordered.

"Yes!" Edmund and the rest quickly agreed.

"Lucas, you stayed in DC for some time. Are you planning to shift the focus of your development to DC?" Bruce asked cautiously.

Lucas nodded. "Yes. I actually came here to talk to you about this."

Bruce, Edmund, and Connor immediately knew that Lucas was going to say extremely important matters, so they looked at him with burning gazes.

Lucas said, "In fact, the headquarters of the Stardust Corporation is in DC, so I'm planning to focus my businesses more in DC. From now on, Orange County will just be a branch, and I'll be spending most of my time in DC and will rarely return to Orange County.

"You should already know that the Parkers have left California and started developing their businesses in DC. A few days ago, I had the Parkers replace the Waltons, one of the eight top families of DC, and take over all of the Waltons' businesses."

At this point, Lucas glanced at the people in front of him and saw the obvious shock and envy in their eyes.

The Parkers had been inferior to the Coles previously, but after following Lucas to DC, they managed to replace one of the eight top families. These helmsmen were undoubtedly jealous and envious of their remarkable achievements.

Lucas noticed their expressions and said, "Of course, the Parkers alone are not enough to help me. So I'd like to find a few trustworthy families to form a new alliance in DC and develop our own forces.

"Since all of you happen to be here, I'd like to ask if you're willing to leave California and start developing in DC."

What Lucas said surprised Bruce and Edmund.

After hearing about the Parkers' development, they couldn't help feeling extremely envious.

In just two months, the Parkers had already gone from a wealthy family in LA to a top family on par with the eight top families. Who wouldn't be jealous of their achievements?

Bruce and Edmund were well aware that Lucas must have given the Parkers a lot of help. Otherwise, it would have been hard for them to secure footing in DC, let alone make such tremendous progress and achievements within a short time.

They didn't expect Lucas to give them this opportunity and ask if they were willing to go with him to DC to develop further.

1235 Quickly Save Us

Was there a need to think about it?

With joy written all over his face, Bruce said, “Great! Mr. Gray, the Hales are willing to follow you to DC to develop together!”

Lucas was giving them help!

If they continued to stay in California, they would soon reach their developmental bottleneck and merely become a behemoth in the region.

Although they wouldn’t encounter much trouble, this would likely be their greatest achievement in their lives.

But if they could follow Lucas to DC, it would mean countless new opportunities, and they might one day even become one of the eight top families!

With Lucas’s help, this goal was definitely not a fantasy but would very likely become reality.

After hesitating for a long time, Edmund said with a bitter smile, “Thank you so much for your kind intentions, Mr. Gray. But even if the Coles go to DC, there probably won’t be much we can do. We’d better not.”

After hearing what Edmund said from outside, Edmund’s son, Clement, couldn’t help saying, “Dad, why would you say that? Haven’t you… haven’t you always hoped to obtain more opportunities for the Coles to develop further? Now that there’s finally an opportunity in front of you, why are you turning it down?”

The anxious Clement wished he could agree on Edmund’s behalf.

If they missed such a rare opportunity, it would be a pity!

Edmund glanced at his son and said with a bitter smile, “Why do you think I’m turning down
Mr. Gray’s kind intentions? Isn’t it all because of you?! Mr. Gray is willing to help us develop in DC, but if we can’t give him any help, we’ll only end up becoming his burden. Trust you to have the cheek to drag him down and take advantage of him!”

If Edmund was still young, even if all he had were his own two hands, he would definitely follow Lucas to DC.

But he was already in his seventies, and he didn’t know how much longer he had to live.

Moreover, Clement was his only son, and he knew what kind of a person his son was and whether or not he was capable of taking over the family.

This was why Edmund had said that even if Lucas took the Coles to develop in DC, they would only become a burden for him.

Clement’s face turned red. He understood what his father meant.

Deep down, he knew that Edmund was refraining from handing over the position of helmsman to him because he wasn’t capable enough. He didn’t think it would be safe to hand the family over to him.

Even though his father was currently supporting the Coles, how much longer could he hold out?

Looking at Edmund’s old and wrinkled face, Clement felt a strong sense of guilt.

“Dad, I’m sorry. I’ve made countless mistakes in the past, and I’ve failed to inherit your wisdom. I’ve let you down with my inability to take on big responsibilities. I know you’re not handing over the family to me because I’m not capable enough.

“But now, I will certainly repent and learn more so that you can relax sooner and no longer have to slog your guts out for the family! Dad, I’ll really obey your instructions and work hard.”

“Alright!” Edmund patted Clement’s shoulder excitedly. “Clement, since you’ve said that, I can be at ease now!”

If his son could turn over a new leaf at this age and take on some responsibilities, Edmund would be able to answer to his ancestors when he died!

Looking at Edmund and Clement, Lucas smiled. “Let the past be the past. There’s no need to bring it up again. Since you’ve repented and know that you should be driven and hardworking, I’ll give you this chance too. Now, it’s up to you if you want to take it.” Clement looked at Lucas in surprise. “Mr. Gray, you mean I can go to DC with you?”

“That’s right.” Lucas nodded and then said to Edmund, “Mr. Cole, you don’t have to worry about your family going to DC and becoming a burden to me. In fact, there are very few people I trust. Apart from the Parkers, who have gone to DC in advance, there’s only the Hales and the Coles.

“Rest assured. After you arrive in DC, I will definitely protect you. You don’t have to worry about anything else. You just need to shift your focus and manpower to DC and focus on developing your force there. This will be considered helping me.”

Edmund’s eyes were full of gratitude.

He knew that Lucas wanted to take care of him and the Coles, so he let them go with him to DC.

As for the Coles being able to provide him with assistance, Lucas was just comforting them.

With Lucas’s abilities and connections, the Coles were merely mediocre, and they wouldn’t be of any use to him.

Edmund was full of gratitude for Lucas’s help.

The only thing he could do was to do his best to make the Coles stronger and strive to provide help to Lucas in the future.

The Hales and the Coles had decided to go to DC to develop. After settling this matter, Lucas felt relieved.

Suddenly, his phone rang. He looked at the number on the caller ID and found that the call was from Charlotte.

Lucas was surprised.

When Charlotte brought Cheyenne out this morning, they were both cold and ignored him. They even ordered him not to follow them out.

Now that Charlotte was actually calling, he wondered if they were willing to listen to his explanation after calming down.

As soon as Lucas answered the call, he heard a flustered voice. “Lucas! We’re in trouble. Quickly come over to save me and Cheyenne!”

Lucas’s expression instantly changed. “Where are you?”

While asking, he hurried toward the gate of the Hale residence.

Charlotte said anxiously, “We’re in Lotte Entertainment City. A man brought a bunch of people, and he wants to take Cheyenne and me away. We’re in a private room now, but they’re banging on the door and might charge in at—Ah!”

Before she could finish speaking, he heard a loud bang over the phone, as if the door had been shoved open.

Immediately afterward, Charlotte’s call was terminated.

With a gloomy expression, Lucas immediately called her, but no one answered, and the phone was turned off.

The situation was terrible!

1236 Cheyenne Faces a Crisis

Lucas had strong murderous intent in his eyes as he strode toward the gates of the Hale residence.

Seeing Lucas’s expression change drastically, Bruce, Edmund, and the others were all shocked. They quickly caught up to him and asked anxiously, “Mr. Gray, what happened?”

Lucas asked gloomily, “Where’s Lotte Entertainment City?”

“Lotte Entertainment City?” The two elderly men looked at each in bewilderment.!!

On the other hand, Connor, who was born and raised in Orange County, was very familiar with the entertainment joints here and immediately said, “Mr. Gray, I know where it is!”

“Show the way!” Lucas grabbed Connor’s arm without thinking and left quickly, dragging Connor with him.

The situation was urgent, so he didn’t have time to explain anything to them.

“What’s going on?”

Seeing the two disappearing at the gates of the Hale residence in no time, Edmund and Bruce looked at each other in confusion.

But even though they didn’t know what was going on, they could tell from Lucas’s expression that something big must have happened to make him look so horrified.

“Although I don’t know what has happened, it must have something to do with the Lotte Entertainment City Mr. Gray mentioned. Let’s rush over immediately,” Edmund said with a grim expression.

Bruce nodded. “Yes! And we need to bring people in case there’s an emergency!”

The two of them quickly gathered their subordinates.

Meanwhile, Lucas took Connor into his Jaguar and drove speedily on the roads of Orange County under Connor’s guidance. He even ran several red lights.

He still didn’t know what happened to Cheyenne and Charlotte and whether their lives were in danger, so he didn’t have the patience to wait for the red lights to turn green.

Of course, even though he was speeding, his driving skills were superb, so he wouldn’t get into any traffic accidents.

But this was all too thrilling for Connor. Lucas was going at a speed comparable to a race car’s, and the several close shaves on the bustling streets made Connor turn deathly pale. If Lucas wasn’t the one driving, he wouldn’t have been unable to control himself and vomited.

…

At this moment, in a private room of Lotte Entertainment City…

Despite Cheyenne’s fear, she still tried her best to protect Charlotte. But her hands were already trembling, and cold sweat covered her pale face.

In front of them was a middle-aged man with his back facing them, his body covered in wounds and bleeding profusely. Half-kneeling on the floor, he was still trying to shield Cheyenne and Charlotte and stop people from getting near them.

The person he was fighting was an elderly man in white.

Beside the elderly man was a young man in his twenties. He was sizing up Cheyenne and Charlotte as if he was looking at the prey he was hunting.

“I didn’t expect you two beauties to have such a powerful bodyguard! Unfortunately, my bodyguard is far stronger than yours, so you lost!” The young man smiled. “Beauties, I don’t want anyone to die here, so you two better obey and stop resisting, and I’ll let your bodyguard go. How does that sound?”
Hearing this, Charlotte and Cheyenne looked even more panicked and desperate.

What should they do now?

Now, the only person who could protect them was Stanley, who was half-kneeling on the floor in front of them.

But Stanley was severely injured to the point where he could barely stand up. His dagger had also been snatched away by the elderly man, and he had lost so much blood.

Of course, they didn’t want to submit to this frivolous playboy, but if they still resisted, Stanley might die!

Stanley, under Lucas’s orders, had protected them for a long time. Although they usually had very little interaction with him, they couldn’t watch him die to protect them.

What should they do now?

Cheyenne’s face was covered in misery and despair.

Charlotte had just called Lucas, but as soon as she said a few words, the door of the private room had been kicked open, and their phones had been taken away by the elderly man in white. Who knew if Lucas had heard where they were clearly.

Besides, even if Lucas had heard it, it would be impossible for him to rush here within a short time.

If Stanley hadn’t dashed out to protect them with his life on the line and stalled for some time, this young man would have already captured them…

Stanley raised his arm with difficulty and wiped the blood seeping out of the corner of his mouth while glowering at the young man and his elderly bodyguard opposite him. “They’re not people you can afford to provoke! If you don’t want to die, I advise you to leave right now, or else it’ll be too late to regret!”

He was no match for the elderly man and had been beaten to a pulp.

But Stanley knew that messing with Cheyenne and her family was Lucas’s taboo. If anyone dared to offend them, he would never let them off!

Once Lucas was here, the two bastards in front of him would definitely have a hard time.

The most important thing he had to do now was to try his best to protect Charlotte and Cheyenne before Lucas arrived. He mustn’t let anyone do anything to them!

After hearing Stanley’s threat, the young man smiled with superiority. “Are you threatening me? Hah, what a joke. I’ve lived for over two decades, and no one has ever dared to threaten me in the face like that!”

With a proud expression, he seemed to remember something, put on a polite stance, and introduced himself to Cheyenne and Charlotte, “Speaking of which, I almost forgot to introduce myself to you beauties. No wonder you’re so scared to get close to me.

“My name is Angus Hamilton, and I’m a direct descendent of a royal family branch!”

Angus’s face was full of pride as he talked about his family. “Do you know what the royal family is? Well, I guess ordinary folks wouldn’t have heard about us, and all they know are the eight top families of DC.

“Hmph, those eight top families aren’t even worthy of carrying our shoes!

“There are only nine royal family branches, and our power is beyond your imagination! Even if the eight top families join forces, there’s no way they’re a match for the Hamiltons!

“Do you know how powerful we are now?

“Hah, no matter what your background is, no matter who you bring up, they are nothing to the Hamiltons!”

What Angus said made Cheyenne and Charlotte turn even paler.

1237 Behind Closed Doors

Cheyenne and Charlotte didn’t expect this young man to have such a powerful background!

Just based on the royal family name alone, they knew that the Hamiltons were extremely powerful and not a family that ordinary people like them could come into contact with usually.

Stanley, the bodyguard Lucas had arranged for them, was already a very powerful expert. He used to be the number one expert in LA, and after training under Lucas for so long, he had progressed further in martial arts.

But even Stanley was no match for the elderly man in white beside Angus.

Based on this alone, it was apparent how terrifyingly powerful the Hamiltons were.
Even Stanley couldn’t help inhaling sharply after hearing Angus reveal his family.

Lucas had previously arranged for him to stay in DC for a while, so he knew how powerful a royal family branch like the Hamiltons was.

His martial arts skills had improved significantly, yet he was still no match for the elderly man. Clearly, he was extremely formidable.

Since Angus could have the protection of such a strong powerhouse, he definitely had an extraordinary status in the Hamilton family.

This made the situation even worse!

Stanley gritted his teeth and shouted, “Does being a royal give you the right to bully women and kidnap them as you please? Fancy you calling yourself the descendant of an apex family! You want to hurt them? Over my dead body!”

Protecting Cheyenne and Charlotte was the task Lucas had entrusted him with, so no matter what, he had to do his best to keep them safe!

Angus reprimanded angrily, “Hmph, you must have a death wish! I planned to let you off on account of the two beauties, but since you don’t treasure the opportunity, you can’t blame me!”

Then Angus said to the elderly man next to him, “Kill him!”

The elderly man didn’t act immediately and instead persuaded, “Mr. Angus, this man seems to be from the military. We’d better be careful in case…”

Angus said nonchalantly, “So what? Even if their backer is a big shot from the military, they are nothing compared to the Hamiltons! Why should I be afraid of them? Since I told you to kill him, just do it! What nonsense are you saying?”

“Yes, Sir!” The elderly man in white immediately charged toward Stanley fiercely.

Stanley stared closely at the elderly man, not daring to be careless at all. He struggled to take a deep breath and pulled out the last thin dagger from the heel of his shoe with one hand while avoiding the elderly man’s lethal attack and slashing at him.

Flying daggers were the weapons he was best at using, but the elderly man had snatched away the dagger he had used earlier. He had also thrown a few daggers, but it had been futile.

Fortunately, Stanley had hidden a weapon in an inconspicuous spot of his shoe sole. When the dagger slashed over, the elderly man retreated a little, affecting his attack. His attack slowed slightly, allowing Stanley to narrowly dodge the deadly blow.

But the elderly man was really good at martial arts. After missing, he changed his move instantly and kicked Stanley’s chest.

This time, Stanley didn’t manage to dodge the attack. After suffering the kick, he was immediately kicked far away until he hit a wall in the corridor outside the room.

The kick was extremely fierce. Stanley was severely wounded in the first place, and after taking the kick, the bones in his chest cracked again. He huddled up on the floor, unable to stand up at all.

“Hmph, he’s actually not dead.” Angus frowned in displeasure when he saw Stanley desperately struggling to get up from the floor.

However, although the bastard getting in the way didn’t die, he should have completely lost his combat power. The two beautiful women in front of Angus were going to belong to him!

He stared at Cheyenne and Charlotte with a fiery gaze and licked his lips.

Although he wasn’t ugly, he looked deplorable when making this action.

The elderly man advised, “Mr. Angus, you came to California for an important mission, and you just arrived in Orange County today. In case you miss the important task because of these two women, wouldn’t that be terrible? Why don’t you wait until the matter is done before—”

“Shut up!” Angus hollered impatiently.

“Who’s the scion of the Hamiltons? Who calls the shots here? You or me? Go stand outside. Don’t get in the way of my business! Do you hear me?” Angus ordered.

The elderly man could only sigh silently and answer, “Yes!”

Although he thought that it was strange for these two beautiful women to have such a powerful bodyguard, and he even guessed that they might be related to the military, he was just a bodyguard after all. Even if he reminded Angus to be careful, he wouldn’t listen to him at all.

Since he worked for the Hamiltons, he could only obey Angus’s orders.

Despite knowing what would happen to the two women next, it was beyond his control.
The elderly man walked out of the private room, leaving Angus alone with Cheyenne and Charlotte inside.

After struggling for a long time, Stanley finally managed to recover from the severe pain. He struggled to turn his head and happened to see the scene of the door closing in front of him.

Intense fury appeared in Stanley’s eyes as he tried his best to crawl toward the door.

He knew that if he couldn’t stop it, Cheyenne and Charlotte would face something horrendous.

Lucas had sent him to protect Cheyenne and Charlotte. How could he watch that kind of thing happen?

But now that Stanley was severely wounded, it was already a miracle that he could survive. Even if he went all out and expended all his energy to crawl forward, he only inched forward a little. There was no way he could save the sisters.

Stanley had no choice but to plead with the elderly man. “Go… go stop him. If he lays a finger on the two women inside, he will definitely die a terrible death!

“I’m not trying to scare you. If you don’t want to see him die, hurry up and stop him!
Otherwise, neither of you will survive!”

The elderly man in white looked coldly at Stanley, who had blood all over his face. “You’re in no place to make comments or meddle with Mr. Angus’s affairs! Now, you are the one who’s going to die!”

Then he raised his right leg to stomp hard on Stanley’s head!
1238 Saving His Wife

When Stanley saw the large foot moving toward him and expanding in front of him, a trace of despair appeared in his eyes.

Stanley knew that the elderly man in white was extremely strong.

Even if he stepped on a stone like this, he would easily break it, let alone a human head.

If this foot stomped on him, he would probably die.

But Stanley felt unwilling!

He had just started working for Lucas a few months ago, and this time, Lucas had ordered him to protect the person who meant the most to him. Yet he failed to protect her and would die here instead.

He was letting Lucas down and felt ashamed!

He would die with regrets like this! And even after death, he wouldn’t be able to rest in peace!

The elderly man didn’t actually have a deep feud with Stankey, but he had to kill Stanley.

The elderly man had a vague feeling that Stanley and the two beautiful women inside definitely had a terrifying force supporting them.

Since he couldn’t convince Angus, he could only help him clean up the aftermath. Only by killing Stanley here could he silence him and stop today’s matter from being leaked, thereby avoiding trouble for Angus.

In fact, not only Stanley but the two women inside also had to die after Angus sought enough pleasure.

Only the dead could keep secrets.

The elderly man remained expressionless as his foot was about to stomp on Stanley’s head. But suddenly, he felt a terrifying aura charging toward him maniacally.

The elderly man immediately got goosebumps and didn’t have the time to stomp Stanley to death. He had to raise his arms and cross them in front of him hastily to protect his vital point.

Bang!

The next moment, a ferocious force landed on the elderly man’s arms and blasted him far away.

The elderly man’s swift reaction had saved his life. If he hadn’t protected his head with both arms, he would have been dead now!

Thud!

The elderly man’s body flew back seven meters in the long corridor and landed heavily on the floor.

Although he wasn’t dead yet, his arms had been completely crushed, and his body was severely injured. After landing on the floor with a loud thud, he spat out a mouthful of blood and could no longer get up.

The elderly man raised his head with difficulty and looked at the other end of the corridor. He saw a tall figure standing there. He couldn’t see his face clearly, but this person was exuding a terrifying aura, like a ferocious beast.

Stanley thought that he would definitely die, but he didn’t expect to be saved.

He turned his head and saw a familiar figure standing in front of him.

“Lu-Lucas!” Stanley’s face was full of joy, and he was so excited that he was on the verge of tears.

But it wasn’t the time to be touched. Stanley immediately pointed at the door of the private room across from him and said anxiously, “Lucas, Cheyenne is inside. Quickly go save her!”

The moment he said this, a surging murderous intent appeared in Lucas’s eyes. He instantly kicked the door of the private room open.

Bang!

His kick immediately smashed the door of the private room, turning it into a pile of broken wood.

Angus, who was planning to infringe on Charlotte and Cheyenne in the private room, was startled and lashed out, “Which bastard dares to interrupt me?!”

No one said anything. Only a tall and slender figure walked into the private room with a cold expression.

The moment they saw this figure, Cheyenne and Charlotte burst into tears.

They were just weak and vulnerable women who didn’t know any self-defense skills and were no match for Angus.

If they weren’t both here and could help each other, they would have already been violated by Angus.

But even then, the two of them were in very miserable states. After a lot of struggle, Angus had tied up their hands and was about to humiliate them.

They were already willing to die rather than suffer Angus’s violations.

But they didn’t expect Lucas to make it in time at the critical juncture!

How could they not burst into tears of joy?

In contrast to Cheyenne’s and Charlotte’s joy, Angus was furious.

Just as he was about to get his hands on the two beautiful women, someone barged in and interrupted him. He was so angry that he wanted to kill people.

“White Claw, what are you doing? How could you let someone barge in? Hurry up and chase him away!” Angus hollered in fury.

White Claw was the name of the elderly man in white and also the bodyguard that his family had specially assigned to protect him.

He had clearly asked White Claw to guard the door and prevent others from entering, yet White Claw failed to do such a simple matter, causing Angus to lose his temper.

Still, Angus had a lot of faith in White Claw’s abilities. As long as he made a move, there were no enemies he couldn’t defeat.

Moreover, this young man in his twenties was absolutely no match for White Claw.

However, there wasn’t a single sound or movement outside regardless of how much Angus shouted. White Claw didn’t respond, let alone rush in to protect him and chase away this punk.

Angus had an ominous premonition.

Did something happen to White Claw?

No, that’s impossible!

No one in Orange County should be a match for him!

Despite feeling a trace of panic and shock, Angus kept a fierce expression on his face and shouted at Lucas, “Punk, who the hell are you? Do you know who I am? How dare you barge in and ruin things for me? I won’t spare you!”

Lucas ignored Angus’s clamoring and turned to look at Cheyenne and Charlotte.

When he saw the two of them crying with their hands tied up with a gaudy tie, a murderous gaze appeared in his eyes. He glanced at Angus coldly and immediately walked toward Cheyenne and Charlotte.

Lucas helped Cheyenne up from the floor and tore off the tie wrapped around her hands.

“Lucas!” Cheyenne threw herself into Lucas’s arms and hugged him tightly while bawling loudly.


1239 He Must Die

“Honey… I thought I’d never get to see you again! It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have thrown a tantrum and come here on my own. It’s all my fault!” Cheyenne said tearfully with regret all over her face.

If she hadn’t gotten upset at Lucas, given him the cold shoulder, and gone out with Charlotte to relax while not allowing Lucas to follow, they wouldn’t have ended up in this plight today and almost gotten violated.

At this moment, Cheyenne was shocked and terrified. Seeing Lucas saving them in the nick of time, she was touched and aggrieved with lingering fears. Unable to control her emotions, she cried intensely.

Charlotte was feeling the same. She also wanted to hug Lucas and cry her heart out, but Lucas was her brother-in-law, not her husband. Only Cheyenne could cry in his arms, while she couldn’t. She could only suppress her surging emotions while wiping away the tears on her face.

Lucas looked at his wife weeping in his arms, feeling extremely distressed and sorry for her. He patted her on the back and comforted gently, “It’s alright. Everything’s fine now. With me here, no one can hurt you anymore.”

He didn’t think that Cheyenne and Charlotte were at fault.
Today’s disaster was clearly because someone harbored designs on them after seeing how beautiful they were.

Now, Lucas was just thankful that he had arrived in time to save Cheyenne and Charlotte. Otherwise, he didn’t know what would have happened to them in the end.

Angus was exasperated at being ignored by Lucas at first.

But after hearing Lucas and Cheyenne’s conversation, he suddenly realized that the man who barged in was Cheyenne’s husband.

But so what?

It wasn’t his first time snatching someone else’s wife.

When it came to the women he wanted, he didn’t care if they had boyfriends or husbands.

As long as he revealed that he was from the Hamilton family, even if he snatched another man’s woman, no one would dare to say a word!

“Punk, I’ve set my sights on your woman. If you’re sensible, you’d better hand those two women over to me. Otherwise, I’ll definitely make sure you die a horrible death!” Angus said.

Lucas turned his head and glanced at Angus as if he was looking at a dead man. Angus immediately shuddered and subconsciously took a step back.

This man’s gaze is too terrifying!

The intense murderous aura that Lucas was exuding made him feel as though Lucas was going to kill him!

“What… what do you want to do?”

Angus was so frightened that he stammered, but he soon realized that his words were diminishing his family’s prestige. So he said, “I’m warning you. I’m from the Hamiltons, one of the royal family branches in the US, and I have a powerful expert by my side. If you don’t obey me, I won’t spare your life! Do you hear me?”

Lucas couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to this idiot at all.

At this moment, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the private room. Soon, Bruce and Edmund appeared in the corridor with their subordinates.

“Mr. Gray, are you alright? We were worried that something might happen, so we brought our people here to help!” Bruce and Edmund looked at Lucas nervously and explained why they had appeared here.

Lucas nodded slightly and pointed at Stanley outside the private room, who was severely wounded and unable to get up. He ordered them, “He’s severely injured. Immediately get him to the hospital for treatment!”

“Yes, Lucas!” Bruce agreed right away.

A couple of the Hales’ subordinates immediately stepped forward and quickly carried Stanley away. Although they moved quickly, they were very careful.

Lucas glanced at Cheyenne and Charlotte again and said gently, “You’ve both been shocked. Go home first. I’ll head back immediately after settling the matters here.”

Although Cheyenne and Charlotte were unwilling to leave, they knew that they wouldn’t be of much help here. Besides, there were already more than a hundred people from the Hales and Coles here, so Lucas wouldn’t be at a disadvantage. They nodded and agreed.

“Arrange for people to send my wife and sister-in-law home. Make sure they’re safe!” Lucas ordered again.

Edmund immediately acknowledged, “Okay, I’ll make sure they arrive home safely!”

“Honey, you… be careful too. We’ll wait for you at home,” Cheyenne said worriedly before leaving with Charlotte and more than twenty of the Coles’ bodyguards.

When Angus saw that Lucas had more than a hundred helpers, he widened his eyes slightly with some surprise, but there wasn’t any fear in his eyes. Instead, he licked his lips and chuckled. “I was wondering why you had the courage to go against me. It turns out you’re a big shot here in Orange County. You actually brought so many people here.

“But so what if you’ve brought a lot of people? I’m from the Hamilton family, and I have a noble status. None of you will dare to lay a finger on me! If you dare to lay a hand on a Hamilton, you will all die. Do you believe me?” Angus said fearlessly.

“Oh, really?” Lucas sneered and instructed someone to bring White Claw, the elderly man in white who was at his last breath, in from outside the room. He threw him to Angus’s side like he was a dead dog.

“The one who’s going to die is you!”

After Angus saw the terrible state that the elderly man was in, his pupils constricted, and he exclaimed in shock, “White Claw?!”

He didn’t expect his bodyguard to have been beaten so terribly and be on his last breath, looking like he was about to die.

At this moment, he finally knew why White Claw didn’t respond when he yelled for him to come over and save him. It turned out that White Claw had already been captured and beaten into a pulp.

“You… you are really audacious! The Hamiltons are royals, yet you have the guts to harm my bodyguard. Aren’t you afraid that we’ll eradicate you overnight?” Angus roared loudly, furious and flustered.

“The Hamiltons… Hah!” Lucas sneered and directly ordered, “Kill him!”

After seeing what Angus had done to Cheyenne and Charlotte, Lucas definitely wouldn’t let him off.

Even though he was a royal, Lucas wouldn’t let him live.

Anyone who dared to harm his wife had to die!

Angus self-righteously thought that Lucas wouldn’t dare to touch him just because he was a royal, but he didn’t know that Lucas’s status was comparable to the Hamiltons’ helmsman’s. How could he care about Angus’s threat?

Although Lucas wasn’t afraid of the Hamiltons at all, Bruce and Edmund were stunned after hearing Angus’s origin. Then their faces became grim and revealed fear.

“He’s from the Hamilton family… Mr. Gray, are we really going to kill him?” Edmund asked hesitantly.

1240 Cleaning All Traces

It wasn’t that Edmund was timid, but the Hamiltons were a royal family branch after all. Just half an hour ago, they had just met Brett Hamilton, and they were extremely afraid of the Hamiltons.

If Lucas hadn’t been there, they would probably have really been unable to resist the pressure from the Hamiltons.

Now, the person in front of him was also from the Hamiltons. If they really killed him here, it might bring a catastrophe to Lucas.

“He deserves to die. Kill him!” Lucas said without hesitation.

Bruce and Edmund were astonished to hear the firm determination and murderous intent in Lucas’s tone.

They had just had a conflict with Brett, but they completely didn’t fall out with him, so there was still room for negotiation.

But if they really killed Angus here, they would form a deadly feud with the Hamiltons.

But thinking that Angus had offended Lucas’s wife and sister-in-law, they could understand why Lucas wanted to kill him.

At this moment, Angus could also sense that Lucas really wanted to kill him, while White Claw, the top expert by his side, had already been completely crippled. He now felt terrified.

“You… you are too audacious! Do you bumpkins know how prestigious my family is? Let me tell you. Even the eight top families of DC combined are no match for us!

“Furthermore, I’m a direct descendant of the Hamiltons, and my grandfather is the current helmsman of the family! If you dare to lay a finger on me, my grandfather will never let you off. Even if we raze all of California down to the ground, we won’t let you off!

“If you know what’s good for you, get lost immediately, and I might spare you! Do you hear me?”

Angus yelled hysterically. But at this moment, he no longer had the haughtiness he had before. Instead, he was full of fear.

Seeing that Lucas still wanted to kill him after he revealed the Hamiltons’ name, he just thought that Lucas didn’t know about them because he was a hillbilly. So he went all out to explain his family’s background to try and deter Lucas and the rest.

But Lucas didn’t want to bother with Angus at all. He just raised his hand and signaled for them to take action.

Edmund didn’t say anything else and ordered the experts behind him, “Do it!”

“Yes!” Two experts from the Coles immediately walked straight to Angus with strong killing intent.

Angus’s legs went limp, and he dropped to his knees. For the first time in his life, he felt boundless fear and the threat of death.

“No, no, no, please don’t kill me! I… I was wrong! Sir, I’m sorry. It’s my fault for being so daring. I apologize to you! I can compensate you with money!

“I… I can pay you ten million dollars! No, I’ll give you fifty million dollars. Please don’t kill me. Please let me off!” Angus begged with his face covered in fear.

He wasn’t that stupid, and he could still tell that Lucas was the one who called the shots here, so he immediately begged Lucas and even prostrated to him.
Lucas looked at him coldly, with only contempt in his eyes.

Angus wanted to exchange a mere 50 million dollars for his life. The value of his life was pathetically low!

Seeing Lucas completely unmoved, Angus panicked even more. He made up his mind and yelled, “I’ll give you two hundred million dollars! That’s all the cash I have now! If you still think it’s not enough, I can give you all the houses, cars, and stocks I own. Please just spare my life and let me go! I will never dare to offend your wife again!”

Angus was full of misery and regret but also resentment at the same time.

It was the first time in his life he had encountered such humiliation. Once he escaped, he would definitely take the Hamiltons with him and bathe Orange County in blood to make up for the shame he suffered today!

He would definitely rip Lucas into shreds to soothe his hatred!

But before Angus could finish speaking, he stopped abruptly.

A steel-like hand grabbed his neck and twisted it. Angus’s neck was broken, and he died on the spot!

Even at the moment of his death, his face was covered in disbelief, as he couldn’t believe that someone actually dared to kill him.

He didn’t even know who the person who killed him was.

At the side, the elderly man, who was on his last breath, widened his eyes in horror after watching Angus die. Then his eyes rolled backward, and his body went limp. He died on the spot as well.

Looking at the two corpses in front of him, Edmund asked carefully, “Mr. Gray, what should we do next?”
Edmund was still feeling anxious and worried about ordering people to kill the Hamilton scion.

Lucas instructed calmly, “Get rid of their corpses and make sure no one breathes a word about this. Also, clean up all the traces, including the surveillance here. Don’t let anyone find any traces of these two.”

Angus deserved to die. Although Lucas wasn’t afraid of the Hamiltons, he didn’t want them to come after him and hound him like mad dogs.
Thus, he decided to clean up the traces so that there was a chance the Hamiltons wouldn’t come looking for him.

Bruce and Edmund knew that the matter concerned their future, so they didn’t dare to be careless about it at all and quickly agreed.

“Rest assured, Mr. Gray. We’ll definitely clean up all the traces and make sure no one knows that Angus Hamilton was ever here!” The two assured Lucas.

The Hales and the Coles were now the top families in California, so Lucas believed that they were capable of handling this matter.

After handing the matter over to them, Lucas went to the hospital to check on Stanley’s condition. After hearing the doctor say that Stanley’s life wasn’t in danger, he felt relieved. Then he returned home to his villa in the middle of Pearl Lake.

As soon as he entered the villa, Charlotte and Cheyenne, who had been waiting in the living room for a long time, immediately dashed to him.

“Honey, are you alright?”

“Lucas, you’re finally home!”

The two of them carefully scrutinized Lucas and breathed a sigh of relief only after ensuring that he was unscathed.

But immediately afterward, the sisters looked a little awkward and hung their heads low, not daring to look at him at all.

If they hadn’t thrown a fit at him and gone out on their own today, they wouldn’t have met Angus and almost had an accident.

So facing Lucas, they were extremely uneasy and felt that they had made a mistake.

Charlotte, who had dragged Cheyenne out with her, especially felt regretful and guilty.

Cheyenne clearly didn’t believe the photos of Lucas and Lena in the first place, yet Charlotte had insisted that they teach Lucas a lesson. So she had pressured Cheyenne into ignoring him and even brought her out for a trip to Lotte Entertainment City. In the end, she had almost gotten them into serious trouble.

The thought of it overwhelmed Charlotte with so much guilt and self-reproach that she couldn’t bring herself to raise her head.

 

[Prodigy]

Chapter 56: Paying People Back in Their Own Coi

Bryce’s legs instantly went weak, and he knelt on the ground.

Everything in front of him made him suspect that his world had become fantastical. Brad Douglas is actually kneeling in front of Lucas?!

Lucas glanced at Bryce indifferently, as though he was looking at something dead.

He looked back at Douglas, who was lying on the ground. “You said he came to you for help?

In that case, was he the one who instigated you to handle the incident six years ago?”

“Which incident?” Douglas was a bit confused for a moment. Over the years, Bryce had approached him and asked him to do many sordid things. All of a sudden, he couldn’t guess which one Lucas was referring to.

“Cheyenne Carter, the Brilliance Corporation,” Lucas reminded snappily.

“Oh!” As soon as he heard Cheyenne’s name, Douglas instantly remembered and nodded frantically.

“Yes, Bryce made me do it. At that time, he wanted to encroach on the Brilliance Corporation and snatch it away from Cheyenne Carter, so he came to me and asked me to help him get some drugs.

Afterward, due to a freak combination of factors, Cheyenne got involved with a lowly chauffeur. Later on, Cheyenne became pregnant, and Bryce got us to go make trouble. That woman was so angry that she ended up going into premature labor, resulting in them taking over the Brilliance Corporation.”

Douglas was afraid of Lucas and almost immediately answered all the questions asked.

Lucas’s face got increasingly gloomy. At the end, he began glaring daggers while smashing his fists on the wall, causing a large cobweb-like crack to appear on the finely-furnished wall with a pit the size of a basin in the middle.

Douglas instantly fell silent, not daring to continue.

Meanwhile, Bryce’s fear intensified, and he almost got shocked into peeing his pants!

Douglas was clearly terrified of Lucas too!

Lucas and Jordan had clearly attacked the henchmen clutching their broken wrists in the room!

In that case, w-what will happen to me?
At the thought of how much he had been bullying Cheyenne over the past few days, the insults he had hurled at Lucas, the misdeeds he had done to Cheyenne back then, and how he had just tried to set up Charlotte…

Bryce’s heart immediately began ricocheting violently as cold sweat surged out of his body.

He felt a warm and moist sensation in his lower body.

At this moment, Bryce recalled everything that Dominic had said to him over the phone earlier: “Lucas Gray has gone to look for you. Hurry up and leave. Don’t let him find you!”

Now, he finally knew why Dominic gave him this warning. It was because Lucas was really too terrifying!

At this moment, Bryce was full of regret!
He regretted not listening to his grandfather’s warning and not bringing Charlotte back home earlier. He even regretted digging his own grave by provoking and offending Lucas.

“Lucas, I know I did something wrong. Please let me off…” Bryce pleaded spinelessly.

Lucas glared at him coldly and sent him flying with a kick. He slammed against the door frame and immediately spat out a mouthful of blood.

Then Lucas kicked Douglas until he wailed endlessly.

Of course, this was the result of Lucas restraining his strength. Otherwise, both of them would have died long ago.
Lucas obviously wouldn’t let them die, but he didn’t plan to let them off either.

“Hmph, don’t you guys like playing such tricks? Go ahead and have a taste of your own medicine then!” Lucas turned his head to face Jordan. “Carry them both to the room at the side and feed them their own drugs. Remember to record a video.”

Thinking about that image, Jordan couldn’t help but shudder in disgust!
However, in order to deal with such people, they had to pay them back in their own coin!

Soon, Jordan enthusiastically carried both of them to the room next door, bringing with him the camera and the bottle of medicine.

Before long, bizarre sounds of pain mixed with pleasure came from the room next door.

The henchmen on the ground couldn’t help but shiver when they heard the sounds. They didn’t even dare to shriek in pain!

This man is too terrifying!
Soon, Jordan came out with the camera.

“Damn it! It was such an eyesore! I have to wash my eyes when I get back!” Jordan exclaimed with a look of disgust.

“Lucas, what do we do with this?”

“Put it on the internet with their names spelled out. Make sure their faces are in HD.”

“Yes!” Jordan put the camera away excitedly.

The henchmen were frightened. Too ruthless!

Not only did they film such a video and decide to put it on the internet, but they also wanted to make sure their faces were in HD and clearly seen. The two of them were going to be shamed thoroughly, and they would never have the cheek to face others again! Even their families would be disgraced by them!

Lucas looked at the group of horrified henchmen and barked, “Get lost!”

The henchmen immediately stopped rolling around and wailing, as if their pressure had suddenly been released. They hurriedly got up and scrambled out of the room in panic, fearing that Lucas would change his mind if they were too slow.

After everyone was gone, Lucas walked over to the bed. He frowned and draped a large bathrobe over Charlotte’s translucent and revealing nightgown.

Lucas was utterly disgusted by Bryce and Douglas’s behavior!

As men, they actually resorted to using such despicable tricks on women. Not only did they ruin the women, they even recorded videos and photos to threaten them. They were worse than beasts!

Back then, they successfully set up Cheyenne, but something went wrong in between, and Lucas was made to take responsibility for her. Otherwise, Cheyenne wouldn’t have had her company taken away from her due to her premature labor. Instead, she would have had explicit photos taken and used against her. Her life would have been ruined.

Charlotte ended up in such a setup today too. If he hadn’t rushed here in time, she would have really had her body and reputation tarnished by Douglas.

Charlotte might not be able to endure having the explicit photos taken while Cheyenne would be sad for life because of what happened to her sister!

They deserved to be punished harshly!
Taking a deep breath and forcing himself to suppress the anger within, Lucas bent over and pinched Charlotte’s temples skillfully.

This was a method he had learned in the military, which was very effective for awakening unconscious people.

Indeed, after Lucas pressed a few times, Charlotte’s eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.

Charlotte clearly still hadn’t gotten a clear idea of the situation yet.

The moment before she passed out, she was still sitting in Sophie’s car.

Afterward, something seemed to have rammed into her…

Charlotte blinked, sat up, and then realized that the bathrobe draped over her had already slid off, revealing her translucent nightgown. To her horror, she wasn’t wearing anything underneath!

“Ah!” Charlotte screamed. She covered her chest and slapped Lucas, who was in front of her. “You’re shameless!”

Chapter 57: Heartwarming Family

A trace of anger surfaced on Lucas’s stunned face, but he immediately saw Charlotte picking up her bathrobe anxiously before starting to wail like a child. He instantly curbed his anger.

“You have the wrong idea. I’ll call your sister over.”

“Y-you still have the cheek to call my sister to come… You bastard…”

Lucas didn’t bother paying attention to her again. He simply called Cheyenne and told her the address of the Luxe.

Lucas originally wanted Jordan to go and pick her up, but she had been extremely worried at home for a long time. Now that she had received some news about her younger sister, how could she continue waiting? She simply said that she would call a cab and rush over immediately.

Lucas asked Jordan to wait for Cheyenne downstairs so that she wouldn’t run into some idiots when arriving at the club.

Soon after, Cheyenne rushed up from downstairs under Jordan’s escort.

“Where’s Charlotte?” Cheyenne asked worriedly.

“Inside.” Lucas tipped his head toward the room behind him. Cheyenne dashed in immediately.

“Cheyenne!” Upon seeing her sister, Charlotte hugged her and cried her heart out.

Cheyenne hugged her for a while to comfort her and confirmed that her younger sister hadn’t been violated.

Charlotte finally calmed down and said sobbingly, “Cheyenne, Lucas is a bastard. Just now, he… If I hadn’t woken up, he would have gotten what he wanted! He even had the cheek to call you to come. Cheyenne, you have to leave a scumbag like him!”

Cheyenne was caught between laughter and tears. “Charlotte, there must be some misunderstanding. Lucas came to save you. If it weren’t for him, you would have really been in danger.”

Charlotte was instantly stunned. Before she passed out, she was still in Sophie’s car. And when she woke up again, she saw Lucas right in front of her while she was surrounded by a strange aura. Her clothes had also been changed into a skimpy nightgown…

So she subconsciously thought it was Lucas who brought her here and committed some disgusting acts on her.
Yet it turned out that Lucas was here to rescue her.

“How did I end up here then?” Charlotte hurriedly asked.

Cheyenne told her, in general, everything that happened earlier.

After hearing this, Charlotte clenched her fist fiercely and punched the bed.

Gritting her teeth, she barked, “Bryce Carter! It’s all his fault! I’m not going to spare him!”

However, when she thought about the slap she had just given Lucas, Charlotte felt extremely remorseful. “Cheyenne, I’m sorry. I misunderstood Lucas just now and slapped him…”

“Uh…” Cheyenne was at a loss for words and merely coughed twice. “H-he won’t blame you. Let’s hurry home!”

After they cleaned up and came out, Lucas seemed to be acting as per usual.

“It’s late. I’ll send you guys back.”
Charlotte blushed and followed him together with Cheyenne, feeling grateful yet embarrassed. She wanted to apologize but didn’t know how to, so she felt very complicated.

By the time Lucas drove them to the entrance of the Carters’ old residence, it was already almost midnight.

Karen and William had no idea that Charlotte had been kidnapped and almost violated tonight, so they had already fallen asleep.

Cheyenne looked at Lucas and hesitated for a moment before saying, “Do you want to stay with Amelia tonight? She hasn’t seen you all day today, and she kept clamoring about you before she went to bed.”

Lucas saved Charlotte tonight, but he ended up getting slapped by her because of a misunderstanding. While feeling grateful, Cheyenne felt bad too.
Biting her lip and looking at Lucas, Charlotte suddenly said, “Lucas, just stay.”

Seeing both Cheyenne and Lucas look at her in surprise because of what she said, Charlotte hurriedly turned around and scurried upstairs. “I’m going to take a shower first. You guys rest early too!”
Seeing her reaction, Cheyenne shook her head helplessly.

Soon, the two of them went back upstairs to Cheyenne’s room.

As soon as they entered, Amelia, who was lying on the bed, rubbed her eyes and got up.

“Mommy, you’re back…” When Amelia saw Lucas beside Cheyenne, her eyes instantly lit up in surprise, and she was suddenly awake.

“Daddy!” Amelia leaped into Lucas’s arms happily. “Daddy, where were you today? I didn’t see you all day.”

Lucas stroked her head. “I was busy with something today. It’s so late. Why are you still awake?”

“I was waiting for you, Daddy! Mommy went out too. Mommy, did you go out to find Daddy just now? Is Daddy going to sleep with us tonight?” Amelia blinked her large innocent eyes expectantly.

Cheyenne’s face turned red, and she pretended to be angry. “What nonsense are you saying? It’s late. Quickly go to bed!”

Amelia leaned closer to Cheyenne and touched her face seriously with a look of worry.

“Mommy, your face is so warm. Are you sick again?”

Cheyenne had been running a high fever a few days ago, which had given Amelia a fright.

Hearing Amelia’s words, Cheyenne felt even more embarrassed.

Fortunately, Lucas carried Amelia away.
“Good children have to sleep at night. Otherwise, if you can’t get out of bed tomorrow, you’ll be late for kindergarten!”

Amelia put her arms around Lucas’s neck and smiled. “It’s Saturday tomorrow. I don’t have to go to kindergarten.”

Lucas froze for a moment. Amelia continued, “Mommy, Daddy, take me to the amusement park to play tomorrow! Other children often go there to play with their parents and take a lot of photos. I’ve never played at the amusement park with both of you…”

Amelia’s voice grew softer, but there was some cautious anticipation in her eyes, as if she was afraid that Lucas would turn her down.

Lucas felt heartache and was overwhelmed with guilt too.

His daughter was already six years old, but he had never taken her out to play. He had indeed failed as a father.

He turned his head to look at Cheyenne and asked for advice softly, “What do you say we take Amelia out to the amusement park to play tomorrow?”

“Okay.” Cheyenne agreed with a nod without looking at him.

After hearing this, Amelia leaped with joy and gave Lucas and Cheyenne each a kiss on their cheek. She was as happy as a lark.

Seeing their daughter being on cloud nine over such a simple matter, both Lucas and Cheyenne felt a little upset.

“Okay, cut it out. Go to sleep quickly. If you get up late tomorrow, we won’t be able to go to the amusement park!”

Cheyenne carried Amelia back to the inner side of the bed and covered her with the blanket.

After hearing this, Amelia was so anxious that she hurriedly laid down obediently. “Okay! Goodnight Mommy. Goodnight Daddy! I’m so happy!”

Soon, Cheyenne slept on the same bed as Amelia as usual, while Lucas quietly lay on the mattress on the ground beside her.

The room was silent except for the tender sounds of breathing that made Lucas’s heart grow warmer.

Chapter 58: Danger on the Bridge

Bright early the next morning, many people tapped away on their phones or computers while eating breakfast to catch up with current affairs, only to be shocked speechless by a piece of groundbreaking news. They almost spat out the food in their mouths!

The astonishing images, videos, high-definition faces, titles, and articles that directly exposed the identity of the people involved in a scandal occupied the front pages of countless forums and social media platforms.

All of a sudden, the scandal caused a huge uproar in Orange County. After all, the people involved in the scandal were famous figures with whom many in Orange County were familiar.

“Wow, oh my god! I didn’t expect those two to be so disgusting! They even played with glass?!”

“Tsk, aren’t they the playboys Brad Douglas and Bryce Carter? Everyone knows them. They seemed like decent people, but I didn’t expect them to be so… ugh!”

Countless people were discussing that matter and perceiving the Carter and Douglas families in a different light.

When Dominic saw the images and footage of the news, he shook violently and almost vomited blood!

Bryce… his grandson, whom he regarded as his successor, had done something so unsightly and outrageous that he became the laughing stock of the entire county!

At this juncture, the butler of the Carters walked in and reported softly, “Mr. Carter, Mr.

Bryce Carter has returned, but he doesn’t seem too well…”

Before the butler finished speaking, Dominic immediately lost his temper.

“Tell him to get lost! Get him out of here! From now on, I, Dominic Carter, will have nothing to do with Bryce Carter again!”

At the same time, the esteemed and authoritative patriarch of the prestigious Douglas family was also infuriated as he slapped his hand on a table ferociously.

“Bastard! Everyone in the county knows about your scandal!”

Brad Douglas knelt in front of the old man, not even daring to breathe. However, he still tried to explain.

“Grandpa, I was set up by someone! He beat me up, drugged me, and locked me up with that loser Bryce Carter. He even deliberately filmed those videos and spread them around…”

“Who did it?” The old man was even more furious when he heard this. Anyone who dares to do that to a Douglas must be tired of living!

“It’s Lucas Gray, that useless son-in-law of the Carters!” Brad gritted his teeth. When he woke up last night, he had already looked for Bryce and forced him to reveal the culprit’s identity.

To be toyed like this by the live-in son-in-law of the Carters was his shame!

“Hmph, a loser like him managed to land you in this state. You’re such a disappointment! If you can’t settle this matter, you don’t deserve to be my grandson,” Mr. Douglas Senior said coldly.

Brad hung his head low and clenched his jaw. “Don’t worry. I will definitely get revenge on him!”

A resentful gleam of light darted out of his eyes. Lucas Gray, I must get revenge, or I’m not a human!

..........

At this moment, Lucas was taking Cheyenne and Amelia to the largest amusement park in Orange County.

They first boarded the Ferris wheel, followed by the Viking ship, and lastly the carousel.

Amelia, who was wearing a beautiful princess dress, was smiling elatedly.
She finally went to the amusement park with her parents, just like other kids!

Along the way, she had been holding Cheyenne’s hand with her left hand and Lucas’s hand with her right, with pure bliss written all over her face.

All of a sudden, Amelia stopped and placed their hands together. “Daddy, Mommy, hold each other’s hands.”

Upon his hand coming into contact with Cheyenne’s small and tender hand, Lucas’s heart skipped a beat while she felt helplessly embarrassed.

She was about to retract her hand, but Amelia put their hands together tightly.

“Jamie told me that if Mommy and Daddy hold hands like this, they will soon have a little baby. Daddy, Mommy, hurry up and give me another little brother or sister so that I won’t be an only child!”

Cheyenne’s face instantly turned red, and even her ears reddened. She quickly retracted her hand like she had been electrocuted.

“Children shouldn’t be spouting nonsense!” Cheyenne chided Amelia.

“Huh? Is that wrong? Then how do little brothers and sisters come?” Amelia asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

Looking at her daughter’s innocent and expectant little face, Cheyenne couldn’t resist her at all. She glared at Lucas angrily.

Dumbstruck, Lucas laughed, finding the angry Cheyenne from embarrassment just as adorable as Amelia.

He couldn’t bear to let Cheyenne continue being embarrassed, so he picked Amelia up in his arms and ran forward. “Quick, let’s go watch the dolphin show!”

“Wow! Dolphins!” As soon as Amelia heard that they were going to see dolphins, she immediately forgot about the things she just clamored about.

Cheyenne let out a long sigh of relief. Watching the father and daughter duo running in front of her and laughing happily, she couldn’t help smiling gently.

After playing in the amusement park for more than half the day, Lucas and Cheyenne left together with Amelia, who was reluctant to leave.

Lucas drove Cheyenne and Amelia home in his black Jaguar.

After a day of fun, the three of them became closer.

As the car drove along, Amelia climbed in the back seat and snuggled up to Cheyenne while chattering happily about what she had seen today. Then she said to Cheyenne, “Mommy, when will we go out to play with Daddy again? I’m so happy today!”

Cheyenne pinched Amelia’s little nose.

“We’ve already played for an entire day. Aren’t you tired yet?”

The two of them laughed and played with each other in the back seat while Lucas watched them through the rearview mirror, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile.

Suddenly, Lucas’s gaze turned cold. On the bridge they were on, a Hummer was speeding toward them diagonally from the lane beside them, trying to collide with the black Jaguar! “Be careful! Hold on tight!” Lucas exclaimed. He floored the gas pedal while turning the steering wheel, revving up the Jaguar and speeding off, avoiding the Hummer by a close shave.

On the other hand, the Hummer couldn’t brake in time because of its enormous momentum and thus crashed directly into the bridge railing and then into the river below.

“Are you guys alright?” Lucas immediately turned around to check on Cheyenne and Amelia after pulling over to the side of the road.

Scared soulless, Cheyenne hugged Amelia tightly and had turned as pale as a sheet from the fright. In contrast, Amelia hadn’t realized the danger they were in just now and was simply shocked because she thought that Lucas had braked in an emergency.

Luckily, both of them had their seat belts securely fastened and were not injured.
With lingering fear, Cheyenne turned around, looked at the destroyed bridge railing, and asked softly, “What’s the matter with that car?”

Lucas shook his head, pretending to be thankful to have escaped the close shave with death.

“No idea. Maybe the brakes broke. It was so close to hitting our car.”

Looking at the vast river worriedly, Cheyenne said, “I wonder how the driver is doing.” They were on the bridge and couldn’t see what was going on in the river below.

“Someone over there has already called the police. The police and rescue teams should be arriving soon. We’d better go first, or the road will be closed later,” Lucas said.

Cheyenne nodded. She hugged her daughter tightly, feeling fortunate.
Lucas restarted the car, but this time, his eyes were ice cold.

Chapter 59: Creating a Ruckus

Lucas knew very well that this was definitely not an accident, but rather, someone had deliberately tried to crash into them to kill them!

Given the size and speed of the Hummer just now, they would have either been pushed to the edge of the bridge or knocked over and dropped into the river below if Lucas hadn’t reacted quickly and dodged early!

If he were alone, he could still escape from the danger. But there were two vulnerable females in the car!
They were also the two people he loved the most!

They were his weakness, and no one was allowed to touch them!

A figure dived silently into the river below the bridge and swam to the Hummer that was gradually sinking into the water. He then punched the window to break it and pulled the driver out.

After swimming to the shallow waters hundreds of meters away, the figure finally dragged the driver, who was about to drown and suffocate, ashore.
The figure was Jordan, Lucas’s right-hand man!

Jordan turned the driver’s body face up and stepped on his stomach.

Immediately afterward, a large amount of river water mixed with mud and sand surged out of the driver’s mouth and nostrils.

The driver came to and coughed violently, coughing up the water in his stomach.

After the driver was almost done, Jordan stepped hard on his stomach and questioned, “Speak. Who put you to it?”

The driver just had a near-death experience. As he stared at Jordan towering above him, his face turned even paler. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You still don’t want to come clean, huh?” Without hesitation, Jordan picked up the driver by his collar and pressed his head toward the water. “If you don’t say anything, you can stay inside!”

Watching the icy-cold river water getting closer and closer to him, the driver, who just experienced drowning, immediately shrieked in terror and began struggling.

However, Jordan was pressing his hand hard against the driver’s neck, rendering him unable to struggle. Seeing that his head was about to be pressed into the water again, the driver no longer cared about anything else. He simply broke down and started yelling loudly.

“Ah! I’ll speak up! Please spare my life…”

Teary-eyed, the driver begged for mercy.
Jordan pulled his head up slightly with one hand and ordered, “Speak!”

“I-it was Mr. D-Douglas. Brad Douglas was the one who instructed me to hit that car!”

............
Lucas sent Cheyenne and Amelia back home and watched the two of them enter the house, but he didn’t stay behind.

“Lucas.” Just as Lucas was about to drive away, Cheyenne suddenly called out to stop him.

“Do you have something to do now?” Cheyenne asked hesitantly.

Lucas nodded. “Yes, I have some trivial matters to handle.”

“You were the one who did those things to the Carters recently, right?” Cheyenne asked, her jaws clenched.

Since Cheyenne asked, Lucas did not intend to hide it from her. He nodded.

“Yes, but they deserve it.”

Cheyenne hesitated for a while but nevertheless said, “Can you let them off? They must have learned their lesson from what happened lately.”

It was not that Cheyenne was being a saint, but rather, she had grown up with the Carters after all, and those people used to be her relatives. She still cared about their kinship and didn’t want to take things too far.

Lucas looked at Cheyenne affectionately and nodded. “Okay.”
When Lucas was driving and halfway into his journey, Jordan called. “Lucas, the culprit is really that bastard Brad Douglas!”

“Hmph, as expected!” Lucas snorted coldly. He stepped on the gas pedal and sped to the Luxe maniacally. Seems like Brad Douglas hasn’t learned his lesson yet!

Lucas wasn’t fazed by the fact that Douglas was a member of a first-tier family that commanded great power among the gangs in Orange County.

Anyone who dared to harm the two people he cherished the most and put them in danger deserved to die!

At this moment, Douglas was sitting in the Luxe with a menacing expression.

The incident last night made him utterly embarrassed and even left him in great pain, especially in his private area. He couldn’t even sit properly without feeling agony.

“Mr. Douglas, that bastard must be dead now. Even if he didn’t die from the collision, he must have died from drowning. Our people also deliberately created some obstacles on the road so that the rescue vehicles wouldn’t be able to get there in time,” said an underling.

“Hah! It was too easy for him! I heard that his beautiful wife, Cheyenne Carter, was also in the car. It’s quite a pity she died with him. Otherwise, it’d be nice to toy with the former greatest beauty of Orange County!” Douglas gibed as he puffed out a mouthful of a cigar.

“Haha, Mr. Douglas, you can get any kind of woman you want. The one yesterday is Cheyenne’s sister. She’s quite pretty too. If you’d like, I’ll get her immediately!” A few of his underlings were hurriedly trying to curry favor with him.

“Haha, good! Yesterday, that bastard messed things up for me and even incurred my wrath! I must get that woman over here again to vent! Let’s see who’ll try getting in my way again!”

Douglas began laughing without restraint while the people around him egged him on.

At this moment, the black Jaguar stopped at the entrance of the Luxe.
Lucas stepped out of the car, and Jordan, who had been waiting at the side, immediately greeted him. “Lucas, tell me what to do!”

Luxe looked up at the luxurious Luxe clubhouse with an icy cold gaze.

“Smash it!”

Upon receiving the order, Jordan immediately charged forward without hesitation and kicked the exquisite door and the stone monument with the word ‘Luxe’ carved on it, smashing them into pieces!

The flying stone debris smashed against the huge tempered glass door with a loud bang, and glass shards scattered all over the floor.

The numerous people in the club were frightened by the sudden noise and started screaming loudly.

Several security officers and henchmen immediately came over. “Who are you people? How dare you make trouble at the club?!”

“Get lost!”

All they received in response was a series of sounds of things breaking.
Jordan broke a stool leg in his hand and smashed everything in sight.

He smashed the opulent bar counter!
He smashed the wine cabinet full of famous and expensive alcohol!

He smashed the dazzling chandelier!
He smashed the tables, windows, chairs, and other furniture!

Everyone in the club frantically scurried out shrieking.

“Damn it! These two are here to cause trouble! Just beat them to death!” a henchman as burly as a tower immediately hollered. More than ten of his subordinates rushed over from all directions.

Lucas snorted coldly. Brad Douglas’s twenty-odd henchmen got their wrists broken yesterday and definitely can’t make it to work today. He probably hired these backup goons from somewhere. They really don’t know any better.

Jordan charged forward and shuttled through the people as quick as a phantom. In less than a moment, ten-odd people had their wrists snapped just like those yesterday!

One of the henchmen scrambled into the private room where Douglas was and exclaimed in a fluster, “Bad news, Mr. Douglas! The two people from yesterday are here again!”

Chapter 60: Paying the Price

Hearing his underling’s report, Douglas immediately stood up and asked with a glowering expression, “What did you say? Are you sure it’s those two from yesterday?”

The underling nodded profusely in horror. “Yes, it’s those two from yesterday. I wouldn’t recognize them wrongly! They’re currently smashing the things in the main hall of the first floor, and the guests are terrified.”

Douglas kicked the coffee table furiously, but he accidentally touched his hidden injury, making him fly into a rage. “Didn’t you say that Lucas Gray was knocked off the bridge? Why is he still alive?”

The one who came to report the matter earlier didn’t seem too well, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. “He indeed… fell into the river. We saw from afar that he fell off the bridge and plunged into the river. The rescue teams rushed over, but they were stopped.”
Bam—Douglas slapped the underling hard on the face.

“Bullshit! If he really plunged into the river and drowned to death, are the ones here creating trouble ghosts? You trash!”

Douglas was just celebrating the fact that he had killed Lucas and took revenge. But now, they were here slapping him in his face!

“Let’s go. Gather everyone and go down with me. I refuse to believe he can defeat us!” Douglas exclaimed as he hurried downstairs with a furious and menacing expression.

At this moment, the people in the hall below were all badly bashed up by Jordan, and broken glass, wine bottles, ceiling lights, and shattered debris of furniture covered the ground. The initially luxurious hall was smashed and ended up looking like a garbage dump.

Today, Douglas had just hired more than ten henchmen, but they were all currently rolling in pain on the ground with broken wrists!

Seeing this, Douglas was overwhelmed with exasperation. Those bastards!

“Damn it! Beat them!” Hearing Douglas’s order, his underlings behind, who were all holding steel rods and weapons, immediately charged forward.

“Hmph, you must have a death wish!” Before Lucas said anything, Jordan picked up a chair and rushed over.

His movements were far quicker than Douglas’s underlings. Before the underlings’ weapons could hit him, the leg of Jordan’s chair had already slammed onto their wrists and thighs.

Bang!

“Ah!”

“Waaa!”

With Jordan’s fast and accurate hits, the dozen or so people who rushed up all shrieked in pain miserably as they dropped their weapons and started rolling on the ground, clutching their wrists and thighs and wailing loudly.
Seeing this, Douglas became terrified and furious.

The ten-odd people holding weapons actually failed to even harm Lucas in the slightest. Instead, they were beaten up by the other party!

“Stop! Lucas, what exactly are you trying to do?” Douglas gritted his teeth and glared at Lucas while the fear and horror in his heart surged again like yesterday.

“What do I want to do? Aren’t you aware of what you got someone to do today?” Lucas looked at Douglas with an icy cold glare.

On that bridge today, his wife and daughter had had a close shave with death. How could Lucas let Douglas off easily?

Douglas suddenly choked.

He had sent someone to run over Lucas and his wife and daughter with a car, but his plan failed, and Lucas was now at his door and seeking revenge. This was totally out of his expectations.

Facing Lucas’s icy cold eyes, Douglas subconsciously took a few steps back.

“There must be some misunderstanding somewhere. Actually, there’s no unresolvable feud between us. Why don’t we sit down and have a good talk? What do you think?”

Despite saying that, Douglas didn’t really plan to bury the hatchet.

He would never forget the shame Lucas had brought him last night! He would never spare Lucas!

When they sat down to chat, he would have someone spike Lucas’s drink and then get his subordinates to make him have a taste of his own medicine!

Once he was done taking revenge, he would make him vanish forever!

Lucas sneered and glanced at Douglas in disdain, as if he had seen through his thoughts.

“Have a good talk? Who are you to do that with me?!”

Lucas gripped the wine bottle on the table next to him and fiercely smashed it on Douglas’s head.

Smack!

With a crisp sound, the bottle shattered and cut open Douglas’s head. Crimson blood began gushing out from the top of his head.

After being stunned for a while, Douglas touched his bloodied head andbglowered at Lucas furiously. “You… How dare you…”

“Hmph, you’d better remember this. If you dare to provoke me and the people I care about again, I’ll definitely make your life a living hell!” Lucas kicked Douglas in his knees, twisting his legs into a warped angle, and made him tumble out far, far away.

Without being able to utter a single word, Douglas passed out.

Everyone in the room was scared into silence, not daring to breathe a single word as they watched Lucas and Jordan leave. Too terrifying!

Only when the figures of these two people had completely disappeared did someone from the Luxe quickly take Douglas to the hospital.

........

Soon, Brad Douglas’s father, Gordon Douglas, hurried to the hospital.
When he saw his son, whose head was wrapped in bandages and legs were covered with casts, Gordon Douglas was infuriated.

In Orange County, no one had ever disrespected the Douglas family or had the guts to beat his son so badly!
“Find him! Get someone to find him! I must take revenge and kill him!”

..........

At this moment, Lucas was already on his way back to the lakeside villa with Jordan.

He was covered in blood just now, so he didn’t want to go back to the Carters, lest Cheyenne and Amelia saw the state he was in.

Thinking about Cheyenne’s request for him to let the Carters off today, Lucas called Flynn Davis and gave him some instructions.

After taking a shower, Lucas stood by the railing on a balcony and looked at the sparkling lake outside with a bitter smile.

Previously, he proposed to Cheyenne at the Intercontinental Hotel but was turned down by her. Later on, he revealed his identity to her and wanted to return the Brilliance Corporation to her.

Unfortunately, Cheyenne refused to accept it.

Cheyenne had always had a strong backbone and wasn’t willing to accept favors for nothing. She merely said that she would go to the Brilliancen Corporation, but she hoped to work her way up to her former position from the bottom.

Cheyenne was determined, so Lucas had no choice but to give in.
This was how kindhearted, intelligent, and independent the woman he loved was.

.........
The following morning, Dominic Carter, who had stayed up all night, suddenly received an excellent piece of news.
The Brilliance Corporation, which the Stardust Corporation had snatched away, suddenly gave the Carters an offer to become the guarantor of their debts and even decided to sign a cooperative contract with them!

This Cheyenne is naive

 

[moh96]

This Cheyenne is naive

Aren't all the women in these novels so naive! It's like every main female lead character is the same

 

[emeka]

1231 You Reap What You Sow

What Ethan said was like a bomb suddenly exploding in the reception hall.

Bruce and Edmund looked at Ethan in disbelief. “Ethan Sawyer, what… what did you say?!”

Lucas narrowed his eyes slightly and glanced at Ethan.

To be honest, Lucas was surprised by what Ethan said too.

He had always known that Ethan was a mercenary person who greatly valued benefits and wasn’t very principled.

He had interacted with Lucas on several occasions before, but it was all for the sake of the Huttons and the benefits he could get from helping Lucas.

But Lucas didn’t expect Ethan to defect to the Hamiltons.

Not only was he betraying the Coles and the Hales, his allies from California, but he was also betraying Lucas and the Huttons, who had always supported him.

It seemed that in Ethan’s eyes, the Hamiltons were much stronger than the Huttons. So he would rather betray the Huttons and pledge allegiance to Brett.

Lucas sneered and thought that Ethan better not regret his decision.

Brett looked at Ethan with interest. “Mr. Sawyer, I didn’t expect you to be different from those two. If I’ve guessed correctly, you’re the helmsman of a wealthy family in California. In that case, won’t your current decision be thwarting your initial agreement?”

Ethan’s eyes flashed with guilt, and he didn’t dare to look at Bruce’s and Edmund’s expressions. He gritted his teeth and said to Brett, “Mr. Hamilton, they all say that wise people adapt to circumstances. I may have had some immature thoughts before, but after seeing your majesty, I think submitting to the Hamiltons is the most correct choice. Everything else doesn’t matter.”

What he meant was that even if he had previously thought of fighting against the Hamiltons with Edmund, Bruce, and the others, he had changed his mind now and planned to submit to the Hamiltons.
Ethan was the first to succumb to the Hamiltons in California, so he believed that Brett would definitely appreciate him and value him greatly.

But Brett glanced at Ethan and shook his head. “Hah, how is someone like you who can easily betray your allies worthy of pledging allegiance to the Hamiltons? We’re not garbage collectors who take in all kinds of garbage!

“You’re worse than those two from the Gillens and the Crosses. You’re not worthy of pledging allegiance to the Hamiltons!”

Ethan immediately felt a stinging pain in his face. It was as if he had suddenly received two slaps in his face that made him so dizzy he almost fell to the floor.

He never thought that after going all out to betray the other families and the Huttons and defecting to the Hamiltons, he would only end up hearing this!

He was called garbage who wasn’t worthy of pledging allegiance to the Hamiltons because he had betrayed his allies. These words were like violent slaps that made Ethan’s face red with embarrassment.

On the other hand, Lucas became more interested in Brett after hearing what he said.

After witnessing Brett’s earlier behavior, he had thought he was just an arrogant and willful scion who relied on the backing of his powerful family to behave like a tyrant and throw his weight around.

Lucas had met many such people. Generally, they didn’t have any decent skills and only enjoyed the flattery of people around them. The more humble and lowly these people behaved, the more conceited they felt.

But Brett actually turned down Ethan, who had betrayed his allies, and the spineless Joel and Anthony, who had begged like dogs in front of him.

On the contrary, he was impressed by Bruce and Edmund, who had refused to pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons, and was extremely tolerant toward them.

His behavior made Lucas think that Brett was different from other wealthy scions.

Bruce looked at Ethan, who was pulling a long face, and sneered. “Ethan Sawyer, you betrayed us and wanted to suck up to a powerful family, but your plan failed. You must regret it now, don’t you? Unfortunately, there’s no cure for regret in this world!

“Since you’ve already done this, the Sawyers can forget about staying established in California!”

Edmund said coldly, “Traitors and fence sitters will always end up being defeated because they try to act too smart! Since you’ve betrayed us, all consequences shall be borne by you and the Sawyers in the future! To put it bluntly, if it was on the battlefield, traitors like you should be shot dead on the spot!”

Ethan’s face became even paler, and his legs went limp as he really fell to the floor.

He didn’t expect Brett to react that way. One mistake cost him everything!

Now, Brett despised him for betraying his allies and didn’t want to take him in.

Meanwhile, Edmund and Bruce were furious about his betrayal and would naturally sever ties with him in the future.

What would happen to the Sawyers in the future?

Ethan began to panic.

He couldn’t just sit back and do nothing!

Ethan suddenly looked at Lucas, who had been sitting in the corner without saying much.
Seemingly finding a straw to clutch at, he hurriedly knelt down in front of Lucas and begged, “Mr. Gray, I… I’ve indeed made a mistake in a moment of folly. Please forgive me! Please give me a chance and don’t give up on me and the Sawyers!”

He knew that he had brought the Sawyers to the most terrible situation and that the only person who could change the Sayers’ fate was Lucas.

Ethan knew that Lucas had an extremely high status in the hearts of Edmund and Bruce.

As long as Lucas forgave him and gave some instructions to Bruce and Hale, he might still have a chance to turn the situation around despite his mistake.

Edmund and Bruce frowned without saying anything. They just quietly waited for Lucas’s decision.

Only Lucas had the right to decide whether or not to forgive Ethan.

Brett looked at Lucas with surprise.

In fact, not long after he entered the hall, he had already noticed the young man sitting quietly in the corner.
Moreover, Lucas was extremely calm, which was completely different from the five helmsmen. Due to this, he had attracted Brett’s attention and made him take a few extra glances at Lucas.

But Brett didn’t know what Lucas’s identity was. It was only when Bruce asked Lucas for his opinion that he realized Lucas seemed to have extraordinary influence and wasn’t just a random small fry.

And now, when he saw Ethan kneeling in front of Lucas and begging for forgiveness, Brett was even more certain that this young man, who was a few years younger than him, definitely had great authority in California.

He just didn’t know what Lucas’s identity was.

1232 Drawing A Clear Line

Lucas glanced at Ethan but said nothing.

Ethan was kneeling on the floor and begging bitterly.

Bruce couldn’t stand it any longer and ridiculed, “Ethan Sawyer, you’re really thick-skinned! After betraying us, you went to flatter the Hamiltons. But I bet you didn’t expect him not to want you, did you?

“You failed to cozy up to the Hamiltons, and now you’re trying to seek Mr. Gray’s forgiveness and protection? Hah, you must be dreaming!”!!

Edmund said disdainfully, “Hah, Ethan Sawyer, you’re just a disgusting traitor who’s an absolute disgrace to all people! You failed to pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons, and now you turned out and begged Mr. Gray instead. What do you think Mr. Gray is? Do you think he’s someone who will take you in after someone else has abandoned you?”

The two of them spoke extremely mercilessly, causing Ethan to turn pale before blushing again. His entire face stung and burned.

He knew how embarrassing his current behavior was. But since things had already developed to this point, if he couldn’t give up his pride and beg for Lucas’s forgiveness, the Sawyers would really have no place in California!

So despite feeling ashamed and aggrieved, Ethan could only continue shamelessly begging Lucas.

“Mr. Gray, I… I really don’t mean to say that! I was just too muddled and thought that pledging allegiance to the Hamiltons would solve the issue. But I didn’t expect… But no matter what, I’ve never thought of betraying you or becoming your enemy!”

Ethan tried his best to explain himself and even looked at Lucas nervously with a pitiful expression.

Bruce couldn’t tolerate seeing Ethan’s feigned expressions anymore and said coldly, “Ethan Sawyer, I think you should just be an actor instead of a family helmsman. Unfortunately, your acting skills are still too poor. You think we don’t know what you were thinking just now?

“If Brett Hamilton had really accepted you just now, you’d probably be behaving differently now. If he had asked you to deal with Mr. Gray and us, you’d definitely agree without hesitation.

“You even said that you would never become Mr. Gray’s enemy. What a joke!”

