An Understated Dominance (Chinese Version) Chapter 501-600

Three minutes later, Julie hung up with a calmer demeanor. “Julie, I call
ed up Terrence. He promised to help you out. He can’t guarantee that you’
ll get the debts paid, but he can assure your safety.”

“Great. Thanks for going through the trouble for me. We’ll leave now. Tru
e to her word, Dahlia left with Dustin
soon after.

At noon, Nelson and Hank were enjoying a casual tea break at the office o
f Flame Dragon Properties. A s*xily-
clad secretary was tending to the men with great attention.
“Lord Horst, this is a limited–
edition Rolex for a successful man like you. Check it out. Do you like it
?” Hank
handed Nelson a gift box, which carried a watch gilded with gold.

“Not bad, Mr. Hoffman. That’s thoughtful of you.” Nelson beamed in satisf
action and asked, “What brings you here? I don’t think you’re just here t
o send me the watch.”

“It’s all thanks to you that our company is doing well. It’s only fair to get you a
gift.” Hank suddenly changed. the topic of the conversation. “But I ran
into some trouble recently, and I’ll need your help.”
“Oh? What trouble? I’m all ears.” Nelson downed the drink in his cup.

“Well, the headquarters sent a new chairman to keep us in check. The new
chairman is pretty slick. To defeat her, I issued her a challenge to get
you to pay the 70 million in debt. If she fails, she’ll have to vacate th
e
position.” Hank offered a loaded description of the problem.
“I got it.” Nelson caught up fast. “You want me
to teach her a lesson. Is that it?”

“Indeed!” Hank nodded with a grin. “Do whatever you like to her, as long
as you keep her alive!”

“What’s the background of that new chairman?” Nelson demanded more inform
ation before he agreed to it. Although the Flame Dragon Gang was notoriou
s in the region, they could not afford to offend certain entities-
for example, the branch families of the Fabulous Five or the disciples o
f the Tremendous Three.

“Lord Horst, I have looked into her. She’s nothing.” Hank was confident.

Chapter 502

Dahlia might have the backing of Regulus Nicholson, but the patriarch in
Glenstead was too far away from

Balerno to pose any threat.

“Oh, it shouldn’t be a problem if she’s nothing special.” Nelson chuckled
. “She’d better not show up! If she ever does, I’ll make it tough on her!
” It was simply ridiculous for a person who wasn’t rich or powerful to de
mand
money from him.

“Lord Horst, I’ll have to trouble you for this. When it’s done, I’ll send
you a gift.” Hank bowed to Nelson.

“Haha! Not a problem. We’re brothers. Take it easy.” A wide smile appeare
d on Nelson’s face. Based on his past experiences, the mention of a “gift
” would imply at least a million dollars in monetary reward.

“Lord Horst …” One of Nelson’s men knocked on the door during the convers
ation. Nelson raised his brows unhappily. “What? Can’t you see that I’m i
n a business meeting with my client?”

“A few visitors demanded to see you. They would like you to pay your debt
s,” the man reported the situation.
“Oh, they sure act fast! Speak of the devil!” Nelson rubbed his chin.

Hank cracked a smile. “Lord Horst, I shall be the audience for your show.
”

“Open your eyes wide and see how I teach her a lesson!” With a slap on th
e table, Nelson rose and marched out of the room. At the same time, Hank
went to the window and watched the situation unfold from the gap
between the curtains.

Meanwhile, Dahlia was standing at the entrance to the Flame Dragon Proper
ties with Dustin to her left and
Julie to her right.

“Dahlia, should we call it off? Look at the men in there! They are scowli
ng and glaring at us. It’s so terrifying!” Julie cowered behind them and
swallowed hard in fear. The Flame Dragon Gang was known for its

ruthlessness, and she was gravely concerned that the gang might s*xually
assault her after she entered their
nest.
“We’re already at the entrance. We can’t give up
at the last minute, right?” Dahlia, however, was calm and
composed.

“Dahlia, the gang is violent! What if Julie stammered because, at that mo
ment, she saw Nelson emerging with a bunch of men in tow, ready
to fight. She was shaking at the sight of his contracted brows and his
deathlike stare.

“Who’s the daredevil who asks me to pay up?” Nelson marched forward fearl
essly.

“It’s me.” Dahlia took a step forward and announced in a shrill voice, “L
ord Horst, it’s only fair to pay your debts. It’s time for you to pay the
70 million you owe to my company.”

“Haha! You’re quite bold!” Cackling, Nelson gestured at the men. “Someone
get me my saber!”

“Yes, Sir!” The men replied and immediately hauled out a brass ring saber
for him.

“Crap! We’re done for!” Looking pale, Julie seemed ready to faint. Simila
rly, Dahlia was nervous about Nelson’s

Chaucer SIZ
actions.

“Hmph! They overestimated themselves!” A gleeful smile spread on Hank’s f
ace as he stared down from the
windows above.

“Nelson Horst, are you seriously going to slash people when you’re in the
wrong for not paying your debts?” Dustin suddenly emerged from behind Da
hlia.

“Hmm?” When Nelson saw Dustin, he appeared to be struck by lightning and
dropped the brass ring saber

onto the ground. Realizing the gravity of their situation, he turned arou
nd
and slapped one of his men on the face as he yelled, “Why the F*ck did yo
u even bring that saber to me? Quick! Get me a check!”

Chapter 503

“What?” The man was in a state of confusion after being slapped. He held
his cheek, looking lost. The other

men exchanged looks of shock. No one had expected that outburst from Nels
on, who one second ago was

screaming about slashing the visitors. And the next second, Nelson appear
ed frightened, as though he saw
ghosts. What was going on?

“What are you doing there? Hurry up and get me the check!” Nelson gave th
e frozen man a nervous kick.

“Okay…” The man hurriedly stumbled his way back to the office. He had no
clue about the situation, but one thing was for sure–
Lord Horst was fearful.

During the wait, Nelson went up to Dustin and squeezed an apologetic smil
e. “Sir Rhys, when did you arrive? You should have informed me earlier, s
o I could send someone to pick you up.”

“Sir Rhys?” Dahlia and Julie were stunned by Nelson’s obsequious behavior
. They
looked at each other in disbelief. Why would the cruel Lord Horst of the
Flame Dragon Gang act in such a humble manner after meeting Dustin?

“Nelson Horst, it’s only fair that you pay off the debts of the Flame Dra
gon Gang. Understood?” Dustin scolded Nelson. The latter nodded fervently
as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Right, Sir Rhys, you’re right.
I was acting without thinking just now. I promise I won’t do that again.”

“That’d better be the case. By the way, you were a hooligan just now. You
should apologize to the debtor.”
Dustin warned him.

“Chairman Nicholson, I’m very sorry. I was rude to you just now, and I ca
n only hope that you show me grace and forgive me this time.” Nelson plas
tered a smile on his face as he continuously bowed and apologized. Howeve
r, his behavior came unexpectedly for Dahlia. She had mentally prepared h
erself to fight a gangster, but never had she expected the fierce–
looking Lord Horst to turn into a tame animal this soon.

She wasn’t the only one who received a great shock. To be honest, Julie w
as at a loss for words as well. She

questioned if Nelson Horst was still the same man as the notorious and fo
rmidable Lord Horst she knew.

“Lord Horst, I’m only here to collect the debts. Please forgive me if I o
ffended you in any way.” Dahlia politely
responded to him.

“Don’t say that! It’s all my fault for owing you the payments in the firs
t place.” Nelson was rather surprised and moved by her manners. Anyone co
uld tell that Dustin and Dahlia
shared an unusual relationship. Nelson revered and feared his new leader
at the same time.

“Lord Horst, the money’s here.” The man returned in a hurry, carrying a c
heck in his hand. Nelson wiped the sweat off his forehead and carefully h
anded Dahlia the check.

He said with much respect, “Chairman Nicholson, this is the amount I owed
you. Please take a look.”

“80 million?” When she checked the figures, she was slightly surprised at
the extra money. “Lord Horst, did you accidentally pay me more?”

“No, no, I didn’t. I’ve owed you the money for a while now. Just see it a
s interest payments.” Nelson smiled at her.
Chapter 503

Dahlia was speechless; this was just perplexing and troubling. She was gr
ateful and lucky enough to have

recovered the 70 million in debt, but now, she received 10 million more.

“Dahlia, since it’s for the interest payment, you should accept it,” Dust
in chimed in.

“That’s right. Chairman Nicholson, please accept the check, so I can slee
p well tonight.” Nelson had at pleading look on his face.
“Well, okay then. Thank you, Lord Horst, for your generosity and
help.” No longer insisting, Dahlia pocketed the check. She could tell tha
t Dustin was the sole reason behind Nelson’s humble attitude, and she cou
ldn’t help but wonder if Dustin was telling the truth earlier today.

“Nelson Horst, keep in mind what you said today.” After warning Nelson on
ce again, Dustin left with Dahlia

and Julie.

Chapter 504

“Have a good day, Sir Rhys!” Nelson bowed deeply to the trio as they left
.

“Have a good day. Sir Rhys!” The members of the Flame Dragon Gang mimicke
d Nelson and chanted loudly.

Hank had run down to the first floor from his viewing point when he figur
ed that something was off. He confronted Nelson. “Lord Horst, what’s wron
g? Why did you pay her back?”

Nelson had promised to teach Dahlia a lesson, but upon the meeting. Nelso
n obediently paid the debts without a word of protest. Since when were th
e Flame Dragon Gang such losers?

“Oh, ‘why‘ you F*cking ask?” Nelson turned around and glowered as he hiss
ed, “Did you know who’s the guy beside that lady just now?”

“Wasn’t he just a bodyguard? What’s so special about that?” Hank frowned,
confused by Nelson’s reaction.

“Just a bodyguard?!” After the initial shock, Nelson smacked Hank hard on
the back of his head and rebuked, ” You blind F*ckwit! That’s our new ga
ng leader!”
“What? Your new gang leader?” Hank was stunned.

“Son of a B*tch! I almost died because of you. Don’t you ever show up in
front of me. Now, get lost!” Incandescent with rage, Nelson flung the Rol
ex watch in Hank’s face. Hank was simmering with anger but dared not talk
back. So, he left with his tail between his legs. Never had he expected
Dahlia to be acquainted with a powerful figure like Dustin.

“Dustin, are you really the new leader of the Flame Dragon Gang?” Unable
to suppress her curiosity, Dahlia blurted out the question. She was still
in disbelief, but she figured out that something was not quite right jud
ging from Nelson’s behavior.

“You saw it with your own eyes just now. How could that be fake?” Dustin
shrugged his shoulders.
“I mean, how did you become the leader?” She gave him a funny look.

“I was acknowledged for my outstanding moral integrity. Did you seriously
think I fought my way to the
position?” He asked her with a straight face.
“Is that true?” She shot him a doubtful glance. He gave her a half–
smile. “What do you think?”

“Whatever. I don’t care how you ended up as the leader, but I only have o
ne thing to ask of you–do not stir
trouble!” She stared at him with a serious face.

“Don’t worry. I won’t hurt others as long as they don’t hurt me. From now
on, the Flame Dragon Gang will not
commit any sort of crime,” he vowed.

“That’s good to hear that.” She let out a relieved sigh. Before this, she
was genuinely worried that Dustin had been led astray and committed crim
es like murder or robbery.

“Dustin Rhys, I couldn’t tell that you were related to the Flame Dragon G
ang!” Julie
suddenly spoke up. “But you shouldn’t get ahead of yourself. The gang isn
’t made up of good guys, and they will get themselves into

trouble sooner or later. I advise you to get back on the right path befor
e you get arrested and jailed for some crime.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. Just take care of yourself,” he repl
ied blandly.

“Hmph! You little ingrate!” Julie pouted. Even though she held Dustin in
higher regard, he was still far behind Terrence.
“Alright now.
Stop the bickering. We have settled the first challenge, but that still l
eaves us with the second challenge–
the business deal with Brooks Corporation.” Dahlia steered the conversati
on.

“Dahlia, I can’t promise to be of help in most cases, but I can totally h
elp you out on this one!” Julie patted her chest confidently.
“What’s your plan?” Dahlia was curious to know.

“Have you forgotten that my Terrence is a manager at the Brooks Corporati
on? If he’s willing to speak up for us, there’s no deal we can’t seal!” J
ulie sounded proud.
“Is that so?” Dahlia’s eyes lit up with joy.

“Of course!” Julie put on a smug smile. “Given Terrence’s connections, he
’ll only need to put in a good word, and it’s a done deal!”

Hearing that, Dustin smiled wryly and gave them a shake of the head. “Oh,
you shouldn’t get ahead of yourself, Julie. Terrence can’t even save his
own ass in that company. How is he going to help Dahlia?”

Chapter 505

“What? What do you mean he can’t save his own ass?! What nonsense is that
?” Julie glared at him crossly. She was annoyed with the way Dustin had p
oured cold water on her suggestion.

“If I’m not wrong. Terrence Stone will be fired by the Brooks Corporation
today,” Dustin proclaimed breezily.

“Bullshit!” Julie was irked by his prediction. “Our Terrence is good at h
is job. Why would he get fired?”

“Whether you believe it or not, it’s all up to you. Anyway. Terrence Ston
e can’t help us on the second challenge. “Dustin shrugged.

“If he can’t help, are you saying that you can do it? What a joke! Julie
stared at him icily, thinking that he was only a reckless man who shouldn
’t be bragging around.

“Sorry to tell you, but I can do what Terrence Stone can’t.” Dustin grinn
ed at her.

“Oh, you’re getting cocky now, aren’t you?” Julie was burning with rage.

“Dustin Rhys, I wanted to respect you, but if you’re such an arrogant twa
t, I’ll prove you wrong!” Then, she immediately made a call to Terrence a
nd told him the situation, albeit embellished with dramatic elements.

“What? Is he saying that I’d get fired? That’s hilarious! I’m in a positi
on of authority in the company. No one
can touch me here!” Terrence scoffed with arrogance.

“Terrence, this brat is looking down on you. Why don’t you show him the p
ower of your professional
connections today?” Julie fanned the fire.

“No problem! It’s just a business contract, right? I’ll make a call to Mr
. Suzman, the manager of the Sales Department, and I’ll get him to settle
it for you. Just come to the office and sign the contract!” Terrence was
bursting with confidence.

*Terrence, thank you for your help!” Delighted, Julie hung up and tossed
her hair. “Weren’t you acting all smug just now? Do you want to go with m
e to the Brooks Corporation office?”
“I don’t see why not.” Dustin was nonchalant.

“Great! I will show you the difference between you and Terrence today.” J
ulie sneered at him. Brook Corporation, with hundreds of billions worth o
f assets, was the most prominent company in Millsburg. Even

the notorious Flame Dragon Gang was nothing compared to Brooks Corporatio
n. Terrence was not only the manager at the company–
he had strong backing from some higher–
ups there. Openly challenging Terrence
was a futile and humiliating attempt.

30 minutes later, the elevator doors at the entrance of the Brooks Corpor
ation Sales Department slid open with
a chime, and the trio emerged from the elevator.
“Dahlia, this is the place. Terrence has given them a heads–
up. I’m sure everything will go fine.” Feeling confident, Julie
went to the front desk and rapped her knuckles on the tabletop in a conce
ited manner. “Hey
Get Mr. Suzman for us! Just tell him that his guests have arrived.”
1
Chapter 505

“Excuse me. Do you have an appointment?” The front desk staff inquired po
litely.
“Only regular visitors need appointments. We don’t.” Julie argued.

“I’m sorry. Our manager has informed us not to let any visitors in unless
they have made an appointment.” The
secretary shook her head.

“You need to be more sensible! Do you know who I am? Or who my darling is
? How dare you speak to me like
that?” Julie glared at the secretary.
At that moment, a slightly overweight middle–
aged man walked out of the office. Dressed in a suit, he
appeared distant and authoritative. “What’s with the commotion?”
“Mr. Suzman, you have a few visitors who insisted on meeting you
despite not having an appointment,” the secretary hurriedly explained.

“Haven’t I told you before? I’m not seeing anyone without an appointment!
Get them out of here!” The
man waved his hand impatiently. He would have no time left if he were to
entertain every single visitor who didn’t
have an appointment.
“Sir, madam, please leave, or I’ll have to call security.” The
secretary urged them to leave.

Chapter 506
“Wait!” Julie ran up to the middle–
aged man just as he was about to leave. “Mr. Suzman, you might not know

me, but you must know Terrence Stone.”

*Terrence Stone?” The man lifted an eyebrow. “What do you three have to d
o with him?”

*Terrence is my boyfriend!” Julie beamed proudly. “Mr. Suzman, I believe
that he has already given you a heads
-up. Now, can we go to your office?”

“No, you can’t.” The man put on a frosty look. “I’ll repeat: you have to
make an appointment to meet with me.”

“What?” Julie was slightly taken aback by his attitude. “Mr. Suzman, did
you not hear me? I’m Terrence’s
girlfriend, and I’m here to talk business.”

“So what?” The man snickered. “Even if it were Terrence who came to see m
e, he’d have to make an
appointment too!”
“You-
” Julie choked on anger and refused to believe that Mr. Suzman would shut
her out. He wouldn’t even
budge at the mention of Terrence.
“Julie, it looks like name–
dropping won’t work around here.” Dustin flashed her a half–
smile. Her eyes

twitched, and her expression crumbled. She showed up confidently, only to
be let down.

Still she glanced at the man. “Mr. Suzman, you’re colleagues with Terrenc
e. Do you want to get on bad terms
with him?”

