An Understated Dominance (Chinese Version) Chapter 1-20

When she finally got her wits back, Florence began screaming, “Help!
Help! He’s murdering my son!”

Soon, the Quine Group’s security guards gathered around them.
“What happened, Mrs. Nicholson?” The head of the security guards
recognized Florence and stood at her side immediately.
“Tom! Lock this guy up at once! I want him punished for beating up my
son!” Florence yelled.
“Holy cow! How dare you cause trouble in front of the Quine Group?
Have you lost your mind?” Tom waved his hand. All the security guards
surrounded Dustin.
This was their chance to kiss up to the president’s mother. If they
did well now, then they might get a promotion and a raise.
“What are you waiting for? Beat him up!”
Just as they were about to act, a voice sounded.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
A curvaceous woman in a silver dress barged into the crowd with her
bodyguards. With her lips painted a fiery red, she was stunningly
beautiful. Every move she made was alluring.
“She’s gorgeous!”
The security guards stared at her lustily. She was one of the most
attractive women they had ever seen.
“Mr. Rhys, are you okay?”
The woman ignored the looks she was getting and headed straight
toward Dustin.
“Who are you?”
Dustin narrowed his eyes at her, his anger dissipating.
“Nice to meet you, my name is Natasha Harmon. Mr. Anderson sent me
here,” the woman said with a smile. At this, the security guards began
whispering amongst themselves.
“Natasha Harmon? Is she the heiress of the Harmon family?”
“Oh, my God! Why is she here?”
They were all shocked. Natasha Harmon was a household name around the
city. She was pretty, influential, and smart. At 22 years old, she had
already gained control of the Harmon Group and built her own business
empire within five years.
“Ah, it’s you.”
Dustin nodded.
He had heard of Natasha before, but he hadn’t expected her to be
involved with Hunter.
“Mr. Rhys, please wait in the car. I’ll deal with this.”
Natasha snapped her fingers. Behind her, her four bodyguards whipped
out their batons and advanced toward the crowd. Even though there were
just four of them, their threatening auras was enough to make the
security guards back off. After all, they knew that the Harmon family
only hired trained bodyguards.
“After you, Mr. Rhys.”
Seeing that no one else dared to move, Natasha smiled and held out a
hand to lead Dustin to the car. Without a word, Dustin picked up the
pieces of his necklace and left with Natasha. No one dared to stop him.
“What the heck? What do we pay you for? Why did you just let them
go?” Florence yelled when she realized what was happening.
“Mrs. Nicholson, she’s Natasha Harmon. We don’t dare to offend her!”
The head of security lamented. None of them dared to lay a finger on
Natasha.
“Useless trash! You don’t dare to offend her, but you’re fine
offending my daughter?” Florence demanded.
The security guards looked at each other, not daring to speak.
“What happened?”
Dahlia and Lyra came out to see what the commotion was.
“Dahlia! You’re here! Look at how badly your brother’s been beaten
up!”
As soon as Florence saw her, she began to cry, as if she was the one
who had been beaten up.
“What happened? Who did this?”
Seeing her brother’s wounds, Dahlia’s expression became chilly.
“Who else? It’s that bastard Dustin!” Florence cried. “We met him
just now. James picked up a crystal necklace that he dropped and tried to
give it back to him, but he tried to turn it around and said that your
brother stole it from him. After some argument, he beat up James! My poor
James, he just did what he thought was right. What has he done to deserve
this?”
She began crying harder.
“Dustin?” Dahlia frowned. “He’s always been mild-tempered. Why would
he beat up James for no reason? What did you do?”
“What do you mean by this?” Florence looked angered. “Do you not
believe your mother?”
“I just want to know the truth,” Dahlia said.
After three years of marriage, she knew Dustin’s personality well. He
was normally calm and collected and rarely lost his temper. He wouldn’t
just beat someone up for no reason.
“Look at your brother! Is the truth not clear enough? If you don’t
believe me, ask the security guards. They saw everything!” Saying this,
Florence gave the security guards a look.
“Ms. Nicholson, your mother is right. That guy there was the one who
assaulted your brother. If it weren’t for us, she would’ve fallen victim
to him too.”
The head of security understood his assignment perfectly.
“You hear that? I’m not wronging that bastard!” Florence continued.
“I’ve told you before, that Rhys guy is not a good person. He’s a
hypocrite. Look at what he’s done right after you divorced him. He even
has a new whore now!”
Hearing this, Dahlia frowned. She was unsure of what to think. Could
Dustin really do such a thing? Maybe he was furious about the divorce and
wanted to exact revenge on her through her brother. If so, then she had
to admit that she had misjudged him!

Chapter 4

“Mom, take James to the hospital. I’ll deal with this.”
After a moment’s silence, Dahlia finally made her decision.

“Dahlia, you must defend your brother! Don’t let that bastard off so
easily!” Florence said hatefully.

“Don’t worry, I know what I should do.”
Dahlia nodded, gesturing for two guards to send Florence and James to
the hospital.
“What do you think, Lyra?”
Dahlia rubbed her temples. She felt a headache coming on.
“It’s obvious, isn’t it? It was Dustin who assaulted them first. The
security guards were witnesses, so that can’t be a lie,” Lyra said.
“But my mother’s not exactly an honest person…” Dahlia began. She
knew her mother and brother well. They were a hot-tempered and ruthless
duo.
“Either way, it’s still wrong for him to throw the first punch!” Lyra
said righteously. “Even if there was a misunderstanding, why couldn’t he
talk it out? Moreover, it was James that he beat up. Your brother! He
didn’t think of how you would feel when he attacked your family. This
alone is proof that he’s not a good person!”
Dahlia’s frown deepened along with her doubts. Lyra was right. Even
if her mother and brother were rude and unreasonable, there was no reason
for Dustin to assault them physically, nor was there any reason for him
to hurt James so badly. It would seem like her decision to divorce him
was right.
“You can’t just let this go, Ms. Nicholson. You have to teach him a
lesson!” Lyra said.
Hearing this, Dahlia became angry. She took out her phone and called
Dustin. At the same time, Dustin was sitting in a silver Bentley and
frowned when he saw the call coming in. Despite his reluctance, he still
picked up the call.
“Dustin, I need an explanation!” Dahlia demanded.
“What explanation?”
“Did you hit my brother just now?”
“I did. But…”
Before he could finish, Dahlia interrupted him.
“So it was you! I hadn’t expected you to be such a person! Are you
taking revenge on my family just because I divorced you?”
Hearing this, Dustin was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Dahlia to be
so aggressive. She hadn’t even stopped to listen to what he had to say.
After three years of marriage, she was treating him as if he was a mere
stranger, or worse.
“Dahlia Nicholson, is that what you think of me? You knew that I hit
your brother, but have you stopped to think why I hit him?” Dustin asked.
“No matter what he did, you still shouldn’t have hit him!” Dahlia
insisted.
Hearing this, Dustin laughed bitterly. He was disappointed in her. At
this point, it didn’t matter who was in the wrong. She clearly favored
her brother over him.
“Dustin, I’ll give you another chance. Go to the hospital right now
and apologize to James, and I’ll pretend that nothing happened.
Otherwise…”
“Otherwise what?” Dustin retorted. “Are you going to call the police
on me, or hire hitmen to take me out?”
“Dustin! Are you really going to throw away my goodwill like this?”
Dahlia snapped.
“Goodwill? Are you sure it’s goodwill that you’re extending me?
Anyway, I did beat up your brother, so do with that what you will.”
“You…” Dahlia’s retort was cut off as Dustin hung up.
She almost threw out her phone in anger. Dahlia had always been good
at hiding her true emotions. It was one of the reasons why she had
managed to get to where she was today. But right now, she was having a
little trouble in that regard.
“How rude of him. Ms. Nicholson, do you need me to arrange for
someone to teach him a lesson?” Lyra asked.
“No need. We’re done now.” Dahlia took a deep breath to quell her
anger.
“But…”
Lyra was about to say more when Dahlia stopped her.
“That’s enough of this. I need to work on more important matters,
like the charity ball with the Harmon family.”
“The charity ball? Has that got anything to do with our partners?”
“That’s right. I just received news that the Harmon family has
shortlisted the Quine Group. If we do well at this ball, we could be the
Harmon family’s next partners!”
“That’s great! I’ll go make the arrangements right now!”
…
After hanging up the call, Dustin arrived at Swinton Primary
Hospital. Natasha brought him into a VIP ward, where an old man was
laying on the bed. He looked pale, and his lips were dry and cracked. His
breathing was weak as if he was close to death. Several doctors
surrounded him, but none of them looked optimistic.
“Natasha! You’re finally here. These doctors are useless!”
Suddenly, a young woman with a ponytail ran up to them. She was the
second daughter of the Harmon family, Ruth Harmon, and the old man on the
bed was Andrew Harmon, her grandfather.
“Ms. Harmon, we’ve already done everything we could. There’s nothing
else we can do for him,” a doctor said helplessly.
“If there’s nothing you can do, then let someone else take over the
reins,” Natasha said coldly.
“Mr. Rhys will take over.”
“Mr. Rhys?”
The surrounding doctors had strange expressions on their faces.
Dustin looked too young to be a good doctor.
“Are you kidding me, Natasha? This is Mr. Rhys?” Ruth looked shocked.
“He looks about the same age as I am. Is he really a doctor?”
“Don’t judge a book by its cover. Mr. Anderson was the one who
introduced him to me. I trust him,” Natasha said.
To be frank, she wasn’t quite sure about Dustin either, but if Hunter
recommended him, then he had to have his merits.
“Could Mr. Anderson have been conned too?” Ruth still looked
doubtful. “Hey, you, are you really a doctor?”
“I know a little about medicine,” Dustin replied.
“Just a little?” Ruth pouted. “You should know that we only let in
the best doctors into this room. Everyone here is a known expert in their
field, and none of them could do anything about this illness. How are you
so confident that you can?”
“Ruth! Watch your manners!” Natasha scolded.
“He doesn’t look reliable, Natasha! I’m just worried that he might
make Grandfather worse!” Ruth said.
“Watch your words.” Natasha frowned.
“I don’t care, I won’t believe in him unless he can prove himself to
me,” Ruth said with her head held high.
“How should I prove myself?” Dustin asked nonchalantly.
“Tell me what ails me. If you’re correct, then I’ll believe in you!”
“Really?”
“What’s wrong? You’re scared? If you can’t do it, then please leave.
Stop wasting our time!” Ruth snorted.
“Show me your tongue,” Dustin said.
Ruth did as he said.
After a quick look, Dustin said without any hesitation, “Your
hormones are imbalanced, so you should be experiencing irregular periods
and migraines. You’re also showing some signs of food poisoning, which
has affected your digestive system. You’ve been having diarrhea, haven’t
you? Oh, another thing, you have hemorrhoids…”
The more he spoke, the tenser Ruth became.

Chapter 5

“How did you know that?”
Ruth’s eyes almost bulged out of her head. She was more shocked than
embarrassed that Dustin could tell so much about her health just by
looking at her tongue. Everything from the migraines to diarrhea was spot
on. Was he really that good, or did he just make a lucky guess?

“There’s a lot you can tell about a person just by looking at them,”
Dustin said nonchalantly.