Edmund said to Lucas, “Mr. Gray, there’s an old saying that says you can never trust a traitor twice. Since Ethan Sawyer has betrayed you once, he can betray you countless times! You really don’t have to forgive this scoundrel or give him any chance because he’s not worthy at all!”

Brett narrowed his eyes slightly.

He could tell from Edmund’s and Bruce’s speech and tone that they were extremely respectful to Lucas. Not only did they address him respectfully, but they clearly saw him in a superior position.

This made Brett even more curious about Lucas’s identity.

Edmund and Bruce had rejected his offer earlier and would rather be destroyed than pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons. Clearly, they had strong backbones and would never submit to anyone easily.

Brett found it incredible that they were so harsh to him but so respectful to Lucas.

Could Lucas Gray be from a family even more prestigious than the Hamiltons?

As soon as this thought arose, Brett dismissed it.

The Hamiltons were one of the nine royal family branches in the US, and among the branches more powerful than the Hamiltons, none of them had the last name Gray.
Could he have some extraordinary traits that allowed him to earn the respect and loyalty of the Hales and the Coles?

Apart from this, Brett couldn’t think of any other possibility.

Joel and Anthony immediately looked shocked and bewildered.

They were from the top families of Arizona and Nevada and had very little interaction with the families of California, so they didn’t know who Lucas was.

But anyone could tell from the way the Californian helmsmen treated Lucas that he had a high status.

Just a few minutes ago, Joel and Anthony had even reprimanded Lucas, and they were now worried that it would bring trouble to their families.

The two of them became tense and regretful.

If they had known how powerful Lucas was, they would have been more careful when speaking earlier.

But it was too late now!

“Mr. Gray, I really know my mistakes! On account that we used to be close… and for the sake of my daughter, Lena, please just forgive me this time and give the Sawyers another chance!”

In order to get Lucas to forgive him, Ethan even brought up Lena, hoping that Lucas would forgive him on account of his friendship with Lena.

Deep down, Ethan had always hoped that Lena would be more than friends with Lucas so that he would be even closer to Lucas.

But Ethan made the wrong decision again.

Lucas didn’t have any thoughts about Lena in the first place, and now, he was facing an issue probably caused by her.

Even though Ethan had brought up Lena, it wouldn’t change Lucas’s decision at all.

“Ethan Sawyer, from now on, the Sawyers have nothing to do with me. I hope you can firmly remember this.

“If I find you using my name to get some benefits in the future, don’t blame me for being impolite to you and the Sawyers!”

Lucas’s warning immediately made Ethan’s heart sink to rock bottom.

The reason the Sawyers had managed to go from one of the four major families of Orange County to the third family in California was entirely thanks to Lucas’s prestige and power, which enabled them to receive olive branches from countless wealthy families and established enterprises in California. These great opportunities allowed the Sawyers to achieve incredible development.

If Lucas drew a clear line between him and the Sawyers, they wouldn’t be able to use his connections anymore, and they would definitely decline rapidly.

Ethan obviously couldn’t accept this outcome.

“Mr. Gray, please—”

“If you keep talking nonsense, the Sawyers will disappear from California today! Are you sure you’re going to continue begging?” Lucas’s cold voice immediately interrupted Ethan, causing him to shudder.

1233 Not Interested

Ethan opened his mouth, his face deathly pale, but he knew that he couldn't continue begging Lucas anymore.

Otherwise, the Sawyers would be destroyed today!

Ethan's heart was almost bleeding, but he could only say, "Yes, thank you so much for your magnanimity, Mr. Gray!"

In fact, Lucas was already being kind enough to Ethan and cutting him some slack for Lena's sake.

Lucas used to be part of the military, so he was an upright, straightforward, and determined person, and he hated betrayal the most.

Edmund was right. If it was on the battlefield, Ethan's act of betraying his allies would definitely warrant being shot to death on the spot.

The fact that he didn't make the Sawyers disappear from California immediately or punish Ethan was already a great act of kindness.
"Buddy, you look unfamiliar. This should be our first time meeting. May I know who you are?" Brett asked Lucas with a smile and obvious interest on his face.

Lucas glanced at Brett and said indifferently, "I'm not a big shot like you're thinking. I believe you can easily find out that I'm just an abandoned son of the Hutton family in DC. In fact, I've been living on my own for so many years that I'm no longer a Hutton."

Brett was surprised.

The Huttons were one of the eight top families in DC, so Brett was no stranger to them.

He had never heard of a Lucas Gray in the Hutton family. Besides, Lucas's last name was Gray. He wondered if Lucas was an unknown illegitimate child of the Huttons.

But if he was just an illegitimate child, how could people of Bruce's and Edmund's status be respectful to him?

Moreover, Brett could sense that Lucas was extremely confident and calm.

How could someone like him really be just an illegitimate child of the Huttons?

If he wasn't relying on the Huttons, his confidence definitely came from himself.

Thinking of this, Brett looked at Lucas with enthusiasm.

If he could get Lucas to work for him…

"Lucas, right? For some reason, even though it's the first time we've met, I felt like we're old friends. I'd like to invite you to help me with some matters. What do you think, Lucas?"

Seemingly afraid of Lucas misunderstanding, Brett added, "Of course, I'm not asking you to work for me. I want to become sworn brothers with you!

"As long as you can help me become the head of the Hamiltons, you'll get the most credit! I'll let you become the most distinguished elder of the family whom everyone will look up to and whose status will be second only to mine in the family!"

What Brett said made the eyes of the others in the room widen in shock.

Even Lucas was surprised.

None of them expected that Brett would suddenly extend an olive branch to Lucas and even promise to let him become the most distinguished elder of the Hamiltons.

This was an extremely hefty promise.

Lucas narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Brett's face. He found that Brett really seemed to mean what he said and that he was willing to invite Lucas to join the Hamiltons as an elder.

If he offered this opportunity to someone else, they would probably be so excited that they wouldn't know what to say.

A gentleman would sacrifice his life for his confidante. In the face of such a promise made by a wealthy scion with a high status, most people would be extremely grateful and be willing to express loyalty to Brett and fight for him.

Unfortunately, Lucas was not an ordinary person!

Back when Lucas was in Calico, he had already achieved the position of the leader of the Falcon Regiment and the supreme commander of the southern front and had hundreds of thousands of soldiers under his command. His status was on par with that of the helmsmen of the royal family branches.

He had even been willing to forgo his status as the leader of the Falcon Regiment, so why would he work for a scion of the Hamiltons for the sake of the status of an elder of the Hamiltons?

Under everyone's gaze, Lucas shook his head and said without hesitation, "Sorry, I'm not interested in the Hamiltons."

Brett wasn't surprised by his answer.

Those who were capable and competent usually wouldn't agree to work for others easily.

Only with genuine sincerity would they be moved.

Brett could tell that Lucas was a highly capable person.

The more Lucas refused to agree, the more he valued Lucas and the more interested he was in getting Lucas to join him.

Despite being only in his twenties, Lucas had already developed a calm and firm temperament. He even managed to earn the loyalty and respect of the helmsmen of the Hales and the Coles. If Brett could get such an outstanding man on his side to work for him, he was certain that Lucas would be of great help in his pursuit of the position of the head of the Hamiltons.

"Lucas, you don't have to be so quick to turn me down. If you have any requests in terms of remuneration and treatment, I'll definitely do my best to satisfy you! You're an extremely powerful and capable person. You should be standing at the summit of the world. Isn't it a waste of your talent if you stay in California?" Brett persuaded with a smile, unwilling to give up.

Lucas shook his head. "I have no intention of working for others, and I don't want to care about what the Hamiltons want to do. But as long as it's in California, I won't allow any other family to meddle with our business."

Lucas explicitly stated what he wanted.

If the Hamiltons wanted to take control of Arizona and Nevada, Lucas wouldn't interfere, but he would never allow the Hamiltons to meddle in California.

No matter what, California was where Lucas's foundation lay, and the helmsmen of the Hales, the Parkers, and the Coles were all here too. Lucas naturally wouldn't let other forces control them.

A cold and sullen look appeared on Brett's face, and he said half-threateningly, "What if I insist?"

Lucas wasn't afraid at all. He simply retorted mirthlessly, "You can try."

The tension between the two instantly became intense.

Everyone in the huge reception hall fell silent.

No one else had the qualifications to speak in front of Lucas and Brett. They could only remain still amid the oppressive silence.

After a long time, Brett finally smiled and said, "Since you've said so, Lucas, let's wait and see. Maybe you will change your mind when the time comes."

Then Brett turned around and walked out of the hall.

The elderly man in white behind him glanced at Lucas before following closely behind Brett.

After the two left, everyone in the hall finally heaved a sigh of relief, feeling much more at ease.

Joel glanced at Lucas awkwardly before suddenly walking over and saying flatteringly, "Mr.
Gray, I'm really sorry. I wasn't aware of your status just now, so I may have offended you.
Please don't hold it against me! As long as you need my help, the Gillens will be ready to give you a hand anytime!"

Anthony chimed in with a similar expression, "Yeah, Mr. Gray, the same goes for the Crosses. Feel free to inform me whenever you need my assistance in the future.

1234 Willing to Follow

Lucas didn't have a good impression of these two people, so he obviously wouldn't want their help. Hearing what they said, he simply said calmly, "As I've just said, I only care about the situation in California. As for the matters of Arizona and Nevada, you can settle them yourselves. They have nothing to do with me."

Hearing this, Joel and Anthony immediately became anxious.

"Mr. Gray, we know we've offended you earlier, but we truly know our mistake now! We beg you to be kind and help us! The Hamiltons have already shown their ambitions and greed, and there's no way we can resist them. The only ones who can help us now are you and the Californian helmsmen!

"If you refuse to help us, the Gillens and Crosses will only have a dead end! I beg you to help us!"

"Yes, as long as you help us, we are willing to treat you as the most prestigious guest of the
Gillens and the Crosses! We will satisfy all your requests!"

Joel and Anthony were really flustered.

Just now, they had taken the initiative to bow down and submit to the Hamiltons. But in the end, Brett despised them and rejected them directly.

The Hamiltons were clearly determined to gain control of the few states here. Thus, the only choice would be to get rid of the Gillens and the Crosses and then take over everything they had.

But now, Lucas could still be so stubborn and even seemed capable of resisting Brett, making Joel and Anthony feel as if they had found their last straw to clutch at.

Lucas was their only hope now.

Bruce said with contempt. "Joel Gillen, Anthony Cross, weren't you acting so servilely to
Brett Hamilton just now and saying that you'd get rid of the Hales for them? Now that the Hamiltons don't want you, you've come running to us and Mr. Gray for help. Do you have any shame?"

Edmund rolled his eyes and sneered. "You should leave! Otherwise, I will lose my temper and throw you shameless people out of here!"

Seeing how hostile Edmund and Bruce were to them, Joel and Anthony knew that they had completely offended them, and no matter how much they begged, it would be impossible for them to obtain the forgiveness of Lucas, Bruce, and Edmund.

"Okay, we'll leave right now!" The two of them could only leave the Hales residence with the people they brought.

At this moment, there were only five people remaining in the reception hall.

Bruce glowered with displeasure at Ethan, who was standing with his head lowered in a corner, and said hostilely, "You may leave too!"

Ether's face was a little sullen, but he forced himself to smile and said, "The Sawyers are from California too. Now is the time for us to unite and stand strong against the Hamiltons"

"Shut up! How can a traitor like you have the cheek to say that we should stand strong together against the enemy? What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get lost!"

Before Ethan could finish speaking, Edmund had already lost control of his anger and hollered at him.

Bruce stared at Ethan coldly as if he was just a stranger.

Ethan's heart sank.

He knew that from now on, he and the Sawyers would be completely ostracized from the upper-class circle of California and lose all right to speak.

He originally had the right to have a say, but he had ruined everything himself.

At this moment, Ethan's heart was full of regrets, but unfortunately, it was too late for regrets now!

Lucas glanced at Ethan coldly without saying a word, but it was obvious what he meant.

Ethan knew that there was no way he could turn the situation around anymore, so he could only say awkwardly, "Alright then… I'll get going now."

Then he left with heavy footsteps, taking one step at a time.

Now, only Lucas, Edmund, Bruce, and Connor were left in the reception hall.

These people were completely loyal to Lucas, so Lucas no longer had any reservations when talking with them.

"I'll be staying in Orange County for a few days. If the Hamiltons do anything, report to me right away," Lucas ordered.

"Yes!" Edmund and the rest quickly agreed.

"Lucas, you stayed in DC for some time. Are you planning to shift the focus of your development to DC?" Bruce asked cautiously.

Lucas nodded. "Yes. I actually came here to talk to you about this."

Bruce, Edmund, and Connor immediately knew that Lucas was going to say extremely important matters, so they looked at him with burning gazes.

Lucas said, "In fact, the headquarters of the Stardust Corporation is in DC, so I'm planning to focus my businesses more in DC. From now on, Orange County will just be a branch, and I'll be spending most of my time in DC and will rarely return to Orange County.

"You should already know that the Parkers have left California and started developing their businesses in DC. A few days ago, I had the Parkers replace the Waltons, one of the eight top families of DC, and take over all of the Waltons' businesses."

At this point, Lucas glanced at the people in front of him and saw the obvious shock and envy in their eyes.

The Parkers had been inferior to the Coles previously, but after following Lucas to DC, they managed to replace one of the eight top families. These helmsmen were undoubtedly jealous and envious of their remarkable achievements.

Lucas noticed their expressions and said, "Of course, the Parkers alone are not enough to help me. So I'd like to find a few trustworthy families to form a new alliance in DC and develop our own forces.

"Since all of you happen to be here, I'd like to ask if you're willing to leave California and start developing in DC."

What Lucas said surprised Bruce and Edmund.

After hearing about the Parkers' development, they couldn't help feeling extremely envious.

In just two months, the Parkers had already gone from a wealthy family in LA to a top family on par with the eight top families. Who wouldn't be jealous of their achievements?

Bruce and Edmund were well aware that Lucas must have given the Parkers a lot of help. Otherwise, it would have been hard for them to secure footing in DC, let alone make such tremendous progress and achievements within a short time.

They didn't expect Lucas to give them this opportunity and ask if they were willing to go with him to DC to develop further.

1235 Quickly Save Us

Was there a need to think about it?

With joy written all over his face, Bruce said, “Great! Mr. Gray, the Hales are willing to follow you to DC to develop together!”

Lucas was giving them help!

If they continued to stay in California, they would soon reach their developmental bottleneck and merely become a behemoth in the region.

Although they wouldn’t encounter much trouble, this would likely be their greatest achievement in their lives.

But if they could follow Lucas to DC, it would mean countless new opportunities, and they might one day even become one of the eight top families!

With Lucas’s help, this goal was definitely not a fantasy but would very likely become reality.

After hesitating for a long time, Edmund said with a bitter smile, “Thank you so much for your kind intentions, Mr. Gray. But even if the Coles go to DC, there probably won’t be much we can do. We’d better not.”

After hearing what Edmund said from outside, Edmund’s son, Clement, couldn’t help saying, “Dad, why would you say that? Haven’t you… haven’t you always hoped to obtain more opportunities for the Coles to develop further? Now that there’s finally an opportunity in front of you, why are you turning it down?”

The anxious Clement wished he could agree on Edmund’s behalf.

If they missed such a rare opportunity, it would be a pity!

Edmund glanced at his son and said with a bitter smile, “Why do you think I’m turning down
Mr. Gray’s kind intentions? Isn’t it all because of you?! Mr. Gray is willing to help us develop in DC, but if we can’t give him any help, we’ll only end up becoming his burden. Trust you to have the cheek to drag him down and take advantage of him!”

If Edmund was still young, even if all he had were his own two hands, he would definitely follow Lucas to DC.

But he was already in his seventies, and he didn’t know how much longer he had to live.

Moreover, Clement was his only son, and he knew what kind of a person his son was and whether or not he was capable of taking over the family.

This was why Edmund had said that even if Lucas took the Coles to develop in DC, they would only become a burden for him.

Clement’s face turned red. He understood what his father meant.

Deep down, he knew that Edmund was refraining from handing over the position of helmsman to him because he wasn’t capable enough. He didn’t think it would be safe to hand the family over to him.

Even though his father was currently supporting the Coles, how much longer could he hold out?

Looking at Edmund’s old and wrinkled face, Clement felt a strong sense of guilt.

“Dad, I’m sorry. I’ve made countless mistakes in the past, and I’ve failed to inherit your wisdom. I’ve let you down with my inability to take on big responsibilities. I know you’re not handing over the family to me because I’m not capable enough.

“But now, I will certainly repent and learn more so that you can relax sooner and no longer have to slog your guts out for the family! Dad, I’ll really obey your instructions and work hard.”

“Alright!” Edmund patted Clement’s shoulder excitedly. “Clement, since you’ve said that, I can be at ease now!”

If his son could turn over a new leaf at this age and take on some responsibilities, Edmund would be able to answer to his ancestors when he died!

Looking at Edmund and Clement, Lucas smiled. “Let the past be the past. There’s no need to bring it up again. Since you’ve repented and know that you should be driven and hardworking, I’ll give you this chance too. Now, it’s up to you if you want to take it.” Clement looked at Lucas in surprise. “Mr. Gray, you mean I can go to DC with you?”

“That’s right.” Lucas nodded and then said to Edmund, “Mr. Cole, you don’t have to worry about your family going to DC and becoming a burden to me. In fact, there are very few people I trust. Apart from the Parkers, who have gone to DC in advance, there’s only the Hales and the Coles.

“Rest assured. After you arrive in DC, I will definitely protect you. You don’t have to worry about anything else. You just need to shift your focus and manpower to DC and focus on developing your force there. This will be considered helping me.”

Edmund’s eyes were full of gratitude.

He knew that Lucas wanted to take care of him and the Coles, so he let them go with him to DC.

As for the Coles being able to provide him with assistance, Lucas was just comforting them.

With Lucas’s abilities and connections, the Coles were merely mediocre, and they wouldn’t be of any use to him.

Edmund was full of gratitude for Lucas’s help.

The only thing he could do was to do his best to make the Coles stronger and strive to provide help to Lucas in the future.

The Hales and the Coles had decided to go to DC to develop. After settling this matter, Lucas felt relieved.

Suddenly, his phone rang. He looked at the number on the caller ID and found that the call was from Charlotte.

Lucas was surprised.

When Charlotte brought Cheyenne out this morning, they were both cold and ignored him. They even ordered him not to follow them out.

Now that Charlotte was actually calling, he wondered if they were willing to listen to his explanation after calming down.

As soon as Lucas answered the call, he heard a flustered voice. “Lucas! We’re in trouble. Quickly come over to save me and Cheyenne!”

Lucas’s expression instantly changed. “Where are you?”

While asking, he hurried toward the gate of the Hale residence.

Charlotte said anxiously, “We’re in Lotte Entertainment City. A man brought a bunch of people, and he wants to take Cheyenne and me away. We’re in a private room now, but they’re banging on the door and might charge in at—Ah!”

Before she could finish speaking, he heard a loud bang over the phone, as if the door had been shoved open.

Immediately afterward, Charlotte’s call was terminated.

With a gloomy expression, Lucas immediately called her, but no one answered, and the phone was turned off.

The situation was terrible!

1236 Cheyenne Faces a Crisis

Lucas had strong murderous intent in his eyes as he strode toward the gates of the Hale residence.

Seeing Lucas’s expression change drastically, Bruce, Edmund, and the others were all shocked. They quickly caught up to him and asked anxiously, “Mr. Gray, what happened?”

Lucas asked gloomily, “Where’s Lotte Entertainment City?”

“Lotte Entertainment City?” The two elderly men looked at each in bewilderment.!!

On the other hand, Connor, who was born and raised in Orange County, was very familiar with the entertainment joints here and immediately said, “Mr. Gray, I know where it is!”

“Show the way!” Lucas grabbed Connor’s arm without thinking and left quickly, dragging Connor with him.

The situation was urgent, so he didn’t have time to explain anything to them.

“What’s going on?”

Seeing the two disappearing at the gates of the Hale residence in no time, Edmund and Bruce looked at each other in confusion.

But even though they didn’t know what was going on, they could tell from Lucas’s expression that something big must have happened to make him look so horrified.

“Although I don’t know what has happened, it must have something to do with the Lotte Entertainment City Mr. Gray mentioned. Let’s rush over immediately,” Edmund said with a grim expression.

Bruce nodded. “Yes! And we need to bring people in case there’s an emergency!”

The two of them quickly gathered their subordinates.

Meanwhile, Lucas took Connor into his Jaguar and drove speedily on the roads of Orange County under Connor’s guidance. He even ran several red lights.

He still didn’t know what happened to Cheyenne and Charlotte and whether their lives were in danger, so he didn’t have the patience to wait for the red lights to turn green.

Of course, even though he was speeding, his driving skills were superb, so he wouldn’t get into any traffic accidents.

But this was all too thrilling for Connor. Lucas was going at a speed comparable to a race car’s, and the several close shaves on the bustling streets made Connor turn deathly pale. If Lucas wasn’t the one driving, he wouldn’t have been unable to control himself and vomited.

…

At this moment, in a private room of Lotte Entertainment City…

Despite Cheyenne’s fear, she still tried her best to protect Charlotte. But her hands were already trembling, and cold sweat covered her pale face.

In front of them was a middle-aged man with his back facing them, his body covered in wounds and bleeding profusely. Half-kneeling on the floor, he was still trying to shield Cheyenne and Charlotte and stop people from getting near them.

The person he was fighting was an elderly man in white.

Beside the elderly man was a young man in his twenties. He was sizing up Cheyenne and Charlotte as if he was looking at the prey he was hunting.

“I didn’t expect you two beauties to have such a powerful bodyguard! Unfortunately, my bodyguard is far stronger than yours, so you lost!” The young man smiled. “Beauties, I don’t want anyone to die here, so you two better obey and stop resisting, and I’ll let your bodyguard go. How does that sound?”
Hearing this, Charlotte and Cheyenne looked even more panicked and desperate.

What should they do now?

Now, the only person who could protect them was Stanley, who was half-kneeling on the floor in front of them.

But Stanley was severely injured to the point where he could barely stand up. His dagger had also been snatched away by the elderly man, and he had lost so much blood.

Of course, they didn’t want to submit to this frivolous playboy, but if they still resisted, Stanley might die!

Stanley, under Lucas’s orders, had protected them for a long time. Although they usually had very little interaction with him, they couldn’t watch him die to protect them.

What should they do now?

Cheyenne’s face was covered in misery and despair.

Charlotte had just called Lucas, but as soon as she said a few words, the door of the private room had been kicked open, and their phones had been taken away by the elderly man in white. Who knew if Lucas had heard where they were clearly.

Besides, even if Lucas had heard it, it would be impossible for him to rush here within a short time.

If Stanley hadn’t dashed out to protect them with his life on the line and stalled for some time, this young man would have already captured them…

Stanley raised his arm with difficulty and wiped the blood seeping out of the corner of his mouth while glowering at the young man and his elderly bodyguard opposite him. “They’re not people you can afford to provoke! If you don’t want to die, I advise you to leave right now, or else it’ll be too late to regret!”

He was no match for the elderly man and had been beaten to a pulp.

But Stanley knew that messing with Cheyenne and her family was Lucas’s taboo. If anyone dared to offend them, he would never let them off!

Once Lucas was here, the two bastards in front of him would definitely have a hard time.

The most important thing he had to do now was to try his best to protect Charlotte and Cheyenne before Lucas arrived. He mustn’t let anyone do anything to them!

After hearing Stanley’s threat, the young man smiled with superiority. “Are you threatening me? Hah, what a joke. I’ve lived for over two decades, and no one has ever dared to threaten me in the face like that!”

With a proud expression, he seemed to remember something, put on a polite stance, and introduced himself to Cheyenne and Charlotte, “Speaking of which, I almost forgot to introduce myself to you beauties. No wonder you’re so scared to get close to me.

“My name is Angus Hamilton, and I’m a direct descendent of a royal family branch!”

Angus’s face was full of pride as he talked about his family. “Do you know what the royal family is? Well, I guess ordinary folks wouldn’t have heard about us, and all they know are the eight top families of DC.

“Hmph, those eight top families aren’t even worthy of carrying our shoes!

“There are only nine royal family branches, and our power is beyond your imagination! Even if the eight top families join forces, there’s no way they’re a match for the Hamiltons!

“Do you know how powerful we are now?

“Hah, no matter what your background is, no matter who you bring up, they are nothing to the Hamiltons!”

What Angus said made Cheyenne and Charlotte turn even paler.

1237 Behind Closed Doors

Cheyenne and Charlotte didn’t expect this young man to have such a powerful background!

Just based on the royal family name alone, they knew that the Hamiltons were extremely powerful and not a family that ordinary people like them could come into contact with usually.

Stanley, the bodyguard Lucas had arranged for them, was already a very powerful expert. He used to be the number one expert in LA, and after training under Lucas for so long, he had progressed further in martial arts.

But even Stanley was no match for the elderly man in white beside Angus.

Based on this alone, it was apparent how terrifyingly powerful the Hamiltons were.
Even Stanley couldn’t help inhaling sharply after hearing Angus reveal his family.

Lucas had previously arranged for him to stay in DC for a while, so he knew how powerful a royal family branch like the Hamiltons was.

His martial arts skills had improved significantly, yet he was still no match for the elderly man. Clearly, he was extremely formidable.

Since Angus could have the protection of such a strong powerhouse, he definitely had an extraordinary status in the Hamilton family.

This made the situation even worse!

Stanley gritted his teeth and shouted, “Does being a royal give you the right to bully women and kidnap them as you please? Fancy you calling yourself the descendant of an apex family! You want to hurt them? Over my dead body!”

Protecting Cheyenne and Charlotte was the task Lucas had entrusted him with, so no matter what, he had to do his best to keep them safe!

Angus reprimanded angrily, “Hmph, you must have a death wish! I planned to let you off on account of the two beauties, but since you don’t treasure the opportunity, you can’t blame me!”

Then Angus said to the elderly man next to him, “Kill him!”

The elderly man didn’t act immediately and instead persuaded, “Mr. Angus, this man seems to be from the military. We’d better be careful in case…”

Angus said nonchalantly, “So what? Even if their backer is a big shot from the military, they are nothing compared to the Hamiltons! Why should I be afraid of them? Since I told you to kill him, just do it! What nonsense are you saying?”

“Yes, Sir!” The elderly man in white immediately charged toward Stanley fiercely.

Stanley stared closely at the elderly man, not daring to be careless at all. He struggled to take a deep breath and pulled out the last thin dagger from the heel of his shoe with one hand while avoiding the elderly man’s lethal attack and slashing at him.

Flying daggers were the weapons he was best at using, but the elderly man had snatched away the dagger he had used earlier. He had also thrown a few daggers, but it had been futile.

Fortunately, Stanley had hidden a weapon in an inconspicuous spot of his shoe sole. When the dagger slashed over, the elderly man retreated a little, affecting his attack. His attack slowed slightly, allowing Stanley to narrowly dodge the deadly blow.

But the elderly man was really good at martial arts. After missing, he changed his move instantly and kicked Stanley’s chest.

This time, Stanley didn’t manage to dodge the attack. After suffering the kick, he was immediately kicked far away until he hit a wall in the corridor outside the room.

The kick was extremely fierce. Stanley was severely wounded in the first place, and after taking the kick, the bones in his chest cracked again. He huddled up on the floor, unable to stand up at all.

“Hmph, he’s actually not dead.” Angus frowned in displeasure when he saw Stanley desperately struggling to get up from the floor.

However, although the bastard getting in the way didn’t die, he should have completely lost his combat power. The two beautiful women in front of Angus were going to belong to him!

He stared at Cheyenne and Charlotte with a fiery gaze and licked his lips.

Although he wasn’t ugly, he looked deplorable when making this action.

The elderly man advised, “Mr. Angus, you came to California for an important mission, and you just arrived in Orange County today. In case you miss the important task because of these two women, wouldn’t that be terrible? Why don’t you wait until the matter is done before—”

“Shut up!” Angus hollered impatiently.

“Who’s the scion of the Hamiltons? Who calls the shots here? You or me? Go stand outside. Don’t get in the way of my business! Do you hear me?” Angus ordered.

The elderly man could only sigh silently and answer, “Yes!”

Although he thought that it was strange for these two beautiful women to have such a powerful bodyguard, and he even guessed that they might be related to the military, he was just a bodyguard after all. Even if he reminded Angus to be careful, he wouldn’t listen to him at all.

Since he worked for the Hamiltons, he could only obey Angus’s orders.

Despite knowing what would happen to the two women next, it was beyond his control.
The elderly man walked out of the private room, leaving Angus alone with Cheyenne and Charlotte inside.

After struggling for a long time, Stanley finally managed to recover from the severe pain. He struggled to turn his head and happened to see the scene of the door closing in front of him.

Intense fury appeared in Stanley’s eyes as he tried his best to crawl toward the door.

He knew that if he couldn’t stop it, Cheyenne and Charlotte would face something horrendous.

Lucas had sent him to protect Cheyenne and Charlotte. How could he watch that kind of thing happen?

But now that Stanley was severely wounded, it was already a miracle that he could survive. Even if he went all out and expended all his energy to crawl forward, he only inched forward a little. There was no way he could save the sisters.

Stanley had no choice but to plead with the elderly man. “Go… go stop him. If he lays a finger on the two women inside, he will definitely die a terrible death!

“I’m not trying to scare you. If you don’t want to see him die, hurry up and stop him!
Otherwise, neither of you will survive!”

The elderly man in white looked coldly at Stanley, who had blood all over his face. “You’re in no place to make comments or meddle with Mr. Angus’s affairs! Now, you are the one who’s going to die!”

Then he raised his right leg to stomp hard on Stanley’s head!
1238 Saving His Wife

When Stanley saw the large foot moving toward him and expanding in front of him, a trace of despair appeared in his eyes.

Stanley knew that the elderly man in white was extremely strong.

Even if he stepped on a stone like this, he would easily break it, let alone a human head.

If this foot stomped on him, he would probably die.

But Stanley felt unwilling!

He had just started working for Lucas a few months ago, and this time, Lucas had ordered him to protect the person who meant the most to him. Yet he failed to protect her and would die here instead.

He was letting Lucas down and felt ashamed!

He would die with regrets like this! And even after death, he wouldn’t be able to rest in peace!

The elderly man didn’t actually have a deep feud with Stankey, but he had to kill Stanley.

The elderly man had a vague feeling that Stanley and the two beautiful women inside definitely had a terrifying force supporting them.

Since he couldn’t convince Angus, he could only help him clean up the aftermath. Only by killing Stanley here could he silence him and stop today’s matter from being leaked, thereby avoiding trouble for Angus.

In fact, not only Stanley but the two women inside also had to die after Angus sought enough pleasure.

Only the dead could keep secrets.

The elderly man remained expressionless as his foot was about to stomp on Stanley’s head. But suddenly, he felt a terrifying aura charging toward him maniacally.

The elderly man immediately got goosebumps and didn’t have the time to stomp Stanley to death. He had to raise his arms and cross them in front of him hastily to protect his vital point.

Bang!

The next moment, a ferocious force landed on the elderly man’s arms and blasted him far away.

The elderly man’s swift reaction had saved his life. If he hadn’t protected his head with both arms, he would have been dead now!

Thud!

The elderly man’s body flew back seven meters in the long corridor and landed heavily on the floor.

Although he wasn’t dead yet, his arms had been completely crushed, and his body was severely injured. After landing on the floor with a loud thud, he spat out a mouthful of blood and could no longer get up.

The elderly man raised his head with difficulty and looked at the other end of the corridor. He saw a tall figure standing there. He couldn’t see his face clearly, but this person was exuding a terrifying aura, like a ferocious beast.

Stanley thought that he would definitely die, but he didn’t expect to be saved.

He turned his head and saw a familiar figure standing in front of him.

“Lu-Lucas!” Stanley’s face was full of joy, and he was so excited that he was on the verge of tears.

But it wasn’t the time to be touched. Stanley immediately pointed at the door of the private room across from him and said anxiously, “Lucas, Cheyenne is inside. Quickly go save her!”

The moment he said this, a surging murderous intent appeared in Lucas’s eyes. He instantly kicked the door of the private room open.

Bang!

His kick immediately smashed the door of the private room, turning it into a pile of broken wood.

Angus, who was planning to infringe on Charlotte and Cheyenne in the private room, was startled and lashed out, “Which bastard dares to interrupt me?!”

No one said anything. Only a tall and slender figure walked into the private room with a cold expression.

The moment they saw this figure, Cheyenne and Charlotte burst into tears.

They were just weak and vulnerable women who didn’t know any self-defense skills and were no match for Angus.

If they weren’t both here and could help each other, they would have already been violated by Angus.

But even then, the two of them were in very miserable states. After a lot of struggle, Angus had tied up their hands and was about to humiliate them.

They were already willing to die rather than suffer Angus’s violations.

But they didn’t expect Lucas to make it in time at the critical juncture!

How could they not burst into tears of joy?

In contrast to Cheyenne’s and Charlotte’s joy, Angus was furious.

Just as he was about to get his hands on the two beautiful women, someone barged in and interrupted him. He was so angry that he wanted to kill people.

“White Claw, what are you doing? How could you let someone barge in? Hurry up and chase him away!” Angus hollered in fury.

White Claw was the name of the elderly man in white and also the bodyguard that his family had specially assigned to protect him.

He had clearly asked White Claw to guard the door and prevent others from entering, yet White Claw failed to do such a simple matter, causing Angus to lose his temper.

Still, Angus had a lot of faith in White Claw’s abilities. As long as he made a move, there were no enemies he couldn’t defeat.

Moreover, this young man in his twenties was absolutely no match for White Claw.

However, there wasn’t a single sound or movement outside regardless of how much Angus shouted. White Claw didn’t respond, let alone rush in to protect him and chase away this punk.

Angus had an ominous premonition.

Did something happen to White Claw?

No, that’s impossible!

No one in Orange County should be a match for him!

Despite feeling a trace of panic and shock, Angus kept a fierce expression on his face and shouted at Lucas, “Punk, who the hell are you? Do you know who I am? How dare you barge in and ruin things for me? I won’t spare you!”

Lucas ignored Angus’s clamoring and turned to look at Cheyenne and Charlotte.

When he saw the two of them crying with their hands tied up with a gaudy tie, a murderous gaze appeared in his eyes. He glanced at Angus coldly and immediately walked toward Cheyenne and Charlotte.

Lucas helped Cheyenne up from the floor and tore off the tie wrapped around her hands.

“Lucas!” Cheyenne threw herself into Lucas’s arms and hugged him tightly while bawling loudly.


1239 He Must Die

“Honey… I thought I’d never get to see you again! It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have thrown a tantrum and come here on my own. It’s all my fault!” Cheyenne said tearfully with regret all over her face.

If she hadn’t gotten upset at Lucas, given him the cold shoulder, and gone out with Charlotte to relax while not allowing Lucas to follow, they wouldn’t have ended up in this plight today and almost gotten violated.

At this moment, Cheyenne was shocked and terrified. Seeing Lucas saving them in the nick of time, she was touched and aggrieved with lingering fears. Unable to control her emotions, she cried intensely.

Charlotte was feeling the same. She also wanted to hug Lucas and cry her heart out, but Lucas was her brother-in-law, not her husband. Only Cheyenne could cry in his arms, while she couldn’t. She could only suppress her surging emotions while wiping away the tears on her face.

Lucas looked at his wife weeping in his arms, feeling extremely distressed and sorry for her. He patted her on the back and comforted gently, “It’s alright. Everything’s fine now. With me here, no one can hurt you anymore.”

He didn’t think that Cheyenne and Charlotte were at fault.
Today’s disaster was clearly because someone harbored designs on them after seeing how beautiful they were.

Now, Lucas was just thankful that he had arrived in time to save Cheyenne and Charlotte. Otherwise, he didn’t know what would have happened to them in the end.

Angus was exasperated at being ignored by Lucas at first.

But after hearing Lucas and Cheyenne’s conversation, he suddenly realized that the man who barged in was Cheyenne’s husband.

But so what?

It wasn’t his first time snatching someone else’s wife.

When it came to the women he wanted, he didn’t care if they had boyfriends or husbands.

As long as he revealed that he was from the Hamilton family, even if he snatched another man’s woman, no one would dare to say a word!

“Punk, I’ve set my sights on your woman. If you’re sensible, you’d better hand those two women over to me. Otherwise, I’ll definitely make sure you die a horrible death!” Angus said.

Lucas turned his head and glanced at Angus as if he was looking at a dead man. Angus immediately shuddered and subconsciously took a step back.

This man’s gaze is too terrifying!

The intense murderous aura that Lucas was exuding made him feel as though Lucas was going to kill him!

“What… what do you want to do?”

Angus was so frightened that he stammered, but he soon realized that his words were diminishing his family’s prestige. So he said, “I’m warning you. I’m from the Hamiltons, one of the royal family branches in the US, and I have a powerful expert by my side. If you don’t obey me, I won’t spare your life! Do you hear me?”

Lucas couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to this idiot at all.

At this moment, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the private room. Soon, Bruce and Edmund appeared in the corridor with their subordinates.

“Mr. Gray, are you alright? We were worried that something might happen, so we brought our people here to help!” Bruce and Edmund looked at Lucas nervously and explained why they had appeared here.

Lucas nodded slightly and pointed at Stanley outside the private room, who was severely wounded and unable to get up. He ordered them, “He’s severely injured. Immediately get him to the hospital for treatment!”

“Yes, Lucas!” Bruce agreed right away.

A couple of the Hales’ subordinates immediately stepped forward and quickly carried Stanley away. Although they moved quickly, they were very careful.

Lucas glanced at Cheyenne and Charlotte again and said gently, “You’ve both been shocked. Go home first. I’ll head back immediately after settling the matters here.”

Although Cheyenne and Charlotte were unwilling to leave, they knew that they wouldn’t be of much help here. Besides, there were already more than a hundred people from the Hales and Coles here, so Lucas wouldn’t be at a disadvantage. They nodded and agreed.

“Arrange for people to send my wife and sister-in-law home. Make sure they’re safe!” Lucas ordered again.

Edmund immediately acknowledged, “Okay, I’ll make sure they arrive home safely!”

“Honey, you… be careful too. We’ll wait for you at home,” Cheyenne said worriedly before leaving with Charlotte and more than twenty of the Coles’ bodyguards.

When Angus saw that Lucas had more than a hundred helpers, he widened his eyes slightly with some surprise, but there wasn’t any fear in his eyes. Instead, he licked his lips and chuckled. “I was wondering why you had the courage to go against me. It turns out you’re a big shot here in Orange County. You actually brought so many people here.

“But so what if you’ve brought a lot of people? I’m from the Hamilton family, and I have a noble status. None of you will dare to lay a finger on me! If you dare to lay a hand on a Hamilton, you will all die. Do you believe me?” Angus said fearlessly.

“Oh, really?” Lucas sneered and instructed someone to bring White Claw, the elderly man in white who was at his last breath, in from outside the room. He threw him to Angus’s side like he was a dead dog.

“The one who’s going to die is you!”

After Angus saw the terrible state that the elderly man was in, his pupils constricted, and he exclaimed in shock, “White Claw?!”

He didn’t expect his bodyguard to have been beaten so terribly and be on his last breath, looking like he was about to die.

At this moment, he finally knew why White Claw didn’t respond when he yelled for him to come over and save him. It turned out that White Claw had already been captured and beaten into a pulp.

“You… you are really audacious! The Hamiltons are royals, yet you have the guts to harm my bodyguard. Aren’t you afraid that we’ll eradicate you overnight?” Angus roared loudly, furious and flustered.

“The Hamiltons… Hah!” Lucas sneered and directly ordered, “Kill him!”

After seeing what Angus had done to Cheyenne and Charlotte, Lucas definitely wouldn’t let him off.

Even though he was a royal, Lucas wouldn’t let him live.

Anyone who dared to harm his wife had to die!

Angus self-righteously thought that Lucas wouldn’t dare to touch him just because he was a royal, but he didn’t know that Lucas’s status was comparable to the Hamiltons’ helmsman’s. How could he care about Angus’s threat?

Although Lucas wasn’t afraid of the Hamiltons at all, Bruce and Edmund were stunned after hearing Angus’s origin. Then their faces became grim and revealed fear.

“He’s from the Hamilton family… Mr. Gray, are we really going to kill him?” Edmund asked hesitantly.

1240 Cleaning All Traces

It wasn’t that Edmund was timid, but the Hamiltons were a royal family branch after all. Just half an hour ago, they had just met Brett Hamilton, and they were extremely afraid of the Hamiltons.

If Lucas hadn’t been there, they would probably have really been unable to resist the pressure from the Hamiltons.

Now, the person in front of him was also from the Hamiltons. If they really killed him here, it might bring a catastrophe to Lucas.

“He deserves to die. Kill him!” Lucas said without hesitation.

Bruce and Edmund were astonished to hear the firm determination and murderous intent in Lucas’s tone.

They had just had a conflict with Brett, but they completely didn’t fall out with him, so there was still room for negotiation.

But if they really killed Angus here, they would form a deadly feud with the Hamiltons.

But thinking that Angus had offended Lucas’s wife and sister-in-law, they could understand why Lucas wanted to kill him.

At this moment, Angus could also sense that Lucas really wanted to kill him, while White Claw, the top expert by his side, had already been completely crippled. He now felt terrified.

“You… you are too audacious! Do you bumpkins know how prestigious my family is? Let me tell you. Even the eight top families of DC combined are no match for us!

“Furthermore, I’m a direct descendant of the Hamiltons, and my grandfather is the current helmsman of the family! If you dare to lay a finger on me, my grandfather will never let you off. Even if we raze all of California down to the ground, we won’t let you off!

“If you know what’s good for you, get lost immediately, and I might spare you! Do you hear me?”

Angus yelled hysterically. But at this moment, he no longer had the haughtiness he had before. Instead, he was full of fear.

Seeing that Lucas still wanted to kill him after he revealed the Hamiltons’ name, he just thought that Lucas didn’t know about them because he was a hillbilly. So he went all out to explain his family’s background to try and deter Lucas and the rest.

But Lucas didn’t want to bother with Angus at all. He just raised his hand and signaled for them to take action.

Edmund didn’t say anything else and ordered the experts behind him, “Do it!”

“Yes!” Two experts from the Coles immediately walked straight to Angus with strong killing intent.

Angus’s legs went limp, and he dropped to his knees. For the first time in his life, he felt boundless fear and the threat of death.

“No, no, no, please don’t kill me! I… I was wrong! Sir, I’m sorry. It’s my fault for being so daring. I apologize to you! I can compensate you with money!

“I… I can pay you ten million dollars! No, I’ll give you fifty million dollars. Please don’t kill me. Please let me off!” Angus begged with his face covered in fear.

He wasn’t that stupid, and he could still tell that Lucas was the one who called the shots here, so he immediately begged Lucas and even prostrated to him.
Lucas looked at him coldly, with only contempt in his eyes.

Angus wanted to exchange a mere 50 million dollars for his life. The value of his life was pathetically low!

Seeing Lucas completely unmoved, Angus panicked even more. He made up his mind and yelled, “I’ll give you two hundred million dollars! That’s all the cash I have now! If you still think it’s not enough, I can give you all the houses, cars, and stocks I own. Please just spare my life and let me go! I will never dare to offend your wife again!”

Angus was full of misery and regret but also resentment at the same time.

It was the first time in his life he had encountered such humiliation. Once he escaped, he would definitely take the Hamiltons with him and bathe Orange County in blood to make up for the shame he suffered today!

He would definitely rip Lucas into shreds to soothe his hatred!

But before Angus could finish speaking, he stopped abruptly.

A steel-like hand grabbed his neck and twisted it. Angus’s neck was broken, and he died on the spot!

Even at the moment of his death, his face was covered in disbelief, as he couldn’t believe that someone actually dared to kill him.

He didn’t even know who the person who killed him was.

At the side, the elderly man, who was on his last breath, widened his eyes in horror after watching Angus die. Then his eyes rolled backward, and his body went limp. He died on the spot as well.

Looking at the two corpses in front of him, Edmund asked carefully, “Mr. Gray, what should we do next?”
Edmund was still feeling anxious and worried about ordering people to kill the Hamilton scion.

Lucas instructed calmly, “Get rid of their corpses and make sure no one breathes a word about this. Also, clean up all the traces, including the surveillance here. Don’t let anyone find any traces of these two.”

Angus deserved to die. Although Lucas wasn’t afraid of the Hamiltons, he didn’t want them to come after him and hound him like mad dogs.
Thus, he decided to clean up the traces so that there was a chance the Hamiltons wouldn’t come looking for him.

Bruce and Edmund knew that the matter concerned their future, so they didn’t dare to be careless about it at all and quickly agreed.

“Rest assured, Mr. Gray. We’ll definitely clean up all the traces and make sure no one knows that Angus Hamilton was ever here!” The two assured Lucas.

The Hales and the Coles were now the top families in California, so Lucas believed that they were capable of handling this matter.

After handing the matter over to them, Lucas went to the hospital to check on Stanley’s condition. After hearing the doctor say that Stanley’s life wasn’t in danger, he felt relieved. Then he returned home to his villa in the middle of Pearl Lake.

As soon as he entered the villa, Charlotte and Cheyenne, who had been waiting in the living room for a long time, immediately dashed to him.

“Honey, are you alright?”

“Lucas, you’re finally home!”

The two of them carefully scrutinized Lucas and breathed a sigh of relief only after ensuring that he was unscathed.

But immediately afterward, the sisters looked a little awkward and hung their heads low, not daring to look at him at all.

If they hadn’t thrown a fit at him and gone out on their own today, they wouldn’t have met Angus and almost had an accident.

So facing Lucas, they were extremely uneasy and felt that they had made a mistake.

Charlotte, who had dragged Cheyenne out with her, especially felt regretful and guilty.

Cheyenne clearly didn’t believe the photos of Lucas and Lena in the first place, yet Charlotte had insisted that they teach Lucas a lesson. So she had pressured Cheyenne into ignoring him and even brought her out for a trip to Lotte Entertainment City. In the end, she had almost gotten them into serious trouble.

The thought of it overwhelmed Charlotte with so much guilt and self-reproach that she couldn’t bring herself to raise her head.

hahaha Lucas is be too polite

 

[Prodigy]

Aren't all the women in these novels so naive! It's like every main female lead character is the same

It's the bitter truth

 

[Prodigy]

Chapter 61: Treat You to a Meal

When a member of the family came in to report the good news, Dominic was so excited that his fingers began trembling. He asked profusely, “Really? Are you not lying to me?”
The family member nodded agitatedly. “Yes! The Brilliance Corporation has really decided to cooperate with us, and they have already sent someone over to sign the contract with us. Our factories are also back in operation. And the bank has decided to give us some leeway for the loan repayment because the Brilliance Corporation has decided to be our guarantor. They’re no longer going to apply for compulsory execution!”
“Good!” Dominic was so excited that he rubbed his hands together. The Carters’ crisis would be resolved!
At this moment, another family member hurried in. “Good news, Mr. Carter Senior! The companies that previously terminated their partnerships with us have called to resume their cooperation with us!”
“Great! Wonderful! The Carters have finally gotten through this ordeal!” Dominic’s face reddened in excitement.
All the Carters were overjoyed after surviving this calamity. God knows how hard it had been for them the past two days. They almost wanted to leave the family and find their own way out!
“Bryce deserves credit for this matter!” A woman’s voice suddenly sounded. It was Bryce Carter’s mother, Sarah Hadley.
At the mention of Bryce, Dominic’s face immediately turned gloomy again. “Don’t mention that sinful bastard in front of me! That impudent bastard acted presumptuously and got embroiled in a scandal that embarrassed us greatly!”
Sarah began pouting aggrievedly. “Dominic, you know very well that someone set Bryce up. If that loser Lucas Gray… hadn’t spiked Bryce’s and Brad Douglas’s drinks and even filmed a video of them, they wouldn’t have ended up like that. Besides, if Lucas hadn’t suddenly gone to create trouble that day, the crisis the Carters faced might have been resolved two days ago.”
With a few words, Sarah blamed everything on Lucas and reminded Dominic of the horror he experienced when Lucas broke into the Carters’ main residence and strangled him.
He was now full of fear and hatred toward Lucas.
Sarah Hadley looked at Dominic’s face and continued, “Bryce was chased out of the family, and he’s very upset too. Yesterday, he was going around running errands for the Carters. Doesn’t he deserve any credit?
“Also, Bryce is your only grandson after all. It’s right for you to be angry with him, and you can teach him a lesson as much as you’d like, but can you really bear to drive him out of the family?” Sarah pretended to wipe her tears.
Dominic felt conflicted as well.
Bryce was his only direct descendant, and he would definitely take over the family in the future. Yesterday, he chased Bryce out of the family only because of a moment of folly, but he mainly wanted to teach Bryce a lesson and did not really want to disown him.
Seeing Sarah keep pleading for mercy and several other family members also helping him, Dominic sighed and agreed. “Okay, since you’re all pleading for him, I’ll give him another chance. But if he creates any trouble or disgraces the family again, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”
“Yes, definitely! I’ll also take Bryce in hand and make sure he listens to you!” Sarah agreed frantically with a joyful expression.
On the other hand, after hearing Dominic’s decision to let him return to the family, Bryce simply felt that that should have been the case anyway.
He was Dominic Carter’s only biological grandson, and the entire family would be handed over to him in the future, so how could Dominic really drive him out?
Lucas is too despicable! He went against me and ruined things for me. He even made me become the laughing stock of the entire county!
Bryce swore that he would never let Lucas off easily!
While the Carters were immersed in the joy of the family crisis being over, no one knew that it was only because Cheyenne had asked Lucas to give them a way out on account that they used to be family.
Otherwise, the Carters would have long fallen apart.
However, neither Lucas nor Cheyenne thought of letting the Carters find out the truth.
At this moment, Lucas suddenly received a phone call, and the person who called was surprisingly Charlotte.
“Um… are you free now? I’d like to treat you to a meal!” Charlotte’s voice was shaky, and she clearly felt uneasy.
Lucas burst into laughter. Of course, he knew why Charlotte wanted to treat him to a meal out of the blue. He had saved her that day, but she got the wrong idea and even slapped him.
After Cheyenne explained it to her, Charlotte had been feeling very embarrassed and conflicted. She wanted to thank him and apologize to him, but in the end, she was too shy to say anything.
She should have mulled over it for a long time before finally calling him.
Lucas smiled. He did not intend to hold it against Charlotte. “There’s no need to treat me to a meal…”
Before Lucas finished, Charlotte quickly interrupted him, “I’ll book a private room and be waiting for you at Lion Restaurant.”
After saying this, she hung up the phone.
Lucas was caught between laughter and tears. How can she insist that I let her treat me to a meal?
Nevertheless, Lucas arrived at Lion Restaurant at noon.
The relationship between him and Cheyenne had finally become less strained, and Charlotte mattered a lot to Cheyenne. So no matter what, Lucas had to give in to Charlotte.
Lion Restaurant was a long-established restaurant in Orange County, and it was famous for being the go-to place for banquets held by businessmen and ordinary patrons.
As soon as Lucas got out of his car, he saw Charlotte waiting for him not far away. When she saw him, she finally heaved a sigh of relief, as if she was scared that he wouldn’t come.
Lucas walked over and touched his nose. “Actually, there’s really no need to do this.”
Charlotte glared at him. “Since I said that I’d treat you to a meal, I have to honor it. I can still afford to treat you to a meal.”
Lucas was instantly dumbfounded and speechless.
Well, Charlotte was actually not an annoying girl, but she was childish and arrogant.
Lucas did not blame her for it. As they were about to enter the restaurant, a voice suddenly sounded from the side. “Huh? Charlotte, it’s really you!”
Gazing at Charlotte, a young man walked over with a gleeful expression. There was a woman with bouncy, curly hair standing close beside him. They were obviously very intimate with each other.
Charlotte’s expression instantly changed when she saw the man. Afterward, she held onto Lucas’s arm somewhat uneasily and smiled radiantly at the couple in front of her. “Ah, it’s you, Declan. I didn’t expect to run into you here.”
Lucas was caught by surprise when Charlotte suddenly held onto his arm. But afterward, Lucas felt Charlotte turning stiff.
It seemed that there was some history between her and this man.

Chapter 62: Coincidental Encounter in the Restaurant

Declan Adams was tall and seemed to be around his mid-twenties. His features were handsome, and he dressed fashionably. Although he was a man, he put a lot of effort into skincare, and he looked just like the young heir of a well-to-do family.
The long-haired woman next to him was about the same age as him. Her face was covered in exquisite makeup, and she was decked out in luxury designer labels such as Gucci, Chanel, Hermes, and others. She was beautiful at first glance, but unfortunately, her face was too plastic. She had obviously had cosmetic surgery on her eyelids and jaw.
Declan’s gaze lingered on Charlotte’s arm for a second, after which he smiled and held onto the shoulder of the woman beside him. He introduced, “This is my wife, Estelle Brooke.” Estelle snuggled up to Declan and sized Charlotte up. “Well? Introduce Charlotte…”
Sensing Estelle’s vague jealousy, Declan hurriedly put his hand on her waist to comfort her.
“She’s Charlotte Carter, my schoolmate from college.”
Hearing Declan introduce her in this manner, Charlotte couldn’t help but bite hard on her lower lip.
“Ah, so it’s Charlotte Carter! I heard Declan mentioning before that there was a schoolmate from college who had been courting him for years, but he never agreed. I didn’t expect it to be you.” Estelle said these words smilingly and casually pretended to reveal a large diamond ring on her ring finger.
Charlotte’s smile stiffened.
She did like Declan Adams back in college, but she felt mocked when his wife said it to her face and in such a sarcastic tone.
It was worse especially because even Declan seemed conceited.
Charlotte was about to say goodbye when she heard Declan say, “It’s a coincidence today. Estelle and I happen to have booked a private room here for a meal. You two should also come along. After all, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other.”
After glancing at Declan, Estelle said, “Yeah, the Lion is the most famous and established restaurant in the city. It’s noon now, and it’ll be hard to get a private room. Let’s eat together. Declan and I will be bored if it’s just the two of us.”
Charlotte was about to decline because she had already booked a private room long ago, but Lucas suddenly nodded. “Sure then.”
Charlotte immediately panicked. But since Lucas already spoke and agreed, she could not refute him in front of them. So she could only pinch Lucas’s arm secretly.
However, Lucas kept a straight face and wasn’t bothered by it at all.
Soon, a waiter ushered them to a room on the second floor.
After they were seated, Declan grabbed the menu and handed it to Estelle. “Estelle, see if there’s anything you’d like. You can order first.”
Estelle grabbed the menu smilingly, but she chided Declan, “Our guests are still here. How can I order first?” She glanced at Charlotte and Lucas but remained still, not intending to hand the menu over to them.
“We’re former classmates. What’s the point of being so formal with each other? They won’t mind, right?” Declan held Estelle’s waist as he kissed her forehead affectionately. He was directing his last question at Charlotte and Lucas.
“Back in the day, Charlotte used to bring me my meals for several months when she was courting me. She never missed my breakfast or lunch. Unfortunately, I didn’t reciprocate your feelings and shared the food with our classmates. Charlotte, you don’t hold it against me, do you?” Declan chuckled.
Charlotte squeezed her own fingers tightly under the table, almost digging her nails into her flesh.
She had once spent a lot of time and effort bringing food for him with her utmost sincerity. Every day, she would get up early just to cook for him, no matter rain or shine. Yet she ended up becoming a laughingstock.
Charlotte remained silent. Controlling her emotions was already extremely tough.
Seeing the sullen expression on Charlotte’s face, Estelle giggled provocatively and coquettishly. “However, I really have to thank Miss Carter for being so nice to my husband. I also have to be thankful that Declan didn’t give in to your pursuit. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have gotten together and be living such a blissful life.”
Declan held Estelle in his arms gently. “It’s my honor to be able to marry you.”
The two of them were showing their affection for each other like nobody’s business while
Charlotte clenched her jaw and said, “I wish you conjugal bliss.”
Estelle suddenly seemed to realize that there were outsiders around, so she sat up straight shyly. “Fortunately, you’ve found your better half too, Miss Carter. Are you married yet? How may I address this man beside you?”
Charlotte tried to calm herself down before saying calmly, “Not yet. His name is Lucas Gray.”
“Oh, hello, Mr. Gray. We’re both about the same age, so you don’t mind me addressing you as Lucas, right?” Declan chuckled.
Lucas glared at Declan with a mirthless grin.
It had been long since anyone talked to him in such a condescending manner. Besides, he was a few years older than Declan, but Declan talked down to him so haughtily.
Not at all bothered if Lucas minded it or not, Declan continued to ask in an arrogant tone,
“Lucas, where do you work now?”
Lucas smiled. “I was a soldier for a few years, but I’m now a freelancer.”
Hearing this, Declan’s and Estelle’s eyes were full of disdain.
On the other hand, Charlotte glared at Lucas. Why do you have to be so honest?!
“Freelancer? You mean unemployed?” Estelle gibed, then covered her mouth while giggling.
“Lucas, that’s not right. As a man, how can you loaf around? You don’t want to be sponging off your wife, do you?”
“Ah, I really do.” Lucas nodded seriously, as if he found that a great idea.
Declan was instantly at a loss for words.
He found Lucas handsome and sophisticated at first, but he didn’t expect him to be an incompetent wastrel.
Charlotte must regret not winning my heart and marrying a handsome and competent man like me. Declan was getting ahead of himself while thinking about it, and he even felt a tremendous sense of superiority.

Chapter 63: Untitled

Having confirmed that Lucas was a good-for-nothing, Declan could no longer be bothered to continue talking to him. He turned to look at Charlotte and asked, “Charlotte, what are you doing now?”
Charlotte was already sick and tired of Declan’s attempts to show his superiority and answered indifferently, “I just joined the Stardust Corporation not long ago.”
“Hey, that’s such a coincidence.” Declan clapped and laughed out loud. “I’m in town this time to talk about the cooperation with the Stardust Corporation. I’m old friends with Mr. Davis, the general manager of your company. I’ll put in a good word for you in front of him and ask him to look out for you, lest a low-level employee like you have a tough time climbing the corporate ladder.”
Declan waved his hand and leaned backward proudly, as if he had already gotten Flynn Davis to arrange for Charlotte’s promotion.
Estelle was a little displeased and glared at Charlotte. “Declan may be kind enough to help you, but you have to work hard too. Don’t depend entirely on him. Otherwise, it might be difficult for Declan to broach the topic with Mr. Davis even though they’re close. Don’t you agree?”
Her tone was derisive, and she made it sound as though Charlotte was pestering Declan to help her get promoted.
Charlotte did not have a good temper, and she could tolerate this for such a long time entirely because of her former crush’s sake.
At this moment, she couldn’t tolerate it any longer and sneered. “Did I say that I wanted you to help? I will earn my promotion with my own efforts. I don’t need you to worry about it.”
Having been retorted by Charlotte out of the blue, Estelle immediately looked at Declan aggrievedly. “Hubby, we were just being kind by offering to help. Why did she say that?”
With a gloomy expression, Declan patted Estelle’s back to comfort her. He said with a frown, “Charlotte, I only offered to help you on account that we used to be classmates. Even if you refuse to accept my goodwill, you don’t have to be so hostile.”
Charlotte was almost going to laugh out of anger.
At this moment, a waiter knocked on the door of the private room and walked in.
“Excuse me, everyone. Today, we will be receiving a distinguished guest, so we won’t be able to serve you for the time being. I’m extremely sorry. As compensation, all your orders will be on the house today, and we will also gift you a few discount coupons,” the waiter spoke courteously and handed over a small goody bag that had exquisite packaging.
Although the waiter apologized, it was obvious that he wanted them to leave immediately.
Declan flew into a rage and shouted, “You’re trying to drive me away? Do you know who I am? Get your manager to come here!”
“Excuse me, sir. This is our manager’s intention. Everyone has to leave, no matter who. Please pardon us for the convenience,” the waiter said in a respectful tone. However, his attitude was firm.
“Hmph, I just don’t believe it. What kind of distinguished guest can make us leave? If you don’t tell me clearly, I will smash this restaurant!” Declan pointed at the waiter furiously.
However, his movements were too large, and he accidentally knocked over a wine glass at the edge of the table, causing it to fall onto the ground with a loud bang.
The crisp sound of glass shattering immediately spread.
Declan stiffened.
He was actually just issuing a verbal threat. A renowned and established restaurant like the Lion was definitely backed by a powerful figure. How could he afford to provoke them?
“What’s going on?” A middle-aged man wearing a tag that said ‘Restaurant Lobby Supervisor’ pinned on his chest came over with a frown on his face.
The waiter hurriedly pointed at Declan. “Mr. Jones, you wanted us to clear the rooms, but this gentleman here isn’t willing to leave. He wants to know which guest is here, and he accidentally broke the wine glass in the midst of throwing a fit.”
The manager, Mr. Jones, glanced at Declan and said aloofly, “I’m sorry, Sir. But Mr. Ethan Sawyer is treating his guests to a meal in our restaurant today. In order to prevent him from being disturbed, everyone else has to leave. I hope to seek your cooperation.”
“Ethan Sawyer?” Declan was flabbergasted. Ethan Sawyer was the richest man in the county, and he owned businesses in several states. Even those from outside Orange County had heard of him.
Compared to Ethan Sawyer, Declan Adams was nothing.
In fact, if possible, Declan wanted to stay behind, as that might give him the opportunity to have a good talk with the richest man in the county. It would be even better if he could become friends with him.
Unfortunately, he probably would have no chance of getting close to Sawyer since he was hosting some guests and wanted the restaurant to be cleared.
Declan hurriedly stood up and smiled. “I’m so sorry. Had I known earlier that it was Mr.
Sawyer, we would have left long ago. I’ve created such a mess.”
He put his arm around Estelle’s shoulders and said to Charlotte and Lucas, who were still sitting, “Charlotte, Lucas, what are you waiting for? Didn’t you hear that we have to make way for Mr. Sawyer?”
Charlotte looked at Declan, whose smile had become humble and deferential. She couldn’t help but feel infinite disappointment. Is this the person I carried a torch for, for such a long time back then?
“Hmph.” However, Lucas remained in his seat and even sneered in amusement.
“Are you still not going to get up? We’ll be in trouble if we offend Mr. Sawyer!” Declan couldn’t help but holler angrily when he saw Lucas sitting still in his seat.
“Is that so? Is Ethan Sawyer kicking up such a big fuss over a meal?” Lucas remarked as he held a wine glass playfully.
Panic-stricken and furious, Declan said, “You actually have the audacity to call Mr. Sawyer by his full name. He’s the richest man in the county, and his assets are unimaginable. If you don’t respect him, you’re going to implicate us, you fool!”
Estelle said impatiently, “Why are you wasting your breath on them? Let’s hurry and leave. If they end up offending Mr. Sawyer, that’ll serve them right!”
Declan didn’t go on any longer and simply glared at Lucas coldly before taking a few more looks at Charlotte’s pretty face. “Forget it. We have said what we should say. If you don’t know any better, don’t blame us. Let’s go.”
Holding Estelle’s hand, he was just about to leave when a few people coincidentally came upstairs at this moment.
They were Ethan Sawyer and his friends, whom the restaurant manager was personally showing the way for.
With some joy and surprise, Declan hurriedly greeted them and bowed. “Hello, Mr. Sawyer…” Isn’t this a Godsent opportunity for me to get close to Ethan Sawyer?
Sawyer frowned. Whenever he was walking, he would often be approached by random strangers trying to get close to him.
The restaurant manager at the side was about to step forward to pull Declan away, but all of a sudden, Sawyer saw a familiar figure through the open door of the private room.
“Mr. Sawyer, I…” Declan wanted to say something, but…
“Get lost!” Sawyer had no time for him now. He simply pushed past Declan and hurried into the private room.

Chapter 64: Blind

Declan was caught off guard and began stumbling away, but he definitely didn’t dare to get angry. As soon as he regained his balance, he saw a person standing behind Sawyer, and his eyes lit up.
“Mr. Davis! You’re here too…” Declan hurriedly greeted Flynn Davis.
“Shut up!” Davis similarly pushed past him. Without even looking at Declan, he hurried into the private room.
Sawyer rushed into the private room and looked at Lucas, who was sitting on a chair. He smiled and bowed. “I never expected to run into you here today, Mr. Gray. It’s such a coincidence. I happen to be treating some friends to a meal here today. Please grant me the honor of having a meal with you.”
Davis greeted too. “Hello, Mr. Gray.”
He almost addressed Lucas as chairman, but he held it back because he recalled Lucas’s instructions not to reveal his identity.
Lucas looked at Sawyer and Davis and grinned mirthlessly. “Mr. Sawyer, you booked the entire restaurant for yourself just for a meal. I don’t dare to stay.”
Sawyer was puzzled. “Booked the entire restaurant? Who said that?”
The manager at the side immediately shuddered, thinking that his plan to cozy up to Ethan Sawyer by bootlicking had failed.
The manager stood up and smiled. “I was just scared that others might ruin your mood, but I didn’t know that this gentleman here is your friend. I’m very sorry!”
The restaurant supervisor at the side also turned pale in shock. Actually, it was considered a common practice of their restaurant. Ethan Sawyer was the big boss of the restaurant, and since he was hosting some guests, the staff drove everyone away.
However, he didn’t know that one of the guests he had driven away was Ethan Sawyer’s friend. This is horrible!
The waiter who came over to clear the room was so scared that he started shuddering in fear and was on the brink of tears.
He was just a waiter, and these things had nothing to do with him…
“Mr. Sawyer, I’m very sorry…” The supervisor hurriedly bowed and apologized to Lucas.
However, Sawyer directly interrupted him, “Enough. Since you’ve offended a distinguished guest, you’re fired. Go collect your salary and leave!”
The manager and supervisor wanted to plead for leniency. But when they saw the stern expression on Sawyer’s face, they were too scared to say anything and had no choice but to hang their heads low and go to the HR department to handle the procedures.
Meanwhile, the waiter really felt like crying.
“Forget it.” Lucas waved his hand. “They just assumed that that was what you wanted. I wasn’t offended either.”
With a look of embarrassment, Sawyer said smilingly, “I will instruct them to pay more attention in the future and never repeat such a mistake again.”
After that, Sawyer glared at the three people in front of him, “What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and thank Mr. Gray. If he hadn’t spoken up for you, you would have lost your jobs! Remember, don’t do such things again in the future. I’m not that demanding!”
Hearing Sawyer’s words, the restaurant manager, the supervisor, and the unlucky waiter hurriedly bowed to Lucas and thanked him. “Thank you for being so generous, Mr. Gray! Thank you so much!”
This scene made Declan Adams and Estelle Brooke, who were standing at the entrance of the private room, stare wide-eyed at them!
None of them expected that Ethan Sawyer, the richest man in Orange County, and Flynn Davis, the general manager of the Stardust Corporation, would actually swallow their pride in front of Lucas.
They tried to fire the manager and supervisor because they thought that they had offended Lucas. However, the staff were saved by Lucas’s words.
How can he be an ordinary person? Declan felt that he was dreaming.
In particular, a few minutes ago, he still treated Lucas as a loser who was just sponging off a woman. He even talked to him condescendingly.
Thinking of this, Declan wanted to give himself a few slaps!
“Um… Mr. Gray, I’m so sorry for offending you just now. Please let me off on Charlotte’s account and pardon me for my ignorance.” Declan Adams bowed to Lucas carefully.
Seeing her husband stooping so low, Estelle couldn’t help but be furious. However, she also knew that someone who could make Ethan Sawyer and Flynn Davis stoop low too must be extraordinary and reckoned that she probably could not afford to provoke him.
At the thought of this, Estelle glared at Charlotte with jealousy and resentment. What right does this woman whom my husband doesn’t want have to find a boyfriend who’s even more impressive than Declan?
After hearing Declan’s words, Lucas smiled. “I’m just a jobless man waiting to sponge off a woman. How can I compare to you, Mr. Adams, who’s so close to Mr. Davis of the Stardust Corporation?”
As soon as Declan heard this, he broke out in a cold sweat.
Earlier, he had blindly bragged in front of Charlotte and Lucas, saying that he had a good relationship with Davis and would help Charlotte talk to him so as to help her get promoted. However, the truth was that Davis didn’t know him at all!
The worst thing was that Davis was right here! Wouldn’t his lie be exposed then?
As he had expected, Davis looked at Declan in bewilderment and asked with a frown, “Who are you?”
These three simple words were like a loud slap on Declan’s face!
Declan’s face began to heat up, and he hurriedly said, “Mr. Davis, I’m from the Sunshine Corporation, and I’m here in Orange County to discuss the cooperation with your company…”
Davis had long heard what happened. He also understood that Declan must have offended Lucas and even deliberately bragged about being close to him. Someone like him wants to cooperate with the Stardust Corporation? He can forget about it!
Davis interrupted Declan, “The Stardust Corporation will not cooperate with you. From now on, we will reject all business dealings with you! Please leave.”
Declan immediately stiffened.
But at this moment, Sawyer added, “The same goes for the Sawyer Corporation. From now on, we will refuse any cooperation related to the Sunshine Corporation!”
The two big shots spoke at the same time and turned down all cooperations with the Sunshine Corporation, making Declan frightened speechless!
This time, he came to Orange County on his family’s orders to sign a cooperation agreement with the Stardust Corporation to expand the business scope of the Sunshine Corporation to Orange County.
When his family finally handed the task to him, he was full of confidence, thinking that he would definitely be able to clinch the deal with his good looks and even expand into Orange County.
However, before he did anything, he was condemned and declined by Flynn Davis, the general manager of the Stardust Corporation, and Ethan Sawyer, the richest man in Orange County, all because of this incident!

Chapter 65: Proposing on the Street

Declan’s face was pale. He had completely foiled the matter regarding the cooperation. How could he face the people in the company when he returned?
Hearing this, Estelle panicked too. “You guys can’t be such bullies! Mr. Davis, you clearly promised to cooperate with our company prior to this, which is the reason we rushed all the way here. How can you go back on your words?”
Davis frowned impatiently. “When did I promise to cooperate with you?”
Estelle said indignantly, “When my father called your company a few days ago, you clearly promised to consider cooperating with us!”
When Davis heard that, he was irked yet amused.
He didn’t remember promising to cooperate with the Sunshine Corporation, but it turned out that they had taken to his excuse, which was just a common response given to all companies.
Thinking of this, Davis lost interest in arguing with the ignorant Estelle. He simply beckoned the waiter to bring them out.
Feeling indignant, Estelle wanted to say something, but Declan hurriedly stopped her and dragged her out of Lion Restaurant.
“Why are you stopping me? I haven’t suffered this kind of mistreatment since I was a child!” Estelle slammed her Hermes bag against the floor and threw a tantrum.
“Ah, I’m doing this for your own good. If you keep prodding and end up pissing off Flynn Davis, the Sunshine Group will be in huge trouble too. Your father might be implicated as well,” Declan said as he picked up Estelle’s handbag and patted the dust off of it for her.
“He’s not as impressive as you make out to be. He’s just the general manager of a company in Orange County. What’s the big deal?!” Estelle was agitated.
“Hey, pipe down!” Declan hurriedly pulled Estelle to the side, fearing that others might hear what she said.
After looking around and realizing that there was no one around, he whispered into Estelle’s ears, “If it’s just Flynn Davis alone, it’s not a big deal. But the Stardust Corporation is not simple at all. It’s backed by the Huttons, one of the eight wealthiest families of the capital! You should have heard of how powerful and rich they are.”
Estelle had obviously heard of the Hutton family, who were well-known in the country.
She finally knew what the consequences of offending Davis were, and she couldn’t help but be a little terrified.
However, Davis was not in the mood to hold it against a small fry like her now.
Davis and Sawyer were standing in front of Lucas with respectful smiles and trying to persuade him to have a meal with them.
However, Lucas shook his head and declined. “No thanks. I’m having a meal with my friend here. You guys go ahead.”
Since Lucas refused, Davis and Sawyer naturally couldn’t stay behind any longer. Instead, they ordered the restaurant staff to prepare all the signature dishes as quickly as possible and send them to the private room where Lucas and Charlotte were.
Soon, various colorful delicacies that smelled heavenly were delivered to Lucas and Charlotte.
Charlotte looked at the sumptuous spread on the table, but she didn’t move her fork and knife.
After seeing that scene just now, she had a ton of questions for Lucas, but she didn’t know where to start.
“Didn’t you say you want to treat me to a meal? The dishes have been served. If you’re not going to dig in, I will.” Lucas didn’t care what was on Charlotte’s mind and instead just started eating casually by himself.
Charlotte picked up her utensils and began eating, but the thoughts in her mind made the food seem bland and tasteless.
Charlotte began to think about the details of events that occurred after Lucas’s return.
She thought of the large chest of expensive betrothal gifts that the Sawyers had delivered to her home and the fact that Ethan Sawyer said later on that they were thank-you gifts for Lucas.
Just now, Ethan Sawyer and Flynn Davis were obviously polite and subservient to Lucas, as though… Lucas was their superior. But was that possible?
Another incident was when they were at the kindergarten, and Lucas and Jordan displayed their terrifying combat skills. They even looked like they had killed and witnessed bloodshed before, as they could break limbs and fight without hesitating.
The day before yesterday, Lucas also saved her at the Luxe, and when they finally left, the security officers in the club looked at Lucas with horror and fear in their eyes.
What kind of a person is Lucas?
What exactly did he do during the years he was missing?
Charlotte was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn’t notice that she had been staring at Lucas for a long time.
After having his fill, Lucas wiped his mouth with a napkin. Then he realized that Charlotte was still staring at him blankly with her fork in her hand.
With raised brows, he knocked on the table. “Why do you keep staring at me? Do I have food on my face?”
Only then did Charlotte suddenly snap back to her senses. Her face turned red, and she hurriedly lowered her head to polish off the food on her plate.
Unfortunately, she didn’t even put any food on the plate and was just pretending to eat to hide her embarrassment.
“There are so many dishes in front of you. Do you prefer eating air?” Lucas asked in bewilderment.
“It’s none of your business!” Charlotte hollered, angry because of her embarrassment.
After that, Charlotte suddenly felt that she and Lucas were finally back to the way they were before, and she felt a sudden sense of relief.
Forget it. No matter who he is, it’s enough as long as he treats Cheyenne and our family well.
——
In the afternoon, Lucas drove to the Brilliance Corporation to pick up Cheyenne from work.
Although Cheyenne was very familiar with the Brilliance Corporation, and there was no need for her to be ferried to and fro, Lucas still wanted to do his best to fulfill his responsibilities as a husband.
After waiting outside the Brilliance Corporation for a while, Lucas saw Cheyenne coming out with a crowd and was about to walk up to her…
All of a sudden, a man dressed fancily rushed forward and knelt on one knee in front of Cheyenne.
“Seth Miller?” Cheyenne was stunned beyond words.
Seth raised the diamond ring nestled in a box in his hand and gazed at her affectionately. “Cheyenne, I genuinely adore you! So much has happened at home lately, but I still can’t forget you! I think about you all day, and I even dream of you at night. Every day has been so bittersweet for me!
“So, I’ve decided to propose to you. Cheyenne, marry me! I will definitely bring you happiness!”
Many staff of the Brilliance Corporation and passersby surrounded them upon the sight of the street proposal. They started taking photos and cheering loudly, “Say yes! Marry him!”
Cheyenne was so furious that her face turned red, and she snapped, “Seth Miller, what are you trying to do? I’ve already told you I’m married. I have a husband and a daughter. I won’t marry you!”
Huh? He’s proposing to a married woman on the street?
That’s exciting!
More and more people started crowding around them, and many of them even began imagining countless versions of horrible storylines.