“So what? Get lost now, or else!” The man bellowed at them. Julie’s cheek
s burned in shame as she huffed
and puffed. “You’re a bully!”

“Cole Suzman! Acting like you’re something, aren’t you?” Terrence snorted
and marched toward the group.

Julie was overjoyed to see her boyfriend and instantly went up to him and
started complaining. “Terrence, you came at the right time! I was bullie
d by that guy just now!”

“Yes, I saw everything. Let me handle this from here.” He nodded and cast
a sharp look at the middle–
aged man. “Cole Suzman, you’re getting bolder these days. I haven’t seen
you in a few days, and now, you don’t
even show me respect.”
“And who are you? Why do you deserve my respect?” Cole Suzman
wore an indifferent expression,

“Hah, you’re acting like you don’t have a clue.” Terrence sneered at him.
“Suzman, apologize to my girlfriend now, or I’ll make you regret it! Don
’t blame me for not giving you a chance!*

“Hmph! Did you hear him? Apologize to me now! Julie grinned gleefully. Al
though both men were managers. Terrence had stronger support from upper m
anagement. Getting on top of Cole Suzman was a piece of cake for him.

“Terrence Stone, are you dumb or what? Do you think you deserve an apolog
y from me? Who do you think
you are, the human resources manager?” Cole merely smirked at the ridicul
ous demand.
“What?!” Frowning, Terrence questioned, “What was that?”

“Ah, it looks like you’re still in the dark. The company issued a notice
this morning to fire you and put you under investigation immediately. You
are no longer a manager now.” Cole informed him.

“What did you say? Fired and put under investigation? How could that be?!
” Terrence’s expression stiffened.

“Don’t trust me? Just check your phone. They should have sent the notice
of termination to you by now.” Cole snickered.

Terrence quickly checked his phone, and he seemed to be struck by lightni
ng. Sweating profusely, he realized that he had indeed been fired.

Chapter 507
“H–how could that be? I–
impossible!” Terrence’s eyes were bulging with disbelief. Although he did
not put much effort into the job, at least he didn’t make any mistakes.
On top of that, he was carefree during his time

with the company because he had the backing of the higher–
ups. Given his social connections, it wouldn’t

make sense for him to get fired. He couldn’t wrap his head around the sit
uation.
“Terrence, you’re fired?” Julie was bug–
eyed when she noticed the change in Terrence’s expression. He had promise
d her the business contract, but how did he end up losing his job instead
?

“It looks like there’s trouble.” Dahlia furrowed her brows and appeared p
ensive. She had pinned her hopes on Terrence, but he wouldn’t be of any h
elp anymore.
“Cole Suzman, be honest–
were you playing dirty behind my back?” Terrence fixed his gaze on Cole.

“Why would I do so when there’s nothing between us? Plus, even if I wante
d, I wouldn’t have the power to do that. You should look at yourself for
the reason,” Cole said impassionately. He had long been frustrated by emp
loyees who were coasting at work, and he was more than pleased to see Ter
rence fired.

“Bullshit! No one else could have done that except for you! You must have
ratted on me!” Terrence glowered at him. He had embezzled money when he
was on the job, and Cole must have found the evidence.
“Well, if you insist on thinking so, I can’t do anything
about it.” Cole could not be bothered to explain himself. After all, he c
ouldn’t care less since Terrence was no longer an employee.
“You’re
wicked, Cole Suzman!” Terrence’s features contorted into a threatening sc
owl. “If you think you’ve won, you’re wrong! I’ll let you know–
I have backing within the company. Even if I’m fired today, I will get re
hired
tomorrow!”
“Oh, really? And who’s that person backing you?” Cole questioned him.

“You might want to sit down for this. My uncle is the CEO of the company!
” Terrence announced proudly.

“That explains why a guy like you would work your way into a managerial r
ole. It’s all thanks to your connection!” Cole’s expression fell He heard
about Terrence’s jaw–
dropping social connections, but he never thought that Terrence was a rel
ative of the CEO. He worried that he might be in trouble.

“Are you afraid now?” Terrence sneered.

“Suzman, if you were the one who ratted me out, you made the dumbest mist
ake in your life. Apologize to me now, or you’ll be the one who’s kicked
out tomorrow!” Given his uncle’s authority in the company, getting rid of
a manager was an easy task.

“Terrence Stone, don’t be smug. Do you think you can do as you wish just
because you have connections?” Cole frowned disapprovingly.

“That’s right! I can do anything I wish with the backing of my uncle. Why
? Are you unhappy about it? What are you going to do?” Terrence threw his
head back and laughed, knowing that he’d be fine in any crisis as long a
s his uncle was in the company.

“Terrence, I didn’t know your uncle was the CEO! That’s amazing!” Julle g
ave him a look of adoration. A department manager was nothing compared to
the CEO.
Chapter 507

“Hmph, I’m doing well in the company, it’s all thanks to my connections!”
Terrence held his head high.
“See that. Dahlia? That’s how amazing
Terrence’s connections are! He can easily take care of a business

contract for us!” Looking conceited, Julie turned her attention to Dustin
. “Dustin, do you have anything else to
say? Are you convinced now?”

Dustin just smiled back at her. At first, Terrence was the only one who g
ot into trouble. After this commotion,

Terrence unknowingly dragged his uncle down. He bet Terrence’s uncle woul
d cry at the thought of having
Terrence as his nephew.

“Suzman, what are you standing there for? I said to apologize to me now!
I can take everything from you by making just one call!” Terrence grew ag
gressive.
“You’d better not go too far!” Cole shot him a stern look.

“So what if I do? I can afford to do that anyway!” Terrence snickered.
Cole stammered at his audacity. “Y–you-”
Terrence wasn’t wrong–
he was able to do what he liked with the CEO’s backing.

“You ran into a wall didn’t you? It’s all your fault for being cocky, and
it’s too late to regret your actions now!” Julie smirked gleefully.

Chapter 508
For Terrence, it was an exciting moment for him to
show off his authority in front of everyone.

However, things changed when Cole received a text on his phone. Cole
was momentarily caught off guard by the content and checked it a few time
s before breaking into a grin.

“Why are you smiling?” Terrence had a haughty look on his face.
“Terrence Stone, say goodbye to your good
life. I just received a company–
wide notice stating that your uncle has been terminated as well. You’re b
oth on a sinking ship together. You’re finished!” Cole declared boldly.

“Bullshit!” Terrence shot him a glare. “My uncle is the CEO. Who would ha
ve the guts to fire him?”
“Mr. Brooks did that, of course.” Cole said righteously.

“Nonsense!” Terrence refused to believe it. “My uncle is one of Mr. Brook
s‘ right–
hand men. Why would he be fired for no good reason? You should stop spewi
ng lies!”

“It’s up to you if you believe it or not.” Cole didn’t want to waste time
with Terrence
anymore. Although he had no clue about what happened behind the scenes, i
t was clear that Terrence and his backing within
the company were both removed.

“Are you trying to trick me now? Great! I’ll call my uncle now and get hi
m to teach you a lesson.” While speaking. Terrence pulled out his phone,
ready to tell on Cole, but he was stopped short when he heard a
scream coming from the entrance. “Terrence Stone!”
A man dressed in a suit with a bald spot on his head charged in.

“Uncle?” Terrence’s eyes lit up in delight, and he cackled. “Suzman, you’
re dead meat! My uncle’s here. No one

can save you now.”

Then, he readily jogged toward the man. “Uncle, you showed up at the righ
t time! That Suzman guy is a two-
faced snake. He’s purposely shifting the blame onto me. You’ve got to st
and up for me this time!”

“Stand up for you? How about you F*ck off!” The man’s nostrils flared, an
d he slapped Terrence across the cheeks, sending the latter tumbling onto
the ground. One might think he had a vendetta against Terrence
based on his furious expression.

“Why did you hit me?” Terrence pressed a hand on his cheek helplessly. Ju
lie and the others quietly exchanged looks of confusion.

“Oh, if only I could tear you into pieces!” The man unleashed his wrath o
n Terrence. “Who the F*ck did you
insult this time? I am in hot water because of you!”
“What happened?” Terrence was utterly lost.

“How dare you F*cking ask me?” The man was a ball of fire as he gave Terr
ence
a second slap. “Mr. Brooks fired me all because of you! I have to clear m
y desk; worst of all, I’m about to be investigated!”

“What? What happened?” Terrence froze. How could his uncle, the pillar of
support for the company, be kicked
out all of a sudden?

Chapter 565

“Don’t you know what you did?” The man continued impatiently. “Didn’t you
call Mr. Brooks yesterday and
insult him in various ways?”

“Yesterday?” After a slight pause, Terrence suddenly came to a realizatio
n. He recalled that he had chided a man named Big Bucks Brooks over Dusti
n’s phone. Was that guy the real deal, not a scammer as he had believed?

“Oh, I’m done for thought Terrence, who slumped onto the floor with
a ghastly look on his face.

Chapter 509
“How could
that happen?” Terrence slumped onto the ground as he grew despondent. He
did not expect Roderick Brooks, his boss, to be the subject of his wrath
yesterday. Not only was he fired, but he also dragged his uncle down with
him as they got kicked out of the company.

“You brat! What are you standing there for? Come with me to apologize to
Mr. Brooks now! The man grabbed Terrence by the hair and violently dragge
d him out. The whole time, a cowering Terrence didn’t utter even a single
word of protest.

“What?” Julie’s jaw dropped to the ground at the sight of it. It was hard
to fathom how Terrence had fallen from a place of authority and honor to
one of shame.

“He totally deserved that! It was his fault for acting like a thug!” Cole
scoffed and disappeared into his office.

“Your dear Terrence can’t even save himself,” Dustin remarked with amusem
ent.

“It’s all because of you and your stupid predictions! He wouldn’t have be
en fired if it weren’t for you!” Julie started to lose it.

“How do you even pin that on me? You’re unbelievable.” Dustin shook his h
ead, thinking that Terrence deserved everything that had happened. One co
uld see it coming because of Terrence’s impudence, which was fueled by hi
s faith in his uncle’s power and backing.

“That’s enough. Can both of you shut up for a moment? Our top priority is
to figure out a solution to that challenge!” Dahlia reminded them of the
matter at hand.

“Dahlia, I think we have no choice but to get back and brainstorm. Terren
ce is fired, and Mr. Suzman isn’t going to budge.” Sighing. Julie decided
that this was her unlucky day, suffering one loss after another.

“What’s the point of heading back when we’ve already made our way here? I
sn’t it just a business deal? Leave it to me,” Dustin remarked.

“You?” Julie scanned him from head to toe with a disdainful look. “Who do
you think you are? Do you think you could do whatever Terrence failed to
do? Stop kidding me!”

“He failed to help, but that doesn’t mean I’ll fail too.” Dustin smiled a
t her. “I’m acquainted with Roderick Brooks. This shouldn’t be too diffic
ult.”

“You? How could you be a friend of Roderick Brooks? You’re a fool.” Julie
did not believe any words that came from him. Roderick Brooks was the to
p
business magnate in Millsburg. A man of his wealth and power was godlike
and out of reach for the average citizen.

“You don’t believe me? I’ll call him up.” Instead of explaining further,
Dustin immediately went into action.

“Hello? Mr. Brooks; I have a favor to ask of you. A friend of mine wanted
to collaborate with Brooks Corporation. I hope you’ll consider her propo
sal.”

“Mr. Rhys, don’t mention It! A business deal is just a small matter! I ca
n even hand the company over to you if that makes you happy. Where are yo
u? I’ll send someone to pick you up.” Roderick sounded very friendly.

“It’s alright. I’m at the Sales Department of Brooks Corporation. Just se
nd a word and get Mr. Suzman to
7/2
assist me.” Dustin replied,
“No problem! On it!”

“Thanks.” After exchanging some formalities, Dustin hung up and turned ar
ound. “It’s done. We can sign the business contract soon.”

“That’s some good acting. Do you really think that someone will agree on
a 500 million dollar megadeal over a phone call? Stop daydreaming!” Julie
smirked.

“Oh well. Let’s head home now. We’ll talk about the business deal tomorro
w.” Dahlia gave Julle a soft shake of the head. They were at the center o
f attention at that moment, and with each second they stayed there, they’
d only humiliate themselves more. She did not take Dustin’s words serious
ly, thinking that he was only putting on the act for his ego.

“What’s the rush? We’ll get it done if we wait for a little while.” Dusti
n reassured them.

“Are you telling me to wait here?” Julie snickered. “Even if you kneel he
re for a day, you will not get the attention of Mr. Suzman.”

Chapter 510
Right after that, they
heard a click as the door to the manager’s office flung open. Then, Cole
ran out in a great

hurry and almost stumbled over.

“Who’s Dustin Rhys? Is there a Mr. Rhys here?” He searched high and low w
ith an anxious look.
“That’s me.” Dustin took a few steps forward.
“Mr. Rhys, I’m so sorry for not recognizing you
just now. I didn’t properly greet and receive you and your

guests. Please forgive me.” Cole jogged up, his previous arrogance wiped
off as he bowed deeply at Dustin.

His respectful demeanor came as a surprise for Julie and Dahlia. A while
ago, Cole was acting all righteous and refused to show Terrence leniency.
Why did he suddenly grovel at Dustin? They were left scratching their he
ads at the reason behind his abrupt change.

“Mr. Suzman, that wasn’t necessary. Let’s talk business.” Dustin went str
aight to the point.

“Right, rightCole nodded furiously and plastered a smile on his face. “La
dies and gentlemen, this way. please.”
“Ladies first.” Beaming, Dustin led a confused–
looking Dahlia into the manager’s office. Cole immediately served tea and
ordered his secretary to print out the contract. He was extremely attent
ive, as he was told they were VIP guests of Mr. Brooks. Ten minutes later
, they had a deal following a smooth discussion.

When Dahlia wandered out of the office with the signed contract in her ha
nd, she felt like she was deep in a daze. Never in her wildest dreams had
she expected the deal to proceed this smoothly. Without unnecessary exch
anges, the staff from Brooks Corporation merely asked for her signature o
n that 500 million deal. In fact, it was so ridiculous that she would que
stion the veracity of the process if she had not witnessed it.

“Dustin, how did you pull that off?” Dahlia glanced at the hero of the da
y with a bewildered expression.

“I told you I am acquainted with Roderick Brooks, and he’d probably do me
a favor,” Dustin was cool about it.
“A–
and how did you get to know him?” Julle blurted out. It was unbelievable
that Dustin would be acquainted with Roderick Brooks.

“I treated his illness, which I mentioned to you yesterday, but you didn’
t believe me.” He shrugged.

“You treated him? That’s some dumb luck!” Julie shot him a funny look.

“That’s why you shouldn’t look down on people.” Dustin casually reminded
her.

“What’s so great about that?” Julie rolled her eyes in disdain. “You trea
ted Big Bucks Brooks‘ illness thanks to some dumb luck! Sure, he repaid y
our help by doing you a favor, but it won’t be easy to ask him for help t
he second time!”

Roderick Brooks had returned the favor to Dustin, and common sense dictat
ed that it wouldn’t be appropriate to keep asking for favors after that.
Dustin might have played the hero on that day, but that might
not happen again the next time.

“No matter what, we have to thank Dustin for his help today.” A smile lig
htened Dahlia’s face. ‘Tell me your

wish, and I’ll try my best to fulfill it.”

“My wish?” That suggestion caught him off guard. “I haven’t thought of an
y. I’ll let you know when something pops up.”
“Sure. I owe you one.” She chuckled.

While they were chatting. Dustin’s phone started ringing. When he picked
up, he heard Natasha’s voice from

the other end. “Dustin! This is bad! Our family’s in trouble!”

Chapter 511

It was afternoon when Dustin arrived at the Harmon estate in a hurry afte
r getting the news. He was greeted by the sight of armed soldiers surroun
ding the compound. Hundreds of armed men from the elite forces of the Har
mon Family
guarded the entrance in what appeared to be a standoff, and both sides we
ren’t about to back. down.

“Harmons, I will make myself clear–
hand over the suspect, or we’ll subject everyone to the same punishment!
“The commander–in–charge bellowed, his full voice
echoing through the compound. Behind him, the soldiers stood stiffly whil
e holding their guns. Once the commander gave his orders, these soldiers
would shoot mercilessly.

“What’s all this about?” Dustin frowned at the violent confrontation. He
wondered how the Harmons got involved with the military.

“Sir, what calls for the mobilization of these forces?” Dustin went up to
him and questioned.

“I was ordered to capture the suspect. Unrelated personnel please leave t
he grounds right now!” The commander barked in his face.

“Mr. Rhys, you’re here! Please, come on in!” Jack, the butler, immediatel
y spotted Dustin and asked that the elite forces make way for Dustin to e
nter. The crowd parted before swiftly closing up the path again after Dus
tin made his way into the building.

“Listen up, people in there! I’ll give you half an hour. If you refuse to
hand the suspect over, do not blame us for

forcing our way in there!” The commander gave his final warning, but the
elite forces did not budge at all, even
if they had to risk death.

“Mr. Rhys, Ms. Harmon is in the meeting room. Please come with me.” Jack
ignored the
commander’s threats and led the way. A perplexed Dustin followed closely
behind him.

The meeting room of the Harmon estate was filled to the brim. The core me
mbers of the family convened at
the venue. They were whispering to each other.
Meanwhile, Trent Harmon sighed with
a troubled expression while Jacob Harmon paced the room. apprehensively.
Natasha and a few others stayed by the side of an unconscious Hector Harm
on.

“Natasha, what’s wrong?” Dustin showed up in the room with a solemn look.