“Do you believe him now, Ruth?” Natasha smiled. At the same time, she
also heaved a silent sigh of relief. Thank goodness Dustin knew what he
was doing.
“He just got lucky!” Ruth refused to admit defeat.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Rhys, she’s just too stubborn for her own good.
Please ignore her,” Natasha told Dustin apologetically.
“It’s fine. Shall we begin?”
Dustin didn’t take Ruth’s attitude to heart. He walked over to Andrew
and gave him a thorough check-up. It didn’t take long for him to find out
what was going on. It was obvious to him that the old man had been
poisoned. The poison was pretty potent too. Thankfully, it was discovered
early on, so he could still be saved. Another day or two, and he would
have been lying in the morgue!
“Ms. Harmon, can you get me some silver acupuncture needles?” Dustin
asked.
“No problem.”
Natasha waved a hand. Immediately, one of her bodyguards went out.
Five minutes later, he returned with a set of acupuncture needles.
“Thank you.”
Dustin nodded his thanks, then began to take off the old man’s shirt.
First, he tapped his knuckles against the old man’s stomach to make sure
he was hitting the correct positions, then began to place the needles in
the correct pressure points. His actions were light but firm as his hands
flew deftly. With his skill, his patient would not feel any pain from the
needles. Seeing this, Natasha was surprised.
“He’s good!”
She didn’t know much about acupuncture as a medical practice, but she
knew some experts in the field. From what she could see, those old
experts had nothing on Dustin. His actions were one of an experienced and
talented healer who had spent years in practice. She was curious about
this man. Once all 16 needles were in place, Dustin breathed a sigh of
relief. It had been some time since he last performed acupuncture, but
thankfully he was still familiar.
“Is that all? Nothing changed!” Ruth looked confused.
“Your grandfather has been poisoned. It’ll take about two hours to
drain the toxin from his body; you shouldn’t remove the needles before
the two hours are up, or there might be serious side effects!”
Ruth pouted.
“Why should I believe you?”
“Ruth!”
Natasha glared at her sister.
“I need to go to the bathroom. Please watch over him while I’m gone,”
Dustin told the occupants of the room before leaving.
Not long after he left, a group of doctors barged in. These were some
of the most skilled doctors in the hospital. A balding man led the
troupe.
“Hey! Who are you guys?” Ruth crossed her arms.
“My name is Jansen. I’m the executive director of the hospital, and
also the dean of the medical school. I’m here on orders to treat Old Mr.
Harmon,” the balding man introduced.
“Ah, you’re that famous Dr. Jansen! The best doctor in Swinton!” Ruth
was ecstatic.
“More like one of the best,” Dr. Jansen said proudly, “but yes, I
am.”
“It’s great to meet you, Dr. Jansen. Please help my grandfather.”
Ruth immediately moved out of his way. Clearly, she trusted Dr.
Jansen more than she trusted a youngster like Dustin.
“I will.” Dr. Jansen nodded. When he got nearer to the bed, he
frowned. “What’s with the needles? What nonsense is this?”
As he spoke, he made to remove the needles.
“Wait!” Seeing this, Natasha stopped him.
“What’s wrong?” Dr. Jansen asked, annoyed.
“Dr. Jansen, I’ve already hired another healer. He said that my
grandfather has been poisoned. We cannot remove these needles as there
might be serious side effects.”
“What a bunch of bullshit!” Dr. Jansen snorted derisively. “If these
needles can cure ailments, then what are doctors for?”
“That’s right!” Ruth agreed. “Natasha, that Dustin barely looks a day
over 20. How could he be a skilled healer? Please don’t tell me you
believe the shit he spewed.”
“Then how would you explain the way he could tell that you’re having
diarrhea just by looking at you?” Natasha asked.
“He… he made a lucky guess!” Ruth said.
“Ms. Harmon, all of the best doctors in Swinton are here. I don’t
know who you hired just now, but I believe he’s just conning you. Do you
really think our professionally trained doctors are not as good as a
random guy on the street?” Dr. Jansen asked. “I know you’re worried about
Old Mr. Harmon, but please, don’t believe in these superstitions. It
would just make things worse!”
“That’s right! Dr. Jansen has saved a lot of people. Don’t worry, Old
Mr. Harmon will be safe in his hands!” the other doctors behind him
chimed in.
Their confidence weakened Natasha’s resolve. However, she insisted,
“We should wait for Mr. Rhys to come back.”
“Why should we?” Ruth said. “Maybe he’s already gone, Natasha!”
“Ms. Harmon, I’m a busy man. I’m not going to waste any more time
here. If I pull out these needles and anything happens to Old Mr. Harmon,
it’ll be on me.” With that, Dr. Jansen pulled out all of the needles.
As soon as the needles were removed, something strange happened.
Andrew’s body began convulsing. His face began to turn black, and
blood gushed out from his nose and mouth. The machines on either side of
the bed began beeping.
“What’s going on?” Dr. Jansen was surprised by the turn of events.
“What’s this, Dr. Jansen?” Natasha frowned.
“That’s strange, he was fine earlier…” Dr. Jansen felt uneasy.
“Sir, the patient is coding!”
“Quick, get the machines!”
Without delay, Dr. Jansen began emergency resuscitation. Even after a
lot of effort, Andrew did not seem to get better at all. In fact, his
stats were declining uncontrollably. Dr. Jansen was panicking.
“Ms. Harmon, I think… I think Old Mr. Harmon is… dying…”
“What?” Both Natasha and Ruth were shocked.

Chapter 6

“You useless thing!” Natasha was livid. She grabbed Dr. Jansen by the
collar and yelled, “I told you not to remove the needles! Now that the
worst has happened, this is all you have to say?”
“No, this has got nothing to do with me!” Dr. Jansen shook his head
fervently. “It must be that other healer. His needles must have caused
this to happen!”

Natasha slapped him.

“Stop pushing the blame on others, you bastard! I’m warning you now
if anything happens to my grandfather, I’ll kill you!”
At those words, Dr. Jansen paled. The Harmon family was powerful
enough to get rid of him without anyone knowing.
“What’s going on?”
At that moment, Dustin entered. When he saw Andrew’s state, he
frowned.
“Didn’t I tell you not to remove the needles?” he asked with
displeasure. “Why didn’t you listen to me?”
“Mr. Rhys, just now…”
Before Natasha could explain, Dr. Jansen shot forward and grabbed
Dustin by the collar.
“So it’s you who placed the needles?” he shouted. “It’s your stupid
needling that caused Old Mr. Harmon to go into critical condition! You’re
responsible for this!”
Dustin was a convenient scapegoat that he could use to avoid the
blame.
“Am I right to presume that you were the one who removed the needles,
then?” Dustin raised an eyebrow.
“So what if it’s me?”
“Nothing much. I’m just a little curious. How did you become a doctor
when you’re so unskilled and irresponsible?”
“You—”
“Shut up!”
Natasha pushed Dr. Jansen away, then pulled Dustin over to the bed.
“Mr. Rhys, we have no time to lose. Please save my grandfather!”
“Ms. Harmon, he’s just a conman! He won’t be able to do anything for
your grandfather. Don’t be scammed!” Dr. Jansen said angrily.
“If you think he can’t do anything, then why don’t you do something?”
Natasha glared at him.
“I…”
Dr. Jansen was rendered speechless. If he could save Andrew, he
would’ve done so earlier instead of standing around.
Just as Dustin was about to begin his treatment, Dr. Jansen said
suddenly, “A word of warning, young man. Old Mr. Harmon is a man of
influence. If you fail, you’ll have a lot to answer for.”
“If that’s so, then I’m not treating him. You guys can deal with it
yourself.”
Dustin had no wish to continue arguing with them. He turned and made
to leave.
“You f*cking bastard! Shut your craphole!”
Natasha was livid. She slapped Dr. Jansen again. The slap was so
forceful that Dr. Jansen stumbled and almost fell to the ground. Seeing
his swollen face, Dustin felt vindicated, even though he remained
expressionless. Natasha’s expression changed into pleading when she spoke
to him.
“Please, Mr. Rhys. The Harmon family will owe you a big favor if you
can save my grandfather.”
“It won’t be easy. The toxin has been aggravated, so it’s more
aggressive now. Acupuncture alone won’t be enough to cure him. I need
something else,” Dustin said.
“I will give you whatever you need,” Natasha said.
“I’ll need a quarter pound of caterpillars, a quarter pound of
spiders, and a quarter pound of cockroaches. Fry them and seal them in an
airtight container.”
“Ew. Why do you need those things? How gross.” Ruth said in disgust.
“Stop your yakking. Go find those items!”
Natasha glared at her. Reluctantly, Ruth went out with her bodyguards
to look for the insects. Soon, they came back with a container filled
with fried insects.
“Ms. Harmon, after I finish the acupuncture treatment on your
grandfather, please open this container and place it in front of his nose
and mouth,” Dustin said.
“Will do!”
Natasha nodded.
“I shall begin.”
Dustin took out his silver needles and took a deep breath. Then, he
gathered his concentration and inserted the first needle into Andrew’s
lower abdomen. With a flick of his finger, Dustin made the needle rotate
quickly. A sliver of energy entered Andrew’s body through the needle.
His second needle went slightly above the first. Dustin inserted it
without any hesitation. The next three needles were placed quickly and
determinedly in a straight line from the first two. Interestingly, Dustin
did not just stick the needle into Andrew. Instead, he was slowly forcing
the needles upward from the abdomen. With every needle he placed,
Andrew’s skin bulged slightly, as if something was crawling underneath
his skin.
“What bullshit.” Dr. Jansen pursed his lips disdainfully.
“Acupuncture is a bunch of crap. It’s not even based in science!”
“That’s true! He’s just embarrassing himself!” The other doctors in
the room were also whispering amongst themselves.
They clearly had no confidence in alternative medicine. When Dustin
finally placed the last needle, he was drenched in sweat. What he did was
not regular acupuncture. It was the long-lost art of Miracle Needling.
Miracle Needling could raise the dead, but only if the performer had the
internal power to do so. It was a draining task, so he only used it for
emergencies.
“Ms. Harmon, the container,” Dustin reminded.
Natasha opened the container hurriedly, and a pungent smell filled
the room. Andrew got the brunt of it.
“More absurdities!” Dr. Jansen snorted again. “Do you really think
some needles and fried insects can save a man from dying?”
“Just because you can’t, it doesn’t mean others cannot,” Dustin
replied lightly.
“If you succeed, I’ll eat this container of insects!” Dr. Jansen
said.
Just as he finished speaking, Andrew opened his mouth for the first
time after days of being unresponsive. A black centipede crawled out of
his mouth. Attracted by the smell of the fried insect, it climbed into
the container and began eating them.
“A centipede? Is that a centipede?”
“Oh my god, there was a centipede in old Mr. Harmon’s body!”
“Ew!”
When the people in the room realized what was happening, they were
shocked. Ruth even started vomiting. It was terrifying to see a centipede
climb out of a human’s mouth. This was the stuff of nightmares. Suddenly,
there was a sound of loud coughing from the bed. Andrew opened his eyes.

Chapter 7

“Is he awake?”
Everyone was stunned when they saw Andrew return to consciousness.
The doctors were dumbstruck when they noticed the monitors showing
Andrew’s vital signs were all normal. Who would have expected a young man
like Dustin to cure an unknown disease that had stumped the entire
specialist team? This was unheard of!

“That’s amazing! Grandfather is awake!”

Ruth burst into tears of happiness when she saw her grandfather’s
recovery. Natasha also breathed a sigh of relief.
“Mr. Rhys, I don’t know how to thank you for this. From now on, you
are the Harmon family’s honored guest!”
She bowed deeply to Dustin.
“You’re welcome, Ms. Harmon. It was no trouble at all.”
Dustin gave her a small smile. However, Dustin’s humble words irked
Dr. Jansen. He and his team had done all they could to cure Andrew, but
this punk called it “no trouble at all?” Clearly, Dustin was insulting
them indirectly!
“Hey, you! What’s up with the centipede? Why would there be a
centipede in my grandfather’s body?” Ruth spoke up.
“This is not a normal centipede. It’s actually a venomous curse.”
Dustin turned to Andrew. “Mr. Harmon, where were you recently? Have you
eaten anything out of the ordinary?”
“You’re spot on. A few days ago, I was at Millsburg for a party and
drank some wine.” Andrew nodded.
“If I’m not mistaken, you must have been cursed,” Dustin concluded.
“Cursed?”
Andrew was taken aback. The rest of them stared at each other in
surprise. After all, it wasn’t every day that someone got cursed.
“Don’t spout nonsense! It’s illogical that this could be a curse! If
you ask me, Mr. Harmon must have ingested centipede eggs by mistake!” Dr.
Jansen interrupted.
“Dr. Jansen, any normal centipede eggs would have been digested by
the stomach’s acid! It’s fine if you are not familiar with this, but do
not spread false information!” Dustin retorted calmly.
“You…” Dr. Jansen shut up when he caught sight of Natasha’s deadly
glare.
“Mr. Rhys, thank you for your diagnosis. I will investigate this
further,” Natasha said seriously.
She had heard of venomous curses before, however, she had no personal
experience. Who would have thought that her grandfather was suffering
from this? Natasha was determined to make the perpetrators pay for this!
“Now that the curse is lifted, you should feed him this prescription
for five days to remove the toxins from his body.” Dustin scribbled on
some paper.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Rhys.” Natasha took the prescription
gratefully.
“Alright, I will excuse myself since there’s nothing more to be
done.” Dustin got up to leave.
“Let me see you off.” Natasha got up as well.
“Sis, what should I do with these insects?” Ruth interjected.
“Dr. Jansen mentioned that he was going to eat those insects. Since
he was the one who requested it, we shall fulfill his wish! All of you,
make sure he finishes those insects before leaving!” Natasha said coldly.
“What?” Dr. Jansen went pale.
At this moment, in another hospital room, a similar scene of chaos
was unfolding.
“Mom! How could Rhys hit me? Please, you have to teach him a lesson!”
James was whining on the hospital bed with his head bound up tightly.
Only his nose and mouth could be seen.
“Don’t worry, I will get even with him for you!” Florence comforted
James gently.