So horrible

 

[Prodigy]

Chapter 66: Overbearing Bully

Overwhelmed with exasperation, Cheyenne clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
She wanted to walk away directly, but she couldn’t do so at all because of the gossipy crowd surrounding them.
“I know, but your husband is a thorough wastrel. After going missing for so many years, he’s still a good-for-nothing who’s worlds apart from me! I’m different. I’ll definitely treat you well. I can give you what he can’t! That person isn’t worthy of you at all! I’m thousands of times better than him!” Seth exclaimed loudly, wishing he could undermine Lucas as much as possible.
“Enough! I don’t want to hear you talk anymore! Do you know him? What right do you have to say anything about him?” Cheyenne retorted coldly, full of disdain toward Seth for thinking that he was thousands of times better than Lucas.
Seth couldn’t hold a candle to Lucas, but even if he was really better than Lucas, it had nothing to do with her.
At this moment, Cheyenne’s eyes widened in surprise because Lucas was squeezing through the crowd and walking toward her step by step.
“Why are you here?” Cheyenne looked at him in surprise.
“Lucas Gray!” Seth glared at the uninvited guest hostilely, completely forgetting that Lucas was Cheyenne’s rightful husband.
“I’m here to pick you up to go home.” Lucas looked at Cheyenne and handed her a ring made out of grass. “I saw this along the way, so I made you one.”
It was a small ring woven of thin strands of green grass with a small purple flower in the middle.
The crowd craned their necks and looked over, after which they couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Oh my god! Do people still weave rings out of grass these days?”
“That’s so lowly! If he can’t afford a diamond ring, he should at least buy a gold ring or a platinum ring, right? A glass ring is worthless!”
“No wonder this man said that he’s thousands of times better than the other man. It really seems to be the case!”
“It’s such a huge difference. This man proposed with a diamond ring that’s at least a few carats, while the other proposed with a grass ring. Oh my god. Any woman would know who to choose!”
…
But to everyone’s surprise, Cheyenne reached out and grabbed the grass ring Lucas handed her and put it on her finger.
“I like it a lot. Thank you!” She smiled at Lucas radiantly.
“What? That woman actually chose the grass ring!”
“Are you serious? Is there really a woman in this world who would choose a grass ring over a diamond ring? I don’t believe it!”
“Tsk, what a beautiful yet silly girl. Why didn’t I meet her earlier? Ah, such a pity! That rascal got an advantage!”
All of a sudden, everyone looked at Cheyenne like they were looking at a fool before looking at Lucas in envy!
This rascal is too lucky!
Ignoring the bizarre gazes on him from the people standing around them, Lucas took Cheyenne’s hand and walked away.
Boiling with fury, Seth glared at the two of them from behind and watched them leave.
“Lucas Gray! You loser, I won’t let you go!” Seth barked while gritting his teeth.
——
Lucas and Cheyenne got into the car and headed to the kindergarten to pick Amelia up.
Upon seeing her parents picking her up together, Amelia grinned widely and sprinted toward them. “Daddy! Mommy!”
Lucas walked forward, picked Amelia up, and held her in his arms.
Cheyenne originally wanted to say that Amelia was already six years old and didn’t need to be carried all the time, but when she saw how happy and excited Amelia was, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Amelia had been looking forward to having a father for a long time, and now that she finally got closer to him, Cheyenne decided to just let them be.
The three of them got into the car and headed home.
Throughout the journey, Amelia couldn’t contain her excitement and chattered incessantly about the new things that happened at school today. Although they were just some childish things, both of them were happy to hear her talk about them.
Lucas was smiling, but he suddenly noticed that Cheyenne did not look too well. She was frowning slightly and seemed to be out of sorts. She only returned to her senses when Amelia shook her hard.
Lucas inwardly frowned and asked seemingly casually, “Did something happen at the office today?”
“Huh?” Cheyenne was in a trance again, and she finally realized that Lucas was asking her a question.
Hanging her head low, she stroked Amelia’s head and tried to seem relaxed. “Nothing. Everything’s going well.”
Seeing her reaction, Lucas was even more certain that something must have happened to her at the Brilliance Corporation.
However, he didn’t state it explicitly. Upon returning home after dinner, Cheyenne said hesitantly, “I have to go out to do something. I’ll be home late.”
Lucas was a little surprised because Cheyenne almost rarely went out at night. She didn’t like shopping or socializing, and she would spend most of her free time at home with Amelia, apart from the occasional overtime.
“Where are you going? I’ll give you a lift,” Lucas offered.
Cheyenne shook her head. “No, it’s alright. I’ll get a cab. Stay home and accompany Amelia.”
Lucas gazed at her and nodded.
After Cheyenne left, Lucas immediately called Davis.
“Find out what happened to Cheyenne at the Brilliance Corporation today and inform me right away.”
Davis shivered. “Yes, Mr. Gray!”
Lucas had always been very concerned about matters involving Cheyenne. Davis dared not be negligent as he hurriedly instructed his subordinates to find out.
As a result, when the details of the matter were reported to him twenty minutes later, Davis turned pale.
Even Davis was irked and angry after reading it. What more Lucas, who cared a lot about Cheyenne?
Davis carefully told Lucas what happened. And just as he expected, Lucas flew into a rage and almost crushed his phone into pieces.
“Um… Mr. Gray, I’ll order them to handle it immediately and cancel that task for Miss Carter, alright?” Davis asked carefully.
“That’s not necessary. It’s too late.”
Lucas hung up with a gloomy expression and hurriedly said something to Amelia before rushing off somewhere.
Lucas’s gaze was cold. After he made Davis acquire the Brilliance Corporation, he had merely fired all the Carters who were employees instead of conducting a purge.
Yet someone was now bullying Cheyenne!
The place Cheyenne was going tonight was a company named Heaven Media, a famous company helmed by Brad Douglas’s father!
The task Cheyenne received was to discuss cooperation with Heaven Media. If she failed to complete it, she would be kicked out of the Brilliance Corporation!

Chapter 67: His Last Name Is Douglas Too

Cheyenne was just a low-level employee who held little authority and did not have a say at the Brilliance Corporation now. So she couldn’t decline the task at all.
Heaven Media was supposedly a film and television media company, and the company had signed many small-time artists. But in reality, it had failed to produce any decent films or television productions. The artists were more like escorts specialized in maintaining the social connections of Heaven Media.
Therefore, the office building of Heaven Media had extremely tacky decor. It was currently nighttime and thus even livelier than usual in the office. The small-time artists could be seen entertaining clients in every corner. Their behavior was frivolous and seductive, and the office seemed more like a nightclub.
Cheyenne frowned from the moment she stepped into the Heaven Media building.
But when she thought about the fact that she was here to discuss cooperating with Heaven Media, she had no choice but to look away and pretend not to see what was happening.
She walked straight to the front desk and inquired, “Hello, is Mr. Douglas available? I’m Cheyenne Carter from the Carter Corporation, and I’m here to discuss our cooperation with him.”
The woman at the front desk scanned Cheyenne from head to toe with obvious contempt in her eyes.
“Mr. Douglas is available. Come with me,” the receptionist said, as if she was already used to such matters. She then led Cheyenne to a private room upstairs.
As soon as the door was pushed open, the pink and purple walls and lights almost blinded Cheyenne.
Cheyenne stood at the door of the private room without going in and looked at the receptionist in confusion. “Um… I’m here to talk about business. Shouldn’t we go to an office for the discussion?”
The decorations and the facilities inside the room made it look just like a sordid entertainment joint, giving her a bad feeling.
“Is Miss Carter here? Come in,” said a domineering voice.
The receptionist gestured for Cheyenne to enter. “Mr. Douglas is waiting for you inside. Miss Carter, please.”
Cheyenne took a deep breath, bit the bullet, and entered the room in a dignified gait.
There was a middle-aged man of about fifty years old with a checkered shirt sitting on the couch. His hair was slightly sparse, and despite the smile on his face, he didn’t seem very affable or approachable.
He was Gordon Douglas, the chairman of Heaven Media and Brad Douglas’s father.
When he saw Cheyenne enter, a flash of amazement appeared in his eyes.
“Haha, Miss Carter, I’ve heard a lot about you. You’re worthy of being the greatest beauty of Orange County!” Gordon stood up and extended his hand toward Cheyenne.
Cheyenne extended her arm politely and shook his hand. “Hello, Mr. Douglas.”
She was about to let go, but she realized that Gordon was still holding her hand tightly. In fact, he even grazed his thumb against her hand.
“Indeed, you look even more beautiful up close in person. They all say that women look even more beautiful under the light. That’s indeed true.” Gordon chuckled with his eyes glued to Cheyenne’s face.
Cheyenne frowned, thinking that Gordon Douglas had already crossed the line.
“You’re being too polite,” Cheyenne said calmly while retracting her hand.
If not for the cooperation, Cheyenne wouldn’t even have bothered to talk to him. She would have long opened the door and left.
“Mr. Douglas, I’m here today mainly for the cooperation between the Brilliance Corporation and your company. As you know, the Brilliance Corporation and the Stardust Corporation reached a long-term strategic partnership a few days ago. Enterprises and companies of various sizes have extended their invitations to us to seek cooperation. I won’t say much about the development prospects of the Brilliance Corporation. We hope to achieve win-win cooperation with the major companies. What do you think?” Cheyenne said politely in a businesslike manner.
During the banquet two days ago, the Brilliance Corporation became a famous company in the county with whom everyone vied to cooperate.
In fact, the cooperation invitations of the various companies were already enough. There was no need for her to specially go to Heaven Media to discuss.
After all, there were many companies wanting to cooperate with the Brilliance Corporation, and if Heaven Media rejected them, it would be their own loss.
“Haha, I know what you mean, Miss Carter. The Brilliance Corporation is now very famous!” Gordon sat down on the couch again, leaned back against it, and pointed to the seat beside him. “Have a seat too, Miss Carter.”
Cheyenne frowned inwardly and sat down on the other couch beside the coffee table.
Gordon Douglas acted as if he didn’t see it at all. He picked up two glasses of champagne from a tray nonchalantly and gave one to Cheyenne.
“Miss Carter, you came here personally to discuss cooperating. Of course, I have to discuss it with you on your account. You want to cooperate? No problem! We can sign the contract in a bit! Let’s toast to our happy cooperation!” Gordon said straightforwardly.
Cheyenne was a bit surprised. She initially thought that the cooperation would definitely fail, but she didn’t expect him to agree so quickly.
Seeing the wine glass being handed to her, Cheyenne grabbed it and clinked her glass with
Gordon’s. “Thank you, Mr. Douglas. Here’s to our happy cooperation!”
Gordon laughed and finished the champagne in one gulp. “I’ve downed my glass. Miss Carter, help yourself.”
Since Cheyenne couldn’t turn him down, she could only drink it. Fortunately, it was not high in alcohol content.
Gordon grinned. “I heard that you’re married, Miss Carter, and your husband is a live-in sonin-law.”
Cheyenne frowned slightly, not knowing why he suddenly brought up this matter. Nevertheless, she nodded to express assent. “I didn’t expect you to have heard about my personal life.”
Gordon propped himself up with his hands on the couch. “Of course. Your husband is very capable!”
Cheyenne was confused by his answer. Does he know Lucas?
Cheyenne only just realized that Lucas was an extraordinary person during the banquet a few days ago. Based on what Gordon said, she wondered if he was friends with Lucas.
Cheyenne asked, “Mr. Douglas, are you friends with my husband?”
Hearing this, Gordon suddenly burst into laughter, as if he had heard a funny joke. “Hahaha. Friend? Of course not! Miss Carter, do you still remember what happened at the Luxe the day before yesterday?”
At the mention of the Luxe, Cheyenne obviously remembered everything that happened that day. Charlotte was abducted by Bryce, brought to the club, and almost violated… Wait!
The person who colluded with Bryce to abduct Charlotte was Brad Douglas!
He’s a Douglas too!

Chapter 68: Showing Up at the Door

Cheyenne was overwhelmed with shock for a long time before asking, “Mr. Douglas, what is your relationship… with Brad Douglas?” Gordon smiled. “He’s my incompetent son.”
Cheyenne suddenly clenched her fist.
This chairman of Heaven Media in front of her was actually the father of Brad Douglas!
Since Gordon asked about Lucas, he definitely knew who Lucas was!
Gordon continued, “It’s because of your capable husband, Lucas, that my unfilial son has become the laughingstock of all of Orange County! Miss Carter, what do you think I should do in return?”
Gordon’s wry and insincere smile made Cheyenne feel a chill run down her spine.
If Cheyenne still didn’t understand by now that he wasn’t intending to discuss cooperating with her, she would be a huge fool!
“No!” Recalling the half cup of champagne she just drank, Cheyenne stood up abruptly, her expression drastically changed.
However, as soon as she stood up, she felt dizzy and couldn’t even stand straight.
“You!” Cheyenne glowered at Gordon furiously. But before she could even finish saying anything, she blacked out and fell onto the couch.
“Hmph.” Standing beside the couch, Gordon looked down at Cheyenne, who had already passed out because of the medicine, and a vicious and sinister expression appeared on his face. “Lucas Gray, you’ve hurt my son and tarnished his reputation, so you’ll have to pay the price!”
——
On the way, Lucas sped as fast as he could in his Jaguar, rapidly weaving through the traffic. It took him less than twenty minutes to reach the Heaven Media office building.
It had been more than half an hour since Cheyenne had left.
He couldn’t reach Cheyenne on the phone, so he didn’t know if she was safe currently.
If anything really happened to Cheyenne, he would definitely make everyone in the Douglas family die with her!
Lucas’s gaze was cold, and he had a murderous aura as he kicked the door of the Heaven Media office building with all his might.
“Hey! Who are you?” The pretty receptionist stood up in a flustered manner and retreated.
However, Lucas was already standing right in front of her. “Did a woman named Cheyenne come here earlier? Where is she now?”
Lucas’s gaze was horrifying, and he looked like he wanted to devour someone. The receptionist was so frightened that she started shuddering in shock. However, she dared not speak up. Mr. Douglas specially brought that woman named Cheyenne to the private room. They’re definitely still doing the deed now. I’m just a receptionist. How can I let someone go and stop them?
Lucas’s patience was running thin, and he kicked the marble table at the side. The solid marble table immediately shattered into bits like tofu before collapsing in the middle!
“Speak!”
The pretty receptionist’s body was shaking violently, and she was so frightened, her legs turned weak. She fell onto the ground, petrified with fear. He kicked the solid marble table and managed to make such a big hole in it. If he kicks me…
At this moment, she could no longer care about how terrified she was of Gordon Douglas. The man in front of her was too terrifying!
“S-she’s upstairs… in the private room…” the receptionist said while shivering, suddenly finding the cold aura even more terrifying.
Lucas left the front desk, leaving the horrified receptionist behind, and walked directly toward the stairs.
“Who dares to create trouble here in Heaven Media?” A bunch of security officers rushed out to stop Lucas.
“Hmph, tell Gordon Douglas to come out!” Lucas didn’t take those insignificant security officers seriously at all.
“How dare you call the chairman by his full name!” the captain of the security officers hollered as the security officers surrounded Lucas.
The manager of Heaven Media hurriedly ran upstairs and reported from outside the private room, “Mr. Douglas, a young man has barged in and demands to see you and Miss Carter! He’s very proficient in fighting, and I’m afraid our security officers won’t be able to stop him!”
“Oh?” Gordon knew who had come as soon as he heard it, and a playful smile appeared on his face.
“Tell him to come up. I’ve prepared a big gift for him here!”
The manager hesitated slightly. But as he thought about the means that Gordon Douglas usually resorted to, he answered respectfully, “Yes, Mr. Douglas!”
The manager rushed downstairs and was ready to ask the security officers to stand down, only to realize to his horror that not a single security officer in the lobby could stand!
The manager felt his blood turn cold. Facing Lucas’s icy-cold gaze, the manager felt like he was about to collapse onto the ground.
“M-Mr. Douglas w-would like you to go up-upstairs,” the manager stammered, his teeth chattering due to his fear.
At this moment, Lucas’s aura was too terrifying. A single glance was scary enough to make him shiver.
After shooting him a hostile glance, Lucas headed upstairs.
Jordan appeared at the door behind him, holding a person’s ankle like this man was a dead dog drenched in blood. He dragged him through the door and followed Lucas upstairs without saying a word.
The manager pressed his body against the wall and only heaved a sigh of relief and sat down after the two walked past him. His heart pounded rapidly as he looked at the trail of blood left behind on the floor.
After Lucas and Jordan went upstairs, many small-time artists and rich clients, who had been hiding and watching, finally started whispering to each other.
“This is the business of the Douglases. Who dares to be so brazen as to create trouble here?”
“Those two are just too young and have a death wish!”
“Exactly. The Douglas family is powerful and has connections with all the gangs. Even we don’t dare to mess with them. Those two youngsters probably won’t even know how they died!”
As the discussion got heated downstairs, Lucas and Jordan had already arrived upstairs.
The door of the private room opened. Gordon was sitting on the leather couch nonchalantly. Upon seeing the two of them, he narrowed his eyes and sized them up. Hah, just two young punks. How dare they beat my son so badly?!
Gordon snapped his fingers, and a muscular and burly man more than two meters tall waked over from the side and stood next to him.
When the muscular man walked, the floor of the room trembled slightly. He was clearly trying to intimidate Lucas and Jordan.
However, Lucas did not even bother glancing at the tall and muscular man in front of him. Instead, he stared at the couch beside Gordon.
Cheyenne was lying on the couch. Fortunately, she was fully clothed, and there were no other traces on her body.
The tension in Lucas’s heart finally eased up.
“You should be glad that you didn’t touch her. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to sit here and talk to me now.” Lucas glared coldly at Gordon.

Chapter 69: Smashed With a Single Punch

Hearing this, Gordon smiled. “Young man, you’re very arrogant, huh?! However, I didn’t touch her precisely because I was waiting for you to come. I want you to see that scene with your own eyes! Watching your woman being violated and destroyed while you’re unable to do anything must be wonderful, wouldn’t it?!”
The murderous intent in Lucas’s eyes intensified. Initially, he wanted to be lenient with Gordon Douglas, but it now seemed unnecessary.
“Damn it! Old dog, what are you saying?!” Jordan flew into a rage and immediately wanted to charge forward to kill Gordon, but he was stopped by Lucas.
“I’m not as arrogant as you two. You abducted someone and drugged them. You guys seem to like this trick a lot. I wonder how your son felt when he got a taste of his own medicine. Do you want to have a try too? In any case, you’ve got a candidate here, so I might as well fulfill your wish.” Lucas narrowed his eyes as he glanced at Gordon and the muscular man beside him.
“Kid, you’re very gutsy!” Gordon was stunned for a moment but soon started laughing again despite his anger. “You’re just a live-in son-in-law of a lowly family. You’re a useless loser. Where did you get the courage to speak to me like that?! The Douglas family is well respected in the county. You’re not afraid of dying, huh?”
“The Douglas family is nothing.” Lucas sneered disdainfully, not taking the Douglas family seriously at all. “Also, you’re wrong. You’re the one who has a death wish. Who gave you the courage to touch my wife?”
“You’re on the brink of death, and you’re still so sharp-tongued, huh? I’ll see if your bones are as tough as your mouth!” Gordon sneered sinisterly and was about to beckon the muscular man beside him to make a move when…
“Jordan, what are you waiting for? Deliver the big gift we prepared for him,” Lucas shouted.
“Yes, Lucas!” Hearing his order, Jordan immediately flung the man he had been dragging along, and the bloodied body rolled toward Gordon. He was completely motionless, and it was unclear if he was alive or not.
Gordon glanced at the pathetic figure. His limbs had been broken, and he was lying limply on the ground. His face was also battered with bruises, and his flesh was badly mangled with blood all over the place, so much so that he was unrecognizable.
Gordon sneered and looked at Lucas and Jordan. “Where did you get this man from? Are you trying to scare me? I’ve been mingling among gangs for decades. I’m not that easily intimidated.”
Jordan couldn’t help but snicker and mock. “Old dog, you’d better open your dog eyes and take a good look. Otherwise, it’ll be the end of your family lineage.”
“What do you mean?” Gordon furrowed his brows.
“Don’t you have eyes? Can’t you see for yourself? There you go.” Jordan pointed his chin at the hideous figure.
Gordon lowered his head and pressed his foot against the bloodied figure on the ground. Then a familiar-looking gold pendant tumbled out.
Startled, Gordon hurriedly took a closer look. Indeed, there was the word ‘Douglas’ engraved on the pendant. It was the gold pendant his son had been wearing ever since he was a child!
Looking at the bloodied figure in front of him, he began to find him more and more familiarlooking, so familiar that his heart palpitated.
Gordon stood up abruptly and roared furiously, “Brad!”
Jordan grinned and said to Lucas, “Lucas, I’ve beaten him to the point that his old man can’t even recognize him.”
Lucas smiled. “Good job. I’ll reward you later.”
Gordon grimaced in rage. When he heard their words, he was so furious that he turned hysterical. “Good, great! You two brats, I must kill you! I’ll make sure you die without a complete corpse!”
Gordon hollered at the tall, muscular man beside him, “Go, beat them until they die! I’ll give you one-and-a-half million dollars! I want you to crush their bones and make them wail and repent!”
“Yes!” The burly and muscular man clenched his fist, and the sounds of his bones cracking immediately filled the air.
He took a few steps forward, and the entire ground of the room quaked a few times.
However, Lucas glanced at the muscular man calmly and said to Jordan, “I’ll leave it to you.” Without looking at him anymore, he walked toward Cheyenne.
After being ignored, the muscular man roared and raised his fist to punch Lucas hard on his head.
If the punch really landed on his head, it would definitely be smashed into bits!
Lucas remained calm, as if he didn’t notice the punch coming at him.
“Hmph, you’ve got a death wish! Wade is a king of underground boxing, and he can blow your head into pieces with a single punch! Let’s see how you can keep being arrogant!” Gordon’s lips twisted into a smirk, as though he could already see Lucas’s head getting smashed.
At this moment, a figure flashed out, and a faster fist slammed against Wade’s fist. With a loud bang, the muscular Wade was forced to retreat several steps.
At the same time, Wade shrieked in pain.
His right hand was hanging in front of his body at an extremely unnatural angle, and his right arm was quivering violently. His fingers and wrists were all broken!
Gordon’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Wade was a combat expert he had hired at a high price. With his fists alone, he had already crushed the heads of countless people.
Gordon Douglas paid this high price all for the sake of killing Lucas and taking revenge for his son.
However, not only did Wade fail to hit Lucas with his punch, he had the bones of his fingers and wrists broken by Jordan’s punch. How could Gordon stand it?!
In fact, he was already prepared to get Wade to beat Lucas Gray and then make him watch Cheyenne Carter get violated to appease the hatred in his heart.
Now, all his plans were foiled!
In contrast, Lucas ignored it. He simply walked to Cheyenne, picked her up in his arms, and then turned around to leave.
He didn’t want Cheyenne to stay in such a dirty place any longer.
“Hold it!” Seeing that Lucas was about to take Cheyenne away, Gordon obviously wasn’t willing to take it lying down.
“If you guys dare to step out of here, I will kill you immediately. Do you believe it?” Gordon grimaced.
All he heard was Lucas’s derisive sneer. “Hmph!”

Chapter 70: I Don’t Want to Die

“Hmph, what are you being arrogant about? You’re just a live-in son-in-law. So what if you have an impressive brother? Do you dare to touch me? Moreover, if the Douglases want to kill you, it’ll be a piece of cake!” Gordon hollered.
Jordan rushed forward and slapped Gordon on his lips. “How dare you be so arrogant in front of Lucas? I’m going to hit you!” How dare he threaten Lucas. He must have a death wish!
Gordon was dumbfounded by Jordan’s sudden slap. In the decades of his life, he had never been hit on the face before, especially not by a good-for-nothing’s sidekick!
Gordon was so furious that he wished he could kill the two of them immediately! Unfortunately, the expert he hired had his hand crippled.
“How dare you beat up the future successor of the Douglas family! There’s no need for your family to exist anymore!”
He thought that Lucas would be scrupulous and fearful, but Lucas simply laughed nonchalantly after hearing his words. “Do as you please. But you’re just throwing your weight around because of your family’s prestige. Do you think the Douglas family is a big deal? If your family is destroyed, do you think you’d still have the right to be so arrogant to me?”
“Haha, you want to destroy the Douglas family? You can dream on! Even the richest man in the county wouldn’t dare to say that he could destroy my family, let alone a loser like you!” Gordon looked at Lucas like he was a fool.
Lucas smiled, not wanting to speak anymore.
The Douglas family was insignificant to him.
It was a piece of cake for him to destroy the Douglas family.
Carrying Cheyenne in his arms, Lucas was about to leave when Gordon suddenly pulled out a Bergmann–Bayard automatic pistol and pointed the muzzle at him.
“Like I said, if you dare to leave this place, I will kill you immediately! Put her down! Or else don’t blame me for pulling the trigger!” Gordon shouted, appearing rather hysterical.
His plan for today was to avenge his son by making Lucas watch Cheyenne get violated. Before reaching his goal, he would not let them leave!
Besides, Jordan had just slapped him!
How could he, Gordon Douglas, stand such an insult?!
Now that he had his pistol in hand, he no longer feared anything.
Even if Lucas and Jordan were impressive fighters, they wouldn’t be faster than a bullet.
Lucas was really annoyed at this moment.
Since Cheyenne was safe and sound, he originally planned to let Gordon Douglas off with a light punishment. However, he didn’t expect him to be so ignorant. Since he has a death wish, I won’t be merciful to him!
Lucas glanced at the Bergmann–Bayard automatic pistol that Gordon was holding, but he wasn’t fazed by it at all. “Do you think you can shoot me with that tiny pistol?”
Lucas’s disdainful attitude irritated Gordon even more.
Gordon held up the pistol and said in annoyance, “What are you pretending for? I don’t believe you can dodge a bullet! If you put that woman down and kneel in front of me, I will consider giving you a way out. Otherwise, this pistol will shoot all three of you dead! I’ve been involved with gangs for a long time, so it’s not like I haven’t killed anyone before!”
It was clear that Gordon was threatening him.
Lucas remained unfazed. “If you have what it takes, you can try shooting me. If you can’t kill me, all the members of the Douglas family will die with you!”
Lucas’s tone was brimming with cold killing intent, and the temperature around him abruptly plummeted.
Lucas could not tolerate the fact that Gordon repeatedly tried to violate Cheyenne in front of him.
“Great! I gave you a chance! You’re the one who wants to die!” Gordon gritted his teeth with a menacing expression. He raised the pistol and was about to pull the trigger to shoot Lucas.
“Wait! Don’t shoot!” Wade, the muscular man at the side, suddenly interrupted. He glanced at Lucas with scruples and tried to stop Gordon.
“What? Do you want to betray me? Don’t forget. I paid you to be here, even though you were totally useless!” Gordon barked while glaring at Wade with reddened eyes.
Now, he just wanted to kill Lucas, and whoever stopped him would be his enemy!
“No, you can’t kill him at all! Do you think a gun is invincible? You won’t even hit him. And once you shoot, he won’t let you off. He won’t let me off either. I don’t want to die here!” Wade exclaimed with a frown.
“Hmph, I don’t believe it! You’re a useless good-for-nothing, and he’s just pretending to be powerful, yet you’re so scared. You’re such a coward! Get lost. I must kill him!” Gordon roared furiously.
Wade shook his head regretfully. “Since you insist on ignoring my advice, don’t blame me then.”
Before Wade finished speaking, he suddenly dashed at Gordon and strangled him from behind with his uninjured left hand.
“W-what are you doing!?!” Gordon panicked. He never expected Wade to bite the hand that fed him!
At the same time, both Lucas and Jordan were also a little surprised.
“Like I said, I just want to live. If you had shot, they definitely wouldn’t have let me go. If you refuse to take my advice, I’ll have to kill you first!” Wade tightened his grip on Gordon’s neck, causing the latter to choke and his eyes to roll backward.
The fear of death instantly surged in Gordon’s heart. At this moment, he no longer cared about taking revenge or restoring his pride. He just wanted to survive!
“Stop… I… I will listen… to you…” Gordon struggled to say a few words in a muffled voice.
Wade felt a tingling sensation on his wrist and subconsciously let go of Gordon.
He looked over in horror, only to see Lucas staring at them with a straight face and Jordan fiddling with the Bergmann pistol.
Jordan had grabbed the pistol in Gordon’s hand just now in an instant. Even Wade didn’t see how he actually moved!
Wade had no idea what struck his wrist either… In short, he didn’t get a clear glimpse despite having sharp vision.
This could only mean that Jordan’s combat skills were far superior to his!
If they really wanted to kill him, he’d never be able to escape!
After Gordon escaped from a close shave with death, his legs and feet went limp, and he collapsed onto the ground while covering his neck and panting heavily.
The threat of death had overwhelmed him with fear!

Why would you be so afraid of death when you also is trying to kill

 

[Prodigy]

Who is going to carry a torch for me too

Chapter 71: Loyal Follower

After finally catching his breath, Gordon raised his head and saw that the pistol originally in his hand had somehow ended up in the hand of Jordan, who was opposite him.
At this moment, Jordan was pointing the muzzle at him and threatening to pull the trigger.
Gordon was stunned to the point of turning pale and sweating profusely. His body stiffened, and he dared not move at all, fearing that he might upset Jordan and cause him to pull the trigger and shoot him.
“Hah, weren’t you very arrogant just now? Is that all the guts you have?” Jordan sneered while looking at Gordon with disdain.
Gordon’s face turned red, but he no longer wanted to retort.
Suddenly, Wade did something that no one expected.
He suddenly knelt on one knee facing Lucas and bowed. “I, Wade Spartan, would like to pledge my allegiance to you. Please grant me permission to follow you!”
As soon as he said that, Gordon was dumbfounded, and he looked at Wade in disbelief.
As Wade’s employer, he was naturally aware of his origins. Wade was a king of underground boxing and known to be ruthless and unforgiving. There had been many times where he severely injured the opponents who challenged him in the ring.
Wade deserved his title as a king of underground boxing, and the price of hiring him once was hefty.
Now, such a strong man was actually kneeling in front of Lucas and asking to pledge allegiance to him!
Gordon felt like he was dreaming.
Lucas asked with slightly raised brows, “Why?”
Wade said seriously, “You are very strong. Although you didn’t make a move, I can feel that your aura is even more terrifying than the aura of the man beside you. I want to be the follower of a mighty figure!”
Lucas smiled. “That’s your reason. But why should I keep you by my side?”
“I can do anything you command, be it murder or arson. As long as you want me to, I will do it and ensure that it won’t cause you any problems!” Wade promised. This was what most people paid him to do anyway.
However, this was of no appeal to Lucas.
“I’m not interested,” Lucas declined without hesitation.
Not only was he not interested in murder and arson, but even if he were, he wouldn’t employ Wade.
“Um… I can be your bodyguard and protect you or protect the people around you,” Wade hurriedly said after some thought.
This statement made Lucas tempted.
He naturally did not need Wade to be his bodyguard. But Cheyenne and Charlotte had been getting into trouble lately, and things would have been different if they had someone to protect them.
As a king of underground boxing, Wade naturally had passable combat proficiency.
Although his bones had been broken by Jordan, he could still withstand it. Besides, the quick actions and reflexes he exhibited when he threatened Gordon meant that he was a smart man.
Lucas wasn’t afraid that he would betray him like he betrayed Gordon either. After all, for someone as strong as Wade, he would never betray someone stronger than him.
The only thing that he had to consider now was Wade’s background. If someone was deliberately trying to plant Wade beside him as a snitch, he naturally couldn’t keep him around.
Lucas thought about it and nodded. “I can consider it. I’ll look for you in the future.”
Overjoyed, Wade exclaimed, “Okay! Thank you, Mr. Gray!”
Gordon, who had seen everything, was extremely frustrated.
The thought of the expert he had hired at great cost deciding to betray him and defect to his enemy made him feel like vomiting blood.
“Wade, are you sure you want to betray me?” Gordon turned to Wade and said angrily.
But Wade smiled indifferently. “Betray? You must be mistaken, Mr. Douglas. I’m not your subordinate, and I haven’t received any money from you, so how can it be considered betrayal?”
Gordon was so furious that he started trembling. However, he really didn’t know how to retort.
Previously, he and Wade had agreed to settle the payment after completing the matter. It was true that Wade had not received a single cent from him yet.
Gordon gritted his teeth. “You! Don’t you regret your choice! If you choose that good-fornothing, you will be an enemy of the Douglases! Do you think you can stand up to us? We can always hire another group of experts!”
Lucas was tired of hearing these threats from Gordon. “You keep mentioning your family. Do you really think your family is that impressive? Without your family, you’d be nothing, Gordon Douglas!”
Gordon flew into a rage and shouted, “Hmph, you’re just a boor who beats others all the time. How would you know how horrifying my family is? The Douglas family is a first-class family in Orange County, and we are incredibly wealthy and well-connected. We can crush you with just a finger! When the time comes, and the Carters are annihilated, you will regret what you’ve done today!”
Hearing these words, Jordan deliberately pretended to be frightened and wrapped his arms around himself. “What should we do? Lucas, I’m so scared!”
Seeing this, Gordon stood up from the ground and held his head up high proudly. “Hmph, you’re scared, huh? It’s not too late to regret it! Leave that woman behind, kneel down in front of me, and kowtow three times, and I’ll consider sparing you!”
“Kowtow my ass! Dream on, you idiot!” Jordan immediately stopped pretending and walked up to kick Gordon to make him wake up.
“Forget it.” Lucas glanced at Gordon coldly like he was looking at a dead man. “When the
Douglas family falls, he won’t be able to be arrogant anymore.”
After saying this, Lucas stopped caring about Gordon and left with Cheyenne in his arms.
Jordan and Wade hurriedly followed behind him.
With a burly and muscular man like Wade behind them, when they left the Heaven Media office, no one dared to step forth to stop them at all.
Gordon was the only one who failed to get anything after painstakingly setting everything up. He even got angered and had to see his son dragged to him, all battered with bruises.
Gordon was enraged. He yelled at his men to call for an ambulance to take Brad to the hospital while smashing everything in the room to vent his anger.
Meanwhile, Jordan followed behind Lucas and asked, “Lucas, seems like that idiot won’t give up. Why didn’t you teach him a lesson so that he won’t dare to get any funny ideas?”
Wade hurriedly chimed in, “I can make him disappear from this world tonight if you’d like!”
Lucas shook his head with a smile on his lips. “No, we don’t have to do that. If we want to get rid of them, wouldn’t it be more interesting to make them kill themselves?”
Wade suddenly shuddered, thinking to himself that he had made the wisest choice of his life by not choosing to be Lucas’s enemy!

Chapter 72: Seize Everything

Lucas chose not to send Cheyenne back to her home because it’d be inappropriate since she was unconscious. In order not to make the Carters worry, he brought Cheyenne back to his residence in Orange County, Pearl Lakeside Villa.
On the way, Lucas called someone and said briefly, “Make the Douglas family disappear from Orange County within three days.”
“Yes!” Hearing Lucas’s voice, the person on the other end dared not be negligent at all.
At this moment, the Douglas family still had no idea that a calamity was about to strike them.
Gordon Douglas’s father, Hugo Douglas, was the patriarch of the Douglas family.
Although he had long ago handed over the major businesses owned by his family to his sons and no longer tended to them, he would occasionally ask about them.
At this moment, Hugo was lying relaxedly on a comfortable couch and flipping through newspapers.
When he saw the piece of news titled ‘The Stardust Corporation has settled a cooperation for a key project in Orange County’ in bold on the financial section of the newspaper, he took off his presbyopic glasses and sighed with some envy.
“The Douglases have been trying hard to clinch that project for such a long time, but we were never successful. The Stardust Corporation managed to get it instead. The Stardust Corporation is really something!”
Next to him, a man in his late forties grabbed the presbyopic glasses from Hugo, wiped them carefully, and put them into a glasses case. He then said, “It is indeed. The Stardust Corporation may have just settled in the country a short while ago, but its development is rapid. Not only do the businesses of various sizes in Orange County want to cooperate with it, but it even managed to clinch all the key projects. It’s really impressive!”
The middle-aged man was Hugo Douglas’s eldest son and Gordon Douglas’s elder brother, Chris Douglas.
Hugo watched Chris’s movements and smiled. “Put the glasses there. A servant will come to put it away later. Why do you bother doing that?”
“It’s not much trouble. After I pack them, it’s convenient for you to use them the next time.” Chris smiled. He had always been filial and took care of all of Hugo’s needs. He would do everything he could personally as far as possible and would not let others help.
“Since the Stardust Corporation has such great potential, why don’t we try cooperating with it?” Chris asked.
Hugo Douglas sighed. “Why? When the Stardust Corporation announced that it was looking for a partner in Orange County, we immediately sent someone over. Everything was going well previously, but two days ago, the Stardust Corporation suddenly changed its mind and gave us the cold shoulder.”
“W-what’s going on? Have we offended the Stardust Corporation in any way? Or is it so arrogant and lofty that it is looking down on us?” Chris frowned.
Hugo Douglas sighed. “Who knows? Anyway, we haven’t found out yet. Chris, when you have time, go and get in touch with Mr. Davis, the general manager of the Stardust Corporation. Try to ease our relationship with the Stardust Corporation and find out where the problem lies. Try to find some opportunity to cooperate with it too.”
“Yes, Dad. I’ll surely deal with Mr. Davis. Rest assured,” Chris hurriedly agreed.
“Yes, you’re definitely someone I can trust.” Hugo Douglas patted the back of his eldest son’s hand and nodded in satisfaction. “By the way, how’s the matter with Gordon and Brad going?”
Hearing his question, Chris smiled. “It should be fine. Yesterday, Gordon asked me to introduce a competent hitman to him. It’s a king of underground boxing who’s rather ruthless. He can deal with that insignificant Lucas Gray easily. They should have already taken revenge by now.”
Hugo nodded. “Okay, that’s good. How can we get bullied by that brat and let him get away with beating Brad so badly? If we don’t get revenge, won’t anyone dare to take advantage of us? However, you have to be careful. Don’t let Gordon go overboard. Don’t create extra trouble.”
“Okay, I know, Dad. Don’t worry. Gordon is my brother. I’ll certainly help him.” Chris nodded with a smile.
At this moment, someone from the Douglas family hurried over and exclaimed anxiously, “Bad news, Mr. Douglas Senior. Heaven Media, the Luxe, and several other entertainment joints and bathhouses have been seized!”
“What?!” Hugo stood up in shock, and his expression changed. “What’s going on? Why were they seized all of a sudden?”
The family member stammered, “Someone reported us and… they found some illegal items in the companies… Some of our artists have also exposed us and said that we forced them… Anyway, they found a lot of evidence against us!”
Chris suddenly stepped forward, grabbed him by the collar, and hollered furiously, “Didn’t I tell you long ago to hide those things that shouldn’t appear? Aren’t those artists under strict control? Why did they suddenly sue us?”
“I-I don’t know…” The family member looked at Chris, whose face was twisted into an angry grimace, and he was so scared that he started shivering in fear and was on the verge of tears.
“Oh dear, oh no…” Hugo muttered to himself as he thumped himself onto the couch.
The Douglases’ businesses were more or less related to the entertainment and sex industries. They were the mainstay of the family.
Of course, they could not operate these businesses openly. So on the surface, they were known as media companies and entertainment joints. But in private, they had a lot of dirty dealings.
Due to the Douglases’ extensive network of connections, they managed to escape the strict regulations and purges. However, they were nabbed out of the blue and accused with plenty of evidence against them today. This was simply unprecedented.
Besides, once all their misdeeds were exposed, it would absolutely result in a huge uproar, and the Douglases would definitely suffer huge losses even if they didn’t collapse!
Chris calmed down a little and said resentfully, “Dad, there’s definitely something wrong! If it was just one company and something terrible was exposed, we can blame it on our carelessness. But it’s absolutely not a coincidence that so many have been affected! Someone must be deliberately trying to harm us!”

Chapter 73: Douglas Family Conference

Hugo nodded. Chris was right. There had to be more than meets the eye!
If they didn’t resolve it properly, the Douglases would suffer heavy losses!
“The situation is urgent. Call everyone over immediately for a meeting to discuss countermeasures!” Hugo shouted.
Soon, all the direct descendants of the Douglas family and the top executives of the companies were all gathered in the Douglas family mansion.
Almost all of the companies under the Douglases’ name had been seized. These people had naturally heard of it since it had blown up to such a huge extent. Hugo Douglas even called for a meeting late at night. It was definitely because of that matter.
Hugo sat in the middle of the couch and looked around at the dozens of people standing in the living room. His eyes narrowed. “All of you, tell me the truth. Did you do anything to offend a big shot recently?”
As soon as Hugo spoke, he asked about this matter, and everyone started guessing that the Douglases must have offended a formidable figure of status, which led to the crisis. However, most of their businesses were illegal, so who knew if they had unintentionally offended someone?
For example, two years ago, a Douglas saw a beautiful girl dressed in simple and normal clothes, so he resorted to some means to get her to one of their companies, only to find out later that she came from an extraordinary family. In the end, the Douglases suffered enormous losses, had to apologize, and ended up owing many people favors in order to get the woman’s family to let them off.
Moreover, that was only because the woman didn’t get hurt too badly. Otherwise, the Douglases wouldn’t have been able to settle it so easily.
Of course, they didn’t get involved in such things often, and since the last incident, Hugo had also taught them a hard lesson.
However, slip-ups would happen every now and then. Who knew when they might have offended someone?
All of them shook their heads in unison.
“I don’t know. I’ve been behaving lately and haven’t done anything to offend anyone!”
“I haven’t either!”
“Me too. I didn’t offend anyone.”
…
Hugo narrowed his eyes as he looked at them threateningly. “I want to hear the truth! If I find out someone is lying to me, you’ll be kicked out of the family immediately!”
Hearing this, everyone panicked. But after racking their brains for a long time, they still couldn’t think of an instance where they had offended someone.
At this moment, Hugo suddenly noticed that someone was missing—Gordon Douglas.
“Where’s Gordon? Wasn’t he informed of the meeting?” Hugo questioned while looking at Chris with displeasure.
Chris hurriedly said, “I was about to report to you. But since everyone is gathered here for the meeting, I can’t say it out loud…”
Hugo’s face turned gloomy. “Speak. We’re all family, so there’s nothing you have to hide.”
Chris glanced around at the crowd listening attentively and sighed. “Gordon is in the hospital now. He has a broken toe and has suffered some injuries. Brad is also severely injured and is being resuscitated in the hospital…”
“What?” Hugo was astonished. His son and grandson had landed in the hospital, and Brad had even reached the point where he had to be resuscitated…
“Who did it?” Hugo asked with an angry expression.
Chris shook his head. “I don’t know. Gordon was really angry and didn’t say anything.”
At this moment, a Douglas suddenly said, “Gordon and Brad suddenly got injured tonight, and all our businesses were seized. Could there be any connection between the two?”
These words made everyone frown and sink into deep thought.
Indeed, if Gordon Douglas and Brad Douglas offended some big shot outside, got severely injured, and even caused all of the Douglases’ businesses to be seized, that would make sense!
Everyone turned to look at Hugo, who was exasperated. “Drag that sinful son back here at once!”
…
In Pearl Lakeside Villa, Orange County.
Flynn Davis called Lucas. “Mr. Gray, according to your instructions, all of the Douglases’ companies and joints have been seized. All the evidence has been collected, and there is no way they can deny it. This time, the Douglas family definitely won’t survive.”
Lucas expressed approval and said, “Good. I want them to perish for good.”
Davis hurriedly said, “Don’t worry about this. I’ve had people prepare a lot of evidence and photos, as well as videos of the victims’ complaints, all of which have been uploaded on the internet. It caused a massive uproar online and also attracted the attention of many departments. This time, even if the Douglases’ have wide connections in Orange County, it will definitely not help.”
Hearing this, Lucas was pleased.
Many of the nasty things that the Douglases did were challenging the law and going against ethics and morals. Once their dirty deeds were exposed, it would definitely result in outrage and public discussion. Even if the Douglases tried to suppress it, it would be to no avail.
“Has the matter over at the Brilliance Corporation been investigated?” Lucas suddenly asked.
“Yes, I was just about to report it to you. The person who sent Miss Carter to discuss the cooperation with Heaven Media was Jane Harper, Miss Carter’s former assistant and the current deputy head of the business department. As far as I know, she tried to make things difficult for Miss Carter several times today. Should we get rid of her?”
With an ice-cold gaze, Lucas said, “No, don’t fire her yet. I still need her for something.” Sacking her right away would be giving her an easy way out.
“Yes, Mr. Gray!”
Lucas put away the phone and glanced at the large bed at the side.
Cheyenne was lying on the bed, sound asleep.
She would frown at times and seemed to be unable to sleep peacefully.
Gordon Douglas had given her a strong sleeping pill. As long as she slept well, she should be awake by tomorrow morning.
Lucas walked to the side of the bed, bent over, and gently stroked Cheyenne’s forehead.
“I won’t let those who tried to harm you, including the Douglas family and Jane Harper, off. Sleep in peace,” Lucas whispered gently into Cheyenne’s ear.
As if she heard Lucas’s voice, the frowning Cheyenne in her sleep gradually stopped frowning and relaxed.
In the Douglas family mansion…
Gordon still had gauze wrapped around his toes and was helped into the hall.
Everyone waiting in the hall turned to look at him.
Gordon immediately saw Hugo in the middle. He quickly strode forward with a look of grief in his eyes, as though he had suffered great mistreatment.
“Dad, you have to help me! That rascal almost killed Brad, and he kept threatening me. The fighter I hired even turned against me and defected to him. If I weren’t lucky enough, I wouldn’t even be able to see you now!” Gordon exclaimed while pointing to the bruises on his neck.
Smack!
However, Gordon didn’t hear the words of comfort he was expecting and instead received a loud slap on his face by Hugo.

Chapter 74: Punished Using the Family Laws

Gordon was dumbfounded by the sudden slap, and it took him a long time to react. Covering his face with his hand, he exclaimed, “Dad, why did you hit me?!”
Hugo said coldly, “Hit you? I really wish I could kick you to death! You son of a bitch, tell me, what have you done out there?!”
Gordon was naturally displeased. “What could I have done? I’ve been staying in the office! When I was bullied, you didn’t even ask the doctor about my condition. You just blamed me!”
Hugo barked angrily, “Hmph, you’re still trying to defend yourself, huh?! If you hadn’t fooled around outside and offended someone you can’t afford to offend, would we be facing this crisis today? Things have already gotten to this point, but you still won’t tell me the truth, huh?”
Chris tried to knock some sense into him. “Gordon, who have you offended? Just tell us.
Don’t provoke Dad any further. If you tell us, we can also come up with a solution for you!”
Chris’s words made Gordon lose his temper, and he vented all his anger on him. “Sure, I was wondering why I’m getting blamed and accused by everyone as soon as I came home. You must have been fanning the flames and deliberately trying to frame me! Chris, you’re just afraid that I’ll compete with you for the position of successor, so you deliberately set me up in front of Dad and the rest of the family, didn’t you?”
Hearing his words, Hugo became even more exasperated, and his blood pressure rose.
“Sinful son! Sinful son! If you still don’t repent, don’t blame me! This is the death of me!
Someone, punish him with the family laws! I must kill this unfilial son!”
“What? Family laws?” Gordon immediately widened his eyes in disbelief.
Only when a few family members moved a bench over and a burly man walked toward Gordon with a wooden mace did he believe Hugo!
His father was actually using the family laws against him!
Families like the Douglas family with a rich heritage would often have some family laws for constraining the behavior of the members.
However, people nowadays rarely used their family laws to punish their members.
The Douglas family’s most-used punishment tool was the terrifying mace that would form holes in your body. It was horrifying!
Seeing that two more family members were coming to take him and tie him to a bench under the order of Hugo, Gordon was terrified out of his wits and no longer cared about anything else. He immediately knelt in front of Hugo and begged for forgiveness. “Father, I was wrong! I won’t dare to disobey you anymore, and I won’t quarrel with Chris either. Please don’t punish me using the family laws! If you’re upset, you can scold me a few more times or slap me a few more times!”
Hugo looked at Gordon with a straight face and reprimanded, “Then tell me honestly what you’ve done and which big shot you’ve offended to cause our family to suffer such a great calamity.”
Gordon really wanted to cry. “Father, I really didn’t offend any big shot. I’ve been in the business for decades, so what kind of person could I have offended? Why would I be so ignorant as to offend a big shot? What’s wrong with the family? What calamity? I just came back. No one told me about it!”
Hugo waved his hand, and Chris stepped forward. “Just half an hour ago, all of our companies, clubs, bathhouses, and more were all seized, and there’s a lot of evidence against us. If we can’t find out which bigwig we’ve offended, our family will be destroyed!”
Gordon was shocked on the spot. He asked in disbelief, “How is that possible?! Our family has deep roots in Orange County, and we’ve established a wide network of connections long ago. Who would disregard our status and directly seize all of our companies?”
Looking at his son, Hugo roared coldly, “You think it’s impossible? Would we deliberately scare you with this kind of thing?! The most important thing now is to think carefully about who you offended!”
Gordon immediately panicked, but a word that Chris said just now appeared in his mind.
Destroyed.
Right. Why does this word… sound so familiar?
Do you think the Douglas family is a big deal? If your family is destroyed, do you think you’d still have the right to be so arrogant to me?
Lucas had said these words to him with a sneer. Gordon was immediately reminded of it, but he was in disbelief.
“No… Impossible… How can he have the ability to destroy my family… That’s impossible!” Gordon’s eyes glazed over as he muttered to himself continuously.
After hearing his words, Hugo immediately grasped his main point. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Gordon. “Who are you talking about?”
Gordon blinked and looked at Hugo as though he was having a nightmare.
“I-it’s Lucas Gray, the son-in-law of the Carters. He beat Brad, so I nabbed his wife and wanted to get back at him. But he has an underling who’s a good fighter. He even threatened me by saying that he would destroy the Douglas family, but how is that possible? The Carters are a powerless third-rate family, and he’s a wastrel! Besides, he was the one who beat Brad badly and almost made the fighter I hired kill me instead…”
Gordon was rather muddled, but his words allowed everyone to get a clear idea of what happened.
Hugo kicked Gordon hard. “Indeed, the trouble was caused by you!”
After getting kicked, Gordon fell to the ground and shrieked in pain when his fractured toe hit the hard floor. However, facing Hugo’s rage, he could only explain, “But Dad, Lucas Gray is really a good-for-nothing! This must be a coincidence!”
“Good-for-nothing? Coincidence? You’re just a fool!” Hugo hollered angrily while looking at
Gordon with a resolute gaze. “Serve him the family punishment! Break his legs!”
“No, don’t, Dad! Please spare me!” Gordon panicked and begged loudly for mercy.
A few family members got the hint from Chris’s gaze. They went forward, pulled Gordon on top of the bench, and tied him with his face facing down. Then they hit him hard on his thighs with the mace.
“Ah!” The loud shriek of misery resounded in the Douglas family residence.
Hugo closed his eyes, unable to bring himself to watch this scene. However, the incessant cries made his face twitch.
“Dad, look, why don’t we spare Gordon? He didn’t do it on purpose…” Chris persuaded.
Hugo opened his eyes abruptly, and his gaze became firm again, “No, we must make Gordon go through the punishment! Take him with you tomorrow to see Lucas Gray to apologize. You must obtain his forgiveness!”
“Yes, Dad.” Chris agreed with a faint but peculiar glint in his eyes.

Chapter 75: Because I Like It

The next morning, Cheyenne’s eyelashes moved slightly, and she, who had slept through the entire night, slowly opened her eyes.
However, she didn’t wake up to the warm bedroom she was familiar with but a luxuriously decorated room completely new to her.
Cheyenne’s heart dropped. The last image she saw before losing her consciousness was the scene of her discussing the cooperation with Gordon Douglas of Heaven Media last night. After which, she downed a glass of champagne and then…
Have I…
No!!!
Cheyenne’s expression changed drastically, and she screamed with her head in her hands!
The door of the room was suddenly pushed open, and a figure hurriedly rushed in. “Cheyenne, what’s wrong?”
Hearing Lucas’s familiar voice, tears welled up in Cheyenne’s eyes, and she immediately jumped into his arms. She hugged him tightly and burst into tears.
Lucas hurriedly embraced Cheyenne in his arms and patted her back to comfort her. “It’s alright. Nothing happened to you. You accidentally took some strong sleeping pills, which is why you slept until now. Nothing else happened. Don’t be afraid.”
After hearing this, Cheyenne finally returned to her senses from her extreme horror. She carefully sensed her body, and it seemed to be alright.
“But… I remember Gordon Douglas and that glass of champagne…” Cheyenne suddenly shivered at the thought of that scene.
“It’s okay. I rushed over yesterday and brought you home in one piece. That bastard Gordon Douglas will also be punished. You don’t need to be afraid anymore.” Lucas comforted Cheyenne warmly.
It was extremely normal for women to be flustered and terrified after encountering something like that.
After being comforted by Lucas, Cheyenne slowly regained her composure. Only after a while did she realize that she was hugging Lucas tightly.
“Ah.” Cheyenne hurriedly let go of him and turned away to wipe the tears off her face. She suddenly felt extremely embarrassed and shy. I actually took the initiative to jump into his arms and cry. How embarrassing!
Looking at Cheyenne’s back, Lucas could see that her tiny ears were already red even though he couldn’t see her expression clearly.
Lucas burst into laughter and coughed. “Um, I brought you back here last night, and it wasn’t convenient for me to help you change out of your clothes. There’s a bathroom in the room and some women’s clothes in the closet. Go and take a shower, and then come have breakfast.”
After saying this, Lucas went out and considerately closed the door after him.
Only after Lucas left did Cheyenne lift her hand and pat her warm cheeks while subconsciously smiling.
Cheyenne looked around the spacious and luxurious room and saw a huge floor-to-ceiling window with a balcony facing the south. To the east, there was a large closet the size of the wall.
Cheyenne leaped off the bed and opened the closet.
To her surprise, the closet was mostly filled with women’s clothes, and half of it was filled with clothes for little girls. There were very few men’s clothes.
The women’s clothes were all in her size while the children’s clothes were in Amelia’s size, all of which were exquisitely crafted and fashionable. Most of them were custom-made designer clothing by major luxury brands.
There was also a plethora of accessories such as handbags, shoes, hats, etc. It was simply a luxurious and impeccable closet that most women dreamed of owning!
Cheyenne suddenly figured out that all of this was prepared by Lucas for her and Amelia.
It turned out that Lucas had secretly prepared a lot of things by himself while she was clueless.
Previously, he wasn’t making empty promises when he swore that he would treat Cheyenne and Amelia well.
For some reason, Cheyenne suddenly felt her nose getting a little sore and a strong urge to cry.
After showering, she changed into a light yellow dress and walked out of the room, only to be stunned speechless by the exquisite decor in the luxurious villa.
The stairs were made of pure crystal, and there was a spacious and lofty dome, a chandelier inlaid with colorful gemstones, and elegant and exquisite antique artifacts. The entire villa was as lavish and opulent as a beautiful palace.
Looking at everything in astonishment, Cheyenne was suddenly at a loss for words.
Does all of this belong to Lucas?
“All of this belongs to us and Amelia. This is our home,” Lucas said softly with a smile as he walked toward Cheyenne.
Cheyenne’s face once again reddened, and she glared at Lucas. “I’m not your family.”
However, her flare wasn’t deterring or hostile. Instead, it was rather cute.
Lucas knew that Cheyenne would get shy easily, so he didn’t say anything else and brought her to the dining room.
The furnishings in the bright and open dining room were gorgeous and opulent. There was also a large floor-to-ceiling window facing outside, which allowed her to see the clear lake outside. The gentle breeze was blowing in slowly and caressing her face, making her feel relaxed and at ease.
Cheyenne saw that the table was covered in a snowy white tablecloth and a large spread of dishes on it.
There was fragrant porridge, sweet corn, fried eggs, crab sandwiches, and two glasses of milk.
Lucas pointed at the crab sandwich. “Sorry, I’m not good at making sandwiches, so these are store-bought and reheated. Don’t mind it.”
Cheyenne was even more shocked when she heard this. Pointing at the sumptuous breakfast spread, she asked, “You made all of this?”
Lucas nodded. “I don’t cook often, so my culinary skills are mediocre. Try them and see if they’re to your liking. If not, I’ll cook something else.”
Cheyenne was really speechless now.
After seeing Lucas’s wealth, she originally thought that some servants or cooks had prepared breakfast. But to her surprise, Lucas cooked everything himself!
A man who didn’t cook much actually whipped up a sumptuous feast for her. He was even worried that she might not like it and wanted to prepare a new set.
She was definitely touched.
At this moment, Cheyenne was overwhelmed with complicated emotions. She was feeling bittersweet.
“Why are you doing all of this for me?” Cheyenne asked, sobbing.
Lucas smiled. “Because I like you, so I want to treat you well.”
Cheyenne had no idea that Lucas had been carrying a torch for her for more than six years.
During his time in the army, Lucas managed to overcome those hardships and dangers time and time again because he kept himself going by thinking of Cheyenne until he reached where he was today.
After six years, his feelings for her had turned into love.
He, the God of War Lucas Gray, was willing to do so much for Cheyenne all because of his love for her!

 

[moh96]

1241 Can’t Stand It

“Lucas, it’s all my fault for what happened today! If I hadn’t refused to trust you and insisted on making Cheyenne throw a tantrum at you, she wouldn’t have met that bastard and almost suffered horrors. Stanley wouldn’t have gotten injured protecting us either!”

Charlotte said with a look of self-reproach, “Lucas, it’s all my fault. Just scold me if it’ll make you feel better.”

Cheyenne quickly said, “No, it’s my fault! If I hadn’t ignored you, given you the cold shoulder, and even abandoned you to go out with Charlotte, we wouldn’t have gotten into trouble. At the end of the day, it’s all because I didn’t trust you enough…”

Seeing Cheyenne planning to take all responsibility, Charlotte hurriedly said, “No! Lucas, Cheyenne has always trusted you, and she even told me that those photos are fake. She believes that there’s nothing between you and Lena. It was my petty temper. I insisted that Cheyenne teaches you a lesson. That’s why today’s matter happened…”

The two of them competed to take responsibility.

Lucas looked at the two sisters and sighed, but he had a gentle smile.

“Okay, you two don’t have to fight to take responsibility. It’s not your fault for what happened today. If you must blame someone, blame Angus Hamilton for being bold and reckless.”

He added, “You don’t have to blame yourselves. I’m thankful enough that you’re fine. And regarding Stanley… he’s alright. Although he suffered severe injuries, he was fine when I went to the hospital. He’ll be alright after recuperating in the hospital for a while.”

Stanley was indeed heavily wounded at the time. Fortunately, he trained all year round, and he was in good physical condition. Besides, most of his injuries were superficial wounds and abrasions. There were some fractures and excessive blood loss, but his vitals weren’t affected. He just had to recuperate well in the hospital for some time to return to the way he was before.

There was nothing serious with Stanley’s condition, making Lucas feel relieved.

After hearing what Lucas said, Cheyenne and Charlotte finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if a huge boulder had been lifted off their hearts.

If Stanley really died because of protecting them, they would never be at ease.
“Thankfully, Stanley is alright. Otherwise, I would feel even more guilty,” Cheyenne said guiltily.

Seeing Cheyenne still blaming herself for this incident, Lucas pulled her into his arms and comforted, “It’s really not your fault. Stop blaming yourself. I’ll take you to the hospital in the afternoon to let you see Stanley in person!”

“Okay.” Cheyenne wrapped her arms around Lucas’s waist and buried her head in his chest.

Seeing the two of them hugging, Charlotte couldn’t stand it anymore. “Hey, I really can’t stand this! Don’t abuse us singles here! I can’t take it anymore!”

Charlotte covered her eyes and wailed before running into her room upstairs.

Cheyenne blushed shyly, quickly pushed Lucas away, and looked at him with some chagrin.

It was his fault for suddenly hugging her and causing Charlotte to tease her. It was too embarrassing.

After Cheyenne gave him a shy glare of annoyance, Lucas felt his heart surge.

He had been apart from Cheyenne for more than ten days, and he missed his lovely wife dearly. Now that she gave him this glare, the fire in his heart suddenly ignited.

“Honey, let’s talk in the bedroom.” Lucas picked Cheyenne up in his arms and walked toward their bedroom.

Cheyenne let out an exclamation and hugged Lucas’s neck tightly. She understood what he meant and blushed even more shyly.

“No, don’t be like this… It’s broad daylight, and Charlotte is at home too. We shouldn’t do this—Mmph!”

Before Cheyenne could finish speaking, Lucas blocked her lips with a kiss.

Their fiery breaths intertwined between their lips and teeth.

Charlotte had planned to head downstairs to get some milk from the refrigerator, but she happened to see Lucas carrying Cheyenne and kissing her while going to their bedroom. After being stunned for a moment, she quickly realized what they were going to do and immediately blushed.

“Ahhh! My eyes!”
Charlotte immediately forgot her plan to go downstairs to get some milk. She headed straight back to her room, slammed the door shut with a bang, and covered her burning face.

But for some reason, the scene of them hugging and kissing each other kept running through her head. She even thought of some other scenes that made her entire face blush as red as a tomato.

“Ahhh! What was I thinking?!”

Charlotte patted her cheeks, threw herself onto her bed, and hid under her duvet.

…

Meanwhile, the Coles and Hales had completely cleaned up all traces that Angus and the elderly man in white had left behind in Lotte Entertainment City and Orange County, as well as disposed of their corpses.

Even if someone came to investigate, they wouldn’t be able to find a single clue.

But Angus, a direct descendant of a royal family branch, naturally couldn’t vanish without any rhyme or reason.

…

The following morning, Angus’s father called Brett and asked in displeasure, “Did Angus look for you? He’s already in his twenties, but he’s still so childish and unreliable. I told him to call me as soon as he arrived in Orange County last night. But he hasn’t even texted me yet. I can’t reach him on the phone either!”

“Brett, you’re the elder brother, so you have to keep an eye on him. Don’t let him get too carried away with fooling around that he forgets about me!”

Hearing this, Brett was stunned for a moment. “Dad, what did you say? Angus is here in Orange County too? Why didn’t you tell me?”

On the other end, Brett’s father was just as puzzled. “What? Didn’t he go look for you? He kept telling me that he was going to Orange County to look for you! Is he messing around somewhere again?”

The two were surprised.

Angus was five years younger than Brett, and he had been extremely clingy to him since he was a child. Even though he came to Orange County to have fun, he should have met Brett or called him at least.

What did it mean that he didn’t contact them and that they couldn’t reach him either?

Brett’s heart skipped a beat as an ominous premonition surged in his heart, causing him to be frightened. Did something happen to Angus?

1242 He Disappeared

“Dad, I’m sending someone to look for Angus in Orange County now,” Brett said over the phone.

After hanging up, Brett called Angus a few times, only to hear that the phone was off and no one could be reached.

He frowned and called White Claw, Angus’s bodyguard. But he couldn’t reach him either.

Brett’s expression became grim.

If it was only Angus who couldn’t be reached, it could be due to special circumstances such as his phone’s battery running out.

But since neither of them could be contacted, something had likely gone wrong.

“Immediately send people to investigate what time Angus arrived in Orange County yesterday and where he went. Find him immediately!” Brett said to a butler beside him.

“Yes, Sir!” The butler acknowledged and immediately got to it.

An hour later, the butler returned to Brett with a few documents and reported, “Sir, there’s still no news about Mr. Angus’s whereabouts yet. This is the information about Mr. Angus’s traces that my subordinates have found. Please take a look!”

The documents had information on Angus’s itinerary for the past few days, as well as the people he had come into contact with. There didn’t seem to be anything unusual.

But after Angus and his bodyguard had lunch at a restaurant yesterday, they went missing, and there were no traces of their whereabouts afterward.

Angus was a scion of the Hamiltons, and he had even brought one of the most elite bodyguards of the family with him. How could he possibly vanish into thin air all of a sudden?

Something must have happened!

Brett slammed the document onto the table and ordered, “Send everyone to search for him! No matter what, we have to find Angus even if we have to turn Orange City inside out!”

He already had an ominous premonition that something might have happened to Angus.

But even if something happened to him, he had to see him, dead or alive!

If someone really dared to lay a hand on Angus, he had to find the murderer!

At this moment, Lucas’s face suddenly surfaced in Brett’s mind.

The Hales were undoubtedly the most powerful force in Orange County.

Moreover, even Bruce, the helmsman of the Hales, was extremely respectful and polite to Lucas. This was enough to show that his status was much higher than Bruce’s.

Brett didn’t believe that Lucas was merely an abandoned son of the Huttons.

After returning from the Hale residence yesterday, Brett had sent his men to investigate Lucas.

It was then that he discovered that Lucas’s life experience was extremely strange. Lucas was indeed an illegitimate son who had been kicked out by the Huttons when he was a child, but he had soon disappeared for six years after he became the Carters’ live-in husband.

When Lucas reappeared in Orange County half a year ago, he had changed drastically, and his subordinate forces had all developed rapidly.

As for where Lucas had been and what he had experienced to undergo these changes during these six years, Brett was unable to find out anything.

And now, Lucas was the true boss of California.

If something really happened to Angus here, it might have something to do with Lucas!

Brett clenched his fists tightly. “Lucas Gray, who exactly are you… I hope my brother’s disappearance has nothing to do with you. Otherwise…”

Ruthlessness gleamed in his eyes.

…

Meanwhile, in the villa in the middle of Pearl Lake…

After being away from each other for a long time, Lucas and Cheyenne had an incredibly passionate night that was so intense that they slept in till very late the following morning.

While they were having breakfast downstairs, Charlotte blushed slightly and glared at Lucas a few times, causing him to be puzzled as to why she was annoyed with him.

When Cheyenne got out of bed, she felt as if her waist was about to break, and she almost couldn’t stand up straight. When she headed downstairs for breakfast, she couldn’t help supporting her waist with her hand while glancing at Lucas coyly.

Seeing this, Lucas knew that he had gone a little over the top last night. He touched his nose with slight embarrassment, coughed a little, and said, “Cheyenne, you should stay home to get some rest today. I’ll help you handle any important work matters if anything pops up.”

Her face flushed, Cheyenne shook her head. “It’s alright. Didn’t you say we should go to DC as soon as possible? There’s a lot of stuff I have to hand over properly. I’ll go.”

“Okay then. Call me if you need help.”

Lucas stopped trying to convince her. He knew that she was a conscientious, hardworking, and professional person. Since they were at a critical moment before moving to DC, Cheyenne definitely couldn’t relax and insisted on doing everything herself.

Moreover, the matter about moving to DC shouldn’t be delayed and should be settled as soon as possible.

In Lucas’s opinion, DC was much safer than Orange County.

DC was the financial and political hub of the country, where all prestigious families and forces gathered. It was precisely because of this that no one would dare to act recklessly in DC.

But it was hard to say the same about Orange County.
Thus, Lucas wanted to settle everything in Orange County as soon as possible and then bring his family to DC. Only then could he feel more at ease.

After sending his wife and daughter to the Brilliance Corporation and the kindergarten, Lucas arrived at the Stardust Corporation’s Orange County branch.

The Orange County branch was already a part of the Stardust Corporation, so Lucas didn’t plan to touch it. But as the chairman of the corporation, since he was back in Orange County, it was only right that he took a look at the branch’s operational and financial situation.
Besides, Cheyenne, the general manager of the branch, would also be transferred to DC, so there were still some matters that had to be handled.

Just as Lucas arrived at the office and read a few documents, he received a call from Bruce.

“Lucas, according to the information I’ve received, the Hamiltons probably already know that something has happened to Angus Hamilton. Brett Hamilton has arranged for his subordinates to search for information about Angus Hamilton, and the Hamiltons have also dispatched many experts to Orange County. It’s a huge ruckus.”

Bruce sounded serious and nervous.

“How many people are here?” Lucas asked.

“According to the information I’ve obtained, there are at least a hundred people here, and all of them are skilled in martial arts. They’re not ordinary people, and they’re difficult to deal with.”

Hearing this, Lucas frowned. “Have you finished cleaning up like I told you yesterday?”

Since the Hamiltons had sent so many people over to look for Angus, what had happened in Lotte Entertainment City definitely couldn’t be leaked.

“Yes, I’ve had people clean up everything. The Hamiltons definitely won’t be able to find any clues!” Bruce knew that the matter was serious, so he didn’t dare to be careless and had already sent his men to verify.

…

“That’s good. Let’s leave the matter alone for now. You should be careful and make sure to keep a good eye on your subordinates. Inform me if anything happens,” Lucas ordered.

Since they had already cleaned up the traces, no matter how much the Hamiltons searched, they would never be able to find Angus.
After ending the call, Lucas set aside the matter regarding the Hamiltons.

But soon, a secretary knocked on the door, entered, and asked respectfully, “Mr. Gray, someone named Brett Hamilton is here, and he’s asked to speak to you. Would you like to see him?”

1243 Questioning

Lucas raised his eyebrows.
He didn’t expect Brett to come so soon after Bruce mentioned him.

Could he have found out that Angus Hamilton’s death is related to me?

Lucas instructed without hesitation, “Bring him here.”!!

Regardless of whether Brett had found out something or not, Lucas decided to meet him first and play it by ear.

Soon, Brett was brought to the chairman’s office.

He didn’t come alone. There was an elderly man wearing a white long-sleeved shirt. He was Brett’s bodyguard.

This elderly man was different from White Claw, but he was similarly dressed. It was probably the uniform of the Hamiltons’ top bodyguards.

But the one standing behind Brett looked a few years younger than White Claw. His energy was restrained, and he seemed much more powerful.

“Hello, Mr. Hamilton. What brings you here?” Lucas said languidly while remaining seated.