“Dustin, you’ve arrived at the right time! Please check on my dad!” Natas
ha’s face lit up, and she frantically

pulled Dustin over to a pale and sweaty Hector, who had blood stains on h
is outfit.

Without further ado, Dustin performed a detailed checkup on Hector and an
nounced, “Your dad is weak
because he has recently recovered from a grave illness. To top that
off, he was drinking like a fish, and that’s
why he fainted. He should be fine.”
“That’s good to hear.” A relieved sigh escaped from Jessica’s lips.
“Can you wake him up?” Natasha asked.
“Yes, but I wouldn’t recommend that. It
would be best to just let him rest,” Dustin replied.

Chapter 511
“We’re running
out of time! We need to wake him up, or else the family will be doomed!”
Natasha did not look like she was joking.

“Is it that serious?” Eyes twitching, he immediately took three needles a
nd inserted them into Hector’s

pressure points between the brows, near the front hairline, and right und
er his nose. Soon after, Hector’s eyes fluttered open.

“Dad! Do you recall what happened last night?” Natasha immediately asked.

“Last night?” Hector rubbed his head and said groggily. “Last night, it w
as the birthday event of the regional deputy chief, Sir Moran. I was drin
king at his place. Why?”

Chapter 512

“Dad, did you do anything else than drink?” Natasha pressed on.

“What do you mean?” He was puzzled by her questions.

“Dad, think carefully! You can’t make a mistake here!” She was dead serio
us.

“I think I blacked out from drinking. I can’t remember a thing. What happ
ened?” Hector frowned
softly. Natasha finally dropped the bomb. “Dad, Sir Moran’s daughter was
dead!”
“She’s dead?” He was stunned by the news. “How did that happen?”

“We don’t have the details yet, but rumors had it that you were the murde
rer!” Natasha informed him.

“Did they say I was the murderer?” He was completely lost. Eyes bulging,
he shook his head vehemently.

“No, that’s impossible! No matter how drunk I am, I would not kill someon
e!” He might be a lightweight, but he was a well–
behaved drunk. Normally, he’d be dead asleep after he was drunk and never
made a scene.

“I don’t believe them either, but witnesses claimed they saw you murder h
er. Sir Moran’s forces are at our door, and they will force their way in
at any time! Think carefully! Did you do it or not?” Natasha growled. The
regional deputy chief was the third–in–
command in Millsburg, and he had the power to ruin the Harmons with
a command.
“I–
I really can’t recall a thing, but I believe that I would never do that.”
Hector furrowed his brows.

“Gosh, Hector, what’s that good for? Sir Moran doesn’t believe that!” Tre
nt shook his head slowly.

“Yeah, Trent, how could you black out from drinking at someone’s birthday
event? You do not have self–
control at all!” Jacob seemed disappointed and furious at his sibling. Th
e family had enough on their plate, and the new accusation added insult t
o injury.

“Uncle Hector, turn yourself in if you were the culprit. Don’t drag your
family into it.” At that moment, a slender and alluring beauty emerged fr
om the crowd. She was Trent’s eldest daughter, Kate. Trent had a son and
daughter, but after Quentin’s death, Kate immediately came to her father’
s side from Stonia.

*Kate Harmon, stop spewing nonsense! My dad is not a murderer!” Ruth glar
ed at her cousin.

“Better not get ahead of yourself. It’s not uncommon for drunk people to
commit crimes accidentally. If Uncle Hector is innocent, why would Sir Mo
ran send his men to arrest him?” Kate remarked as if stating the obvious.
Ruth was dumbfounded, “You-”

The accusation might be hard to believe, but there was always a dreadful
possibility that it might be true. The problem was that Hector could not
recall any memories from that night.
“Could someone have pinned the murder on him?” Dustin blurted out.

Natasha, deep in her thoughts, said, “The possibility has crossed my mind
, but I don’t have evidence for now. We need a detailed investigation,” I
t was too much of a coincidence for the murder to happen at that point. S
he had reason to suspect foul play.
Chapter 512

“I heard that Sir Moran’s daughter was murdered after being s*xually assa
ulted. Uncle Hector, did you get

horny after you were drunk and took advantage of her?” Kate dropped anoth
er odd speculation.

“Bullshit! My dad is not a rapist!” Ruth instantly jumped up and down wit
h anger. Natasha and Jessica, though

quiet, both frowned at the allegation, Kate was an impertinent young lady
.

“Kate, stop that nonsense!” Trent berated his daughter. “Your Uncle Hecto
r is a good man. He’ll never do
anything like that. Someone must have framed him!”

“You’ll never know what a man’s like behind the back. Who knows?” Kate’s
reply was loaded.

“That’s enough! Are you going to add to the mess that this family is alre
ady in?” Natasha finally chastised
Kate.

Kate merely sneered. “You shouldn’t be yelling at me. Start worrying abou
t cleaning up your dad’s mess.”

“You” Natasha was on the verge of an outburst when Jack ran in with urgen
cy. “Ms. Harmon, things are bad!

The soldiers out there have barged in!”

Chapter 513
“They barged in?” Natasha’s expression dropped. “Quick! Get

Deone to stop them!”

Before the truth prevailed, she would never allow them to arrest her dad.

“Stop!” Suddenly. Hector yelled at Jack, “Let them in. No one shall stand
in their way!”
“Dad, what are you doing?” Natasha frowned.

“The truth will speak for itself. I have nothing to fear if I didn’t comm
it the crime.” Hector declared loud and
clear.
“But

“Have you ever given it some thought? If I make a move now, I’ll never cl
ear my name.” Hector wore a somber

expression on his face. Fighting against Sir Moran’s forces could be perc
eived as resisting arrest, or, worse,

staging a revolt. The Harmons could not afford to be accused of this grav
e crime.

“Hector’s right. We can’t butt heads with them. Tell all the Harmon disci
ples to stand aside!” Jacob yelled.

“Yes, sir.” Jack helplessly took the orders. Natasha and the rest were wo
rried, but they were aware of the
importance
of not adding fuel to the fire. Otherwise, the confrontation might spiral
out of control

“Where’s Hector Harmon?” The commander, dressed in uniform, marched up to
the doors of the meeting room

with a large number of armed soldiers behind him. These were troopers who
were in service, and their
murderous air sent chills down one’s spine.

“I am Hector Harmon. Sir, what are you here for?” Hector calmly greeted t
he commander and his men.

“You sullied Sir Moran’s daughter and brutally murdered her! We are under
orders to arrest you for trial!” The
commander announced icily.

“Nonsense! My dad never killed a soul. You must have gotten it wrong!” Ru
th instantly protested.

“Sir, my husband has been a morally upright man. He couldn’t have committ
ed such a huge sin. He must have been framed!” Jessica fought for her hus
band.

“That’s right! Our patriarch must have been framed!” The family members i
mmediately voiced their support for Hector Harmon, who was known for his
honorable character. No one else in the family could claim to be more
virtuous than Hector.

“Framed him? That’s a joke!” The commander’s face was taut. “We have soli
d evidence that clears all the doubts. Those who are not involved, please
leave the scene now!”

“Sir, you claimed that my dad is guilty. But where’s the evidence? You ne
ed a reason to arrest him, isn’t that
right?” Natasha questioned the commander.

He bellowed, “The witness account is clear evidence of Hector Harmon murd
ering the young lady when he
was drunk!”

“A witness can be bought. With money, one can forge a witness statement.
It’s pretty common,” Natasha

argued. She was displeased by how they wanted to charge Hector over the w
ords of a few witnesses.

Chapter 513

“Is a witness‘ account unreliable? Alright, then! I’ll show you some phys
ical evidence!” The commander played

a video on his phone. The angle of the footage resembled that of a survei
llance camera. In the video, one could see a stocky man assaulting a youn
g lady in her prime. First, he sullied her, followed by suffocating her

to death. His actions were inhumane and would incur wrath from anyone.
After choking
the lady to death, the man turned around and showed his face. It was Hect
or Harmon.
“H–how is that possible?” Everyone looked horrified when they saw
Hector in the lootage. They never expected that he was the real criminal
after all! One could buy off witnesses, but it was hard to create physica
l evidence out of thin air! Still, the revelation was too shocking, and e
veryone struggled to process it.
“T–
that’s impossible! My dad would never kill someone!” Ruth shook her head
forcefully as the color drained
from her face.

“How did it turn out this way?” Jessica’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Chapter 514

Jessica had always believed her husband, but the result at the moment had
left her completely stunned.

“Hector, look at what you have done!” Trent was exasperated.

“Y–
you son of a B*tch! You’re not worthy to be the patriarch!” Flying into a
rage, Jacob threw a punch at Hector’s face.
Such a scandal was going to
bring extreme humiliation to the entire family.

“Dad, you…” Knitting her brows. Natasha wanted to say something, but the
words were stuck in her throat. At first, she firmly believed that her fa
ther had been framed. However, looking at the pieces of irrefutable evide
nce now, she was at a loss as to how to defend him.

Even Hector was inexplicably shocked. It was indeed his face that appeare
d in the video. On top of that, the way that person dressed up was also j
ust like his.

“Did I really kill someone after getting drunk?” Hector muttered inwardly
. At the thought of
that, Hector coughed up a mouthful of blood, not able to withstand the sh
ock. His face was ashen white.

“Dad!” Natasha wanted to support him subconsciously but was stopped by hi
m.

“Natasha, I’m sorry for dragging you all into this mess. Now that I’ve do
ne something like this, how can I continue to live with myself?” As soon
as he finished speaking, he snatched the gun from the commander and point
ed it at his own head. He pulled the trigger, attempting to use his death
to make up for his mistake.
“Dad!”
“Patriarch!”

Everyone at the scene was taken aback by that. They wanted to stop him, b
ut it was too late.

As the loud gunshot pierced the air, the bullet missed its target and bru
shed past Hector’s forehead by a hair’s breadth, leaving a streak of red
on his skin.
It was Dustin. He had seized the gun in Hector’s hand.

“Mr. Hector, we haven’t gotten to the bottom of the situation yet. There’
s no need to go to this extreme.” Dustin
frowned.

He did not expect Hector to be so cruel to himself. Hector directly sough
t to end his life because of a crime

that had not been confirmed. If Dustin hadn’t been fast enough, Hector wo
uld’ve been dead by now.

“It’s normal to be punished for making a mistake. Only by paying it with
my life can I make up for my sin.”

Hector had been upright throughout his entire life. How could he carry on
with his life when something like
this had happened?

“Mr. Hector, there’s something fishy about this matter. Don’t act reckles
sly. Let’s wait until we get the ins and
outs of it,” Dustin said solemnly.

“That’s right! You’re not going to solve anything by dying. As the patria
rch of the Harmon family, how could
you seek death to escape your responsibilities?” Natasha reproached.

Chapter 514

“I…” Hector was at a loss for words. He had only wanted to save his famil
y’s reputation, so he didn’t think
about it too much.

“Dad, give us some time. I believe we can bring the truth to light,” Nata
sha said. She felt that something was amiss about this matter.
Right then, the commander uttered coldly. “Alright,
I have no spare time to see how affectionate your father-
daughter relationship is. Hector, you’ve committed murder, and the evide
nce is indisputable. Now you need to come with us to assist in our furthe
r investigation.”
Then, the commander waved his hand. Two soldiers stepped up at
once and cuffed Hector.

“Dad, it’s easier to die than live. Take care of yourself. We will defini
tely save you!” Natasha was serious.
Hector nodded, not saying anything more.

“Take him away!” With that, the commander led the rest of his people and
left the place.
“Sis, what should we do now?” Ruth was in a fit of panic.

“This is a serious crime. If we don’t save Dad in time, his life is proba
bly going to be at stake,” she thought.
“Quick! Assemble all the resources we
have and look into this matter comprehensively! Don’t miss out on any clu
es or details!” Natasha ordered.

Hearing that, everyone immediately began to take action. This matter had
caused chaos in the Harmon family.

Chapter 515

The fact that Hector was arrested caused quite a stir among the members o
f the Harmon family.

Everyone was rushed off their feet, using whatever connections they had t
o prove Hector innocent. Hector was the
patriarch of the Harmons; he represented the
family. If he was really charged with murder, not only would he be ruined
, but the whole Harmon family would also be terribly criticized by the pu
blic.

After giving out the order, Natasha called some of the trustworthy people
to her room to
discuss the countermeasures. Not everyone in the family stood on the same
side. Trent and Jacob
harbored their own thoughts. She naturally didn’t trust them.
“What do you
think about this matter?” Natasha asked, glancing around.
“Could it be that Dad got sloshed for real, so he…” Ruth trailed off.

Before Ruth saw the video, she was sure that her father was not the kind
of person who would commit such a crime. However, now
that the evidence was right before her eyes, she couldn’t help but doubt
his innocence.

“Your dad is well aware of his alcohol tolerance level. But why did he dr
ink so much this time that he couldn’t even remember what he did after
that?” Jessica’s expression didn’t look good.

“Ms. Natasha, saving Mr. Harmon is what’s most important right now,” Jack
said worriedly.
It was going to be hard for Hector to
clear his name anytime soon. Hence, keeping him safe and sound for now wa
s their top priority.
“Dustin, what do you think?” Natasha looked at him.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this matter happens at this time.
Your dad is probably being set up by others,” Dustin replied.
Ruth
furrowed her brows. “That’s what we hope too, but all the evidence is dir
ected at Dad. No one
will believe us.”

“Sometimes, what we see might not be the truth, so we mustn’t just look o
n the surface,” Dustin said, shaking his head.
“You’ve gotten a clue?” Natasha asked.

“Those who have been around will know that there’s a special skill in thi
s world, which is called Face–
Changing Art. I suspect that someone has impersonated your dad and commit
ted the crime.”
“Face–
Changing Art?” The rest of them exchanged glances with one another, shock
ed by Dustin’s
words.

“Remember the Dark Lord’s disciple who showed up at the annual gathering
that day? She had used Face–Changing
Art to disguise herself as Celeste,” Dustin explained.

“That’s right! When she escaped, I think she left behind a human face mas
k!” Ruth said.
“That is
to say, Hector might be framed for real?” Jessica’s eyes brightened.
Although they knew nothing much about Face–
Changing Art, this speculation was their only

Chapter 515
hope at the moment.

“Are you saying that the Dark Lord is behind this?” Natasha’s expression
turned cold. This wasn’t just about dirtying Hector’s good name; it was a
lso about ruining the reputation of the Harmons and bringing the family t
o the brink of collapse.
“What a merciless move!” Natasha muttered inwardly.

“It’s possible, but there’s also someone who we mustn’t leave out,” Dusti
n reminded.
“Who?” Natasha narrowed her eyes.

“Tyler.” Dustin’s voice was flat. “He was rejected at the annual gatherin
g. Judging from how the Grant family conducts themselves, it’s impossible
for them to gloss over the matter.”

“Seriously?” Ruth frowned in thought. “The Grant family is one of the top
three most prominent families. It’s impossible for them to do something
like this. Moreover, framing my father won’t bring them any benefits.

“It’s just my guess. If we want to catch the culprit, it’d be best to inv
estigate from here as a start,” Dustin said.

“Jack, get the shadow guards to look into these immediately!” Natasha gav
e the order directly. “Noted!” Jack obeyed and left in a hurry.

Right then, a glint of silver light surged from the window all of a sudde
n and landed fiercely on the wall. It wasn’t until they had taken a close
r look that they realized it was a silver hairpin with a piece of paper a
ttached to it.

“Miracle doctor, I know who the culprit is. Come alone to Lilyrius Restau
rant tonight at 8 pm. See you then.” The note was signed off by someone c
alled Azalea.

Chapter 516
“Azalea?” Natasha arched her brow. “Do you know her?”

“If I guessed it right, it was her who disguised herself as Celeste,” Dus
tin said. The fragrance lingering on the silver hairpin was exactly the s
ame as that of the woman from that day.

“It’s her?” Natasha frowned slightly. “Could it be she’s the one behind t
his?”
“We’ll know more about it after I meet up with her tonight.” Dustin
narrowed his eyes. Since that person had invited him out, it was clear th
at she must have known something.
“This woman is full of guile and good at using poison. Do you think
this is a trap?” Natasha was worried.

“Don’t worry. Even if it’s a lion’s den, I’ll be able to come out unscath
ed.” Dustin smiled faintly. “No, it’s too dangerous for you to go
alone. I’ll send a group of shadow guards to protect you,” Natasha’said
with a solemn expression.

The Dark Lord’s disciple was nowhere near kind. Natasha didn’t want Dusti
n to risk his life. With how insistent she was, Dustin didn’t refuse her
anymore. “Okay.”
As a retro–
style restaurant, Lilyrius Restaurant was usually lively. However, it see
med surprisingly deserted that night.
After getting out of the car, Dustin entered the restaurant and
looked
around. There was no customer. He casually chose a seat next to the windo
w and enjoyed his drink while waiting for Azalea to show up.
“Quick! Go and catch the person inside!” At that time, several SUVS
roared and pulled up outside the restaurant. Equipped with weapons, a gro
up of black–clad, masked men got out of the cars and rushed
into the place fiercely.
When the man in the lead saw Dustin, he took several steps forward
and jammed his machete
into the table. “You’re Dustin?” Steven Lewis asked maliciously.

“You’ve been following me for half an hour. You can’t possibly still not
know who I am, can you?” Dustin held his cup, looking calm.
He had sensed that he was being
watched the moment he stepped out of the Harmon residence. However, inste
ad of alerting the other party, he kept quiet
about it to see who was behind it.
Steven
smirked. “You’ve got some guts. I didn’t expect you to be so composed.”
“Who are you? What do you want to do?” Dustin demanded.