“Mrs. Nicholson, it is unthinkable that Dustin had the nerve to
physically assault both of you!” A handsome young man dressed in a suit
spoke up. He was the second son of the Nolan family, Chris Nolan. He was
also deeply infatuated with Dahlia.
“Chris, you wouldn’t believe it. That punk went mad and hit my son
like a maniac. No one could stop him!” Florence gritted her teeth.
“Really? Was he such a crazy person?” Chris frowned. “I know some
thugs who can teach him a lesson. Shall I help you out, Mrs. Nicholson?”
“Oh, that would be great!” Florence broke into a smile.
“Chris, make sure they knock some sense into him. Fracture a bone or
two!” James snarled in anger.
“Sure thing. I assure you, he is as good as dead!” Chris laughed
maliciously.
To be honest, Dustin’s marriage to Dahlia had bothered him long ago.
How was it possible that a useless bum like him could have such an
attractive and successful lady as his wife? Chris couldn’t pass up this
opportunity to beat Dustin up!
“James, how are your injuries?” Dahlia asked as she entered the
hospital room suddenly. She was dressed in a slinky black dress that
showed off her voluptuous curves. Chris’s eyes brightened considerably.
“Dahlia, you’re finally here! Look at me, I’m terribly hurt!” James
sat up immediately and pointed at his bandaged head.
“Alright, Dustin told me what happened and apologized over the phone.
Let’s forget about it and move on,” Dahlia comforted her brother.
“Forget about it?” James raised his voice. “Dahlia, are you kidding
me? I was beaten black and blue! An apology isn’t going to cut it! What
do you take me for?”
“Well, what do you want?”
“I want him to kneel before me and beg for forgiveness!”
“He is still your brother-in-law. Don’t make a mountain out of a
molehill.”
“Don’t lie to me! I know that both of you have divorced!”
“Regardless of what happened, we were once family. Besides, you are
partly to blame.”
“Dahlia, why are you taking his side? What did I even do wrong? I
only broke his stupid necklace! What’s the big deal?” James snapped
angrily.
“What? What did you say about a necklace?” Dahlia frowned.
“The necklace you wore previously. He claimed that it was an
heirloom, but I’m sure it’s just rubbish!” James mumbled under his
breath.
“Did you destroy that necklace?” Dahlia probed further.
“Yeah, he was being extremely rude! That insolent punk refused to
give me the crystal necklace, that’s why I smashed it on the ground!”
James said stubbornly.
“You’re really asking for a beating!”
When Dahlia learned of this, she was furious. After everything that
had happened, she finally understood why Dustin would beat James up.
James was the one who demanded and shattered the precious crystal
necklace.
Other people might not have understood its significance, but Dahlia
knew otherwise. The necklace wasn’t just a family heirloom, it was also
the only thing that reminded Dustin of his mother. It was a symbol of his
mother’s love for him. When they got divorced, Dustin didn’t want
anything but the necklace. From this, it was evident that the crystal
necklace meant the world to him.
“Dahlia, it’s just a necklace! Why are you lecturing me over this?”
James whined.
“That’s right! Is that trinket more important than your brother’s
life?” Florence demanded.
“I’ll deal with the both of you later!”

Dahlia didn’t bother to argue and left immediately. She didn’t have
the energy to quarrel with her spoiled brother and unreasonable mother.
Moreover, in her haste, she hurt Dustin with her words. Now that Dahlia
thought about it, she regretted saying them. With his temperament, Dustin
would never have lost his temper so easily. She had made a mistake…

Chapter 8

Natasha and Dustin sat in the backseat of a silver Benz.
“Mr. Rhys, this is the Harmon family’s platinum card. Please accept
it as a token of our gratitude.” Natasha handed Dustin a black card edged
with gold as she explained. “With this, you will be treated as an honored
guest in all establishments under the Harmon family.”

“Ms. Harmon, I don’t need this.” Dustin shook his head.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Rhys. This is just a personal gesture. Regarding
Mr. Anderson’s request for the canscora, I will send the herb to your
place tomorrow,” Natasha said with a smile.
“That’s very kind of you, Ms. Harmon. Thank you very much.” Dustin
chuckled and accepted the card.
Since it was a gift from her, it would come in handy. As they were
talking, the car suddenly pulled over.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Harmon! I was forced to do this!” The car driver
confessed before getting out and running for his life.
At that moment, two black SUVs swept by. They blocked the silver Benz
in the front and rear. More than ten men got out of the SUVs. They
approached the car, armed with weapons, and with covered faces. A bald,
burly man who seemed to be the leader set his foot on the Benz’s bonnet.
Brandishing his knife, he threatened, “Ms. Harmon, my boss wants to
meet you. We will escort you.”
“How bold of you to hijack my car!” Natasha replied, unfazed. She
emitted a stately aura befitting a queen.
“We wouldn’t have dared with all your bodyguards around. However,
they are now at the hospital guarding your grandfather. You are alone
with your little boy toy! How could we pass this precious opportunity
up?” the bald guy smirked.
“Well, you do have some brains in that numbskull of yours to bribe my
driver. However, please satisfy my curiosity. Who’s your boss?” Natasha
asked calmly.
“You will know once we get there! Now, will you get off?” the bald
guy urged.
“You have no right to order me around!” Natasha didn’t budge.
“Since you are going to be difficult, I have no choice but to resort
to force!” The bald man gestured to the others for a large hammer. As he
was going to smash the windscreen, Dustin opened the door and got out.
“Ms. Harmon, your boy toy has no guts. I’ve not even started and he
is already peeing his pants in fear. What did you see in him?” the bald
guy said mockingly.
Natasha frowned and reached into her bag silently.
“You have five seconds to cram,” Dustin warned.
“Punk, do you know what you’re saying? Are you trying to be a hero?
Go to hell!”
Before the bald man could finish his sentence, a slap landed on his
face. The overwhelming pressure almost dislocated his jaw. He staggered
back, stars spinning around his head.
“F*ck! How dare this punk fight back? Kill him!”
The other men immediately rushed toward Dustin with their weapons in
hand. Dustin faced them fearlessly. He weaved through the crowd, his
movements as light as a feather. Each time someone came within arm’s
length, he dealt out a firm slap.

After a few loud cracks and cries of pain, the men fell over one by
one. None remained standing after receiving a slap from Dustin. Beating
up more than ten muscular men seemed as easy as pie for him. The bald man
was scared shitless. Never in his dreams would he have thought that the
young man before him was such a terrifying monster. Even though all of
them came at Dustin at once, not a hair on his head was harmed.
“Interesting.”
Natasha’s eyes shone with interest, a slight smile playing on her
lips. She replaced the handgun she had lying in her bag. Initially, she
thought that Dustin was going to have some trouble taking down a group of
bloodthirsty men by himself. Who knew that he was such a capable fighter?
He was much more skilled than her bodyguards. Not only was he skilled in
medicine and combat, but he was also handsome as well! A man like him was
one in a million!
“Stop! Stand back!” The bald man pleaded for his life as Dustin
approached him. “Don’t come near me! I will make you pay—”
Before he could finish, Dustin landed a punch on his abdomen. The man
threw up and kneeled on the ground in pain.
“He’s all yours, Ms. Harmon.”
Dustin stepped aside.
“Thank you.” Natasha nodded and stared down at the bald guy. “Tell
me, who’s your boss?”
Sweat running down his forehead, the man hesitated.
“Are you not going to tell me?” Natasha smirked and picked up a knife
from the ground. She held the blade against his neck and threatened, “I
shall have to torture you slowly until you confess then.”
With that, she raised her arm and swung.
At the last moment, the bald man screamed, “Please don’t kill me!
I’ll tell you everything! It’s Trevor Spanner of the Drey Group!”
His life was more important than his loyalty right now.
“As expected.” Natasha smiled. “Return and inform Trevor that I’ll
remember this! When I have some free time, I’ll visit him. Get lost right
now!”
The bald man and his men ran away with their tails between their
legs.
“Ms. Harmon, things are not as simple as it seems. First, your
grandfather was cursed. Next, your car was hijacked. Trevor will not be
easy to deal with,” Dustin warned.
“Trevor Spanner is just a crazy bastard. However, he has strong
allies backing him up. I’m not going to do anything about this yet. It’s
better to lay in wait for an opportunity to round all of them up at one
go!”
Natasha narrowed her eyes. It would be rash to attack right now. She
would take all of them down in one blow!
“As long as you have a plan, that’s alright.” Dustin nodded.
He had no interest in the conflicts between rival families.
“Mr. Rhys, it seems that you are really my family’s benefactor. You
saved my grandfather, and now you have saved me from getting kidnapped. I
have no way to pay you back.” Natasha fluttered her eyelashes.
“It’s no trouble at all,” Dustin replied carelessly.

“No, we owe you too much! I must return the favor!” With that,
Natasha shot him a sultry smile. “To show my sincerity, shall I repay you
with my body?”

Chapter 9

“What?” Dustin’s face froze.
He never thought Natasha would say something like that. Taking a
closer look, he found that her beauty was different from Dahlia’s. She
was sensual like Aphrodite, and her smile could take anyone’s breath
away. In short, she was a natural femme fatale, ensnaring men with her
bewitching charms.

“Why are you so shocked? I’m just playing around.” Natasha’s breasts
heaved as she laughed heartily at Dustin’s face. It was all Dustin could
do to tear his eyes away from her voluptuous curves. The more he looked
at her, the harder it was not to gawk at her figure.

“Mr. Rhys, back to the issue at hand. I need to ask a favor from you
again.” Natasha’s expression grew serious.
“What is it?” Dustin asked.
“You know that all my bodyguards are stationed at the hospital, so I
don’t have anybody to protect me. Now that this incident has happened, no
one knows when the next attack could occu. I hope that you can be my
bodyguard and protect me 24/7,” Natasha said in earnest.
“Personal bodyguard?” Dustin raised his eyebrows. “Ms. Harmon,
wouldn’t it be better for you to stay at a safe place?”
“It’s impossible, Mr. Rhys. For your information, the Harmon family
will be organizing a charity dinner tonight. As the main organizer, I
have to be present. What if someone appeared tonight and made a scene? A
damsel like me would be defenseless. Besides, who would bring you the
canscora if something unfortunate befell me?” Natasha blinked innocently.
“Well…” Dustin hesitated for a moment and nodded. “Alright, I’ll
protect you.”
Although it was a hassle, he had to do it for the canscora. Nothing
could be allowed to go wrong until he managed to get his hands on the
herb.
“Many thanks, Mr. Rhys.” Natasha gave him a sly smile. Truth be told,
she was much more interested in the bodyguard than being protected.
…
It was the evening at the Mirage. The Mirage was the most prominent
club in Swinton. The building was as large as a hotel and inspired by the
Victorian period. It had gabled roofs, large bay windows, and decorative
sculptures. The interior was similarly designed, exuding grandeur and
magnificence. Outside, the club was surrounded by vast gardens,
vineyards, and even a man-made lake.
A black Benz stopped at the entrance of the Mirage. A gorgeous woman
dressed in a black evening gown got out of the car. She had flawless skin
and legs that went on for miles. Her intricate features complemented her
graceful motions. The second she arrived, everyone’s eyes were drawn to
her as she outshone all the other women in her presence.
“What a beautiful woman! Is she a famous actress?”
“Her face and figure are of out of this world!”
“Isn’t she the president of Quine Group? She is one of Swinton’s Four
Beauties!”
People milling at the entrance whispered among themselves, marveling
at Dahlia’s beauty. However, none of them went forward to introduce
themselves as they were too intimidated.

“I’ve never thought that the Mirage could be so grand! What beautiful
designs and sculptures!” Lyra exclaimed as she got out of the car.
“The Mirage is one of the main establishments of the Harmon family,
that’s why the design and quality are impeccable. It is extremely
difficult for most people to get an invitation to the Mirage.” Dahlia
surveyed the surroundings. Even with her high standards, she had to admit
that the Mirage was in a class of its own.
“Dahlia, there you are!” A bespectacled young man in a suit came up
to both of them. It was Chris, the second son of the Nolan family.
“Mr. Nolan, are you interested in tonight’s charity dinner as well?”
Dahlia greeted him.
“I’m not interested in just any charity dinner. Having said that,
this dinner is organized by the Harmon family. Who wouldn’t be
interested?” Chris answered with a smile.
The Harmon family was one of the Mighty Three, the top three most
reputable families in Swinton! Their financial power and influence were
unrivaled in Swinton. Many people would die for the chance to just enter
the Mirage, let alone to be invited to the Harmon family’s charity
dinner.
“Mr. Nolan, are you sure that’s all you are interested in?” Lyra
smirked knowingly.
“Of course I have an ulterior motive. I’m here to be of help to both
of you.” Chris chuckled.
“Help us?” Lyra was confused.
“I heard rumors that the Quine Group is shortlisted to be one of the
Harmon family’s partners. It’s not easy to be partners of such a powerful
group, especially for Quine Group. That’s why I’m here to put in a good
word on your behalf. This will boost the possibility of signing a
contract with the Harmon family!” Chris boasted, his voice filled with
confidence.
“That would be great! Thank you, Mr. Nolan!” Lyra was overjoyed.
If the Quine Group became partners with the Harmon family, not only
would this elevate the company’s reputation, her status as secretary to
the president would rise significantly as well.
“You’re welcome. Granting my relationship with Dahlia, this is no
trouble to me at all.” Chris shot her a deliberate smile.
“Of course, we are already one family.” Lyra returned the gesture.
Dahlia had not heard a word of their conversation. Her gaze was fixed
on a luxurious car in the distance. A man’s silhouette was standing by
the car.
“Could that be Dustin?”
Dahlia finally recognized the man. After she found out the truth
about that fight, she had been feeling guilty about it. Dahlia decided to
address the misunderstanding since Dustin was coincidentally here. With
that thought, she walked up to him.
“Dustin!”