He wasn’t friends with Brett in the first place, not to mention that Angus had died in Lucas’s hands. Lucas was destined not to get along harmoniously with the Hamiltons, so he couldn’t be bothered to feign politeness with Brett.

Brett frowned, displeased with Lucas’s attitude.

But he wasn’t here to make friends with Lucas today.

“Lucas Gray, let’s be upfront and honest. My brother is in your hands, right? I want you to hand him over!” Brett said with a sullen look.

Upon hearing this, Lucas knew that he hadn’t found out about Angus.

If he had really found out about Angus, he would have known that Angus was already dead and that there was no way for Lucas to hand him over.

Brett was probably just probing him.

“Who’s your brother? Mr. Hamilton, you can’t talk nonsense. I don’t even know who your brother is. Isn’t that too absurd to ask me to hand him over?” Lucas frowned with displeasure.
Brett sneered. “Lucas Gray, you don’t have to pretend with me. My brother, Angus, arrived in Orange County yesterday with his bodyguard. Ordinary people won’t be able to get close to him at all, yet he vanished without a trace here. You and the Hales are the only ones who can do this in Orange County. How dare you say that my brother’s disappearance has nothing to do with you?

“Lucas, I respect you for being a good man, so I didn’t get into a conflict with you yesterday. But this doesn’t mean that I’m a pushover! If you hand over my brother now, I won’t hold it against you, and I can even let you and California off.”

Brett narrowed his eyes and threatened Lucas, “But if you continue being stubborn and refuse to let him go, the Hamiltons won’t let you off! The Hamiltons are royals, and if we get serious, we can raze all of California to the ground!”

Lucas’s face darkened as he said coldly, “You’re really great, Mr. Hamilton. What does your brother’s disappearance have to do with me? You actually came to me for his whereabouts and even used your family to threaten me. What a joke!

“If you’re here today for this matter, then I have nothing else to say. Go elsewhere to look for your brother. You’re not welcome here!

“And don’t think I’m afraid of the Hamiltons because you’re royals! You should have witnessed the situation at the Hales’ yesterday. Do you think I’d be afraid of you?

“Also, I’m giving you another warning. California is my turf, and you and your family are in no place to act out of line here! You can try seeing if you can raze California to the ground!”

Lucas spoke arrogantly without being polite to Brett at all.

Brett gritted his teeth, his face gloomy.

After angering Lucas, Brett saw that he was merely indifferent and domineering. He didn’t seem guilty at all, making Brett wonder if this really had nothing to do with Lucas.

In fact, Lucas’s guess was right. Brett had come to look for Lucas today, not because he had found any evidence but to probe Lucas to see if Angus’s disappearance had anything to do with him.

But if Lucas really wasn’t the culprit, how did Angus go missing?

Brett was uncertain now.

However, the most important thing to do now was to locate Angus as soon as possible.
Brett pondered for a moment before his expression suddenly changed, from being overbearing at first to looking helpless.

“Mr. Gray, I’m sorry for offending you, but I was too worried about my brother’s safety. How about this? I know you’re the most powerful person in Orange County, and even the Hales, the top family here, take orders from you. So I’d like to ask you for a favor.

“As long as you help me find my brother, you’ll be mine and my family’s friend from now on. And the Hamiltons will owe you a big favor!” Brett said sincerely.

He cared about his younger brother, so he was extremely sincere when asking Lucas for help.

Of course, it was hard to say how he would return the favor.

But Angus had been killed by Lucas. How could Lucas possibly help him find Angus?

Lucas shook his head without hesitation. “I’m not interested in the Hamiltons’ favor at all.”

Then he suddenly changed his tone. “I know you’ve sent a lot of people to Orange County, but that displeases me. I can let you stay here for another two days, but after two days, all the Hamiltons must leave California! Otherwise, don’t blame me for being rude!”

Brett had almost never been spoken to so rudely to his face before, and Lucas’s threat also made him furious.

“Lucas Gray, how dare you threaten me. It seems like you really don’t take the Hamiltons seriously!” Brett shouted with his jaw clenched.

Lucas moved the corners of his lips slightly without saying anything, but his gaze was full of contempt for the Hamiltons, seemingly telling Brett that he really didn’t take them seriously.

In fact, since Brett had domineeringly gone to the Hales yesterday and demanded that the top families of California pledge allegiance to the Hamiltons, Lucas had already been very displeased with the Hamiltons because they wanted to snatch his forces away from him.

Later, the idiot Angus actually ignorantly tried to violate Lucas’s wife and sister-in-law. He overstepped Lucas’s bottom line and utterly angered him, leading to Lucas ordering his death without hesitation.

However, Lucas wasn’t afraid of the Hamiltons.

He had instructed the Hales and the Coles to remain tight-lipped about Angus’s death and clean up all the traces, not because he didn’t dare to face the Hamiltons but because he didn’t want them to hound him and bring him unnecessary trouble at this time.

Lucas’s attitude infuriated Brett even more.

“Lucas Gray, you’re really arrogant! You want the Hamiltons to leave Orange County within two days? Hah, do you think you have what it takes? When the time comes, don’t come crying on your knees to me!”

Brett glowered at Lucas and then turned around to leave.

1244 Asking for Aid

After looking for Lucas today, Brett had not only failed to find out where his younger brother was, but he didn’t get Lucas’s help either. Instead, he ended up infuriated, so he naturally didn’t want to stay here to waste his breath on nonsense.

After leaving the Stardust Corporation office, Brett turned around to look at the building and shouted with a resentful expression, “Lucas Gray, it looks like you want to do this the hard way! How dare you go against the Hamiltons? Let’s see how you’re going to die!”

The elderly man in white following Brett had been silent all this time, but he suddenly said, “Mr. Brett, this young man named Lucas Gray is extraordinary. His martial arts skills are very good, maybe as good as mine!”

“What did you say?!” Brett’s expression instantly changed, his eyes wide in shock.!!

The elderly man in white beside him was Mateo, one of the top ten experts of the Hamiltons.

Ever since the helmsman had arranged for this powerful bodyguard to protect him, Brett had become the envy of many family members, and he felt a greater sense of security.

With Mateo by his side, Brett was almost fearless of anyone, and he didn’t have to bring extra bodyguards with him everywhere he went.

But Mateo actually said that Lucas’s martial arts skills were on par with his.

How was this possible?!

Mateo was already in his fifties, and he was from a family of martial arts practitioners. He had been practicing martial arts since he was a few years ago, and only then did he acquire the terrifying strength he had now.
Lucas was only around 27 or 28 years old, which was a few years younger than Brett. He didn’t look very strong either, so Brett didn’t believe that he had combat strength comparable to Mateo’s.

It was simply a fantasy!

“Mateo, did you sense it correctly? How can Lucas Gray compare to you?” Brett didn’t believe it at all.

Mateo nodded solemnly. “I’m not mistaken. I can sense that he’s absolutely a top expert, even though his aura is hidden. He’s terrifyingly powerful, so you mustn’t underestimate him! I’m afraid even I won’t be able to take a head-on blow from him.”

Mateo’s words made Brett’s face turn grim.

He knew that Mateo wasn’t the type to make frivolous comments. Since he had said so, it must be true.

He didn’t expect Lucas to be such a top powerhouse at such a young age. In that case, many things would become much trickier.

“Got it. It seems like with our current forces, we really can’t take over California from Lucas Gray. I’ll have to ask the family to send some more top experts to help!” Brett said seriously.

After leaving the Stardust Corporation, Brett continued to instruct his subordinates to search for Angus. They had almost scoured all of Orange County.

Unfortunately, they still couldn’t find any clues about Angus.

He and White Claw seemed to have vanished into thin air without leaving any traces.

Even Brett couldn’t help feeling anxious.

He had already gathered all the experts of the Hamiltons in the surrounding states and launched an intensive search for Angus, but there were still no results.

Even if Angus was dead, he wanted to see his corpse. But now, they didn’t even know if Angus was dead or alive. There was no news about him at all.

This could only mean that someone was deliberately covering up the matter about Angus and had even wiped out all the traces to make sure they couldn’t find anything.

Since this person could do this, he definitely wasn’t an ordinary person!
Previously, Brett suspected that Lucas was getting up to some tricks. But now, he wondered if some other royal family branch was involved in this.

After all, the families of Orange County shouldn’t be powerful enough to cover up everything and get rid of all the traces so well despite the Hamiltons’ search!

Brett scratched his head anxiously. Did Angus offend some formidable figure? But he shouldn’t have!

Although there were a few big shots who didn’t care about offending the Hamiltons, these important figures wouldn’t just kill Angus silently and not inform the Hamiltons.

After a futile day of searching, Brett had no choice but to report the situation to his father, Jensen, at night.

“What did you say? Angus went missing in Orange County, and he’s still nowhere to be found?” Jensen flew into an uncontrollable rage, and his voice was so thunderous that his phone almost broke.

“Someone there actually has the guts to hurt my son?!”

Brett moved his phone slightly away from his ear. After Jensen finished shouting, he said, “Dad, calm down. Angus is a Hamilton, and even top families wouldn’t dare to hurt him. It might be something else.

“In any case, I’ll do my best to find him!

“But this also shows that the situation in Orange County is more complicated than we thought. So I’d like to seek more help from the family. Please send two more top experts to assist me!”

Brett didn’t mention Lucas during the call. After all, Mateo hadn’t really fought against Lucas, and it was only based on gut feeling that he thought Lucas was strong. He couldn’t use this as a reason to ask for more assistance from the family.

Jensen agreed without hesitation, “Alright! Since this matter concerns Angus’s life, we can’t be careless. How about this? If you still can’t find Angus by tomorrow morning, I’ll bring people and go to Orange County myself!”

“Yes!” Brett was overjoyed.

If his father brought the family’s top experts here, they would definitely be able to find Angus and even take over California!
Heh, Lucas Gray will only have a dead end when the time comes. Let’s see if he can still be stubborn!

…

By seven the following morning, the Hamiltons still didn’t have any good news, and Angus was still nowhere to be found.

At this point, Angus had been missing for two days, and no one had contacted the Hamiltons during this time. Something might have really happened to him.

Brett could only call his father again. “Dad, we still can’t find Angus…”

He had barely gotten any sleep the past two days, and his voice was hoarse and full of fatigue.

Jensen didn’t blame him and simply said, “I’ll head over to Orange County now! Wait for me there!”

Soon, a plane from DC took off for Orange County. In it were Jensen and a large group of elite experts of the Hamiltons.

…

Lucas was unaware of this.

He was still handling the matters at the Stardust Corporation in an orderly manner.

In the afternoon, Edmund called Lucas and said grimly, “Mr. Gray, we’ve just received the news that Jensen Hamilton, the son of the Hamiltons’ helmsman, has just arrived in Orange County with many subordinates!”

1245 No Longer Afraid

“Jensen Hamilton?” Lucas raised his brows slightly.

Edmund gave Lucas the information about the Hamiltons that he had gathered over the past few days. “Yes. Jensen Hamilton is the third son of the current helmsman of the Hamilton family. But he has always shown talent in martial arts, and he isn’t any worse than the experts of the Hamiltons.

“Jensen is the youngest son of the Hamiltons’ helmsman, so he has been greatly favored by the Hamiltons since he was a child. Now, among the three sons, Jensens seems to be the most likely to take over as helmsman, rather than his elder brothers.

“Anyway, this man is hard to deal with, and he has even brought a group of the Hamiltons’ experts with him to Orange County. This is a massive threat. Mr. Gray, you must be careful!”

Lucas said non-commitally, “Alright.”

In fact, he didn’t take Jensen seriously at all.

No matter how skilled he was, he wouldn’t be a match for Lucas. After all, he was just a son of the Hamiltons’ helmsman, not a pure martial artist.

Besides, Lucas was the former captain of the Falcon Regiment and had equal status to the Hamiltons’ helmsman. Since Jensen was the helmsman’s son, he was one notch inferior to Lucas, and Lucas wouldn’t be afraid of him.

…

At this moment, at Orange County International Airport, a group of people arrived at the airport terminal.

Brett, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately walked to the leading middle-aged man with bright eyes. “Dad!”

Clearly, the tall and robust middle-aged man was Jensen Hamilton, Brett’s father.

After getting inside Brett’s car, Jensen immediately asked, “Have you not found Angus yet?”

Brett lowered his head guiltily and said in a low voice, “I’m too incompetent. I deployed all the Hamilton’s nearby available staff and almost turned Orange County upside down, but I still couldn’t get any news of Angus.”

Looking at Brett’s haggard and bloodshot eyes, Jensen knew that his son had indeed done his best, so he didn’t blame him.

“Don’t worry. We’ll definitely find Angus!” Jensen patted his son on his shoulder and then suddenly asked, “How’s your mission going? Have you conquered all those states?”

Brett immediately answered, “I’ve conquered Oregon, Arizona, and Nevada. The families there don’t dare to disobey the Hamiltons, but things aren’t going well in California. We’ve encountered a bunch of tough nuts.”

“There are actually tough nuts here?” Jensen was instantly puzzled. “Who are they? Is there another royal family branch going against us?”

Brett shook his head. “No, speaking of which, this person has quite a background. His name is Lucas Gray, and he’s only in his twenties. He’s an illegitimate child of the Huttons, who are one of the eight top families of DC. After he got kicked out by the Huttons two decades ago, he ended up in Orange County.

“But he should have encountered something special. He used to be an ordinary person, but he went missing for six years and only returned to Orange County half a year ago. Yet within such a short period of time, he managed to become the greatest big shot in California, and even the helmsmen of the Hales and the Coles pledged allegiance to him.

“But my subordinates can’t find out where he went and what he did when he disappeared. There’s no information about him at all!

“That’s not all. Mateo told me that Lucas Gray is a terrifying expert whose martial arts skills are on par with his. Even the experts of the Peerless Martial Association have been defeated by him. Thus, he attained the title of the Overlord of California.”

Brett told Jensen all the important information about Lucas that he had found.

Jensen was rather indifferent and aloof at first. But after he heard about the drastic changes Lucas had undergone in the six years he had vanished, as well as how even the Hamiltons’ intelligence network couldn’t find out what had happened to him during those six years, his expression changed greatly.

Brett knew that something was up and quickly frantically asked, “Dad, do you know something? Or do you have any guesses in mind? Who exactly is he?”

After thinking about it, Jensen said seriously, “As far as I know, people like him who have gone missing for several years and whose information even the Hamiltons can’t get hold of are very likely to be from the military. Moreover, he held a high position!”

“Military? A high position?” Brett’s expression changed uncontrollably.

It seemed unlikely at first, but after thinking about it, he realized that it seemed to be the only possibility.

Even the Hamiltons couldn’t find any information about Lucas and what he had done during those six years. Clearly, his experience was absolutely classified.

Jensen continued, “If he’s just an ordinary high-ranking military personnel, the Hamiltons won’t be afraid. But through the information you’ve given me, I have a bad premonition. “Lucas Gray is probably not just an ordinary high-ranking military personnel. He might very likely be someone close to the supreme commanders of the four major territories!”

Brett opened his mouth with a dumbfounded expression.

The US was divided into four territories, the south, east, west, and north, and there was a supreme commander for each of the four territories. The supreme commanders were extremely powerful and commanded hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

Even the top leaders of the US were only equivalent in status to the supreme commanders, and even the Hamiltons didn’t dare to easily confront one of them.

If Lucas really had such a high status, it would explain why he was so fearless toward the Hamiltons.

Likewise, Lucas wasn’t someone that Brett could deal with.

Even if Lucas was only a follower of one of the supreme commanders, he still had the support of the supreme commander, and ordinary people couldn’t afford to offend him.

Strictly speaking, Lucas’s identity and status were on par with his father’s.

When Brett thought of this, his face became even more sullen. “Dad, if Lucas Gray really has such a high status, what… what should we do?”

Jensen sneered. “Even if he’s close to a supreme commander, we don’t have to be afraid of him!

“Now, the most important thing for us to do is to take complete control of California. Only in this way can the Hamiltons’ power be expanded. We might even be able to become one of the top royal family branches!

“Even if Lucas Gray used to have a high status, he’s left the military now, and his authority must have decreased greatly. His former backer, one of the supreme commanders, might not necessarily help him either.

“So, he must be alone now. In that case, why should we be afraid of him? As long as we kill him and hide the news, no one will speak up for him. Even the supreme commander won’t confront us over a dead man who’s left the military!”

Brett came to a sudden realization. “That’s right! He has already left the military, and his former identity and status no longer count. Who is he to go against the Hamiltons?” After figuring this out, Brett became a lot less scrupulous toward Lucas and even no longer saw him as a threat.

This time, Jensen had come personally with many experts. He thought that Lucas was definitely dead meat!

1246 Trap

“Don’t worry about Lucas Gray for now. We have to settle the matter about California first. We can’t let this drag on any longer. Send people to invite the helmsmen of the top five families in California right now. I want to see how courageous they are to have the audacity to go against the Hamiltons!” Jensen instructed.

“Yes, Dad. I’ll make the arrangements immediately!” Brett acknowledged.

Soon, the helmsmen of the five top families in California received the Hamiltons’ invitation to discuss matters.

After receiving the news, Bruce immediately called Lucas.!!

“Lucas, the Hamiltons definitely have malicious intentions for inviting us!” Bruce said solemnly.

Moreover, Lucas wasn’t a helmsman of the top five families in California, yet he also received the exact same invitation as the Hales.

The Hamiltons definitely wanted to take advantage of the situation to get rid of Lucas, their stumbling block.

“Since they’re inviting us, let’s go over and have a look,” Lucas said nonchalantly.

Even if Jensen was really capable, and the invitation was for a meeting full of threats and hidden schemes, Lucas wasn’t afraid at all.
Bruce said worriedly, “Lucas, I’m really worried that they might harm you during the gathering. Didn’t you say that you’re planning to take us with you to DC? I think we should just let the Hamiltons have California. It’s not worth it for us to go head-to-head against them!”

When Lucas heard this, his face immediately darkened. “Are you scared? Don’t come then!”

With that, he hung up the phone.

Bruce was instantly stunned.

Ever since he had pledged allegiance to Lucas, though they hadn’t interacted much, he had never faced such hostility from Lucas.

Moreover, after hearing Lucas’s final words, he knew that he was enraged.

Cold sweat immediately gushed out from Bruce’s body and soaked his clothes in the blink of an eye.

Bruce had never thought that what he said would anger Lucas!

But after thinking about it, Bruce immediately understood why Lucas was upset.

Lucas wasn’t afraid of the Hamiltons at all, so those who followed him naturally only needed to follow him closely and do as he said.

But what he said revealed obvious fear and his intentions to withdraw, as if he was evading the Hamiltons.

Lucas was naturally upset.

Bruce wiped the cold sweat on his head and hurriedly called Lucas back. He assured, “Mr. Gray, I was muddled just now. Since I’m your follower, I naturally have to face everything together with you! No matter what happens at the gathering tonight, I’ll definitely go with you! I won’t back down again!”

Hearing this, Lucas calmed down.

If Bruce was a coward who was scared of the Hamiltons, Lucas would naturally be extremely disappointed in him and even consider giving up the Hales.

Fortunately, Bruce wasn’t confused in the end.

…

At 8 p.m., the helmsmen invited by the Hamiltons all arrived at the Grandeur Hotel in Orange County.

When Lucas arrived at the Grandeur Hotel, he saw Bruce, Edmund, and Ethan already waiting here.

There were two other people whom Lucas hadn’t met much, namely Anton Holmes and Jim
Sullivan.

They were the helmsmen of the current top five families in California.
Upon seeing Lucas, the few of them greeted him one after another. “Greetings, Mr. Gray!”

Lucas nodded at them in acknowledgment.

Only Ethan seemed embarrassed when he saw Lucas and didn’t dare to look him in the eye.

Lucas ignored him and simply said, “Let’s go in.”

Then he took the lead and headed straight into the Grandeur Hotel.

In the hotel lobby, a man in an immaculate suit hurried over and said smilingly, “Welcome, dear honored guests. Mr. Hamilton is already waiting for you in the VIP room on the top floor. Please come with me!”

Under his lead, Lucas and the five helmsmen went to the entrance of the largest private room on the top floor of the hotel.

“Mr. Hamilton is inside. Please come in!”

At the thought of having to face the Hamiltons soon, the helmsmen became nervous, and even their bodies stiffened.

But after seeing Lucas walking in first calmly, they took a deep breath and followed him in.

As soon as they entered, they saw a middle-aged man sitting in the master seat.

The middle-aged man was rather robust, and he had a square-shaped face with thick neck muscles. Although his figure couldn’t be seen clearly on the seat, they could still sense his formidable aura.

Brett, whom they had met before, was sitting beside the middle-aged man, and their facial features were rather similar.

Without a doubt, the robust middle-aged man in the master seat was Jensen, the favored youngest son of the Hamiltons’ helmsman.

Standing behind the two of them was a bodyguard clad in a white long-sleeved robe, looking coldly at the people who entered.

From the moment they entered, Jensen had been staring at them, especially Lucas, who was at the front.

Lucas was only in his twenties, much younger than the helmsmen behind him, who were in their fifties and sixties.

Moreover, Lucas exuded a calm yet domineering aura that ordinary young people definitely wouldn’t possess.

Even the five helmsmen of the top five families in California showed cautious, nervous, or scared expressions in their eyes when they saw him. Yet Lucas kept a completely straight face, as if he didn’t feel anything at all.

Jensen narrowed his eyes and sized Lucas up carefully while recalling the information about Lucas that Brett had given him this morning.

Lucas was only 28 years old this year, and he was an illegitimate son of the Huttons, who got expelled from DC by the Huttons two decades ago. He was extremely ordinary in the past, but after vanishing for six years, he returned a completely changed man and now possessed martial arts skills on par with the top experts of the Hamiltons.

Based on this information, Jensen vaguely guessed Lucas’s origin. But now, after finally meeting him in person and sensing the unyielding and bloodthirsty aura faintly emanating from Lucas, he was even more certain of his guess.

This young man is indeed extraordinary! Jensen stared at Lucas for a long time before suddenly asking, “Are you Lucas Gray?”

…

1247 Intention to Recruit

Jensen’s voice was extremely loud, so when he suddenly spoke in the incredibly quiet private room, it was thunderous.

The sudden noise startled all the helmsmen, and Anton and Jim shuddered as they were almost out of their element. Ethan was so shocked that he turned pale and subconsciously took a step back.

Bruce and Edmund also received a great shock. But fortunately, under Lucas’s influence, they weren’t scared of the Hamiltons, so they recovered quickly and calmed down.

But the two of them felt rather uncomfortable because Jensen was obviously trying to establish dominance by doing that on purpose.!!

Besides, he had only asked them to come along out of convenience. The one Jensen really wanted to deal with was Lucas.
Despite facing Jensen’s sudden shout, Lucas remained calm and composed without the slightest change in his gaze.

He walked forward, pulled out a chair himself, sat down calmly opposite Jensen, and answered lightly, “Yes, I’m Lucas Gray.”

Jensen truly appreciated his demeanor and bearing.

The young man in front of him was indeed quite outstanding. Even he had to admit that in the Hamilton family, no young man possessed the same aura as Lucas. Even his son Brett couldn’t match up.

Jensen turned his gaze to the helmsmen of the five top families in California. “Since all the helmsmen are here, there’s no need to be restrained. Please sit down.”

They came over and took their seats one after another.

“Mr. Hamilton, may I know why you asked us to come here?” Edmund said after taking a seat.

Although everyone had already guessed what was going on, they still wanted to hear what the Hamiltons had to say.

Jensen didn’t answer straightaway. Instead, he smiled and said, “It’s my first time here, and I’d like to get to know everyone. Of course, it’s not just a simple meeting. Let’s have dinner first, and we will talk after eating.”

Then he said to the waiter at the door, “Serve the dishes.”

Soon, there was a spread of delectable dishes on the round table in the room.

The others were worried and nervous, so they were restrained and weren’t in the mood to eat.

Only Lucas maintained his composure and picked up his cutlery to eat calmly, as if he was really here just to eat.

Seeing his behavior, Bruce, Edmund, and Ethan were fine since they were familiar with Lucas, but Anton and Jim were obviously shocked and frequently looked over at Lucas.

Even Brett looked at Lucas with a complicated gaze. Lucas Gray is a few years younger than me, but he really seems to be fearless of the Hamiltons. He’s acting like there’s no one else around.
As a five-star hotel, the Grandeur Hotel served a sumptuous and delectable spread, with a large plethora of offerings, especially since the host today was the esteemed Jensen Hamilton.

But apart from Lucas, none of the others present were in the mood to eat. It was a huge waste of food.

Halfway through the meal, Jensen suddenly asked, “Lucas, I heard you used to be part of the military and that you’re related to the four territories, but which one are you from? Is it the western territory near California or the northern territory?”

Lucas smiled, knowing that Jensen was trying to find out his origin.

He smiled calmly and said, “Why can’t it be the eastern territory or the southern territory?”

Jensen’s pupils immediately constricted. Could he really be from the eastern territory or the southern territory ?

“Oh? In that case, are you from the eastern territory or the southern territory?” Jensen asked.

Not interested in listening to Jensen’s questions, Lucas raised his head slightly and said confidently, “It doesn’t matter where I’m from, Mr. Hamilton. You just need to know that everything I have now, I earned myself. I don’t have to rely on anyone else. That’s all.”

Jensen was extremely shocked.

Lucas should be from the armies at the eastern border or southern border. Moreover, given how confident he seemed, he should still have quite a lot of authority even though he had already left the military.

Him saying that he didn’t need to rely on anyone was enough to show his confidence.

It was different from what Jensen previously thought.

But it also seemed to mean that Lucas could no longer use his former status and association with a supreme commander to pressure anyone.

This was actually better for the Hamiltons.

While thinking about it, Brett belittled Lucas even more.

But Jensen thought otherwise.
Although he felt that Lucas sounded too overconfident and even conceited, he didn’t think that Lucas was the type to blow his trumpet and think that he was more powerful than he really was.

This meant that Lucas was probably more capable than he thought.

Jensen suddenly chuckled, raised his wine glass, and smiled. “Haha, Lucas, you’re indeed different from ordinary people. I truly admire you. Here, let me toast you!”

His smile made everyone else at the table heave a sigh of relief.

Lucas didn’t reject Jensen’s toast, but he picked up his glass of water instead. He raised the glass and said, “You flatter me, Mr. Hamilton. But pardon me, I don’t drink.”

He wasn’t deliberately trying to make Jensen look bad.

Rather, he rarely drank in the first place, and he usually drank water during such occasions.

Especially after he got drunk and almost made a mistake with Lena the other day, Lucas warned himself never to drink again.

Jensen was stunned.

He seldom toasted others, especially not juniors, yet Lucas actually used water instead of wine to respond to his toast. It was a first for Jensen.

But he didn’t feel any anger.

Lucas was different from other young people, so being a little arrogant wasn’t unacceptable.

After all, in this world, only the strong had the right to be arrogant.

He downed the glass of wine and felt an urge to win over Lucas.

1248 Tempting Conditions

“Mr. Gray, I may be meeting you for the first time today, but I deeply feel that you are very talented, and it would be a waste of your great talent for you to stay in a small place like Orange County,” Jensen said, shaking his head.

Lucas helped himself to the food calmly and said, “I’m just an ordinary person, and I don’t have any great talent. Please don’t joke with me, Mr. Hamilton.”
“I’m just stating facts. How can I possibly be joking? You’re still so young, yet you’ve managed to make the Hales and the Coles pledge allegiance to you and be so loyal to you. This isn’t something ordinary people can achieve!”

Lucas said calmly, “I’m only close to Mr. Hale and Mr. Cole. There’s no such thing as allegiance or loyalty. Please don’t be mistaken, Mr.Hamilton.”!!

Lucas naturally wouldn’t say too much in front of Jensen.

Jensen smiled and didn’t argue with Lucas over this matter. Instead, he changed the subject and said, “To be honest, I value your abilities a lot, Mr. Gray.

“I’d like to invite you to join the Hamiltons to develop. If you’re willing, we will give you generous compensation every year. And not only will we not meddle with your personal business, but we will provide you with greater resources. The Hamiltons can be your strongest support, and you can even develop your businesses under the Hamiltons’ name.

“I believe that a smart person like you definitely knows what this means. What do you think of my suggestion, Mr. Gray?”

He was recruiting Lucas straightforwardly!

As soon as Jensen finished speaking, everyone in the room was shocked.

The Hamiltons were not an ordinary wealthy family but a royal family with a long heritage!

Such a noble status was out of reach for most people, and anything related to the royals was definitely glorious.

But now, even though Jensen had such a high status, he was personally inviting Lucas to join the Hamiltons and promising him considerable benefits.

Just the Hamiltons’ offer to give Lucas support and allow him to manage his businesses under their name was a great benefit in itself.

If Lucas could get such protection from the Hamiltons, his businesses would certainly achieve great development.

All of a sudden, the several helmsmen present were envious, especially Jim and Anton, whose eyes were green with envy.

But a calm voice suddenly sounded in the private room. “Sorry, but I’m not interested.” Lucas actually turned down Jensen’s recruitment!

Jensen thought that Lucas would agree without hesitation since he had made such an attractive offer, but he didn’t expect Lucas to turn him down immediately!

Brett was stunned too.

He had met many people, and most of them couldn’t wait to jump at the chance to express their loyalty to him at the slightest hint of recruitment by the Hamiltons. Lucas was the first to instantly turn them down without hesitation.

“Lucas, my father is very sincere in inviting you to join the Hamiltons and has offered very generous conditions. Why don’t you reconsider it?” Brett said.

In fact, although he didn’t like Lucas, he had to admit that Lucas was quite capable, even more capable than someone from a prestigious family like himself.

Even he had once tried to recruit Lucas during their first meeting, but Lucas had also turned him down.

However, his father actually valued Lucas so much that he recruited him personally and offered extremely sincere conditions, but unexpectedly, Lucas still turned Jensen down.

Feeling unwilling, Jensen thought about it for a moment and continued, “Mr. Gray, if there’s anything you’re still dissatisfied with, then I can add more benefits on top of what I’ve just mentioned.

“I know you’re an expert with excellent martial arts skills. How about this? As long as you’re willing to join the Hamiltons, I can invite the family’s top expert to be your master and focus solely on training you. In a few years, you will definitely possess greater attainments in martial arts, and you might even become the strongest powerhouse of the Hamiltons and achieve greater glory and rewards.

“In addition, I can improve your status further by taking you in as my godson. You’ll be able to enjoy all the rights that the direct descendants of the Hamiltons do. I can even give you some of my assets!”

As soon as he said this, everyone in the room was even more shocked and speechless.

Jensen actually said that he wanted to accept Lucas as his godson!

Usually, godsons would only be sons in name, but Jensen was almost offering to treat Lucas as his biological son. Not only would he give him the same rights as the other direct descendants of the Hamiltons, but he even said that he would give some of his assets to Lucas!

As the third and most favored son of the Hamiltons’ helmsmen, Jensen had plenty of assets. Even if he only gave 10% of them to Lucas, it was a staggering amount!

All of a sudden, the other five helmsmen were green with envy.

Brett suddenly clenched his fists. Even he didn’t expect his father to make such a generous offer in order to get Lucas to join the family. The treatment would almost be the same as what Brett was getting as a legitimate son!

Brett felt rather displeased and jealous, but he knew that his father really wanted Lucas to join the Hamiltons, so he couldn’t ruin things at this juncture. He clenched his fists and remained silent.

But Brett was well aware that this should just be his father’s ruse to get Lucas to join the Hamiltons. Even if Lucas really joined them, it was impossible for them to give Lucas such great benefits.

A trace of surprise appeared on Lucas’s usually calm face.

He didn’t expect that Jensen would make such an attractive offer to recruit him.

Be it the tutelage of the Hamiltons’ strongest expert or the identity of Jensen’s godson, these conditions would be extremely tempting to ordinary people.

Possessing either of these identities would allow them to act domineering among royal families, let alone non-royal families.

But to Lucas, these things meant nothing.

He couldn’t care less about being the apprentice of the Hamiltons’ strongest expert because he was certain that he wasn’t any weaker than this so-called top expert. How could he possibly want to be his apprentice?

As for being Jensen’s godson, he was even less interested.

Even though Jensen said that he would treat Lucas almost the same way as his biological son, Lucas wasn’t in the least bit interested.

After all, he didn’t care about being another man’s son.

Seeing how surprised Lucas was, Jensen smiled smugly. Indeed, there’s nothing you can’t buy in this world. If you can’t convince someone, it’s only because you didn’t offer enough.

He didn’t think that Lucas would turn him down after he proposed such an attractive offer.

However, Jensen really guessed wrong.

Amid everyone’s gaze, Lucas shook his head and said lightly, “As I’ve said, I’m not interested.”

1249 Cripple Him

Lucas’s answer immediately froze the expression on Jensen’s face.

Brett and the rest in the room also had bewildered expressions.

Only Bruce and Edmund breathed a sigh of relief and looked as though they had expected this.

They had long known that, given Lucas’s abilities and personality, he would definitely not accept the Hales’ recruitment and that he would never work for them regardless of what benefits they offered.

“Why?” Jensen frowned and looked at Lucas in puzzlement.

He had already offered such attractive benefits, yet he still couldn’t tempt Lucas.

Lucas seemed even more puzzled than Jensen and asked rhetorically, “I’ve already said that I’m not interested. Didn’t you hear me clearly, Mr. Hamilton?”

Jensen’s face twitched hard.

At this point, he finally confirmed that Lucas was really not interested in joining the Hamiltons and wouldn’t waver regardless of the conditions he offered.

This was beyond Jensen’s expectations, and his face darkened.

As soon as his expression changed, he immediately exuded a gloomy vibe that seemed to make the temperature in the private room plummet instantly.

The several Californian helmsmen shuddered while their hearts skipped a beat.

Lucas’s refusal undoubtedly made Jensen extremely upset.

None of them knew what Jensen would do in a fit of anger, nor did they dare to think about it.

Only Lucas didn’t seem to sense Jensen’s fury as he continued to eat calmly.

His behavior undoubtedly made Jensen even more furious.

“Lucas Gray, no one has ever dared to reject my recruitment,” Jensen said with a sullen look.

Lucas found it funny that some people always had a sense of superiority over others.

“Oh, Mr. Hamilton, are you saying that I can’t reject you and that I have to obey you and join the Hamiltons just because no one has ever dared to turn you down?” Lucas asked with raised brows.

Jensen snorted coldly and said proudly, “As long as it’s something that I want to do, I will definitely be able to achieve it!”

Lucas sneered. “Hah, as expected of the Hamiltons, you’re too tyrannical.”

With that, he didn’t bother talking to Jensen anymore.

Having had his fill, Lucas put down his fork, stood up, and said to the helmsmen beside him, “I’m leaving now. How about you?”

It was actually time for them to take their stand.

Those who were willing to leave with Lucas were naturally on his side and would thus gain his protection.

On the contrary, those who weren’t willing to leave with him would forever be ignored by him.

Edmund immediately stood up. “Mr. Gray, I will leave with you!”

Bruce followed suit. Despite looking worried, he still said, “Mr. Gray, I will go with you!”

At this point, the Hales had long stood on Lucas’s side, so Bruce would never betray him.

Besides, he was full of confidence in Lucas.

In the past, Lucas had never failed despite the various crises he encountered. Regardless of how strong his enemies were, he had never suffered a loss, so Bruce was extremely confident in him.
Even though they were now facing the Hamiltons, a royal family branch, Bruce strongly believed that Lucas could lead them to safety.

With Edmund and Bruce standing on Lucas’s side, only Ethan, Jim, and Anton had yet to take a stand.

Jim and Anton hadn’t had much interaction with Lucas, and they hadn’t had the opportunity to talk with him tonight. But they had seen how impressive his martial arts skills were and acknowledged him as the leader of California.

But deep down, they felt that no matter how powerful Lucas was, he had no chance of beating the Hamiltons.

If they choose to leave with Lucas, they would be standing on his side. To them, this was no different from courting death.

So the two of them stopped struggling and simply remained sitting with their heads hung low.

Only Ethan clenched his jaw, looking rather hesitant and conflicted.

Logically speaking, he didn’t trust Lucas and felt that Lucas had no chance of defeating the Hamiltons.

But on the other hand, he had already abandoned Lucas once and chosen to compromise with the Hamiltons.

This was probably the last chance Lucas was giving him.

If he missed this chance again, he would never have any ties with Lucas in the future, and he might even become Lucas’s enemy.

He was at a loss for what to do now.

After being conflicted for a long time, Ethan finally made up his mind. He supported himself against the table and stood up with difficulty. “I’ll leave with Mr. Gray too!”

Edmund and Bruce both looked at Ethan in surprise. They thought that Ethan would still choose the Hamiltons this time. They didn’t expect him to change his mind again.

Lucas glanced at Ethan without saying anything.

Jensen’s expression was extremely sullen.
Lucas was now completely going against him.

This wasn’t all. He had even gotten the top three families in California to stand on his side, which posed a great stumbling block to the Hamiltons’ plan.

Jensen narrowed his eyes and looked at Lucas threateningly. “Lucas Gray, you have to think this through carefully. I’m giving you one last chance. Are you?—”

But before he could finish speaking, Lucas interrupted, “Jensen Hamilton, I can give you a chance to follow me. As long as you do, I promise that you’ll become the helmsman of the Hamiltons.”

Lucas smirked.

His words had undoubtedly angered Jensen, who perceived them as an insult. “Lucas Gray, how dare you speak to me like that?!”

Lucas shrugged and turned around to leave, as he couldn’t be bothered to continue wasting his breath with Jensen here.

…

“Hold it right there! Did I say that you can leave?” Jensen hollered furiously.

The Hamiltons’ powerhouse standing behind him immediately dashed to the door of the private room and blocked Lucas from leaving.

Lucas shouted with a cold expression, “Get lost!”

Jensen said coldly, “Lucas Gray, don’t be so arrogant! I admit that you’re indeed quite capable, but those who can’t be used by me can only vanish from this world!”

Having completely fallen out with Lucas, he immediately ordered the powerhouse, “Moses, cripple him!”

1250 Crushed With a Pinch

Jensen was undoubtedly extremely tyrannical.

Since Lucas wasn’t willing to work for the Hamiltons, he decided to cripple him. Moreover, he didn’t hide his intentions at all.

This was the habit of the Hamiltons. They didn’t care about the thoughts of others at all.
Edmund had long known Lucas’s true identity. So upon hearing what Jensen said, he merely sneered. “Hmph, a lightweight overestimating his own strength!”

The fact that Lucas could become the youngest leader of the Falcon Regiment was proof that he was incomparable to ordinary people. Even in all of the US, there might be less than a handful of people who could match up to him, let alone the powerhouse of the Hamiltons.

Wanting to cripple Lucas was simply a far-fetched idea!

Bruce and Ethan widened their mouths after hearing what Edmund said, unable to hide their shock.

The person in front of them was Jensen’s bodyguard. Could it be that he was weaker than Lucas?

Otherwise, why would Edmund have said what he did?

Suddenly, the Hamiltons’ expert blocking the door rushed toward Lucas without hesitation after receiving Jensen’s instruction. He raised his hand and threw a menacing punch.

However, Lucas was standing quietly on the spot without even getting into a defensive stance.

Brett sneered. “Hah! Who knows if Lucas Gray is too stupid or too confident in himself! If Mateo hadn’t said that Lucas Gray is on par with him, I would really think that he’s just a fool who doesn’t know any martial arts! He doesn’t even know basic defense. He’s courting death! Moses’s punch will definitely cripple him even if it doesn’t kill him!”

Just as Brett finished speaking, Moses’s punch arrived in front of Lucas. The wind from his fist blew Lucas’s hair upward, and Bruce and Edmund, who were beside Lucas, felt some pain.

Just the wind from the punch felt terrifyingly powerful. If the punch hit Lucas, the consequences would be unimaginable!

Bruce and Edmund were astonished and horrified.

At this critical moment, Lucas suddenly raised his hand and instantly grabbed Moses’s fist.

The incomparably ferocious attack was stopped!

With just one hand, Lucas completely stopped the horrifying punch without his body even moving. It was as if blocking the punch was a piece of cake for him.
It was akin to a child swinging his fist with all his might but was easily stopped by an adult.

But was Moses a weak child?

Of course not!

Not only was he not a weak child, but he was even a top expert of the Hamiltons with extraordinary skills!

“How is that possible?!” Jensen and Brett couldn’t control their emotions anymore, and their expressions changed drastically. They suddenly stood up from their seats and looked at the scene in front of them in disbelief.

Likewise, Moses had a look of disbelief after Lucas easily caught his fist.

He hadn’t held back and put all his strength into the punch. It could have even crushed a stone!

But this formidable punch was effortlessly blocked by Lucas!

Besides, Lucas wasn’t injured at all. He grasped Moses’s fist so firmly that he couldn’t move a single inch forward!

This strength control utterly dominated him!

Moses obviously wasn’t willing to accept this fact.

Holding Moses’s fist tightly, Lucas turned to look at the shocked Jensen and mocked, “Heh, Jensen Hamilton, it seems that the expert next to you is nothing much. He’s still far from being capable of crippling me!”

Jensen was really overwhelmed with shock at this moment.

Moses was a top powerhouse of the Hamiltons who had been by Jensen’s side for years. Jensen had absolute trust in his abilities and had never once thought that he would lose to such a young man!

It was like a tight slap on Jensen’s face.

In particular, what Lucas said made Jensen feel a stinging pain on his face.

He had ordered Moses to cripple Lucas, but in the end, Moses was no match for Lucas at all. He was defeated in one move!
Besides, Moses was in his fifties and had trained in martial arts for decades. But what about Lucas?

Lucas was only in his twenties now, and yet he already possessed such terrifying power. In just a few years, the strongest expert of the Hamiltons might not be a match for Lucas!

Previously, Jensen said that he could make Lucas an apprentice of the Hamiltons’ top expert, but now it seemed that Lucas really didn’t need it.

With his abilities, he could easily reach that level on his own.

Lucas’s amazing talent made Jensen, who thought that he was very gifted himself, feel jealous.

“Let go!” Moses tried pulling his hand back, but he couldn’t move it at all. Lucas’s hand was like a steel vice around his fist, clamping it firmly.

He roared and suddenly raised his knee to force Lucas to let go by kneeing him in the chest.

But Lucas didn’t give him the slightest chance. He tightened his grip, and his steel-like fingers crushed Moses’s fist!

Snap!

The crisp and clear sounds of bones breaking filled the air.

“Ah!” Moses shrieked tragically.

The excruciating pain made him lose all power in his legs, and he fell to his knees hard onto the floor with a loud thud.

And his fist that Lucas was holding had already been crushed, with his flesh, bones, nerves, ligaments, tendons, and skin all badly mangled.

Moses’s hand had been crippled!

Everyone in the private room stared wide-eyed in horror, unable to believe what they were seeing.

How strong must Lucas be to be able to crush an expert’s fist with just a pinch?

Or rather, was this even something that humans could do?

Lucas let go of Moses’s badly mangled fist and shook off the blood stains on his hand.

The shocked Edmund immediately took out a stack of wet tissues from his breast pocket and handed them to Lucas respectfully.

…

While wiping his fingers, Lucas smiled with contempt and glanced at Moses, who was kneeling in front of him, huddled up in agony.

“You want to cripple me? With just this person?”

Lucas tossed away a used wet tissue and looked at Jensen with a hair-raising smile.

Jensen felt as though he was being stared at by a gigantic menacing beast, rendering him completely immobile. He could only watch Lucas, who reeked of blood, walking toward him one step at a time.

 

[moh96]

1251 Superior Treatment

Jensen himself was a very talented martial artist who wasn’t any inferior to ordinary experts.

But as he watched Lucas walking toward him while exuding extreme pressure, he felt a horrific sense of fear that made him unable to even muster the intention to fight against Lucas.

Although Lucas was only 27 or 28 years old, his martial arts skills were indeed beyond Jensen’s expectations!

Even Moses, the bodyguard whom Jensen had always trusted, had been defeated by Lucas in one move and even had his fist crushed and crippled. Lucas was clearly a powerhouse that Jensen wasn’t capable of dealing with.

Seeing this scene, Jim and Anton had a trace of regret in their eyes.

If they had known how powerful Lucas was, that he didn’t fear the Hamiltons at all, and could even make Jensen show fear, they wouldn’t have remained sitting quietly and turned down the olive branch Lucas had extended to them.

They truly regretted their decision.

Ethan was rejoicing.

He had been conflicted just now, but fortunately, he had made the right choice to stand on Lucas’s side.

At this moment, Ethan was full of admiration for Lucas.

In fact, ever since he got to know Lucas more than half a year ago, Lucas had never failed before and would always remain calm no matter how strong his enemies were. In the end, he would surely find a way to deal with them and get rid of the troubles.

While rejoicing, Ethan also made up his mind that he would never waver again, regardless of what happened in the future. He had to stand on Lucas’s side at all times, or else, he would regret it!

Seeing Lucas, who reeked of the metallic odor of the blood that stained his clothes, Brett was so shocked that he turned deathly pale.

But at this moment, he had to step forward to say something. Otherwise, Lucas might really harm his father!

“Lucas, wait a minute!” Brett hurriedly stepped forward and looked at Lucas earnestly. “Lucas, what just happened is a misunderstanding! My father doesn’t have any ill intentions toward you. He really admires your talent, and he’s sincere about recruiting you, but he’s a little hot-tempered and overly eager. Sometimes, the things he says aren’t what he has in mind. That’s what led to the misunderstanding!”

Jensen frantically nodded and apologized to Lucas. “That’s right! Mr. Gray, I was too muddled just now. I just really want you to join the Hamiltons because I admire your talent. I had no other intentions. Ah, I tend to ruin things with my fiery temper. I’m sorry!

“But I know now that you’re so talented that I’m not capable of recruiting you. I will drop the idea now.

“Perhaps only my father is qualified to invite you. How about this? On behalf of my father, I formally invite you to be a guest elder of the Hamiltons. You won’t have to bother with the family’s miscellaneous affairs. You just need to come forward to help us during critical moments.

“Apart from critical moments, we won’t interfere with your whereabouts and actions. You can even use our name to manage your businesses, and your salary will be two hundred million dollars a year. What do you think, Mr. Gray?”

In other words, Lucas could almost completely ignore the Hamiltons’ affairs and only need to show up during major events. His actions wouldn’t be restrained at all, and he basically had the freedom to do whatever he wanted.

Moreover, the Hamiltons were a royal family branch who had surpassed most families in the US, so what major event could trouble them? Perhaps it would only occur once every few years.

This meant that Lucas almost wouldn’t have to do anything for a few years.

Furthermore, Lucas could make full use of the Hamiltons’ resources and the identity of their guest elder. He would even be paid 200 million dollars a year for doing practically nothing.

The others in the private room looked at Lucas, green with envy.

If they were given such a wonderful offer, they would definitely agree without hesitating for a single second!

They would be fools not to agree!

Jensen thought so too. He believed that Lucas wouldn’t turn down such an attractive offer.

But he was destined to be disappointed. Lucas merely glanced at him with contempt in his eyes.

Jensen’s heart tensed up, and he almost thought that Lucas had seen through his intentions.

He gritted his teeth and said, “If you’re still not satisfied with this salary, I can increase it to four hundred million dollars!”

After a momentary pause, he continued, “Four hundred million dollars a year should be the world’s highest salary for this work. Even the top expert of the family doesn’t get that much.

“Mr. Gray, I’ve already expressed my sincerity. As long as you agree, I can even pay you four hundred million in advance!”

His offer left everyone else present shocked and jealous.

Lucas would have an annual salary of 400 million dollars for a job that barely required doing anything, and he could even borrow the power of the Hamiltons to develop his own businesses. This excellent offer made them incredibly jealous!

Fortunately, Bruce, Edmund, Ethan, and the others knew how extraordinarily powerful Lucas was, so they could understand why the Hamiltons were giving Lucas such an attractive offer and didn’t feel too jealous about it.

Others would likely be mad with jealousy and wish that they could replace Lucas immediately.

After hearing Jensen’s offer, Brett subconsciously glanced at him in astonishment.

Even the strongest powerhouse of the Hamiltons only received an annual salary of 200 million dollars, which was already excellent. What right did Lucas have to draw a 400 million dollar annual salary?

Besides, they needed the approval of the helmsman to give Lucas such a high salary. Even though Jensen was the helmsman’s favored son, he didn’t have the right to agree on the family’s behalf.

But the next moment, Brett realized that his father didn’t have to implement his offer. He just wanted to lead Lucas on and calm him down first.

Brett smiled and said to Lucas, “Lucas, my father’s conditions are very sincere, and this treatment is a unique offer that doesn’t come by easily. You’re going to be paid twice what our top expert gets! What else are you considering, Lucas?”

Hearing their painstaking persuasion, Lucas, who had been listening calmly, suddenly smirked and sneered coldly. “Are you two having a good time trying to trick me? Do you take me for a fool?”

The expressions on Jensen’s and Brett’s faces immediately froze.

1252 Seeing Through Everything

“Ahem, you must be mistaken, buddy.” Brett coughed twice before quickly explaining, “Why would we try to trick you? My father is truly sincere about inviting you to be our guest elder. If you don’t believe me, you can come home with us, and we’ll sign a contract with you. We aren’t lying!”

Lucas glanced at Brett indifferently. “Who are you to call me your buddy?”

Brett’s forced smile immediately stiffened.

His remark was like a slap in Brett’s face.

When he called Lucas ‘buddy’, he had swallowed his pride to get closer to him.

Brett was a direct descendant of the Hamiltons, and he even had the chance to become the leader of all the royal family branches in the future. If it wasn’t for the sake of making Lucas less hostile and getting closer to him, there was no need for him to lower his status and call Lucas his buddy.

But now that Lucas was so insensible that he openly said he wasn’t worthy of calling him his buddy, Brett was on the verge of losing his temper.

Lucas Gray is way too arrogant and conceited!

But right now, for the sake of achieving their goal, Brett could only force himself to suppress his anger and say stiffly, “You… you’re right, Mr. Gray. We’re indeed not close enough to be buddies. It was too sudden of me.”

Seeing him swallowing his pride and anger, Lucas found it extremely ridiculous.

Brett was putting on the airs of a wealthy scion while looking as if he was enduring humiliation. His acting skills were worlds apart from Jensens’.

Lucas couldn’t be bothered to continue watching Jensen and Brett put on an act anymore. He said directly, “We’re all smart people. Don’t treat others as fools.”

He glanced at Jensen and sneered. “As far as I know, you’re only the third son of the Hamiltons’ helmsman. But in fact, you don’t have much real power. Do you think you have the right to invite me to be your family’s guest elder for an annual salary of four hundred million dollars?

“Four hundred million dollars a year isn’t a small sum. In your family, you need your elders’ or the helmsman’s approval to issue any salary above thirty million dollars, right?

“So, you’re just giving me an empty promise and trying to make me work for the Hamiltons.
Aren’t you treating me as a fool then?”

Jensen’s and Brett’s eyes widened in shock. They didn’t expect Lucas to be so clear about some of the Hamiltons’ rules!

Jensen subconsciously opened his mouth to find an excuse to explain himself.

But Lucas didn’t give him the chance. “Don’t think I can’t tell what your intentions are!

“Since I don’t believe you, you want me to go to your home to sign a contract? Hah, if I really believed you and went to the Hamiltons’ with you, I would probably be ambushed by your family, and it would be hard for me to leave.

“At that time, I would be stuck in your home base and be like a lamb to the slaughter. Isn’t that so?

“According to your plan, if I’m sensible enough, I should submit to your family and slog my guts out for you. Only in this way can I survive. If I’m not sensible and still reject your offer, what awaits me will be your family’s siege. Then you’ll get rid of me, a pawn you can’t make use of, right?

“Of course, if I refuse to return to the Hamiltons’ with you, you can also say that you have expressed enough sincerity to get me to lower my guard so that you can call more experts from your family to besiege me, right?”

Lucas’s analysis made Jensen’s and Brett’s expressions change drastically.

They never thought that Lucas would see through their intentions!

Jensen and Brett were instantly caught in an awkward situation.

If anyone else had seen through their plan, Jensen would definitely kill them.

But Lucas was so powerful that even Jensen’s bodyguard, Moses, had been easily defeated by him. Lucas had effortlessly crushed Moses’s hand with his bare hand, so Jensen definitely didn’t have the guts to fight against Lucas now.

On the contrary, he now felt a sense of fear toward Lucas.

If Lucas really became angry by what he said and suddenly decided to kill them, they would have no way to resist.

Countless thoughts flashed through Jensen’s mind as his expression kept changing rapidly.

Almost two seconds later, Jensen had already come to a decision. “Mr. Gray, we absolutely don’t dare to do that. Besides, I’ve already decided to give up California and stay away from now on. I will leave California tonight.”

Jensen immediately became much more respectful, and he even promised, “Please rest assured, Mr. Gray. The Hamiltons will never send people to harm you. I can guarantee this!”

Brett glanced at his father and lowered his head quietly, clearly with the same idea in mind.

Lucas glanced at them and said coldly, “Okay, I’ll spare your lives today then. Get lost!”

Jensen and Brett immediately heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly left.

The two bodyguards by their sides, Mateo and Moses, who had his hand crippled by Lucas, hurriedly left with them.

Now, only Lucas and the top five helmsmen in California were in the room.

Bruce and Edmund were on Lucas’s side, and Ethan had wisely chosen to stand on his side this time.

Jim Sullivan and Anton Holmes were the only helmsmen left.

After exchanging glances, Jim and Anton suddenly fell to their knees with a thud in front of Lucas. “Mr. Gray, we… we were wrong, and we’d like to follow you now too. Please give us your approval!”

Lucas didn’t even look at them.

He was planning to develop in DC, and the people he would be bringing with him were all those loyal to him. As for others, they weren’t within his consideration at all.

Lucas glanced at Ethan, who was standing at the side nervously, and said indifferently, “From now on, the Sawyers will be the top family in California.”

1253 Informing the Family

Ethan quickly raised his head and looked at Lucas, his eyes full of surprise. Does he mean he’ll support the Sawyers and help us become the top family in California?

But before Ethan could rejoice, he immediately saw the cold expression on Lucas’s face.

Bruce and Edmund, standing at the side, didn’t show the slightest trace of surprise on their faces. Instead, they grinned with anticipation.

Ethan’s spirits, which had just jumped for joy, were instantly dampened.!!

Lucas wasn’t going to support the Sawyers, but rather, he planned to give them up!

From now on, the Sawyers would go from the third top family in California to the top family. However, it wasn’t that the Sawyers would develop further but because Lucas planned to take the top two families, the Hales and the Coles, away with him from California!

At this moment, Ethan felt that he had completely lost something, and his heart was full of bitterness.

Even though he was about to become the helmsman of the top family in California, it didn’t make him feel any happy at all.

On the other hand, Bruce’s and Edmund’s moods were the complete opposite of Ethan’s.

Lucas’s words meant that he would be taking the Hales and the Coles with him to develop in DC.

The thought of what the Parkers, who had gone to DC in advance, had achieved with Lucas’s help caused Bruce and Edmund to be extremely envious.

Just half a year ago, the Parkers were just one of the three top families in LA, and they didn’t even rank among the top 20 in California.

Later, the Parkers became the top family in LA, and now, they were the strongest force in DC, next to the nine royal family branches and eight top families. It was all thanks to Lucas!

Now that the Hales and the Coles had the opportunity to follow Lucas to DC, they would definitely become a top family on par with the Parkers!

Thinking of his scene, Bruce and Edmund felt excited and full of zeal, wishing they could immediately follow Lucas to DC and perform to their fullest potential.

…

Meanwhile, Jensen and Brett had already left the Grandeur Hotel and were sitting in a car on their way to their accommodations in Orange County.

Extremely indignant, Brett asked, “Dad, are we just going to give in to Lucas Gray, give up California, and leave?”

Conquering California was an important aspect of the Hamiltons’ plans, and they had already taken over various states around California. This failure would have a huge adverse impact on their plans.

Moreover, if they left now, it would seem like they were driven out of California by Lucas. Brett couldn’t take this lying down no matter what.

Jensen said with displeasure, “What should we do then? Are we supposed to stay here and court death here instead of leaving?”

Lucas wasn’t a saint, and he had terrifying martial arts skills. There was no way they could gain any benefit from Lucas.

Before completely angering Lucas and fighting him to the death, they could only leave California for now and then think of another plan.

Brett knew that leaving California was the most rational choice now, but he still felt extremely upset.

Moreover, there was another important reason.

Brett punched the seat and asked indignantly, “Dad, we still haven’t found Angus yet. If we leave now, how are we supposed to find him?”

At the mention of his youngest son, grief appeared in Jensen’s eyes.

He said slowly, “I have a feeling that Angus has already been killed.”

“No, I don’t believe it!” Brett immediately rejected this speculation. “I refuse to believe that he’s really dead! He… he’s a scion of the Hamiltons and my brother. Who would dare to harm him or even kill him?

“Besides, even if he’s dead, we have to see his corpse. We haven’t found his corpse, so there’s no evidence he’s dead. I refuse to believe that he’s dead!

“Unless…” Brett suddenly thought of a possibility, and his eyes turned bloodshot. “Unless the culprit is Lucas Gray! Right, I know. Angus’s disappearance must have something to do with Lucas Gray! He’s so arrogant and the strongest person in California. If anyone really dares to harm Angus, it must be Lucas Gray!”

“Shut up!” Jensen hollered immediately, “Brett, you’re not allowed to say that! That is only your baseless conjecture. If you let Lucas Gray hear that, he definitely won’t let us leave California in one piece! So no matter what you want to say, you have to hold it in!”

Brett said angrily, “Dad! Why do we have to be so afraid of him? He has already left the four territories, and he’s all by himself now. Even if he’s good at martial arts, and he’s stronger than Moses, we still have several experts who are more powerful than Moses. They can deal with Lucas Gray!

“If not, we can just gather all the top experts of the Hamiltons. Lucas Gray definitely won’t be a match for them! He’ll be helpless!

“Dad, why don’t we send a message to the family right now and ask Grandpa to send all the top experts here!? I refuse to believe that Lucas Gray can do anything to us with so many experts guarding us!

“Moreover, we can take this opportunity to send more people to look for Angus. No matter what, we can’t just give up!”

Brett sounded extremely earnest.

Jensen looked hesitant.

He had always been a domineering person, and apart from a few people in the world, he had never succumbed to anyone.

If possible, he naturally wouldn’t be willing to give in to Lucas, who was even younger than his son. Even more so, he didn’t want to give up on searching for his youngest son and leave California down and out.

No matter what, Angus had gone missing in California, and the only way to search for him now was to stay in California.

If he left California, it would mean giving up on Angus, and they might never find him again.

Moreover, Jensen still had a strong feeling that Angus might still be alive and waiting for him to save him somewhere.

If he left California, he would be leaving Angus to die.

Even if Angus had really encountered a mishap, Jensen would never let the murderer off!

1254 Finding Traces

Seeing that Jensen was deep in thought and seemed to be tempted by what he said, Brett quickly followed up and persuaded further, “Dad, no matter what, even if Angus is really dead, we must find his corpse and take him back to the Hamiltons. We can’t let him die in a foreign land. Furthermore, we have to find out who the murderer is! We can’t let them off!” Hearing this, Jensen finally made up his mind. “I won’t take this lying down! I won’t let off anyone who dares to harm my son!

“But we can’t act recklessly now. I’ll call your grandfather to explain and arrange for stronger powerhouses to come over. It’s also time to let your grandpa know about Angus.”

Brett was overjoyed. Once his grandfather knew about this, he would definitely send more of the family’s experts. When the time came, they would be able to defeat Lucas, find out where Angus was, and avenge Angus!

Since Jensen had already made up his mind, he didn’t delay for a moment and immediately took out his phone to make a call.

“Father, there’s something I need to report to you. Here’s the thing. Angus has been missing for two days in Orange County, and we haven’t been able to find him. I highly suspect that he has been murdered!”
What Jensen said instantly made the temperature on the other end of the call plummet.

“What happened? Tell me the details immediately!” the Hamiltons’ helmsman ordered.

Jensen told his father what had happened in California, as well as their speculations.

The Hamiltons’ helmsman was instantly furious. “That punk is too audacious! How dare he harm a descendant of the Hamiltons? He even dared to threaten you. He’s courting death!”

“Father, that punk named Lucas Gray is really quite something. Although he’s young, his martial arts skills are impeccable. Even Moses, my bodyguard of decades, wasn’t a match for him. That punk crippled one of his hands, and he might be handicapped forever.”

Jensen explained with a sullen expression, “If not for this, I wouldn’t have been so scrupulous of a greenhorn like him. I was afraid he would harm Brett and me. That’s why I called you for help.”

The helmsman snorted coldly and said furiously, “How dare he?! My son and grandson aren’t people that any Tom, Dick, and Harry can harm!

“How about this? I’ll get Linus to bring some people to Orange County to help you. I’ll also send more manpower there. No matter what, we have to find Angus, even if we have to scour through Orange County!”

“Yes, that’s great!” Jensen was overjoyed and immediately agreed.

Linus, whom his father mentioned over the phone, was not an ordinary person but a top powerhouse who ranked third in terms of martial arts skills in the entire Hamilton family. He was second only to the two top experts who followed the helmsman.

It could be said that Linus was the strongest combat force that the helmsman could dispatch now.

Moses, whose hand had been crushed by Lucas, was roughly only sixth in terms of combat power.

Although the difference in their ranks didn’t seem that much, their actual combat power was worlds apart.

During the martial arts tournament the Hamiltons held a year ago, Linus had defeated Moses within three moves. He had held Moses’s neck tightly with one hand and won effortlessly.

Moses was no match for Lucas, but Jensen believed that Linus could definitely kill Lucas within ten moves!

After a moment of silence, the Hamiltons’ helmsman’s voice came from the phone speaker. “Jensen, as you said, Lucas Gray might be from the military, and he was very likely a highranked officer close to one of the four supreme commanders. We must take this information seriously.

“I know you want to kill him right now to prevent future troubles, but I must warn you that if you can’t kill him in one go, don’t be rash, lest you bring calamity upon yourself. Do you understand what I mean?”

Jensen nodded. “Father, you’re right. I will keep this in mind, and I won’t act rashly!”

Given his understanding of Lucas, if he really took action but failed to kill Lucas quickly, Lucas definitely wouldn’t let the Hamiltons off!

Thus, even if Linus really came to Orange County, he couldn’t act rashly!

“Okay, as long as you know. I’ll get Linus to head over right away. Inform me if anything happens!” the helmsman of the Hamiltons said in a deep voice.

“Yes, Father!” Jensen immediately agreed.

When his reinforcements arrived, he had to act carefully and kill Lucas without anyone knowing to be at ease.

…

Meanwhile, Lucas ignored Jim and Anton, who wanted to submit to him, and left the Grandeur Hotel.

The source of this content is n/ov/elb/in[./]net’

Bruce and Edmund followed closely behind him.

Lucas frowned, looked at them, and asked, “Have you cleared all traces of Angus Hamilton?”

It was indeed a tough job to clear all the traces. A slight mistake might let the cat out of the bag.

For example, Lucas had ordered Bruce to clean up all traces of Angus’s death in Orange County and especially all clues in Lotte Entertainment City. Bruce naturally ordered his subordinates to remain tight-lipped, get rid of all the surveillance footage, and so on.
But Orange County was huge, and it was hard to guarantee that those who had seen Angus wouldn’t say a word.

Bruce wanted to assure Lucas that he had taken care of everything, but he knew that there was nothing 100% certain in the world.

After some thought, Bruce said hesitantly, “I’ve already instructed my people to take care of everything and clean up all traces. There shouldn’t be any mistakes, but… if there are passersby in Orange County who have seen Angus in the club, they might be able to search along the clues and find something…”

As the saying goes, Man proposes, God disposes.

Anyway, they had already done everything they could.

If something still went wrong, and the Hamiltons found some clues, it couldn’t be blamed on Bruce.

Lucas didn’t criticize Bruce and just said calmly, “As long as you’ve done your best, it’s enough. If we really get exposed, then it’s God’s will.”

It seemed that there was really such a thing as God’s will. Sometimes, the more you dreaded something, the more likely it was to happen.

…

As soon as Jensen and Brett returned to the hotel they were staying, Brett received a call from one of his subordinates.

“Mr. Brett, good news! We’ve finally found some traces of Mr. Angus! Someone saw him in Lotte Entertainment City after lunch the day before yesterday!

“And according to our investigation, the surveillance cameras there and its vicinity happened to be faulty that day. There must be something fishy about this!”

1255 Getting Ready to Leave

“What did you say? You’ve found traces of Angus?” Brett immediately asked loudly while standing up in surprise.

Jensen looked over to hear where his son was.

On the other end, the subordinate said, “Yes, Mr. Brett. After an in-depth investigation, we finally found out from some passersby that Mr. Angus went to Lotte Entertainment City in the afternoon that day because he saw two beautiful women at the entrance and followed them in.

“The passersby had a strong impression because those two women were so beautiful. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to find out where Mr. Angus went.!!

“What’s more, the surveillance footage in Lotte Entertainment City is all gone, and our people couldn’t retrieve any. There must be something fishy! Mr. Brett, what do you say we should do now?”

Brett’s eyes were red. He was already certain that something had happened to Angus in Lotte Entertainment City, and it must have had something to do with the two beautiful women.

He was well aware of what his brother was like. Angus was a lustful playboy who had been romantically involved with multiple women in DC. He also had a penchant for beautiful women and had even forced women to leave with him in the past. There had even been deaths on several occasions.

But due to the Hamiltons’ power and authority, all these matters had been settled, and Angus had gotten away scot-free, so he had never reflected on himself and changed.

“Since you’ve finally found some clues, investigate everything properly! You must get to the bottom of this!” Brett ordered coldly.

“Angus has always had high standards. Since those two women were so beautiful, they should be prominent figures in Orange County. Search for the names and photos of the beautiful women in Orange County and then ask around to find out who they are. Once you get all the information, report back to me!”

“Yes, Mr. Brett! We’ll definitely investigate this matter thoroughly!” the subordinate answered immediately.

After hanging up, Brett looked at Jensen excitedly. “Dad, our efforts have paid off! We’ve finally gotten some clues about Angus! It seems we’ll be able to find him soon!”

Jensen was excited, but he also felt worried.

It had already been two days. Was Angus really still alive?

He kept feeling that Angus was most likely dead. Even if they found those two women, he probably wouldn’t be able to see his son again.
…

Lucas was naturally still unaware of this.

After leaving the Grandeur Hotel, he returned to his villa in Pearl Lake.

As soon as he entered, Amelia leaped toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck, refusing to let go for a long time.

It had been a long time since she saw Lucas, so she was particularly clingy to him whenever she saw him the past couple of days.

Especially after knowing that her parents had made up, she was now beaming with joy.

“Daddy, it would be great if you stayed home every day. Then I’d get to see you every day!” Amelia said, reluctant to let him go.

Lucas smiled. “Amelia, we’re moving to DC soon, and we’ll have a new house. When the time comes, we won’t have to be apart anymore, and you’ll get to see me every day!”

“Wow! Yay! We’re moving to a new house!” Amelia was so elated that she leaped up and wriggled in Lucas’s arms.

But she soon frowned and seemed troubled. “But if we move, what’s going to happen to my best friend, Hailey? I’ll be sad if I don’t get to see her again.”

Amelia was stuck in a rare dilemma, and her brows were furrowed tightly as she worried seriously about her trouble.

The adults laughed, but they didn’t tease Amelia about her friendship.

During dinner, Lucas looked at William and asked, “William, how’s the handover at the Solar Corporation doing?”

William was now managing the Solar Corporation’s Orange County branch, and he would be following Lucas to DC too, so Lucas was concerned about his progress.

William smiled heartily. “Don’t worry. I have already arranged everything. I can leave at any time, but…”

He hesitated and didn’t finish his sentence.

Lucas immediately asked, “But what? Is the company facing a tough issue?”

“No, it’s not that.” William waved his hands and hesitated for a moment before saying, “There’s nothing wrong at the company. But there are some changes in my mindset. I do want to follow everyone to DC to develop, but I know my capabilities.

“To be honest, I’ve wasted many years of my life, and I didn’t learn much about managing a company. I could only secure a foothold in the Solar Corporation because of your appointment and help.

“I’ve thought about it. If I follow you to DC, I’m afraid I won’t be of any help to a big company like the Stardust Corporation. I… I’m really sorry.”

Lucas said, “William, don’t say that. Besides, we’re moving to DC as a family. Don’t you want to come with us? Do you want to stay in Orange County instead?”

William sighed and looked at the puerile Amelia. “No, I’ll still go to DC with you, but once we’re there, I won’t be working anymore. I’ll just stay home and accompany Amelia!

“Since you and Cheyenne will both be busy with your careers, I’ll look after Amelia.”

Caught between laughter and tears, Lucas said, “William, you’re only in your fifties. Are you sure you want to retire so soon? There’s no need for this!

“If you’re worried that you might not be able to help at the company, please don’t think that way. Although you haven’t managed the Solar Corporation for long, I’ve seen your abilities, and I know you won’t be a burden to me.”

Although William wasn’t very talented, he had certain management abilities and wasn’t the type to mess around.

Thus, Lucas didn’t think that William would be a burden to him, and he didn’t want William to feel too pressured.

Of course, it was up to William if he wanted to work at the Stardust Corporation.

If he really wanted to stay home, live as a retiree, and accompany Amelia, Lucas naturally wouldn’t object.

1256 Linus of the Hamiltons

William thought for a moment and said, “Forget it. You have a lot of talent at your company now. I won’t join in the fun. You young people will be busy with work, so I’ll just stay home and accompany Amelia.”

Seeing that he had already decided, Lucas stopped persuading him and said with a smile,
“Okay, since you’ve made your decision, we’ll go with it. It’s fine as long as you’re happy.”

William breathed a sigh of relief and smiled happily.

With such a filial daughter and son-in-law and an adorable granddaughter by his side, he felt that life was really worthwhile.

Even though Cheyenne wasn’t his biological daughter, in his eyes, she was no different from his own.

The few of them were busy preparing to move to DC.

…

The following morning, a plane flew from DC and landed at Orange County International Airport.

Jensen and Brett had been waiting at an airport terminal for a while. When they saw an elderly man with a white beard and hair, clad in a white long-sleeved shirt and pants, their eyes glowed with excitement, and they hurriedly went over to greet him.

From several meters away, Jensen bent forward slightly and called out, “Elder Linus!”

Although Jensen was one of the helmsman’s sons and highly valued in the family, he didn’t dare to put on airs in front of this elder.

This elderly man in white was none other than Linus, the third-ranked powerhouse of the Hamiltons.

Linus had been with the helmsman for years and had gone through countless trials and tribulations with the Hamiltons. He had made great contributions to the family and deserved great credit.

Moreover, Jensen had been striving for the position of helmsman, so he was naturally very respectful to an expert like Linus. He has been trying his best to get close to Linus in order to have him protect and assist him well in the future.

Thus, Jensen was extremely respectful toward Linus.

At the side, Brett quickly bowed to Linus. “Elder Linus, welcome!”

“Mr. Jensen, Mr. Brett, I’ve kept you waiting.” Linus bent forward slightly with a reserved smile, making him look cold and unfriendly.

He knew what Jensen was thinking, but he was loyal only to the Hamilton family, and it didn’t matter to him who the helmsman was. So he simply turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to Jensen currying favor with him.

“Mr. Jensen, the helmsman has instructed me to come here and assist you, so feel free to give me any instructions,” Linus said to Jensen without going out of his way to be polite.

When Jensen heard this, a look of resentment appeared in his eyes. He took a deep breath before saying, “Elder Linus, I should be aware that my son Angus has disappeared in Orange County. This matter is related to a young man named Lucas Gray, but his martial arts skills are impeccable, and even Moses is no match for him!

“So, I hope you can help me find out more about him. It would be best if you could kill him!”

Jensen was now full of murderous intent toward Lucas.

After the call from Brett’s subordinate last night and finding out that Angus had gone to a club named Lotte Entertainment City and that two beautiful women were involved, Jensen had immediately sent people to find out their identities.

Last night, they had already found out that the two beautiful women Angus had pestered and forcefully dragged into his room were Cheyenne Carter and Charlotte Carter.

But one of them was Lucas’s wife, and the other was his sister-in-law.

In that case, Jensen could already conclude that Angus’s death was absolutely related to Lucas!

The truth was obvious. Angus must have developed lustful thoughts when he saw the two young and beautiful women, but it turned out that they were closely related to Lucas.

Moreover, Lucas was the overlord of California, so it wasn’t difficult to understand why Angus suddenly vanished from Orange County without a single trace.