“I heard that you have the flower of Crimson Gem. Hand it over, and I’ll
spare your life today,” Steven said. He had been keeping
a close watch over the Harmon residence for two days to catch
him.

“Flower of Crimson Gem? You’re someone from the Grant family?” Dustin rai
sed his eyebrow. Only a few people
knew that he had the flower, and Jayla was one of them.
“Hmph! Cut the crap! Are you giving or not?” Steven’s face darkened.
“No.” Dustin gulped down his drink.

“Then, you’re just asking for death!” Steven flew into a rage and was abo
ut to launch an attack on
Dustin.
Right
then, a charming female voice floated across the air. “Have you asked
for my permission to make a scene at my place?”

When everyone looked over, they saw a veiled woman in skimpy clothes slow
ly descending the stairs.

Although her face couldn’t be seen clearly, her body figure was extremely
hot and seductive–well-
developed breasts, curvy buttocks, and a slim waist. She looked like a m
asterpiece, especially when she walked with her hips wiggling, exuding he
r alluring charm.

The group of men in black were stunned. With their eyes lit up, they coul
dn’t help but swallow their saliva repeatedly.

Chapter 517
“Whoa, I’ve never seen such a hot body before!”

“I don’t need to look at her face. Her fair and slender legs alone are en
ough to get me hooked for a year!”

“Damn, I can’t take it anymore! She is fcking seductive!” The moment the veiled woman showed up, all the black– clad men had a hard time holding back their lusts. The sxy curves of her
figure were flawless, especially her wonderfully–
proportioned legs. They were literally perfect for those with foot and le
g fetishes.

Rubbing his chin, Steven ogled at her. “Hey, beauty. Are you the owner of
this restaurant?”

“That’s right. What do you want to eat?” The woman wore a sweet smile and
slowly walked up to them.

“What a nice smell!” The men kept sniffing, immersing themselves in her f
ragrance that was tickling them pink.
“Can I eat you?” Steven gave her a lascivious grin.

“Me?” The woman chuckled. “I’m a thorny person; I don’t think you’ll be a
ble to stomach me.”

“It’s okay. There is no rose without a thorn,” he uttered, licking his li
ps.

“Really? Let’s see if you can walk your talk.” She smiled mysteriously.

Steven tugged at his clothes, looking like he was in dire need of devouri
ng her whole. When the rest of the men saw that, they burst into laughter
and began to tease her.
“You’re lucky today, beauty! Steven is extremely good at this!”

“It looks like your man must’ve failed to satisfy you. No worries, you ha
ve our company tonight!”

As they laughed, they had already trapped the veiled woman in the middle.

Smiling, she pointed to Dustin. “Compared to you, I like the handsome man
over there more.”
“Hmph! He is only pleasant to the eyes but of no use!”
“Exactly! Look at how thin he is!”
The men scoffed at Dustin.

“Do you want to play with me, Mr. Handsome?” The veiled woman ignored the
other men.

“No, thank you. Go ahead and play with them.” Dustin continued enjoying h
is drink, completely unfazed

“Did you hear that? He doesn’t have the guts!” With an evil grin, Steven
reached out to grab her buttocks, but she easily dodged his touch.

“You’d better keep your hands to yourselves, or else I’ll get angry,” she
warned.

Hearing that, Steven got even more excited. “Angry? Haha! Come on, show m
e how angry you can get!”
Chapter 517

“Sure.” The woman crinkled her mouth into a slight smile and gently blew
into her palm.

Right then, a puff of red smoke came through and permeated the air, envel
oping everyone in it.

“What’s this? It smells so good.” The men sniffed the scent subconsciousl
y. However, in less than three seconds, they felt dizzy and were struggli
ng for breath.

“This is bad! The smoke is poisoned!” Steven’s expression changed, and he
immediately covered his mouth and nose.

Unfortunately, it was too late. Those who had inhaled the smoke fell to t
he floor, their faces contorting in pain as blood oozed out from their
mouths and noses.

“B*tch! How dare you poison us! I’m going to kill you!” At the sight of
his subordinates flumping down one after another, Steven flew off the han
dle and drew his machete to attack her. However, as soon as he moved, he
lost his balance and tumbled to the floor.
“I wasn’t lying when I said that you wouldn’t
be able to put up with me.” The veiled woman smirked.

Chapter 518
“You-” Steven was seething. He
spat out a mouthful of black blood and died on the spot.

In three minutes, all the black–
clad men collapsed to the floor and kicked the bucket. “Miracle doctor, I
’ve helped you
get rid of all the nuisances. It’s only two of us now.” The veiled woman
came over with a charming smile and sat beside Dustin. “Don’t you think y
ou should thank me for solving your problem?”

“Well, they were not really a problem to me. Let’s get down to business.
What’s your motive for calling me here?” Dustin asked.
“I’m just a weak lady; what
kind of motives can I have? Don’t think of me so badly.” Azalea teased. “
If that’s the case, tell me. Who framed Hector? And where is the killer?”
Dustin cut right to the chase.
“Nothing comes for free in
this world. You’ve got to pay a price if you want to know the answer to t
hat.” Azalea stretched out her finger and stroked his chin intimately.
“What do you want?” Dustin pushed her hand away.
“Can I have you?” Azalea shot him an alluring smile.

“I’m not interested in you.” Dustin refused her, unfazed by her advances.
“You’re
indeed different. There aren’t a lot of men who can resist my seduction.”
She chuckled. Alright, I won’t tease you anymore. Actually, I hope that
you can cure my disease. I’ve witnessed your medical
skills. Needless to say, they are exceptional.”

“You don’t look ill.” Dustin sized her up. Judging from her overall well–
being, she seemed to be in the pink of health.
“To tell you the truth, my
mentor has put a venomous curse on me. I will feel extremely terrible whe
n it comes to
the middle of the night. I hope that you can help me remove it.”
Dustin was
a little surprised. “A mentor poisoning his disciple? It’s my first time
hearing something like this.”

“My mentor is a person who suspects everyone. He doesn’t trust anyone but
himself, so he uses the
venom to control his disciples,” Azalea explained.
“I can neutralize
the poison for you, but you have to first tell me who the murderer is,” D
ustin said. “No can do. What if you go back on your word after I’ve told
you the truth?” The world was full of danger. Azalea dared not trust anyo
ne easily.

After a moment’s thought, Dustin agreed in the end. “Fine, I’ll remove it
for you first. You’d better not come up with any tricks.”

“I’m just a weak lady. Do you think I’m capable of doing that?” Azalea ro
lled her eyes.
“Open your mouth,” Dustin said, not intending to waste
his time talking to her anymore. Azalea lifted her veil slightly, reveali
ng her delicate lips.
Dustin flicked a pill into her mouth with his fingers. Then, he
took out a silver needle and poked it at
her body a few times at lightning speed. Once the medicine began to take
effect, he thrust his palm out all of a sudden and slapped her back hard.

Azalea coughed up a mouthful of black blood. A centipede that was as thic
k as a pinky could be seen wriggling in the pool of blood.
“Miracle
doctor, you’re indeed amazing. I didn’t expect it to be settled this fast
.” Azalea was overjoyed; she had never felt so relaxed before.

She carefully put the centipede aside to keep it for future use. There wa
s a subtle connection between the venomous
curse and the person who planted it. Once the centipede died, her mentor
would immediately know about it.

“I’ve removed the venom. So tell me, who is the murderer?” Dustin asked c
almly.

“What are you talking about?” Azalea acted like she didn’t know anything.
“How dare you trick me?” Dustin frowned, exuding a
malicious mien in an instant.
“Miracle doctor, hadn’t anyone told you before that you
shouldn’t simply
believe a woman’s words, especially the beautiful ones?” Azalea smiled pl
ayfully.

Dustin’s expression darkened. All of a sudden, he reached out and grabbed
Azalea by her neck, lifting her up from the floor. “If you aren’t tellin
g me about it, then don’t blame me for being merciless.”

Laughing in the middle of her cough, she said, “Miracle doctor, I advise
you not to act recklessly. If you
get me killed, your lover, Natasha, is going to die too.”

Chapter 519
“What are you talking about?” Dustin tightened his grip around
Azalea’s neck, suffocating her so hard that her face flushed.

Without feeling any ounce of fear, Azalea smiled and said in a hoarse
voice, “If I die, not only you won’t be able to catch the murderer, but
Natasha will also suffer. You’d better think about it properly.”

“Are you threatening me?” When Dustin narrowed his eyes, a touch of
murderous intent was laced in his gaze.
“I dare not. This is just my advice to you.” Azalea curled up the
corners of her lips.
“What exactly do you want?” Dustin demanded coldly.
Instead of saying anything, Azalea pointed at her neck.
Her message was loud and clear.
With a slight frown, Dustin still let go of her neck.
Azalea slumped down on the floor in an instant and panted heavily.
“It hurts. Miracle doctor, I was just joking. Why did you have to be so
rough?”
“I have no time to joke with you. You’d better tell me everything
that you know.” He shot her a piercing glare.
“Fine. Since you want to know about it so badly, I’ll just tell you
the truth.” Patting her clothes, Azalea sat beside him and took a sip of
his drink. “You’ve guessed it right. Hector is framed, and the one behind
this is the Grant family.”
“The Grant family?” Dustin raised his brow. “Where is the evidence?
How am I supposed to know that you’re not lying?”
This woman in front of him was too unpredictable. He couldn’t bring
himself to believe her.
“What’s the point of lying to you?” Azalea rolled her eyes.
“Do you even need a reason to tell a lie?” Dustin’s expression was
frosty.
“You know me well!” She chuckled. “But I’m telling the truth this
time, and I even have the murderer’s location with me.”
“Where?”
“A hidden safe house.” With a flick of her wrist, a piece of paper
fell on the table. “Here’s the address.”
Dustin took a look at it. “Is this the real address?”

“You have my word. However, I can only guarantee you that the
murderer will be there for an hour. After that, the murderer will move to
a different place,” Azalea said.
Dustin nodded his head, his expression relaxing as he lowered his
guard slightly. Judging from Azalea’s body language, she didn’t seem like
she was lying. As long as he could catch the culprit, Hector would
probably be safe.
“By the way, you said that Natasha was in danger. What do you mean by
that?” Dustin suddenly asked.
“Do you want to know? Lift my veil, then.” Azalea smiled
meaningfully.
“What’s so hard about that?” He reached out and grabbed her veil,
slowly pulling it upward.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you that there is a rule in my family; whoever
lifts up my veil will have to marry me.”
“You’re crazy!” Startled, Dustin immediately withdrew his hand.
Fortunately, he had only pulled it up halfway through, so he didn’t
manage to get a clear look at her face.
“Scared? What a boring man you are!” Azalea teased, grinning from ear
to ear.
“Childish!” Dustin snorted and turned around to leave.
“She’s too good at playing with people’s minds,” Dustin thought.
“Hold on,” Azalea called out to him. “Miracle doctor, why are you in
such a hurry? Actually, I have spies at the Grant residence. Not long
ago, I received news that someone wanted to harm Natasha. Those who
followed you earlier were just the beginning of their plan. The Grant
family’s real target is Natasha.”
When Dustin heard what she said, he stopped his steps all of a sudden
and looked at her. “The Harmon residence is heavily guarded now. It’s not
easy for the Grants to barge in.”
“True enough, but what about luring the target away?” Azalea quirked
her lips.
“What do you mean?” He frowned.
“Well, if I’m someone from the Grant family, I can simply find a
reason to lure Natasha to leave the house.” Azalea shot him a half-smile.
Right then, Dustin felt a wave of uneasiness.
At the moment, the Harmon family was leaderless, and on top of that,
it was in a mess.

Chapter 520
Natasha would definitely do whatever she could to save Hector, and
her concern for her father would only make her fall into traps easily.

At the thought of that, Dustin immediately took out his phone and
dialed Natasha’s number. However, the line couldn’t get through.

“She’s not picking up? In that case, it seems like the Grant family
has made their move,” Azalea remarked.
“Miracle doctor, time is tight. You have to choose whether to go to
the safe house to catch the murderer or to save Natasha. You can’t have
your cake and eat it too.”
“Only kids will choose. I want both!” As Dustin spoke, he made a hand
gesture at the window.
Soon, Isfrid hurriedly walked in with a few shadow guards.
“Mr. Rhys, we are at your command,” Isfrid said respectfully.
Dustin handed the piece of paper with the safe house’s address to
Isfrid. “This is where the murderer is hiding. Bring your men and head
over there right now.”
“What about you, Mr. Rhys?”
“I have something else to do. Hurry up and go,” Dustin urged.
“Yes, Sir!” Isfrid dared not hesitate and immediately left the place.
Seeing that, Azalea fell silent with a smile on her face.
Upon walking out of the restaurant, Dustin called Ruth. “Ruth, is
your sister at home?”
“She left with a group of shadow guards after receiving a call not
long ago. What’s the matter? “Ruth replied.
“She left? Where did she go?” Dustin continued asking.
“I think she went to Basilisk Hall.”
“Your sister is in danger. Send help over immediately!” Then, Dustin
hung up the phone and drove straight to Basilisk Hall.
A masquerade party that was only open to the cream of society was
going on in Basilisk Hall. Everyone was getting wild. After all, they
were all unrecognizable with the masks on. Hence, they were seizing the
chance to indulge themselves in debaucherous fun.

With a cigarette in her mouth, Jayla sat on the couch and watched the
skimpy guests on the dance floor, who were getting amatory with one
another.
As a whole, the party looked like a dissipated one.
Right then, a bodyguard walked up to her and reported in a low voice,
“Ms. Grant, Natasha is here.”
“Oh, that’s fast. Bring her in.” Jayla put on a playful smile.
“Yes.” The bodyguard obeyed and went away.
Seconds later, Natasha came in with the bodyguard. Looking at how
wild the atmosphere of the party was, she couldn’t help but frown.
“This is way too much. They don’t have any self-restraint at all,”
Natasha thought.
Jayla stood up with a glass of red wine in her hand. “Natasha, I
didn’t expect you to have the guts to come over.”
“I came here only for the truth; who exactly framed my father?”
Natasha demanded.
Before this, Natasha received a call from Jayla and was told that the
latter had a way of saving Hector. Hence, Natasha immediately rushed
over.
“Well, get down on your knees if you want to know the answer,” Jayla
said with a mocking smile.
“Do you
think this is fun?” Natasha furrowed her brows.
“You don’t want to kneel? I thought you cared a lot about your
father, but now it seems like I’m wrong.” Jayla sneered.
“Will you tell me the truth if I fall to my knees?”
“It’s not your place to negotiate with me. If you don’t want your
father to die in prison, do as I say!” Jayla shouted.
After hesitating for a while, Natasha finally kneeled on the floor.
She knew Jayla was humiliating her on purpose. However, for the sake of
Hector, Natasha had no choice but to swallow her pride.
“What a good daughter!” Jayla curled the corners of her lips into a
nasty smirk.
“Now, take off your clothes.”

Chapter 521
“What did you say?” Natasha knitted her brows.

“Didn’t you hear me? I said, take off your clothes!” Jayla repeated
with her voice raised.

“Don’t you go overboard!” Natasha’s expression was cold. How could
she possibly remove her clothes in public? That was extremely humiliating
for her!
“So what if I do?” Jayla sneered. “I hold something over you right
now, and you got no choice but to listen to me!”
This was the reason she sent Hector to jail-demeaning Natasha.
Jayla muttered inwardly, “This is the price to pay for refusing to
get married into the Grant family!”
She needed to make Natasha suffer in order to vent her anger.
“Jayla, you’d better not overstep the line,” Natasha said in a deep
voice.
“Natasha, haven’t you figured out what the current situation is?”
Jayla laughed wildly. “You’re in my territory. Whatever happens to you
depends on me. Hurry up and take off your clothes!”
“Take off!”
“Take off!”
The masked guests began to shout in excitement, and most of them were
under the influence.
“It looks like there’s nothing for us to discuss. I’m leaving now.”
Natasha turned around to leave, not intending to waste her time anymore.
Jayla was obviously giving her a hard time on purpose.
“Stop right there! Did I say you could leave?” Jayla shouted.
Right then, two female bodyguards stepped forward and blocked
Natasha’s way.
“Do you
think that I came alone?” Natasha turned around, her face darkened.
Natasha knew there would be danger, so she brought a group of shadow
guards with her when she left the
house.

“Of course, I knew you came here prepared. But sadly, it’s useless.”
As Jayla spoke, she clapped
her hands.
Soon, a group of formidable masked guards walked in, dragging a few
corpses with them.
When Natasha took a closer look, her expression changed in an
instant. They were her shadow guards!
112
“Are you surprised?” Jayla laughed mockingly. “Your shadow guards are
dead. You are on your own now, and I can do whatever I want to you!”
“Jayla, do you know what you’re doing?” Having blatantly killed the
Harmons’ shadow guards was no longer just a simple provocation, but a war
declaration.
“Stop making much ado about nothing. It’s going to be your turn
soon.” Jayla shot her a cold smirk and gestured to the guards. “Guards!
Hold her down!”
The two female bodyguards obeyed and immediately restrained Natasha
from moving around.
“Since you aren’t willing to strip off, let me help you, then.”
Suddenly, Jayla stretched out her hands and ripped Natasha’s coat into
pieces, exposing her black bra.
“What huge breasts you have, B*tch! No wonder so many men like you.”
When Jayla saw how busty Natasha was, a hint of jealousy flashed across
her eyes. Not only was Natasha beautiful, but her body figure was also
sumptuous.
“She’s indeed a temptress!” Jayla thought.
“Jayla, you’d better not do anything absurd!” Natasha shouted.
“So what if I do? Haven’t you been using your good looks to your
advantage? Today I’m going to destroy your face and see how you’re going
to live in the future!” With an evil smile, Jayla took out a knife and
scratched Natasha’s fair and delicate face fiercely.
Natasha groaned in pain, breaking out in a cold sweat.
“B*tch, this is the consequence of rejecting the Grant family. Since
you aren’t willing to get married to Tyler, I’m going to ruin you today!”