Dahlia was about to continue when she stopped in her tracks. She
noticed a striking figure next to Dustin. The woman was dressed in a
skin-tight, fiery red dress that showcased her tiny waist and alluring
curves. In addition, her porcelain skin and captivating features radiated
an aura of nobility, like a queen who had come to grace her presence on
her subjects.

Chapter 10

“Ms. Nicholson, nice to meet you. How can I help you?” Dustin’s eyes
widened when he saw Dahlia walking toward him, but his gaze turned cold
in a moment.
“What a coincidence seeing you here.”

Dahlia choked back the speech she had prepared to explain herself and
greeted Dustin stiffly. She did not believe it when her mother told her
of Dustin’s new love interest. Who would have thought that it was true?
Although they were divorced, Dahlia felt a little uncomfortable seeing
her ex-husband being with another woman. There was an awkward and uneasy
feeling in her heart.

“Mr. Rhys, is she a friend of yours?”
Natasha sized Dahlia up. According to her female intuition, she could
detect a hint of hostility from this woman standing before them.
“She’s my ex-wife,” Dustin replied.
“Really?” Natasha raised her eyebrows and gave Dahlia a charming
smile. “Hi, I’m Natasha Harmon. Nice to meet you.”
She stretched out her hand to shake Dahlia’s. Although her actions
seemed friendly enough, the atmosphere around her was slightly
intimidating.
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Harmon,” Dahlia answered politely.
Although she was usually very self-assured, she had to admit that the
woman before her was stunning. Natasha was on par with her in looks,
height, and conduct. Furthermore, Natasha’s figure was much more
voluptuous than hers. Any man would be enamored by her!
“Dustin, when did you befriend Ms. Harmon? You’ve never introduced
me!” Dahlia couldn’t help but ask.
“Were you ever interested in my friends?” Dustin replied
sarcastically.
His sharp words rendered Dahlia speechless. She had never expected
Dustin to be so direct. The atmosphere around the three of them grew
tense.
“Dustin, can I have a word with you?” Dahlia tried after a few
seconds of silence.
“About what?” Dustin retorted with a poker face.
“It’s about something private, let’s go elsewhere.” Dahlia turned to
find a quiet corner but she realized Dustin didn’t move an inch. Her
brows furrowed with frustration.
“Let’s talk about it here and now. I don’t want another
misunderstanding,” Dustin insisted.
“Must you be so difficult?” Dahlia frowned.
She was trying to make peace with him, but Dustin seemed to not be
having any of it. He was being mean and talking down to her in a
disagreeable manner.
“Ms. Nicholson, we are already divorced. Since your status is of such
a high rank, it is better for us to not be seen together. I would only
embarrass you.” Dustin scoffed.
“I don’t understand. Why are you being such a jerk?” Dahlia was
getting annoyed.
“Are you seriously asking me?” Dustin stared back at her. “Wasn’t
this your choice?”
“I…” Dahlia couldn’t say a word in retaliation. Yes, she did initiate
the divorce. However, there was no need to keep bringing up the past.
Despite her struggle to calm herself down, Dahlia could feel
resentment rising within her. Seeing Dustin with another woman triggered
her frustration and anger. These feelings became more and more intense as
their fight escalated.
“Dustin, I know you despise me. Nevertheless, I don’t think I’ve made
a mistake. Besides, I’ve given you many chances to redeem yourself!”
Dahlia’s tone turned icy. It was not easy for her to reconcile with
others, given her prideful nature. Moreover, Dustin threw it in her face.
“So you mean that I’m still in the wrong?” Dustin could only laugh.
“I’m not in the mood to argue with you as we are irrelevant now.
Having said that, you shouldn’t be flaunting your new partner in front of
me if you have any respect for me as your ex-wife!” Dahlia said gravely.

“Respect?” Dustin laughed harder. “How about Chris, then? Even before
we got divorced, you were already having an affair with him. How could
you even demand respect?”
“Regardless of whether you believe me, I’m innocent and my conscience
is clear,” Dahlia retorted, her head held high.
“Is that so?” Dustin smirked and pointed at Chris, who was walking
toward them. “I would like to have a look at that clear conscience of
yours!”
Both of them had been fooling around in bed. Now, they were even at
the charity dinner together.
What a joke for her to claim that she was innocent! Dahlia frowned
slightly, but she did not explain herself. First, there was nothing to
explain. Second, Dustin wouldn’t believe her anyway.
“Dahlia, we were having a conversation just now. Why did you slip
away?” Chris said to her with a smile.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Natasha. Chris was astounded
when he saw her alluring beauty. Desire burned in his eyes as his
breathing quickened.
What a gorgeous woman! He had never seen such an extraordinary lady
in his life. If Dahlia was like water, Natasha was like a burning flame.
She could arouse the desires of men with her sultry gaze, without even
moving a muscle. Natasha was a natural seductress!
Sneaking a few glances at Natasha, he quickly diverted his gaze. He
knew that it was unbecoming of a man to make his intentions known so
early, especially in the presence of such dazzling women. Making a first
good impression was extremely important.
“Dustin, what a surprise to see you!” Chris turned to Dustin with a
frown.
Chris was green with envy when he saw Natasha being so friendly to
Dustin. How could this punk be surrounded by hotties all the time? After
getting a divorce from Dahlia, here he was with another attractive woman
on his arm. Was he blessed with lady luck?
“Why would it be a surprise to see me?” Dustin retorted.
“I’ve heard from Dahlia that you were just an errand boy at the Quine
Group. With your status, you have no right to enter the Mirage. Were you
planning to sneak in?” Chris narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t you worry about it, it’s none of your business,” Dustin said
calmly.
“I must have guessed correctly.” Chris smirked and turned to Natasha.
“Don’t be deceived by him, gorgeous. Dustin is not some rich scion but a
lowly pauper. He has no right to be breathing the same air as you,
gorgeous.”
In Chris’s mind, Dustin must have lied to the beautiful lady. Why
would she be together with a useless guy like him otherwise?
“What’s wrong with that? It’s fine as long as I like him!” Natasha
chuckled.
“Gorgeous, with your beauty and looks, you can definitely marry into
a wealthy family. Why would you choose to live a difficult life with
him?” Chris replied, puzzled.
“Wealth means very little to me. In my eyes, Dustin is an outstanding
man.” Natasha slipped her arm into Dustin’s naturally.
“Outstanding?” Chris laughed mockingly. “He doesn’t have wealth,
fame, or power. How could he be regarded as outstanding?”
“At the very least, he is more handsome than you.” Natasha snapped.
“What’s the use of a handsome face? In the end, he is just a boy
toy!” Chris’s expression darkened. “I have warned you, Dustin is a
conman. You are going to regret it once he takes advantage of your wealth
and body!”
“Take advantage of me?” Natasha laughed merrily. “I do hope that he
will take advantage of me, but it seems that he isn’t interested.”

Her bold words made Dahlia and Chris frown in disapproval. Even
Dustin couldn’t take it any longer. This woman was really a shameless
flirt.

Chapter 11

“Hey, did you not hear me? That guy is a liar! It won’t do you any
good if you stay with him!” Chris’s face was etched with concern when
Natasha was unfazed by his provocation. He couldn’t bear to watch a
beautiful woman like her be ruined at Dustin’s hands.
“Damn, you sure are annoying. It’s none of your business who I hang
out with!” Natasha snapped, having lost her patience.

“You…”

Chris was on the verge of a breakdown. Never had he imagined her to
be so stubborn. How could she still go back to Dustin knowing that he
deceived her? Was that guy so charming?
“Mr. Nolan, this kind of person deserves to be deceived. Not only
does she not appreciate your kind reminder but also speaks rudely to you.
How ungrateful!” Lyra uttered unkindly from the side.
“Hmph! So showing kindness is a crime now?” Chris felt unjust, but
obviously, he was more jealous.
“You two must have known each other for a long time, right?” Dahlia
asked abruptly. Judging from Natasha’s behavior, she couldn’t help but
suspect that they had long had a secret affair. Otherwise, there wasn’t a
reasonable explanation for Chris’ determination.
“That’s not important. What matters is that our feelings are mutual.”
Natasha smiled. While speaking, she pressed her chest against Dustin’s
arm as though swearing sovereignty.
At this sight, Dahlia’s gaze became fiercer. Despite knowing that
Natasha was deliberately pushing her buttons, she couldn’t suppress her
irritation. It felt like someone had snatched away something of hers.
“Dustin, I’ve seriously misjudged you. We aren’t officially divorced,
yet you’ve already found yourself another woman.” Dahlia tried to calm
her emotions. In fact, she had been brooding about their divorce because
she felt like she owed Dustin. However, the latter had begun fooling
around with women while she was busy thinking of a way to make up to him.
At the end of the day, she was the clown.
“If that’s what you think of me, I have nothing to say.” Dustin
shrugged as he was lazy to explain anything.
“Fine. I was thinking that I owed you something, but it looks like
we’re even now!” Dahlia’s expression turned indifferent. She felt as if
she was looking at a complete stranger.
“Great.” Although Dustin’s poker face remained, his heart momentarily
twitched for some reason.
“Ms. Nicholson…” Just then, Nastsha spoke up with a smile. “The
choice you made was rather unwise, but I still have to thank you.”
“What for?” Dahlia slowly looked up at her.
“Thank you for letting me have Dustin. If not, I wouldn’t have
discovered such a treasure by myself.” Natasha was flashing a satirical
grin, her words meant to humiliate Dahlia.
“Hey! You B*tch…” Lyra was about to explode when Dahlia raised her
hand and cut her off.
She looked Natasha in the eyes and replied, “Your so-called treasure
is just average in my opinion.”

“Average?” Natasha raised her eyebrow. “You’re calling a highly
educated martial artist average? Ms. Nicholson, you do have high
standards. However, the guy you’re with doesn’t seem to be any better.”
“At least he’s better than Dustin.” Dahlia didn’t back down.
“Oh, really? Why don’t we make a bet then?” Natasha dared playfully.
“About what?”
“Let’s bet which of them will have greater achievements within a
month. What do you say?”
Hearing this, the three of them were taken aback. They didn’t expect
she would suggest something like that.
Chris sneered as he looked at Natasha incredulously. “Say, did you
hit your head or something? Are you making me compete with this piece of
trash? Is he even worthy?”
“Exactly! Mr. Nolan is the successor of Nolan Pharmaceuticals with
assets worth over a billion dollars under his name. What does Dustin
have?” Lyra pursed his lips in disdain.
“Are you sure you want to bet on this?” Dahlia felt a little lost. To
her, Dustin had nothing other than his good looks. Conversely, Chris was
excellent in all aspects, be it his family background or personal
capabilities.
The two of them were far from being on par with each other. Dustin
could never beat Chris even if he were given five years, much less a
month.
“Of course. It’s only about whether you dare to accept the bet.”
Natasha raised her chin obnoxiously.
“What are we betting on?”
“Whoever loses the bet will have to apologize to the other and admit
that she had no standards.”
“Sure. The bet is on.” Dahlia nodded.
“Good. I hope you don’t regret it!” Natasha chuckled.
Both of them possessed equal beauty but contrasting temperaments. At
that moment, a rivalry had silently formed between the two.
“We shall find out when the time comes.” After casting one last
glance at Natasha, Dahlia turned around and entered Mirage without
another word.
“Pfft, you’re digging your own grave.” Chris and Lyra sneered again
before following Dahlia into the building. Not once did they take Dustin
seriously.
“Mr. Rhys, what do you think? Did I do well?” Natasha asked
coquettishly as she tucked her hair behind her ear. Even though her
action looked simple, there were many meanings behind it.
“You went slightly over the top,” Dustin said helplessly. “If we
lose, you’ll lose your reputation.”
“Lose? Are you kidding me? Don’t tell me you can’t even beat that
loser?” Natasha started to agitate Dustin.
“I’m an ordinary man. How am I supposed to compete with a successor
of a wealthy family?” Dustin shrugged.
“Ordinary? You’re too modest, Mr. Rhys. Your looks alone are out of
this world!” As Natasha blinked at him flirtatiously, she appeared like a
street thug harassing a lady.

Feeling speechless, Dustin pretended not to see it. Nevertheless, he
had to admit that her performance was impeccable. It saved his pride.
After all, very few women could steal Dahlia’s limelight, and Natasha was
undoubtedly one of them.

Chapter 12

After entering Mirage, Lyra vented her anger. “Ugh, that woman is
hot, but she’s blind to fall for an incompetent fool like Dustin.”