As for White Claw, Angus’s bodyguard, Lucas must have killed him too.

Given Lucas’s combat power, there was no need to doubt this at all.

Yet Lucas acted like nothing had happened when facing him previously. Even when Brett visited him in person at his company, Lucas didn’t reveal anything.

If they hadn’t coincidentally found some clues from passersby, Angus’s death might just become a secret forever, and he would have really vanished into thin air.

As soon as Linus heard what Jensen said, his expression immediately became grim.

Of course he knew who Moses was. Moses ranked sixth among the powerhouses of the Hamiltons. Although he was inferior to Linus, he was still a top expert that very few could rival. Even the strongest powerhouses around the helmsmen of the eight top families of DC might not be a match for him.

But the fact that Lucas had defeated even Moses made Linus cautious, and he knew he couldn’t belittle him.

“Mr. Jensen, Lucas Gray should only be in his twenties. Is he really so powerful that even Moses is no match for him?” Linus asked with puzzlement.

Jensen nodded and said sadly, “Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. In merely one exchange of blows, Lucas Gray crushed Moses’s hand and completely crippled it. He’s not receiving treatment in the hospital.”

Linus couldn’t help feeling more worried and scrupulous toward Lucas.

If Moses had lost after a tough battle, Linus would be surprised, but he wouldn’t be too shocked. After all, there are many talents in the world, and it wasn’t impossible for there to be some outstanding young talents.

But the fact Lucas had crippled Moses’s hand in one move in almost an instant kill contained a lot of information for him to process.

“Mr. Jensen, please tell me more about Lucas Gray in detail,” Linus said seriously.

So while driving from the airport, Jensen and Brett told Linus everything they had investigated, as well as their conjectures about Lucas’s identity.

Previously, they had thought that Lucas was a powerhouse from one of the four territories and should be close to one of the four supreme commanders. But after speaking with Lucas, they narrowed the scope to the eastern and southern territories.

But regardless of where Lucas was from, they couldn’t underestimate his identity.

After pondering, Linus said, “I can probe his skills first, but it will be difficult for me to kill him like you want, Mr. Jensen.”

1257 Probe

“The commanders of the eastern territory and southern territory are not to be trifled with, especially the commander of the southern territory, the captain of the Falcon Regiment. He’s very domineering and protective of his subordinates. If Lucas Gray is really his former subordinate, and we hurt him, I’m afraid even the Hamiltons won’t be able to resist his wrath.”

Jensen’s heart sank.

Indeed, this was what they were concerned about before.

Even though Lucas had left the military and was no longer a subordinate of one of the four commanders, it was normal for people to be protective of their comrades. In case they angered a supreme commander, there would be massive trouble.!!

“Elder Linus, what do you think we should do now?” Jensen asked respectfully.

After carefully thinking about it, Linus said, “I think we’d better think this through and plan carefully, lest we provoke someone we can’t afford to provoke.”

Jensen’s eyes were bloodshot, and he said unwillingly, “But the evidence shows that Angus was really harmed by Lucas Gray. Am I supposed to just let him off?

“If we can’t kill Lucas Gray and avenge Angus, I will never be at peace!”

Brett was just as unwilling. He had been very close to Angus, and now that Angus had undoubtedly been killed by Lucas, he obviously couldn’t tolerate it. Was he supposed to not avenge his brother and not kill the culprit?

They were the Hamiltons, an esteemed US royal family branch. How could they possibly lower themselves and avoid Lucas out of fear?

Linus glanced at them and said calmly, “Mr. Jensen, with all due respect, if Mr. Angus has really encountered a mishap, there’s no way we can revive him even if you kill Lucas Gray now.

“The most important thing now is not revenge but securing your status in the family and striving to become the next helmsman. Isn’t that so? In this critical moment, you should stabilize yourself and not cause trouble for the family by provoking a supreme commander for the sake of revenge.

“They say it’s never too late for revenge. It won’t be too late for you to settle scores with
Lucas Gray after you become the helmsman.”

What Linus said was like a bucket of cold water pouring over the angry and indignant Jensen, immediately calming him down.

Indeed, Linus was right. Even if they killed Lucas now, it wouldn’t bring Angus back to life.

Instead of creating trouble for the family because of this matter, thereby causing him to fall out of contention for the position of the Hamiltons’ helmsman, he should bear with it for now and let Lucas live a few more days before settling scores with him in the future!

After calming down, Jensen immediately bowed to Linus, “Thank you for the reminder, Elder Linus. I’m truly grateful!”

Linus moved aside slightly and said with a smile, “Don’t stand on ceremony with me, Mr. Jensen. I didn’t say anything worthy of your gratitude.”

Jensen understood what Linus meant. Linus had always been a neutral party in the family, but he had given Jensen a huge favor by giving him a reminder. However, he couldn’t let their conversation spread, lest he put Linus on the spot.

“Yes, I understand. I won’t forget your kindness in the future, Elder Linus!” Jensen said sincerely.

Linus smiled. “Although I don’t think we can kill him now, we can still probe Lucas. I’ll go meet him later.”

Jensen said gratefully, “Okay, thank you so much, Elder Linus!”

Then he gave Linus some information about Lucas, such as his address, photos, and so on.
“Alright, I got it. I won’t go back to the hotel with you. We’ll talk again after I meet Lucas
Gray. Mr. Jensen, Mr. Brett, you two head back first!”

Linus was extremely interested in Lucas. After getting information about him, he asked the driver to pull over and proceeded to look for Lucas.

Jensen didn’t stop him and bid goodbye to him respectfully.

After watching Linus leave, Brett finally said, “Dad, do we really have to bear with it and let
Lucas Gray stay alive for longer? He killed Angus. I really want to kill him right now to avenge Angus!”

Jensen patted his son on the shoulder. “Brett, calm down. Don’t be impatient. I feel the same as you do, and I wish I could kill Lucas Gray immediately to make him pay for Angus’s life.

“But if we can’t tolerate this, we will incur greater trouble. Your grandfather is getting old, and it’s time for us to pick the next helmsman. We mustn’t be reckless now, lest we miss the opportunity.

“Don’t worry. Once I become the next helmsman and take over the entire family, I will be able to deploy all the Hamiltons’ elites and kill Lucas Gray! I’ll make sure he dies miserably to atone for his sins!”

Brett naturally knew that his father made sense.

Indeed, they didn’t have to rush to take revenge. The most important thing now was to make sure Jensen became the next helmsman.

Under this premise, they could postpone everything else.

But he would absolutely capture Lucas one day and kill him with his own hands to avenge Angus!

…

At 10 a.m., in the chairman’s office of the Stardust Corporation’s Orange County branch…

Lucas was sitting in the office with a large stack of documents on the large desk in front of him.

They were all important documents that he, the chairman, needed to sign.

After all, he would soon be leaving Orange County and going to DC to develop. Although the Orange County branch would be staying, there were many business and administrative issues for Lucas to handle, especially since there would be a major personnel shift.

But while Lucas was carefully going through the documents, he suddenly felt a sense of crisis and a strange aura.

He put down the pen in his hand, walked to the window with a frown, and peered below.

From more than a dozen floors above ground, the traffic and pedestrians on the streets looked minuscule.

But among the bustling crowd, Lucas accurately spotted an old man standing opposite the Stardust Corporation building.

It was a man in his sixties with a white beard and hair, clad in a white shirt and pants. He wasn’t actually that inconspicuous at first glance.

But Lucas had his eyes firmly fixed on him.

It was Linus, the old man who had gotten out of Jensen’s car not long ago!

Based on the information that Jensen had given him, Linus arrived at the entrance of the Stardust Corporation’s Orange County branch office and was still contemplating how he should probe Lucas.

At this moment, he seemed to feel a strange gaze on him. He raised his head and looked up.

When Linus looked into the pair of calm eyes on the top floor of the Stardust Corporation building, his heart immediately skipped a beat, and all the hair on his body stood on end!


1258 Unprovokable

Linus’s purpose here was to probe Lucas’s details.

So when he saw the calm eyes on the top floor of the building and the owner of the eyes, he immediately knew that it was Lucas!

However, he had now arrived near Lucas’s vicinity and was actually still a distance away from him, yet Lucas had already discovered him and had his eyes locked on him.

What a terrifying perception!

Even an expert like Linus was flabbergasted!

At this moment, Linus deemed Lucas much more dangerous than he had thought, and he was now full of scruples toward him.

The next moment, a calm and indifferent voice suddenly rang in Linus’s ears. “Are you here to look for me?”

After being shocked, Linus suddenly turned around, only to see that Lucas, who was just on the top floor of the Stardust Corporation office building moments ago, had appeared behind him!

His speed was incredible, and he was just like a phantom!

The astonishment within Linus was indescribable.

“I was just passing by.” Linus clenched his fist tightly and forced himself to smile. “Sir, you’re really powerful. I’m enlightened.”

Lucas smiled faintly. “Sir, you’re already advanced in age, so you should stay at home.
Gaining knowledge isn’t as important as your life, or you might end up in a horrible plight. What do you think, Sir?”

Linus’s pupils suddenly constricted. He had naturally understood what Lucas meant.

If someone else dared to threaten him so audaciously, Linus definitely wouldn’t take it lying down. But facing Lucas and his peculiar skills, even Linus, the third top powerhouse of the Hamiltons, couldn’t help feeling worried and uncertain.

“You’re right. I’m old, so I should stay at home.” Linus nodded and turned around to leave without hesitation.

Watching Linus disappear among the crowd, Lucas slowly narrowed his eyes.

Linus’s aura was formidable. Of course, this didn’t mean that he was intimidating. On the contrary, when walking on the streets, he looked just like an ordinary old man.

But he exuded the aura unique to top experts, which was like a special magnetic field.

The more skilled in martial arts someone was, the more they could sense the aura exuded by martial arts practitioners.

This was why Lucas, despite standing on the top floor of the Stardust Corporation, which was more than a dozen floors above ground, could still sense the unique aura exuded by Linus and locate him precisely.

Just by looking at Linus’s white attire, which was unique to the experts of the Hamiltons, Lucas knew that he was a powerhouse sent by the Hamiltons, who was far more powerful than White Claw, Mateo, and Moses.

But even this powerful expert was no match for Lucas.

Lucas had seen that there was no murderous intent in Linus’s eyes, so he merely gave a warning. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let him go so easily.

“I hope the Hamiltons won’t continue behaving foolishly. Otherwise, don’t blame me,” Lucas murmured before disappearing right on the spot and returning to his office.

Meanwhile, Linus stayed tense until he reached a crossroad and turned a corner. When he could no longer feel the scorching gaze behind him, he heaved a sigh of relief.

“This young man must not be provoked!” Linus wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead with deep fear in his eyes.

…

On another side, in the hotel room where Jensen was staying…

In the spacious presidential suite, Jensen and Brett were sitting on the couch with their brows furrowed, staring at the phone on the coffee table and sometimes looking at the door, waiting for news.

“Dad, do you think Elder Linus has met Lucas Gray?” Brett asked worriedly.

Jensen seemed distracted, but he said, “There shouldn’t be anything to worry about. Anyway, Lucas Gray definitely won’t be a match for Elder Linus. My only worry now is whether Elder Linus will accidentally kill Lucas Gray by mistake and provoke a supreme commander.”

After some thought, Brett said, “If Elder Linus really kills Lucas Gray, I’ll instruct my subordinates to clean up the traces well. In any case, we can’t let Lucas Gray’s death pose a threat to your fight for the position of helmsman!”

Suddenly, the door of the room opened, and a figure in white entered. “You’re overthinking. Lucas Gray is extremely strong. I’m no match for him at all.”

Jensen and Brett immediately stood up.

They instinctively wanted to go forward to greet Linus, but after they processed what he said, their expressions changed drastically.

“Elder Linus, what… what are you saying? Even you’re no match for Lucas Gray?” Brett looked at Linus in panic, only to see that Linus’s clothes were neat and his hair was still neatly combed. There were no traces of a fight at all.

“Did… did you fight Lucas Gray?” Brett asked anxiously.

Jensen looked at Linus doubtfully.

Linus shook his head with a bitter smile and sighed. “No, but I know he’s much stronger than I am. I’m no match for him at all. If we had really fought, I might not have been able to come back in one piece to see you.”

These words made Jensen and Brett feel extremely shocked and horrified.

“In any case, Mr. Jensen, that young man Lucas Gray is not on the same level as us at all. Please refrain from provoking him as far as possible in the future. Otherwise, you’ll definitely suffer!” Linus said earnestly. “That’s all I have to say. I’m returning to the Hamilton residence now.”

With that, Linus bowed slightly and turned around to leave without waiting for Jensen and Brett to persuade him to stay.

He had come to Orange County to help deal with Lucas under the orders of the Hamiltons’ helmsman.

Since he now knew that he was no match for Lucas at all, there was no point in staying here any longer.

What Linus said left Jensen and Brett in complete disbelief.

They didn’t expect the third most powerful expert of the Hamiltons to say that he and Lucas weren’t on that same level and that they shouldn’t provoke him.

In that case, things became a lot more serious.

After Linus left, Brett frowned for a long time before finally saying, “Brett, it seems that we can’t stay in Orange County for long. We should head home immediately!”

At this point, they could basically forget about taking revenge on Lucas or taking California away from him.

Staying alive was their greatest concern now.

Last night, Lucas had already warned them to leave Orange County immediately. However, not only did they not leave, but they even asked the family to send Linus over.

They didn’t know if Lucas was angry now and whether he would come and confront them, but Jensen knew that they had to leave Orange County right now!

The two of them were in a hurry and soon left Orange County International Airport with their subordinates half an hour later.

By the time the plane took off, Lucas had already received the news.

…


1259 Lena Asks to Meet

Bruce and the others sighed in relief after hearing the news.

Because he was worried that the Hamiltons might take revenge and send lots of experts to suppress them, he hadn’t slept well for the past few days.

Now that he learned that Brett, Jensen, and their subordinates had left Orange County, he finally felt relieved.

“Lucas, that’s great news. The Hamiltons have really left!” Bruce exclaimed excitedly.

Lucas wasn’t surprised. When he saw the Hamiltons’ powerhouse leaving after receiving his warning, he guessed that they would choose to avoid him for now.

But he couldn’t let his guard down just because of this.

After all, Angus had indeed died under his command, and the Hamiltons definitely wouldn’t forget such deep hatred. Lucas just didn’t know when they would come for him again.

He wasn’t afraid of the Hamiltons, but he wasn’t alone now. He had his family, friends, career, and company, which was continuously expanding. The Hamiltons would definitely be able to get a hold on him somehow.

It looks like I should work on becoming more powerful and recruiting more experts. Lucas decided.

Soon, it was lunchtime.

Lucas put down the documents in his hand. Just as he walked out of the Stardust Corporation office building, he suddenly heard a familiar voice call out to him.

“Lucas!”

Lucas turned around and saw Lena walking toward him, all smiles. He couldn’t help looking a little sullen.

“What are you doing here?” Lucas asked coldly, expressionless.

He was now rather displeased with Lena.

In the beginning, Lucas had a good impression of Lena and took care of her as much as possible because she was Cheyenne’s best friend.

But after the incident in the hotel in DC, his impression of Lena was completely ruined.

Flynn had already found out that Lena was the one who had hired someone to take those photos in the hotel and sent them to Cheyenne.

Although Lena thought that she had done a good job of being secretive by hiring someone to take the photos and using a different phone number to send them, there were still traces that could be found. Besides, Lena wasn’t an expert at this, so she didn’t clean up the traces well, and it was a piece of cake to check.

To be honest, Lucas was furious when he found out that Lena was the culprit behind everything.

After all, Cheyenne had always genuinely treated Lena as her best friend. Yet Lena openly tried to snatch her husband and sowed discord between Cheyenne and Lucas, which Lucas couldn’t tolerate at all.

If it wasn’t because Lena and Cheyenne had been friends for a long time, Lucas would have never let her off the hook.

In addition, Lena’s father, Ethan, had also once betrayed Lucas, though he chose to stand on Lucas’s side in the end. Even so, his betrayal of Lucas was an indelible fact. Thus, Lucas had a very bad impression of Ethan and Lena.

Lucas was already being kind enough to them by choosing to ignore them.

But he didn’t expect Lena to come looking for him at this moment.

Lucas’s indifferent attitude seemed to hurt Lena a little.

She smiled and said, “It’s only been a few days since we last met. Why have you become so distant, Lucas? We’re good friends, right? Have you forgotten that I sent you back to your hotel room to rest when you got drunk in DC?”

Hearing that Lena had the audacity to mention the incident at the hotel, Lucas sneered inwardly while looking at Lena with an even colder gaze.

“I haven’t forgotten, and I never will forget,” Lucas said mysteriously. He asked coldly, “So, why are you here?”

Lena giggled. “Since I helped you, shouldn’t you treat me to a meal in return?”

Lucas wanted to refuse at first, but after giving it some thought, he agreed. “Sure, what would you like to have?”

Hearing Lucas agree, Lena immediately beamed with joy. “I’ve heard that the Parkers’ Restaurant is very popular lately. Let’s go there!”

This restaurant was founded by the Parkers decades ago, and it recently rose to fame after its sister restaurant, the Parker’s Hampton Restaurant in DC, became famous. They soon became Instagram hot spots, and now, there were sister restaurants in many major cities. Naturally, Orange County had one too.

“Sure, the Parkers’ Restaurant it is.” Lucas immediately agreed and drove to the restaurant with Lena.

He wanted to ask Lena why she did such a thing to Cheyenne, her best friend of over a decade.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, they ordered a sumptuous 4-course meal.

Lena was extremely enthusiastic, and she kept talking to Lucas and pouring him drinks from time to time.

But when she was about to pour him some wine again, he moved the wine glass to the side and said coldly, “Alcohol leads to mistakes. I won’t drink anymore, lest I get into trouble again.”

Realizing the ambiguous meaning in what Lucas said, Lena felt her heart skip a beat, afraid that he had already discovered something.

But she quietly looked up and breathed a sigh of relief when she found that his expression hadn’t changed much. She thought that she was just being paranoid.

She was positive that she had done that matter so secretively that Lucas definitely wouldn’t find out!

But she didn’t dare to go overboard and cut down on the talking.

After they finished the meal, Lena hesitated for a moment but eventually said, “Lucas, actually… I want to ask you to help my family, but I don’t know how to begin.”

Lucas knew why she had come to find him.

Without saying a word, he poured himself a glass of water and sipped it, as if he hadn’t heard what she said.

Feeling a little awkward and uncertain about what Lucas was thinking, Lena said, “Lucas, it’s actually a very simple matter. I hope you can give the Sawyers a chance and take us with you to DC.”

It was just as he expected.

Lucas smiled coldly. “Your dad, Ethan Sawyer, asked you to find me, didn’t he?”

With a look of embarrassment, Lena said, “My dad told me about what happened a couple of days ago. Actually, I think my dad’s very fickle-minded, timid, and easily intimidated too.

“But it’s not his fault… Our family doesn’t have a strong foundation, and we can’t take huge risks. That’s why my dad’s so hesitant and cautious about everything.

“Of course, he didn’t intend to betray you, and it’s not that he doesn’t trust you either. It’s just how he is. So Lucas, can you not hold it against him and give our family another chance?”

1260 I Love You

Lucas looked at Lena indifferently without even batting an eyelid and said directly, “No.” “Why?” Lena’s eyes widened in surprise. She didn’t expect Lucas to reject her plea for help.

Lucas said coldly, “The fact that the Sawyers can become the top family of California is already a result of my kindness. Don’t push it.”

Lena’s face instantly turned pale, and her hand holding her glass of red wine trembled, causing several drops of wine to spill onto the snowy-white tablecloth.

“Then, can’t you give the Sawyers another chance for my sake?” Lena asked through gritted teeth, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Lucas pitifully.

For her sake?

Hearing this, Lucas wanted to sneer.

Lena meant nothing to Lucas. He didn’t take her seriously at all.

In fact, if it wasn’t for Cheyenne, Lucas wouldn’t have bothered to talk with Lena at all.

“No,” Lucas said firmly.

When Lena saw Lucas not wavering in the slightest and rejecting her again without any room for compromise, disappointment gradually appeared on her face.

Tears slowly welled up in her eyes, and she frowned while saying aggrievedly, “Lucas, why do I feel like you’re giving me the cold shoulder all of a sudden? How have I offended you?”

Seeing that Lena actually had the cheek to pretend as if nothing had happened, Lucas felt even more disappointed and repulsed.

Since she wanted to treat him as a fool, why should he save her from embarrassment?

Lucas stared closely at Lena’s eyes and sneered. “How dare you ask me how you’ve offended me when you did something so abhorrent.”

Lena’s heart tensed up, she subconsciously clenched her fists, and a look of panic appeared on her face. Could Lucas already know that I’m the one behind that matter?

No, that can’t be. I pulled it off well that day. Lucas shouldn’t suspect me!

As Lena thought of this, a trace of confusion appeared on her face, and she seemed clueless about what he was saying. She asked in bewilderment, “What have I done? What are you talking about, Lucas? I don’t understand what you mean.”

Seeing Lena still feigning ignorance, Lucas couldn’t be bothered to continue wasting his breath with her and exposed her right on the spot. “You don’t have to pretend to be innocent in front of me. You’re the one who took those photos and sent them to Cheyenne!”

He didn’t speak in an inquisitive tone but a firm, aggressive, and affirmative one.

Lena’s expression changed drastically, and her hands clenched the tablecloth tightly, crumpling the snowy-white fabric, which was now all wrenched up like her heart.

“What… what are you talking about? What photos? I have no idea what you’re saying!” Lena tried her best to remain calm and pretend not to know anything. But unfortunately, Lucas’s sudden exposure of her caught her off guard. Her voice stuttered, revealing the obvious guilt and nervousness within her.

Lucas sneered at her.

At this point, she still refused to admit it. It seemed that she was trying to hold out until the very last moment.

“Lena Sawyer, drop the act. Since I’ve already said it, I won’t malign you. Third Avenue, Apex
Studios, Marcus Thompson, these names should ring a bell, shouldn’t they?”
After hearing these names, Lena felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her hands holding the tablecloth trembled violently, and the glasses and tableware on the table clanged loudly.

Apex Studios was the agency Lena had hired to photograph her and Lucas secretly. Marcus Thompson was the photographer who had taken the photos of her and Lucas seemingly being intimate outside the hotel.

Since Lucas had already managed to find Marcus, he obviously knew that she was the culprit.

At this moment, Lena felt as though she had been thrown into an ice cellar, and her entire body was cold. She felt incredibly ashamed and embarrassed, as if she had been stripped naked in public.

She didn’t expect Lucas to find out everything she had done.

So much for pretending and feigning ignorance in front of him just now. To her horror, he had already found out the truth, and her performance in front of him was probably just like a clown act.

At the thought of this, Lena turned pale, and she couldn’t say a word.

Staring at Lena, Lucas questioned coldly, “To be honest, I’m really disappointed in you! Cheyenne has always regarded you as her best friend, and she’s been kind to you for more than ten years. But what did you do to her in return?

“There was clearly nothing between us, but you maliciously hired someone to take those photos that made us look intimate. And you even sent them to Cheyenne to sow discord between us and upset her. Is that what a best friend should do?

“What has Cheyenne done to you to make you hate her so much that you’d want her to suffer and be sad?!”

Lucas’s voice became increasingly louder as he questioned Lena. She lowered her head with every question and was almost unable to raise her head.

Hanging her head low, she clenched her fists, and her nails dug deep into the flesh of her palms. But she suddenly raised her head and stared straight at Lucas. “She hasn’t let me down, but I’ve… I’ve fallen in love with you! I’m in love with you!”

Boom!

Her words were like a thunderbolt striking Lucas on the head, making him absolutely dumbfounded.

Lucas never thought that Lena would fall in love with him!

This explained why she had tried to sow discord between him and Cheyenne. She wanted to ruin their marriage.

How was this possible?!

Why would Lena fall in love with him?

Lucas was truly dumbfounded as he looked at Lena in confusion, seemingly not knowing her at all.

Since she had already said it, she decided to go all out. With red eyes, she yelled, “Do you remember the first time we met? You sent me home, and I encountered the sudden attack by the speeding motorcycle in front of my house. From the moment you saved my life, I fell in love with you!

“I thought I could suppress my feelings for you and keep them to myself forever, but when you saved me from the deadly pursuit in LA, I knew that everything was God’s will. God must have sent you to me! In that case, why should I give you up and let someone else have you?

“I know I’ve let Cheyenne down, but sometimes, there really isn’t an explanation for your feelings! I didn’t want things to turn out this way, and I don’t want to steal Cheyenne’s husband either, but I couldn’t help myself!

“I’m just so helplessly in love with you that I’d rather give up my friendship with Cheyenne!”

Lena burst into tears and revealed all her feelings for Lucas for the first time.

Dumbfounded, Lucas sat in his seat, at a complete loss for words to express his emotions.

 

[Prodigy]

Chapter 81: Brad Douglas’s Death


In the hall of the Douglas family’s main residence, the phone beside Hugo Douglas, who had been anxiously waiting for news, suddenly rang.

“How is it?” Hugo asked impatiently as soon as the call connected.

“Good news! Apart from the Luxe, Heaven Media, and three entertainment joints and bathhouses ordered to cease operations permanently, the other companies are allowed to resume operations. However, we have to pay a large fine…” said a Douglas on the other end of the line.

“That’s good. The fine doesn’t matter. The Douglases can still afford to pay it!” Hugo said in a much more relaxed tone. The tension of his face also eased up.

Although he had lost several lucrative companies, which were pillar businesses of the corporation, it was much better than having the entire Douglas family be wiped out!

As long as they were given some time to operate their businesses, they would slowly recoup their losses sooner or later. At most, they would just change the names of their companies.

Hugo hung up the phone in high spirits. The family members gathered around him immediately looked at him expectantly.

“Has the matter been resolved?”

“There’s hope for our family, right?”

“Has Chris settled everything? Is that person no longer going to pursue the matter?”

Facing their anxious and expectant gazes, Hugo nodded slowly and said with a smile, “Yes, we’ve safely overcome our crisis this time!”

In an instant, the ten-odd Douglases immediately looked relieved, and they praised Chris incessantly.

“Chris is really reliable and capable. He’s only been out for an hour or so, and the matter has already been settled!”

“He’s really worthy of being the next successor. He’s really not bad!”

“Of course. That goes without saying. After all, he has Hugo’s genes. Like father, like son!”

Hugo smiled while listening to them praising Chris, but his heart was gloomy.

In particular, he wanted to sneer when he heard them saying things like Chris was definitely competent because he was his son.

It was because the eldest son, Chris Douglas, whom they were singing praises about, was not actually Hugo Douglas’s biological son but the bastard child from an illicit affair between his wife and another man!

If it weren’t for the fact that Hugo was vying for the position of the patriarch of the family back then and needed a successor to increase his chances, he would never have allowed this bastard child, Chris Douglas, to survive!

Previously, Hugo showered Chris with praises on several occasions in public and even said that he was going to be the successor of the Douglas family, all because he wanted Chris to think that he valued him so as to ensure that he would be devoted to working for the family.

He thought that Chris would finally have a taste of how it felt to pave the way to success for others when he finally handed the family over to his biological son, Gordon Douglas!

Hugo felt that all of that was what Chris and his shameless mother owed him!

At this moment, Chris happened to have just arrived home. As soon as he entered the mansion, he was surrounded by many enthusiastic Douglases, who kept praising him endlessly.

“Chris, the fact that we can overcome the crisis this time is all thanks to you!”

“Yes, if it weren’t for you, how could our family’s crisis be resolved so quickly?”

Chris was stunned. But he soon smiled and said humbly, “Not at all. It’s only right for me to do this for the family. Besides, I also took advantage of our family’s name and prestige to get the matter resolved by fluke. Actually, Dad and all of you are the ones who deserve the credit!”

Hugo patted Chris’s shoulder warm-heartedly. “It’s no wonder you’re my son. Well done!”

Chris hurriedly lowered his head.”It’s all because you taught me well, Dad. It’s all thanks to your glory!”

The two of them looked at each other and smiled, looking like an affectionate pair of father and son.

“Hey, where’s Gordon? Didn’t he come back with you?” Hugo asked when he suddenly noticed that Gordon wasn’t around.

With a glint in his eyes, Chris answered warmly, “I saw that Gordon’s legs were severely injured, and I was scared that his condition might worsen, so I sent him to the hospital. Although his injuries didn’t really hurt his muscles and bones since we were just putting on a show for Lucas Gray, he’s still quite badly injured. So I thought that it’d be better to let Gordon recuperate well in the hospital for a while.”

“Okay, good to hear.” Hugo nodded and left.
However, he had no idea that Chris was staring at him with an icy-cold gaze from behind. Hmph, old fogy, are you thinking of making use of me to bring success to your son? I’ll see how you’re going to play mind games with me when your only biological son and grandson are dead!

After walking to a corner where no one was around, Chris dialed a certain number and made a call. “Okay, those two wastrels can be killed now. But remember to make sure they die in the hospital and don’t leave any evidence behind.”

Gordon and Brad Douglas were both hospitalized because they were seriously injured. The Douglases had just gone through a crisis, so their power had been greatly reduced. They were also all overwrought with overwhelming matters to handle. And they trusted him even more than before as well.

It was the perfect opportunity!

Besides, he could blame the deaths of Brad and Gordon on Lucas.

Not anyone could tolerate having to stoop low and bow to someone else like Chris had done at the Carter Corporation today!

…

The following day, the news of the sudden deaths of both Gordon Douglas and Brad Douglas in the hospital spread like wildfire throughout the county!

The Douglas family was considered a prestigious family in Orange County. And the deaths of the two direct descendants of the family naturally sparked numerous discussions and speculations in the county.

Cheyenne also heard the news, and her expression changed immediately.

When she saw Lucas again, she asked him hesitantly, “Brad Douglas and Gordon Douglas both died in the hospital yesterday. Have you heard about it?”

“What? Both of them died?” Lucas was rather surprised. He went out with Jordan early in the morning and indeed did not know about it.

Cheyenne looked at Lucas for a long time, unsure of what to say.

Lucas suddenly laughed. “Why are you looking at me like that? Do you suspect that I killed them?”

Cheyenne shook her head, well aware that Lucas shouldn’t have done such a thing even though she knew that he was capable of it.

Looking at Lucas worriedly, she said, “In that case… you have to be more careful. Brad
Douglas’s death is reportedly due to complications caused by an infected wound, and Jordan… was the one who inflicted it. I’m worried that the Douglases might blame it on you.”

Chapter 82: Death by Infection

Hearing her words, Lucas smiled and looked at her tenderly. “Don’t worry. The injuries we inflicted on Brad Douglas weren’t severe enough to be fatal. Even if they try to investigate, they won’t be able to associate it with me, so I won’t be in trouble.”

Cheyenne finally felt much less worried, but she nevertheless reminded Lucas, “Anyway, you should be more careful.”

“Yes, I will,” Lucas answered with a smile.

After Cheyenne left, a cold expression appeared on his face.

There was definitely more to the double deaths of Brad Douglas and Gordon Douglas!

If no one provoked him, he wouldn’t care to interfere with the family matters of the Douglases.

However, if someone was foolish enough to try to blame the matter on him, he wouldn’t be merciful and would simply chop off his hand! He was no saint after all.

…

At this moment, the Douglas residence was all black, and the two large black lacquered wooden coffins were placed in the middle of the hall, surrounded by countless white wreaths.

The Douglas family was a top family in Orange County. Since such a huge incident happened all of a sudden, there were naturally many guests. Regardless of whether they were close or not, they would all have to attend and offer parting words to the deceased. They would also have to show their respect and then comfort the Douglases.

Hugo sat beside the hall and stared at the two coffins in front of him with a deadpan expression. He wasn’t moving at all and was acting as if he couldn’t hear or see anything happening around him. His face, which was still rosy and healthy previously, seemed to have aged more than ten years overnight.
The two coffins in front of him were those of his only son, Gordon Douglas, and his only grandson, Brad Douglas. However, they would never open their eyes again.

At the thought of this, tears rolled down Hugo’s face.

This scene made the countless guests who came to offer their condolences sigh with emotion.

Anyone would be upset and grief-stricken to lose their son and grandson at an old age.

Fortunately, he had his eldest son, Chris Douglas, who could carry on the family bloodline.

At this moment, Chris also looked like he was grief-stricken and had tears in his eyes as he received the comfort and condolences from the guests on behalf of the Douglases. Sometimes, when something struck a sour note in him, he would weep and feel overwhelmed by the misery of the deaths of his younger brother and nephew.

All of a sudden, all the people who came to offer condolences felt emotional, as they could tell that the Douglas brothers shared a close relationship with each other.

However, after everyone left in the dead of the night, Chris looked at the two large coffins in the hall, and his mournful expression was now replaced by the derisive smile of a victor.

On the second day after the burial of Brad and Gordon, Hugo finally came out of his bedroom and regained some of his vitality.

However, Hugo had gray hair and a hunched back. His eyes were also emanating a sharp glint, making everyone’s heart jump.

All the Douglases waited in the hall, not even daring to breathe.

Hugo sat down on a chair in the hall, looked at everyone, and said slowly, “A few days ago, my son, Gordon, and my grandson, Brad, both passed away in the hospital due to a severe infection of their wounds.”

Hugo’s voice was hoarse. As soon as he said these words, a middle-aged woman dashed out, fell onto the ground, and started crying miserably. “Hugo! You must avenge Gordon and Brad! They died a wrongful death, but the scoundrel who killed them is still alive and well. You can’t let him off easily! You must make him pay for it!”

The middle-aged woman was none other than Brad’s mother and Gordon’s wife.

Having lost her husband and son in one night, she was about to lose her mind!
In particular, she had also heard that they had been badly beaten because they had offended Lucas Gray! Even after they had been hospitalized, he still wasn’t willing to let them off and ended up killing them! Or so she thought.

Brad’s injuries were serious but not fatal, and the same went for Gordon’s. So it was impossible for them to die in the hospital overnight!

While the woman wept miserably, the Douglases started discussing endlessly.

Almost all of them agreed that there was something fishy about the deaths of Brad and Gordon.

Although they didn’t feel much for the overbearing and haughty Gordon and the loafer Brad, who was often up to nothing good and only knew to cause trouble, they were still the core members of the family. Yet they were both killed by such brutal means, so they felt fearful and insulted.

Everyone looked at Hugo, hoping that he would issue orders to find the scoundrel who bullied them and then kill him without anyone knowing to avenge the deaths of the two Douglases!

However, to everyone’s surprise, not only did Hugo not promise to find the culprit to avenge Brad and Gordon, but he even looked at them sullenly and said austerely, “From now on, no one is allowed to talk about the deaths of Brad and Gordon. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being merciless and punishing you with the family laws!”

Hugo’s words left all of them astonished!

He’s actually threatening us with the family laws in order to suppress this matter!

Why?

Could it be that the culprit behind this is so powerful that even Hugo doesn’t dare to mess with him?

“No! You can’t do that. You clearly know that they were both murdered! How can you not avenge them?!” the middle-aged woman yelled, unable to accept this result.

“Shut up!” Hugo barked and glared at the middle-aged woman. “Are you turning a deaf ear to my words? Now that my son is gone, I can let you leave the family if you want!”

“I…” The middle-aged woman was so frightened by Hugo that she started convulsing with fear, not daring to air her grievances.
She had now lost her husband and her son and could only live the rest of her life depending on Hugo. If she provoked him and ended up getting kicked out by him, her life would be miserable!

Hugo stood up and looked around at the crowd in the middle of the hall. “Did all of you hear what I said? If I find out that anyone talks about this again, don’t blame me for not warning you beforehand!”

Chapter 83: Swallowing His Pride

Under the compelling gaze of Hugo, all the Douglases did not dare to look at him as they hurriedly hung their heads low and chorused in unison, “Yes, Old Sir!”

“One more thing.” Hugo looked at the white mourning fabric that hadn’t been cleared away yet with a grief-stricken expression.

“Gordon and Brad have just been buried, so don’t change the arrangements in the house too soon. Also, everyone in the family is forbidden from entertaining and socializing for the next one week, or else you will be disowned!” Hugo said austerely, making their hearts drop.

Having just lost his closest kin, it was only normal that Hugo wouldn’t want to see them laughing and having a whale of a time. However, if they had to cease all entertainment activities, their entertainment joints would also have to close for a week, which would result in a huge loss!

Besides, the Douglases had just suffered an enormous loss, so this loss would be even more severe.

Everyone wanted to give their opinion. But looking at Hugo’s expression, they could only stay silent.

After the family members left, Hugo called Chris to his study.

Standing in front of Hugo with his hands by his side and looking down, he looked just like a filial son.

Hugo stared at Chris and seemed to be trying to detect something from his face.

No matter how thick-skinned Chris might be, he couldn’t stay calm because he had a guilty conscience.

“Dad, why did you ask to see me?” Chris asked while looking at the oppressive gaze in Hugo’s eyes.
Hugo looked away and expressed assent, as if he had been interrupted from his trance. “Do you know why I said that in the hall just now?”

He was referring to his orders for everyone not to discuss the deaths of Brad and Gordon Douglas.

In fact, Chris was confused about it too.

His men had killed Gordon and Brad, and he even planned to make an issue out of their deaths and then put the blame on Lucas Gray so that he could avoid suspicion. No one would suspect that he had killed his younger brother and nephew.

In fact, even the middle-aged woman, Gordon’s wife, had heard about the deaths of her husband and son from someone Chris sent.

He reckoned that Hugo would definitely agree to the request since he was grief-stricken over the demise of his son and grandson.

However, he never expected that Hugo would choose not to confront Lucas and instead order all the family members not to bring it up again.

Chris lowered his head and hid the emotions in his eyes as he said respectfully, “I don’t know. But Dad, you’ve always been wise, so I reckon there must be a reason for your decision.”

Hugo sighed. “Gordon and Brad are my biological son and grandson, so of course I want to avenge them. However, we can’t openly go around saying that Lucas Gray killed them. First, we don’t have any concrete proof, and secondly, we might alarm him and cause him to flee. By then, it would be difficult to seek revenge.”

Chris nodded in a moment of epiphany and exclaimed, “Dad, you’re so wise! It indeed isn’t time for us to announce this yet. We should get rid of Lucas Gray when his guard is down!”

“Yes! The murderer is Lucas Gray, and we can roughly confirm that. Even if he wasn’t the one, he was still the one who beat up Gordon and Brad. We have every right to look for him!” Hugo gritted his teeth.

Immediately afterward, Hugo reached out and patted Chris on his shoulder. “Chris, you’re my only son now. I’ll hand over the task of killing Lucas Gray and avenging Brad and Gordon to you! After you complete it, I will convene a meeting and hand over the position of the successor of the Douglas family to you in public!”

Hugo’s eyes were full of an inscrutable menace.
Lucas Gray was not to be trifled with, and since his biological son was dead, there was no need for the bastard child Chris Douglas to continue living either! Besides, the murderer might really be Lucas, but it could also be the ingrate Chris!

If the two of them were to be at odds with each other, they could just kill each other! Regardless of which one of them died, it would be good!

Only then could he avenge Gordon and Brad!

When Hugo thought of that scene, his hands began trembling.

Suddenly, he heard a loud sound.

Chris burst into laughter!

Laughter?

Chris was just like an obedient dog in front of him, yet he suddenly laughed after hearing that Hugo was going to hand over the position of successor to him.

Hugo was shocked, and soon, he was furious.

He had clearly just said that no one was to laugh or chatter for the sake of mourning Brad and Gordon. Yet Chris was laughing!

“What are you laughing about?!” Hugo flew into a rage and glared at Chris.

“Haha, Dad. You mean that if I don’t seek revenge on Lucas Gray, you won’t give me the position of successor, right?” Chris asked with a smile.

Hugo found his action peculiar and frowned. “Of course not. You’re my only son. Who else would I hand it to but you?”

“Haha, who knows? I’m not your biological son. How could you hand the family over to me?
I’m afraid you must be thinking about how to kill me, right?”

Chris was still smiling, but in Hugo’s opinion, he was like a terrifying demon!

“What nonsense are you babbling about?” Hugo roared with shock and fear within him. When did this bastard find out?

Or has he always been pretending all this while? Has he been pretending so well that I thought he was an obedient dog, and he’s only showing his true colors now?
All of a sudden, Hugo’s heart was full of horror and anxiety.

“Hah, you should know whether or not I’m babbling nonsense.” Since he had already revealed his true colors, Chris saw no need to pretend and walked toward the couch to sit down calmly.

“You just want me to deal with Lucas Gray and end up getting injured too. It’s best if we both die, right?”

Chapter 84: Another Funeral

Chris’s words made Hugo take a few steps back in astonishment, almost falling onto the ground.

Hugo stared in shock and horror while pointing at Chris Douglas, his fingers trembling violently, barely able to utter a complete sentence.

“You… you…”

My plans and thoughts have been seen through by this scumbag?!

“You, get lost! Get out of my house immediately! I will never hand over the family assets to a bastard like you!” Hugo hollered while pointing at the door.

“Hah, it’s too late.” Chris didn’t move at all. Instead, he smiled even more joyously. “I didn’t want to take action so soon at first, but you forced me into this.”

Hearing his words, Hugo acutely sensed danger. “What do you mean?”

Chris smiled and clapped his hands. A stranger with neatly combed hair, donning a gray suit and gold-rimmed glasses, pushed open the door to the study and walked in.

“Who are you? Who let you in? Get out!” Hugo barked furiously.

The matter had already escalated beyond Hugo’s control. And in fact, he even felt a strong sense of crisis.

The stranger didn’t pay attention to Hugo and instead walked straight to Chris, bent low, and bowed. He then took out a document from his briefcase and laid it on the coffee table in front of him respectfully.

“Mr. Douglas Senior, this is the will that I have prepared according to your instructions. I have already verified that everything has been signed by you. Now, you only need to have to sign the last page with your thumbprint,” the stranger said to Hugo.

Hugo widened his eyes in disbelief. Immediately afterward, he flew into a rage. “Bastard! Since when did I ever make a will? When did I ever verify it with my signature? This is all just tricks you’re playing! This will doesn’t belong to me! It has no legal effect at all!”

“I’m going to go look for someone. This document is fabricated. It doesn’t count! I’m going to kick you out of the family, you bastard!” Hugo began to panic.

His unfilial son had already brought out a fabricated will. Who knows what he might do next? Hugo was bent on immediately leaving to look for security and the other family members to kick him out!

At this moment, there was a loud thump on the back of Hugo’s head.

Hugo slowly turned around and saw that Chris had smashed his head with an ashtray. His lips were trembling, but he couldn’t even utter a single word. Afterward, Hugo slowly began crumbling forward.

Chris walked to Hugo’s side, squatted down, and said softly, “You can now go and reunite with your precious son and grandson. Don’t worry. I’ll politely accept the entire Douglas family.”

Hugo’s throat moved a few times, but he still couldn’t say a single word in the end. His pupils dilated as blood flowed out from the back of his head, forming a huge pool of blood on the ground.

“Oh no! Someone, come here! Dad accidentally slipped and fell! Hurry and call an ambulance!” Chris began yelling anxiously in the study.

The Douglases were in chaos again.

Soon, the Douglases, which had just held two funerals, held their third one.

Within a short span of a few days, three significant figures of the family died, one after another.

The news took all of Orange County by storm.

Countless people were privately discussing the Douglas family’s successive deaths over the past few days, and countless speculations spread throughout the county.

However, at this juncture, Chris had already successfully become the new head of the Douglas family after the funeral ceremony.

As the only living son of Hugo Douglas and holding the will left by him before his demise, coupled with the public statements he made about making Chris Douglas the successor, Chris Douglas was able to take over the position as the head of the family smoothly and successfully. No one raised any doubts.

The changes in the Douglas family naturally caused a tremendous uproar in the county.

Some people who had been harmed by the Douglases, such as Charlotte, were stunned upon hearing the news. Charlotte sneered. “Hah, this is karma! The Douglases committed too many disgusting misdeeds, and now Heaven won’t spare them either. All three of them have dropped dead!”

…

In the Carter main residence, after Dominic heard the news and felt astonished, he gave it some careful thought. He then grinned merrily and quickly called his granddaughter Scarlet Wright over.

“Scarlet, have you heard about what happened to the Douglases?” Hugo Douglas asked.

Scarlet nodded. “Yes, they’re just out of luck! But that has nothing to do with us, right?”

“Haha, silly child.” Dominic rubbed his hands happily. “Think about it. The Douglases specially came to apologize to Mr. Brooke, but they mistakenly apologized to that scoundrel Lucas Gray instead. Next, their family members died one after another. Haven’t you figured out the key point?”

Feeling puzzled, Scarlet thought about it for a while before coming to a sudden realization. “Grandpa, I understand! It must be because they offended Mr. Brooke!”

“Shh! Keep your voice down. Just keep it to yourself, and make sure you don’t tell anyone about it, lest you bring trouble to Mr. Brooke. Understood?” Dominic instructed sternly.

With glistening eyes, Scarlet covered her mouth and nodded repeatedly. “Yes! Don’t worry, Grandpa! I will definitely keep my lips sealed and not cause trouble for Aston!”

“Speaking of which, how are you and him progressing? Are you confident?” Dominic asked.

At the mention of this, Scarlet began to look uneasy. She had been accompanying Aston for the past few days. Aston was physically attractive and a good sweet-talker as well. They had long advanced to home run.

Hearing her grandfather’s question at this moment, Scarlet blushed and said smugly, “Don’t worry, Grandpa. We… are progressing well. He promised to discuss our marriage with his elders when he returns to LA after some time.”

“Hahahaha, not bad, not bad! You’re indeed worthy of being my granddaughter. Impressive!” Dominic was overjoyed as he clapped his hands. “Scarlet, you must hold on tight to Aston. Once you’re married, you’ll be the most prestigious lady of a wealthy family, and the Carters will rise to the peak again thanks to them. We will become your most reliable maiden home!”

…

Meanwhile, Cheyenne was still feeling uneasy and full of mixed emotions after hearing about the deaths of the Douglases!


Chapter 85: Cheyenne Gets Hit


Within a few days, all three members of the Douglas family’s direct line of succession died.

To the world at large, Brad and Gordon Douglas had passed away because of health complications caused by their infected injuries, while Hugo Douglas fell down at home because he was too grief-stricken and knocked the back of his head, thereby unfortunately passing away.

However, many didn’t believe this.

Cheyenne didn’t believe it either, especially since a conflict had just broken out between Lucas and the Douglases because of Charlotte and her just a few days ago. Yet they died a few days later.

This made it hard for Cheyenne to believe that this really had nothing to do with Lucas.

Thus, she was feeling extremely complicated. On the one hand, she didn’t want to believe that Lucas would be ruthless enough to kill them for the sake of revenge. But on the other hand, the facts left her with no choice but to doubt him.

So when Lucas came to pick her up from work at the entrance of the Brilliance Corporation office, Cheyenne decided to voice her doubts, as she couldn’t endure the torment in her heart. “Did you cause the deaths of the Douglases?”

When Lucas heard this, his hand stiffened. Then he drove to the roadside to pull over and stepped on the brakes.

“Cheyenne, are you suspecting that I killed those people?” Lucas asked bitterly.

Cheyenne bit her lips. “I don’t want to suspect you either. But you did have a conflict with the Douglases because of what happened to me and Charlotte. Moreover, I haven’t heard of them offending anyone lately apart from you. I know you definitely are capable of doing this, but I don’t want you to go too far and commit such illegal acts.”

He smiled bitterly. “Am I an immoral devil who kills others without feeling anything in your eyes?”

Pinching her palm, Cheyenne looked at Lucas. “Does that mean that their deaths really have nothing to do with you?”

He looked into her eyes solemnly and nodded. “I do have the ability to kill them, but I wasn’t the one who did this. If I did, I’d admit to my own doings. But since I didn’t, I won’t. The Douglases aren’t worthy of my intervention.”

Cheyenne realized that she had indeed misunderstood him.

Since Lucas had the ability to destroy the Douglas family at any time, there was indeed no need for him to take their lives.

“I’m sorry. I-I was just worried that you did something impulsive…” she apologized. After all, anyone would be displeased to be suspected of being a murderer.

“It’s okay. I understand. Don’t worry.” Lucas nodded, well aware of what she was worried about. She was just afraid that he might step on the wrong path of no return and didn’t want Amelia to have such a terrifying father.

However, her concerns were completely unnecessary because he was extremely clear what his bottom line was. Besides, he wouldn’t dirty his hands easily.

After hearing what Lucas said, Cheyenne finally felt relieved.

…

The following morning, Cheyenne went to work. As soon as she entered her office, Jane Harper walked over and threw a pile of documents onto her desk before she could even turn on her computer. Jane ended up knocking over Cheyenne’s cup, but fortunately, there was no water in it.
“Convert the data in these documents into tables and statistical reports. Make two sets of slides. I need them for the meeting at nine-thirty later,” Jane ordered while frowning in annoyance.

Cheyenne sorted out the documents scattered all over the desk. There were about fifty documents, which cumulatively were half the thickness of a dictionary. She flipped through them, only to see that there were all sorts of data tables and some scribbling on them.

Cheyenne subconsciously frowned.

It was nearly 8:30, only an hour before the meeting.

The thick stack of documents would require a long time to process, and she even had to consolidate them into a single data table and then turn them into presentation slides. Putting the data into tables alone would require at least two days.

Getting all of it done in an hour was an absolutely impossible task!

“Ms. Harper, the time is too tight. I’m afraid I won’t be able to get it ready in time. Do you have the original digital spreadsheets of this information? If you do…”

Before Cheyenne could finish, Jane snapped hostilely, “Are you a good-for-nothing? I can’t even get you to do a simple task. Can’t get it ready in time? Do you come to the office every day just to muddle through? You should have been fired long ago!”

Cheyenne took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the anger welling up in her chest.

Jane Harper was clearly making things difficult for her on purpose!

It wasn’t the first time either.

From the day Cheyenne rejoined the Brilliance Corporation and started working from the bottom, Jane had already requested to transfer Cheyenne over to her department.

Initially, Cheyenne thought that she was just being grateful and trying to take care of her.

When Cheyenne was still in the Brilliance Corporation as the chairman of the board of directors, Jane was just an ordinary fresh graduate. Due to her humble family background and the fact that Cheyenne saw her getting bullied on several occasions in the office, Cheyenne took pity on her and made an exception to promote her to her personal assistant.

Although she took on the role of an ordinary assistant, being the assistant of the company’s chairman meant that she was treated completely differently from ordinary assistants. Thus, with Cheyenne’s help, Jane propelled to a high position, and her status and salary skyrocketed too, making many envious.

However, after the Carters took away the Brilliance Corporation from Cheyenne later, Jane did not talk to her much when she saw her around and even avoided her.

Cheyenne thought that Jane was just worried that she might be implicated and offend the Carters if they saw her talking to her.

However, Cheyenne never thought that Jane would ask to have her transferred to her department just so she could torture her every day by giving her arduous tasks that were impossible to finish. She reprimanded Cheyenne all the time and was actually the one who forced her to go to Heaven Media by threatening to have fired.

By giving Cheyenne such a thick stack of documents and a Herculean task that was impossible to finish, Jane was also deliberately trying to humiliate her and make things difficult.

At the thought of this, Cheyenne no longer wanted to try to complete the task. She looked at Jane and said, “Ms. Harper, I don’t think I’ve ever treated you poorly in the past. Why do you have to torture me intentionally like this?”

Cheyenne thought she was communicating calmly. But to her surprise, as soon as she finished speaking, Jane suddenly raised her hand and slapped her across the face with all her might!

Smack!

Chapter 86: Jane Harper’s Death

Jane’s merciless slap landed hard on Cheyenne’s face, making her cock her head toward the side. And soon, Cheyenne’s entire cheek became swollen.

This loud slap stunned everyone in the office, and they all stopped what they were doing and looked over.

“Hmph, I was clearly just briefing you on the tasks you have to do as per normal, but you said I’m intentionally torturing you? I’ll let you feel what it’s like to be tortured. Do you understand now?” Jane Harper stared at Cheyenne arrogantly with a smug expression on her made-up face.

“Tell me yourself. Since you came to work under me, how many tasks have you completed?
You hand them to me late every single time. How much of my time did you waste?
“When I sent you to negotiate with the Douglases previously, it was already a sure bet, yet you messed things up. You’re so useless!

“Today, I asked you to make data tables and slides. Is this very difficult? Anyone can do such a simple task, and yet you’re being so adamant about complaining that you can’t finish it. Are you much more noble than others?

“Hmph, Cheyenne Carter, do you think you are still the same high and mighty chairman of the board? Wake up. You’re just a lowly staff. If you can’t even do such a simple thing, you can get lost! The Brilliance Corporation won’t feed someone useless like you!”

Jane’s voice was very loud as she reprimanded Cheyenne incessantly, causing the other staff from other departments to look over.

If they only heard her accusations, those who didn’t know what really happened would definitely think that Cheyenne’s incompetence was why she failed to complete such a simple task and think that she was deliberately trying to stall for time.

However, none of them knew how arduous these so-called simple tasks that Jane handed to Cheyenne every day really were. During this period of time, Cheyenne had been spending her nights doing work at home until midnight just so she could complete these tasks and hand them to her the following morning.

However, even then, Jane still accused her of deliberately procrastinating and handing them to her late.

Jane was obviously making things difficult for Cheyenne, and she even slapped her. Yet she twisted facts and spoke with so much gusto that the people in other departments felt that she had every right to reprimand Cheyenne. They thought no one would want a lousy employee like Cheyenne, who was incompetent yet sly, lazy, and often slacked off.

As for some employees in this department, they were naturally clearer about the details. However, Cheyenne Carter was merely a junior employee, while Jane Harper was a deputy manager of the business department. Naturally, no one would want to stand up for Cheyenne and end up offending Jane.

Cheyenne covered her flushed face while her heart was full of anger and grievances. She clenched her fists tightly.

“Are you still not convinced? Hmph, forget it. Since you can’t even do a simple task like drawing up a table, go and pour me a cup of hot water and bring it to my office. Don’t tell me that you can’t even pour a cup of water! What are you waiting for? Get to it now!” Jane hollered sternly.
Her face red and swollen, Cheyenne clenched her teeth. Then she went to the office pantry and brought a cup of hot water over.

The water Cheyenne poured was not pure boiling hot water but lukewarm water that was just right for drinking.

When Cheyenne returned with this cup of water, she heard some people in the office gathered around Jane sucking up to her.

“Ms. Harper, you’re so impressive. You’re so young, and you managed to become a deputy manager. You’re so young and pretty, and you’re really capable too. I’m so envious!”

“That’s right! Ms. Harper is so much better than that bitch Cheyenne Carter! If not for the fact that she had the support of the Carters previously, she wouldn’t be fit to carry Ms. Harper’s shoes!”

“Ms. Harper, your skin is so good. How do you take care of your skin? You look so much better than other girls in their twenties! My sister went abroad on a business trip and brought me a set of skincare products, but I don’t use them at all. Why don’t you try it out for me?”

“Haha, how can I accept it?” Jane said. However, she grabbed the gift bag of skincare products. When she saw the large stack of money in it, her smile became even more radiant.

“The Grange Corporation’s project is not too bad. I will let you be in charge of it,” Jane said to the young woman who gave her the gift.

The young woman was instantly overjoyed and thanked her repeatedly. The project with the Grange Corporation had a huge profit margin, and she pondered for a long time but couldn’t figure out why it didn’t get accepted. Under the guidance of others, she finally understood the trick.

Indeed, after she sent a gift package worth more than ten thousand dollars, she managed to clinch the project!

Although she felt the pinch of giving such a hefty gift, she would be able to recoup her losses soon if she managed the project well.

The young woman was on cloud nine. The others looked at this scene with envy and jealousy while thinking about the profitable projects that they could work hard on.

Cheyenne was outside and could not see what was inside the gift bag. But she felt that Jane’s behavior was very inappropriate.
However, she couldn’t say anything. As long as the young female colleague insisted that it was a normal gift between women, no one could find an issue with it.

“Ms. Harper, here’s the water you wanted.” Cheyenne handed the glass of water to Jane.

“Okay.” Jane Harper glared at Cheyenne indifferently. Then she grabbed the glass of water and took a sip.

Before the water touched her lips, Jane Harper’s face turned furious, and she splashed the water at Cheyenne’s face. “How can I drink such hot water? Are you trying to scald me?!”

Cheyenne took a step back, and the water missed her face but splashed onto her clothes. Water dripped down, and she looked extremely distressed.

Fortunately, Cheyenne had added some cold water. Had the hot water scalded her, she would have definitely suffered severe burns!

Even if Cheyenne had a good temper, she couldn’t tolerate it now. “Jane Harper, I’ve had enough of your nitpicking! If the water were really hot, weren’t you worried that it would have scalded me?”

“Hmph, did you get scalded?” Jane Harper raised her head disdainfully. “Cheyenne, you’re used to being a pampered heiress, aren’t you? You couldn’t even get a glass of water properly. You’re a good-for-nothing! How dare you call me by my full name? Are you sick of your job? Go to the HR department and submit your letter of resignation. I won’t stop you!”

Cheyenne looked at Jane coldly. “Do you think you can order me around and bully me however you want just because you’re my manager?”

Chapter 87: Super Promotion

Cheyenne’s face turned sullen, and her aura became austere, instantly reminding Jane of the time when she was just a fresh graduate and was full of awe toward Cheyenne. She had even developed a sense of inferiority then.

However, Jane soon got rid of this feeling. She was now a deputy manager at the Brilliance Corporation, while Cheyenne was just a junior employee subordinate to her. Cheyenne was at her beck and call.

Jane looked at Cheyenne with contempt. “Yes! Do you still think that you’re the lofty chairman you used to be and that I’m still your assistant? Now, I’m your manager, and you have to do whatever I tell you. You have to bear with all the scoldings and beatings that I give!
“I know you still harbor thoughts of going back to the management level and climbing to the top of the Brilliance Corporation, but those are merely your delusions!

“I’m telling you, as long as I’m here, you will never get a chance to be promoted. You will stay at the bottom as an ordinary employee for the rest of your life, and you will never be able to climb up again!”

Jane hollered at Cheyenne with a menacing expression. She was furious and envious of her!

How could Cheyenne Carter be so lucky as to be born into a wealthy family and have such a beautiful face? She even became the chairman of the company at such a young age and possessed everything that everyone is envious of.

Why did I have to be so lowly and inferior in front of her while she did me favors and bestowed kindness?

Now, Cheyenne Carter has finally fallen from her pedestal and become far worse than me. I, Jane Harper, will step all over her and never give her the chance to climb up again!

Cheyenne found it really ironic. Jane was now a deputy manager, but she managed to get to that position because of Cheyenne’s help. Yet Jane was now throwing her weight around and putting on airs in front of her. She even swore to condemn Cheyenne and undermine her!

In that case, all her previous thoughts were just overly naive and righteous.

Thinking of this, Cheyenne took a deep breath and glanced at Jane coldly. “Is that so? Keep your eyes wide open. I hope you will never regret it!”

After saying this, Cheyenne stopped looking at Jane and the others in the office, who had peculiar expressions. She headed straight to the washroom to change out of her wet clothes.

…

Soon, everything that happened in the business department office was reported in detail.

Flynn Davis didn’t dare to be negligent when it came to Cheyenne’s affairs. He not only sent someone to pay attention to Cheyenne’s actions in the company but also reported these matters to Lucas as soon as possible.

When Lucas heard that Jane had openly humiliated Cheyenne, slapped her, and even splashed hot water on her in front of everyone at the office, an icy-cold gaze appeared in his eyes, and he was on the verge of killing someone. She’s merely a deputy manager of the business department, and yet she has the audacity to insult Cheyenne.

Previously, Jane was the one who forced her to go to Heaven Media to discuss the cooperation with it, but he hadn’t had the time to deal with her yet. Now, she was getting worse!

On the other end of the line, Davis seemed to be able to sense the coldness coming from Lucas. He was so nervous that he didn’t dare to breathe deeply at all.

“Conduct a thorough investigation on Jane Harper. Since she has received bribes openly in the office, she definitely can’t be clean. Find out all the dirty deeds that she has done over the years, sort out the evidence, and report her to the police,” Lucas said coldly.

“Yes, Mr. Gray! I’ll send someone to check it out right away, and I’ll make sure to do a careful job!” Davis hurriedly answered.

At this moment, a text message was sent to Lucas’s phone. It was from Cheyenne.

Lucas hurriedly opened it and smirked after reading the content clearly. This silly girl has finally figured it out.

Before ending the call with Davis, Lucas ordered, “I want to make Cheyenne the general manager of the Brilliance Corporation. Go draft the official documents now and announce it before noon. I want everyone in the Brilliance Corporation to hear it!”

Davis was astonished, but he immediately answered, “Yes, Mr. Gray! I’ll get to it immediately!”

He was shocked naturally because he knew that Cheyenne had previously rejected Lucas’s proposal to directly make her the chairman of the Brilliance Corporation, as she wanted to start from scratch. However, he was also clear about what Jane had just said. Now, Cheyenne’s choice was the most appropriate approach.

“Get someone to spread the word and say that the company is likely to promote Jane
Harper to the position of the director of the business department.”

“Um…” Davis was a little confused why Lucas wanted to promote someone like Jane Harper, but he quickly figured it out and wanted to curse himself for being so silly.

Since Jane had the audacity to bully Cheyenne, how could Lucas still promote her? By releasing the news, he just wanted her to become conceited. The higher she stood, the harder she would fall!
“Okay, I understand, Mr. Gray!” Davis acknowledged and proceeded to get to it.

Lucas sat on the couch and looked at the message Cheyenne sent on the screen. “Can I be the general manager?” He felt heartache, but he was heartened too. This silly girl has finally decided to depend on me.

…

Soon, an assistant of the HR department rushed to the office of the business department and said to Jane smilingly, “I specially came back to congratulate you. Ms. Harper, you’ll be promoted soon!”

Hearing this, Jane was overjoyed, and she frantically asked, “Really? Am I really going to be promoted? I’m going to be appointed manager?”

She had been in the position of deputy manager for some time, and her former boss, a Carter, had already been given the sack some time ago. Jane thought that the position would naturally be given to her. To her surprise, she finally received the news after such a long time!

Jane smiled, and the employees around her were also about to congratulate her on her promotion. But the HR assistant shook her head. “No, you’re not going to be promoted to a manager.”

Jane Harper froze, and everyone around her was at a loss for words. Since it was a
promotion, how could it not be to a manager?

“Congratulations, Ms. Harper. You’ll soon become the director of the business department!” the HR assistant exclaimed, panting heavily.

Jane Harper was overwhelmed with joy, as if she had won the lottery!

Being promoted from a deputy manager to a department director was a super promotion!

Chapter 88: New General Manager

Jane was incredibly excited about soon becoming a director, so much so that she was at a loss for what to say.

“Wow. Congratulations, Ms. Harper!”

“Congratulations, Ms. Harper. You are going to be promoted to director! In our company, you’re the only one who could become a director at such a young age!”
“Ms. Harper, please take care of us in the future!”

“Let’s treat Ms. Harper to dinner tonight to celebrate her promotion!”

…

The staff of the business department all gathered around Jane and praised her incessantly.

Jane Harper was brimming with joy, and she couldn’t hide her smugness.

“Tonight, I’ll treat you all to dinner. Let’s book two private rooms at Lion Restaurant. I’d like to thank you all for the trust you’ve had in me and for taking care of me all this while! In the future, we will also continue to work together to make our business department expand and become stronger!”

Although the official promotion appointment letter hadn’t been released yet, Jane was already full of vigor and had the demeanor of a leader.

When they heard that Jane intended to treat them to dinner at Lion Restaurant, all the colleagues began cheering gleefully. “Ms. Harper, you’re so generous!”

“We definitely won’t lose out by working under Ms. Harper!”

At this moment, Cheyenne, who had just changed into a clean set of clothes, entered.

Jane pointed at Cheyenne. “Let’s all go to the Lion tonight, but this person is not welcome.”

As soon as they heard her words, everyone looked at Cheyenne gloatingly.

Jane was now about to be promoted to the director of the business department, while Cheyenne was still just a junior employee.

If they ended up offending Jane Harper, there would definitely be severe consequences.

Cheyenne Carter is going to have a hard time from now on.

Well, unless she leaves the company after realizing that she can’t stand it anymore…

They were all pragmatic people. Seeing how much Jane detested Cheyenne, so much so that she wouldn’t even let Cheyenne take a few days off, no one wanted to take the risk of offending her. Thus, they simply undermined Cheyenne.

“Hmph, even I feel disgusted by Cheyenne Carter’s pretentiousness, let alone Ms. Harper!” “Exactly! Whenever Ms. Harper orders her to do something, she procrastinates and gives all sorts of excuses for her failure to complete it. Ms. Harper is too kind. If it were me, I would have already fired her!”

“She acts like an heiress just because she used to be family with the Carters! The Brilliance Corporation has long been taken away from her, and she’s not even part of the Carter family anymore since they’ve already chased her out. She’s all alone now. I wonder what dirty tricks she’s using!”

“Hmph, Ms. Harper is right! Tonight is a celebratory dinner for your promotion to director.
How could we let someone come and ruin the atmosphere?”

…

Cheyenne’s face turned gloomy. Jane Harper is actually going to be promoted to the director of the business department?

This was something she was unaware of.

However, Cheyenne was not worried at all because she knew that the owner of the Brilliance Corporation was Lucas. And she reckoned that he should be aware of the things that Jane had been doing. He was probably just giving her a false sense of joy.

Cheyenne wasn’t interested in the celebratory party either. Even if Jane invited her, she wouldn’t go.

She was just disappointed that the business department that she had single-handedly developed had already changed drastically after six years of poor management by the Carters.

The majority of the people still here were all bootlickers.

Facing this group of people lashing out at her with harsh and malicious remarks because of Jane, Cheyenne looked at them coldly and humphed. “I hope you will have an enjoyable celebration banquet tonight.”

“Hah, are you being sour because Ms. Harper didn’t invite you?”

“Hahaha. We’re going to an expensive restaurant for a meal tonight thanks to Ms. Harper, while Cheyenne can only go home and cook for her loser husband! Hahahaha!”

“Hahahaha. I forgot Cheyenne Carter had a loser husband! But now that she has been kicked out by the Carters, she might also be chased out by the company. By then, I wonder if her loser husband will still want her!”

“Hahaha, yes, exactly. After all, he just sponges off her. Once Cheyenne stops providing for him, I wonder what’s going to happen to them!”

…

They started insulting her one after another.

In the past, Cheyenne might still feel embarrassed. But now, she just felt that they were a bunch of clowns.

Without saying anything, she turned around and left to prepare for her future plans after becoming the general manager.

Initially, Cheyenne had turned down Lucas’s offer to hand over the Brilliance Corporation directly to her and wanted to climb up the ladder with her own efforts so that others would be convinced that she truly had what it takes.

However, everything that happened made Cheyenne understand that even if she was outstanding and hardworking, she would never be able to advance because of Jane Harper.

Cheyenne had also figured something out.

Her ultimate goal was to take back the Brilliance Corporation and purge all the bad practices and unscrupulous employees. She wanted the Brilliance Corporation to become healthy and full of vigor, restoring it to what it used to be.

Trying to gain the recognition of others was not the right thing to do.

As long as Lucas approved of her and she had the ability to improve the Brilliance Corporation, that would be enough.

Soon, before noon, a shocking piece of news spread to the ears of every employee of the Brilliance Corporation.

A new general manager had already been appointed and would be arriving at the office in the afternoon. At that time, all the employees of the Brilliance Corporation, except those who were out of town on business trips, would have to go to the first floor of the office to meet the new general manager!

Once the news came out, countless people began to talk about it.

Since the Brilliance Corporation was taken away by the Stardust Corporation more than ten days ago, the former general manager, Bryce Carter, was kicked out, and the remaining Carters were also sacked. Thus, there were many vacant positions.

However, except for the temporary assignment of the deputy general manager to take care of the company affairs, no other vacant positions had been filled.

In particular, the top position of general manager had been vacant for a long time. Many people had also been guessing if someone would be transferred over to fill the position or if a staff of the Brilliance Corporation would be promoted.

To be honest, they would prefer an internal selection within the Brilliance Corporation so that everyone would have a fair chance. Besides, they were all old acquaintances, and there would be more room for discussion.

“Have you heard? Who is the general manager this time? Is it someone from elsewhere or someone from our company?” someone asked.

Chapter 89: Jane Harper’s Dreams


“Who knows? I asked the HR department, and they all said they received an order from the higher-ups not to spread the word. They only said that we’ll know in the afternoon.”

“So, it’s pretty confidential, huh?”

Jane was also part of the gossiping team.

She had just received the news today that she would be promoted to a director and that the newly appointed general manager would be coming soon. Thus, she had to do her best to leave a good impression on the new general manager to get into his good books. It’ll be best if the new general manager is a young and handsome bachelor!

Jane believed that with her competence and beauty, she might be able to marry the general manager in the future if she could win his favor!

That would be much more powerful than the authority she would have as the director of the business department!

Jane imagined how much power she would enjoy after she married the general manager of the Brilliance Corporation and how everyone would have to bow down to her. If she were good at convincing him, the Brilliance Corporation would be in her control!

By then, Cheyenne Carter would be nothing!

Jane was overjoyed, and when she turned around to look at Cheyenne, who was typing on her computer in the corner, she suddenly felt a strong sense of superiority. So what if the Brilliance Corporation used to belong to you? Soon, it will become mine!

As she thought of this, an arrogant expression appeared on her face, and she strutted smugly toward Cheyenne’s desk in her heels. She raised her hand and unplugged the cable connected to Cheyenne’s computer.

Cheyenne had just completed some project proposals and personnel transfer files and uploaded them to her cloud drive. However, she hadn’t finished some spreadsheets yet, but the computer screen suddenly went black.

She looked up to see Jane standing in front of her with an arrogant and condescending expression, holding the power plug in her hand. A few ill-intentioned staff out to watch a good show surrounded them.

“What are you doing?” Cheyenne frowned and looked at Jane, who had obviously unplugged the power cord on purpose.

“Watch your tone with Ms. Harper!” Before Jane could say anything, a person with heavy makeup intervened and was eager to teach Cheyenne a lesson.

Cheyenne didn’t even bother paying attention to such a person and simply stared at Jane to see what tricks she was playing.

“Tsk, I don’t even know what you’re pretending to be busy for. The new general manager will be here soon. Did you know?” Jane Harper said leisurely after dropping the power cord.

“And?” Cheyenne asked, leaning back against her chair.

Seeing how unconcerned and nonchalant Cheyenne was, Jane was furious. Why does this woman always act as if she is so high and mighty?

Jane decided that she didn’t want to fire Cheyenne so soon. She wanted to keep her around so that she could make her watch her become the wife of the general manager and take away the Brilliance Corporation!

“What are you pretending for? Who doesn’t know that you were the chairman of the Brilliance Corporation in the past, but the Carters took it away from you later? You were then given a powerless junior position, and you even competed with Bryce Carter for the position of general manager. But unfortunately, that old man would rather choose that wastrel Bryce than make you the general manager.

“You must be disappointed, huh? There’s going to be someone else taking the position of general manager. Does that make you sadder?” Jane Harper said with a smile, deliberately out to upset Cheyenne.

“Ah, poor you! You used to be the high and mighty chairman of the board, but now you can only huddle in a corner of this office. You must be terrified, aren’t you?”

“Hahaha! Certain people just get better and better the higher they climb, while the lives of some just get worse with time. This is life!”

“I really advise certain people to recognize their own abilities sooner and know where they stand, lest they keep on dreaming!”

“Exactly! She got driven out by her family and even married a loser husband. She’s stuck with her burdensome daughter too, so she will never make a comeback!”

…

Cheyenne looked at the hideous faces around her coldly without many emotions.

Soon, these scumbags who just liked to suck up to powerful people would be driven out of the Brilliance Corporation.

At about three in the afternoon, a gray Mercedes-Benz commercial car pulled over at the Brilliance Corporation office entrance, and a refined middle-aged man got down from the backseat. He was James Denning, Flynn Davis’s secretary, who often followed him around.

The deputy general manager of the Brilliance Corporation, Lawrence Cayman, had long been standing at the door. He immediately walked toward the car. “Mr. Denning, you’re here.”

“Hello, Mr. Cayman.” Denning stretched his hand out to shake Cayman’s hand.

After an exchange of pleasantries, Denning asked, “Have they been notified?”

“Yes, they were all notified in the morning. We’re just waiting for you to announce it.”

He had naturally been notified of the arrangements in the morning since he was the interim deputy general manager. However, he didn’t dare to tell outsiders.

Who could have guessed that the person who would become the general manager of the Brilliance Corporation would be that someone?