Chapter 522
Clenching her teeth, Jayla chewed Natasha up while scratching the
latter’s face mercilessly.

“Ahh!” With an ear-piercing wail, Natasha finally passed out due to
extreme pain. Her beautiful face was now covered in fresh blood. It was a
ghastly sight.

“That was fast, but I haven’t had enough fun yet.” Jayla smiled
evilly. “Strip off her clothes and hang her up!”
“Yes!”
The two female bodyguards obeyed and immediately removed Natasha’s
clothes until she was only left with her underwear. Then, they hung her
in the middle of the dance floor and poured a bucket of icy water down
her head.
Natasha shuddered, gradually regaining consciousness.
“Natasha, haven’t you been acting noble and virtuous all the while?
Today I’m going to show you what it feels like to be humiliated!” Jayla
continued, “See these people around? They’ll be accompanying you tonight.
I’m going to take a video of the whole process and send it to your
boyfriend for him to enjoy.”
“Y-you monster!” Natasha gritted her teeth, her eyes reddening.
“Go ahead and curse me as much as you want.” Jayla sneered and turned
around to look at the masked men below the stage. “Everyone, I’m sure you
have heard of how pretty the daughter of the Harmon family is. Her face
is disfigured now, but her body is still flawless. Anyone here wants to
take her back to be your servant?”
“Me!”
“No, me!”
“Damn it! She’s mine! Don’t you try to fight for her with me!”
Overwhelmed by excitement, the men began to fight over Natasha. They,
of course, knew what a beauty she was. Hence, how could they possibly
give up on the chance of messing with their goddess, who was known to be
out of their league?
“Well, since so many of you are interested, whoever pays the highest
price will have the opportunity to have her as your servant.” Jayla
offered with a smile.
“I’ll

go first! One million dollars!” A man with a sheep-face mask raised
his hand.
“One million only? I’m giving five million!” said another man who had
a cow-face mask on.
“Eight million dollars from me!”
“Ten million!”
The men shouted one after another, and the price kept getting higher
and higher. They were all from wealthy families. What they lacked wasn’t
money, but excitement in their lives. As long as they could buy
excitement, they were willing to spend a fortune on it.
“Y-you…” Natasha was filled with resentment.
The sheep-masked man suddenly shouted, “50 million!”
Right then, the crowd quieted down in an instant. 50 million dollars
wasn’t a small amount. Since the man was willing to pay such a high price
for something, he shouldn’t be underestimated.
Pointing to the sheep-masked man, Jayla said, “Well, it looks like
that’s the highest price for now. In that case, you are going to be the
first.” Then, she continued, “As for the rest, queue up for your turns.
As soon as she said that, the crowd erupted in cheers.
“Spending 50 million dollars to make such a sumptuous woman my
servant is simply worth it. “The sheep-masked man walked up the stage and
sized Natasha’s s*xy body up with his lascivious eyes.
“I’m warning you; don’t do anything nonsensical. Otherwise, the
Harmons won’t let you go!” Natasha squeezed out the words through her
gritted teeth.
“Well, at least I won’t leave the world with regrets. Moreover, you
don’t even know who I am, “the man said.
The ones under the stage egged the man on.
Natasha fell into utter despair. She kept struggling to break free
but to no avail. Other than watching the man get closer to her, there was
nothing else that she could do.
“Here I come, beauty!” The sheep-masked man laughed loudly and
pounced on Natasha. “Stop!” Right then, a thunderous, angry shout rang
out.

Chapter 523
“Stop!” A thunderous voice rang out, causing the crowd to fall into
silence in an instant.

Startled, everyone looked over at once and saw a tall figure walking
in, exuding an overwhelming wave of murderous intent. Tension immediately
ensued in the atmosphere, which was on fire just a moment ago. Those who
were in revealing clothes couldn’t help but

shudder.
“Dustin?” When Natasha saw who it was,.a wave of joy flooded her, as
if she had found a life
savior.
“So it’s you!” Jayla snorted upon taking a closer look at him. “Why
do you have to bring trouble on yourself when you can easily avoid it?
Today I’m going to let you watch your woman being humiliated!”
“All of you deserve death!” Seeing Natasha being hung up and covered
in bloody scratches and wounds, Dustin clenched his fists hard, his
expression darkening. A great sense of wrath flooded his soul so
intensely that he almost lost his mind.
“Rhys, are you furious? But so what? Your woman is in my hands right
now. I can do whatever I want to her.” Then, she turned to the sheepmasked man. “Hey, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and enjoy your time
with the beauty. You don’t have to hold back. Serve her well in front of
her man!” Jayla cackled presumptuously.
“I’m loving this!” The sheep-masked man was pumped up.
As he rubbed his hands like he couldn’t wait to devour her whole, his
body began to tremble in excitement at the same time.
“If you dare to lay a finger on her, I guarantee you that you will
have a tragic end!” Dustin
threatened.
“Haha! Not only do I want to touch her, but I also want to lick her
all over. What can you do about that?” The sheep-masked man stuck out his
tongue deliberately and licked Natasha’s leg.
“You’re asking for death!” Dustin’s face fell, and he flicked his
wrist abruptly.
With a swish, a silver needle shot out in an instant and directly
pierced the spot between the man’s eyebrows.

The sheep-masked man froze; the next second, he collapsed to the
floor, having breathed his
last.
That was a bolt from the blue. The remaining guests were scared out
of their wits and
screamed in fear.
“How dare you kill someone in my territory? You must have gotten
tired of living!” Flying

A group of bodyguards obeyed at once and dashed over with their
weapons drawn.
“Whoever stands in my way will die!” Dustin’s eyes were red as he
continued making advances instead of retreating.
All the bodyguards who approached him had their heads severely
injured by just one punch from Dustin. None of them survived, and blood
was all over the floor. Clearly, Dustin wasn’t
showing them any mercy.
Looking at Dustin, who was soaked in blood, the onlookers scattered
away in fear of being the
next target.
After getting rid of the group of bodyguards, Dustin immediately ran
up the stage and broke the chains tying Natasha up.
“Are you okay?” When Dustin saw her disfigured face, his heart bled
for her. Taking off his coat in a hurry, he wrapped it around her petite
body, which was shivering due to the cold.
“We can’t stay here for long. Let’s leave!” Natasha staggered to
stand up.
Since the Harmons’ shadow guards had been killed so easily and
without anyone knowing, there were obviously skilled fighters hiding in
this place.
“Do you think you can leave?” Jayla snorted. “Listen up, lupine
guards! Kill this man for me!”
Right then, ten black-clad figures suddenly walked out of the
shadows. All of them were masked and had an intimidating aura.
They were the ones who finished off the shadow guards earlier.
“Lupine guards are made up of the best elites. Each of them has
fought in countless battles and possesses exceptional fighting skills.
With them around, today is going to be the day of your death!”

Chapter 524
“He should feel honored for being able to die at the hands of the
lupine guards!”

When the Grants’ highly skilled guards appeared, the rest of the
guests became excited, as if they were watching a show.

“This is bad!” Natasha’s expression changed. “Dustin, you don’t have
to care about me. Hurry up and leave! Get help from the Harmon family!”
She knew Dustin was strong, but lupine guards were experts when it
came to fighting. She would just weigh Dustin down if they tried to
escape together.
“What are you talking about? How can I possibly leave you alone
here?” Dustin reached out and grabbed her hand.
“But it’s going to be difficult to escape if you bring me along.”
Natasha frowned. She didn’t want Dustin to risk his life because of her.
“Who said that I was going to escape?” Dustin looked around with a
piercing gaze. “I’m going to kill all of them tonight!”
“Stop being insolent! Do you even have the ability to do that?” Jayla
sneered.
All the lupine guards were carefully selected by Tyler. Even the
Harmons’ shadow guards were not a match for them, let alone a country
bumpkin.
“You can see for yourself.” Dustin provoked, his expression
indifferent.
“Well, since you’re so desperate to die, I don’t mind making your
wish come true.” With a wave of her hand, Jayla ordered, “Elton, kill
him!”
The leader of the lupine guards, Elton Pearson, obeyed and directly
drew out his weapon, closing in on Dustin. Although the former wasn’t
making any sound, he was emanating a strong and overwhelming aura.
As soon as Dustin was within his attack range, Elton immediately sped
up and swung his machete to strike at him. “Die!”

It was a powerful charge.
However, the moment Dustin threw a punch at him, Elton’s attack fell
apart at the seams in an instant. His simple and straightforward punch
directly pierced Elton’s chest before the latter could swing his weapon
down for an attack.
Elton widened his eyes in shock at the sight of Dustin’s bloody fist
that had penetrated his body. It had all happened too fast. Elton barely
had time to react.
Then, Dustin swung his arm and hurled Elton to the wall, leaving a
patch of blood on it.
112
Everyone was dumbfounded at the sight before them. Elton was an
extremely formidable existence, but now he had been killed by Dustin in
just one move.
It was simply hard to believe!
“H-how is this even possible?” Looking at Elton’s corpse, Jayla was
stunned. Her face was full of disbelief.
“That was the powerful leader of the lupine guards, and now he’s
dead?” she muttered inwardly.
“How dare you kill our leader?”
“Today is going to be your death day!”
After recovering from their shock, the remaining nine lupine guards
flew off the handle and surged forward at him with their weapons drawn.
Expressionless, Dustin stomped his foot all of a sudden.
With a loud boom, the floor cracked the next second. A burst of
violent true energy then presented itself in an instant and smashed
fiercely onto the guards.
As if they had been knocked down by a train, the lupine guards were
sent flying across the air, blood gushing out of their mouths. All it
took was a stomp, and every one of the lupine guards died before they
could even land on the floor.

Chapter 525
Instantly, silence ensued.

Looking at the lupine guards who had drawn their last breath,
everyone was so terrified that they were lost for words. They couldn’t
believe that all nine guards had lost their lives because of Dustin’s
stomp.

When Jayla came back to her senses, she blew up at once and shouted,
“How dare you kill my lupine guards!”
Each and every one of the lupine guards had been carefully trained by
the Grant family. Now that ten of them were dead, how could Jayla
possibly put up with it?
“It won’t end with just their deaths; you are going to pay back for
what you did!” With a cold expression on his face, Dustin slowly walked
closer to Jayla, his eyes darkening.
“W-what do you want to do? I’m warning you; don’t do anything
absurd!” Jayla took two steps back in fright.
As if she felt that it was embarrassing to retreat, she stopped at
once and held her head high, putting on an arrogant look.
She was the daughter of the Grant family. Why was she afraid of
someone like Dustin?
“You’ve got to pay back twice the harm you’ve inflicted on Natasha!”
Dustin threatened.
“Don’t you dare!” Jayla shot daggers at him. “I have the Grants
behind me. If you lay a finger on me, even a divine being can’t save
you!”
“Really?” Suddenly, Dustin grabbed Jayla by the neck and lifted her
off the floor.
Kicking her legs frantically, Jayla began to cough violently. She
struggled to break free from his grip but failed. It was getting
difficult for her to breathe. Soon, the fear of death gradually flooded
her mind.
“L-let me go! Or else, you’re going to have a miserable death!” Jayla
shouted.
“Dustin, don’t hurt her!” Right then, Natasha couldn’t help but stop
him.
Although she hated Jayla, the latter wasn’t someone who could be
easily provoked. If Jayla was hurt, it would lead to the Grant family
seeking revenge on them.
“She’s too arrogant. She will only continue to overstep the mark if
she is not taught a lesson.” Dustin tightened his grip around Jayla’s
neck.
Jayla’s face flushed; she couldn’t breathe.
“Stop!” A loud shout suddenly came from the door.
712
Everyone was dumbfounded at the sight before them. Elton was an
extremely formidable existence, but now he had been killed by Dustin in
just one move.
It was simply hard to believe!
“H-how is this even possible?” Looking at Elton’s corpse, Jayla was
stunned. Her face was
full of disbelief.
“That was the powerful leader of the lupine guards, and now he’s
dead?” she muttered
inwardly.
“How dare you kill our leader?”
“Today is going to be your death day!”
After recovering from their shock, the remaining nine lupine guards
flew off the handle and surged forward at him with their weapons drawn.
Expressionless, Dustin stomped his foot all of a sudden.
With a loud boom, the floor cracked the next second. A burst of
violent true energy then presented itself in an instant and smashed
fiercely onto the guards.
As if they had been knocked down by a train, the lupine guards were
sent flying across the air, blood gushing out of their mouths. All it
took was a stomp, and every one of the lupine guards died before they
could even land on the floor.

Instantly, silence ensued.
Looking at the lupine guards who had drawn their last breath,
everyone was so terrified that they were lost for words. They couldn’t
believe that all nine guards had lost their lives because of Dustin’s
stomp.
When Jayla came back to her senses, she blew up at once and shouted,
“How dare you kill my lupine guards!”

Each and every one of the lupine guards had been carefully trained by
the Grant family. Now that ten of them were dead, how could Jayla
possibly put up with it?
“It won’t end with just their deaths; you are going to pay back for
what you did!” With a cold expression on his face, Dustin slowly walked
closer to Jayla, his eyes darkening.
“W-what do you want to do? I’m warning you; don’t do anything
absurd!” Jayla took two steps back in fright.
As if she felt that it was embarrassing to retreat, she stopped at
once and held her head high, putting on an arrogant look.
She was the daughter of the Grant family. Why was she afraid of
someone like Dustin?
“You’ve got to pay back twice the harm you’ve inflicted on Natasha!”
Dustin threatened.
“Don’t you dare!” Jayla shot daggers at him. “I have the Grants
behind me. If you lay a finger on me, even a divine being can’t save
you!”
“Really?” Suddenly, Dustin grabbed Jayla by the neck and lifted her
off the floor.
Kicking her legs frantically, Jayla began to cough violently. She
struggled to break free from his grip but failed. It was getting
difficult for her to breathe. Soon, the fear of death gradually flooded
her mind.
“L-let me go! Or else, you’re going to have a miserable death!” Jayla
shouted.
“Dustin, don’t hurt her!” Right then, Natasha couldn’t help but stop
him.
Although she hated Jayla, the latter wasn’t someone who could be
easily provoked. If Jayla was hurt, it would lead to the Grant family
seeking revenge on them.
“She’s too arrogant. She will only continue to overstep the mark if
she is not taught a lesson.” Dustin tightened his grip around Jayla’s
neck.
Jayla’s face flushed; she couldn’t breathe.
“Stop!” A loud shout suddenly came from the door.
The next second, Jacob rushed in fiercely with a group of elites from
the Harmon family.
When he saw the lupine guards lying dead on the floor, his expression
changed at once.” Dustin, let go of Ms. Grant immediately! Stop making
mistakes!”
“She has disfigured Natasha’s face, not to mention the barrage of
insults. Today she has to be given a tit-for-tat,” Dustin said coldly.
Shifting his gaze to Natasha, whose face was covered in blood, Jacob
couldn’t help frowning. After a moment’s hesitation, he bit the bullet
and said, “Don’t worsen the situation, Dustin.
first!”
Let her go
“Let her go?” Dustin turned around. “As an elder, aren’t you supposed
to protect Natasha? She has been severely injured, and now you’re telling
me to free the perpetrator?”
“You can’t afford to offend Ms. Grant. Don’t drag us down!” Jacob
shouted.
“That’s right! Let go of Ms. Grant now!” The rest of the Harmons
echoed.
Jayla was Tyler’s sister. If something bad were to happen to her
here, the entire Harmon family was going to suffer the consequences.
“What if I refuse?” Dustin narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t force me to attack you!” Jacob’s face fell.
Most of the people with him slowly drew their weapons, their gazes
filled with hostility. In an instant, Dustin ended up being their target.
At the sight of that, Jayla laughed complacently. “Rhys, do you see
this? Even the Harmons have no guts to offend me. Get your hands off of
me right now! Who do you think you are to mess with me?”
No matter how strong a fighter was, in front of the powerful Grant
family, they would still
have to bow down to them.
“Are you going to stand by and do nothing when your family member has
been attacked? Is the Harmon family so weak?” Dustin glanced around with
a piercing gaze.
Those who met his eyes couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.

Chapter 526
“Rhys! An outsider like you is in no place to boss us around!” Jacob
was exasperated.

“Since none of you has the guts to stand up for Natasha, I’ll do it,
then! I don’t mind offending the Grants!” Dustin opened his hand, and a
steel knife slid into his palm. “Today I’m going to take an eye for an
eye and a tooth for a tooth! No intercession is allowed!”

As soon as he finished saying that, he scratched Jayla’s face with
the sharp blade, leaving a deep, bloody mark.
“Ah!” Jayla exclaimed shrilly in pain.
“Don’t you dare!”
“You son of a B*tch! Stop right now!”
Jacob and the rest of the members of the Harmon family shouted, their
facial expressions changing drastically.
However, Dustin didn’t care about them at all. He drew another line
across Jayla’s face, forming a huge “X” on it.
“Rhys, do you know what you are doing? If you hurt Ms. Grant, even
the Emperor won’t be able to save you!” Jacob was furious.
Dustin remained silent as he continued to wave his knife at Jayla,
destroying her looks.
“Ah! My face! Ahh!” Jayla screamed in agony.
It was not only physical pain but also mental torture. Every woman
cared about her appearance. Now that her face was ruined, how was she
going to live her life in the future?
After making ten scratches on Jayla’s face, Dustin finally stopped.
At the moment, Jayla was already covered in blood, looking acutely
harrowing.
“This guy is crazy!”
“Do you know how distinguished Ms. Grant is? You are going to be done
for disfiguring her face!”
Everyone was startled by Dustin’s action. Although they were angry at
the same time, they dared not step forward.