“I know, right? What a waste,” Chris chimed in with a long sigh. He
was rich and handsome, so why was he unable to meet a beautiful woman
too?

“That’s enough talk. We’re here for business,” Dahlia interrupted
them and said, “Lyra, go and find out which Harmon is in charge tonight.
It’d be best if we could promote ourselves.”

“I know a close friend who works at this place. I’ll give her a
call.” As Lyra spoke, she fished out her phone and dialed a number.
Before long, she informed Dahlia of good news. “Ms. Nicholson, tonight’s
charity event is organized by the Steel Lady herself. As for the partner,
it’ll depend on her preferences.”
“The Steel Lady? Could she be the famous business prodigy?” At the
thought of this, Dahlia’s eyes lit up with excitement. The Steel Lady had
a well-known reputation for being the only woman who singlehandedly
conquered the business world of Swinton, surpassing nearly all of the
other businessmen.
Dahlia couldn’t help but admire such an exceptional businesswoman.
However, she’d never met the Steel Lady.
“Lyra, ask your friend whether she could help us arrange a private
meeting with the Steel Lady. We can’t miss this opportunity,” said
Dahlia.
“I can try and ask her, but there’s no guarantee.”
“Okay. I will thank her afterward.” Deep down, Dahlia was bubbling
with anticipation. Being the Harmon family’s partner meant a lot to her.
If she could meet the Steel Lady in advance, she was confident that she
would be able to convince the other and prove herself.
…
As time passed, the number of guests gradually increased in Mirage.
Although the charity event had yet to commence, Natasha was already busy.
“Mr. Rhys, feel free to look around. I have to excuse myself. You can
ask anyone here if you need anything.”
“Alright. Thanks.”
“Julie, help me look after Mr. Rhys.” Then, Natasha headed toward her
office.
“Ms. Harmon…” Upon entering the room, a middle-aged manager
approached her with some documents. “Here is the information you asked
for. After several screenings, we have narrowed down only four companies
that qualify to be our partner. Please have a look and see if there’s
anything else you need.”
Natasha hummed in acknowledgment and nodded silently. She accepted
the documents and began reviewing them. After a while, she raised her
eyebrow as her interest was piqued.
“Huh, what a coincidence.”
A mischievous smirk formed on Natasha’s lips. It turned out that
Jackson Group was among the candidates, and in the documents was Dahlia’s
resume. Out of curiosity, she read everything about Dahlia and soon,
discovered something unusual.

Three years ago, Dahlia was a nobody while Jackson Group was unheard
of. Nonetheless, ever since she’d gotten married, her career experienced
inexplicably rapid growth. In merely three years, the small company with
assets worth less than millions of dollars had developed into one of the
most valuable corporations.
During that period, Dahlia not only received a tremendous amount of
investments but also orders for various projects. In Natasha’s opinion,
these achievements were questionable and there must have been strings
pulled behind the scenes. The problem was, however, Dahlia did not come
from an influential family nor did she have connections to pull this off.
“Could it be… him?” An image of Dustin appeared in Natasha’s mind.
Besides Dustin, she couldn’t think of anyone else who would help Dahlia
so unconditionally. Subsequently, she became even more intrigued. Who on
earth was Dustin?
No one could easily build Jackson Group into a large corporation in
only three years.
“Dustin, oh, Dustin. What exactly are you hiding?” Narrowing her eyes
slightly, Natasha was enthralled by the mystery surrounding Dustin.
“And that woman, Dahlia… What were you thinking? Why did you let go
of a wealthy husband and choose to get entangled with that bastard named
Chris instead? Are you really that stupid?” Natasha pondered and silently
heaved a sigh.
A man had sacrificed so much for a woman, but in the end, she was
ignorant and even self-righteously decided to divorce him. Natasha
couldn’t wrap her head around that. Nevertheless, she realized that the
situation had given her a chance to have Dustin all for herself.
“Ms. Harmon, are you considering Dahlia Nicholson from Jackson
Group?” asked the manager tentatively upon the rare sight of Natasha
reading the documents so intently.
“Dahlia? Hmph,” Natasha answered with a dissatisfied tone. “She is
qualified to be our partner, but I don’t like her.”
“Understood. I will remove her from the list right away!”
“No need. Reorganize the documents and show them to Mr. Rhys. Let him
decide,” Natasha instructed with an ambiguous smile.
“Yes.”
Although the manager was dumbfounded, he didn’t dare to question her
orders.
“Is there something else?” Natasha asked when he did not leave.
“Ms. Harmon, Edward Spanner from Drey Group had arrived earlier and
he wishes to meet you,” the manager explained with his head bowed.
“Edward? Trevor Spanner’s son? What is he doing here?”
Natasha was stunned.
“He says he wants to discuss business matters with you, but I doubt
that it is his true intention. Should I order the guards to kick him
out?”

“Trevor sent his son in his place? Ha… Never mind. I want to see what
tricks he has up his sleeves.”

Chapter 13

The hall where the event was held had become lively. On the stage, a
group of dancers dressed in vintage clothing danced to classical music.
Every facial expression and move was full of charm and grace, leaving a
lingering impression in the audience’s mind.
Below the stage sat a crowd of well-dressed celebrities. While some
clinked their glasses and chatted, others quietly enjoyed the
performance. Dustin had found an empty seat and sat down, sipping on a
glass of juice as he watched the show.

“Yo, Rhys! Didn’t think you would actually sneak in here!”

Suddenly, a discordant voice disrupted Dustin’s moment of peace.
Glancing over at the source, Dusin spotted Chris and Dahlia together with
the secretary.
“Hmph, what an unlucky day. Why are you everywhere?” Lyra huffed in
annoyance.
Dahlia didn’t say a word. She threw a cold glance at Dustin and went
to take a seat in the front row.
“Hey, the charity auction is starting soon. Can you even afford to
participate? Why are you sitting here?” Chris jeered.
“Who says I can’t sit here because I can’t afford it?” retorted
Dustin.
“That’s the rule! How can a sucker like you sit with us?” Chris said
with a contemptuous look.
“Are you deaf? Get up now!” Lyra kicked the chair Dustin was sitting
in.
“What happens if I don’t?” Dustin looked up at him.
“I’ll call the guards to kick you out!” threatened Lyra.
“Go ahead and try,” Dustin responded with an unbothered expression.
“Fine, you asked for it! Don’t blame me when you get humiliated!”
Just as Lyra wanted to raise her hand and call for the guards, Dahlia
stopped her.
“Cut it out. Let him be.”
“But…” Lyra frowned.
“Mind your own business,” Dahlia simply replied.
“Hmph, consider yourself lucky.”
Lyra glared at Dustin and left it at that. At this moment, her phone
rang. After answering the call, her expression froze and the arrogance on
her face was quickly replaced with horror.
“What’s wrong?” Dahlia asked upon sensing something amiss.
“Ms. Nicholson… it’s… it’s bad!” Lyra blurted nervously. “I just
received a tip-off that the Harmon family wants to remove the Jackson
Group from the candidate list!”
“What?” Dahlia’s face fell at the news. “Are you sure the tip is
reliable?”
“It should be. My friend overheard it at work!”
“How could this happen?” Dahlia’s expression was awful. After all,
she’d expended great effort in getting the Jackson Group on the candidate
list. Not only were large sums of money involved but she even owed
countless favors over this.
She thought that since they passed the preliminary screening and got
on the list, she could effortlessly secure the position of the Harmon
family’s partner as long as she met with the Steel Lady beforehand.
Who knew that they would get removed at the very last minute? It was
so sudden that Dahlia couldn’t comprehend what had happened.
“Ms. Nicholson, what do we do now? If we make it on the candidate
list, all of our hard work will be in vain!” Lyra lamented unhappily.
“Let me think…” Dahlia’s brows furrowed as she fell deep in thought.

Working as the Harmon family’s partner, they would be able to elevate
their social status while making extra profits. Although the Jackson
Group had grown quickly over the years, it lacked a solid foundation.
Hence, if they could join the Harmon family’s business venture, they
would have sure backing. Dahlia was so close to tasting success, yet
everything had come to naught.
“Mr. Rhys.” Just then, a manager from the Harmon family walked up to
Dustin’s side and handed him a folder. “The Iron Lady wants you to review
these documents and make the final decision.”
“Hmm?”
Dustin took the folder and his expression became a little strange. He
was looking at documents consisting of Dahlia and the Jackson Group’s
information. Natasha was indirectly making him choose to whether kick
them out of the candidate list.
“What the hell is she planning?”
Dustin held his chain while thinking, feeling some uncertainty.
Needless to say, Natasha was doing this on purpose. She wanted the power
in deciding the fate of Dahlia’s company to fall on him.
After thinking it over, Dustin chose not to remove them. Although
they were divorced, their relationship wasn’t as bad as to require
revenge. Besides, they had been married for three years. One way or
another, he genuinely hoped that Dahlia would do well in her life.
“Mr. Rhys, are you sure about your decision?”
The manager couldn’t help asking because he knew that Natasha wasn’t
fond of Dahlia.
“Yes.” Dustin nodded.
“Okay. We’ll do as you say.”
After giving him a polite smile, the manager promptly left with the
documents. Deep down, however, his impression of Dustin dropped slightly.
To him, this was Dustin’s best window of opportunity to gain Ms. Harmon’s
favor. Meanwhile, in the front-row seat, the clueless Dahlia and Lyra
were still worrying about the matter. Based on their status, they weren’t
qualified to change the Harmon family’s decision.
“Ahem…” Chris suddenly cleared his throat to get their attention
before saying, “Dahlia, if you’re worrying about the candidate list, I
might be able to help.”
“Really?” Lyra lit up at once and asked hurriedly, “Mr. Nolan, how
can you help us?”
“To be honest, my father has some connections with Old Mr. Harmon. As
long as my father makes the request, I believe the Harmon family will do
something about it.”
“Is that so? That’s awesome!” Lyra was filled with excitement as she
said, “Mr. Nolan, if you can help us with this, you will be our greatest
benefactor!”
“It’s not a big deal. I’ll make the call now.”
Chris laughed heartily, then dialed his father’s phone number to
briefly explain the situation.
“Alright, I got it. I’ll talk to Andrew when I have time,” Chris’
father, David, agreed perfunctorily and hung up the call. Thinking that
he’d solved the problem, Chris started to claim credit and said, “My
father has agreed to help. You guys don’t have to worry. It’ll be over
soon.”
“Great! Mr. Nolan, thanks to you, we can rest assured.”
Lyra sighed in relief.
“Thank you, Mr. Nolan,” added Dahlia.
“It’s a small matter. Don’t worry about it.”
Chris pretended to wave his hand generously. Then, he looked toward
Dustin with a provocative gaze. Dustin was enjoying his juice, completely
ignoring Chris. At this moment, Dahlia received a phone call. Taking out
her phone, she realized that it was from the general manager of Harmon
Group.

“Hello, is this Ms. Nicholson? I have good news for you. The top
management has decided to appoint you as the Harmon family’s partner.”

Chapter 14

“We were chosen?” Dahlia was shocked. She couldn’t believe his words.
The general manager wasn’t talking about her place on the candidate list,
but was referring to their appointment as the Harmon family’s partner!
They’d even skipped the final assessment. What was happening?
“Did you mean what you said?” Dahlia questioned tentatively.

“Of course. If you don’t believe it, you may come to our office
tomorrow to sign the contract. I have other things to attend to, so I’ll
hang up now.” After saying a few words, the general manager ended the
call.

Dahlia on the other end was feeling both astonished and delighted.
Never had she expected things to go so smoothly. A few moments ago, the
Jackson Group was just about to get removed from the candidate list but
in the blink of an eye, they had become the Harmon family’s partner.
Everything was happening too abruptly.
Of course, it must’ve been due to Chris’ help that she was able to
make it this far. The Nolan family’s influence was surprisingly
impactful. Only a phone call was needed to change the Harmon family’s
mind.
“Ms. Nicholson, what happened? Did the Harmon family change their
mind?” Lyra asked.
“Yes.” Dahlia nodded and flashed a rare smile. “The general manager
of Harmon Group called me just now and said I’m chosen to become their
partner!”
Lyra cheered. “Oh my god! I knew you could do it!”
“It’s all thanks to Mr. Nolan. This wouldn’t have happened without
his help,” Dahlia said gratefully.
“That’s right! Mr. Nolan is indeed the greatest. He solved our
problem with just a few words!” praised Lyra.
“You’re exaggerating. It was my father who did the favor,” Chris
replied with a smile. Although his words sounded humble, the smugness on
his face was unconcealable. In fact, he was also somewhat surprised by
the news. Since when did his father work so efficiently?
“Dustin, did you see that? This is the difference between you and Mr.
Nolan.” Lyra turned to look at Dustin and remarked mockingly. “Mr. Nolan
can easily secure us the position as the Harmon family’s partner with a
word. What can you do?”
“Don’t say that. At least, he’s good at sucking up to people,” Chris
added with a chuckle.
“Hmph, what else can he do? He’s an absolute good-for-nothing.” When
Dustin didn’t retort, Lyra’s arrogance was boosted and she continued,
“It’s a pity that the B*tch isn’t here to see how useless the man she
chose is.”
“Are you done talking? Move out of the way if you are, don’t block my
view,” Dustin uttered indifferently.
“Why? You can’t stand it when we said only a few words? If you have
half of Mr. Nolan’s capabilities, would you be afraid of others calling
you out? You’re hopeless.” Lyra sneered.
“Oh? Then, tell me, what is Chris capable of?” Dustin’s expression
became solemn. He might prefer to be low-key, but he wouldn’t tolerate
anyone who insulted him. He wasn’t a saint, after all.
“Mr. Nolan made us the partner of the Harmon family through a simple
phone call. If this isn’t capability, I don’t know what is,” Lyra
answered while staring down at Dustin condescendingly.