As Denning arrived, all the staff in the Brilliance Corporation immediately put down what they were doing and hurried to the large conference room on the third floor, which could accommodate more than a thousand people.

Ever since they received the notice this morning, the administration department had already set up the large conference room. All the management staff had been arranged seats according to their position and status in the front row of the conference room. And the other employees sat at the back according to their departments.

Jane hesitated for a moment but soon sat on a seat in the first row.

Her official appointment letter had yet to be issued, so she was technically still a deputy manager for now and wasn’t qualified to sit in the first row.

However, she thought that since her promotion was already a sure bet, a moment sooner or later would make no difference.

Besides, Jane thought that she would only be able to leave a good impression on the new general manager and impress him with her good looks by sitting in the first row.

Seeing Jane Harper sitting in the first row of seats reserved for those in upper management positions, several other directors next to her frowned in puzzlement. But they didn’t end up saying anything.

Now, there were already two people on the podium in front.

One was Lawrence Cayman, the Brilliance Corporation’s interim deputy general manager, and the other was James Denning, the secretary who was transferred over from the Stardust Corporation.

The seat with the ‘General Manager’ nameplate was still vacant.

Who could the mysterious general manager be?

Everyone was eager to find out!

Chapter 90: Cheyenne Gets Promoted


Soon, the meeting officially began.

The deputy general manager, Lawrence Cayman, first made a simple statement before saying, “I’m sure all of you here have already heard of the news of the new general manager of the Brilliance Corporation. Now, let’s have Mr. James Denning of headquarters announce the appointment of the new general manager. Everyone, let’s give him a round of applause!”

Clap! Clap!

After the warm applause, Denning picked up the appointment letter and read it aloud solemnly. “Miss Carter is hereby appointed as the general manager of the Brilliance Corporation. She will be responsible for handling all the daily affairs of the Brilliance Corporation for a term of ten years!

“The terms in this letter have been approved by the head office, the Stardust Corporation, after the relevant procedures. It shall take effect immediately from the date of its reading.

“May I invite the new general manager, Miss Cheyenne Carter, to the stage to deliver a speech for everyone!”

As soon as Denning said this, everyone subconsciously began applauding.

However, everyone below the stage had bewilderment and shock written all over their faces.

The new general manager is Cheyenne Carter?

The Cheyenne Carter we know?

But isn’t Cheyenne Carter already down and out? Why did she suddenly become the general manager of the Brilliance Corporation?

If it isn’t her, could it be someone else with the same name? But this name isn’t common.

Compared to other people’s bewilderment and shock, Jane, who was sitting in the first row, was simply dumbfounded and astounded!

She couldn’t believe that Cheyenne Carter would actually become the general manager of the Brilliance Corporation all of a sudden!

Something must have gone wrong!

“Impossible… It must be someone else with the same name… It must be someone else…” Jane muttered softly while clenching her fists tightly. She then looked at the podium anxiously.

The crisp and clear sounds of high heels knocking against the ground sounded from behind the podium.

Subsequently, under the gaze of countless people, Cheyenne, dressed in an elite business suit, slowly made her way to the podium in an elegant and dignified gait. She then walked to the empty seat in the middle and sat down.

The gold ‘General Manager’ nameplate in front of Cheyenne was glistening under the light.

At this point, Jane could no longer deceive herself.

The new general manager that she had been eagerly waiting to see was actually Cheyenne Carter!

Layers of cold sweat surged out of her body. She was shivering all over, and her body was quivering incessantly.

She even sat in the first row of seats for those with upper management positions. Every time she looked up, she could see Cheyenne’s solemn gaze, and it was as though Cheyenne was glaring daggers at her and exposing her to the public.

At this moment, Jane felt humiliated and endless remorse.

However, Cheyenne did not even look at Jane once.

She sat in the general manager seat on the podium and spoke with a calm expression and tone. She made some brief statements about the current situation and the future development direction of the company.

After all, Cheyenne had single-handedly developed the Brilliance Corporation, and now that she became the general manager again, she feared nothing at all. Her speech was clear, and she was eloquent, professional, elegant, composed, and sophisticated. The people below all recalled the way she used to be when she was the CEO.

As for Jane, she had been sweating profusely below the stage, causing all her makeup to be smudged. She was too flustered to notice what Cheyenne was saying.

“Okay, this is the end of today’s meeting. I hope we will all strive to make the Brilliance
Corporation better under Miss Carter’s lead!”

With Cayman’s closing speech, everyone applauded loudly, and Jane finally returned to her senses.

Seeing Cheyenne stand up and walk toward the conference room exit accompanied by Cayman and Denning, Jane hurriedly wiped a handful of cold sweat from her face and ran after her. “Miss Carter, please wait!”

Countless people below the stage were watching with their eyes wide open, waiting to see what Jane would say to Cheyenne.

After all, Jane despised Cheyenne, and almost everyone in the company knew this, especially since many had witnessed the scolding in the morning.

With an icy-cold gaze, Cheyenne looked at Jane scurrying toward her with her eyeliner and makeup all smudged. There was no derision in her eyes or the thrill of having taken revenge. There was nothing but extreme indifference. “What’s the matter?”

“Um… Miss Carter, we were planning to hold a promotion celebration for me at Lion Restaurant this afternoon, weren’t we? I’d like to invite you to come to tonight’s dinner to congratulate you on becoming the general manager of our Brilliance Corporation!” Jane Harper smiled brightly, as if all those things that happened between her and Cheyenne didn’t exist.

Cheyenne had to admit that she had a high EQ, or rather, she was extremely thick-skinned.

Jane also extended her invitation to Cayman and Denning. “It’s rare for all the leaders to be here. I wonder if you will allow me the honor to have dinner with you.”

Jane deliberately made a playful action that she thought was charming, but she had no idea that she looked extremely revolting with her smudged makeup.

Cheyenne sneered. “How can I qualify to attend your promotion celebration party? I still have to go home to accompany my loser husband, lest he abandons me!”

These were the sarcastic remarks that Jane mocked Cheyenne with earlier. And now that Cheyenne was using them against her, Jane’s face stiffened, and she grew speechless.

Denning frowned and stayed silent. He didn’t know the woman in front of him, but he reckoned that she should have offended Cheyenne Carter, so he wasn’t kind to her at all.

Cayman also frowned as he grasped the main point in Jane’s words. “What promotion?”

As the interim deputy general manager of the Brilliance Corporation, he was naturally very familiar with the recent personnel transfers, and he knew that Jane Harper was a deputy manager in the business department.

Jane ruffled her hair and hurriedly laughed. “Well, the company is going to promote me to the director of the business department! I really have to thank Mr. Cayman and Miss Carter for your trust in me!”

Cayman frowned. “You’re just a deputy manager. How could you be promoted straight to director? Also, who told you about the promotion? How come I don’t know?”

Jane was dumbstruck.

Cayman’s words made her heart drop, and she had an ominous hunch.

“Kate… from the HR department… she came to tell me this morning…” Jane stammered.

Cayman sneered. “Are you new to corporate? There wasn’t an appointment letter, but you believed it just because someone said so? You’re so brainless!”

After saying this, Cayman stopped paying attention to Jane and instead hurriedly turned around and quickly caught up with Cheyenne.

Jane was immediately embarrassed. Cayman obviously meant that she wasn’t going to be promoted to director and that there was never a promotion for her!

In an instant, all eyes were on her!

Can you feel as the same medicine is being fed to you Jane

 

[emeka]

1251 Superior Treatment

Jensen himself was a very talented martial artist who wasn’t any inferior to ordinary experts.

But as he watched Lucas walking toward him while exuding extreme pressure, he felt a horrific sense of fear that made him unable to even muster the intention to fight against Lucas.

Although Lucas was only 27 or 28 years old, his martial arts skills were indeed beyond Jensen’s expectations!

Even Moses, the bodyguard whom Jensen had always trusted, had been defeated by Lucas in one move and even had his fist crushed and crippled. Lucas was clearly a powerhouse that Jensen wasn’t capable of dealing with.

Seeing this scene, Jim and Anton had a trace of regret in their eyes.

If they had known how powerful Lucas was, that he didn’t fear the Hamiltons at all, and could even make Jensen show fear, they wouldn’t have remained sitting quietly and turned down the olive branch Lucas had extended to them.

They truly regretted their decision.

Ethan was rejoicing.

He had been conflicted just now, but fortunately, he had made the right choice to stand on Lucas’s side.

At this moment, Ethan was full of admiration for Lucas.

In fact, ever since he got to know Lucas more than half a year ago, Lucas had never failed before and would always remain calm no matter how strong his enemies were. In the end, he would surely find a way to deal with them and get rid of the troubles.

While rejoicing, Ethan also made up his mind that he would never waver again, regardless of what happened in the future. He had to stand on Lucas’s side at all times, or else, he would regret it!

Seeing Lucas, who reeked of the metallic odor of the blood that stained his clothes, Brett was so shocked that he turned deathly pale.

But at this moment, he had to step forward to say something. Otherwise, Lucas might really harm his father!

“Lucas, wait a minute!” Brett hurriedly stepped forward and looked at Lucas earnestly. “Lucas, what just happened is a misunderstanding! My father doesn’t have any ill intentions toward you. He really admires your talent, and he’s sincere about recruiting you, but he’s a little hot-tempered and overly eager. Sometimes, the things he says aren’t what he has in mind. That’s what led to the misunderstanding!”

Jensen frantically nodded and apologized to Lucas. “That’s right! Mr. Gray, I was too muddled just now. I just really want you to join the Hamiltons because I admire your talent. I had no other intentions. Ah, I tend to ruin things with my fiery temper. I’m sorry!

“But I know now that you’re so talented that I’m not capable of recruiting you. I will drop the idea now.

“Perhaps only my father is qualified to invite you. How about this? On behalf of my father, I formally invite you to be a guest elder of the Hamiltons. You won’t have to bother with the family’s miscellaneous affairs. You just need to come forward to help us during critical moments.

“Apart from critical moments, we won’t interfere with your whereabouts and actions. You can even use our name to manage your businesses, and your salary will be two hundred million dollars a year. What do you think, Mr. Gray?”

In other words, Lucas could almost completely ignore the Hamiltons’ affairs and only need to show up during major events. His actions wouldn’t be restrained at all, and he basically had the freedom to do whatever he wanted.

Moreover, the Hamiltons were a royal family branch who had surpassed most families in the US, so what major event could trouble them? Perhaps it would only occur once every few years.

This meant that Lucas almost wouldn’t have to do anything for a few years.

Furthermore, Lucas could make full use of the Hamiltons’ resources and the identity of their guest elder. He would even be paid 200 million dollars a year for doing practically nothing.

The others in the private room looked at Lucas, green with envy.

If they were given such a wonderful offer, they would definitely agree without hesitating for a single second!

They would be fools not to agree!

Jensen thought so too. He believed that Lucas wouldn’t turn down such an attractive offer.

But he was destined to be disappointed. Lucas merely glanced at him with contempt in his eyes.

Jensen’s heart tensed up, and he almost thought that Lucas had seen through his intentions.

He gritted his teeth and said, “If you’re still not satisfied with this salary, I can increase it to four hundred million dollars!”

After a momentary pause, he continued, “Four hundred million dollars a year should be the world’s highest salary for this work. Even the top expert of the family doesn’t get that much.

“Mr. Gray, I’ve already expressed my sincerity. As long as you agree, I can even pay you four hundred million in advance!”

His offer left everyone else present shocked and jealous.

Lucas would have an annual salary of 400 million dollars for a job that barely required doing anything, and he could even borrow the power of the Hamiltons to develop his own businesses. This excellent offer made them incredibly jealous!

Fortunately, Bruce, Edmund, Ethan, and the others knew how extraordinarily powerful Lucas was, so they could understand why the Hamiltons were giving Lucas such an attractive offer and didn’t feel too jealous about it.

Others would likely be mad with jealousy and wish that they could replace Lucas immediately.

After hearing Jensen’s offer, Brett subconsciously glanced at him in astonishment.

Even the strongest powerhouse of the Hamiltons only received an annual salary of 200 million dollars, which was already excellent. What right did Lucas have to draw a 400 million dollar annual salary?

Besides, they needed the approval of the helmsman to give Lucas such a high salary. Even though Jensen was the helmsman’s favored son, he didn’t have the right to agree on the family’s behalf.

But the next moment, Brett realized that his father didn’t have to implement his offer. He just wanted to lead Lucas on and calm him down first.

Brett smiled and said to Lucas, “Lucas, my father’s conditions are very sincere, and this treatment is a unique offer that doesn’t come by easily. You’re going to be paid twice what our top expert gets! What else are you considering, Lucas?”

Hearing their painstaking persuasion, Lucas, who had been listening calmly, suddenly smirked and sneered coldly. “Are you two having a good time trying to trick me? Do you take me for a fool?”

The expressions on Jensen’s and Brett’s faces immediately froze.

1252 Seeing Through Everything

“Ahem, you must be mistaken, buddy.” Brett coughed twice before quickly explaining, “Why would we try to trick you? My father is truly sincere about inviting you to be our guest elder. If you don’t believe me, you can come home with us, and we’ll sign a contract with you. We aren’t lying!”

Lucas glanced at Brett indifferently. “Who are you to call me your buddy?”

Brett’s forced smile immediately stiffened.

His remark was like a slap in Brett’s face.

When he called Lucas ‘buddy’, he had swallowed his pride to get closer to him.

Brett was a direct descendant of the Hamiltons, and he even had the chance to become the leader of all the royal family branches in the future. If it wasn’t for the sake of making Lucas less hostile and getting closer to him, there was no need for him to lower his status and call Lucas his buddy.

But now that Lucas was so insensible that he openly said he wasn’t worthy of calling him his buddy, Brett was on the verge of losing his temper.

Lucas Gray is way too arrogant and conceited!

But right now, for the sake of achieving their goal, Brett could only force himself to suppress his anger and say stiffly, “You… you’re right, Mr. Gray. We’re indeed not close enough to be buddies. It was too sudden of me.”

Seeing him swallowing his pride and anger, Lucas found it extremely ridiculous.

Brett was putting on the airs of a wealthy scion while looking as if he was enduring humiliation. His acting skills were worlds apart from Jensens’.

Lucas couldn’t be bothered to continue watching Jensen and Brett put on an act anymore. He said directly, “We’re all smart people. Don’t treat others as fools.”

He glanced at Jensen and sneered. “As far as I know, you’re only the third son of the Hamiltons’ helmsman. But in fact, you don’t have much real power. Do you think you have the right to invite me to be your family’s guest elder for an annual salary of four hundred million dollars?

“Four hundred million dollars a year isn’t a small sum. In your family, you need your elders’ or the helmsman’s approval to issue any salary above thirty million dollars, right?

“So, you’re just giving me an empty promise and trying to make me work for the Hamiltons.
Aren’t you treating me as a fool then?”

Jensen’s and Brett’s eyes widened in shock. They didn’t expect Lucas to be so clear about some of the Hamiltons’ rules!

Jensen subconsciously opened his mouth to find an excuse to explain himself.

But Lucas didn’t give him the chance. “Don’t think I can’t tell what your intentions are!

“Since I don’t believe you, you want me to go to your home to sign a contract? Hah, if I really believed you and went to the Hamiltons’ with you, I would probably be ambushed by your family, and it would be hard for me to leave.

“At that time, I would be stuck in your home base and be like a lamb to the slaughter. Isn’t that so?

“According to your plan, if I’m sensible enough, I should submit to your family and slog my guts out for you. Only in this way can I survive. If I’m not sensible and still reject your offer, what awaits me will be your family’s siege. Then you’ll get rid of me, a pawn you can’t make use of, right?

“Of course, if I refuse to return to the Hamiltons’ with you, you can also say that you have expressed enough sincerity to get me to lower my guard so that you can call more experts from your family to besiege me, right?”

Lucas’s analysis made Jensen’s and Brett’s expressions change drastically.

They never thought that Lucas would see through their intentions!

Jensen and Brett were instantly caught in an awkward situation.

If anyone else had seen through their plan, Jensen would definitely kill them.

But Lucas was so powerful that even Jensen’s bodyguard, Moses, had been easily defeated by him. Lucas had effortlessly crushed Moses’s hand with his bare hand, so Jensen definitely didn’t have the guts to fight against Lucas now.

On the contrary, he now felt a sense of fear toward Lucas.

If Lucas really became angry by what he said and suddenly decided to kill them, they would have no way to resist.

Countless thoughts flashed through Jensen’s mind as his expression kept changing rapidly.

Almost two seconds later, Jensen had already come to a decision. “Mr. Gray, we absolutely don’t dare to do that. Besides, I’ve already decided to give up California and stay away from now on. I will leave California tonight.”

Jensen immediately became much more respectful, and he even promised, “Please rest assured, Mr. Gray. The Hamiltons will never send people to harm you. I can guarantee this!”

Brett glanced at his father and lowered his head quietly, clearly with the same idea in mind.

Lucas glanced at them and said coldly, “Okay, I’ll spare your lives today then. Get lost!”

Jensen and Brett immediately heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly left.

The two bodyguards by their sides, Mateo and Moses, who had his hand crippled by Lucas, hurriedly left with them.

Now, only Lucas and the top five helmsmen in California were in the room.

Bruce and Edmund were on Lucas’s side, and Ethan had wisely chosen to stand on his side this time.

Jim Sullivan and Anton Holmes were the only helmsmen left.

After exchanging glances, Jim and Anton suddenly fell to their knees with a thud in front of Lucas. “Mr. Gray, we… we were wrong, and we’d like to follow you now too. Please give us your approval!”

Lucas didn’t even look at them.

He was planning to develop in DC, and the people he would be bringing with him were all those loyal to him. As for others, they weren’t within his consideration at all.

Lucas glanced at Ethan, who was standing at the side nervously, and said indifferently, “From now on, the Sawyers will be the top family in California.”

1253 Informing the Family

Ethan quickly raised his head and looked at Lucas, his eyes full of surprise. Does he mean he’ll support the Sawyers and help us become the top family in California?

But before Ethan could rejoice, he immediately saw the cold expression on Lucas’s face.

Bruce and Edmund, standing at the side, didn’t show the slightest trace of surprise on their faces. Instead, they grinned with anticipation.

Ethan’s spirits, which had just jumped for joy, were instantly dampened.!!

Lucas wasn’t going to support the Sawyers, but rather, he planned to give them up!

From now on, the Sawyers would go from the third top family in California to the top family. However, it wasn’t that the Sawyers would develop further but because Lucas planned to take the top two families, the Hales and the Coles, away with him from California!

At this moment, Ethan felt that he had completely lost something, and his heart was full of bitterness.

Even though he was about to become the helmsman of the top family in California, it didn’t make him feel any happy at all.

On the other hand, Bruce’s and Edmund’s moods were the complete opposite of Ethan’s.

Lucas’s words meant that he would be taking the Hales and the Coles with him to develop in DC.

The thought of what the Parkers, who had gone to DC in advance, had achieved with Lucas’s help caused Bruce and Edmund to be extremely envious.

Just half a year ago, the Parkers were just one of the three top families in LA, and they didn’t even rank among the top 20 in California.

Later, the Parkers became the top family in LA, and now, they were the strongest force in DC, next to the nine royal family branches and eight top families. It was all thanks to Lucas!

Now that the Hales and the Coles had the opportunity to follow Lucas to DC, they would definitely become a top family on par with the Parkers!

Thinking of his scene, Bruce and Edmund felt excited and full of zeal, wishing they could immediately follow Lucas to DC and perform to their fullest potential.

…

Meanwhile, Jensen and Brett had already left the Grandeur Hotel and were sitting in a car on their way to their accommodations in Orange County.

Extremely indignant, Brett asked, “Dad, are we just going to give in to Lucas Gray, give up California, and leave?”

Conquering California was an important aspect of the Hamiltons’ plans, and they had already taken over various states around California. This failure would have a huge adverse impact on their plans.

Moreover, if they left now, it would seem like they were driven out of California by Lucas. Brett couldn’t take this lying down no matter what.

Jensen said with displeasure, “What should we do then? Are we supposed to stay here and court death here instead of leaving?”

Lucas wasn’t a saint, and he had terrifying martial arts skills. There was no way they could gain any benefit from Lucas.

Before completely angering Lucas and fighting him to the death, they could only leave California for now and then think of another plan.

Brett knew that leaving California was the most rational choice now, but he still felt extremely upset.

Moreover, there was another important reason.

Brett punched the seat and asked indignantly, “Dad, we still haven’t found Angus yet. If we leave now, how are we supposed to find him?”

At the mention of his youngest son, grief appeared in Jensen’s eyes.

He said slowly, “I have a feeling that Angus has already been killed.”

“No, I don’t believe it!” Brett immediately rejected this speculation. “I refuse to believe that he’s really dead! He… he’s a scion of the Hamiltons and my brother. Who would dare to harm him or even kill him?

“Besides, even if he’s dead, we have to see his corpse. We haven’t found his corpse, so there’s no evidence he’s dead. I refuse to believe that he’s dead!

“Unless…” Brett suddenly thought of a possibility, and his eyes turned bloodshot. “Unless the culprit is Lucas Gray! Right, I know. Angus’s disappearance must have something to do with Lucas Gray! He’s so arrogant and the strongest person in California. If anyone really dares to harm Angus, it must be Lucas Gray!”

“Shut up!” Jensen hollered immediately, “Brett, you’re not allowed to say that! That is only your baseless conjecture. If you let Lucas Gray hear that, he definitely won’t let us leave California in one piece! So no matter what you want to say, you have to hold it in!”

Brett said angrily, “Dad! Why do we have to be so afraid of him? He has already left the four territories, and he’s all by himself now. Even if he’s good at martial arts, and he’s stronger than Moses, we still have several experts who are more powerful than Moses. They can deal with Lucas Gray!

“If not, we can just gather all the top experts of the Hamiltons. Lucas Gray definitely won’t be a match for them! He’ll be helpless!

“Dad, why don’t we send a message to the family right now and ask Grandpa to send all the top experts here!? I refuse to believe that Lucas Gray can do anything to us with so many experts guarding us!

“Moreover, we can take this opportunity to send more people to look for Angus. No matter what, we can’t just give up!”

Brett sounded extremely earnest.

Jensen looked hesitant.

He had always been a domineering person, and apart from a few people in the world, he had never succumbed to anyone.

If possible, he naturally wouldn’t be willing to give in to Lucas, who was even younger than his son. Even more so, he didn’t want to give up on searching for his youngest son and leave California down and out.

No matter what, Angus had gone missing in California, and the only way to search for him now was to stay in California.

If he left California, it would mean giving up on Angus, and they might never find him again.

Moreover, Jensen still had a strong feeling that Angus might still be alive and waiting for him to save him somewhere.

If he left California, he would be leaving Angus to die.

Even if Angus had really encountered a mishap, Jensen would never let the murderer off!

1254 Finding Traces

Seeing that Jensen was deep in thought and seemed to be tempted by what he said, Brett quickly followed up and persuaded further, “Dad, no matter what, even if Angus is really dead, we must find his corpse and take him back to the Hamiltons. We can’t let him die in a foreign land. Furthermore, we have to find out who the murderer is! We can’t let them off!” Hearing this, Jensen finally made up his mind. “I won’t take this lying down! I won’t let off anyone who dares to harm my son!

“But we can’t act recklessly now. I’ll call your grandfather to explain and arrange for stronger powerhouses to come over. It’s also time to let your grandpa know about Angus.”

Brett was overjoyed. Once his grandfather knew about this, he would definitely send more of the family’s experts. When the time came, they would be able to defeat Lucas, find out where Angus was, and avenge Angus!

Since Jensen had already made up his mind, he didn’t delay for a moment and immediately took out his phone to make a call.

“Father, there’s something I need to report to you. Here’s the thing. Angus has been missing for two days in Orange County, and we haven’t been able to find him. I highly suspect that he has been murdered!”
What Jensen said instantly made the temperature on the other end of the call plummet.

“What happened? Tell me the details immediately!” the Hamiltons’ helmsman ordered.

Jensen told his father what had happened in California, as well as their speculations.

The Hamiltons’ helmsman was instantly furious. “That punk is too audacious! How dare he harm a descendant of the Hamiltons? He even dared to threaten you. He’s courting death!”

“Father, that punk named Lucas Gray is really quite something. Although he’s young, his martial arts skills are impeccable. Even Moses, my bodyguard of decades, wasn’t a match for him. That punk crippled one of his hands, and he might be handicapped forever.”

Jensen explained with a sullen expression, “If not for this, I wouldn’t have been so scrupulous of a greenhorn like him. I was afraid he would harm Brett and me. That’s why I called you for help.”

The helmsman snorted coldly and said furiously, “How dare he?! My son and grandson aren’t people that any Tom, Dick, and Harry can harm!

“How about this? I’ll get Linus to bring some people to Orange County to help you. I’ll also send more manpower there. No matter what, we have to find Angus, even if we have to scour through Orange County!”

“Yes, that’s great!” Jensen was overjoyed and immediately agreed.

Linus, whom his father mentioned over the phone, was not an ordinary person but a top powerhouse who ranked third in terms of martial arts skills in the entire Hamilton family. He was second only to the two top experts who followed the helmsman.

It could be said that Linus was the strongest combat force that the helmsman could dispatch now.

Moses, whose hand had been crushed by Lucas, was roughly only sixth in terms of combat power.

Although the difference in their ranks didn’t seem that much, their actual combat power was worlds apart.

During the martial arts tournament the Hamiltons held a year ago, Linus had defeated Moses within three moves. He had held Moses’s neck tightly with one hand and won effortlessly.

Moses was no match for Lucas, but Jensen believed that Linus could definitely kill Lucas within ten moves!

After a moment of silence, the Hamiltons’ helmsman’s voice came from the phone speaker. “Jensen, as you said, Lucas Gray might be from the military, and he was very likely a highranked officer close to one of the four supreme commanders. We must take this information seriously.

“I know you want to kill him right now to prevent future troubles, but I must warn you that if you can’t kill him in one go, don’t be rash, lest you bring calamity upon yourself. Do you understand what I mean?”

Jensen nodded. “Father, you’re right. I will keep this in mind, and I won’t act rashly!”

Given his understanding of Lucas, if he really took action but failed to kill Lucas quickly, Lucas definitely wouldn’t let the Hamiltons off!

Thus, even if Linus really came to Orange County, he couldn’t act rashly!

“Okay, as long as you know. I’ll get Linus to head over right away. Inform me if anything happens!” the helmsman of the Hamiltons said in a deep voice.

“Yes, Father!” Jensen immediately agreed.

When his reinforcements arrived, he had to act carefully and kill Lucas without anyone knowing to be at ease.

…

Meanwhile, Lucas ignored Jim and Anton, who wanted to submit to him, and left the Grandeur Hotel.

The source of this content is n/ov/elb/in[./]net’

Bruce and Edmund followed closely behind him.

Lucas frowned, looked at them, and asked, “Have you cleared all traces of Angus Hamilton?”

It was indeed a tough job to clear all the traces. A slight mistake might let the cat out of the bag.

For example, Lucas had ordered Bruce to clean up all traces of Angus’s death in Orange County and especially all clues in Lotte Entertainment City. Bruce naturally ordered his subordinates to remain tight-lipped, get rid of all the surveillance footage, and so on.
But Orange County was huge, and it was hard to guarantee that those who had seen Angus wouldn’t say a word.

Bruce wanted to assure Lucas that he had taken care of everything, but he knew that there was nothing 100% certain in the world.

After some thought, Bruce said hesitantly, “I’ve already instructed my people to take care of everything and clean up all traces. There shouldn’t be any mistakes, but… if there are passersby in Orange County who have seen Angus in the club, they might be able to search along the clues and find something…”

As the saying goes, Man proposes, God disposes.

Anyway, they had already done everything they could.

If something still went wrong, and the Hamiltons found some clues, it couldn’t be blamed on Bruce.

Lucas didn’t criticize Bruce and just said calmly, “As long as you’ve done your best, it’s enough. If we really get exposed, then it’s God’s will.”

It seemed that there was really such a thing as God’s will. Sometimes, the more you dreaded something, the more likely it was to happen.

…

As soon as Jensen and Brett returned to the hotel they were staying, Brett received a call from one of his subordinates.

“Mr. Brett, good news! We’ve finally found some traces of Mr. Angus! Someone saw him in Lotte Entertainment City after lunch the day before yesterday!

“And according to our investigation, the surveillance cameras there and its vicinity happened to be faulty that day. There must be something fishy about this!”

1255 Getting Ready to Leave

“What did you say? You’ve found traces of Angus?” Brett immediately asked loudly while standing up in surprise.

Jensen looked over to hear where his son was.

On the other end, the subordinate said, “Yes, Mr. Brett. After an in-depth investigation, we finally found out from some passersby that Mr. Angus went to Lotte Entertainment City in the afternoon that day because he saw two beautiful women at the entrance and followed them in.

“The passersby had a strong impression because those two women were so beautiful. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to find out where Mr. Angus went.!!

“What’s more, the surveillance footage in Lotte Entertainment City is all gone, and our people couldn’t retrieve any. There must be something fishy! Mr. Brett, what do you say we should do now?”

Brett’s eyes were red. He was already certain that something had happened to Angus in Lotte Entertainment City, and it must have had something to do with the two beautiful women.

He was well aware of what his brother was like. Angus was a lustful playboy who had been romantically involved with multiple women in DC. He also had a penchant for beautiful women and had even forced women to leave with him in the past. There had even been deaths on several occasions.

But due to the Hamiltons’ power and authority, all these matters had been settled, and Angus had gotten away scot-free, so he had never reflected on himself and changed.

“Since you’ve finally found some clues, investigate everything properly! You must get to the bottom of this!” Brett ordered coldly.

“Angus has always had high standards. Since those two women were so beautiful, they should be prominent figures in Orange County. Search for the names and photos of the beautiful women in Orange County and then ask around to find out who they are. Once you get all the information, report back to me!”

“Yes, Mr. Brett! We’ll definitely investigate this matter thoroughly!” the subordinate answered immediately.

After hanging up, Brett looked at Jensen excitedly. “Dad, our efforts have paid off! We’ve finally gotten some clues about Angus! It seems we’ll be able to find him soon!”

Jensen was excited, but he also felt worried.

It had already been two days. Was Angus really still alive?

He kept feeling that Angus was most likely dead. Even if they found those two women, he probably wouldn’t be able to see his son again.
…

Lucas was naturally still unaware of this.

After leaving the Grandeur Hotel, he returned to his villa in Pearl Lake.

As soon as he entered, Amelia leaped toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck, refusing to let go for a long time.

It had been a long time since she saw Lucas, so she was particularly clingy to him whenever she saw him the past couple of days.

Especially after knowing that her parents had made up, she was now beaming with joy.

“Daddy, it would be great if you stayed home every day. Then I’d get to see you every day!” Amelia said, reluctant to let him go.

Lucas smiled. “Amelia, we’re moving to DC soon, and we’ll have a new house. When the time comes, we won’t have to be apart anymore, and you’ll get to see me every day!”

“Wow! Yay! We’re moving to a new house!” Amelia was so elated that she leaped up and wriggled in Lucas’s arms.

But she soon frowned and seemed troubled. “But if we move, what’s going to happen to my best friend, Hailey? I’ll be sad if I don’t get to see her again.”

Amelia was stuck in a rare dilemma, and her brows were furrowed tightly as she worried seriously about her trouble.

The adults laughed, but they didn’t tease Amelia about her friendship.

During dinner, Lucas looked at William and asked, “William, how’s the handover at the Solar Corporation doing?”

William was now managing the Solar Corporation’s Orange County branch, and he would be following Lucas to DC too, so Lucas was concerned about his progress.

William smiled heartily. “Don’t worry. I have already arranged everything. I can leave at any time, but…”

He hesitated and didn’t finish his sentence.

Lucas immediately asked, “But what? Is the company facing a tough issue?”

“No, it’s not that.” William waved his hands and hesitated for a moment before saying, “There’s nothing wrong at the company. But there are some changes in my mindset. I do want to follow everyone to DC to develop, but I know my capabilities.

“To be honest, I’ve wasted many years of my life, and I didn’t learn much about managing a company. I could only secure a foothold in the Solar Corporation because of your appointment and help.

“I’ve thought about it. If I follow you to DC, I’m afraid I won’t be of any help to a big company like the Stardust Corporation. I… I’m really sorry.”

Lucas said, “William, don’t say that. Besides, we’re moving to DC as a family. Don’t you want to come with us? Do you want to stay in Orange County instead?”

William sighed and looked at the puerile Amelia. “No, I’ll still go to DC with you, but once we’re there, I won’t be working anymore. I’ll just stay home and accompany Amelia!

“Since you and Cheyenne will both be busy with your careers, I’ll look after Amelia.”

Caught between laughter and tears, Lucas said, “William, you’re only in your fifties. Are you sure you want to retire so soon? There’s no need for this!

“If you’re worried that you might not be able to help at the company, please don’t think that way. Although you haven’t managed the Solar Corporation for long, I’ve seen your abilities, and I know you won’t be a burden to me.”

Although William wasn’t very talented, he had certain management abilities and wasn’t the type to mess around.

Thus, Lucas didn’t think that William would be a burden to him, and he didn’t want William to feel too pressured.

Of course, it was up to William if he wanted to work at the Stardust Corporation.

If he really wanted to stay home, live as a retiree, and accompany Amelia, Lucas naturally wouldn’t object.

1256 Linus of the Hamiltons

William thought for a moment and said, “Forget it. You have a lot of talent at your company now. I won’t join in the fun. You young people will be busy with work, so I’ll just stay home and accompany Amelia.”

Seeing that he had already decided, Lucas stopped persuading him and said with a smile,
“Okay, since you’ve made your decision, we’ll go with it. It’s fine as long as you’re happy.”

William breathed a sigh of relief and smiled happily.

With such a filial daughter and son-in-law and an adorable granddaughter by his side, he felt that life was really worthwhile.

Even though Cheyenne wasn’t his biological daughter, in his eyes, she was no different from his own.

The few of them were busy preparing to move to DC.

…

The following morning, a plane flew from DC and landed at Orange County International Airport.

Jensen and Brett had been waiting at an airport terminal for a while. When they saw an elderly man with a white beard and hair, clad in a white long-sleeved shirt and pants, their eyes glowed with excitement, and they hurriedly went over to greet him.

From several meters away, Jensen bent forward slightly and called out, “Elder Linus!”

Although Jensen was one of the helmsman’s sons and highly valued in the family, he didn’t dare to put on airs in front of this elder.

This elderly man in white was none other than Linus, the third-ranked powerhouse of the Hamiltons.

Linus had been with the helmsman for years and had gone through countless trials and tribulations with the Hamiltons. He had made great contributions to the family and deserved great credit.

Moreover, Jensen had been striving for the position of helmsman, so he was naturally very respectful to an expert like Linus. He has been trying his best to get close to Linus in order to have him protect and assist him well in the future.

Thus, Jensen was extremely respectful toward Linus.

At the side, Brett quickly bowed to Linus. “Elder Linus, welcome!”

“Mr. Jensen, Mr. Brett, I’ve kept you waiting.” Linus bent forward slightly with a reserved smile, making him look cold and unfriendly.

He knew what Jensen was thinking, but he was loyal only to the Hamilton family, and it didn’t matter to him who the helmsman was. So he simply turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to Jensen currying favor with him.

“Mr. Jensen, the helmsman has instructed me to come here and assist you, so feel free to give me any instructions,” Linus said to Jensen without going out of his way to be polite.

When Jensen heard this, a look of resentment appeared in his eyes. He took a deep breath before saying, “Elder Linus, I should be aware that my son Angus has disappeared in Orange County. This matter is related to a young man named Lucas Gray, but his martial arts skills are impeccable, and even Moses is no match for him!

“So, I hope you can help me find out more about him. It would be best if you could kill him!”

Jensen was now full of murderous intent toward Lucas.

After the call from Brett’s subordinate last night and finding out that Angus had gone to a club named Lotte Entertainment City and that two beautiful women were involved, Jensen had immediately sent people to find out their identities.

Last night, they had already found out that the two beautiful women Angus had pestered and forcefully dragged into his room were Cheyenne Carter and Charlotte Carter.

But one of them was Lucas’s wife, and the other was his sister-in-law.

In that case, Jensen could already conclude that Angus’s death was absolutely related to Lucas!

The truth was obvious. Angus must have developed lustful thoughts when he saw the two young and beautiful women, but it turned out that they were closely related to Lucas.

Moreover, Lucas was the overlord of California, so it wasn’t difficult to understand why Angus suddenly vanished from Orange County without a single trace.

As for White Claw, Angus’s bodyguard, Lucas must have killed him too.

Given Lucas’s combat power, there was no need to doubt this at all.

Yet Lucas acted like nothing had happened when facing him previously. Even when Brett visited him in person at his company, Lucas didn’t reveal anything.

If they hadn’t coincidentally found some clues from passersby, Angus’s death might just become a secret forever, and he would have really vanished into thin air.

As soon as Linus heard what Jensen said, his expression immediately became grim.

Of course he knew who Moses was. Moses ranked sixth among the powerhouses of the Hamiltons. Although he was inferior to Linus, he was still a top expert that very few could rival. Even the strongest powerhouses around the helmsmen of the eight top families of DC might not be a match for him.

But the fact that Lucas had defeated even Moses made Linus cautious, and he knew he couldn’t belittle him.

“Mr. Jensen, Lucas Gray should only be in his twenties. Is he really so powerful that even Moses is no match for him?” Linus asked with puzzlement.

Jensen nodded and said sadly, “Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. In merely one exchange of blows, Lucas Gray crushed Moses’s hand and completely crippled it. He’s not receiving treatment in the hospital.”

Linus couldn’t help feeling more worried and scrupulous toward Lucas.

If Moses had lost after a tough battle, Linus would be surprised, but he wouldn’t be too shocked. After all, there are many talents in the world, and it wasn’t impossible for there to be some outstanding young talents.

But the fact Lucas had crippled Moses’s hand in one move in almost an instant kill contained a lot of information for him to process.

“Mr. Jensen, please tell me more about Lucas Gray in detail,” Linus said seriously.

So while driving from the airport, Jensen and Brett told Linus everything they had investigated, as well as their conjectures about Lucas’s identity.

Previously, they had thought that Lucas was a powerhouse from one of the four territories and should be close to one of the four supreme commanders. But after speaking with Lucas, they narrowed the scope to the eastern and southern territories.

But regardless of where Lucas was from, they couldn’t underestimate his identity.

After pondering, Linus said, “I can probe his skills first, but it will be difficult for me to kill him like you want, Mr. Jensen.”

1257 Probe

“The commanders of the eastern territory and southern territory are not to be trifled with, especially the commander of the southern territory, the captain of the Falcon Regiment. He’s very domineering and protective of his subordinates. If Lucas Gray is really his former subordinate, and we hurt him, I’m afraid even the Hamiltons won’t be able to resist his wrath.”

Jensen’s heart sank.

Indeed, this was what they were concerned about before.

Even though Lucas had left the military and was no longer a subordinate of one of the four commanders, it was normal for people to be protective of their comrades. In case they angered a supreme commander, there would be massive trouble.!!

“Elder Linus, what do you think we should do now?” Jensen asked respectfully.

After carefully thinking about it, Linus said, “I think we’d better think this through and plan carefully, lest we provoke someone we can’t afford to provoke.”

Jensen’s eyes were bloodshot, and he said unwillingly, “But the evidence shows that Angus was really harmed by Lucas Gray. Am I supposed to just let him off?

“If we can’t kill Lucas Gray and avenge Angus, I will never be at peace!”

Brett was just as unwilling. He had been very close to Angus, and now that Angus had undoubtedly been killed by Lucas, he obviously couldn’t tolerate it. Was he supposed to not avenge his brother and not kill the culprit?

They were the Hamiltons, an esteemed US royal family branch. How could they possibly lower themselves and avoid Lucas out of fear?

Linus glanced at them and said calmly, “Mr. Jensen, with all due respect, if Mr. Angus has really encountered a mishap, there’s no way we can revive him even if you kill Lucas Gray now.

“The most important thing now is not revenge but securing your status in the family and striving to become the next helmsman. Isn’t that so? In this critical moment, you should stabilize yourself and not cause trouble for the family by provoking a supreme commander for the sake of revenge.

“They say it’s never too late for revenge. It won’t be too late for you to settle scores with
Lucas Gray after you become the helmsman.”

What Linus said was like a bucket of cold water pouring over the angry and indignant Jensen, immediately calming him down.

Indeed, Linus was right. Even if they killed Lucas now, it wouldn’t bring Angus back to life.

Instead of creating trouble for the family because of this matter, thereby causing him to fall out of contention for the position of the Hamiltons’ helmsman, he should bear with it for now and let Lucas live a few more days before settling scores with him in the future!

After calming down, Jensen immediately bowed to Linus, “Thank you for the reminder, Elder Linus. I’m truly grateful!”

Linus moved aside slightly and said with a smile, “Don’t stand on ceremony with me, Mr. Jensen. I didn’t say anything worthy of your gratitude.”

Jensen understood what Linus meant. Linus had always been a neutral party in the family, but he had given Jensen a huge favor by giving him a reminder. However, he couldn’t let their conversation spread, lest he put Linus on the spot.

“Yes, I understand. I won’t forget your kindness in the future, Elder Linus!” Jensen said sincerely.

Linus smiled. “Although I don’t think we can kill him now, we can still probe Lucas. I’ll go meet him later.”

Jensen said gratefully, “Okay, thank you so much, Elder Linus!”

Then he gave Linus some information about Lucas, such as his address, photos, and so on.
“Alright, I got it. I won’t go back to the hotel with you. We’ll talk again after I meet Lucas
Gray. Mr. Jensen, Mr. Brett, you two head back first!”

Linus was extremely interested in Lucas. After getting information about him, he asked the driver to pull over and proceeded to look for Lucas.

Jensen didn’t stop him and bid goodbye to him respectfully.

After watching Linus leave, Brett finally said, “Dad, do we really have to bear with it and let
Lucas Gray stay alive for longer? He killed Angus. I really want to kill him right now to avenge Angus!”

Jensen patted his son on the shoulder. “Brett, calm down. Don’t be impatient. I feel the same as you do, and I wish I could kill Lucas Gray immediately to make him pay for Angus’s life.

“But if we can’t tolerate this, we will incur greater trouble. Your grandfather is getting old, and it’s time for us to pick the next helmsman. We mustn’t be reckless now, lest we miss the opportunity.

“Don’t worry. Once I become the next helmsman and take over the entire family, I will be able to deploy all the Hamiltons’ elites and kill Lucas Gray! I’ll make sure he dies miserably to atone for his sins!”

Brett naturally knew that his father made sense.

Indeed, they didn’t have to rush to take revenge. The most important thing now was to make sure Jensen became the next helmsman.

Under this premise, they could postpone everything else.

But he would absolutely capture Lucas one day and kill him with his own hands to avenge Angus!

…

At 10 a.m., in the chairman’s office of the Stardust Corporation’s Orange County branch…

Lucas was sitting in the office with a large stack of documents on the large desk in front of him.

They were all important documents that he, the chairman, needed to sign.

After all, he would soon be leaving Orange County and going to DC to develop. Although the Orange County branch would be staying, there were many business and administrative issues for Lucas to handle, especially since there would be a major personnel shift.

But while Lucas was carefully going through the documents, he suddenly felt a sense of crisis and a strange aura.

He put down the pen in his hand, walked to the window with a frown, and peered below.

From more than a dozen floors above ground, the traffic and pedestrians on the streets looked minuscule.

But among the bustling crowd, Lucas accurately spotted an old man standing opposite the Stardust Corporation building.

It was a man in his sixties with a white beard and hair, clad in a white shirt and pants. He wasn’t actually that inconspicuous at first glance.

But Lucas had his eyes firmly fixed on him.

It was Linus, the old man who had gotten out of Jensen’s car not long ago!

Based on the information that Jensen had given him, Linus arrived at the entrance of the Stardust Corporation’s Orange County branch office and was still contemplating how he should probe Lucas.

At this moment, he seemed to feel a strange gaze on him. He raised his head and looked up.

When Linus looked into the pair of calm eyes on the top floor of the Stardust Corporation building, his heart immediately skipped a beat, and all the hair on his body stood on end!


1258 Unprovokable

Linus’s purpose here was to probe Lucas’s details.

So when he saw the calm eyes on the top floor of the building and the owner of the eyes, he immediately knew that it was Lucas!

However, he had now arrived near Lucas’s vicinity and was actually still a distance away from him, yet Lucas had already discovered him and had his eyes locked on him.

What a terrifying perception!

Even an expert like Linus was flabbergasted!

At this moment, Linus deemed Lucas much more dangerous than he had thought, and he was now full of scruples toward him.

The next moment, a calm and indifferent voice suddenly rang in Linus’s ears. “Are you here to look for me?”

After being shocked, Linus suddenly turned around, only to see that Lucas, who was just on the top floor of the Stardust Corporation office building moments ago, had appeared behind him!

His speed was incredible, and he was just like a phantom!

The astonishment within Linus was indescribable.

“I was just passing by.” Linus clenched his fist tightly and forced himself to smile. “Sir, you’re really powerful. I’m enlightened.”

Lucas smiled faintly. “Sir, you’re already advanced in age, so you should stay at home.
Gaining knowledge isn’t as important as your life, or you might end up in a horrible plight. What do you think, Sir?”

Linus’s pupils suddenly constricted. He had naturally understood what Lucas meant.

If someone else dared to threaten him so audaciously, Linus definitely wouldn’t take it lying down. But facing Lucas and his peculiar skills, even Linus, the third top powerhouse of the Hamiltons, couldn’t help feeling worried and uncertain.

“You’re right. I’m old, so I should stay at home.” Linus nodded and turned around to leave without hesitation.

Watching Linus disappear among the crowd, Lucas slowly narrowed his eyes.

Linus’s aura was formidable. Of course, this didn’t mean that he was intimidating. On the contrary, when walking on the streets, he looked just like an ordinary old man.

But he exuded the aura unique to top experts, which was like a special magnetic field.

The more skilled in martial arts someone was, the more they could sense the aura exuded by martial arts practitioners.

This was why Lucas, despite standing on the top floor of the Stardust Corporation, which was more than a dozen floors above ground, could still sense the unique aura exuded by Linus and locate him precisely.

Just by looking at Linus’s white attire, which was unique to the experts of the Hamiltons, Lucas knew that he was a powerhouse sent by the Hamiltons, who was far more powerful than White Claw, Mateo, and Moses.

But even this powerful expert was no match for Lucas.

Lucas had seen that there was no murderous intent in Linus’s eyes, so he merely gave a warning. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let him go so easily.

“I hope the Hamiltons won’t continue behaving foolishly. Otherwise, don’t blame me,” Lucas murmured before disappearing right on the spot and returning to his office.

Meanwhile, Linus stayed tense until he reached a crossroad and turned a corner. When he could no longer feel the scorching gaze behind him, he heaved a sigh of relief.

“This young man must not be provoked!” Linus wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead with deep fear in his eyes.

…

On another side, in the hotel room where Jensen was staying…

In the spacious presidential suite, Jensen and Brett were sitting on the couch with their brows furrowed, staring at the phone on the coffee table and sometimes looking at the door, waiting for news.

“Dad, do you think Elder Linus has met Lucas Gray?” Brett asked worriedly.

Jensen seemed distracted, but he said, “There shouldn’t be anything to worry about. Anyway, Lucas Gray definitely won’t be a match for Elder Linus. My only worry now is whether Elder Linus will accidentally kill Lucas Gray by mistake and provoke a supreme commander.”

After some thought, Brett said, “If Elder Linus really kills Lucas Gray, I’ll instruct my subordinates to clean up the traces well. In any case, we can’t let Lucas Gray’s death pose a threat to your fight for the position of helmsman!”

Suddenly, the door of the room opened, and a figure in white entered. “You’re overthinking. Lucas Gray is extremely strong. I’m no match for him at all.”

Jensen and Brett immediately stood up.

They instinctively wanted to go forward to greet Linus, but after they processed what he said, their expressions changed drastically.

“Elder Linus, what… what are you saying? Even you’re no match for Lucas Gray?” Brett looked at Linus in panic, only to see that Linus’s clothes were neat and his hair was still neatly combed. There were no traces of a fight at all.

“Did… did you fight Lucas Gray?” Brett asked anxiously.

Jensen looked at Linus doubtfully.

Linus shook his head with a bitter smile and sighed. “No, but I know he’s much stronger than I am. I’m no match for him at all. If we had really fought, I might not have been able to come back in one piece to see you.”

These words made Jensen and Brett feel extremely shocked and horrified.

“In any case, Mr. Jensen, that young man Lucas Gray is not on the same level as us at all. Please refrain from provoking him as far as possible in the future. Otherwise, you’ll definitely suffer!” Linus said earnestly. “That’s all I have to say. I’m returning to the Hamilton residence now.”

With that, Linus bowed slightly and turned around to leave without waiting for Jensen and Brett to persuade him to stay.

He had come to Orange County to help deal with Lucas under the orders of the Hamiltons’ helmsman.

Since he now knew that he was no match for Lucas at all, there was no point in staying here any longer.

What Linus said left Jensen and Brett in complete disbelief.

They didn’t expect the third most powerful expert of the Hamiltons to say that he and Lucas weren’t on that same level and that they shouldn’t provoke him.

In that case, things became a lot more serious.

After Linus left, Brett frowned for a long time before finally saying, “Brett, it seems that we can’t stay in Orange County for long. We should head home immediately!”

At this point, they could basically forget about taking revenge on Lucas or taking California away from him.

Staying alive was their greatest concern now.

Last night, Lucas had already warned them to leave Orange County immediately. However, not only did they not leave, but they even asked the family to send Linus over.

They didn’t know if Lucas was angry now and whether he would come and confront them, but Jensen knew that they had to leave Orange County right now!

The two of them were in a hurry and soon left Orange County International Airport with their subordinates half an hour later.

By the time the plane took off, Lucas had already received the news.

…


1259 Lena Asks to Meet

Bruce and the others sighed in relief after hearing the news.

Because he was worried that the Hamiltons might take revenge and send lots of experts to suppress them, he hadn’t slept well for the past few days.

Now that he learned that Brett, Jensen, and their subordinates had left Orange County, he finally felt relieved.

“Lucas, that’s great news. The Hamiltons have really left!” Bruce exclaimed excitedly.

Lucas wasn’t surprised. When he saw the Hamiltons’ powerhouse leaving after receiving his warning, he guessed that they would choose to avoid him for now.

But he couldn’t let his guard down just because of this.

After all, Angus had indeed died under his command, and the Hamiltons definitely wouldn’t forget such deep hatred. Lucas just didn’t know when they would come for him again.

He wasn’t afraid of the Hamiltons, but he wasn’t alone now. He had his family, friends, career, and company, which was continuously expanding. The Hamiltons would definitely be able to get a hold on him somehow.

It looks like I should work on becoming more powerful and recruiting more experts. Lucas decided.

Soon, it was lunchtime.

Lucas put down the documents in his hand. Just as he walked out of the Stardust Corporation office building, he suddenly heard a familiar voice call out to him.

“Lucas!”

Lucas turned around and saw Lena walking toward him, all smiles. He couldn’t help looking a little sullen.

“What are you doing here?” Lucas asked coldly, expressionless.

He was now rather displeased with Lena.

In the beginning, Lucas had a good impression of Lena and took care of her as much as possible because she was Cheyenne’s best friend.

But after the incident in the hotel in DC, his impression of Lena was completely ruined.

Flynn had already found out that Lena was the one who had hired someone to take those photos in the hotel and sent them to Cheyenne.

Although Lena thought that she had done a good job of being secretive by hiring someone to take the photos and using a different phone number to send them, there were still traces that could be found. Besides, Lena wasn’t an expert at this, so she didn’t clean up the traces well, and it was a piece of cake to check.

To be honest, Lucas was furious when he found out that Lena was the culprit behind everything.

After all, Cheyenne had always genuinely treated Lena as her best friend. Yet Lena openly tried to snatch her husband and sowed discord between Cheyenne and Lucas, which Lucas couldn’t tolerate at all.

If it wasn’t because Lena and Cheyenne had been friends for a long time, Lucas would have never let her off the hook.

In addition, Lena’s father, Ethan, had also once betrayed Lucas, though he chose to stand on Lucas’s side in the end. Even so, his betrayal of Lucas was an indelible fact. Thus, Lucas had a very bad impression of Ethan and Lena.

Lucas was already being kind enough to them by choosing to ignore them.

But he didn’t expect Lena to come looking for him at this moment.

Lucas’s indifferent attitude seemed to hurt Lena a little.

She smiled and said, “It’s only been a few days since we last met. Why have you become so distant, Lucas? We’re good friends, right? Have you forgotten that I sent you back to your hotel room to rest when you got drunk in DC?”

Hearing that Lena had the audacity to mention the incident at the hotel, Lucas sneered inwardly while looking at Lena with an even colder gaze.

“I haven’t forgotten, and I never will forget,” Lucas said mysteriously. He asked coldly, “So, why are you here?”

Lena giggled. “Since I helped you, shouldn’t you treat me to a meal in return?”

Lucas wanted to refuse at first, but after giving it some thought, he agreed. “Sure, what would you like to have?”

Hearing Lucas agree, Lena immediately beamed with joy. “I’ve heard that the Parkers’ Restaurant is very popular lately. Let’s go there!”

This restaurant was founded by the Parkers decades ago, and it recently rose to fame after its sister restaurant, the Parker’s Hampton Restaurant in DC, became famous. They soon became Instagram hot spots, and now, there were sister restaurants in many major cities. Naturally, Orange County had one too.

“Sure, the Parkers’ Restaurant it is.” Lucas immediately agreed and drove to the restaurant with Lena.

He wanted to ask Lena why she did such a thing to Cheyenne, her best friend of over a decade.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, they ordered a sumptuous 4-course meal.

Lena was extremely enthusiastic, and she kept talking to Lucas and pouring him drinks from time to time.

But when she was about to pour him some wine again, he moved the wine glass to the side and said coldly, “Alcohol leads to mistakes. I won’t drink anymore, lest I get into trouble again.”

Realizing the ambiguous meaning in what Lucas said, Lena felt her heart skip a beat, afraid that he had already discovered something.

But she quietly looked up and breathed a sigh of relief when she found that his expression hadn’t changed much. She thought that she was just being paranoid.

She was positive that she had done that matter so secretively that Lucas definitely wouldn’t find out!

But she didn’t dare to go overboard and cut down on the talking.

After they finished the meal, Lena hesitated for a moment but eventually said, “Lucas, actually… I want to ask you to help my family, but I don’t know how to begin.”

Lucas knew why she had come to find him.

Without saying a word, he poured himself a glass of water and sipped it, as if he hadn’t heard what she said.

Feeling a little awkward and uncertain about what Lucas was thinking, Lena said, “Lucas, it’s actually a very simple matter. I hope you can give the Sawyers a chance and take us with you to DC.”

It was just as he expected.

Lucas smiled coldly. “Your dad, Ethan Sawyer, asked you to find me, didn’t he?”

With a look of embarrassment, Lena said, “My dad told me about what happened a couple of days ago. Actually, I think my dad’s very fickle-minded, timid, and easily intimidated too.

“But it’s not his fault… Our family doesn’t have a strong foundation, and we can’t take huge risks. That’s why my dad’s so hesitant and cautious about everything.

“Of course, he didn’t intend to betray you, and it’s not that he doesn’t trust you either. It’s just how he is. So Lucas, can you not hold it against him and give our family another chance?”

1260 I Love You

Lucas looked at Lena indifferently without even batting an eyelid and said directly, “No.” “Why?” Lena’s eyes widened in surprise. She didn’t expect Lucas to reject her plea for help.

Lucas said coldly, “The fact that the Sawyers can become the top family of California is already a result of my kindness. Don’t push it.”

Lena’s face instantly turned pale, and her hand holding her glass of red wine trembled, causing several drops of wine to spill onto the snowy-white tablecloth.

“Then, can’t you give the Sawyers another chance for my sake?” Lena asked through gritted teeth, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Lucas pitifully.

For her sake?

Hearing this, Lucas wanted to sneer.

Lena meant nothing to Lucas. He didn’t take her seriously at all.

In fact, if it wasn’t for Cheyenne, Lucas wouldn’t have bothered to talk with Lena at all.

“No,” Lucas said firmly.

When Lena saw Lucas not wavering in the slightest and rejecting her again without any room for compromise, disappointment gradually appeared on her face.

Tears slowly welled up in her eyes, and she frowned while saying aggrievedly, “Lucas, why do I feel like you’re giving me the cold shoulder all of a sudden? How have I offended you?”

Seeing that Lena actually had the cheek to pretend as if nothing had happened, Lucas felt even more disappointed and repulsed.

Since she wanted to treat him as a fool, why should he save her from embarrassment?

Lucas stared closely at Lena’s eyes and sneered. “How dare you ask me how you’ve offended me when you did something so abhorrent.”

Lena’s heart tensed up, she subconsciously clenched her fists, and a look of panic appeared on her face. Could Lucas already know that I’m the one behind that matter?

No, that can’t be. I pulled it off well that day. Lucas shouldn’t suspect me!

As Lena thought of this, a trace of confusion appeared on her face, and she seemed clueless about what he was saying. She asked in bewilderment, “What have I done? What are you talking about, Lucas? I don’t understand what you mean.”

Seeing Lena still feigning ignorance, Lucas couldn’t be bothered to continue wasting his breath with her and exposed her right on the spot. “You don’t have to pretend to be innocent in front of me. You’re the one who took those photos and sent them to Cheyenne!”

He didn’t speak in an inquisitive tone but a firm, aggressive, and affirmative one.

Lena’s expression changed drastically, and her hands clenched the tablecloth tightly, crumpling the snowy-white fabric, which was now all wrenched up like her heart.

“What… what are you talking about? What photos? I have no idea what you’re saying!” Lena tried her best to remain calm and pretend not to know anything. But unfortunately, Lucas’s sudden exposure of her caught her off guard. Her voice stuttered, revealing the obvious guilt and nervousness within her.

Lucas sneered at her.

At this point, she still refused to admit it. It seemed that she was trying to hold out until the very last moment.

“Lena Sawyer, drop the act. Since I’ve already said it, I won’t malign you. Third Avenue, Apex
Studios, Marcus Thompson, these names should ring a bell, shouldn’t they?”
After hearing these names, Lena felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her hands holding the tablecloth trembled violently, and the glasses and tableware on the table clanged loudly.

Apex Studios was the agency Lena had hired to photograph her and Lucas secretly. Marcus Thompson was the photographer who had taken the photos of her and Lucas seemingly being intimate outside the hotel.

Since Lucas had already managed to find Marcus, he obviously knew that she was the culprit.

At this moment, Lena felt as though she had been thrown into an ice cellar, and her entire body was cold. She felt incredibly ashamed and embarrassed, as if she had been stripped naked in public.

She didn’t expect Lucas to find out everything she had done.

So much for pretending and feigning ignorance in front of him just now. To her horror, he had already found out the truth, and her performance in front of him was probably just like a clown act.

At the thought of this, Lena turned pale, and she couldn’t say a word.

Staring at Lena, Lucas questioned coldly, “To be honest, I’m really disappointed in you! Cheyenne has always regarded you as her best friend, and she’s been kind to you for more than ten years. But what did you do to her in return?

“There was clearly nothing between us, but you maliciously hired someone to take those photos that made us look intimate. And you even sent them to Cheyenne to sow discord between us and upset her. Is that what a best friend should do?

“What has Cheyenne done to you to make you hate her so much that you’d want her to suffer and be sad?!”

Lucas’s voice became increasingly louder as he questioned Lena. She lowered her head with every question and was almost unable to raise her head.

Hanging her head low, she clenched her fists, and her nails dug deep into the flesh of her palms. But she suddenly raised her head and stared straight at Lucas. “She hasn’t let me down, but I’ve… I’ve fallen in love with you! I’m in love with you!”

Boom!

Her words were like a thunderbolt striking Lucas on the head, making him absolutely dumbfounded.

Lucas never thought that Lena would fall in love with him!

This explained why she had tried to sow discord between him and Cheyenne. She wanted to ruin their marriage.

How was this possible?!

Why would Lena fall in love with him?

Lucas was truly dumbfounded as he looked at Lena in confusion, seemingly not knowing her at all.

Since she had already said it, she decided to go all out. With red eyes, she yelled, “Do you remember the first time we met? You sent me home, and I encountered the sudden attack by the speeding motorcycle in front of my house. From the moment you saved my life, I fell in love with you!

“I thought I could suppress my feelings for you and keep them to myself forever, but when you saved me from the deadly pursuit in LA, I knew that everything was God’s will. God must have sent you to me! In that case, why should I give you up and let someone else have you?

“I know I’ve let Cheyenne down, but sometimes, there really isn’t an explanation for your feelings! I didn’t want things to turn out this way, and I don’t want to steal Cheyenne’s husband either, but I couldn’t help myself!

“I’m just so helplessly in love with you that I’d rather give up my friendship with Cheyenne!”

Lena burst into tears and revealed all her feelings for Lucas for the first time.

Dumbfounded, Lucas sat in his seat, at a complete loss for words to express his emotions.

hahaha there's nothing love can't do

 

[moh96]

1261 Self-Degradation

Lucas really never expected that Lena would fall in love with him just because he had saved her twice and that she would go as far as to end her decade-long friendship with Cheyenne for his sake.

If she was merely one-sidedly in love with him and didn’t do anything, he would have just not reciprocated, nor would he look down on her. On the contrary, he would treat her as his friend and do his best to help her in the future.
But she had done something she shouldn’t have done. She shouldn’t have let herself indulge in her adoration and hurt the person who meant the most to Lucas.

“Lena Sawyer, all I can say is thank you for loving me, but it’s impossible between us. The only woman I love is Cheyenne, and I will never fall in love with anyone else or make my beloved sad.

“I can take it that nothing happened this time, but if this happens once more, if you make
Cheyenne sad again, I won’t let you off!”

With that, Lucas stood up decisively and turned around to leave.

“No! Lucas! Don’t go!” Lena immediately panicked, grabbed Lucas’s arm tightly, and pleaded miserably.

He looked at her hand holding his arm and frowned. He shouted in displeasure, “Let go!”

“No, I won’t let go!”

Not only did she not let go of his arm, but she even hugged his waist tightly and begged, “Lucas, I really like you. I love you! I don’t dream of becoming your wife like Cheyenne. But I don’t mind being your lover as long as I can be by your side!

“If you’re afraid that Cheyenne won’t agree or that she’ll be sad, we can choose not to tell her and treat it as a secret between us. As long as you can accompany me whenever you’re free and say a few words to me, I’ll be more than satisfied! I promise! I’m not greedy, and I won’t ask for anything else. Just fulfill this wish of mine, okay?”

Lena was weeping incessantly as she gave up all her dignity. She would rather be a clandestine mistress than leave Lucas.

But what she said not only failed to touch him, but it made him find her disgusting.

Lena was the daughter of Ethan Sawyer, the richest man in Orange County. Once Lucas left for DC, the Sawyers would even become the top family in all of California, and she could definitely get any man she wanted.

Yet she was targeting Lucas and was even willing to be his mistress. It was simply shameless!

She wanted to be a mistress, but he didn’t want to be an adulterer.

Furthermore, Lena clearly knew that Cheyenne was his wife, and she had been best friends with Cheyenne for years, yet she still wanted to cheat with her best friend’s husband and come in between them. She would rather be a reviled mistress who was scolded by everyone.

She claimed that she could hide it from Cheyenne so as not to hurt her, but hiding it didn’t mean that she wouldn’t be hurting her.

Hiding it didn’t mean that it wasn’t a betrayal.

She was just deceiving herself!

If the matter was exposed one day, and Cheyenne found out that her best friend had hooked up with her husband, it would result in devastating harm to her!

Lena was doing it all out of her own selfishness without sparing a thought for Cheyenne. Someone like her wasn’t worthy of being Cheyenne’s best friend at all!

“I told you to let go. Didn’t you hear me?” Lucas was truly furious. He stared at her coldly without a trace of warmth.

“No! I’m not letting go! Lucas, I won’t let go until you agree!” Lena cried and clamored stubbornly while tightening her grip on Lucas.

It wasn’t that she didn’t know how terrifying Lucas was, but she thought that she was different in his heart and that he would never get physical with her. So she decided to pester him endlessly and hug him tightly.

With a cold expression on his face and an icy voice, he said, “Lena Sawyer, don’t think that I won’t lay a hand on you! I will say it one last time. Let go!”

His voice contained obvious anger and even a touch of murderous intent.

Lena shuddered all over. She could sense the obvious murderous intent in his voice, and fear immediately surged in her heart.

She knew that Lucas was really furious. If she continued pestering him, her ties with him would truly be completely over, and he would no longer be polite to her.

She slowly loosened her grip and looked at Lucas with fear written all over her face.

“Don’t appear in front of me again, and stay away from Cheyenne. She doesn’t need a friend with ill intentions like you. Do you hear me?” Lucas warned, staring coldly at Lena. “If you dare to do anything like this again, don’t blame me for being unkind and banishing your family to hell!”
Lena’s heart immediately sank to rock bottom.

She thought that after confessing her feelings and even making a tremendous sacrifice by saying that she was willing to be a clandestine mistress and wouldn’t compete with Cheyenne for the position of his legal wife, Lucas would be touched and agree to her request.

But she didn’t expect Lucas to reject her immediately and even tell her not to appear in front of him and Cheyenne again!

For this, Lucas didn’t even hesitate to threaten the Sawyers’ existence!

Why?

Why is Lucas so good to Cheyenne but so cold and heartless toward me?

“Lucas, I love you so much. How… how can you treat me like this?” Lena looked at Lucas sadly with red eyes.

Lucas said indifferently, “Who you like is your business. Do I have to reciprocate just because you like me?

“Besides, I already have someone I love, and no one can come between us. There’s only room for her in my heart.

“Lena Sawyer, you’re not stupid, so you should understand what I mean. From now on, I don’t want to see you messing with mine and Cheyenne’s lives. Do you hear me?”

What Lucas said completely ruined Lena’s fantasies and delusions.

She understood that he really had no feelings for her and that he wouldn’t get together with her.

Cheyenne would forever have an irreplaceable spot in his heart.

At the thought of this, Lena burst into tears bitterly.

Seeing her so sad, he still couldn’t bear to be too harsh to her. After all, she was his admirer, not his enemy.

After sighing, Lucas said in a mellower tone, “If you can let go of your feelings for me in the future, we can still be friends. I hope you can find someone you love and who loves you back soon.”

With that, Lucas didn’t want to say anything else. He turned around and walked toward the entrance of the private room.

But suddenly, Lena asked, “Lucas, don’t you want to know what exactly happened between us in the hotel room that night?”

As soon as she said this, Lucas abruptly turned around and looked at Lena coldly, his eyes filled with undisguised murderous intent. “If you dare to say a word of nonsense, I won’t let you off!”

1262 That Night

The murderous intent in Lucas’s eyes was so strong that most people would be scared soulless.

Lena shivered. Her legs went limp, and she almost lost her balance.

But she gritted her teeth, stared at Lucas, and tried her best to maintain eye contact with him, refusing to back down.

Lucas was really annoyed.!!

The incident in the hotel, where Lena had helped him back to his room after he got drunk the other day, had been a thorn in his heart.

He was dead drunk that day, and he didn’t know what had happened at all. He was really afraid that he had done something he shouldn’t have done.

Due to his fear, when Lena said that nothing had happened between them the following morning, he heaved a sigh of relief and subconsciously chose to believe that nothing had really happened.

But now that Lena had suddenly brought it up, he thought that something might have really happened.

“What exactly happened that night? You’d better come clean with me!” Lucas stared into Lena’s eyes, making her feel strongly oppressed.

Seemingly finally unable to stand her oppressive gaze, she looked away, breaking eye contact with Lucas. She smiled self-deprecatingly and said, “What’s the point of saying this now? Even if something really happened between us that day, you still definitely won’t accept me, right?”

Lucas was speechless.

Lena was right.

Even if something had happened that day, he wouldn’t accept her just because of it.

That night, he was so drunk that he couldn’t even move. If something had really happened, it must have been Lena’s conscious decision. Why should Lucas take responsibility for it?

Besides, Cheyenne had always been and will always be the only one Lucas loved. It had taken them tremendous effort to reconcile. Moreover, they shared a beautiful daughter. It was impossible for Lucas to let a third party come in between them and disrupt their hardwon blissful life.

“Lucas Gray, you… you bastard!”

Seeing that Lucas didn’t say anything, Lena finally couldn’t help herself. She slapped him hard, grabbed her bag, and ran away in tears.

Lucas watched coldly as Lena left, not stopping her at all.
He stood in the empty private room for a long time, feeling incredibly frustrated and flustered.

He had thought that he and Lena were innocent. But after seeing her reaction, he had a feeling that something had happened between them, something he couldn’t accept.

In fact, Lena said that she had had a crush on Lucas for a long time, so much so that she was willing to give up her decade-long friendship with Cheyenne for him. In that case, how could she not have done anything to him while he was drunk and lying motionless in bed?

Moreover, Lena was definitely not a simple woman.

Lucas had drunk that day because he had found out that he wasn’t Michael Hutton’s biological son and that his father was someone else. Overwhelmed with emotions at the time, he had drowned his sorrows in alcohol.

But Lena suddenly showed up in the bar and even drank a lot of alcohol with him. Later, while helping him to his room, she had even arranged for someone to photograph them. The intimate and ambiguous photos of them in the hotel room were also taken by her.

Based on these matters, he could tell that Lena was an extremely scheming woman.

She had finally gotten a chance to spend time alone with him, and he had even been drunk and unconscious at the time. He didn’t believe that she really hadn’t done anything to him.

The thought of it made Lucas’s head hurt even more.

If he and Lena had really gotten intimate, then… wouldn’t he have betrayed Cheyenne?

If she found out, would she forgive him?

As an adult man, he knew that there were some things he couldn’t just explain away because he was drunk.

The thought of the possibility of Cheyenne getting the wrong idea made his heart tense up with nervousness.

With a grim expression, Lucas took out his phone and made a call. “Jordan, please help me check something. On the 20th of last month, I got drunk, and Lena Sawyer sent me to the Crown International Hotel in DC. Help me find out how long she stayed in my room!”

After hearing this, Jordan immediately opened his mouth in surprise. “Lucas, did… did something happen?”

“Don’t ask. Just check it immediately!” Lucas instructed coldly.

“Yes, Lucas!” Jordan realized that something was amiss.

Half an hour later, Jordan called again.

“Lucas, I’ve found out! I checked the surveillance footage inside and outside the hotel. On the night of November 20th, Lena Sawyer indeed helped you to the hotel room. After you two entered, she didn’t come out again until about seven the following morning. Then she went to the front desk and got a room,” Jordan reported in puzzlement.

His words seemed to stiffen Lucas’s body on the spot.

In that case, Lena had spent the entire night with him.

She had lied about resting next door!

Now, the truth was really going in the direction that Lucas dreaded!

Jordan asked carefully, “Lucas, you and Lena Sawyer… you… Nothing happened between you two, right? You didn’t let Cheyenne down, right?”

Lucas’s heart was full of fury as he shouted resentfully, “I was drunk! I don’t even know what happened!”

This was what Lucas felt the most frustrated and disgruntled about.

If he had been conscious or slightly sober then, he wouldn’t have behaved intimately with another woman at all.

But since he was unconscious, he didn’t know what he had done and couldn’t explain himself either.

This was the most worrying thing!

Jordan gulped, suddenly at a loss for words.

He knew clearly that Cheyenne was the only one Lucas loved and that he would never fall for another woman. So now that this happened, Lucas was absolutely incensed and vexed.

Jordan had been in love with Maddy for years too. He put himself in Lucas’s shoes and imagined how he would feel if he had accidentally gotten drunk and ended up becoming intimate with another woman. He’d probably feel a strong urge to kill.

“Well, Lucas, if… and I’m just saying if… If something happened between you and Lena Sawyer that day… and Cheyenne finds out, do you think she’ll forgive you?” Jordan stammered.

His words made Lucas feel even more dismayed.

This was exactly what he was the most worried about.

…

1263 What Are You Up To?

Lucas didn’t care about what Lena thought, nor did he plan to take responsibility for what had happened that day.

But what worried Lucas the most was that Cheyenne would feel sad after learning about this matter and think that he had betrayed her. It had taken a lot of work for them to finally reconcile and become more intimate, but this matter might cause all their efforts to go down the drain and break them apart, ruining their relationship.

Knowing that this was a serious problem, Jordan said resentfully, “Lucas, I finally know how terrible of a person Lena Sawyer is! I bet she deliberately set up everything that day.