“You’re dead meat, all of you! How dare you ruin my face! I’m going
to make your entire family pay for this!” Jayla screamed, looking as
ferocious as a devil.
“Ms. Grant, this has nothing to do with us! It’s all on him!” Jacob
hurriedly explained.
“I don’t care! Unless you kill him for me, I’m going to destroy the
Harmons!” Jayla yelled.
1
Hearing that, Jacob and the rest were stunned. After recovering from
their shock, they shifted their fierce gazes to Dustin. It seemed like
they were going to do as Jayla ordered.
“Move! Out of my way!”
While Jacob and his people were dithering, a series of noises came
from the door. Then, a butler of the Grant family rushed in with a group
of elite guards.
Seeing that, Jayla laughed wildly. “My reinforcements have arrived.
Today, all of you are going to die!”
Jacob and his group were in a blue funk. If they hadn’t hesitated
earlier in taking Dustin down, the Harmons would’ve been able to stay out
of trouble.
“Rhys, weren’t you arrogant earlier? Why aren’t you saying anything
now? Let me tell you, it’s too late to be scared! I’m going to make you
pay me back a hundred times for what you did to me! It’s over for you!”
Jayla roared maliciously.
“Your life is in my hands now, so you’d better not push my buttons.”
Dustin’s voice was cold.
“So what if I do? Do you dare to take my life? Go ahead, then!
Otherwise, I’m going to kill you! Not only do I want you dead, but I also
want you to witness how I would torture your woman! I will make her
suffer!” Jayla cackled like she would be having the last laugh.
“Well, since you wish to die, I’ll grant your wish, then.” Raising
his weapon, Dustin directly slashed her neck.

Chapter 527
“Dustin, don’t!”

“Mother F*cker! Don’t you dare!”

When Dustin raised his weapon, everyone was shocked and immediately
yelled to stop him.
However, Dustin turned a deaf ear to their shouts and decisively
struck at Jayla.
Jayla’s wild laugh came to a stop in an instant. The next second, her
head fell from her neck, rolling on the floor like a ball for a while
before it stopped.
Her widened eyes were filled with disbelief. As if she didn’t expect
Dustin to kill her for real in front of so many people. The power and
status that she had been bragging about were completely of no use at this
moment.
Everything was over for her.
“S-she died?”
Looking at Jayla’s chopped-off head, everyone was scared out of their
wits. That was the daughter of the Grant family, who was also Tyler’s
sister, and at the moment, she had gone the way of all flesh.
“This is bad!” Natasha paled.
If Dustin had only killed the lupine guards, there were still chances
to turn the situation around. However, he murdered Jayla. This was a
crime that nobody could afford to bear.
“This guy has really lost his mind!”
“F*ck! How can he kill Ms. Grant? He’s daring alright!”
A short moment of silence later, the scene went into an uproar.
Everyone had their eyes fixed on Dustin as if they were looking at a
crazy man.
After all, who else would have the guts to provoke the Grants other
than someone who had gone insane?
“Scourge! He is a scourge!” Jacob was hot under the collar.

Dustin had already committed a severe crime by disfiguring Jayla, and
now he even finished her off! It seemed like the Harmons were doomed to
be in the soup this time.
“Bastard, how dare you kill Ms. Jayla!” The butler of the Grant
family roared.
Now that Jayla had died, those at the scene wouldn’t be able to steer
clear of the consequences.
“She wanted death; all I did was grant her wish,” Dustin said
indifferently.

“You’re still acting so arrogant when your last hour has come?” With
a wave of his hand, the butler ordered, “Guards! Tear him limb from limb
to avenge Ms. Jayla’s death!”
“Attack!” The group of elites immediately drew their weapons and
charged forward.
“Let me see who has the guts to attack Sir Rhys!”
Right then, Nelson led a large group of Flame Dragon Gang members and
rushed in aggressively.
“Damn, how dare you attempt to attack Sir Rhys? You’re courting
death! Everyone, attack!” Nelson raised his weapon and dashed over upon
seeing Dustin trapped in the middle.
Right then, hundreds of Flame Dragon Gang members broke into a fight
with the elites of the Grant family. Although the latter were welltrained fighters, the former had the strength in numbers. It didn’t take
long for the Grants’ guards to be defeated.
“Where did these people come from?” Jacob exchanged confused glances
with his men.
“Mr. Jacob, it seems like they are from the Flame Dragon Gang,”
someone replied.
“Flame Dragon Gang? Why are they meddling in this?” Jacob found it a
little strange.
Although the Flame Dragon Gang was quite well-known in Millsburg,
they weren’t a match for the Grant family. After all, the Grants had the
authority to mobilize the troops. Hence, how could the Flame Dragon Gang
fight against them?

Chapter 528
The brawl finally ended ten minutes later.

Although dozens of Flame Dragon Gang disciples were injured in the
process, they managed to completely annihilate the Grants’ elite men.

“Sir, I did not fail you. I have eliminated all these pests!” Nelson
and his men rushed toward Dustin eagerly.
“Well done. It must have been tiring.” Dustin nodded.
“Not at all. It’s our honor to serve you!” Nelson responded with a
grin.
“Clean this place up. Don’t leave any evidence behind.” Dustin
ordered.
“Yes, Sir!”
“Boys, it’s time to clean up!” Nelson hollered at his men, and they
immediately got to work.
“I didn’t know you were the Flame Dragon Gang’s leader.” Natasha’s
surprised expression quickly turned into a frown. “Still, even with the
gang’s help, we can’t win against the Grants. We’re in real trouble this
time.”
“The Grants might be powerful, but that doesn’t mean they can’t do
whatever they please. There’s always someone more powerful than them,”
Dustin replied nonchalantly.
“As if it’d be that easy. In the Southern province, the only two
families who have a chance of winning against the Grants are the Murray
family and the Hill family.” Natasha sighed. “You were too reckless this
time, Dustin. Killing Jayla was a terrible move!”
“They wouldn’t have let me live anyway, so I might as well get rid of
them first.” Dustin seemed unbothered. Since they already had their eyes
on him, he might as well make it worthwhile.
“But…” Natasha didn’t know what to say.
“Let’s forget about this. We should focus more on your injury. Let’s
go and treat it.” Dustin gathered her into his arms and walked outside.
His needle might have stopped the bleeding, but medication was necessary
to prevent her lacerations from scarring.
“Hold it right there!” Jacob shouted. “Do you think you can just
leave after getting into such a huge mess?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility for my actions,” Dustin
responded before walking out.
“Follow him. Don’t let him escape.” Jacob ordered two of his men.
“Yes, Sir!” The two men answered in unison and went after Dustin and
Natasha.
There was no way the Grants would take this matter lightly. If Dustin
were to run away now, the Grants might shift their target to the Harmon
family instead, so they had to make sure to keep a close eye on him.
“Lord Horst, quite a few of our men died today. What a loss.”
Nelson’s men grumbled softly.
“Of course, it isn’t a loss! Men are supposed to be wild like this!”
Nelson thumped his chest proudly. “I’m sure today’s battle showed Sir
Rhys just how strong we are and improved our image!”
Just then, one of his men rushed over in panic. “Bad news, Lord
Horst! We’re in trouble!”
“What’s all the fuss about? You act as though it’s something I can’t
handle.” Nelson huffed, judging that his men must still lack experience
given how easy it was to scare them.
When will they ever grow up?
“Look at this, Sir!’ The other man shakily held out a badge.
“It looks familiar.” Nelson was puzzled.
“Of course it is! It belongs to the Grants!” His subordinate wailed.
“The Grants? What do you mean?” Nelson was still confused.
The subordinate delivered the shocking news. “The men we just killed
were the Grants’ elites!”
“What?! The Grants?” Nelson exclaimed, wide-eyed. “A-are you
serious?”
“I would never joke about something like this. Just look at the
badge!” His subordinate whimpered. “Sir, you’ll have to take care of this
mess now.”
“Take care of it? Yeah, right. I’m just dead meat now.” Nelson fell
to the floor dejectedly. He would soon disappear from the face of the
earth.

Chapter 529
Meanwhile, at the Grants’ mansion, Tyler Grant was practicing with a
terrain model.

As a gifted individual, he excelled in everything he did, including
terrain model training. Since few could compete against him, he usually
trained by himself.

“Something terrible has happened, Mr. Grant!” One of the butlers
barged into his study anxiously.
“Get out,” Tyler ordered icily without looking at the butler.
“But-
The butler swallowed the rest of his words when he received Tyler’s
menacing glare and scuttled back to the door to wait patiently.
It took a while for Tyler to finish his practice. When he was
finished, he asked, “What is it?”
“Sir, we just received news that Ms. Jayla was killed!” The butler
cried in despair.
“She was killed?” Tyler’s brows furrowed. “What happened?”
“She wanted to take revenge for you, so she set up a trap for Natasha
Harmon.” The butler quickly briefed Tyler on what happened.
“That idiot. How could she do something like that without
permission?” Tyler humphed, indifferent to the news.
“What?” The butler was dismayed.
Shouldn’t Tyler be boiling with rage and start looking for the
murderer right now? Why was he so calm? And how could he call his sister
an idiot? He was being too cruel.
‘Sir, Ms. Layla was killed because she wanted to get even at Natasha
Harmon for breaking off the engagement with you.” The butler pressed.

“When did I ask her to meddle in my affairs?” Tyler retorted coldly,
rendering the butler speechless.
The butler couldn’t help feeling that his master was becoming more
cold-hearted these days.
“Who killed her?” Tyler asked abruptly.
“An asshole named Dustin Rhys!” The butler told him.
“Dustin Rhys?” Tyler raised an eyebrow. “Natasha’s little boy toy?”
“That’s him!” The butler nodded his head. “That reckless bastard
dared to chop off Ms. Layla’s head right before everyone’s eyes!”
“Alright. You can leave now.” Tyler waved the butler away
indifferently.
“Sir, don’t you plan to avenge her at all?” The butler couldn’t stop
himself from asking.
“I have my plans. I don’t need you to tell me what to do. Get out.”
Tyler responded calmly.
“Yes, Sir.” The butler left with his head lowered and without saying
another word.
He can’t understand why Tyler was being so calm despite knowing who
the murderer was. It was too peculiar.
“She may be an idiot, but she’s still a Grant.” Tyler lifted his cup
of tea and softly called out. Euria.”
Instantly, a woman donning black clothes and a raindrop-designed mask
appeared.
“Master, you called for me?” The woman responded, kneeling on one
knee before him with her head bowed.
“Have some fun with this Dustin, but don’t kill him so quickly,”
Tyler ordered. “Yes, Master,” Euria answered before disappearing without
a trace, like a ghost.

Chapter 530
Back in the Harmon estate.

“There, all done. You’ll be fine in a few days.” Dust in carefully
applied medicine to Natasha’s wound and bandaged it up nicely.

Although the wound was shallow, it would still hurt.
“Will it leave a scar on my face?” Natasha picked up a mirror and
examined her face worriedly.
“Why? Do you doubt my skills?” Dustin asked in mock displeasure.
“I’m just worried I’ll look ugly if I have a scar, and you won’t like
me anymore,” Natasha answered seriously.
“Don’t be silly.” Dustin was amused. “I promise you, your face won’t
scar. Besides, even if it does, you’ll still be the prettiest person in
the world to me!”
“Hmph! Such a sweet talker.” A small smile appeared on Natasha’s
face, and her worry eased. Although she wasn’t as superficial as other
ladies, she was also afraid of turning ugly.
“Dustin, get your ass over here!” Someone suddenly roared, sending
the door flying with a powerful kick, and a group of people led by Trent
instantly filled the room.
“What are you doing, Uncle Trent?” Natasha asked with a frown.
“It’s none of your business! We’re here for him!” Trent pointed at
Dustin and yelled. “How dare you kill Ms. Layla! I’m here to drag you to
the Grants. You better apologize to them immediately!”
“But Dustin did that to save me!” Natasha argued.
“Why are you still defending him?” Trent seethed. “Do you know that
if we don’t hand him over to the Grants, we’ll have to face their wrath
instead?”
“I don’t care. All I know is that Dustin saved me, so I need to
protect him. You want to get to him? Over my dead body!” Natasha stepped
forward, her glare menacing.
“Y-you’re hopeless!” Trent exclaimed, livid.
“Natasha Harmon! Do you intend to ruin our entire family because of
him?” Jacob yelled.
“He should pay for what he did. Since he was the one who caused this
mess, we shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of his mistakes!”
“Exactly! We must arrest him and hand him over to the Grant!”
Members of the Harmon family continuously shouted out in anger and
indignation.
“Shut up!” Natasha roared.

Alright
ve now.
away
irrerently.
“Sir, don’t you plan to avenge her at all?” The butler couldn’t stop
himself from asking.
“I have my plans. I don’t need you to tell me what to do. Get out.”
Tyler responded calmly.
“Yes, Sir.” The butler left with his head lowered and without saying
another word.
He can’t understand why Tyler was being so calm despite knowing who
the murderer was. It was too peculiar.
“She may be an idiot, but she’s still a Grant.” Tyler lifted his cup
of tea and softly called out.” Euria.”
Instantly, a woman donning black clothes and a raindrop-designed mask
appeared.
“Master, you called for me?” The woman responded, kneeling on one
knee before him with her head bowed.
“Have some fun with this Dustin, but don’t kill him so quickly,”
Tyler ordered. “Yes, Master,” Euria answered before disappearing without
a trace, like a ghost.
Chapter 530
Back in the Harmon estate.
“There, all done. You’ll be fine in a few days.” Dustin carefully
applied medicine to Natasha’s wound and bandaged it up nicely.

Although the wound was shallow, it would still hurt.
“Will it leave a scar on my face?” Natasha picked up a mirror and
examined her face worriedly.
“Why? Do you doubt my skills?” Dustin asked in mock displeasure.
“I’m just worried I’ll look ugly if I have a scar, and you won’t like
me anymore,” Natasha answered seriously.
“Don’t be silly.” Dustin was amused. “I promise you, your face won’t
scar. Besides, even if it does, you’ll still be the prettiest person in
the world to me!”
“Hmph! Such a sweet talker.” A small smile appeared on Natasha’s
face, and her worry eased. Although she wasn’t as superficial as other
ladies, she was also afraid of turning ugly.
“Dustin, get your ass over here!” Someone suddenly roared, sending
the door flying with a powerful kick, and a group of people led by Trent
instantly filled the room.
“What are you doing, Uncle Trent?” Natasha asked with a frown.
“It’s none of your business! We’re here for him!” Trent pointed at
Dustin and yelled. “How dare you kill Ms. Layla! I’m here to drag you to
the Grants. You better apologize to them immediately!”
“But Dustin did that to save me!” Natasha argued.
“Why are you still defending him?” Trent seethed. “Do you know that
if we don’t hand him over to the Grants, we’ll have to face their wrath
instead?”
“I don’t care. All I know is that Dustin saved me, so I need to
protect him. You want to get to him? Over my dead body!” Natasha stepped
forward, her glare menacing.
“Y-you’re hopeless!” Trent exclaimed, livid.
“Natasha Harmon! Do you intend to ruin our entire family because of
him?” Jacob yelled.
“He should pay for what he did. Since he was the one who caused this
mess, we shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of his mistakes!”
“Exactly! We must arrest him and hand him over to the Grant!”
Members of the Harmon family continuously shouted out in anger and
indignation.
“Shut up!” Natasha roared.

“If it weren’t for Dustin, all of you would have died during the
family gathering! It’s bad enough that you aren’t helping him in times of
need, but how could you guys add fuel to the fire instead?” Her words
silenced the arrogant people.
“Forget about those righteous views of yours, Natasha. One must pay
for their crimes. Dustin made a mistake, so he should be punished!” Kate
sneered.
“She’s right. We don’t want to suffer just because of him!” The crowd
echoed.
They couldn’t care less about Dustin’s previous contributions and
were willing to sacrifice him if it meant placating the Grants.
“A-are you guys going against me?” Natasha demanded agitatedly.
“Enough with the nonsense. For the sake of our family, we must arrest
him today!” Jacob incited. “Give the command, Trent!”
“Don’t hate me, Dustin. You have yourself to blame for making such a
huge mistake.” Trent gestured to the others and commanded. “Tie him up!”
“I’d like to see who dares!” Suddenly, Natasha fished out a gun from
the bedside and pointed it toward the group of people.
“You wretch! Are you trying to rebel against us?” Trent yelled.
“Don’t force my hand, Uncle Trent!” Natasha warned.
“Well, I don’t believe you have the guts to shoot us!”
Jacob began to step forward confidently, and without hesitation,
Natasha pulled the trigger.

Chapter 531
There was an ear-splitting bang as the bullet embedded itself inches
before Jacob’s foot, making the man jump back in fear.

“H-how could you pull the trigger on me?” Jacob cried, outraged. He
never expected Natasha to be the type to do something like that to her
elder. If the bullet’s trajectory had been slightly off the mark, he
would’ve lost his foot!