“How are you so sure that it was him? What proof do you have?” Dustin
countered.
“Who else if not Mr. Nolan? It’s definitely not you. I mean, look at
your terrible attitude!” Lyra snorted coldly.
“Hey, Rhys, what makes you think that the Harmon family would
suddenly change their mind if it wasn’t because of me?” Chris asked
haughtily.
“That’s right. The truth is right in front of you. Why can’t you just
admit it?” Lyra echoed.
“Don’t get too conceited. If I were you, I would go and confirm the
truth myself before thanking the wrong person,” Dustin said,
expressionless.
“From what I see, you’re just jealous of others because of your
incompetence,” scolded Lyra.
“Whatever floats your boat.” Dustin shrugged it off.
“Rhys, you wanted proof, right? Fine, I’ll give it to you!” Chris
sneered as he pulled out his phone to call David again, “Hey, Dad.”
“What is it this time?” David sounded annoyed over the phone.
“Nothing. I just wanted to know how did your talk with Old Mr. Harmon
go.”
“What talk? I’m still in a middle of a meeting. I don’t have the time
to help you with your nonsense. Don’t ever bother me over stuff like this
again!”
“What?” Chris was caught off guard when his father hung up the phone
angrily. The smile on his face had stiffened. Instantly, his intention to
boast about his capability was shattered. If his father didn’t help him,
then who did? Could it be a coincidence?
“Mr. Nolan, what did your father say? Let’s hear it,” Dustin said
with a fake smile. As he was seated right behind Chris, his keen ears
could pick up everything David had said on the phone. He didn’t even need
to listen to their conversation to know what was going on. Chris’
stupefied expression was self-explanatory.
“Mr. Nolan, don’t hesitate to tell us. We should let this bastard
understand that he could never compete with you!” Lyra prompted.
Meanwhile, Chris’ eye twitched. He pretended to be calm and replied
with a dismissive smile, “What’s there to tell you about? My father has
confirmed that he made a request to the Harmon family and helped us big
time. Otherwise, Dahlia wouldn’t have qualified to be their partner!”
Hearing this, Dustin frowned deeply as he didn’t expect Chris to be
so stubborn. How could he lie in front of everyone?
“Did you hear that, Dustin? I told you so, but you didn’t believe it.
What do you have to say now?” Lyra barked proudly.
“Would you believe me if I told you that Chris is lying?” Dustin
questioned back.
“Dustin, that’s enough!” At this moment, Dahlia couldn’t stand it
anymore. “Can you drop with your act for once? I know that you’re jealous
of Chris, but you can’t just slander him! Is it so difficult to admit
he’s good?” Dahlia stood up and yelled, a hateful look on her face.
Initially, she didn’t wish to argue with Dustin. However, seeing how
obstinate he was behaving, she really couldn’t bear to watch any further.
“Jealous? Slander?” Dustin paused, feeling slightly taken aback. “So,
that’s the kind of person I am in your eyes?”

“Look at yourself. Am I wrong?” Dahlia retorted. Her question
rendered Dustin speechless.

Chapter 15

Never in Dustin’s wildest dreams would he think that was how Dahlia
viewed him. She had no faith in him at all. As it turned out, three years
of marriage meant nothing when compared to an outsider.
“You’re right. I’m despicable, while Chris is a hero. I slandered
him. Are you happy now?” Dustin said self-mockingly. It was pointless to
defend himself when there was no trust to begin with.

“What’s with your attitude? Are you saying I’m accusing you?” Dahlia
frowned.

“Not at all. I’m the one to blame for badmouthing a good person,”
Dustin replied curtly.
“You’re so stubborn!” His words angered Dahlia. She never knew that
Dustin would act like this out of spite and refuse to admit his mistake.
Was he finally showing his true colors after their divorce?
“It’s all right, Dahlia. Don’t get too worked up.” At this time,
Chris put up a pretentious act of kindness and said, “Dustin must be
doing this because he doesn’t like that I’m too close to you. I don’t
blame him. Everyone makes mistakes.”
“Do you see how forgiving Chris is? This is the difference between
you and him!” Dahlia spat, disgusted.
“I’m not even going to try arguing with you if that’s what you
think,” Dustin replied in a clipped tone.
“Hmph, I bet it’s because you feel guilty,” Lyra commented
disdainfully. “People like you are detestable. Why do you insist on
putting on an act when you don’t have what it takes?”
“I don’t care about what you think of me.” Tired of bickering with
them, Dustin stood up and left.
Just then, a man with curly hair appeared at the hall entrance. He
had on a pair of sunglasses and was smoking a cigar.
“Damn, what a lively atmosphere!” Edward grinned as he looked around.
As soon as his eyes landed on Dahlia, he was momentarily dazed. Then the
look in his eyes quickly turned fiery.
“Tsk, tsk. I wasn’t expecting today to be my lucky day. I’ve met
another stunning woman!” Edward licked his lips and approached Dahlia
right away. He smiled and said, “Hey, beautiful. You look familiar. Have
we met before?”
Dahlia threw him a glance and ignored him.
“Our meeting must be fated. Why don’t you come and get a drink with
me?” Edward invited.
“I’m not interested,” Dahlia rejected without hesitation.
“Money can buy your interest,” Edward stroked his chin and uttered
slyly. “Let me get straight to the point then. If you sleep with me for
one night, I’ll pay you any amount you like.”
“Get lost,” Dahlia growled.
“Oh, dear. How feisty. I like it!” Edward laughed gleefully. While
speaking, he reached out his hand to touch her.
A loud slap sounded when Dahlia struck his face with her palm. Clear,
red fingerprints were imprinted on his cheek within seconds.
“You… you dare to slap me?” Edward touched his burning cheek, his
gaze darkening.
“What are you going to do about it? What an uneducated prick,” Dahlia
said impassively.

“B*tch! You’re asking for trouble!” Edward’s blood boiled and he
lifted his hand to hit Dahlia, but he was suddenly shoved away by Chris.
“F*cker, you dare to act out at this kind of occasion? Are you asking
for a beating?” Chris glared at Edward. How dare that bastard flirt with
his woman in front of his face?
“You rascal, you’d better stay out of this or face the consequences!”
Edward bellowed.
“Ha! Are you threatening me? Bring it on. Show me what you got!”
Chris provocatively waved his hand.
“Go to hell!” Without another word, Edward threw a punch at Chris.
The latter swiftly dodged his fist and countered his attack, landing a
blow on his face. Edward staggered backward with blood tricking down his
nose.
“You want to fight? Too bad you picked the wrong person!” Chris
scoffed.
“Mr. Nolan, you’re awesome! This thug deserves to be beaten up!” Lyra
praised loudly.
“Yeah! Good one!” The guests at the scene followed suit and
applauded, which stroke Chris’ ego. At last, his time to shine had
arrived. It felt incredible!
“Bastard, do you know who I am? You dare to hit me?” Edward seethed
through gritted teeth. If looks could kill, Chris would have been six
feet under.
“I couldn’t care less about who you are. Get out of here if you want
to live!” Chris barked fiercely.
“You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. You’d better not have run away
when I return!” After that, Edward quickly left the place. Chris sneered.
“What a fool. How dare he act all mighty in front of me?”
“Mr. Nolan, I didn’t know you were so strong. You beat him with just
a punch!” Lyra complimented him, her eyes glowing with admiration after
witnessing the fight.
“Haha, I can beat ten weaklings like him!” Chris laughed. It seemed
like his workout routine had paid off.
“Thankfully, you are here to stop him. Or else, we would’ve been in
trouble.”
“Fret not. If you reencounter such situations, give me a call and
I’ll protect you.” Chris patted his chest confidently. Naturally, he
wouldn’t let an opportunity to show off slip by.
“Ms. Nicholson, this is what a real man looks like!” Lyra said while
glancing at Dustin with sarcasm, “Not someone who runs away like a
scaredy cat whenever he faces small hurdles. How useless.”
Although Dahlia was quiet, she was filled with even more
disappointment. When she was in trouble just now, Dustin had stood idly
and watched without any sign of wanting to help. Putting their past
relationship aside, any other ordinary person would’ve stepped in to help
out even if they were strangers. She might not have noticed this before,
but now, Dustin’s uselessness was apparent as day. Compared to Chris, he
was far from being on par.
“Quick, seal off the exits!” All of a sudden, a burst of commotion
sounded. It was none other than Edward, who’d stormed out earlier. This
time, he was back with even more malice.

“What? Do you want to get another beating?” Chris stepped forward
like a heroic person. However, his vanity eventually faded away upon
seeing the group of burly bodyguards following behind Edward.

Chapter 16

“What the hell? Why did he bring so many people?” Chris
gulped, feeling faint for some reason. Weren’t they supposed to fight
one-on-one? Edward had disrespected the rules of a fair fight by
involving a gang. Though Chris was cursing in his heart, he had no choice
but to face them head-on. No matter what, he couldn’t lose face in front
of Dahlia. “That’s them. Surround them!” With a wave of his hand, the
bodyguards led by Edward dashed forward at once, surrounding Chris,
Dahlia, and Lyra. “What are you doing? I’m warning you, don’t you dare
touch me. My father is David Nolan, the president of Nolan
Pharmaceuticals!” Sensing that he was at a disadvantage, Chris hurriedly
threatened them with his father’s status. “So what?” one of the
bodyguards yelled. “Do you know who you’ve messed with? He is Sir
Spanner’s son, the heir of Drey Group!” His words caused an uproar among
the crowd. 2 “Sir Spanner? Is he talking about Trevor Spanner, King of
the Underworld from East City?” “It must be him!” “Poor guy. I can’t
believe he messed with Sir Spanner’s son. Looks like he’s doomed.”
Everyone started whispering to one another, expressing their fear. “You…
you guys work for Sir Spanner?” Chris stammered out of intimidation.
Trevor, also known as Sir Spanner, was East City’s infamous King of the
Underworld, second only to the Mighty Three. He was a man of ruthlessness
who showed no mercy to those who wronged him. Under his command were
hundreds of subordinates specialized in blackmail and other types of
crimes. In simpler terms, Trevor would be the most feared villain in a
story. Whoever offended him would face consequences worse than death.
“F*ck, I’ve made a huge blunder this time,” thought Chris in a cold
sweat. “What’s wrong? I thought you were confident. Are you scared now?”
Edward closed in on Chris, his eyes filled with viciousness. “Um, this is
a misunderstanding…” Chris forced a smile, sounding extremely submissive.
“Misunderstanding, my ass!” Edward roared in fury, slapping Chris across
the face twice, leaving his face marked with red fingerprints.
Suppressing his exasperation, Chris bit the bullet and smiled
apologetically. “My father is acquainted with Sir Spanner. Could you let
this slide for once? I’ll make it up to you.” “Who the F*ck do you think
you are? You’re not in the position to ask me for that.” Edward
forcefully poked Chris on the forehead with his index finger. With each
poke, Chris was forced a step back. At this very moment, Chris had his
tail between his legs, not daring to make a sound. Lyra couldn’t take it
anymore and shouted, “Hey, you bunch of thugs! Do you think it’s cool to
bully others?” “Why? Are you angry?” Pushing Chris aside, Edward headed
in Dahlia and Lyra’s direction with an evil smirk. “This is the Harmon
family’s territory. Don’t you dare cross the line!” Lyra warned sternly.
2 “You think I’m afraid of the Harmon family?” Edward scoffed and said,
“Besides, you guys were the ones who started the fight. I’m only acting
out of self-defense. What is the Harmon family going to do about it?” 2
“What… what bullshit are you spouting?” Lyra started to become frantic.
“Hmph, looks like you’ve not understood the situation. Let my men knock
some sense into you if that’s the case!” Edward gestured for his
bodyguards to make a move, and two of them stood forward menacingly. 1
“Stop right there!” Dahlia suddenly interrupted with a cold voice. “This
has nothing to do with her. Let her go.” “Does that mean you will take
the responsibility?” Edward let out a cruel chuckle. Sure. I’ll let her
off the hook, but in return, you have to sleep with me tonight. If you
manage to satisfy me, I’ll pretend that none of this happened.” “You’re
shameless!” Dahlia raised her hand to slap him, but Edward caught her
wrist just in time. “B*tch, how dare you hit me again? Boys, tie her up!”
“Yes, sir!” Several bodyguards complied and immediately seized Dahlia.
“Let go of her, you thugs!” Just as Lyra was about to rescue Dahlia,
Edward ruthlessly Chagh kicked her to the ground. “Mr. Nolan… Please save
her!” Lyra cried out in pain, unable to get to her feed. Helplessly, she
could only beg Chris. “Edward, let’s talk this out. Why involve the
women?” Chris tried to persuade Edward. For Dahlia’s sake, he had to
resort to pleading for mercy. “F*ck you. I’m not done with you yet, and
you’re trying to save someone else?” Edward cussed. “No, no! That’s not
what I meant. There’s no need to get violent. We can settle this
peacefully,” Chris explained politely. “Shut your trap!” Edward’s heavy
slap sent Chris stumbling to the ground. “Say one more word and I will
kill you.” a Chris shrank back and kept silent. Although he cared about
Dahlia, he had to save his skin first. After all, it was unreasonable to
offend Sir Spanner over a woman. “Hmph. Turns out you’re just a coward!”
Edward jeered, “I don’t understand why these women would stick with you.”
Chris felt insulted, but he couldn’t do anything about it. “You two, stop
struggling already. Take them away. I’m going to have a blast tonight.”
Then, Edward ordered his men to tie Dahlia and Lyra up and bring them
away. “Mr. Nolan! Please, help us!” Lyra screamed at the top of her
lungs. However, Chris didn’t react as he kept his head bowed. His
cowardness made the people around shake their heads. Obviously, Chris was
too timid to do anything. Just when everyone thought that Dahlia would
inevitably be violated, a figure suddenly appeared in front of Edward and
blocked his path. “You’re not allowed to touch her.” “What the F*ck? Are
you trying to be the hero too?” Edward sneered. “I advise you to let her
go before things get out of hand,” Dustin stated coldly. Edward chuckled
with indifference. “What if I refuse?” “Then, go to hell!”