“Even though you were drunk that night, and there’s nothing wrong for her to help you to your hotel room, the problem is that she stayed in your room all night! What was she trying to do?

“Besides, hasn’t Lena Sawyer been friends with Cheyenne for over a decade? Lucas, you even asked us to take care of her in Orange County and try to ensure her safety! Yet she harbored ill intentions and actually did that to you!

“Trust her to seduce her best friend’s husband. She’s such a scheming bitch!”

Jordan was now full of fury and hatred for Lena.

This woman who had tried to ruin Lucas and Cheyenne’s relationship was absolutely unforgivable!

Jordan continued, “Lucas, I think you should take the initiative to come clean with Cheyenne. Even if something has really happened, it’s not your fault, and Cheyenne should forgive you.

“But if you hide it and Cheyenne finds out from someone else, she will definitely think that you deliberately deceived her and that you betrayed her with another woman! If that happens, she will definitely be a hundred times sadder!”

Worried that Lucas and Cheyenne might fall out because of this incident, Jordan advised him earnestly.

If Jordan had nagged him like this in the past, Lucas would have definitely told him to shut up.

But he was now listening attentively because he knew that Jordan was thinking for him and trying to help him come up with a solution.

Currently, Jordan only knew that Lena had stayed the night in Lucas’s room, but he wasn’t aware that she had taken many photos of them and sent them to Cheyenne.

If Jordan knew about it, he definitely wouldn’t just call Lena a scheming bitch. Instead, he might really kill her out of anger.

Besides, Jordan made sense.

Deceit was a recipe for disaster in marriages.

Cheyenne had already been very angry after receiving the photos from Lena, so much so that she had thrown a tantrum at Lucas for a long time.
If she found out that Lena and Lucas had stayed in the same hotel room for an entire night, she would definitely be furious and find it utterly unacceptable.

Moreover, if Lucas concealed this matter and Cheyenne found out from someone else, she would never trust him again and might even divorce him.

Although Cheyenne was usually very gentle, she had a strong backbone and an independent mind. Once she was certain that her husband had cheated on her, she would never compromise and would choose to leave him resolutely.

At the thought of this possibility, Lucas trembled hard.

“No, I can’t let Cheyenne know about this yet!” Lucas said through gritted teeth. “I have to find out what happened between Lena and me that day. Otherwise, I won’t able to bring myself to tell Cheyenne about it.”

After staying silent for a while, Jordan asked, “Lucas, if you and Lena Sawyer have really done something you shouldn’t have, how are you going to tell Cheyenne about it?” Lucas could only say, “I’ll play it by ear and find out the truth before deciding my next move. Anyway, it’s not the time to tell Cheyenne about this yet. If she finds out now, she will definitely be angry, and she might even refuse to go to DC with me. I’ll tell her when we get there.”

Jordan could only sigh. “It seems like that’s the only way. Anyway, you and Cheyenne have a strong relationship. I hope it won’t be ruined by some nonsense.”

“Yeah, I know it’s my fault.”

Lucas still felt terrible even after hanging up. For the rest of the day, he was in a bad mood and remained frowning, causing the secretaries who came to his office to deliver some documents to feel very uneasy and be extremely careful with work, for fear of angering Lucas.

At four in the afternoon, Lucas was no longer in the mood to continue staying in the office. He sent Cheyenne a text message and then went to the kindergarten to pick Amelia up.

When he saw Amelia waiting obediently at the entrance of the kindergarten for him to pick her up, the anger within him finally dissipated and turned into tender warmth.

“Daddy, are you here to pick me up today?” Amelia’s large eyes lit up, and she beamed with joy and leaped into Lucas’s arms the moment she saw him.

Seeing how adorable his daughter was, he hugged her tightly, feeling blissful and peaceful. The fury that had been boiling within him all afternoon vanished entirely.

Lucas smiled. “Yeah! Mommy is still at work, so I’m here to pick you up. Are you happy?”

“Yes, I’m so happy! Daddy, you haven’t been home for so long, and it’s been a long time since you picked me up from school. I’m so happy to see you!” Amelia’s tender and puerile voice made what she said sound even more touching.

Lucas’s heart had already melted, and at the same time, he felt apologetic toward Amelia.

He had been handling matters in DC previously, so it had been more than two weeks since he had gotten to spend some quality time with Amelia.

“Amelia, we’re going to DC together in a few days and moving into a new house. When you start going to your new school, I’ll drop you off and pick you up from school every day!” Lucas said gently while stroking Amelia’s head.

“Okay! That’s great!” Amelia inched closer and gave Lucas a peck on his face.

Stroking Amelia’s head, Lucas said adoringly, “Amelia, let’s not go home yet. Don’t you like eating tasty food? Let’s go to that food market over there!”

Amelia nodded gleefully, her eyes glistening with joy. She said eagerly, “Okay! Daddy, you’re so nice! You’re the best daddy in the world!”

Lucas smiled and picked Amelia up in his arms. They went to the food market a few hundred meters away from the kindergarten and bought a lot of snacks.

“Daddy, can I have that donut?”

“Sure, I’ll get you one.”

“Those cookies smell so good!”

“Okay, we’ll get some!”

“Daddy, those strawberries look so delicious!”

“Okay, let’s get them!”

“Let’s get some for Mommy, Aunt Charlotte, and Grandpa too!”

“Alright. Amelia, you’re such a good girl!”
…

The father and daughter strolled around the food market, and Amelia bought plenty of snacks. She didn’t just buy them for herself but remembered to get extras for everyone in the family, which was very much to Lucas’s pleasure.

By the time they finally finished shopping, it was already dark, and they returned to their villa with lots of goodies.

As soon as they entered, they saw a figure sitting in the living room.

“Huh? It’s Aunt Lena!” Amelia shouted with joy and immediately rushed over.

…

Lucas’s face instantly darkened with displeasure.

Lena actually showed up at their place!

What is she up to?

1264 Lena Visits

Lena caught Amelia, who was rushing toward her, hugged her in her arms, and kissed her on the cheek. Rubbing her face against Amelia’s affectionately, she smiled and said, “Amelia, it’s been a long time since we last met. Did you miss me?”

Amelia smiled and nodded. “Yes! Of course I missed you, Aunt Lena. It’s been almost a month since you visited!”

“Oh, has it been so long? Sorry, it’s my fault. Okay, Amelia, I will give you this big bunny as a present!” Lena took out a snowy white bunny plushie from the bag beside her and handed it to Amelia.

Amelia was only a five-year-old child. After receiving such an adorable gift, she grinned widely with excitement and joy.

Lena finally looked at Lucas and greeted him. The expression on her face looked the same as usual, as if she hadn’t confessed to Lucas in tears at noon.

Lucas narrowed his eyes slowly, getting more and more unsure about Lena’s purpose for visiting.

Just as Lucas was staring at Lena hostilely, Cheyenne walked out of the kitchen with a large fruit platter containing sliced kiwis, strawberries, dragon fruits, and other fruits.

“Honey, you’re home!” Cheyenne placed the fruit platter on the glass coffee table in the middle of the living room and looked at Lucas warmly.

It was naturally inappropriate for him to ask why Lena was here in front of Cheyenne. He nodded and asked, “Has Charlotte returned from work?”

He didn’t see Charlotte in the living room, but he knew that she disliked Lena.

After seeing the photos of Lena and Lucas entering the hotel, Charlotte was extremely displeased with Lena and even scolded her several times at home.

Seeing Lena here, Lucas even wondered if Charlotte would get into an argument with her on the spot.

Cheyenne looked at Lena awkwardly and coughed. “Charlotte’s on her computer in her room!”

In fact, the moment Charlotte saw Lena, she had been sulking and rather hostile to her, almost kicking her out.

After being chided by Cheyenne, Charlotte turned around, went upstairs in a huff, and locked herself in her room, refusing to come out.

Cheyenne couldn’t say much in front of Lena, lest she makes things awkward for her.

But just as Cheyenne finished speaking, Charlotte came downstairs and said to Amelia from afar, “Amelia, come here!”

Lena was holding Amelia in her arms. After hearing Charlotte calling her, Amelia immediately rushed to her obediently.

“Aunt Charlotte! Daddy took me to buy lots of delicious food, and I brought lots of tasty goodies back for everyone. There are strawberries, donuts, cookies, and many, many more!”

“Amelia, you’re such a good girl!” Charlotte praised Amelia, then glanced at Lena, who was sitting on the couch in the living room, and rolled her eyes. She said to Amelia, “Amelia, I’ve told you many times before not to accept gifts from other women. What if they have ulterior motives and are out to deceive you?”

Amelia looked at the bunny toy in her arms, glanced at Lena again, and said in bewilderment,
“Aunt Charlotte, Aunt Lena isn’t a bad woman. She’s also given me lots of gifts before.” Seeing Amelia on Lena’s side and treating her well, Charlotte couldn’t help becoming even more angry. She sulked and said, “Amelia! Are you not going to listen to me anymore?”

Amelia looked at the angry Charlotte, clueless about what she had done wrong. She was confused about why Charlotte didn’t want her to accept Lena’s gift since Lena was Cheyenne’s best friend.

After being yelled at by Charlotte, Amelia felt aggrieved, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Lena smiled awkwardly and walked over to say to Amelia, “Amelia, actually, Aunt Charlotte is right. You have to pay attention to your safety at all times in case bad people deceive you. You have to listen to Aunt Charlotte, okay?”

Hearing this, Charlotte became even angrier. “I’m speaking with my niece. Why are you interrupting?”

She hated how hypocritical Lena was and the way she pretended to be virtuous and magnanimous in front of them, making it seem as if she was the only good person.

“Charlotte! Enough!” Cheyenne shouted at Charlotte. She chided disapprovingly with a slight frown, “Don’t be mean to Lena. Didn’t she already clear the air about that matter? It was just a misunderstanding.”

Charlotte was so furious that she stomped her feet. “Ugh! Cheyenne, why… why do you trust her so much?! She obviously harbors evil intentions and wants to steal your man, but you’re still defending her. You’ll be the death of me!”

Then Charlotte glowered at Lena, rushed upstairs angrily again, and slammed the door of her room shut.

“Charlotte, how can you be so rude?! Get down here!” Cheyenne yelled angrily.

No matter what, Lena was her best friend of over ten years, and she was a guest. Charlotte’s behavior was indeed quite rude.

Lena hurriedly held Cheyenne’s arm to stop her from calling Charlotte. She said with red eyes, “Forget it, Cheyenne. Charlotte has misunderstood me. You shouldn’t blame her. It’s all my fault. If I had called to inform you that I helped Lucas back to his hotel room that night, you wouldn’t have gotten the wrong idea.”

Cheyenne quickly said, “How is that your fault? You were just being kind by helping Lucas when you bumped into him. Who knew that someone would take photos of you and send them to me?
“Charlotte has misunderstood you and is just making a mountain out of a molehill. I’ll talk to her later. Please don’t mind her! You’ve been my best friend for years. Of course I trust you!”

Lena secretly stole a glance at Lucas with an awkward look on her face, but she couldn’t say anything to Cheyenne in front of Lucas. So she could only squeeze out a smile and say, “It’s alright. We just need to clear up the misunderstanding. Don’t reprimand Charlotte. If you sisters get into a fight because of me, I’ll feel really bad.

“Okay, it’s almost dinnertime. I’ll get going now!” Lena quickly turned around and walked toward the door.

“Hey, wait! Lena, don’t go. Stay and have dinner with us!” Cheyenne immediately asked her to stay.

Lena obviously didn’t dare to have dinner with Cheyenne and her family. She frantically waved her hands and sped up. Soon, she started her car and left.

Meanwhile, Lucas had been standing at the side and watching without saying anything.

1265 Hidden Intentions

Cheyenne failed to get her best friend to stay and resolve the misunderstanding with Charlotte. At the thought that all of these misunderstandings were caused by Lucas getting drunk in DC, she glared at him and chided, “It’s all your fault!”

Since Lucas couldn’t explain anything, he could only sigh helplessly.

Charlotte was furious and kept herself locked in her room. Even when Cheyenne asked her to come down for dinner, she refused to come out of her room.

William was working overtime, so only Cheyenne, Lucas, and Amelia were sitting at the dining table and having dinner.

Amelia had already eaten a lot of snacks earlier, so she was already full. After taking a few bites of food, she scurried to the living room to watch cartoons.

In the dining room, only Lucas and Cheyenne were left.

He finally asked, “Why did Lena suddenly come over?”

Cheyenne glared at Lucas again. “She came to explain those photos. Lena told me that there’s nothing between you two and that she merely sent you to a nearby hotel when you got drunk that night. But someone took photos of you two and sent them to me.”
“Lena has been my best friend for over a decade, so I naturally trust that she hasn’t betrayed me and done something outrageous with my husband. Let’s forget about this matter! You two are some of the most important people to me. Of course I trust you!

“The person who took the photos and sent them to me is probably someone in DC with ill will toward you. Lucas, you should check it carefully. Someone is framing you to sow discord between us.

“But Charlotte is really mistaken. She refuses to listen to what I say, and she’s bent on the idea that Lena has evil intentions. Lucas, help me persuade Charlotte! She listens to you.”

Hearing what Cheyenne said, Lucas felt extremely complicated and uncomfortable.

Cheyenne had always been a pure and straightforward woman. It wasn’t that she didn’t have intelligence and didn’t understand schemes, but rather, she had absolute trust in her closest friends and family members. She treated them with utmost sincerity, and it would never occur to her that they could betray her.

Just like now, she trusted Lena so much that she didn’t doubt a single thing Lena said and had even chided Charlotte for her sake.

But what was the truth?

Reality had proven that Charlotte was right. Lena indeed harbored designs on Lucas. She wanted to seduce her best friend’s husband and was indeed the mastermind behind the photos in the hotel.

Unfortunately, Lena put on such a great act in front of Cheyenne that she managed to convince Cheyenne to trust her completely despite Charlotte’s repeated warnings and reminders.

Lucas really felt that Charlotte was pitiful.

“Cheyenne, have you ever thought that Charlotte might be right?” Lucas suddenly asked.

“What did you say?!” Cheyenne’s body stiffened, and she immediately looked at Lucas warily. “What do you mean?”

Lucas couldn’t bring himself to speak. No, it’s not time to come clean about everything and tell Cheyenne the truth yet.

“Ahem, I mean, no matter what, Charlotte is your sister, and you two grew up together. Your relationship is irreplaceable. Even if Lena is your best friend, you shouldn’t let an outsider affect your relationship with Charlotte.”

Cheyenne retorted with displeasure, “Lucas, why are you saying that too? Lena also grew up with me, and we’ve been best friends for years! Charlotte is my sister, but we can’t malign Lena just because of this!

“Besides, at the end of the day, you’re the one to blame for this. If you hadn’t gotten drunk, why would Lena have helped you to your hotel room and become embroiled in this misunderstanding? Hmph!”

Lucas sighed again, not knowing what to say.

Ultimately, drinking alcohol was to blame!

But after hearing what Cheyenne said, Lucas finally knew how important Lena was to her.

Cheyenne wasn’t even willing to hear anyone badmouth Lena and defended her at every turn. But what about Lena?

She clearly knew that Lucas was Cheyenne’s husband, yet she still tried to snatch him away from her.

After learning of Lena’s intentions, Lucas recalled many matters he had overlooked in the past.

For example, at the rooftop pool of that hotel in LA, Lena had worn a sexy swimsuit, pretended to sprain her ankle, and deliberately leaned on him.

Also, at the Elite Business Exchange in San Francisco, Lena had used her stilettos as an excuse to hold his arm for support and stick close to him.

The more he thought about these things, the more repulsed he felt. He was totally speechless.

Lena wasn’t unforgivably vile and detestable though.

Apart from the things that she had done because she was in love with Lucas, she hadn’t done anything else to hurt Cheyenne.

However, Lena meant so much to Cheyenne, which made it tricky for Lucas to deal with Lena.

Forget it. I’ll just leave her alone. As long as she doesn’t do anything else to hurt Cheyenne, I’ll leave her be.

After dinner, under Cheyenne’s urging, Lucas went to Charlotte’s room and knocked on the door.

“I already told you I don’t want to eat!” Charlotte’s disgruntled voice came from inside.

Lucas said, “Charlotte, it’s me. I’d like to have a word with you.”

After a moment of silence, the sounds of footsteps shuffling and approaching the door came from inside.

Charlotte wanted to ignore Lucas at first, but after giving it some thought, she decided to open the door to hear what he had to say.

If Lucas blindly believed the scheming Lena as Cheyenne did, she would definitely drive him out without hesitation and ignore him for an entire month!

Creak!

The door of the room opened, and Cheyenne said with displeasure, “Come inside and say what you have to say. But I’ll make things clear first. If you’re here to convince me not to get the wrong idea of Lena Sawyer on Cheyenne’s behalf, you can save it. Don’t waste my time!”

Lucas chuckled. “Don’t worry. That’s definitely not why I’m here.”

Charlotte glanced at Lucas with some surprise and doubt. “Okay, come in then!”

She moved aside and let Lucas enter her room.

It was Lucas’s first time stepping into Charlotte’s room.

The spacious room was filled with things, but it was very organized and looked full of warmth.

There was also a faint fresh fragrance in the room.

Lucas took a seat on the blue velvet single sofa by the door while Charlotte sat down on her soft bed. She asked sulkily, “What do you want to say to me?”

Lucas cut straight to the chase. “I know you have something against Lena and think she’s scheming and has ulterior motives. In fact, I share the same sentiments.”

Charlotte was instantly stunned. She didn’t expect the first thing she heard from him after he entered her room to be this!

…

1266 Leaving California

What Lucas said was exactly what Charlotte wanted to hear. She immediately looked like she had finally found a kindred soul, and she wished she could leap over to shake Lucas’s hand!

“Lucas! You actually share the same thoughts as me! You trust me!” Charlotte said emotionally.

Lucas smiled. “I’m your brother-in-law, and I’ve always treated you as my sister. Of course I trust you!”

Charlotte felt much better. She hated Lena, yet Cheyenne treated her as her best friend and trusted her completely. She even blamed her for Lena’s sake, making Charlotte feel extremely aggrieved.

“Lucas, you’re awesome! Indeed, you have great judgment, just like me. To be honest, I felt that Lena was hypocritical the moment I saw her. She obviously has evil intentions. She’s a scheming bitch!

“Since you’ve also seen through that woman’s schemes and evil intentions, I will forgive you for those photos! Even though she really helped you to the hotel, she must have schemed against you!”

Charlotte eagerly began criticizing Lena, but she suddenly thought of something, and her expression changed.

“Wait a minute!” Charlotte abruptly turned to face Lucas and sized him up a few times. “Why do you think she has ulterior motives too? Did she say something or do something to you?”

Lucas was astonished by Charlotte’s sharpness. He hurriedly waved his hand and denied, “No. I’m a man. What could she have done to me?”

Lucas definitely wouldn’t tell Charlotte that Lena had confessed to him and even said that she was willing to be his clandestine lover. All the more, he wouldn’t reveal that she had spent an entire night in the same hotel room as him when he was dead drunk.

If Charlotte found out, she would definitely fly into a rage and rush over to slap Lena harshly.

In that case, Cheyenne would find out about everything. Even Lucas wasn’t sure what the consequences would be.

But Charlotte wasn’t that easily fooled. She sized Lucas up carefully a few times and probed, “Is there really nothing? Lucas, don’t lie to me!”

Suppressing his guilt, Lucas said while caught between laughter and tears, “Of course it’s true. Lena is your sister’s friend. There’s nothing between us.”

“Why did you say that she has ill intentions then?” Charlotte insisted on asking.

Lucas said, “Actually, I don’t have anything against Lena. It’s about the Sawyers. You probably know that Ethan Sawyer betrayed me a few days ago. So I’ve decided to take the Hales, the Coles, and the Parkers to develop in DC without the Sawyers.

“Now, I don’t have a good impression of all the Sawyers, so I don’t want you and Cheyenne to get too close to them.”

Charlotte nodded. She trusted what Lucas said.

She wasn’t a child anymore. She was now the general manager of the Stardust Corporation’s Orange County branch, so she was very clear about what had happened in Orange County recently, as well as the behavior of the top families.

She also knew that Ethan actually wanted Lucas to take the Sawyers to DC too, but Lucas had rejected him relentlessly. It seemed that the Sawyers had really offended him.

Charlotte puffed her cheeks up and deliberately said with malice, “Okay, I’ll believe you! But from now on, you have to stay away from Lena Sawyer! If I see you two intimate and ambiguous again, I will never help you hide it from Cheyenne. I will definitely tell her and make you regret it!”

“Again?” Lucas was puzzled.

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten! During the Elite Business Exchange in San Francisco, I caught Lena Sawyer holding your arm and leaning against you. It was obviously intimate! If you hadn’t told me that you were just helping her and if that woman hadn’t asked me to keep it from Cheyenne because she was afraid of her misunderstanding, I would have told Cheyenne a long time ago!” Charlotte said furiously.

Lucas finally recalled that Charlotte had bumped into them and felt awkward. He didn’t dare to say anything else and hurriedly said, “Okay, I know! I’ll definitely keep away from her in the future! Cheyenne saved some food for you. Quickly go eat. Don’t go hungry!”

Then Lucas hurriedly got up and left Charlotte’s room.

He didn’t dare to stay any longer, lest he make more mistakes.

Seeing how distressed Lucas was, Charlotte chuckled, and her mood became much better.

As soon as Lucas returned to the dining room, Cheyenne immediately asked, “How did it go? Has Charlotte forgiven Lena? Has the misunderstanding been resolved?”

Lucas shook his head.

Disappointment immediately appeared in Cheyenne’s beautiful eyes, and she frowned slightly.

One was her best friend of over a decade, and the other was her sister. Cheyenne really didn’t want them to have any conflicts.

Lucas put an arm around Cheyenne’s shoulder and comforted gently, “Don’t worry. They’re two independent individuals. Since they can’t get along, let them settle their differences on their own. It’ll be fine as long as they minimize contact with each other.

“Don’t worry too much or feel sad about it. Just let nature take its course! You can’t possibly force them to become friends, right?

“Besides, people will always change. Just because two people get along well now, it doesn’t mean they’ll be the same in the future. Likewise, people who can’t stand each other now might make up because of a future opportunity. It’s hard to tell with these things, right?”

In fact, Lucas wanted Cheyenne to stay as far away from Lena as possible and not treat her as an important friend.

But Cheyenne had no idea about what Lena had done. If he said anything rashly, she might think that he was maligning Lena too and become even sadder.

So Lucas could only be as tactful with it as possible, in hopes that Cheyenne could prepare herself mentally.

“Oh, okay!” Finally, Cheyenne gave up on the idea of reconciling Charlotte with Lena and sighed faintly.

The following day, nothing happened, and everything was the same as every day before.

Amelia went to school, gave gifts to a few of her close friends during recess, explained in tears that she would be moving soon, and bid farewell to them. Meanwhile, everyone in the family went to work as usual and were busy with handing over their duties.

Shifting the focus of their development to DC didn’t mean that they would be ignoring everything they left behind in California.

They would conduct business, acquire businesses, merge them, and establish branch offices as necessary.

Everyone was extremely busy.

In addition to Lucas and his family, the Hales and the Coles were also busy.

But they had too many businesses in California, and it was impossible to reorganize them all within a short time. So they sent some people to DC to make arrangements first before they would slowly transfer their manpower.

They were all full of expectation and hope about developing in DC.

In the past few days, Lena had never appeared again. Lucas was rather pleased with this.

Soon, it was the day for Lucas and his family to move to DC.

1267 New House in DC

The following afternoon, a plane from Orange County touched down at the DC International Airport.

Lucas and the rest got inside a car and headed to their new home in DC.

It was Amelia’s first time in DC. In the backseat, she pressed her small face against the window and stared curiously at the high-rise buildings, bustling streets, and flowing traffic.

Of course, DC was much more lively and prosperous than Orange County. It had skyscrapers everywhere, which were few and far between in Orange County. Moreover, the skyscrapers each had a unique design and perfectly complemented the city’s distinctive urban planning and various green facilities. Amelia was enthralled, and she would exclaim with awe and surprise from time to time.

“Wow! Daddy, look how tall that building is! It’s just like a little mountain!

“Daddy, that garden over there is so pretty. There are so many pretty cherry blossoms! “Mommy, look. There’s a huge inflated doll there. Can we go play there in the future?”

…

Amelia was excited.

Lucas and Cheyenne looked at Amelia with smiles and said dotingly, “Okay, we’ll bring you there to play in the future. Amelia, do you like it here in DC?”

Amelia nodded hard. “Yes, I like it! I want to take lots of photos and show them to Hailey and Matilda. I want to invite them to DC to play in the future. Daddy and Mommy, is this okay?”

Cheyenne stroked Amelia’s head gently. “Of course!”

William was smiling brightly as he looked out the window at the scenery outside.

It was his first time in DC too.

For the past few decades, he had stayed in Orange County and had almost never left California.

And thinking about it now, he found that there wasn’t much worth remembering in his earlier life.

He had lived with the Carters for years, but they hadn’t shown him any respect or kindness because he was a stepchild. There were no development opportunities for him either, so he had gradually lost his confidence and motivation to live life properly and went through many years confused and at a loss.

In addition, his ex-wife, Karen, was tough to deal with, and she had never really liked him. She had often mocked him for being worthless and not as competent as other men, and she had blamed him for wasting her youth. In the end, she had even tried to kill him for some benefits.

In hindsight, almost everything in his past was like a nightmare.

William had thought that he would live in Orange County for the rest of his life. But he didn’t expect that he would be able to spend his retirement in DC thanks to his daughter and sonin-law.

Seeing how blissful the family was, William smiled peacefully.

Soon, they arrived at their destination and stopped in front of a large villa near a lake.
There were a few exclaims of surprise when everyone saw the environment and surroundings.

Buying such a large lakeside villa with a mesmerizing view and great scenery in DC would cost several hundred million dollars.

Moreover, the villa had the same design and decoration style as their villa in the middle of Pearl Lake in Orange County. The white castle-like main building was hidden in a large area of lush flowers and plants, making the place incredibly beautiful and dreamy, like a castle by the lake.

“Daddy, is this our new home?” Amelia entered the gates of the residence and looked at the castle-like villa with wide eyes.

Lucas nodded with a smile. “How is it, Amelia? Do you like our new home?”

Amelia subconsciously nodded. “I’m going to take a look!”

She scurried into the villa like a little rabbit and began checking every room. From time to time, exclaims of astonishment rang out.

William said with awe, “This villa resembles ours in Orange County. It must have cost a lot, right?”

Lucas replied, “It’s indeed very similar in style because this place was constructed by the same architectural and design team as our Pearl Lake villa. With the similar style, we’ll be able to settle down sooner. The price wasn’t too bad, and Jordan helped with it. I didn’t pay much attention.”

William instantly knew that the villa probably cost peanuts to Lucas, which was why he didn’t pay much attention.

It left William in awe again.

Just half a year ago, he would have been extremely content with a house that cost a few hundred thousand dollars. He never thought that he would one day be able to live in a massive villa in DC worth several hundred million dollars.

Lucas and Cheyenne had previously stayed in this villa for a while, and their room and Amelia’s had been decorated well.

But William and Charlotte, who had just moved in, had much simpler rooms. There were no fancy decorations, and they looked like ordinary guest rooms.
Charlotte immediately pouted in dissatisfaction. “Why does my room look so simple? Cheyenne, Lucas, you guys don’t love me anymore!”

Lucas hurriedly explained, “I don’t know what decor styles you and William like, so I didn’t decorate your rooms much. You can decide what kind of decor you want in two days. Let the decor company help you with designing your rooms, and let me know what else you need.”

Charlotte finally felt better, but she nevertheless gave Lucas a look. “Hmph, I’ll spare you this time.”

“Charlotte!” William poked Cheyenne’s head while laughing.

The new home made everyone happy.

After everyone settled down, Lucas and Cheyenne returned to their room.

“Thank you so much, Honey!” Cheyenne said gratefully while leaning on Lucas.

Recalling everything they had experienced and the various changes over the last six months, Cheyenne felt as if she was dreaming.

If Lucas hadn’t returned, she and her family would probably still be living under the Carters, who had constantly bossed them around and upset them all the time.

If it wasn’t for Lucas, she wouldn’t have had the courage to sever ties with the Carters and completely get rid of these leeches.

If it wasn’t for Lucas, their family wouldn’t be living better and better. Not only did they have more and more money and assets, but they even moved to DC.

Now, they were living worry-free lives, and Lucas loved her so much with her, making Cheyenne feel extremely grateful and blissful.

He had said that he would make her the happiest woman in the world, and now, she really felt that she was the happiest woman in the world.

“We’re married. You don’t need to thank me.” Lucas pulled Cheyenne into his arms and laid on the soft and fluffy bed behind them.

“If you insist on thanking me…”

“You… Mmph…”
Her following words disappeared into a kiss.

…

1268 Running into a Former Classmate

When it was almost dinnertime, the two of them finally finished unpacking and walked out of their room.

Cheyenne’s cheeks were still flushed, and she looked incredibly radiant.

Even Charlotte was astonished by Cheyenne’s beauty at the moment. When she saw her sister’s red and slightly swollen lips, she immediately figured out what Cheyenne and Lucas had been doing for the last few hours and blushed with embarrassment.

Noticing Lucas’s satisfied look, she glared at him and cursed, “Hmph! Lecher!”!!

Lucas was shocked, but he instantly realized what was going on and looked at Cheyenne. Caught between laughter and tears, he looked awkward.

Cheyenne was just as awkward.

Although it was normal for them to get intimate since they were married, it was still broad daylight, and it was their first day in DC. She felt embarrassed that her sister had discovered them.

“Okay, it’s getting late. I’ll go make dinner!” Cheyenne hurried to the kitchen.

Lucas received a call at this moment. After answering it, he shouted toward the kitchen, “Cheyenne, you don’t have to cook for me. I have something to attend to now.”

He grabbed his car key and left the villa.

The call had been from Bruce. The Hales had arrived in DC two days ago, and they had asked to meet Lucas for a discussion at the Parkers’ Hampton Restaurant.

When Lucas arrived at the entrance of the restaurant and was about to enter, he suddenly heard a surprised voice from the side.

“Huh? Aren’t you… Lucas Gray?”

The voice sounded extremely familiar. Lucas turned around and saw a young man around the same age as him. Indeed, Lucas recognized him, but he couldn’t remember his name. “You are…?” Lucas asked, slightly puzzled.

“Hey, Lucas Gray, have you forgotten me now that you’re rich? You can’t even remember who I am? We were classmates in high school! I’m Chace Barker. Do you remember now?” the young man said with displeasure.

Lucas finally recalled who he was. “Oh, it’s you. It’s been years since we’ve met. I’m surprised you still recognize me.”

Although Chace’s name somewhat rang a bell to Lucas, he didn’t have a deep impression of him and only vaguely remembered that this person was his high school classmate.

After thinking about it, he remembered that they were just acquaintances in high school, and they had barely spoken to each other, let alone be friends.

He didn’t expect that Chace could still recognize him at a glance despite it having been more than a decade.

Chace wasn’t alone. Standing beside him was a fashionably dressed woman with heavy makeup.

“Honey, you actually have a high school classmate who’s failed so miserably at life? He looks too ordinary, just like a bumpkin. Tsk tsk!”

The young woman was incredibly caustic with her words.

It was extremely disrespectful to say something like this when meeting someone for the first time.

Lucas frowned slightly.

But what surprised him even more was the reaction of Chase, his former classmate.

Chace put his arm around the young woman’s shoulder and said to Lucas with a contemptuous smirk, “Sweetie, you’re right! Did you know that Lucas was the poorest person in our class back then? Sometimes, he couldn’t even afford to get lunch, and we could hear his stomach growling in class! Haha, it was hilarious!

“It’s good enough that someone like him hasn’t starved to death yet. What do you expect from him? How fashionable can he be? After all, he’s just a penniless loser! That’s how I recognized him at a glance!”

The young woman burst into laughter and looked at Lucas with ridicule. “Oh, I see! I was wondering when you had such a poor friend. It turns out you recognized him from the way he reeks of poverty!”

While speaking, the young woman feigned waving her hand in front of her nose as if she had really smelled an odor.

Lucas stopped smiling and quickly scanned Chace and his wife. They were both decked out in designer wear. They had Patek Philippe watches on their wrists, the latest iPhones in their hands, and various luxury accessories, jewelry, etc. Their outfits were worth several tens of thousands of dollars.

They did seem quite well off, which explained why they were so haughty and condescending.

Chace smiled smugly and suddenly seemed to think of something. “Lucas Gray, my wife, is straightforward and honest. We’re former classmates, so you won’t mind a few casual remarks, will you?”

Lucas barely remembered Chace at first, but now, he had an awful impression of him.

Of course, he wouldn’t be bothered by people like Chace, and there was indeed no need to continue wasting his time with him.

“I have something to do, so I’m leaving now,” Lucas said indifferently and walked toward the restaurant.

“Hey, wait!!” Chace immediately moved to the side and blocked Lucas.

“Lucas, don’t tell me you want to have a meal at the Pakers’ Hampton Restaurant?” Chace sized Lucas up and said in exaggerated disbelief, “Lucas Gray, I know what your family background is. Although the Hampton Restaurant sounds like an ordinary place, it’s a fivestar restaurant!

“Any item on the menu here costs at least a hundred dollars! A meal here will easily set you back a thousand dollars. But you actually dare to dine here?”

Lucas became annoyed and impatient. He said coldly, “What does it matter to you whether I’m here for a meal or not?”

Chace was instantly displeased. He felt offended that Lucas had retorted against him. What right does this penniless loser have to speak to me like that?

The young woman was also irked. She looked at the few shabbily-dressed beggars gathered not far from the restaurant and suddenly smiled. “Honey, I think this former classmate of yours might really be able to have a meal here!”

She pouted her lips at the beggars and said maliciously, “I heard that the Hampton
Restaurant only serves the freshest ingredients every day and never keeps any overnight. So they give away the unused ingredients and the guests’ leftovers to the homeless every day!

“Maybe your classmate is here for the leftovers?”

Chace burst into laughter. “You’re right! You have a point, Honey. He might really be here to beg for leftovers. I once caught him picking up leftovers back in high school. Hahaha!”

The two of them mocked Lucas without restraint, making his expression completely gloomy.

1269 Help Me With a Livestream

“Get lost. Don’t get in the way!” Lucas shoved Chace aside and walked toward the restaurant.

He couldn’t be bothered with these two.

“Damn it! How dare you push me? Hold it right there!” Chace immediately flew into a rage and grabbed Lucas’s sleeve.

With a cold gaze in his eyes, Lucas narrowed his eyes. “What else do you want?”!!

Those who were familiar with Lucas would know that he was really annoyed and angry at the moment.

Chace shouted, “Did I say you could go? Do you know what I do now? I’m famous now!”

Lucas was rather amused.

It was really rare for someone to call themselves famous.

Although Chace’s attire was from designer brands, they were only worth tens of thousands of dollars. This was expensive for ordinary people, but for those from genuinely wealthy families, a few tens of thousands of dollars in clothes and accessories was too shabby.

Thus, Chace definitely wasn’t a famous person who suddenly became rich.

Furthermore, Chace’s looks were average. He even had a pointed mouth, a gaunt face, and a lecherous vibe. It was unlikely that he was a top celebrity.

It was possible that he was a comedian. But given his intelligence and character of ignorantly offending people at every turn, Lucas didn’t think he would get far in this line of work.

All of a sudden, Lucas was really curious about what Chace did to call himself famous.

“Oh? Famous? What do you do now?” Lucas asked curiously.

Chace puffed his chest up proudly. “Hah, I’m now a famous mukbang1 streamer with millions of fans. I get tens of thousands of dollars in gifts in every stream, which is practically enough to cover your annual salary! How about it? Are you envious?”

Lucas burst into laughter. He was wondering what Chace did to call himself famous, but it turned out that he was just a streamer.

However, it wasn’t that Lucas looked down on streamers. They truly earn a lot of money compared to ordinary white-collar workers.

Or rather, streaming was an industry that arose because of Twitch, TikTok, and other social media platforms. But there was usually very little unique technical knowledge and skills involved.

It was no wonder that Chace had a following of millions and even proudly called himself famous in front of Lucas.

“Is that so? Congratulations then,” Lucas said insincerely.

Chace kept his head held high like he was superior. “Hah, now you know the massive gap between you and me. But I don’t want to make things hard for you. It’s rare for us to bump into each other in DC, so I can’t be too miserly, right? I’ll treat you to a big meal here later. Just wait at the side for me!”

After speaking in a commanding tone, he winked at the young woman next to him.

She naturally understood what he meant. She immediately took out her phone, opened an app, and pointed the camera at Chace.

“Hello, my dearest viewers and friends! I am your old friend, Chace, the streamer who aspires to eat all the delicacies in the world! As you have seen on this signboard, we’re here today to try the gourmet food of the Parkers’ Hampton Restaurant!

“We’ve already been here twice, and we’ve had twenty signature dishes, but there are still dozens of delicacies on the menu waiting for us. So, we have to continue eating here!” Facing the camera, Chace spoke eloquently, but then he said, “But today’s stream is slightly different! When I arrived at the Hampton Restaurant, I unexpectedly bumped into a former classmate from over ten years ago!

“Unfortunately, my classmate isn’t doing too well now. He’s actually become homeless, and he’s waiting to collect leftovers at the entrance of the Hampton Restaurant!

“As a man of integrity, kindness, and loyalty, how can I watch my former classmate be in such a miserable plight?

“That’s right! Our theme today has changed a little. I’m going to treat my down-and-out classmate to a meal at the Hampton Restaurant! They’re not going to be leftovers! Of course, if any viewers would like to sponsor my classmate and give him some money, you can click the donate link below. I will definitely give him everything!”

On the camera, Chace mocked Lucas and then said to him, “Come on, my former classmate. Greet everyone watching the stream and let them know who you are!”

Lucas watched coldly as Chace performed and tried to make him look like a down-and-out homeless man, using him as a gimmick on his stream and a tool for his viewers to donate to him.

His behavior was really vicious.

Chace would be reaping all the benefits. Not only would he gain a good reputation for helping a former classmate, but he would also fool his unaware audience into donating to him.

Meanwhile, Lucas would become the bad example of Chace’s stream—an able-bodied young man reduced to picking up leftovers and food scraps from restaurants and even in need of the help of a former classmate from over a decade ago. Once Lucas showed up on camera, everyone would definitely slam him.

Indeed, when Chace was speaking, many viewers praised him to no end and even gave him numerous tips and donations.

After Chace finished speaking, the young woman immediately aimed the camera at Lucas.

Lucas sneered and turned around without hesitation, not wanting to bother with them at all.

“Hey! Lucas, wait!”

Seeing that Lucas was refusing to cooperate, Chace panicked. He quickly stepped forward to block Lucas while saying to the camera, “I’m sorry, everyone. My former classmate is feeling a little shy. Please wait a moment. I’ll speak with him!”

The source of this content is n/ov/elb/in[./]net’

Then he signaled the young woman to pan the camera elsewhere.

Currently, Lucas was boiling with fury.

If it wasn’t because he didn’t want to create a commotion outside the restaurant, he would have long thrown Chace out.

“What else do you want?” Lucas was extremely annoyed.

“Lucas Gray, I’m sure you’ve heard me just now. I need you to help me with the stream. You just have to play along with me! Then I’ll treat you to a meal at the Hampton Restaurant and give you a hundred bucks. How does that sound?”

Chace approached Lucas and proposed this offer with his head held high, as if he was doing Lucas a huge favor.

1270 Revealing All Ugliness

Lucas sneered. “A hundred bucks? If I remember correctly, didn’t you just say you’re giving me all the tips and donations you get in your stream today?”

Chace rolled his eyes in disdain. “Lucas Gray, what the hell are you dreaming about? I make at least ten thousand dollars per stream, and I will get even more today. Why should I give it to you? I was just saying it to get more views. You just need to play along and cooperate with me. Don’t have any delusional thoughts about things that you shouldn’t. Do you understand?

“If you cooperate well, I can give you a couple hundred bucks as remuneration! This is enough to last you a month!”

Lucas had long known that Chace was just trying to get more views and money by saying that he would give Lucas all the tips and donations he received. But after hearing it straight from Chace’s mouth, he still felt disgusted.!!

“Get lost. I won’t cooperate with you.” Lucas looked at Chace like he was an idiot and then turned around to leave.

“Stop! You… Fine, I’ll give you another two hundred bucks. Four hundred should be enough for you, right? You’re getting so much money just to accept a free meal from me and say a few words. Don’t be pretentious! If you’re thrifty, four hundred dollars is enough to get you around a thousand packets of instant noodles. This is enough to last you a few months! Don’t be greedy!”

Chace gritted his teeth, took out 400 dollars in cash from his wallet, and deliberately waved in front of Lucas.

Lucas snorted with laughter, not wanting to bother with Chace, this babbling idiot.

Chace was so furious that he wished he could beat the living daylights out of Lucas.

The source of this content is n/ov/elb/in[./]net’

If it wasn’t because his stream was still broadcasting, and he didn’t want to create a commotion here, he would have long lost his temper and beat Lucas up.

“Damn it. Lucas Gray, are you going to cooperate with me or not? To be honest, I’ve been a streamer for years, and I’m signed with a management agency. If you really piss me off, I can call some muscle over to beat you to death right now. Do you hear me?” Chace threatened through gritted teeth. But he was afraid of being overheard, so he kept this voice low and moved closer to Lucas.

Lucas looked at Chace and suddenly smiled strangely. “Okay, I’ll help you out just this once.”

Hearing this, Chace finally smiled with satisfaction and shoved the stack of bills into Lucas’s hand. Then he restrained his domineering stance and smiled hypocritically.

He gestured at the young woman. She thought that he had already convinced Lucas and immediately turned the camera toward the two of them.

“My dear viewers, I’m sorry for making you wait. My former classmate is too shy about being on camera, and it took me a long time to convince him to join our stream!

“Lucas, the viewers of my stream are all very nice and generous. Come say hi to them!”

The young woman turned the camera to Lucas’s face and zoomed in on it.

Lucas looked into the camera. “I have something to tell everyone. Actually, I’m not Chace’s former classmate or a homeless man. Just now, he gave me four hundred dollars to play along with his act and fool you guys into giving him more subscriptions, tips, and donations.

Lucas took out the 400 dollars from his pocket and waved it in front of the camera. “Look, this is what he paid me. There are lots of scammers on the internet these days, and many like using people’s sympathy to make money. I hope you can keep a discerning eye and not be deceived by malicious crooks and let your good intentions go to waste.”

Chace was completely dumbfounded.

He never expected Lucas to expose the truth during the stream!

Due to his extreme shock, he didn’t react until after Lucas finished speaking and couldn’t stop him in time.

After Lucas finished speaking, Chace felt his blood surge straight from his feet to his head, causing his eyes to turn red.

“F*ck you! Lucas Gray, you bastard, how dare you mess with me?” He raised his fist and swung it straight at Lucas’s face.

He wanted to kill Lucas!

How could Lucas possibly let someone like Chace hit him?

He simply leaned sideways slightly and easily dodged the punch.

Instead, Chace missed and staggered, almost falling onto the ground. After regaining balance, he looked at Lucas with burning eyes.

“Chace, are you mad because I exposed you? But I was just telling the truth. Didn’t you say those words yourself?” Lucas said with a faint smile.

Chace was about to blow his top. “Damn it! So what if I said it? I was kind enough to offer you a free meal and give you some money, you loser. But I didn’t think you’d be so ignorant!

“Who do you think you are? As long as I shout that I’ll give those beggars over there some money, do you believe they’ll come running over to beg to play along with my act? You’re so ignorant that you actually dared to bite the hand feeding you!

“Like I said earlier, if you dare to provoke me, I will immediately call some people over. Even if they can’t kill you, they can still beat you into a cripple and make sure you become a beggar that can only kneel on the ground for the rest of your life!”

Lucas feigned being terrified. “It-it turns out you’re such a person! You’re just a streamer. How could you have made so much money and gained so much influence?”

Seeing Lucas’s terrified expression, Chace said smugly, “Hah, how can a loser like you understand what I’m capable of now? Let me tell you, I’m not an ordinary streamer but a super famous one with more than four million followers!

“What’s the most lucrative job these days? Making money off of fools! Those idiot fans rush to give me money as long as I say some nice things and thank them.

“There are even some stupid fans who are so poor that they can barely afford to eat, but they still foolishly flock to give me money. I make more than ten thousand dollars each stream. In just one year, I’ve already managed to buy a house and a car in New York City. I have everything now!

“A penniless loser like you will never be able to reach this level!”

Lucas gritted his teeth. “You… How dare you scold your fans like that? Aren’t you afraid they’ll start hating you and stop giving you money?”

Chace said disdainfully, “They won’t know what I’ve said about them. Do you have any evidence? Like I said, I’ll definitely kill you today. I’ll find people to cripple you right now!”

Lucas suddenly stopped looking flustered and smiled peculiarly. “Is that so? You’d better see the reactions in your stream chat before saying anything else!”

He pointed at the young woman still standing at the side and holding a phone.

Chace glanced at her. His expression changed drastically as he hollered, “F*ck! You didn’t f*cking turn off the stream?” 1271 You Reap What You Sow

Only then did the young woman realize that she hadn’t turned off the stream. In other words, everything just now had been caught on camera!

The comments in the stream chat were all scolding Chace.

“Damn it! Screw this bastard! I didn’t expect Chace to be such a person. I must have been blind to send him so much money!”

“Chace is too disgusting! I’ve never seen someone so shameless!”

“He was so respectful to us, but it turns out he calls us idiots behind our backs. Go to hell, asshole! How shameless!”

“F*ck you, Chace! I kindly gave you a hundred dollars for charity work, but you wasted our efforts and kindness and even scolded us!”

“Get lost from Twitch!”

“Ban this scumbag!”

…

There were countless obscenities in the chat.

Clearly, the viewers were extremely angered by Chace’s unrestrained comments.

The young woman turned pale and didn’t dare to look anymore. She frantically turned off the stream.

But right after she did, she received a phone call.

After hearing the voice on the phone, she turned deathly pale and shuddered from head to toe.

“Mr. Harper, it’s not like that. Please listen to me explain!”

Before she could finish speaking, the other person hung up.

Sensing that something was amiss, Chace quickly asked, “Was that Mr. Harper? What did he say?”

The young woman said with despair, “He said that… what you just said on stream was too offensive and caused severe consequences. Twitch has decided to terminate your stream permanently, seek compensation from you, and take legal action against you!”

Chace was in complete disbelief. He hysterically grabbed the phone from the young woman, only to see that his Twitch account was unavailable. When he refreshed the page, the account was deleted.

“No… no! How is this possible? How did this happen? Where’s my account? I already had more than four million followers and was about to reach five million. How did my account get deleted all of a sudden? I refuse to accept this!” Chace yelled hysterically while waving his phone desperately. He searched for his familiar username again, but the account didn’t exist.

At the same time, Chace received countless vicious insults and scoldings on his other social media accounts.

In an instant, Chace turned from a famous streamer with a monthly income of hundreds of thousands of dollars, tens of thousands of subscriptions, and millions of followers into the target of universal detestation.

Staring at the harsh scoldings on the screen, Chace could no longer stand it. He smashed his phone onto the ground, shattering it into pieces.

“You bitch! Why didn’t you turn off the stream? Why did you stream everything I said?! Fuck you, bitch! Did you want to ruin me on purpose? My account was deleted. It’s all your fault!” Chace screamed at the young woman with a fiery gaze, wishing he could strangle her to death.

The young woman’s expression became extremely sullen, but she wasn’t a pushover and immediately retorted, “Chace, why are you acting like a mad dog? You want to blame me and push all the responsibility onto me?

“You’re the retard who offended your fans by saying those things. What does it have to do with me?! I was only helping you with the stream. I’m not your slave! Don’t forget that I’m a streamer with over two million followers too. I don’t live off of you. Who are you to scold me like that?

“If you anger me, I’ll open my stream now and let everyone take a good look at what kind of person you are. How dare you yell at me? Do you think I’m a pushover just because I’m usually nice to you?

“Chace, I’m telling you that it’s all over for you now. It’s completely over!

“Your account has been deleted, and no one will give you money from now on! Even if you want to move to another platform, given your ruined reputation, no one will dare to accept you!

“Also, don’t forget that you’ve signed a contract with an agency, and given the controversy you’ve caused, the compensation you’ll have to pay is enough to make you go bankrupt! What right do you have to act like a big shot in front of me now? You’re nothing now.

“Hah, I’m telling you that I have nothing to do with you from now on! Just pray that you won’t end up losing everything and becoming the beggar that you despise the most!”

With that, the young woman picked up her bag angrily and turned around to leave in her stilettos.

Cold sweat covered Chace’s forehead. At first, he was preoccupied with his deleted account that had four million followers. But after hearing what the young woman said, he finally realized that there were more terrifying consequences awaiting him.

One was that he could no longer make money since his account was deleted. What terrified him even more was the money he had to compensate for the breach of contract.

If he really had to compensate, he wouldn’t be able to afford it even with all the money he had earned in the past year, even selling his house and car!

In hopelessness, Chace suddenly glared at Lucas with so much menace that his eyes seemed to want to rip Lucas to shreds immediately.

“Lucas Gray! You bastard! This is all your fault!

“If it wasn’t because of you, my account wouldn’t have been deleted, my reputation wouldn’t have been ruined, and I wouldn’t have had to compensate for breach of contract! This is all your fault! Go to hell!”

Chace threw himself at Lucas menacingly and wanted to rip his eyeballs out.

He hated Lucas to the core and wished he could gouge his eyeballs, break his limbs, and slice his flesh off piece by piece. Only then could he relieve the pain and hatred in his heart slightly!

But it was obviously impossible for him to lay a hand on Lucas.

Lucas raised his leg and kicked Chace’s stomach, sending him flying far.

“Chace, you brought everything upon yourself. You can’t blame anyone for it!

“If you hadn’t come to pester me, smear me, and try to use me to make money while idiotically calling your fans fools, things wouldn’t have turned out like this.

“Here’s a piece of advice. You will end up harming yourself one day if you keep committing evil. You should reflect on yourself!

“If you still dare to pester me, then I won’t be polite to you!”

Chace finally got up from the ground. Realizing that he couldn’t defeat Lucas, he was about to go crazy from anger. “Fine, Lucas Gray! Just you wait and see. I will never let you off!”

Then he immediately turned around and fled, seemingly afraid that Lucas would go after him to beat him up.

1272 Gathering of Big Shots
Lucas really couldn’t be bothered to argue with a cowardly villain like Chace.

After today’s incident, their almost non-existent friendship was totally gone.

If Chace was still bent on causing trouble for him, Lucas didn’t mind teaching him a profound lesson.

“Mr. Gray, we didn’t expect you to arrive first. Sorry, we’re late!”

At this moment, a few cars stopped in the parking lot in front of the Parkers’ Hampton Restaurant. Bruce, Damon, and Edmund quickly got out of the cars and hurried to Lucas’s side.

They had agreed to meet at the restaurant at seven in the evening to discuss the development plans of the families. To their surprise, Lucas had arrived at half past six.

Lucas hadn’t planned to arrive so soon. But what Charlotte said earlier had made him feel awkward, so he had rushed out of the house and arrived half an hour early.

“No, you’re not late. I came early.” Lucas smiled.

The people who came tonight were not only the helmsmen of the Hales, the Parkers, and the Coles but also their most outstanding juniors.

For example, Connor, Kenneth, and Clement, respectively.

Once the helmsmen retired, their juniors would take over for them.
Kenneth was the owner of the Hampton Restaurant, so he took the lead in bringing them to the King’s Room, the best private room on the top floor of the restaurant.

Lucas had been to this private room before. Apart from the Parkers, Lucas was the only one who could use this private room.

Everyone let Lucas take the master seat while the helmsman sat next to him, and their successors sat next to them.

Among them, Kenneth was the youngest and lowest in seniority. Moreover, he was the owner of the restaurant, so he was in charge of serving wine and so on. He was just like a waiter.

But Kenneth had no complaints at all. Instead, he was incredibly excited and honored.

It was an absolute honor for him to be able to gather with these big shots and serve them.
After everyone sat down, Edmund smiled and spoke first. “Mr. Parker, you really have some foresight! Other than Mr. Gray, your family was the first to leave California and come to DC to develop. You’ve already become the strongest family after the eight top families. It’s truly worth celebrating!”

Bruce smiled. “That’s right. Mr. Parker, the Parkers are really impressive. It’s only been a few months since you moved to DC, and you’ve already made such amazing achievements. You’ve even established a restaurant group with restaurants all over the country. Everyone praises you when the Parkers’ restaurants are brought up. How wonderful!”

Damon said, “Hey, stop teasing me. After all, we know how competent we really are. If Mr. Gray hadn’t given us the opportunity, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve so much.”

He respectfully bowed to Lucas, who was next to him.

Damon wasn’t being humble. He was stating facts.

The helmsmen present were aware that the initial strength of their families was almost on par with each other. If the Parkers had developed with their own effort, they definitely wouldn’t have been able to surpass the families that had already established themselves in DC for decades and become the top family that was second only to the eight top families.

Moreover, everyone was clear that although the Parkers had made remarkable achievements, the Waltons’ former businesses that they were managing actually belonged to Lucas, and they were just handling them on his behalf.

But even then, the other helmsman still hoped to get the same development opportunities as the Parkers had.

“Mr. Gray, it’s all thanks to you that the Parkers could develop and come so far today. So, I’d like to toast you!” Damon stood up and toasted Lucas respectfully.

The others also stood up and raised their wine glasses.

“Mr. Gray, it’s all thanks to you that the Hales will be able to develop in DC. Here’s a toast to you!”

“It’s the same for the Coles. Now that we are able to develop in DC, we have to offer you a toast!”

…

All of them thanked Lucas sincerely for his assistance.
Lucas had stopped drinking alcohol, so he raised the glass of water in front of him and smiled. “You’re being too polite, everyone. Actually, you got the opportunities because you’re good at grasping them. I won’t take credit for it.

“Here’s a toast from me. May all your families improve by leaps and bounds in DC!”

Everyone raised their glasses and drank them with joy.

The night resumed with a lively and harmonious atmosphere.

Suddenly thinking of something, Lucas asked, “I just heard that the Parkers’ restaurants give away unused ingredients and clean leftovers to the homeless people nearby. Is that true?”

Damon nodded. “Yes. At first, we just wanted to increase the quality of the restaurants’ food, so we insisted on only using fresh ingredients bought or delivered in the morning. But this would result in a lot of wastage. So later, Kenneth suggested that we make some simple food with the remaining ingredients we have at the end of every day and distribute them for free to the needy, along with some staple food like bread, rice, and whatnot.

“I didn’t expect a reporter to photograph this during a visit to the restaurant and write an article about it. Neither did I expect this little act of charity to increase our reputation and popularity. That’s how we became an Instagram hotspot.

“So now, we’re not only giving away simple cooked food and leftovers to the homeless, but we also make at least fifty kilograms of various special dishes every day and provide them to the less fortunate who live nearby.”
While speaking about this, Damon looked at Kenneth proudly, feeling extremely proud of his grandson.

Lucas looked at Kenneth and praised, “It’s great that you think that way!”

Kenneth was immediately flattered. He was so excited that his face flushed red. “It’s all thanks to you, Mr. Gray. It’s only right that I do so!”

Lucas smiled. “It’s amazing that you could think of this charitable act. You’ve helped countless people, so this is really something worthy of praise.

“I’ve always believed that we should give back to the community when we can and try our best to help as many people as we can. The Stardust Corporation and the Solar Corporation donate some money each month. Everyone should work on doing more charitable acts too.”

Bruce, Edmund, and the others agreed one after another. “Mr. Gray is right! This is the social responsibility that we have to undertake next. While developing and expanding, we must contribute to society too!”

They raised their glasses again, and the atmosphere in the private room was very pleasant.

Suddenly, a bunch of gangsters holding steel rods charged into the restaurant lobby and rushed to the cashier counter. They said menacingly, “Is there someone named Lucas Gray here? Which room is he in? Tell me honestly. Otherwise, I’ll have my men wreck your place!”

 

[moh96]

1273 Courting Death

This group of people charged into the restaurant furiously with steel rods and other weapons in hand, instantly scaring all the customers in the lobby. A huge ruckus broke out.

Seeing that the situation was amiss, the lobby manager hurried over to stop them. “What do you want to do? We’ve already called the police. Don’t create trouble in the restaurant!”

The young man in the lead walked over. He was clad in a casual attire of luxury brands, but there was an obvious footprint on his chest. His eyes red and full of murderous intent, he stared at the manager. “Where is Lucas Gray?”

Dumbfounded, the manager stared at the young man and said, “You… you’re that streamer whose account got deleted.”!!

The young man in the lead was Chace, who had just fallen out with Lucas at the entrance of the restaurant.

Earlier, Luke and Chace had argued at the entrance for a long time.

In particular, after Chace’s account was deleted, he broke down and lashed out at Lucas. At the time, the manager had been standing beside the entrance, so he had heard everything clearly.

But the moment Chace heard the manager say that his account had been deleted, he snapped and slapped him hard in the face.

“Damn it! How dare you say that my account was deleted? I’m a famous streamer with almost five million followers, and I make more money in a month of streaming than your annual salary!” Chace had just lost his account and reputation, so he was exceptionally sensitive at this moment.

Bringing up his deleted account struck a sour chord in Chace, who felt that the manager was provoking him on purpose.

The manager was speechless, but he gritted his teeth and said, “Please leave immediately! The Parkers’ Hampton Restaurant is not a place where you can cause trouble. If things blow up, you won’t be able to bear the consequences!”

“Damn it!” The tall and strong young man with green hair next to Chace immediately kicked the manager to the floor.

“Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you talk to me like that?! Isn’t this just some lousy restaurant? Can your backer compare to mine? All it takes is one call from me for dozens of people to come here and tear this place down!” the young man said arrogantly.

The manager sneered. “You don’t know your place! People like you can’t afford to offend the Hampton Restaurant!”

The manager was naturally well aware of who the owner of the restaurant was. The Parkers were now the family that was second only to the eight top families of DC. How could they allow a few gangsters to cause trouble here?

Unfortunately, almost all the restaurant security guards had been arranged to stand guard at the entrances and exits on the top floor due to the arrival of distinguished guests, and there were only two on the first floor. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have allowed these gangsters to enter the restaurant.

At this moment, some vigilant staff had already reported the matter, but it would take at least a minute or two for people to come downstairs.

“Damn it. How dare you be stubborn with me? Beat him up!” the young man ordered furiously.

More than ten thugs immediately raised the steel rods in their hands and began hitting the manager.

“Stop! Stop hitting us! I know where the person you’re looking for is. I’ll take you there!” a waiter frantically shouted when he realized that someone might die.

“You should have said so earlier. F*ck, what a waste of our time!”

The young man finally let go of the manager and stormed upstairs with his Chace and his subordinates under the lead of the waiter.

At the same time, in the private room on the top floor, Kenneth received a call and had a drastic change of expression. “What did you say?! Someone actually dared to barge in here to cause trouble? How impudent! Get people to chase them out immediately! Wait, what did you say? They said they’re looking for Mr. Gray? Beat them up and drag them away!”

Lucas looked at Kenneth and asked with a frown, “What’s going on? Did someone come here to confront me?”

Kenneth replied, “Yes, Mr. Gray. Someone downstairs reported that a streamer asked about your location. I’m afraid he has ill intentions.”

Hearing the word streamer, Lucas immediately knew who the troublemaker was.

“Heh, I planned to let him off, but I didn’t expect that he would court death himself!” Lucas sneered. “Kenneth, tell your subordinates not to chase them out and bring the leader here.”

Kenneth naturally obeyed Lucas’s orders. “Yes!”

Then he made some arrangements over the phone.

Damon, Edmund, and the others immediately looked displeased.

They had finally gotten the chance to chat with Lucas, but some ignorant people came to ruin things. What a killjoy.

If Lucas hadn’t personally asked to bring the troublemaker here, they would definitely have taught these people who had the audacity to bother Lucas a lesson!

Soon, the door of the King’s Room was suddenly pushed open from outside.

Chace charged into the private room impatiently. When he saw Lucas sitting calmly, he immediately looked agitated and furious and pointed at Lucas. “Mr. Harper, this punk is Lucas Gray!”

The Mr. Harper he was referring to was the green-haired young man who followed closely behind him into the private room.

Chace glowered at Lucas and shouted arrogantly, “Lucas Gray, you bastard! Weren’t you very arrogant outside just now? You even messed with me and caused my account to be deleted. Watch how I’ll get revenge on you!”

Then he pointed at the green-haired young man beside him. He said proudly, “Do you know who this man standing next to me is? He is Mr. Harper, the general manager of the esteemed Kenneth Media Agency Co.!

“I’m the streamer with the most followers and engagement and who makes the most money in the company. By ruining my streaming career, you’ve caused not only me heavy losses but also the company. Mr. Harper won’t let you off!”

Harper raised his head high and glanced at Lucas with contempt. “Lucas Gray, I can’t be bothered to waste my breath with you. Anyway, you’ve ruined our agency’s most lucrative streamer and caused us to suffer heavy losses. Tell me, shouldn’t you compensate me for all the negative impact?”

“Even if I give you a discount, you should compensate me at least ten million dollars! If you don’t, I’ll have someone skin you alive and sell all your organs!”

The two of them were extremely conceited, so much so that they failed to realize that their underlings hadn’t followed them in. They even thought that they were waiting quietly outside for orders!

When Kenneth heard that they were from Kenneth Media Agency Co., he immediately grimaced and wished he could kill them.

1274 Showing Up Arrogantly

After Lucas heard the name of the agency, he looked at Kenneth. Seeing the disgust and panic on his face, he immediately knew that his guess was correct.

“Kenneth, this Kenneth Media Agency Co. belongs to you, right?” Lucas asked.

Kenneth’s legs went limp, and he fell to the floor on his knees. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Mr. Gray, this is indeed my company, but I didn’t know that these bastards are my employees!

“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely give you an explanation for this. I won’t let these bastards offend you!”!!

Lucas naturally wouldn’t blame Kenneth for this. “I’m just asking. Get up.”

After hearing that they were from Kenneth Media Agency Co., Lucas noticed that Kenneth’s name was in it, so he suspected this company had something to do with Kenneth. But he didn’t expect that it really belonged to him.

This made things more interesting.

However, it seemed that Chace and the manager, Harper, were still unaware that Kenneth was their boss.

Damon had roughly guessed what was happening and felt very annoyed.

The employees of his grandson’s company actually came to the Parkers’ restaurant to cause trouble for Lucas. This was simply an insult to him!

He couldn’t shirk the responsibility for his poor management no matter what.

Damon pointed at Kenneth’s head and hollered furiously, “Kenneth! What did I tell you before? You can start your own businesses, but you must manage your employees well and not cause trouble for our family! What’s with these people? Quickly give me an explanation!”

Ray, Kenneth’s father, lectured sullenly, “Your grandfather is right! Since it’s your company, you must manage your people well. You don’t have to expect them to contribute much, but they should at least not cause trouble for you and the Parkers!

“I told you you were messing around when you started some nonsense internet media agency. Look at what kind of people you hired! Hurry up and settle this matter!”

Kenneth was also furious.

He had clearly given a code of conduct manual to his employees and warned them of many things. It was now the optimal time for the Parkers to develop, and the slightest mistake would give others the chance to get a hold on them. Thus, he had asked his employees to act with caution and conscientiousness and strictly prohibited them from causing trouble. But he didn’t expect that there were still such bastards in his company.

The two people in front of them were Chace, who claimed to be a famous streamer, and Harper, who claimed to be the company’s general manager. But Kenneth didn’t know who they were at all.
“Who hired you scoundrels?” Kenneth questioned, suppressing his anger.

Chace immediately barked, “Who the f*ck are you?! How dare you speak to Mr. Harper like that? Do you know who he is?”

Kenneth laughed out loud. “Who am I? Kenneth Media Agency Co. belongs to me. Trust you to have the cheek to ask me who I am!”

Chace and Harper were both stunned.

Harper was worried and doubtful, but Chace immediately burst into laughter. “Hahaha, this is hilarious! How dare you pretend to be the chairman of Kenneth Media Agency Co.?! Do you know who he is? He’s the eldest scion of the Parker family. Loser, don’t think you can pass off as Kenneth Parker just because you’re wearing a decent-looking suit!”

Chace explained to Harper, “Mr. Harper, don’t be fooled by them. Think about it. This penniless loser Lucas Gray is having a meal with them. How can someone like him be with the eldest scion of the Parkers, the strongest family next to the eight top families in DC? If he’s really Kenneth Parker, I’m his grandfather, Damon Parker! Hahaha!”

As soon as Harper heard this, the worry and doubts within his heart vanished. That’s right. Chace’s high school classmate is just a penniless loser. How can he possibly dine at the same table as the Parkers’ eldest scion?

This person was obviously trying to fool them by pretending to be Kenneth.

After hearing Chace say that he was Damon Parker, the real Damon flew into a rage. “You impudent assholes, how dare you spout nonsense in front of the Parkers?!”

Harper snorted with disdain. “Hah, the Parkers? Stop pretending in front of us, old fogy. You’ve already got one foot in the coffin, so you’d better shut up before I send the rest of you in!”

Damon was really infuriated. Trembling with anger, he bellowed, “Kenneth, get rid of these two people right now! Otherwise, I’ll hold you responsible!”

Kenneth hurriedly supported Damon and sat him down to stabilize his breathing. Then he looked at Harper and asked, “What is your name?”

Harper looked at Kenneth arrogantly and rolled his eyes. “Hah, let me tell you then. My name is Kean Harper. What can you do to me?”

“Kean Harper, huh? Just you wait!” Kenneth sneered and immediately took out his phone to make a call.

“Is there a bastard named Kean Harper in the company?” he asked, unable to suppress his anger.

The person on the other end could tell that Kenneth was furious. He was shocked and quickly asked carefully, “Mr. Kenneth, are you talking about a green-haired young man who’s tall and looks unruly?”

Kenneth gritted his teeth. “Yes, that’s him!”

The person on the other end immediately explained while stammering, “Mr. Kenneth, Kean Harper doesn’t work for our company! He just owns a small management agency and pays us large PR fees to cooperate with us.”

“Did he get into trouble? Or did he offend you? If so, I will immediately cancel all cooperation with his agency and block him forever!”

Kenneth sneered, “You’ve actually worked with a gangster like him. You’re getting worse at judging people! How is canceling cooperation enough? He’s showing off and being all smug in front of me now. What do you think I should do?”

The man on the other end inhaled sharply in shock and almost dropped his phone on the floor. He hurriedly said, “How dare that bastard be so arrogant? He must have a death wish! Mr. Kenneth, where are you now? I’ll bring people over right now to teach that bastard a lesson!”

“I’m on the top floor of the Parkers’ Hampton Restaurant. I’ll give you fifteen minutes. If you dare to be a single second late, you can get lost from the company too!”

With that, Kenneth directly hung up.

1275 Scared Out of His Wits

Everyone in the private room heard what Kenneth said clearly.

Of course, this included Chace and Kean.

Kean looked at Kenneth and laughed hysterically. “Hahaha, your pretense really looks like the real deal! You even found someone to come and deal with me? What a joke!”

Chace mocked too, “Lucas Gray, are these people your friends? Indeed, birds of a feather flock together. They’re all as pretentious as you and have a death wish!

“No matter what, you must compensate me for my losses today! You have to compensate me for the money that the streaming platform is demanding for damages and the money I’ve lost from the deletion of my account with more than four million fans. I’m already being nice enough by only asking you to compensate me with ten million dollars!

“If it wasn’t because you’re a penniless loser, I would have made you compensate at least a hundred million dollars!”

“Mr. Harper and I are backed by the real Parker family, unlike this bastard who’s pretending to be the scion of the Parkers! If you don’t compensate me, all of you will die with just one order from Mr. Parker!”

Lucas wasn’t upset. He just found it funny.

The Parkers’ current helmsman, his father, and his son were right in front of Chace. He didn’t know them, yet he was actually threatening the Parkers with the Parkers. What a weirdo.

Who knew how these two would react once they found out the truth.

Lucas narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know if we’ll die or not, but I know that you two will definitely want to die in a bit. If you don’t believe me, just wait and see.”

Chace snorted coldly. “Hmph, I’ll see what else you can say when the people you’ve called are here!”

Damon glared coldly at these two people. He was so infuriated that he wanted to drag them out and kill them, lest these ignorant people be an eyesore in front of Lucas. But seeing that Lucas seemed to be playing with them, he suppressed his anger and didn’t speak.

Kenneth refilled Lucas’s glass of water while looking coldly at the two people in front of him.

These two bastards actually used his company’s name to throw their weight and caused trouble for him. They were courting death!

Time passed minute by minute. Soon, almost 15 minutes was up, but the person Kenneth had called over the phone still hadn’t arrived.

Chace waved his watch and smirked. “Hey, fifteen minutes is up! Where are the people you’ve called? Is that phony too scared to come see us?”

But the moment he finished speaking, the sounds of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the private room. Seconds later, a group of people arrived outside the door.

Without approval, the people outside didn’t dare to step in. They could only wait outside respectfully and say while panting, “I’m sorry, Mr. Kenneth. I just arrived. Sorry to have made you wait!”

Before Kenneth could say anything, Kean, who was initially extremely arrogant, was instantly shocked. He opened his mouth and stammered, “Mr… Mr. Lewis! What… what are you doing here?”

Kean couldn’t believe his eyes at all.

He couldn’t believe how respectful Mr. Lewis was and the way he addressed Kenneth.

Mr. Lewis was the general manager of Kenneth Media Agency Co., which was one of the
Parkers’ businesses. Clearly, there was only one person who could receive this treatment— Kenneth Parker, the scion of the Parker family and the chairman of Kenneth Media Agency Co.!

Could it be that that young man who called Mr. Lewis over is the genuine Kenneth Parker?!
He’s not a phony but the real deal?!

At the thought of this possibility, Kean shuddered from head to toe, and even his calves began to tremble.

How… how is that possible?!

But the truth was right before his eyes, so he had to believe it!

Chace was just as dumbfounded. He had also met Lewis in person before. As soon as he saw Lewis, he immediately had an ominous feeling.

At this moment, Lewis couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to Chace and Kean at all. Under Kenneth’s gesture, he walked over to Kenneth and fell to his knees with a loud thud.

“Mr. Kenneth, I’m really sorry! My incompetency has caused these thugs to come and offend you. I’m truly sorry! Please give me a chance to get rid of these pieces of garbage and make amends!”

While kneeling on the floor, the plump Lewis was sweating all over his chubby face. Large sweat droplets trickled down his face one after another and seeped into the carpet.

He was clearly the general manager of Kenneth Media Agency Co. and someone whom Kean, Chace, and others tried to flatter.

But Lewis was now kneeling in front of Kenneth in fear and panic!
This wasn’t all. The most shocking thing was that Kenneth wasn’t sitting but standing beside these people and was holding a water pitcher!

This meant that the others in the private room were all big shots whom he couldn’t afford to provoke. Thus, Kenneth, the scion of the Parkers, was reduced to a junior who could only serve wine and water!

This scene dumbfounded Lewis too.

Besides, his eyes were sharp, so he noticed the other two powerful figures of the Parkers in the room. They were Ray, the Parkers’ current helmsman, and Damon, the former helmsman.

But Ray and Damon were not in the master seat. Instead, it was a young man he didn’t recognize!

Lewis’s heart skipped a beat, and he felt even more uneasy and fearful.

The Parkers were now a top family in DC, and the young man in the master seat definitely had a higher status than Damon!

Who was this young man?

He didn’t know if Kean and Chace had offended this mysterious esteemed guest… Otherwise, he would really kill them today!

While Lewis was feeling anxious, Kenneth placed the water pitcher on the table and said coldly, “Mr. Lewis, I asked you here to clarify something.”

Kenneth pointed at Kean and snorted coldly. “This bastard with green hair said that he’s the general manager of my company, and he wants to force Mr. Gray, the Parkers’ most honored guest, to compensate him for the losses of the stream and the company. He wants ten million dollars. Tell me, how should we solve this?!”

1276 Regret

Hearing what Kenneth said, Lewis wished he could slap Chace and Kean in the face!

While on the way here, he had asked someone about what had happened to Kean. So he immediately knew that a streamer working for Kean had caused trouble on Twitch. Not only did he deceive his viewers to gain more donations, but he even made disrespectful and malicious remarks about his fans. He had utterly offended them and had his account deleted as a result.

Lewis thought that he deserved it.

But he didn’t expect the idiotic streamer to bring Kean here to extort Kenneth’s friend.!!