“You better not mess around, Uncle Jacob.” Natasha threatened
frostily.
“How dare you!” Trent roared. “Natasha Harmon, he is your uncle!
You’d be disgracing our family if you had hurt him just now!”
“I don’t want to hurt anyone, so you better not force me to,” Natasha
responded unrelentingly.
“Y-you bastard! Do you intend to betray your family for that boy?”
Trent was furious.
The Harmon family had always lived by a rule-nothing mattered more
than the family’s interests, which meant that they could sacrifice anyone
if it meant saving their family. Therefore, Natasha’s contradictory
actions were seen as a sign of disloyalty.
“All I care about right now is protecting Dustin.” Natasha stood her
ground.
“How many bullets do you have, Natasha? Do you even have enough to
kill all of us?” Kate taunted.
“You can try.” Natasha abruptly turned the gun toward Kate, making
the latter pale and hide behind her father, worried that Natasha might
actually do something outrageous and reckless
out of love.
“Are you out of your mind, Natasha? We are your family!” Jessica
could no longer remain silent. She was worried her daughter might
impulsively hurt someone, making her the family’s enemy.
When Natasha didn’t respond, Jessica turned to Dustin and snapped.
“Dustin, are you going to drag my daughter into the mess you created?”
“Natasha, put the gun down.” Dustin reached out and pressed the gun
downward to lower it, before turning to face the rest of the people. “I
was the one who killed Layla, so the Grants will naturally look for me if
they want revenge. Why are all of you so worked up?”
“Hmph! As if things are that simple. Who knows whether you’ll drag
our family down with you?” Kate snorted.
“I’m not even close to your family, so why would I drag you down with
me?” Dustin answered nonchalantly. “You guys being afraid of the Grants
is none of my business, but if you’re trying to capture me to get in
their good graces, I’m afraid that’s impossible.”

for Bustin, all of you would have died during the family gathering!
It’s bad
enough that you aren’t helping him in times of need, but how could
you guys add fuel to the fire instead?” Her words silenced the arrogant
people.
“Forget about those righteous views of yours, Natasha. One must pay
for their crimes. Dustin made a mistake, so he should be punished!” Kate
sneered.
“She’s right. We don’t want to suffer just because of him!” The crowd
echoed.
They couldn’t care less about Dustin’s previous contributions and
were willing to sacrifice him if it meant placating the Grants.
“A-are you guys going against me?” Natasha demanded agitatedly.
“Enough with the nonsense. For the sake of our family, we must arrest
him today!” Jacob incited. “Give the command, Trent!”
“Don’t hate me, Dustin. You have yourself to blame for making such a
huge mistake.” Trent gestured to the others and commanded. “Tie him up!”
“I’d like to see who dares!” Suddenly, Natasha fished out a gun from
the bedside and pointed it toward the group of people.
“You wretch! Are you trying to rebel against us?” Trent yelled.
“Don’t force my hand, Uncle Trent!” Natasha warned.
“Well, I don’t believe you have the guts to shoot us!”
Jacob began to step forward confidently, and without hesitation,
Natasha pulled the trigger.

There was an ear-splitting bang as the bullet embedded itself inches
before Jacob’s foot, making the man jump back in fear.
“H-how could you pull the trigger on me?” Jacob cried, outraged. He
never expected Natasha to be the type to do something like that to her
elder. If the bullet’s trajectory had been slightly off the mark, he
would’ve lost his foot!
“You better not mess around, Uncle Jacob.” Natasha threatened
frostily.
“How dare you!” Trent roared. “Natasha Harmon, he is your uncle!
You’d be disgracing our family if you had hurt him just now!”
“I don’t want to hurt anyone, so you better not force me to,” Natasha
responded unrelentingly.
“Y-you bastard! Do you intend to betray your family for that boy?”
Trent was furious.
The Harmon family had always lived by a rule-nothing mattered more
than the family’s interests, which meant that they could sacrifice anyone
if it meant saving their family. Therefore, Natasha’s contradictory
actions were seen as a sign of disloyalty.
“All I care about right now is protecting Dustin.” Natasha stood her
ground.
“How many bullets do you have, Natasha? Do you even have enough to
kill all of us?” Kate
taunted.
“You can try.” Natasha abruptly turned the gun toward Kate, making
the latter pale and hide behind her father, worried that Natasha might
actually do something outrageous and reckless out of love.
“Are you out of your mind, Natasha? We are your family!” Jessica
could no longer remain silent. She was worried her daughter might
impulsively hurt someone, making her the family’s enemy.
When Natasha didn’t respond, Jessica turned to Dustin and snapped.
“Dustin, are you going to drag my daughter into the mess you created?”
“Natasha, put the gun down.” Dustin reached out and pressed the gun
downward to lower it, before turning to face the rest of the people. “I
was the one who killed Layla, so the Grants will naturally look for me if
they want revenge. Why are all of you so worked up?”

“Hmph! As if things are that simple. Who knows whether you’ll drag
our family down with you?” Kate snorted.
“I’m not even close to your family, so why would I drag you down with
me?” Dustin answered nonchalantly. “You guys being afraid of the Grants
is none of my business, but if you’re trying to capture me to get in
their good graces, I’m afraid that’s impossible.”

“Nice speech, but what makes you think you have a say in this?” Jacob
sneered. “Why not? I’ve always made the choices for my own life.” Dustin
responded.
“This is our territory! We decide your fate!” Jacob declared
haughtily.
“I don’t want to fight, but I’ll have no choice if you continue to
provoke me,” Dustin warned.
“You sure are a stubborn one. Let’s see how strong you are!” Jacob
drew his blade and swung it toward Dustin.
“Stop!”
Out of the blue, a solemn voice boomed. Slowly, a white-haired
elderly man strode in with the aid of a walking cane.
“Father?”
“Grandfather?”
Everyone was visibly taken aback to see the old man, who had stepped
back from the limelight eight years ago and no longer concerned himself
with family affairs. They were puzzled as to why he was there.
“What are you doing here, Father?” Trent welcomed his father
hurriedly.
Jacob stopped mid-attack and stood to the side respectfully as well.
“You guys would have destroyed this place if I hadn’t come!” Andrew
humphed.
“Father, we still have some things to take care of. Why don’t you go
back to your room and rest if you’re feeling unwell?”
Trent reached out to help but Andrew swatted his son’s hand away.
“Are you trying to say that an old coot like me has no right to interfere
with family affairs anymore?”

There was an ear-splitting bang as the bullet embedded itself inches
before Jacob’s foot, making the man jump back in fear.
“H-how could you pull the trigger on me?” Jacob cried, outraged. He
never expected Natasha to be the type to do something like that to her
elder. If the bullet’s trajectory had been slightly off the mark, he
would’ve lost his foot!
“You better not mess around, Uncle Jacob.” Natasha threatened
frostily.
“How dare you!” Trent roared. “Natasha Harmon, he is your uncle!
You’d be disgracing our family if you had hurt him just now!”
“I don’t want to hurt anyone, so you better not force me to,” Natasha
responded unrelentingly.
“Y-you bastard! Do you intend to betray your family for that boy?”
Trent was furious.
The Harmon family had always lived by a rule-nothing mattered more
than the family’s interests, which meant that they could sacrifice anyone
if it meant saving their family. Therefore, Natasha’s contradictory
actions were seen as a sign of disloyalty.
“All I care about right now is protecting Dustin.” Natasha stood her
ground.
“How many bullets do you have, Natasha? Do you even have enough to
kill all of us?” Kate taunted.
“You can try.” Natasha abruptly turned the gun toward Kate, making
the latter pale and hide behind her father, worried that Natasha might
actually do something outrageous and reckless out of love.
“Are you out of your mind, Natasha? We are your family!” Jessica
could no longer remain silent. She was worried her daughter might
impulsively hurt someone, making her the family’s enemy.
When Natasha didn’t respond, Jessica turned to Dustin and snapped.
“Dustin, are you going to drag my daughter into the mess you created?”
“Natasha, put the gun down.” Dustin reached out and pressed the gun
downward to lower it, before turning to face the rest of the people. “I
was the one who killed Layla, so the Grants will naturally look for me if
they want revenge. Why are all of you so worked up?”
“Hmph! As if things are that simple. Who knows whether you’ll drag
our family down with you?” Kate snorted.
“I’m not even close to your family, so why would I drag you down with
me?” Dustin answered nonchalantly. “You guys being afraid of the Grants
is none of my business, but if you’re trying to capture me to get in
their good graces, I’m afraid that’s impossible.”
“Nice speech, but what makes you think you have a say in this?” Jacob
sneered. “Why not? I’ve always made the choices for my own life.” Dustin
responded.
“This is our territory! We decide your fate!” Jacob declared
haughtily.
“I don’t want to fight, but I’ll have no choice if you continue to
provoke me,” Dustin warned.
“You sure are a stubborn one. Let’s see how strong you are!” Jacob
drew his blade and swung it toward Dustin.
“Stop!”
Out of the blue, a solemn voice boomed. Slowly, a white-haired
elderly man strode in with the aid of a walking cane.
“Father?”
“Grandfather?”
Everyone was visibly taken aback to see the old man, who had stepped
back from the limelight eight years ago and no longer concerned himself
with family affairs. They were puzzled as to why he was there.
“What are you doing here, Father?” Trent welcomed his father
hurriedly.
Jacob stopped mid-attack and stood to the side respectfully as well.
“You guys would have destroyed this place if I hadn’t come!” Andrew
humphed.
“Father, we still have some things to take care of. Why don’t you go
back to your room and rest if you’re feeling unwell?”
Trent reached out to help but Andrew swatted his son’s hand away.
“Are you trying to say that an old coot like me has no right to interfere
with family affairs anymore?”

Chapter 532
“Of course not, Father. You will always be the head of the family.”
Trent smiled sheepishly.

“Fine. Since you said that, I’ll give you my opinion.” Andrew
surveyed the room. “Dustin has saved my life, as well as helped our
family multiple times. We are in his debt, so anyone who tries to take
him today will be going against me!”

“What?”
The group shared dismayed glances. They never expected Andrew to
stand up for Dustin during this crucial time.
“Father, this bastard killed one of the Grants’ daughters! He will
only drag us deeper into this mess!” Trent rebutted.
“Trent is right! We’re doing this for the greater good of the
family!” Jacob seconded.
“You bunch say such lofty things when you’re just cowards!” Andrew
struck the floor with his cane forcefully. “The Grants have been stepping
all over us, and instead of standing up against them, you choose to
grovel and please them? What an embarrassment to our family!”
“Fath-”
“Silence!” Andrew cut off Trent’s words. “Our family has gone through
all sorts of trials since its existence. How could we embarrass our
ancestors by losing our dignity because of something like this?”
The Harmons lowered their heads in shame, unable to deny that the
Grants had shaken them greatly.
“Listen carefully!” Andrew announced. “Our priority should be to save
Hector, and not be sitting ducks!”
He made Hector his successor because of how righteous and brave his
son was, but now that Hector was captured, the entire family was thrown
into chaos.
“Grandfather, we need to borrow the Grants’ power if we want to save
Uncle Hector. Our best option is to hand Dustin over to them in exchange
for Uncle Trent.” Kate coaxed.

“Nonsense!” Andrew glared at his granddaughter. “The Grants were the
ones who framed and imprisoned your uncle, yet you think they’ll help us?
What a joke!”
“What? Mr. Hector was imprisoned by the Grants?”
The crowd was dismayed to hear this. After all, framing the head of
another family was not a small matter.
“Father, please refrain from making claims without evidence! There
are ears everywhere.” Trent reminded seriously.

“Evidence, you say? Sure!” Andrew turned around and called out.
“Isfrid? Bring him in.”
Immediately, the leader of the shadow guards dragged a man into the
room. The man wore a hood that made it difficult to identify his face and
was tightly bound from head to toe.
“See this man? He’s the real murderer!” Andrew yanked off the man’s
hood, exposing a familiar face.
It was Hector’s face!
“Mr. Hector?”
Everyone was puzzled by the sight. Hadn’t Hector been captured? What
was he doing here?
“Yeah, right. He’s merely wearing a prosthetic mask!”
Andrew sank his fingers into the man’s face and pulled, revealing
skin with a sickly pallor.
“I-it’s fake?” The crowd exclaimed, stunned. They never imagined that
something like this existed in real life, and it was shockingly realistic
too! It was so well made that it nearly fooled
everyone.
“Do all of you understand now? Hector was framed, and the ones behind
this are the Grants! Are you still going to suck up to those treacherous
bastards?” Andrew seethed, rendering everyone else silent.

Chapter 533
The Harmon family had placed their hope in the Grant family’s help
before knowing the truth, but now, they finally understood that running
away in fear was useless. If the Grants were willing to go as far as to
frame the leader of the Harmon family, there was no way they would care
about Hector’s survival.

“What? Cat got your tongue? Remember to use your head next time!”
Andrew reprimanded them before turning to look at Dustin. “Dustin, I’m so
sorry you had to suffer because I didn’t educate them properly.”

“Not at all, Sir Andrew. Thank you for defending me in time.” Dustin
smiled in gratitude.
Although the Harmon family had a few ungrateful individuals, there
were still people who were reasonable and just.
“I feel so ashamed… I don’t know what would have happened to our
family if you hadn’t helped us catch the real murderer.” Andrew sighed.
Their family prided itself on being a powerful family with countless
elites. Yet, when something happened to their leader, it was a young
outsider who saved the day.
“Father, it was our shadow guards who caught the killer. What does it
have to do with that brat?” Jacob mumbled in displeasure.
“You fool!” Andrew snapped. “If Dustin hadn’t used himself as bait to
expose the killer’s whereabouts, do you think that the shadow guards
could have captured that man?”
“What? Dustin caught the culprit?” The crowd was astonished to hear
that.
“Dustin helped us so much, yet all of you wanted to harm him instead!
What a bunch of ungrateful bastards!” Andrew’s blood boiled. “All of you
here shall kneel before our ancestral altar and repent your actions!”
Hearing this, the group of people scuttled away dejectedly, letting
the room quiet down once
more.
“Thank you for coming, Grandfather, or things would have escalated.”
Natasha let out a breath of relief. She had been worried about being
caught between a rock and a hard place if the two parties began fighting.

“An old man like me might not be much use anymore, but I can still
take care of those brats easily.” Andrew flashed a comforting grin. He
had just displayed what it meant to be the head of a patriarchal family.
“Grandfather, how should we deal with this man?” Natasha turned her
attention to the
murderer.
“Since we’ve caught the real killer, we must restore your father’s
innocence,” Andrew stated
earnestly. “I’ll take a few men with me to visit Sir Moran and
explain things to him immediately.”
“Thank you so much, Grandfather.” Natasha nodded.
“Silly girl. There’s no need to thank me. I’ll be off now.” Andrew
smiled before leaving with
his men.
“Get some rest, Natasha. I’ll visit you again tomorrow.” Dustin also
bid her farewell.
“Can’t you stay with me?” Natasha pleaded, reluctant to be alone.
“I can’t. I’m currently the Grants’ wanted criminal. However, I’ll be
coming over to reapply your wound dressing tomorrow.” Dustin consoled
her.
“Alright, then. Be careful.” Natasha didn’t press.
“Goodnight.” Dustin smiled and left the room. He was secretly
followed by two people, hidden in the darkness.
The night quickly flew by. Early in the next morning, a military
vehicle slowly rolled up to the entrance of the Harmon estate.
When the car door opened, a haggard-looking Hector emerged.
“Mr. Hector? He’s back!” The guards at the entrance lit up upon
seeing Hector and dashed in to spread the word.
Soon, Natasha and the others came rushing out to greet the man.
“Dad, you’re back! How are you feeling? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Natasha fussed over Hector, surprised to see him.
“I’m fine. Sir Moran let me out as soon as they realized that I had
been framed,” Hector answered, smiling.

Chapter 534
The previous night had been a nightmare. Fortunately, the truth was
out, and nothing much happened to him.

Suddenly, Hector noticed something, and his smile stiffened.
“Natasha, your face…

“It’s just a minor injury,” Natasha replied indifferently.
“What happened?” Hector frowned.
“A lot of things happened while you were gone, Hector.” Jesicca
calmly briefed him on what happened.
Hector was livid. “The Grants again? They’re crossing the line!”
It was bad enough that they set him up, but they have even hurt his
daughter? That was unacceptable!
“Don’t worry, Dad. I’m fine now.” Natasha consoled.
“It’s my fault, Natasha. You suffered because I was useless.” Hector
blamed himself. If he had known how despicable the Grants were, he would
have never agreed to the marriage proposal.
“Nonsense, Dad. We’re lucky just to have you back. Let’s talk more
inside.” Smiling, Natasha took her father’s arm and walked into the
estate.
Just as they arrived at the meeting room, their butler rushed into
the room. “Sir, the Grants just sent us a letter. Please have a look.”
The butler held up an envelope and passed it to Hector politely.
“What?” Hector’s expression darkened after reading the letter.
“What’s wrong, Dad?” Natasha leaned closer and soon frowned.
The letter only consisted of a few words, but they couldn’t be more
threatening. To sum things up,
the Grants were blaming the Harmon family for Layla Grant’s death,
and they claimed that Dustin was the one who ordered the Harmon family to
do so.
Now, the Harmon family had two choices. The first was to hand the
culprit over and grovel for forgiveness for three days. The second was to
carry out the wedding as planned.