Chapter 17

“Then go to die!” Dustin stated expressionlessly, but his
hard gaze was unnerving. “Go to thell?” Edward burst out laughing. Even
the group of bodyguards standing behind him burst into laughter; all of
them looked at Dustin as though he were an idiot. “You little punk! Don’t
you know who I am? You’ve got some nerve speaking to me that way,” Edward
said cockily. “I don’t know who you are, and I couldn’t care less. You
have three seconds to let her go, or else,” Dustin stated plainly. His
words instantly caused a stir; even the people who were holding Dahlia
were shocked. None of them expected that Dustin would say such a thing;
he was remarkably brave compared to the silent Chris. However, such
bravery was useless. “You really don’t know what’s good for you. You’re
going to die!” Chris‘ face was full of resentment because Dustin’s show
of bravado only made his cowardice even more apparent. Naturally, Chris
was irritated and even filled with resentment when a good–for- nothing
like Dustin was braver than he was. “Are you F*cking insane?” Edward
looked Dustin up and down before continuing, “So you want to play hero,
huh? Fine! I’ll see just what you’ve got!” With that, he raised his hand
and gave another signal. Two burly bodyguards swiftly charged forward at
the same time to tackle Dustin. Both of them were 6.3 feet tall,
extremely muscular, and the size of a bear. They each had an imposing
presence. Dustin looked like a mere child in comparison, so everyone
present assumed that this confrontation would be over without suspense.
They were wrong. As they drew nearer to him, Dustin delivered two swift
punches that connected loudly with each of the men’s faces. And just like
that, the two huge men collapsed to the floor as though they had been
struck by lightning and were motionless. “Huh?” Everyone was visibly
shocked by what they had just seen. No one understood what had happened
as, in the blink of an eye, both of the bodyguards were on the floor.
Meanwhile, Dustin was standing there unscathed. “F*ck! What did that punk
just do?” Edward’s expression sank. The two men who had just fallen were
his most capable bodyguards; they could take on a group of people on
their own without any problem. Hence, it was strange that they were both
laying unmoving on the floor after just one face–off. “This is your last
chance. Let her go,” Dustin threaten coldly. “In your dreams! Get him!”
Edward retorted angrily and waved his hand to signal his men. The
remaining bodyguards behind him immediately surrounded Dustin, but he
merely scoffed and attacked first, not wasting any more time on words.
His movements were as fast as lightning, and his attacks were extremely
fierce. Each of his punches connected loudly with its target. The burly
bodyguards were utterly defenseless, like sheep waiting to be
slaughtered, in the face of Dustin, who was like a ferocious tiger.
Muffled grunts could be heard, and in the short span of a few breaths,
they were all lying on the floor. The hall was completely silent as the
last bodyguard dropped to the floor with an audible thud. All the guests
had their jaws slack and were staring at Dustin with wide eyes as though
he were an anomaly. None of them would’ve ever guessed that he was so
fearsome. He had effortlessly taken down so many men with his own
strength, just like in a movie scene. “How is this guy so strong?” Chris‘
eyes were wide open in disbelief. “How can it be? Is this really that
piece of trash, Dustin Rhys?” a dumbfounded Lyra wondered out loud,
feeling unsettled. “He… knows how to fight?” Dahlia had an indecipherable
expression on her face once she came back to her senses. They had been
married for three years but she never knew that Dustin was such a
formidable fighter. “Was he just really good at hiding it? Or was it
because I never cared enough to notice?” she wondered. 1 “Y–you! Who are
you!” Edward started panicking at this point and he involuntarily took
two steps back. “I… am your reckoning,” Dustin stated as he slowly
advanced toward Edward. “Stay back!” Edward shouted as he suddenly pulled
out a switchblade and held it against Dahlia’s throat. “Come any closer,
and I’ll slit her throat!” “The thing I hate most is being threatened.”
Dustin’s expression turned cold and in a flash, he charged forward and
grabbed hold of Edward’s hand that was holding the knife. Then, with a
forceful twist, the switchblade fell to the floor with a loud clattering
sound. Edward was stunned for a moment before he let out a piercing
shriek, similar to that of a pig being slaughtered. “Argh-” “Shut up.”
Dustin cut Edward off with a slap to his face just as his shriek barely
left his mouth. Edward’s expression instantly soured, as though he had
just tasted shit. “You… you’re dead meat! All of you are dead meat!”
Edward somehow mustered up the courage to throw out a threat. “Is that
so?” Dustin questioned stoically as he kicked Edward over with one foot.
Seeing this, Dahlia immediately stood in front of Dustin to block him.
“Stop! You can’t harm him, the consequences will be too severe!” “I don’t
care,” Dustin stated indifferently. “But I do!” Dahlia’s expression was
grave. “Do you even know that we will all suffer the consequences with you if you beat him up?”
Dustin frowned upon hearing
her words. He thought she was concerned for his well–being, but it turns
out she was only concerned for herself. “Stop while you’re ahead, Dustin.
Don’t drag us down with you!” Lyra called out. “That’s right! I see
you’ve grown tired of living to dare lay a hand on Mr. Spanner!” Chris
called out before hurriedly helping Edward to his feet and explaining,
“We have nothing to do with Dustin Rhys hitting you just now, Mr.
Spanner.” His words weren’t just to shift the blame onto Dustin; they
were also a direct accusation. Dustin narrowed his eyes, feeling as
though a weight had been placed on his chest. The only reason he had
taken action earlier was to save Dahlia, but he was now being painted as
a violent villain in the end. It was hard for him not to feel displeased
about this. “You little punk! You’re good at fighting? So what!” Edward,
having mistaken Dustin’s silence for terror, instantly rediscovered his
confidence. “Let me tell you, power and status are what matter in
society. You better believe I’ll make you meet a tragic end if you dare
lay another hand on me!” Dustin didn’t say anything in return, but his
furious expression could be seen in his eyes. “What’s the matter?
Scared?” Edward grinned. “Since you’ve got no guts, get on your knees and
bow down to me! I might just let you off if you put me in a good mood.”

Chapter 18.

“Why are you just standing there? Hurry up and beg Mr.
Spanner for forgiveness!” Chris chimed in, taking advantage of the
situation to add to Dustin’s humiliation. Chris was green with jealousy
when Dustin was showing off earlier, so he was now trying to get some
payback. “Will he kneel? Or will he not? If he does, he will forever be
too ashamed to show his face. But if he doesn’t, he might be dead or
maimed once Edward retaliates,” Chris thought. “Hey punk, don’t say I
didn’t give you a chance to make amends! I’ll spare you if you grovel at
my feet today. If not, don’t blame me for being merciless.” Edward jabbed
Dustin’s chest with his finger with a smug expression on his face. “What
does it matter if he knows how to fight when he has no power and no
status? In the eyes of the public, he’s nothing more than a foot
soldier,” he continued mentally. “Are you aware that you’re playing with
fire?” Dustin asked as he looked at Edward’s finger. “Playing with fire?”
Edward smirked. “Not only do I want to play with fire, but I also want to
play with your woman! Believe it or not, I’m going to have my way with
her tomorrow while you watch. And not only me, but my men will each get a
turn as well, and I want you to watch it all helplessly. I want you to
understand what it’s like to despair, to believe that living is worse
than death!” Dustin’s expression instantly turned thunderous at Edward’s
words, and he could no longer hold back his rage. “You asked for this!”
he shouted as his hand shot forward to forcefully grab Edward by the
throat and lift him above his head. He then raised his other hand and
ruthlessly landed two punches on Edward’s abdomen. Edward made a gagging
sound as he felt his stomach churn, making him want to vomit, but he
found that he couldn’t as his throat was being constricted. His face soon
turned red as he felt himself suffocating. Suddenly, he had a sense that
he had made a grave mistake. “Stop it!” Dahlia yelled, moving forward to
intervene. Dustin ignored her and dealt another vicious punch, this time
to Edward’s crotch. The gruesome sound of flesh being minced could be
heard before blood flowed to the floor. Edward let out a groan as his
body spasmed. He was in such excruciating pain that he couldn’t cry out
even though he wanted to, and in the end, his head lulled to one side as
he fainted. Everyone was stunned as they stared at the bloodstained area.
Not even in their wildest dreams would they ever imagine that Dustin
could be so cruel as to discontinue Edward’s family line with a single
punch. After all, he was Sir Spanner’s son! Sir Spanner was the kind of
man who would come after you for touching even a strand of hair on his
son’s head, much less injuring him. Safe to say, from today onward,
Dustin had incurred Sir Spanner’s vengeful wrath. “Have you lost your
mind!” Dahlia’s expression changed drastically as she forcefully shoved
Dustin. “Do you even know what you’ve done? You’ve just gotten yourself
into deep shit this time!” An apology or money could be used to rectify
the situation if it was only a light injury or bruise, but there’s no way
Trevor will let things slide so easily now that Edward has been beaten to
such a state. “All I did was take care of one of society’s scum, is that
so wrong?” Dustin shot back, perfectly composed. “That’s not the point,
the point is you shouldn’t have harmed him!” Dahlia rebuked, frowning.
“Hey Dustin, you shouldn’t drag us all down with you if you’re so eager
to die! Do you know what the consequences of harming Sir Spanner’s son
are?” Chris‘ face was flushed with rage. Although Dustin was the one who
had harmed Edward, Chris had also shoved Edward previously; hence, he’s
also worried that he wouldn’t be able to get away with it when Sir
Spanner investigates and finds out about it. “Alright, that’s enough!
Since it’s come to this, you should hurry up and run. Get as far from
here as you can while there’s still time!” Dahlia reacted quickly. away
She knew that once news of Edward’s maiming got out, Sir Spanner would
surely be furious. And when that time came, Dustin would be at a dead end
once he mobilizes all of his forces. “I don’t think I need to,” Dustin
stated, his demeanor still indifferent. “Stop acting tough! Sir Spanner
is more powerful than you think, your martial arts. skills won’t be
enough to save you!” Dahlia chastized. Even if he knew how to fight, he
couldn’t stop bullets! “He’s not the type of person to listen to reason,
Ms. Nicholson, stop wasting your breath. Furthermore, we should not
interfere in matters unrelated to us in order to avoid bringing trouble
upon ourselves.” Lyra quickly interjected. “That’s right, this guy can’t
run!” Chris said, suddenly blocking the exit as though something had
occurred to him. “What are we going to do if he runs away? What if Sir
Spanner exacts his revenge on us instead? Won’t we just become the fall
guys!” “Mr. Nolan has a point!” Lyra chimed in, coming to the same
realization. “If Dustin runs away, we’re going to be the ones who
suffer!” “What are you talking about? Dustin just saved us!” Dahlia’s
brows furrowed. “Nobody asked him to, he’s the one who poked his nose
into our business!” Lyra scoffed. “Exactly! And seeing as he has brought
this upon himself, he should be the one to face it!” Chris chimed in
self–righteously. “Both of you-” Dahlia’s pretty face turned cold as she
started to speak when Dustin interrupted her. “You all can be at ease. I
will take responsibility for my actions; I won’t implicate any of you.”
“This is a matter of life and death! Could you please drop the macho
act!” Dahlia raised her voice, slightly annoyed. “You don’t need to worry
about what happens to me, Ms. Nicholson. This has absolutely nothing to
do with you, so just sit back and watch,” Dustin declared loudly, “What
do you mean by that? Do you think I’m worried about being implicated?”
Dahlia asked, frowning. “Is that not the case?” Dustin looked directly at
Lyra and Chris as he said this. Dahlia was at a loss for words after his
subtle hint. Although the thought never crossed her mind, the same
couldn’t be said for her secretary, who had already drawn a line early
on. In Dustin’s eyes, he thought her secretary’s words were the same as
hers. “I don’t care what you think; you have to leave today!” Dahlia’s
tone suddenly became forceful. “And I don’t care what you say, I’m not
leaving.” With that, Dustin turned and walked out to the flower garden.
“You!” Dahlia was fuming. “Why is he so rebellious?” she wondered.