Moreover, Lucas wasn’t an ordinary person but an honored guest to whom even the former helmsman of the Parkers was extremely respectful.

Chace and Kean were simply idiots!

“You bastards! Are you blind? You actually tried to extort Mr. Parker and Mr. Gray? I really want to gouge your eyes out!” Lewis lashed out at the two.

Chace and Kean turned deathly pale.

In particular, Kean was full of fear.

He had actually only set up a small management agency after scouting a few small-time influencers. Including him, there were only four employees in the company.

His tiny company was nothing compared to Kenneth Media Agency Co., which was worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

He had barely managed to form a business connection with Kenneth Media Agency Co. by being thick-skinned and coughing up a large sum of money.

Relying on this weak connection, Kean had actually gone around bragging about being a manager of Kenneth Media Agency Co. and had used this identity to ‘cheat’ others out of a lot of resources and money.

It could be said that he had relied entirely on Kenneth Media Agency Co. to attain his current achievements.

If not for Kenneth’s company, Kean would still just be a gangster struggling to make ends meet.

Now, he actually treated Kenneth, the real boss of the company, as an impostor and even spoke to him with such disrespect and arrogance. Kenneth definitely had a terrible impression of him!

This wasn’t all. The elderly man next to Kenneth resembled him slightly, so he was probably Damon Parker, the former helmsman of the Parker family.

More than ten minutes ago, he had actually brazenly said that if the young man in front of him was Kenneth Parker, then he was Damon Parker…

Recalling what he had said earlier, Kean really wished he could turn back time and slap himself hard on the mouth!

Why did I say those things?!

Why did I spout all that nonsense?!

The more he thought about it, the more terrified he was. His legs couldn’t help turning limp as he knelt on the floor spinelessly.

“Mr… Mr. Kenneth and Mr. Parker… I’m really sorry! I was too blind and ignorant and couldn’t recognize you. I even spoke and acted so disrespectfully. I’m so sorry! Please be magnanimous and spare a small fry like me!” Kean said while trembling and kneeling.

Lewis kicked Kean fiercely. “You son of a bitch! You don’t even work for our company, but you actually used the company’s name to throw your weight around. You’ve ruined the reputation of the company and Mr. Kenneth! How dare you be so arrogant in front of the Parkers? You must be tired of living!”

Kenneth walked up to Kean, looked down at his hideous appearance, and said coldly, “Weren’t you very cocky in front of us just now? You led people into my restaurant and had them beat up my lobby manager. You even broke into my private room and wanted Mr. Gray to give you 10 million dollars, or else you would kill us and sell our organs?

“Moreover, you even said that if I’m Kenneth Parker, you were my grandfather. You said these things yourself, didn’t you?”

With every word he said, Kean’s face became paler and paler, and beads of sweat gushed out of his face one after another.

Kean knocked his head hard on the floor and begged for mercy. “Mr. Kenneth… I was just talking nonsense. Please spare me!”

Then he raised his hand and slapped his own face hard and loud, left and right. Soon, both sides of his face were swollen.

“Do you regret it now? You know your mistakes? Too late!” Kenneth looked at Kean in disgust and ordered, “Take him away and teach him a lesson! Just don’t get him killed.”

The security guards waiting at the door immediately obeyed the order and rushed forward to drag Kean away.

From beginning to end, no one bothered with Chace.

But after witnessing everything, Chace was already so frightened that he was huddling in the corner, too afraid to say a single word.

He never imagined that these people sitting at the same table with Lucas would be so powerful!

Even the Parkers’ former helmsman could only sit beside Lucas, who was in the master seat, while Kenneth, the Parkers’ scion, even served Lucas water.

It was all a huge impact to Chace, who had always thought that he was superior.

Lucas was definitely no longer the penniless loser that Chace thought he was. Instead, he had become a powerful big shot that he definitely couldn’t afford to provoke!

Even if Lucas’s identity wasn’t a big deal now, just by the fact that he could sit at the same table with the big shots of the Parker family meant that he could easily get them to kill him if he wanted!

Thinking of this, Chace no longer acted arrogantly. He couldn’t help but collapse to the floor while shivering.

Lucas smiled and looked at Chace. “Chace, you brought that group of people here today and wanted me to pay you ten million dollars. And if I couldn’t pay, you would skin me alive and sell my organs, right?”

Chace obviously no longer dared to speak to Lucas that way. He quickly said, “No, no, Lucas, you’ve misunderstood. I was just joking! No matter what, we were classmates years ago. How could I possibly treat you that way?

“I… I just lost my mind because my account was deleted, so I complained to Mr. Harper, I mean, Kean Harper. It was Kean Harper who brought those people here to confront you and demand that you compensate him! I was just forced by him to come along. I really didn’t intend to harm you!

“Since that bastard Kean Harper has gotten what he deserves, please just let me go and don’t hold it against me, Lucas!”

1277 Acting First

Looking at Chace trying so hard to get himself out of trouble, Lucas found it ridiculous.

Indeed, Chase was truly a villain.

“Chace, do you mean your words don’t count for anything?” Lucas looked at him with a smile while remaining sitting.

Chace was indeed very thick-skinned and didn’t feel ashamed at all. Instead, he even said to Lucas, “No matter what, we were good friends back in high school, weren’t we? Why do you have to be so calculative with me?!!

“Look, I’m now a streamer with 4.7 million followers, and you happen to know Mr. Parker. In this case, why don’t you introduce me to Mr. Parker and let me work at his company as an official employee?

“I believe that as long as I can get some resources from Kenneth Media Agency Co, I will definitely become a top streamer in the industry. When the time comes, I’ll make a lot of money regardless of whether I do mukbang or variety streams or even sell merchandise.
And once I make money, the company will make more money too. It’ll be a win-win situation for us!

“Lucas, what do you think of this idea? Since everyone will make money, you won’t turn me down, will you?”

Chace really dared to think of anything. As soon as he saw that Lucas was friends with Kenneth, he immediately thought of this crazy idea.

Even Lucas was almost speechless about Chace shamelessly trying to pull some strings to benefit himself.

“Of course I refuse. Chace, do you think we’re fools?” Lucas shook his head.

Kenneth had long been displeased with this villain Chace. After hearing him audaciously say that he wanted to become a streamer of his company and that he hoped for the Parkers to give him resources, claiming that it was a win-win deal, Kenneth felt utterly disgusted.

“Damn it! Who do you think you are? How dare you call yourself a famous streamer? You even want the Parkers’ support? Dream on!”

Unable to bear it anymore, Kenneth rushed forward to kick Chace on the shoulder. “An idiot like you isn’t even worthy of being a janitor at my company. Hurry up and get lost!

“Since you’re so shameless and call yourself a famous streamer, I will make sure you never make it in this industry!”

Kenneth ordered, “Break his limbs and dump him in the slums. Let him live as a beggar for three months before releasing him!

“Didn’t he insult Mr. Gray and call him homeless just now? In that case, let him have a taste of what it’s like to be a homeless beggar!”

Kenneth didn’t know that Chace had said such things to Lucas earlier, and he flew into a rage the moment he heard them from Lewis.

If he hadn’t noticed that Lucas didn’t intend to have Chace killed, Chace would definitely die today!

Chace was thunderstruck. Only now did he realize that even though he had always thought he was a famous streamer, he was just an insignificant small fry to Kenneth, the scion of the Parkers. With just one order from Kenneth, he would be banished to hell immediately!
Breaking his limbs and making him live as a beggar for three months was completely unacceptable to Chace!

“No, no, Mr. Parker, please just let me off! Lucas, quickly say something! I know I’m a bastard who looks down on others. I spoke without thinking. Please spare my life! I… I will quit being a streamer and go back to my hometown and never appear in front of you again! Please…”

Lucas was expressionless and didn’t say anything.

He naturally wouldn’t believe what Chace said.

In fact, even if Lucas let him off, for a villain like him, he would definitely seek revenge against Lucas if he got the chance.

In that case, why should Lucas let him off?

Soon, a few security guards gagged Chace, who was constantly pleading for mercy, broke his limbs on the spot, and dragged him out.

Now, the annoying people had finally been cleared from the room.

Knowing that Kean had him, Lewis didn’t dare to stay any longer. He went to vent all his anger on Chace and Kean, the two culprits, and watched them get punished.

In any case, he wouldn’t let these two off easy!

After all the irrelevant people left, Damon immediately said to Lucas guiltily, “Lucas, I’m really sorry!”

Lucas shook his head. “It has nothing to do with you. You don’t have to blame yourself. Come on, let’s continue the meal!”

Lucas started eating first.

Only then did the others finally relax again and continue to speak about other things happily.

After eating a few mouthfuls of food, Lucas suddenly looked at Damon and asked, “Damon, I heard that many families in DC are about to make trouble. It seems they’re displeased with the Parkers?”

After Damon heard this, a few traces of worry appeared on Damon’s face. He sighed and nodded with a heavy heart. “Yeah. With your help, we’ve taken over all the businesses left behind by the Waltons and become the family second to the eight top families of DC.

“But our foundation is unstable after all, and we haven’t been able to gain a firm foothold in DC, so some families refuse to acknowledge us. Moreover, they want to suppress us and encroach on our businesses so that they can replace us.

“They haven’t done anything particularly big yet, and only some small-scale struggles have broken out. But I reckon we’re not far from a big fight. When the time comes, it’ll be a tough battle for us, and the slightest slip-up might cause us to suffer immense losses.”

Lucas nodded in understanding.

Damon was right. These major families in DC had all been developing for decades to attain the power they had now.

The more elite they were, the more intense the competition was. It was only normal for people to strive to be at the top.

However, a small family from Orange County actually took over the Waltons’ businesses within a few months and surpassed many other families at once. Of course, this aroused the displeasure and jealousy of many families.

If these families joined forces, the Parkers might really suffer immense losses.

After thinking about it, Lucas said, “How about this? Hold a banquet tomorrow and invite all the major families who have something against the Parkers. We’ll deal with them once and for all.”

“Once and for all?” Damon looked at Lucas in puzzlement.

The others at the table also looked confused, wondering what Lucas meant.

Lucas smiled. “Don’t those families want to gang up on the Parkers? Then we can simply act first, gather all these people together, and deal with them all at once!”

1278 Eliminating Them In One Fell Swoop

What Lucas said made everyone gasp!

They never expected that Lucas would be so bold as to gather all the families hostile to the Parkers and eliminate them in one fell swoop!

What a crazy idea!
The families harboring animosity against the Parkers and wishing to replace them were not insignificant small fries at all. Rather, they were families second only to the eight top families and not that much weaker than the Parkers.

With their power, were they really capable of eliminating them in one fell swoop once these families joined forces? Wouldn’t it be the other way around?

If anyone else had made this suggestion, the people in the room would think that they were out of their mind.

But the person who made this suggestion was Lucas, so he definitely wasn’t being conceited.

Since he could say it, it meant that he was confident enough that they would succeed.

Not to mention Lucas’s invincible martial arts skills, the strong connections he had with a few of the top eight families in DC alone made it entirely possible for him to suppress the second-tier families attacking the Parkers.

If Lucas wanted to, he could even conquer the eight top families. Why would he be afraid of a few second-tier families with ill intentions?

Thinking of this, everyone felt relieved and no longer had any doubts.

“Great! What a great idea, Lucas! As long as you step in, it’ll be a piece of cake for us to get rid of those families in one fell swoop!” Damon said with excitement written all over his face, devoid of his previous grimness.

Originally, Demon treated the families coveting the Parkers’ status and businesses as great enemies, and he was constantly worried that they would join forces against his family.

If these families went against the Parkers individually, Damon wouldn’t be afraid since the Parkers were powerful enough.

But once these families joined forces, it would be a disaster for the Parkers.

After hearing Lucas’s suggestion, Damon finally felt relieved, feeling as if a huge boulder had been lifted off his shoulders.

As long as Lucas was around, there was nothing to be afraid of, even if these families joined forces.

Lucas asked again, “Among those families, which one is the most powerful and most troublesome to handle?”

Damon replied, “The Holmes!”

Kenneth hurriedly said, “Grandpa is right. It’s indeed the Holmes. When the Waltons were still in DC, the Holmes were second only to the top eight families. Later, we took over the Waltons’ businesses, which meant we jumped above the Holmes. Since then, they’ve regarded us as an eyesore and want to drag us down!

“According to the news I’ve received, the Holmes have gathered many second-tier families in DC to discuss how to deal with the Parkers!

“But the Holmes are quite scheming and vicious. They’re clearly the ones eager to replace us, but they’re not taking the lead in going against us and simply aiding other families in doing so. They’re obviously planning to make the other families do the dirty work while sitting back to claim the prize afterward.

“I found out from an insider that the Holmes haven’t made a move against us yet because they’re waiting for a chance. They want to get into minor conflicts with us first to test our abilities before finding a chance to strike us hard!”

Ever since the Holmes expressed their animosity toward the Parkers, Kenneth had immediately sent his subordinates to investigate the strength, abilities, and movements of these families. He had even spent a lot of money to bribe a few members of these families for information.

After his grandson finished introducing the situation, Damon continued, “Prior to this, I was still worried about some issues and afraid that the Parkers might not be able to withstand their alliance. But now that the Hales and the Coles have come to DC, and with your support, Lucas, I can finally feel relieved.

“Besides, I think this isn’t only an opportunity for the Parkers but also for the Hales and the Coles. If we really manage to suppress them and deal with them once and for all, this will be a great opportunity for us to rise in DC!

“We are here in DC thanks to Lucas in the first place, so we naturally have to stand on the same side. With the three of us joining forces, we will definitely make a name for ourselves in DC, and even the eight top families won’t dare do anything to us easily!”

Hearing this, Bruce and Edmund looked tempted and expectant.

Indeed, with the three of them joining forces and Lucas’s help, they would definitely become a formidable alliance in DC!
Lucas nodded. He had brought the Hales and the Coles to DC precisely because he had such expectations.

Although he was very powerful himself, and there might not be many people who could rival him, he understood the logic that no man was an island very well.

Thus, he had to strengthen himself while continuing to enhance his forces.

“It’s settled then. The Parkers will invite those families, including the Holmes, for a banquet. We’ll get to it right away and set the banquet for tomorrow night. Bruce, Edmund, and I will be there. Just get yourselves ready and play by ear.” Lucas formulated a plan and confirmed it.

“Yes, Lucas!” They frantically agreed with excitement on their faces.

In particular, Bruce and Edmund couldn’t wait to get to it.

They originally thought that they would need to develop for a long time in DC and gradually rise to power. After all, opportunities to rise rapidly like the Parkers did were definitely rare.

But they had just arrived in DC for two days, and they had already encountered such a wonderful opportunity.

Unlike what the Parkers had encountered, they were taking the initiative to attack this time to deal with the Holmes and the other families hostile to them. It was also the first potentially tough battle they would face in DC. Zeal and excitement were coursing through their veins!

Suddenly recalling something, Damon said worriedly, “Lucas, what if… the Holmes and those families decline our invitation and refuse to come tomorrow?”

Lucas smiled firmly. “As long as you say that you want to discuss cooperating with them, they’ll definitely come!”

After being stunned for a moment, Damon immediately understood and laughed out loud. “Yes! Regardless of whether they believe this reason or not, they will definitely come once they find out about this! Even if those families aren’t willing to come, they’ll be afraid that we will really join hands with other families. If we do, they won’t be able to deal with us anymore!”

Damon’s explanation made everyone understand the crux.

Although these families said that they wanted to deal with the Parkers, they didn’t have a strong alliance. As long as there were enough benefits, their unity would fall apart immediately.

The Holmes, who planned to stay in the background and use the other families taking the lead in going against the Parkers, would be unable to be as relaxed as before.

Lucas looked at his watch and stood up. “Okay, you guys go get ready. Let me know the time and place once you’ve decided. I’ll get going now.”



1279 Midnight Assassination

“Yes, goodbye, Lucas!”

The three helmsmen stood up and walked Lucas out of the restaurant. After watching him board his car and leave, they finally sighed in relief and returned to the private room.

“Haha, Edmond, Bruce, you two obtained such a wonderful opportunity as soon as you arrived in DC. Let me congratulate you on soon becoming new top families of DC!” Damon rubbed his hands and laughed heartily.

Edmund and Bruce were naturally elated and laughed happily. “Haha, yes! It’s all thanks to Lucas that we’ve obtained such a great opportunity!”

“That’s right. The Parkers attained our current achievements all thanks to Lucas. Alright, let’s make plans for tomorrow and strive to completely defeat those families!”

While they were discussing the matter in the private room, Lucas was on his way back home.

But halfway through the journey, Lucas keenly sensed something amiss.

A black Audi A4 was tailing him neither too far nor too near. When passing an intersection, the Audi A4 suddenly accelerated and charged straight at Lucas’s Jaguar!

Fortunately, he had noticed this car earlier and stepped on the accelerator at the same time as the car suddenly accelerated. The engine of his modified Jaguar had excellent performance and zoomed forward as soon as he stepped on the accelerator, causing the black Audi to miss.

At this moment, a black Hummer at the intersection that seemed to be waiting for the lights to turn green suddenly sped up and rammed straight toward Lucas’s car.

It was extremely quick, and anyone with a slow reaction time would definitely have been caught off guard and hit by this Hummer that suddenly sped over!

With a calm expression, Lucas turned his steering wheel sharply while stepping on the accelerator. The wheels screeched as they rubbed against the road, and the streamlined Jaguar dodged the Hummer’s assault.

“Hah, courting death!” Lucas sneered and stepped on the gas pedal again, making the Jaguar roar and charge forward.

The Audi and the Hummer didn’t back down and immediately changed direction to pursue Lucas closely.

Lucas didn’t speed up to the maximum but cruised with a sense of playfulness, leading the two cars behind him by a close distance, making it seem as though they would soon be able to catch up to him.

Right at a turn, Lucas slowed down slightly, and the two cars behind him seized the opportunity to speed up and charge toward Lucas’s car from both sides!

Lucas sneered and floored the accelerator again. Under the extreme acceleration, his car suddenly drifted around the turn, making a beautiful 90-degree turn without even slowing down, pulling off the thrilling feat with both wheels on one side off the ground.

Lucas’s action was beyond the expectations of the drivers of the two cars behind.

These cars were about to collide with Lucas’s Jaguar, but Lucas shook them off at the most critical moment, causing them to lose sight of their target.

Furthermore, these two drivers had already floored the accelerator to slam their cars against Lucas’s at maximum speed. When they missed hitting the Jaguar, it was already too late to slow down. Even though they did their best to steer away, the Audi and Hummer still collided!

Bang!

The sound of the violent collision filled the air. The cars rubbed against each other, and bright sparks shot out for a moment before both cars flipped over. Their roofs hit the ground and skidded for a long distance.

Fortunately, it was late at night, and there weren’t many vehicles on the streets, so there were no accidents.

However, it was hard to say whether the people in these two cars were dead or alive.

Lucas stopped Jaguar at the side, walked out, and watched the situation quietly.

The windows of these overturned cars had already been shattered, and the people inside were in extremely distressed states as they struggled to crawl out of the cars.

There were a total of four people who crawled out of the cars, but one of them turned motionless as soon as he got outand never got up again. Thus, only three people were standing in front of Lucas.

Blood covered their heads. Clearly, they had suffered severe injuries from the collision and rollover.

But being able to crawl out of the two overturned cars so quickly was enough to show that they weren’t simple.

As for whether there were still people in the cars and if they were alive, it was hard to say.

“Who sent you to attack me?” Lucas questioned coldly while standing in front of them with his hands behind his back.

These people were here to kill him, so he definitely wouldn’t let them off.

The three people who crawled out were all ruthless figures, and the blood gushing out of their heads was about to drip into their eyes. Instead of answering Lucas, they raised their hands to wipe the blood on their faces with their shirt sleeves while staring closely at Lucas with ruthless expressions.

“Brothers, kill him!” shouted the leader, a burly man with a long scar on his face.

With his command, the three of them charged at Lucas together!

Under the dim light, these people with blood all over their faces and menacing expressions leaped toward Lucas like demons pouring out of hell.

“You’re overestimating yourself!”

Just as they were about to strike Lucas, he raised his leg and kicked all three of them away with one kick.

“Ahh!”

“Argh!”

“Mmph!”

After letting out three muffled grunts, the three of them fell to the ground, unable to stand up again.

Lucas walked over to the burly man with a scar on his face, stepped on his head, and questioned in a deep voice, “Who sent you to kill me?”

The man with the scarred face struggled for a while but couldn’t break free at all. Knowing that he couldn’t escape from Lucas’s hands, a resolute look in his eyes, and his jaw moved quickly.

Lucas felt that something was amiss. He wanted to stop the burly man with a scarred face, but he was a step too late.

The burly man tilted his head with dilated pupils as a bright red streak of blood flowed out of his mouth. Clearly, he had already bitten the poisonous pill behind his teeth and died immediately!

The other two were the same. Before Lucas could break their jaws, they had already chosen to end their own lives.

People like them who hid poison in their mouths and would rather kill themselves upon being captured than reveal any information were definitely not ordinary subordinates but bonafide suicide warriors!

“They actually sent so many suicide warriors!”

Lucas’s face instantly became solemn and cold.

1280 Deep Concern

If they had just been ordinary subordinates or even internationally renowned hitmen, Lucas wouldn’t be afraid.

But they were clearly suicide warriors, causing Lucas to be ill at ease.

The reason suicide warriors were called suicide warriors was that they were willing to sacrifice their lives in order to achieve their goals. They didn’t care about anything else, and they had no bottom line either.

They would stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

Moreover, once suicide warriors who hid poison in their mouths were captured or in an unfavorable situation, they would immediately bite the poisonous capsule and end their own lives, making it impossible to find out who the person who ordered them was.

Lucas wasn’t afraid of suicide warriors, but what about the people around him?

If suicide warriors targeted his family after failing to kill him, Cheyenne, Charlotte, Amelia, and William would have no way to deal with these people.

Even if Lucas arranged bodyguards to protect his family, it wouldn’t be of much help because suicide warriors were known to catch their victims off guard and were extremely difficult to deal with.

With a sullen expression, Lucas made a phone call. “I ran into some suicide warriors. They’ve already poisoned themselves to death. Find out who sent them.”

Although he already had a vague conjecture, it had to be verified.

After hanging up, Lucas was still feeling uneasy.

He had never wanted to have more top powerhouses by his side to protect his family as desperately as he did right now.

After asking Jordan to investigate the matter and take care of the aftermath, Lucas drove home.

It was already late, and by the time Lucas arrived home, it was already 11 p.m.

At this time, everyone at home was already sound asleep, and only the lights in the master bedroom were on.

Cheyenne had already washed up, and there was still some moisture in her hair. She was looking at the screen of her laptop at the desk, clad in a silky soft and comfortable nightgown.

When Lucas opened the door and entered, Cheyenne immediately raised her head to look at him. “Welcome back. Have you had dinner?”

Lucas nodded, walked over to her, put his arms around her shoulders, and asked softly, “Yes, I have. Why are you still awake at this hour? What are you looking at?”

While speaking, he had already seen the various tables and graphs on the laptop screen. “Just some work stuff. It’s my first day at the Stardust Corporation tomorrow, and I’m still not confident, so I’m reading up on some more material.” Cheyenne relaxed and nestled against Lucas’s arms.

Lucas saw the dark circles under Cheyenne’s face and said with heartache, “You’ve already read enough. It’s midnight now. It’s time to get some rest!”

In fact, he only ran so many businesses because he wanted to give his family comfortable and happy lives. He didn’t want them to have to work hard like before.

But Cheyenne had her own career pursuits and wasn’t willing to be a housewife who only took care of her husband and children. She wanted to work on her career and achieve great accomplishments through her own efforts, so Lucas could only let her do as she wished.

But this didn’t mean that Lucas could watch his wife get dark undereye circles from fatigue and do nothing about it.

Cheyenne wanted to say something, but Lucas closed the laptop screen. Then he picked her up and carried her to the bed domineeringly.

“Okay, stop reading those documents. Why don’t you spend some time with me instead?” Lucas pinned Cheyenne down beneath him and kissed her tender lips.

…

A long time later, they finally finished. Cheyenne’s damp hair was sticking to the sides of her face messily, and she was panting slightly, looking even more gentle and breathtaking.

“Lucas, are… are you stressed because of some troubles lately?” Cheyenne asked softly, gently snuggling up in his arms.

Lucas’s body stiffened, and he immediately asked, “Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

Cheyenne blushed and poked his chest lightly. “Your… needs are a lot these days.”

Lucas was stunned for a moment before recalling that they had just been intimate in the afternoon for a few hours. Charlotte had even teased them about it. This session had lasted for some time too. It was indeed unusual.

Am I really getting urges more frequently because I’m too stressed?

Cheyenne was indeed quite perceptive.

But Lucas didn’t want her to worry, so he naturally wouldn’t voice his concerns. He merely kissed Cheyenne’s forehead and said in a gentle voice, “Honey, you’re reading too much into it. With such a gorgeous and attractive wife, how can I possibly be stressed?”

Feeling shy, Cheyenne poked Lucas’s chest. “What a glib tongue! Okay, if you don’t want to say anything, I won’t force you to tell me. But if you’re really stressed, you can always talk to me about it. After all, we’re family!”

Touched by her words, Lucas hugged Cheyenne even tighter. “Yeah, I got it. But it’s really nothing, so don’t mull over it. Let’s go to bed now!”

Seeing that Lucas was unwilling to say anything, Cheyenne didn’t continue.

After the passionate and intense session, she was now exhausted and soon dozed off in his arms.

Lucas was holding his beautiful wife in his arms and watching her sleep peacefully, but he couldn’t calm down at all.

In fact, he was really worried now.

Over six years ago, he had left without saying goodbye and headed to the military camp in Calico in order to become good enough for Cheyenne.

After stepping down and returning to Orange County quietly, he swore that he would definitely make his family the happiest people in the world and give them carefree lives.

But there are two sides to everything.

If Lucas had wanted to be just an ordinary person, he wouldn’t have been able to give Cheyenne and Amelia a sense of security and enough assurance for them to live worry-free.

But as Lucas’s power grew, he also inadvertently made enemies one after another.

Moreover, as his status and power grew, the enemies he had to face also became more powerful. They went from the scumbags of the Carter family to the royal family branches he was facing now.

If Lucas was alone, he wouldn’t take even the strongest family in the world seriously.

But now, he had a family, so he had an Achilles’ heel.

The slightest negligence on his part might cause disaster for his family. Lucas would never allow this to happen!


1281 Mastermind

After washing up in the bathroom the following morning, Lucas and Cheyenne headed downstairs and heard boisterous noises coming from the kitchen.

“Dad, quickly flip it over! This side of the egg is already burnt. If you don’t flip it over, it’s going to be as burnt as charcoal and inedible!

“Ahhh! The water in the pot hasn’t started boiling yet. If you put the noodles in now, they will stick to the pot! You have to wait for the water to boil before putting noodles in!

“Dad, you put too much water in the porridge! It’s about to overflow! Ahhh! Let me do it! Turn off the burner!”

…

Lucas and Cheyenne immediately stood in place and looked at each other with dismay.

They didn’t expect that the person cooking breakfast in the kitchen now was William!

In the past few decades, he had basically never stepped into the kitchen. Let alone cook, he had never even washed a single dish before!

It was no wonder that there was so much chaos in the kitchen, and Charlotte, who was helping William and teaching him to cook, was about to go crazy.

She never thought that a person’s common sense in cooking could be so lacking. Whenever she looked away for a second, William would immediately make a mistake. He was just making a simple breakfast, but he almost set the kitchen on fire. It was such a huge mess that Charlotte would rather do it herself!

In the end, she kicked William out of the kitchen and prepared breakfast with Cheyenne.

After breakfast was served, William said shamefully, “I thought cooking porridge, frying some eggs, and boiling noodles for breakfast would be easy, but I didn’t expect that I couldn’t even do such a simple thing. I messed up badly and even almost burnt the kitchen. I’m so useless!”

Lucas coughed and scooped a fried egg onto his plate while saying to William comfortingly, “That’s normal for your first time. Cooking looks simple, but it’s actually not that easy. I think we should hire a nanny to help with cooking and cleaning.”

They had just bought the villa here, and previously, Lucas and Cheyenne were the only ones living here, so they hadn’t hired a nanny.

Now that the family had moved here, and Cheyenne and Charlotte were both busy with work, they definitely couldn’t handle working and tending to the matters at home.

Moreover, William didn’t really know how to cook and do housework. These things weren’t easy for him, so it would be better to hire a nanny to handle their meals and the housework.

In any case, Lucas didn’t lack money, and hiring a nanny wouldn’t cost much. Why should he let his family work so hard?

Charlotte smiled. “Lucas is right! Dad, I don’t think you’re cut out for cooking, let alone doing housework. This villa is so big, and the garden is huge. I don’t think you can do these things. We’d better hire someone.”

Cheyenne said, “Yeah, Dad. If you want to try cooking, you can do so in your free time, but we’d better hire someone to handle our meals and the housework!”

Hearing what they said, William had no choice but to agree.

His plan to stay home and do the cooking and housework was a complete failure.

After breakfast, Cheyenne and Charlotte went to the Stardust Corporation headquarters. They were the newly appointed deputy general managers, and they were in charge of different affairs of the company.

Meanwhile, Lucas brought William and Amelia to the kindergarten where he had enrolled Amelia.

This kindergarten was located within the villa area of their new home. It was an upscale private kindergarten, and most of the children in the neighborhood went to school here.

Lucas had personally come to look at the environment here before. The design and facilities were indeed very high-end, with many high-quality teachers. Besides, it was near their home and less than a ten-minute walk away, so it was very convenient.

In addition to settling some administrative matters, Lucas had asked William to come along to send Amelia to school because he wanted to show him around the neighborhood so that he could familiarize himself with it. After all, William had volunteered to take Amelia to and from school.

Once everything was settled, Amelia stayed to attend classes.

Lucas had been worried that Amelia wouldn’t be able to adapt, so he secretly observed her for a long time outside. When he saw how gracious and friendly Amelia was and that she soon hit it off well with her new classmates, he smiled happily and left the kindergarten with peace of mind.

But soon after Lucas left the kindergarten, he received a call from Jordan. “Lucas, I’ve got some information! Those suicide warriors yesterday are related to the Hamiltons!”

“Hah, it’s just as I expected!” Lucas wasn’t surprised at all.

Last night, he had already guessed that the suicide warriors had been sent by the Hamiltons because ordinary families definitely couldn’t afford to train them. Generally, only families with strong foundations like the Hamiltons could train them. And the truth was indeed so.

The Hills and the Hamiltons were the only royal family branches who had a feud with Lucas.

The conflict between Ashton Hills and Lucas was rather intense, but Ashton was just a junior of the Hills and didn’t have a high status. There was no way he could deploy so many suicide warriors.

The Hamiltons had just had a conflict with Lucas in Orange County, and Jensen was the third son of the current helmsman of the Hamiltons and the most likely one to become the next helmsman. He had much more authority, so Lucas had suspected that the Hamiltons were the culprit.

Jordan said angrily over the phone, “Lucas, the Hamiltons actually dared to send suicide warriors to kill you. They must be tired of living! I’ve investigated and found out that Brett and Jensen Hamilton are the likely suspects. The rest of the Hamiltons don’t know about this matter yet.

“Moreover, Brett Hamilton is still in Nevada and trying to conquer it, so he hasn’t returned to his family. How about we go to Nevada now and teach that bastard a lesson?”

With an icy cold gaze in his eyes, Lucas said, “It’s indeed time to teach the Hamiltons a lesson. Go first if you want, but he likely has many bodyguards protecting him. You must pay attention to your safety, got it?”

Jordan nodded. “Yes, Lucas!”

Although Lucas had told Jordan to be careful, he actually had a lot of confidence in Jordan.

With Jordan’s current abilities, ordinary people definitely couldn’t deal with him.

Even if he encountered elite bodyguards of the Hamiltons in Nevada this time, he could take it as a trial. Even if he couldn’t win, he definitely wouldn’t lose badly. He at least had the ability to escape safely.

This trip might be a good training opportunity for Jordan.

After hanging up, Lucas immediately received a call from Damon.

1282 Coming Uninvited

“Lucas, I’ve already invited the families led by the Holmes for a banquet at my manor at seven tonight. All of them have agreed,” Damon said respectfully over the phone.

Lucas said, “Okay, I’ll go over ahead of time.”

At around six o’clock, he arrived at the Parker residence, which was in the east of DC.

This place was originally known as the Walton Family Manor, but after the Parkers took over their businesses, they naturally acquired the manor.!!

Lucas stopped at the entrance and saw Damon, Ray, and Kenneth coming forward to receive him.

They weren’t the only ones. Bruce and Edmund were also waiting respectfully for Lucas.

Lucas entered the manor under their escort and looked around casually at the luxurious architecture. “How are the preparations?”

Damon said, “Please rest assured, Lucas. The Parkers are fully prepared. Once the helmsmen of those families are here, we will be in control of everything!”

Lucas nodded. “What about you two, Bruce, Edmund?”

Bruce said, “The Hales are ready too. We’re just waiting for your instructions, Lucas!”

Edmund chimed in, “The Coles are ready too. We will cooperate with the Parkers later!”

Lucas smiled with satisfaction.

As soon as they sat down in the living room of the main villa, a butler in a suit hurriedly walked over and reported, “Mr. Parker, Jonah Fuller, the helmsman of the Fuller family, is here. He said that he has something important to discuss with you!”

Damon frowned in puzzlement. “Why is he here?”

Seeing that Lucas and the others didn’t know who Jonah was, Damon explained, “The
Fullers are one of the second-tier families in DC. In terms of strength, they’re on par with the Holmes, and they’ve always been at odds with the Holmes. They can be considered enemies.

“The Fullers aren’t targeting the Parkers together with the Holmes and the other families, so
I didn’t invite them. I’m not sure why Jonah Fuller showed up uninvited.”

None of the people present were stupid. After hearing Damon’s explanation, they could more or less figure out the reason for Jonah’s visit.

Since the Fullers and the Holmes had always been at odds, and the Fullers weren’t hostile to the Parkers, Jonah definitely came to form an alliance with the Parkers.

There was a saying that an enemy of an enemy is a friend. Jonah must think so too.

“From the way I see it, Mr. Fuller is here to form an alliance with the Parkers,” Bruce said with a smile after taking a sip of tea.

Edmund snorted, “Jonah Fuller must be dreaming! With Lucas’s support and our families here, who are they to form an alliance with the Parkers?

“Jonah Fuller has misjudged the situation. We don’t need the Fullers’ help at all, much less share the upcoming benefits with them when they’ve popped up from nowhere!”

It was no wonder that Edmund was displeased.

When the Parkers were facing the attacks of the families headed by the Homles, the Fullers didn’t make their stand or express any kindness to them.

Now, the Parkers, the Hales, and the Coles had already made their plans to deal with these families. If nothing unexpected happened, they would be able to shear a lot of benefits from these families tonight.

Yet the Fullers now wanted a slice of the pie. How could they have it so easy?

After giving it some thought, Damon said, “Since Jonah Fuller wants to see me, let him in. Let’s see what he has to say.”

Then he explained to Lucas, “I’ve been in DC for a while, and I have some understanding of Jonah Fuller. He’s quite capable since he’s led the Fullers to expand from a lowly family to a second-tier family who are now on par with the Holmes.

“But I’ve never spoken to him or met him properly, so I’d like to see him in person.”

Lucas nodded nonchalantly.

It was just the helmsman of the Fullers. Lucas didn’t take him seriously and simply allowed Damon to handle it on his own.

The butler acknowledged and went out.

Soon, he returned with a chubby middle-aged man in his forties.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Parker!” Jonah greeted with a smile as soon as he entered.

He had a round face and looked very kind. In particular, when he smiled, he looked extremely grounded and approachable. He was obviously good at getting along with people, so it wasn’t surprising that he could develop his family to such an extent within a short time.

But in the eyes of Damon, Bruce, and Edmund, Jonah’s smile was superficial, looking slightly hypocritical.

Without wasting his breath on pleasantries, Damon went straight to the point. “Mr. Fuller, what brings you here today?”

Jonah smiled. “Mr. Parker, I heard that you invited several families in DC over tonight to discuss cooperation. I may not be on your invitation list, but I’m very interested in cooperating with you. That’s why I showed up uninvited. Please forgive me.”

His tone was natural and calm, even somewhat self-assured, as if Damon would immediately leap with joy, treat him as a distinguished guest, and eagerly discuss allying between the two families after what he said.

But Jonah was destined to be disappointed. After Damon heard what he said, there were no changes on his face at all, and he simply said “Oh” without even moving an eyebrow.

Jonah didn’t expect Damon’s reaction to be so calm and nonchalant. It was completely beyond his expectation.

He frowned and looked at the others in the living room. They were unfamiliar and shouldn’t be from major families in DC, so he simply ignored them and said to Damon, “Mr. Parker, it’s not that convenient for us to talk with so many people here. I’d like to chat with you alone. What do you say?”

In other words, he wanted Damon to clear the room for their private conversation.
Damon’s face immediately darkened as he said coldly, “They are my close friends and distinguished guests. Regardless of what we talk about, they’re welcome to listen. If you have something to say, just go ahead, Mr. Fuller!”

Jonah was shocked, and he finally realized that the few strangers in the room weren’t ordinary at all.

It was simple to tell. They were sitting calmly while Ray and Kenneth were standing at the side and poured water and tea for them. They didn’t have the qualifications to sit.

Ray was actually the helmsman of the Parkers now!

What did this signify?

It meant that the statuses of the strangers present were either on par with Damon’s or even higher!

He had made a misjudgment!

 

[moh96]

1283 The Williams' Lobbyist

Jonah was extremely surprised and curious about the identities of the strangers here, especially the young man in his late twenties sitting in the middle.

But seeing that Damon didn't intend to introduce them, Jonah was smart enough not to ask.

He put away his smiling face and said seriously, "Okay, Mr. Parker, since you've said so, I'll get straight to the point. Actually, I came to the Parkers this time because I inadvertently received some news, and this news is closely related to the Parkers. It has a huge impact, and it can be said to be related to the Parkers' life and death!"
If others heard this, they would definitely panic and immediately ask what it was.

But Jonah was disappointed again because Damon's expression was still very calm as he said lightly, "Oh?"

Jonah was confused as to why he seemed so nonchalant about it.

He had deliberately made the matter sound more serious than it really was, saying that it concerned the life and death of the Parkers. Although he was scaring them, he just wanted to make them attach great importance to his information and accept his help.

He didn't expect Damon to act beyond his expectations and behave as if he wasn't interested in the news at all.
A strange feeling rose in Jonah's heart. He felt as though he had nothing to rely on and couldn't figure out what Damon was thinking at all.

He had already broached the topic, but Damon refused to continue the conversation and simply assented indifferently, making it difficult for Jonah to reveal the information he had.

But at the thought of the purpose of his visit, Jonah could only bite the bullet and reveal the information he had, even though it seemed like a one-man show.

"Mr. Parker, you might not be aware, but the Holmes have always been displeased that the Parkers have now become the most powerful family after the eight top families, and they have always wanted to replace you. Furthermore, they have already formed an alliance with six other families to deal with the Parkers together, and they're planning to attack tonight!

"Including the Holmes, seven families have united to attack the Parkers. Mr. Parker, it will be difficult for you to cope with this, right?"

While speaking, Jonah carefully observed Damon's face, wanting to see any changes in his expression after he heard the news.

But after he finished speaking, Damon still looked as calm as ever, without the slightest trace of surprise. Instead, he smiled and said, "So?"

"So?" Jonah repeated in shock, unable to understand what Damon meant.

Was I not clear enough?

Why is Damon Parker reacting like that?

Why isn't there any surprise or fear on his face? It's like he already knows about it. He even looks confident about winning and is very relaxed.

Jonah couldn't figure out why Damon had such an expression.

Not only Damon, but even Ray and Kenneth, as well as the three strangers he didn't know, looked very calm, as if this news wasn't a big deal.

Seeing that Jonah was stunned, Damon laughed, leaned back in his seat in a relaxed manner, and reminded kindly, "So, you're telling me that the Holmes and six other families have joined hands to deal with the Parkers. So what? What are you trying to say? Or rather, what do you want? You didn't come all the way here just to tell me this news, right?"

Jonah was stunned speechless again.
He had come to the Parkers to form an alliance with them against the Holmes, and it would be best if he could greatly weaken his archenemy.

But Damon asking him about it with such composure was completely different from what he had expected!

Jonah thought that once he said the alarming news, Damon would definitely lose his cool and become flustered and terrified. Then he could naturally propose forming an alliance with the Parkers to help them resist the Holmes' alliance. Afterward, he could make a request that they couldn't reject.

Regardless of the outcome, he would be able to gain the goodwill and gratitude of the Parkers, as well as countless potential benefits.

But given the current situation, Jonah felt that his original plan was most likely going to fall through.

In any case, he had to reveal the purpose of his visit.

Jonah bit the bullet and said, "To be honest with you, Mr. Parker, I came to express goodwill to you. My family is willing to form an alliance with the Parkers so that we can support each other and resist the Holmes' alliance together.

"In addition, I'm here this time to raise a transaction. As long as you agree to it, regardless of how many families the Holmes unite with, they won't be able to harm your family in the slightest! What do you think, Mr. Parker?"

Damon raised his brows and said with some interest, "What kind of transaction?"

Jonah said, "Actually, it's pretty simple, and in fact, it's a good thing for the Parkers. I might as well tell you the truth straight away. I've actually led the Fullers to submit to the Williams, one of the eight top families in DC. Rayson Williams, the helmsman, is very interested in the Parkers' development, so he sent me to discuss this matter with you.

"If you're willing to submit to the Williams too, the Parkers will naturally receive the protection of the Williams. In that case, regardless of how many families the Holmes unite, they won't dare to harm the Parkers!"

Damon sneered.

He didn't expect Jonah to come here as a lobbyist with the intention of convincing him to submit to the Williams.

But how could he possibly agree?

The Williams were merely one of the eight top families of DC.

The Parkers were subordinates of Lucas. How could they possibly betray Lucas and pledge allegiance to the Williams?

At this point, Damon was no longer interested in what Jonah had to say.

Regardless of whether Jonah was talented or not, his act of lobbying him to submit to someone else right in front of Lucas had already crossed Damon's bottom line.

Jonah was caught off guard and quickly asked, "Mr. Parker, what do you mean? Submitting to the "Are you done? If you are, please leave!" Damon said impolitely, his face gloomy.

Williams and getting their protection is an absolutely wonderful thing for the Parkers! How else are you going to deal with the Holmes' alliance? Don't forget. They're going to take action against the Parkers tonight!"

Damon said sullenly, "It's none of your business how I'm going to deal with the Holmes' alliance! If you're done talking, you can leave now!"

Jonah wanted to continue, but Lucas finally broke his silence and suddenly said, "Go back and tell Rayson Williams that he can come in person if he wants the allegiance of the Parkers! Otherwise, he can forget about it!"

1284 Underestimating Lucas

After being interrupted by Lucas and hearing his hostile tone, Jonah frowned and asked, "Who are you?"
Lucas said indifferently, "You don't need to know who I am. You just need to go back and relay my message to Rayson Williams."

His domineering and haughty attitude made Jonah feel displeased.

Jonah was the helmsman of a second-tier family in DC after all. He thought that the Fullers weren't that much inferior to the Parkers, and his status was on par with Damon's. He saw no reason for Lucas, a young man in his twenties, to be so arrogant and tyrannical in front of him.

Moreover, from the moment Jonah entered the Parker residence today, everything was no longer under his control. Not only was the entire process far from what he expected, but the Parkers' reaction also shocked him. He was about to fail the task that Rayson, helmsman of the Williams, had given him, so he couldn't help getting anxious and jittery.

Jonah stopped smiling and questioned sternly, "Mr. Parker, what do you mean by this? Are you turning down the Williams' olive branch? Mr. Parker, I respect you as the former helmsman of a prestigious family, and that's why I kindly came here to inform you of the Williams' recruitment offer. I'm also here to help the Parkers through your current ordeal, but you're so ungrateful!

"The Parkers have only started developing in DC for a few short months, and you don't have much of a foundation here at all. If you hadn't been lucky enough to replace the Walton and take over all their businesses, do you really think you could have become the most powerful family after the eight top families?

"To put it bluntly, no family in DC acknowledges the Parkers' status. You should be aware of this too, Mr. Parker!

"Now, the Parkers are facing a catastrophe, and you might be completely annihilated by the Holmes' alliance. Pledging allegiance to the Williams is the only way you can save your family from destruction! Mr. Parker, you'd better think about what choice you should make!

"Also, don't blame me for not reminding you, but if you turn down Mr. Williams' kind intentions, even I don't know if he will be furious and displeased with you as a result. Hmph, Mr. Parker, you'd better take care of yourself!"

Jonah's words were full of a threatening tone.

Damon sneered. "Get lost!"

He shouted at the door, "People, throw Jonah Fuller out!"

With Damon's order, two tall and burly bodyguards immediately entered, grabbed Jonah's arms without hesitation, and dragged him out like a criminal.

"What… what are you doing?! Let go! I am the helmsman of the Fuller family. How dare you treat me like this?!

"Damon Parker, how dare you treat me so rudely? I'll definitely tell Mr. Williams the truth. When the time comes, you'd better be ready for your doom! Mr. Williams will never let you off! Ugh…"

Jonah roared furiously. But before he could finish speaking, he grunted incoherently because the bodyguards had stuffed his mouth with a napkin, forcing him to keep quiet.

Even when Jonah was dragged far away from the main villa, Damon still couldn't suppress his anger and cursed in exasperation, "Damn it! He's just a peon throwing his weight around by leveraging the Williams' strength. Who is he to talk so much nonsense in front of Lucas? The Williams are nothing! He's just a frog in a well!"

During this period of time, Damon had gained a great understanding of Lucas. Even a few helmsmen of the eight top families were extremely respectful toward Lucas, and even the head of the Peerless Martial Association couldn't do anything to Lucas, let alone the mere helmsman of the Williams family.

Jonah simply overestimated himself!

With Lucas around, the Williams wouldn't be able to do anything to the Parkers, even though they were one of the eight top families!

Bruce had been in Orange County all this while and had only arrived in DC two days ago, so he had no idea what Lucas had done in DC and what his true identity was. Jonah's threats made Bruce feel extremely worried, and he frowned tightly.

"Mr. Parker, the Williams that Jonah Fuller mentioned just now is indeed one of the eight top families of DC, right? If Mr. Williams is really angry and wants to teach us a lesson, won't it be difficult for us to deal with him even with all of us together?" Bruce asked worriedly while pinching his fingers.

Hearing this, Damon said with an ambiguous expression, "Bruce, it seems that you've underestimating Lucas."

Bruce was astonished, and he frantically explained, "No, no, no, I wouldn't dare to underestimate Lucas. However, the Williams are one of the eight top families after all, and their strength is unfathomable. If we go against a behemoth like them… I'm worried that we won't have many odds of winning…

"Also, Jonah Fuller said that aside from the Williams, the Holmes have gathered six other powerful families with animosity against the Parkers. With seven strong families against us, I… I'm really worried! But this doesn't mean that I don't believe in you, Lucas!"

He was so panic-stricken that large droplets of sweat were gushing out of his forehead, afraid that Lucas might think he was disrespectful.

Lucas understood what Bruce meant and comforted with a smile, "Okay, Bruce, don't worry. With me around, be it the Williams or the Holmes' alliance, neither of them can do anything to us."

Edmund knew Lucas's true identity in the military and how capable Lucas was. He said with a smile, "Yeah, Bruce, you can rest assured and relax! As long as Lucas is here, no one can harm us. You don't have to be afraid at all!"
Bruce nodded ashamedly. Both Damon and Edmund were confident in Lucas's ability to win, so he felt ashamed for being worried for nothing.

It seemed that he indeed lacked understanding of Lucas's abilities. Or rather, Lucas's true power was far greater than he thought.

When Bruce thought of this, all his worries disappeared before he knew it.

The few of them continued to have tea in the living room and chatted for a while. Before long, the butler knocked on the door and walked in again.

He reported respectfully, "Mr. Parker, the helmsmen that you invited are here. I have already

Only then did Damon realize that it was already 7 p.m., which was the time that they had agreed to meet.

Only then did Damon realize that it was already 7 p.m., which was the time that they had agreed to Just as he was about to get up, Lucas suddenly said, "What are you in a hurry for? Let them wait for a Damon smacked his head and guffawed. "Haha, you're right, Lucas. I'll just let them wait. I'll establish while."

my dominance and make them flustered before showing up. That'll do the trick! As expected, you're far more thoughtful than I am!"

Lucas took a sip of tea while smiling quietly.

At this moment, a group of people had already gathered in the living room of the other villa. They were the Holmes and the helmsmen of the six families in their alliance, as well as their bodyguards.

It was already time, and the helmsmen of the seven families had already arrived, yet the Parkers, the host, had yet to show up even after so long!


1285 Getting Flustered

“What do the Parkers mean by this? They invited us here, and now that we’ve all arrived, none of the Parkers are here!” Norman Holmes, the helmsman of the Holmes, slapped the table hard furiously.

“That’s right! Not only have the Parkers not appeared, but they’ve only sent a butler to receive us. Isn’t this a little too neglectful?”
“The Parkers are going overboard! They’re deliberately making us wait here. I bet they don’t intend to cooperate with us, but rather, they want to offend us!”

“Where are the Parkers? Hurry up and get your helmsman to come out to receive us!
Otherwise, don’t blame us for tearing this place down! Do you hear me?”

…

The helmsmen of the seven families expressed their displeasure with the poor treatment.

But no matter what they said, there were only a few servants of the Parkers standing in the corner, and the three people with the highest status in the Parker family never showed up.

As time passed minute after minute, the emotions of the people in the living room turned from frustration and anger to bewilderment and anxiety.

Logically speaking, the Parkers had taken the initiative to invite them over, so they shouldn’t be offending them.

Although these families’ individual strength might be inferior to the Parkers’, there were seven families in total!

The seven families had already discussed it before coming to the Parkers’ manor. They had decided to join forces and attack the Parkers after the banquet ended.

At that time, the Parkers would definitely be unable to deal with their joint attack, and their assets would only end up becoming the battle spoils to be divided up by the seven families.

But the delayed appearance of the Parkers’ helmsman made them feel uneasy. They started wavering about their initial plans and began making all sorts of guesses.

“Why do I feel that something is wrong?” said one of the helmsmen with a frown. “The Parkers’ helmsman hasn’t shown up even now, and I feel uneasy about it. Are the Parkers hiding a big move and waiting to deal with us? Don’t forget the rumors that the Parkers are not the formidable ones but the mysterious person behind them. Could it be the mysterious big shot who asked us to come here?”

His words served as a reminder to the other helmsmen present, and they immediately developed terrible thoughts.

“Mr. Stone, now that you’ve mentioned it, I remember these rumors too! Also, have you noticed that the Parkers only invited the seven of us? And our families are all in the alliance against the Parkers. This means that the Parkers deliberately invited us here!”
Another helmsman felt that something was amiss too, and the more he thought about it, the more terrifying he found the situation. “Oh no! The Parkers must have discovered our plan long ago, and maybe this banquet today is just a ploy with malicious intentions!”

“You’re right! There are usually hidden motives behind such banquets! Maybe the Parkers are already prepared to deal with us. That’s why they invited us here so that they can wipe us all out in one fell swoop!” another helmsman said nervously.

Fear and negative emotions were easily contagious. Once someone felt fear and suspected that there was an ulterior motive behind the banquet, the rest would feel affected and become fearful and uneasy too.

The several helmsmen looked out of the window, worried that a large group of people might charge in at any time to annihilate them.

“Mr. Holmes, I think we’d better leave now!”

The helmsmen all wanted to retreat and subconsciously looked at Norman.

Since they had already decided to join forces and deal with the Parkers after tonight’s banquet, the seven families had arranged their experts in various places and didn’t bring many people with them to the Parkers’. Each helmsman only had one or two bodyguards, and there were only around twenty people in total.

Moreover, they were now on the Parkers’ turf. If the Parkers really attacked them, they would definitely be dead meat, and not a single one would be able to escape!

At this moment, Norman looked extremely gloomy too.

He had thought that after gathering seven families to form a strong alliance, he would definitely be able to destroy the Parkers easily and divide up all their assets. Then the Holmes could replace the Parkers as the strongest family next to the eight top families.

But what was happening now?

They had been left waiting in the Parkers’ manor for half an hour, yet the helmsmen of the alliance were all flustered before even meeting any Parker. They even began developing scruples and fear toward the Parkers.

This was definitely not what he wanted!

“What are you afraid of?” Norman rebuked with displeasure. “The Parkers are just playing tricks. I don’t believe that they will dare to make us wait an entire night after inviting us here!

“Also, don’t forget why we formed our alliance. If you’re so afraid and want to leave over such a trivial matter, you might as well leave the alliance as soon as possible! But you have to think about it carefully. Once you withdraw, you will never get a share of the benefits our alliance gets in the future!”

After hearing this, the other helmsmen looked at each other with dismay and lowered their heads ashamedly.

The Holmes were the leader of the alliance and the strongest family among them, so Norman’s opinions mattered greatly to them.

Since they were about to deal with the Parkers soon, who would be willing to leave the alliance at this juncture and let others enjoy the benefits while they became traitors? Not only would they not obtain any benefits, but the others would likely alienate them and retaliate against them?

As soon as they thought of this, the helmsmen who were anxious and wanted to leave the Parker residence immediately regained their courage and stopped mentioning anything about leaving. They just wanted to wait for the Parkers to come out quickly.

However, after waiting nearly another hour, the Parkers still hadn’t appeared.

This wasn’t all. Because the Parkers had invited them over under the pretext of discussing cooperation over dinner, these helmsmen had all come without having dinner.

It was already past eight o’clock, and apart from some drinks, the Parkers’ servants didn’t serve them any food. The host hadn’t even shown up, so how could the banquet commence?

Thus, the seven helmsmen, who had been living in the lap of luxury, as well as their bodyguards, were all starving. Their stomachs were growling, and all they had had was water, so they were obviously in a bad mood.

Even Norman couldn’t tolerate it anymore.

“What do the Parkers mean by this? If they intend on messing with us, we don’t have to entertain them!” Normal suddenly smashed the cup in his hand on the floor and stood up furiously to leave.

“Yes! Since the Parkers are so insincere and don’t respect us at all, we don’t have to continue staying here and tolerating their nonsense!”

The other helmsmen chimed in and rose to stand behind Norman.

“Hey, are you leaving?”

At this moment, a teasing voice came from the door of the living room. Then an elderly man with a white beard and white hair strolled into the living room leisurely while looking at the unhappy crowd with a smile.

This elderly man was none other than Damon, the former helmsman of the Parkers whom they had been waiting for for a long time!


1286 Borrowing

Damon naturally didn’t come alone. Lucas, Bruce, Edmund, and others accompanied him into the living room. But under Lucas’s instructions, they didn’t state their identities.

In addition, dozens of the Parkers’ experts swarmed in from outside and stood by the entrance of the living room, blocking it firmly.

This way, even if the seven helmsmen in the living room wanted to leave, it would be impossible.

Seeing this scene, the seven helmsmen had a drastic change in expression. They looked at Damon and the experts in anger and shock.

They originally thought that Damon would definitely not dare to lay a hand on them and that he had likely invited them here to make peace with them.

But they never thought that Damon would make them wait in the empty living room for more than an hour, causing them to be incredibly hungry.

Now, he was even more overboard. He got the Parkers’ guards to block the entrance. Did the Parkers want to use force and take action against them?

“Mr. Parker, what do you mean by this?” Norman questioned Damon furiously. “You’re the one who invited us here today, and we came here on time, but what did you do? You made us wait here for so long, and now you’re putting up such a front. Shouldn’t you give us a reasonable explanation?”

Damon ignored him and sat on the master seat before inviting Lucas, Bruce, Edmund, and the others to sit down. Then he glanced at Norman and said nonchalantly, “What explanation do you want, Mr. Holmes?”

As soon as he said this, Damon was stunned and at a complete loss for words.

Damon was making it clear that he had done it on purpose. He wanted to shame them and assert dominance. Now, he didn’t even bother giving an excuse. What explanation could they get from Damon?

The truth was right in front of them!

Norman was hopping mad, but they were still on the Parkers’ turf. In fact, even their lives were in Damon’s hands.

If Damon was insidious and vicious, he might really order his men to kill them all here.

The seven helmsmen were aware of this as well. The thing was that Damon’s actions were completely beyond their expectations, and even they couldn’t predict what he would do next.

All of a sudden, everyone felt insecure and didn’t dare to speak. They could only look at Norman, their pillar of support.

Norman felt extremely aggrieved, but since Damon now had the upper hand, he had no choice but to suppress his anger for now and say, “Okay, we’ll take it that you were busy and not hold it against you. But why did you invite us here?”

He didn’t want to stay here for another minute longer.

Damon couldn’t be bothered to waste his breath on exchanging pleasantries with these helmsmen, so he simply said, “I won’t beat around the bush and continue wasting any time here. The matter is simple. I have two close friends who have just arrived in DC and plan to develop here too. But they’ve just arrived and don’t have a place for lodging yet. That’s why I invited you here to borrow some things and some land to use.”

He leaned back against his chair and said with a relaxed expression, “Don’t worry, we won’t borrow too much from your families. Just hand over half of your properties and businesses to us, and we can still be friends in the future. How about it?”

As soon as he said this, the helmsmen in the living room were stunned speechless.

They never thought that Damon would be so direct and directly state his purpose.
Moreover, he was actually so greedy as to ask for half of their businesses and properties!

He really dared to ask for a lion’s share!

He said he was borrowing, but the helmsmen weren’t stupid. As soon as they heard what he said, they knew that he wanted them to cede half of their businesses and properties and loan them to him indefinitely!

This was blatant robbery!

All seven helmsmen were boiling with fury!

“Damon Parker, you really have a big appetite! You asked for half of our businesses and properties in one go! Who do you think you are?” Norman hollered at the top of his voice.

“The Parkers are just outsiders who have been in DC for less than half a year. Who knows what methods you used to bring down the Waltons and seize their businesses and status! What right do you have to make us hand over half of our businesses and properties? Do you think the Parkers are top families like the eight top families and the royals?”

The other helmsmen also roared furiously, “Mr. Holmes is right! What right do you have to snatch our businesses and properties? Who are you to be so arrogant in front of us?”

“Hah, Damon Parker, I bet you’re getting ahead of yourself just because your family has been enjoying success lately! You want to snatch our businesses and properties? You need our permission first!”

“Yes! As long as our families join forces, we will be able to destroy the Parkers, and you won’t be able to act so arrogantly in front of us again!”

…

The seven helmsmen were livid. They cursed, and some of them even hurled vulgarities.

Clearly, they couldn’t accept Damon’s request!

The Parkers were the prey that these families wanted to carve up together. Who were the Parkers to do the same to them?

Not to mention half of their businesses and properties, they didn’t want to give the Parkers a single cent!

With a calm expression on his face, Damon slowly got into his seat. Only after these helmsmen finished speaking did he finally say, “Actually, you’re right. If we hadn’t obtained most of the Waltons’ businesses, it would have been impossible for the Parkers to carve out a career of our own in DC within such a short time.

“But please touch your hearts and ask yourselves if your families are stronger than the Waltons.

“Those of you who think you’re stronger than the Waltons, why don’t you step forward and let me have a look?”

Damon smiled and glanced at the faces of each and every helmsman one by one.

1287 Two Choices

Those whom Damon looked at subconsciously lowered their heads to avoid eye contact with him.

Of course, no one dared to step forward to say that his family was stronger than the Waltons in their heyday.

The Waltons had been an established family in DC for decades, and they had been one of the eight top families in DC.

None of their families was stronger than the Waltons.!!

Seeing everyone fall silent, Damon continued, “Think about it. Since I can make the Waltons vanish from DC overnight and take over all their assets, I can also make you people follow in the Waltons’ footsteps. Dealing with you people will definitely be much easier than dealing with the Waltons.”

“What you’ve said is right. Although the Parkers haven’t reached the status of a top family yet, once we take down your families and take over your assets, who would dare to say that the Parkers can’t remain in the position of the strongest family below the eight top families, if not on par with them?”

Damon’s eyes were full of unconcealed ambition. He looked at the helmsmen of the seven families in front of him as if they were his prey, like they were seven sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

The helmsmen shuddered, filled with shock and anger. They were so frightened by what Damon said that they were speechless.

Does Damon Parker really plan to kill us right here and seize all our assets?

How… how dare he?!

Even though they didn’t want to believe it, they had no choice but to do so.

Damon was right. Back then, the Parkers had replaced the Waltons, who were far stronger than them, overnight and even took over all their assets. In that case, what made them think that the Parkers wouldn’t dare to do anything to them or that the Parkers wouldn’t be able to do anything to them?

Damon saw the changes in everyone’s expressions. “To be honest, there isn’t a deep feud between you people and me. I’m not vicious or ruthless, so I don’t want to drive you to a dead end. Therefore, I’ll give you two choices.

“The first choice is to hand over half of your family’s businesses and properties and submit to the Parkers. In the future, we can get along well like brothers, and your families will be safe and sound. You might even get some good development opportunities.

“And the second choice is to turn down the suggestion I just made. If you still want to go against me as an alliance, then you people are my enemies from now on, and I won’t show you any mercy! I wasn’t just threatening you when I said that I could make you follow in the footsteps of the Waltons.

“Think about it carefully before you make your choice! This matter concerns the life and death of your families. I will give you ten minutes to consider. Once the time is up, if you still haven’t made a decision, I will assume that you have chosen the second choice.

“Your ten minutes starts now!”

After Damon finished speaking, the Parkers’ servants, who had long been prepared, carried over an antique clock and placed it in front of the seven helmsmen so that they could clearly see the passing of each minute and each second.

“What… what should I do now?”

Seeing that Damon had even brought an antique clock out, they knew that he wasn’t joking just now. The helmsmen immediately panicked and turned pale.

The antique clock stood right in front of them. With each passing second, the long needle moved.

Tick!

Tock!

The sound of time passing was just like a tune of death, making the crowd even more nervous and flustered.

Even Norman, who had always thought he was smart, looked incredibly gloomy at this moment. He clenched his fists tightly, unable to hide his panic.

Damon’s actions were way beyond their expectations and foiled their initial plan.

Indeed, the fact that the Parkers had managed to replace the Waltons overnight and take over all their assets proved that the Parkers were definitely not ordinary.

But the Parkers weren’t that terrifyingly powerful because many people knew that there was a mysterious big shot supporting them, whose power might even surpass the eight top families of DC.

They should have been scrupulous of the Parkers and the mysterious big shot behind them.

But none of them had ever met that big shot, so over time, they had started to neglect him and took it that the Parkers had just gotten lucky.

After hearing what Damon said, the helmsmen finally discovered how ridiculously wrong they were!

Norman subconsciously turned to look at the few people sitting beside Damon.

Two of them were about the same age as Damon. They were elderly men in their seventies whom he had never seen before, and they were likely Damon’s friends who had just arrived in DC.

The other was an extremely young man who looked to be only in his twenties.

What could such a young man be on equal footing with these three old men? Even Damon’s son and grandson were standing behind them respectfully.

Norman wondered if one of the three people sitting beside Damon was the mysterious big shot supporting the Parkers.

He sized them up with glistening eyes.

The other helmsmen didn’t read as much into it as Norman did. They were already flustered and at a loss for what choice to make.

It was a matter that concerned the life and death of their families, yet Damon only gave them ten minutes to make a decision. He even forbade them from calling the other important figures of their families to discuss the matter.

With the continuous ticking of the clock hands, their anxiousness and pressure made it even harder for them to make up their minds.

One of the helmsmen couldn’t endure the suffering. He broke out in cold sweat and grabbed Norman’s arm in distress. “What should I do? How are we supposed to pick? Mr. Holmes, you’ve always had great ideas. Help us think of one now!”

Norman was now their pillar of support!


1288 Pointless Speech

Norman was furious. He retracted his arm, pushed the helmsman away, and hollered, “Shut up! Stop being so flustered!”

After calming down, Norman gritted his teeth and glowered at Damon. “Mr. Parker, you’ve crossed the line today!

“Why are the Parkers acting like bandits? As soon as we met, you actually said that you wanted half of the businesses and properties of all seven of our families?! This is completely unacceptable. You’ve really disappointed us!

“To be honest, after receiving your invitation, the seven of us arrived here on time to discuss cooperating. This alone has already proven our sincerity.

“In fact, before we came, we had gathered to discuss our course of action for tonight.”

Norman paused for a moment and looked at Damon’s reaction before continuing, “Mr. Parker, you’re definitely not a fool. Our families are merely second-tier families in the eyes of behemoths like the eight top families in DC. They can disregard us, bully us, oppress us, and snatch from us as they please. In fact, they can even decide the life and death of a family. They are the greatest threat to our existence!

“The seven of us have unanimously agreed to invite the Parkers to join our alliance, which we formed with the purpose of resisting the suppression and plundering of resources by the eight top families of DC. We will go through thick and thin together. By combining our resources and uniting as one, we will protect all our families.

“If the eight top families try to harm any member of the alliance, we will mobilize all our power to resist them together and protect ourselves!
“Out of kind intentions and with utmost sincerity, we came to the Parkers to discuss this matter with you, but we didn’t expect you to treat us like this. It makes us utterly disappointed!”

Norman made a long speech in one go, and he made himself and the other helmsmen sound incredibly righteous and loyal, as if they genuinely wanted to ascend to greater heights together with the Parkers.

At the same time, he made Damon sound like a despicable, scheming, and shameless ingrate who not only didn’t reciprocate their kind intentions but even wanted to plunder half of their assets!

Those who were unaware of the situation would definitely criticize Damon for his behavior.

The other helmsmen were stunned. If they weren’t fully aware of what was actually going on, they would have really thought that Damon was an ungrateful and scheming villain who took their good intentions for granted.

In fact, the seven helmsmen had indeed formed an alliance and had even discussed this matter seriously during their last gathering.

But they definitely had no intention of letting the Parkers join them.

In their eyes, the Parkers were just sheep waiting for them to slaughter sooner or later. How could they possibly let the Parkers join their alliance and protect them?

But Norman’s lies weren’t purely nonsense. He had his own purpose for doing so.

At the very least, he had to stabilize the Parkers, lower their vigilance, and guilt-trip them. He thought that Damon might even change his mindset and hold a proper discussion with them in order to join the alliance.

It didn’t matter whether or not their discussion succeeded. As long as they could get past the ordeal today and convince Damon to release them, they would have countless ways to destroy the Parkers afterward!

They also blamed themselves for underestimating the Parkers and assuming that Damon wouldn’t take action against them in the Parkers’ manor, causing them to fall into an awkward situation.

Damon rested his chin on his hands and smiled while looking calmly at Norman speaking incessantly, seemingly enjoying his performance.

After Norman finished speaking and stopped talking, Damon pointed at the clock. “Are you done? Let me remind you that more than seven minutes have passed. You only have two minutes left.”

The helmsmen immediately felt their hearts sink as they looked at the clock in unison, feeling even more flustered.

They originally thought that after hearing Norman’s speech, Damon would be eager to join their alliance regardless of what had happened.

But unexpectedly, Damon didn’t react at all, as if he hadn’t heard what he said.

They absolutely didn’t believe that the Parkers weren’t interested in joining the alliance!

Unable to endure it any longer, Norman asked indignantly, “Mr. Parker, what’s with your reaction? We sincerely want to form friendly ties with the Parkers. Do you want to join our alliance or not? Give us an answer!”

Damon raised his brows without speaking. He simply looked at the clock in the middle of the living room while tapping his fingers on the table to the rhythm of the ticking of the clock.

His answer was self-evident. He couldn’t be bothered to speak with them. He was just waiting for the ten minutes to be up and for the helmsmen to make their choice.

Norman was on the verge of losing his mind, and the other helmsmen were distracted and at a loss, just like headless flies.

They didn’t expect Damon to be so difficult to deal with and convince. He was so domineering and overbearing that he insisted on making them choose between two choices that were unacceptable to them.

No matter how reluctant they were, time was still passing minute by minute, second by second.
When the long second hand reached the top, Damon suddenly said, “Okay, time’s up. It’s time you tell me your choice now.”

The seven helmsmen, including Norman, looked extremely sullen and horrified, but none of them said a single thing.

“As I’ve said earlier, if you don’t make a choice, I’ll take it that you’ve chosen the second choice, which is complete destruction.” Damon stood up domineeringly.

As he did, dozens of the Parkers’ experts immediately got into position. They would immediately attack as long as Damon gave the order.
The helmsmen immediately turned deathly pale and shuddered in horror.

Norman also turned as pale as a sheet as he shouted furiously, “Damon Parker! How dare you?! I’m telling you, our families have already formed an alliance and made the necessary preparations. If you dare to lay a hand on us, we will destroy the Parkers tonight!”


1289 Call Them

Damon narrowed his eyes. "Okay, it seems that we don't need to discuss any further. Since you've chosen death, I'll get my men to make you die miserably later!"

The other helmsmen were shocked and frantically clamored in a panic. "No, we don't want to die. We… we…"

After stammering and hesitating for a long time, they still couldn't bring themselves to say that they chose to hand over half of their assets in exchange for their safety.

Norman sneered. "Why are you still hesitating? At most, we'll fight to the death with the Parkers! With our families united, we can definitely destroy the Parkers!

"Damon Parker is just trying to scare us. If he really dares to harm us, he will immediately face the revenge of our alliance. I don't believe he has the guts to lay a hand on us!"

Hearing this, the helmsmen seemed perplexed and uncertain. They looked at Damon to see if he was really making things up and trying to scare them.

But Damon merely sneered. "You can try and see if I'm just trying to scare you."

The more confident he looked, the more nervous the helmsmen were.

Could they really give something like this a try?

The slightest mistake would end with them really losing their lives!

Damon's actions were completely illogical and beyond their expectations. If he really ordered for them to be killed, they would have no chance to change their minds.

Seeing these helmsmen behaving cowardly and not even daring to say anything, Norman was furious.

If everyone reached a consensus to fight against the Parkers, they might be quite confident.

But these helmsmen didn't dare to say anything. What was the use of Norman going forward alone?

Seeing that he couldn't convince these helmsmen, Norman could only turn to look at Damon. "Mr. Parker, you're the head of a dignified family after all. Aren't you being too shameless by tricking us into coming here and then surrounding us and threatening us? If you're still a man, let us go, and we can have a fair fight!

"Otherwise, even if we really hand over half of our assets to you, we'll still be indignant about it and reluctant to pledge allegiance to the Parkers!"

Damon suddenly said, "You want a fair fight? Okay, I can fulfill your wishes."

"Didn't you say your alliance has already prepared your forces to deal with the Parkers? I'll give you a chance then. You can call your people now and call them over. Deploy all your forces. The Parkers will fight you to the end!"

Damon's words completely dumbfounded Norman and the other helmsmen.

The Parkers were really willing to give up their plans and allow them to call their people over for a fair fight?

"Mr. Parker, are you serious? Will you really allow us to call our people here?" one of the helmsmen asked in disbelief.

Damon said calmly, "Yes, of course. You can call them now."

He extended his hand and gestured for them to go ahead.

Only then did they dare to confirm that Damon really allowed them to call their people over.

Logically speaking, they should be overjoyed that Damon was giving them such a godsend opportunity and immediately call their people over to eradicate the Parkers to take revenge for what happened today.

But for some reason, the helmsmen were hesitating and feeling anxious again after seeing the confident and fearless look on Damon.

Although their seven families were just second-tier families in DC, who were far inferior to the eight top families, they had a lot of people. And if they joined forces, even none of the eight top families would be able to withstand them!

But the Parkers actually dared to give them the chance to call their people over for a fair fight. Weren't the Parkers afraid of their combined forces?
At this moment, Damon added, "I can give you half an hour to get your people here. But before doing so, you must think it through carefully. You still have two choices now. You can choose which of your family's assets to hand over, and you can keep the remaining half.

"But once you have chosen to call your people here for a fight, it means that you've chosen to stand against the Parkers. When the time comes, even if you beg me on your knees after I wipe out your people, I won't show you any mercy. Understood?

"Now, you should think about what you want to do!"

Damon smiled mysteriously and stood up to leave the living room with Bruce and the rest!

Of course, the experts of the Parkers didn't leave and were still surrounding the living room. Likewise, no one moved away the clock in the middle of the living room either, leaving it to serve as a reminder to the helmsmen.

It had to be said that Damon and the others were behaving arrogantly by taking the initiative to leave.

Since these families wanted a chance for a fair fight, Damon allowed them to call their people over.

He even gave them sufficient time and space to discuss and call whomever they w