Chapter 19.

The hall was in an uproar because of Dustin’s actions. The
timid guests had long left, in fear of becoming caught in the crossfire.
As for the unconscious and critically injured Edward, his bodyguards had
immediately taken him to the hospital. “This is troublesome.” Dahlia had
a concerned look on her face as she scowled. Sir Spanner was infamous for
being cruel and ruthless, and he surely wouldn’t be inclined to just let
things go when his son had been beaten into such a state. Dustin may not
have much longer to live. “Lyra, I want you to find out if there’s any
way this can be resolved peacefully,” Dahlia suddenly said. Lyra was
puzzled. “What do Dustin’s actions have to do with us, Ms. Nicholson? Why
do we need to expend effort for his sake?” a Dahlia had a frosty
expression as she retorted, “He saved my life earlier. Should I just
watch him die?” “That’s not what I meant, I just think it would be very
unwise to cross Sir Spanner at this point. Moreover, no one would
willingly get involved in this mess,” Lyra explained. “It doesn’t matter,
we have to try.” Dahlia had a resolute look in her eyes. “… Very well
then,” Lyra responded, having no choice but to comply. She then
immediately started making calls to all their connections. However, all
the big bosses immediately hung up from fright once they had gotten a
grasp of the situation, and none of them dared step in since Sir Spanner
was involved. “You see, Ms. Nicholson? It’s not because we don’t want to
help, but because we can’t,” Lyra said, waving her hands. “Try again,”
Dahlia ordered, frowning. “There’s no point-” Lyra shook her head as she
began to speak when she noticed Chris off to the side. “Hey, maybe Mr.
Nolan will be able to help us.” “Me?” Chris asked, surprised, as he
pointed to himself. “Yes! Didn’t you say before that your father was
friends with Sir Spanner? Your father might be able to
mitigate the situation, right?” Lyra asked expectantly. “Err…” Chris was
taken aback. His father did indeed know Sir Spanner, but their
relationship was strictly all business. There might be a chance of
mitigation if it were just a small matter, but Edward had been severely
harmed, so how could Sir Spanner possibly be persuaded to refrain from
retaliating? “I’ll owe you big time if you’re able to help with this, Mr.
Nolan!” Dahlia exclaimed earnestly. Looking at her expectant expression,
Chris couldn’t help having a dilemma. This was his best chance of wooing
her, so naturally, he wasn’t willing to let it pass him by. “I can give
it a try, but I can’t guarantee anything. After all, it is Sir Spanner.”
Chris eventually agreed after briefly mulling it over. Dahlia visibly
relaxed. “I understand. I’ll already be so grateful as long as Dustin
doesn’t lose his life!” “Alright, I’ll try my best,” Chris said casually,
nodding. It would be great if it worked out, but there weren’t any cons
if it didn’t. After all, Dahlia already owed him a favor by asking for
his help. Meanwhile, at a lounge in Mirage. Natasha’s lips curled into a
meaningful smile as she watched the events unfold on a monitor. She had a
clear view of Edward being beaten and almost gave in to the urge to clap
her hands and cheer. She had always found some members of the Spanner
family to be as annoying as flies, but she hadn’t been able to take any
action toward them due to certain reasons. Thankfully, Dustin did not
disappoint. She was quite delighted with his performance today. “Ms.
Harmon, I’m afraid Mr. Rhys does not have enough influence to protect him
from Trevor’s wrath. Should we assist him?” Alfred Jarvis, a butler who
was standing by her side, suddenly asked. “Let’s not be hasty. Have
someone monitor him–it’s too soon to say if Trevor outmatches him.”
Natasha’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Dustin’s imposing figure on the
screen. Cer “Oh? Do you think so highly of him?” Alfred asked, slightly
bewildered. Natasha smirked. “More like intrigue–I have a feeling that
he’s full of surprises.” “You don’t actually have feelings for him, do
you, Ms. Harmon? Please keep in mind that you already have a fiancé-”
“Hm?” Natasha cast a chilly glance in Alfred’s direction, and he
instantly went silent from fear. “Remember this: You are in no position
to say anything about my personal affairs; just focus on performing your
own duties well.” “Yes, Ms. Harmon.” Alfred didn’t dare say anything
further as he felt a chill run down his spine. Midnight at the district
hospital. In an instant, Edward was surrounded by a crowd of people as
the emergency operating room’s doors opened, and he was wheeled out on a
hospital bed with his lower half completely bandaged. At the forefront of
the group was a tall and brawny man with a full beard and mustache. It
was none other than East City’s King of the Underworld, Trevor Spanner.
“Doctor! How’s my son!” Trevor asked first. The doctor sighed. “His life
is not in peril, however, the damage to his genitals is quite extensive.
I’m afraid he won’t be able to regain full function.” “What!” Trevor’s
expression changed drastically upon hearing this. Won’t be able to regain
full function? Didn’t that just mean he’d become impotent! “Don’t you all
know how to do your jobs? You can’t even treat such a light injury?”
Trevor yelled, grabbing the doctor by the collar of his shirt. “We’ve
tried everything we could, sir, but I’m afraid the injury is just too
severe. Preserving his life was no easy task either,” the doctor replied
with a tinge of exasperation. The doctor had never encountered something
so tragic–the patient’s genitals had been reduced to a pile of mush. If
he hadn’t arrived at the hospital in time, he might have even lost his
life. “You’re useless! Get out of my sight!” Trevor, whose expression was
frighteningly thunderous, bellowed as he shoved the doctor aside. If the
best doctors at the district hospital couldn’t do anything, then his son
really was invalid. “Talk! What the hell happened!” Trevor abruptly
turned and demanded angrily from the bodyguards who stood behind him.
“Edward was fine, why has he been beaten to a pulp!” “Sir Spanner, he…”
One of the bodyguards mustered up the courage to summarize what had
happened. Trevor’s temper immediately flared once he finished listening,
and he raised his hand and brutally slapped the bodyguard across the
face. “Useless pieces of shit! What’s the point in hiring all of you if
you can’t even defeat one man!” Trevor roared out. However, his rage
didn’t subside at all, so he slapped each of them multiple times. The
bodyguards lowered their heads, not daring to speak. “Why are you still
standing there? Go gather more men and bring that punk to me! I don’t
care who he is. I’m going to cut him into pieces for daring to harm my
son!” Trevor’s forces began mobilizing with his one order. It would
appear that a turbulent storm was rapidly brewing…

Chapter 20.

The next morning, in the most luxurious private room at
Mirage. “Mr. Rhys, thank you for protecting me. Here is the canscora you
wanted. Please take a look.” Natasha put an exquisite wooden box on the
table before pushing it forward. “Huh?” Dustin opened the box and saw a
blood–red canscora in it. The herb was crooked, like a dragon’s tooth. It
had an interesting appearance. He gently sniffed it, and its unique
stench filled his nose. “It is really a canscora! Thank you, Ms. Harmon!”
Dustin’s face lit up. He had been searching for various rare herbs all
these years. Finally, he found another one. There were still five herbs
left. If he could collect the remaining five herbs, there would be hope!
“You’re welcome. You deserve it. Come to think of it, I should be the one
thanking you.” Natasha smiled. “Ms. Harmon, I have a favor to ask. Can
you contact me immediately next time if you find such rare herbs? I am
willing to pay heavily for them!” Dustin looked serious. “Of course I can
do that. But I’m curious about the reason you’re collecting these herbs.”
Natasha asked hesitantly. “To save someone.” Dustin hesitated before
saying, “I have a friend who is seriously injured. I need these rare
herbs to save him.” “Oh, what disease did he get? Even you can’t cure
him?” Natasha appeared surprised. She had witnessed Dustin’s medical
skills before. It was not an overstatement to say that he could even
bring the dead back to life. “Medical skills alone are not enough. I need
various herbs to heal him.” Dustin shook his head. One could not make
bricks without straw. No matter how good his medical skills were, he
could not cure many diseases without the proper herbs. “I see.” >>
Natasha nodded as realization dawned upon her. “Alright. I’ll keep an eye
out for you. I’ll contact you immediately if there’s any news.” “Thank
you in advance, Ms. Harmon.” Dustin gave a slight nod. “No problem. Let’s
keep in touch.” Natasha gave a wink. “Sure. We’ll keep in touch.” Dustin
did not stay for long. After making some small talk, he excused himself
and left. 20 minutes later, in front of Peaceful Medical Center. Holding
two bottles of alcohol, Dustin strolled into the medical center. “Hey,
drunkard, look what I’ve brought you!” He exclaimed while scanning the
area. He followed the sound of a man snoring, and soon he saw a drunk man
with a flushed face under a table in the medical center. The man was one–
eyed and had a broken leg. He looked like a shaggy beggar. “Hey, wake
up!” Dustin pushed him. The man ignored him, turned around, and continued
sleeping. His snore became louder. “You seem to be sleeping rather
soundly.” Smirking, Dustin opened a bottle of alcohol. The fragrance of
the alcohol spread across the room. The next second, the sleeping man was
jolted out of his sleep. He bumped his head on the table with a bang and
broke the table in half! Ignoring the glass shards on the floor, he
instantly snatched the bottle in Dustin’s hand and poured it into his
mouth. “This is some good stuff!” The one–eyed man exhaled a sigh of
relief, feeling refreshed. “This alcohol cost me a lot of money. You’d
better save some for later.” Dustin reminded him. “Come on.” The man
rolled his eyes. “You’re a wealthy guy. Two bottles of alcohol are
nothing to you.” “Even so, you can’t waste them!” “Cut the nonsense! Why
are you here?” The one–eyed man glared at him. “I’ve found another rare
herb.” Dustin handed him the box with the canscora. “Huh?” The man opened
the box and immediately frowned. “Bastard, I told you not to search for
herbs for me anymore. I’m going to die anyway. Dying now and dying later
doesn’t make a difference.” “That’s your problem, but I’m going to
continue searching for herbs. It has nothing to do with you.” Dustin
shrugged. “Hey! Why are you so stubborn?” The one–eyed man began to
panic. “Do you know that the Rhys family controls all the main herbs
needed for the production of life–sustaining medications? They will
eventually find out if you keep searching for herbs!” “So what? I’m not
the same person I was ten years ago,” Dustin answered. “Kid, I know
you’ve progressed and are better than them, but the Rhys family is
unbeatable. Nobody can fight against them. I don’t want you to get
involved again!” the man said somberly. “Life is guided by destiny. I’ve
been hiding for ten years, and I don’t want to hide anymore. I want to
live the rest of my life confidently!” Dustin was determined. “You will
face many hardships if you choose this path. Your mother wanted you to
live peacefully like a normal person.” “My mother has passed away and she
will never come back. You are the only relative I have left in this
world. How can I watch you die just like that?” Dustin shouted. “My life
is worthless. It doesn’t matter!” “Then I’ll die with you!” “Gosh! Why
are you so stubborn? Even if you don’t think of yourself, you should
consider your pretty wife. Do you want her to become a widow?” The one–
eyed man used his trump card. He had already noticed Dustin’s ambition
three years ago, so he had even chosen a pretty lady to marry Dustin so
that Dustin would settle down. He would use this method every time they
got into an argument, and it always worked! “It’s no use. We’re
divorced.” Dustin shook his head. “What? Divorced?” The one–eyed man was
stunned. No way. He couldn’t use Dustin’s wife as an excuse anymore.
Without any ties, Dustin would go all–in soon! “I’ve already made up my
mind. No matter if you agree or not, I will do it. You know my
character,” Dustin said firmly. “Whatever. If that’s what you want, go
ahead.” The one–eyed man waved his hand. ” The worst that could happen
would be me losing another leg and becoming completely blind.” “You won’t
become blind. I’ll make sure you stay alive.” Dustin gently clenched his
fist as determination filled his eyes. Ten years ago, the one–eyed man
had protected him. Now, it was Dustin’s time to protect him.

Chapter List