They could only choose one of the two choices. If they refused, the
Grants would come at them in full force, wreaking havoc.
“It seems like Tyler intends to use his sister’s death as an excuse
to force me to marry him.” Natasha frowned, surprised. She thought the
Grants would use other backhanded methods, so she didn’t expect them to
be so forward.
The Harmon family now had no choice but to choose between submission
and war.
172
“Darling, Tyler seems to like you a lot. I think you should marry
him.” Jessica coaxed. Tyler and Natasha were still engaged, so the best
solution would be to use their marriage to resolve this conflict.
“He doesn’t like me-he just likes himself. I’m nothing but a tool to
him,” Natasha retorted icily.
“That’s impossible. He’s willing to resolve this issue peacefully.
Isn’t it obvious enough?” Jessica continued to persuade.
“He’s someone who doesn’t care about his own sister’s death. Do you
think he’s still a good person?” Natasha shot back.
“But…” Jessica didn’t know what to say.
“Tyler is a power-hungry person. Natasha would never be happy if she
married him. We have to reevaluate this marriage.” Hector announced,
displeased with the situation.
Previously, he had held out hope for the Grants, but he was now
utterly disappointed. There was no way he would watch as his daughter
jumped into this pit of fire.
“Hector, it’s clearly written that if Natasha doesn’t marry him,
we’ll have to deal with the Grants’ wrath. When the time comes…” Jessica
hesitated. She knew that their family wouldn’t be able to withstand the
Grants’ retaliation.
“We will face this battle head-on.” Hector inhaled deeply, his gaze
turning determined. “If the Grants insist on challenging us, we’ll rise
to the occasion. Worst case scenario, our families will no longer be
friends.”

Chapter 535
The next morning, in the president’s office of the Nicholson Corp.,
Dahlia was sipping a cup of coffee as she went through sheets of
financial statements.

Just then, someone knocked on her door.

“Come in.” Dahlia put her
cup
down.
“You called for me, Ms. Nicholson?” Dustin pushed the door open and
entered. As Chief Security Officer, he needed to check in at the company
every day.
“Where were you last night? I couldn’t reach you on the phone.”
Dahlia probed just as he stepped in.
“My friend got into some trouble, so I went to help out.” Dustin
grinned sheepishly.
“Your friend? It isn’t Natasha Harmon, is it?” Dahlia’s brow rose in
suspicion. “No wonder you were so enthusiastic, it turns out you were on
a date with a chick.”
Dustin cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject before
Dahlia became jealous. “You didn’t call me over just to talk about this,
did you, Ms. Nicholson?”
“As if I’m that bored.” Dahlia retorted and rolled her eyes. “An
important client is arriving later, and we have to serve her well. Make
sure you take care of all matters related to security.”
“No problem.” Dustin nodded.
“It’s almost time for us to meet at the café downstairs. Let’s go.”
Dahlia glanced at her watch before grabbing her purse and walking out of
the room. Dustin quickly followed suit.
The two of them went downstairs and walked into the café next door.
As soon as they sat down, a bright red Ferrari slowly pulled up to the
entrance.
The door swung open, and a woman in a red bodycon dress stepped out.
Her vibrant scarlet lips, beautiful face, and voluptuous figure were
striking, and her long, smooth legs seemed to go on for miles, and her
black, sheer pantyhoses only made her more alluring than ever.

“She’s here!” Dahlia sprung up as soon as the woman walked into the
shop. Dahlia extended her hand with a kind smile. “Hello, Ms. Larson. I’m
Dahlia Nicholson. Nice to meet you.”
“I didn’t think that Nicholson Corp.’s new president would be a
woman. How interesting.” Ms. Larson removed her sunglasses, revealing her
surprised expression.
“You flatter me, Miss. Please take a seat.” Dahlia gestured to the
seat beside her.
“And who might this handsome man be?” Ms. Larson gave Dustin a flirty
smile as she scanned
him from head to toe.
“This is our Chief Security Officer, Dustin Rhys. He’s responsible
for our security.” Dahlia
172
introduced.
“My safety is in your hands now, Mr. Rhys.” Ms. Larson reached out a
hand for Dustin to shake.
“It’s my duty.” Dustin smiled softly and shook her outstretched hand.
“You seem familiar, Ms. Larson. Have we met before?” Dustin just couldn’t
shake off the feeling that they knew each other.
Ms. Larson giggled. “Your flirting skills still need some work, Mr.
Rhys. It’s too old-fashioned.
“Dustin!” Dahlia glared, annoyed. How could he flirt with her client
in front of her?
“I must have mistaken you for someone else.” Dustin smiled
apologetically.
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Lardon. He’s very inexperienced. Please forgive
him.” Dahlia apologized, embarrassed.
“It’s alright. I understand. Men are always like that.” Ms. Larson
smirked teasingly, slowly crossing her s*xy legs elegantly.
“Let’s get down to business, Ms. Larson.” Dahlia quickly changed the
topic. “I suggest
building a casino on the newly developed land. Please take a look at
my proposal.” She handed a document to Ms. Larson.
“Let me see.” Ms. Larson accepted the document and began looking
through it, but for some reason, she kept peeking at Dustin.

Chapter 536
Ms. Larson’s gaze was lustful as she peeked at Dustin, who met her
eyes calmly. He was still racking his brain, trying to recall where he
had seen her before.

“Stop looking!” Dahlia quickly realized what was amiss and gave
Dustin a warning kick. This was the second time. Dustin had grown bolder
during the past few days since he was gone and didn’t even bother being
discreet anymore.

“Ms. Nicholson, I don’t understand these parts. Can you explain them
to me?” Ms. Larson placed the document on the table and pointed at a
section of the contract.
“Sure, let me explain.” With a professional smile, Dahlia began
explaining everything in detail to Ms. Lardon, who wasn’t actually
listening.
Ms. Larson silently slipped off one of her heels and brushed her feet
against Dustin’s shoe lightly.
“What?” Dustin raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
When he lifted his head, he was met with Ms. Larson’s teasing and
flirty smile. He merely drew his eyes away and pretended to see nothing.
Ms. Larson smirked and took a sip of her coffee before slowly
brushing her feet upwards, caressing Dustin from his foot to his thigh,
making the man jerk and his breathing quicken.
“What on earth is she doing? How could she do something like this in
broad daylight? She’s too bold!” Dustin exclaimed to himself. He inhaled
deeply and pulled his leg away, pretending nothing happened.

However, this only encouraged the woman to become bolder. She placed
her entire foot on Dustin’s thigh and rubbed back and forth invitingly.
Dustin immediately frowned and shot her a warning glare.
In response, Ms. Larson flashed him a coquettish smile and extended
her tongue to sensually lick the coffee off the corner of her lips; her
movements were undoubtedly alluring.
Once again, Dustin pulled his leg away to put some distance between
them. However, Ms. Larson continued to pester him.
Unable to take it anymore, he grabbed her foot and squeezed it
warningly.
“Oh!” She moaned, shooting Dustin a sulking look.
“What’s wrong, Ms. Larson? Are you feeling unwell?” Dahlia caught Ms.
Larson’s change in expression and asked.
Dustin thought Ms. Larson would make up an excuse; however, the woman
suddenly lifted the tablecloth and pointed at her foot. “Mr. Rhys is
hurting me.”

Dustin stiffened instantly. What the
“What?” Dahlia looked down instinctively to see Dustin grabbing onto
Ms. Larson’s foot tightly, painting quite a raunchy scene.
“I-I didn’t do anything!”
Flabbergasted, Dustin quickly let go of Ms. Larson, looking guilty.
He didn’t expect Ms. Larson to be so bold and to play the victim.
“Dustin! Rhys!” Dahlia, whose face was red with anger, seethed
through gritted teeth, her expression murderous.

Chapter 537
“What are you doing, Dustin?” Dahlia’s eyebrows arched above her wide
eyes, and she had to restrain herself from biting Dustin directly.

At first, she thought he was only admiring Ms. Larson’s figure. Never
did she imagine he would be daring enough to start messing around with
someone he was meeting for the first time while completely ignoring her.

“This is a misunderstanding, Dahlia. She was the one who put her foot
out.” Dustin blushed. Although he was innocent, he couldn’t help but feel
a little guilty.
“So what if Ms. Larson stretched her leg? It doesn’t mean you have
permission to touch her.” Dahlia growled.
“I-” Dustin didn’t know how to explain himself.
“Hmph! I had a feeling you were up to no good when I saw you staring
at Ms. Larson. Were you having dirty thoughts about her?” Dahlia’s
breathing quickened.
Was she not pretty enough? Why was Dustin paying attention to someone
else other than her? What a player!
“It’s not what you’re thinking, Dahlia!” Dustin was exasperated.
“Stop making excuses! I saw everything!” Dahlia was fuming at this
point. He dared claim that he was innocent after he was caught molesting
Ms. Larson!
“Calm down, Ms. Nicholson. I’m sure Mr. Rhys was just messing
around.” Ms. Larson just smiled calmly.
“There’s a limit to how far he can go. He obviously had dirty
intentions!” Dahlia humphed and shot Dustin a glare.
“It’s fine. I don’t mind.” Ms. Larson took a sip of her coffee, a
playful expression on her face.
“What?” Dahlia was taken aback by the other woman’s response and
immediately understood that both parties had consented to this.

Her blood boiling, Dahlia slammed her high heel into Dustin’s foot,
making him grimace in pain silently.
Just then, her phone began to ring. She took a deep breath and forced
a smile. “Please excuse me while I take this call, Ms. Larson.”
As soon as she got up and left, Dustin finally spoke up. “Ms. Larson,
this is our first time meeting. I don’t think what you did was
appropriate.”
“Are you saying that it’s fine if I did that after getting acquainted
with you?” Ms. Larson smirked teasingly.
172
“Of course not!” Dustin immediately refused. “Please mind your
manners, especially in public, Ms. Larson.”
“How interesting. Don’t people say that all men are cheaters? Are you
going to be an exception?” Ms. Larson giggled, and leisurely stirred her
coffee.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Dustin replied coldly.
“I’ll be frank. I’m interested in you, and I want to be your sugar
mama, so name your price.” Ms. Larson smirked.
“Sorry, but I prefer to earn my own keep.” Dustin refused without
hesitation.
“I don’t mind forcing you, you know?” Ms. Lardon tossed her car keys
onto the table. “Isn’t that car gorgeous? She’s the latest Ferrari model.
You can have her if you like.”
“Are you insulting me?” Dustin’s brows furrowed.
“Is it not enough? Fine. I have a villa in Amethyst Meadows worth 30
million dollars. I don’t have time to stay there anyway, so it’s yours
now.” Ms. Larson pulled out another set of keys.
She sure was flaunting her wealth by giving away such an expensive
car and villa so easily. It was easy to imagine how many men dreamed of
possessing such a beautiful, rich, and generous woman.

Chapter 538
Are you trying to bribe me with just a villa? What do you take me
for?” Dustin remained indifferent.

“Looks like it’s time to get serious.” Ms. Larson giggled. “How about
this? I’ll let you into some insider information. The abandoned buildings
in Eastville are going to be redeveloped. Your investment will double
tenfold if you can get ahold of them. Of course, how many buildings you
can buy depends on your wealth. The more you buy, the more you’ll earn.
With enough capital, you’ll easily earn anything between a billion
dollars to eight billion. What do you think? Is the offer attractive
enough?”

Dustin narrowed his eyes. “Ms. Larson, you’re very generous, but I
still don’t understand why you’d tell me about an opportunity that could
rake in billions?”
It was their first time meeting, yet Ms. Larson was being extremely
generous, even going as far as to offer him a car, a house, and a chance
to hit the jackpot. Although Dustin was quite a good-looking guy, it
wasn’t enough to charm every woman in the world. Besides, a rich woman
like her would have met all sorts of men before him, so he couldn’t help
but be suspicious of her.
“Didn’t I tell you earlier? You caught my eye, and I want to be your
sugar mama.” Ms. Larson just continued to smile, her intentions hidden.
“Do you think I’ll believe that?” Dustin responded calmly. “I don’t
know what tricks you’re up to, but
you better not mess around with me. I’m not someone who knows how to
cherish pretty things.”
“How interesting.” Ms. Larson laughed, her shoulder shaking. “I
didn’t expect you to be so on guard, miracle doctor. And here I thought
I’d have a chance in bed with you tonight.”
“What?” Dustin frowned. “Who are you?”
“Take a guess.” Ms. Larson reached out to cover half of her face,
leaving her twinkling eyes exposed. “Can you tell yet?”

“You!” Dustin’s eyes widened as realization dawned.
Her attire might have changed, but her eyes hadn’t. The voluptuous
temptress was none other than the Dark Lord’s disciple, Azalea!
No wonder she seemed so familiar to her. She was that witch!
“Finally,” Azalea Larson smirked. “You didn’t expect us to meet again
this way, did you?”
“Were you following me?” Dustin demanded with a frown.
“Nope. I’m just here for a business meeting. Me meeting you here was
pure coincidence.” Azalea said with a smile.
“What do you want?” Dustin growled.
“Take a guess.” Azalea tilted her head sideways.
“Dustin…” Just then, Dahlia finally returned after wrapping up her
phone call, her expression grave.
“What’s wrong?” Dustin was puzzled.
“Some people beat up my mom, and she’s in the hospital right now, so
I have to rush over there immediately,” Dahlia explained.
“She was beaten up? What happened?” Dustin was surprised.
“I’m not too sure, either. I’ll know after going to the hospital.”
Dahlia focused her attention on Azalea. “My apologies, Ms. Larson, but
this is an emergency. Would you mind if we continued this discussion on
another day?”
“No problem. You guys should deal with that first.” Azalea nodded.
“Thank you for your understanding, Ms. Larson.” Dahlia flashed a
polite smile and pulled Dustin out of there.
Azalea’s lip curled as she watched the two of them walk away and
mumbled, “What a fine prey. I haven’t felt so excited in ages. You’ll be
mine.”

Chapter 539
As soon as Dustin and Dahlia reached one of the wards of Ansdale
South Hospital, they were greeted by the ghastly sight of Florence
moaning in pain, her body wrapped in bloodstained bandages.

“How do you feel, Mom?” Dahlia asked worriedly as she walked into the
room.

“You’re finally here, Dahlia!” Florence immediately burst into tears
and wailed. “I’m so sorry. I made a mistake, and I don’t deserve to live
anymore.” She slammed her head into the wall several times, tearing up
from the pain.
“What are you doing, Mom?” Dahlia quickly pulled her mother in for a
hug to stop her from hurting herself. “Can’t we talk this out? Why are
you trying to commit suicide?”
“I-I’m too embarrassed to tell you!” Florence thumped her chest
sadly.
“James, what in the world happened?” Dahlia looked at her brother,
who was standing next to their mother.
“Mom got scammed. Our savings are all gone now!” He cried.
“Scammed? Elaborate further.” Dahlia frowned.
“Do you remember Julie’s boyfriend, Terrence Stone? He’s that manager
at the Brooks Corporation.”
“Of course, I do. Why?” Dahlia nodded.
“He lied to us!” James accused. “We were having dinner with Aunt
Victoria last night when he suddenly came up to us and told us that the
Brooks Corporation had a new real estate project and asked if we would be
interested in investing.
“He claimed that the prices would be low since we’d get a special
price because he knew an insider. We thought he was being kind, so we
agreed. He promised that our investment would double in return after half
a year, and the more we invested, the greater our return. We were blinded
by greed and signed the contract stupidly, putting all our money in.

“Then, guess what? When we visited the development site this morning,
we realized that the so-called new real-estate project was nothing but a
cluster of abandoned buildings! It’s been left alone for years, and now
we’re in charge of taking care of this mess! Now, besides wasting all our
savings, we’ve also collected huge debts!”
James seethed, regretting their decision last night. They shouldn’t
have gotten greedy and fallen into Terrence’s trap.
“Where’s Terrence now?” Dahlia interrogated.
“I don’t know.” James shook his head. “He hasn’t been picking up his
phone since morning.
When we wen
“When didn’t g
One shoulde
ww did
complete hain
refund they need, caping th
When we went to ask his company, they said he had been fired and was
nowhere to be found!” “When didn’t you tell me about this right away?”
Dahlia was displeased with this issue.
One shouldn’t aim too high when they don’t possess the necessary
skills. Those individuals were the easiest to scam and swindle money out
of.
“We didn’t know he was a scammer, so we got careless and…” James
sighed. They had complete faith in Terrence because he was a manager at
Brooks Corporation; they never expected that he had been fired a long
time ago.
“How did Mom get all beaten up?” Dahlia asked.
“She couldn’t find Terrence, so she went to find the developer
instead, demanding they refund us, but they refused, saying that we had
already signed the contract, so Mom kicked up
a fuss and got into a brawl with someone,” James explained.
“What?” Dahlia frowned. “How much did you lose in total this time?”

Chapter 540
James merely held out a finger.

“Ten million?” Dahlia took a deep breath and tried to suppress her
anger. “It’s quite a lot, but

at least we can still pay it back. Treat it as the price of a lesson
learned.”
“You’ve got it wrong, Sis. It’s not just ten million dollars; it’s a
hundred million.” James mumbled weakly.
“A hundred million?!” Dahlia paled. “Are you serious? Where did you
get so much money in the first place?”
“We had a few million in savings. Then, we used our two villas to
take out loans. Mom stole the remaining tens of thousands from you.”
James shrank back and confessed softly.
“What?” Dahlia’s blood boiled. “A-are you guys crazy? Taking loans
and stealing? Who said you could do that?”
Who in their right mind would sell their house to invest in a
business? What a fool!
“It’s all my fault, Dahlia. I’m so sorry. I should die instead!”
Florence moaned and began banging her head on the wall again, acting so
well that she deserved an Oscar.
“Enough!” Dahlia yelled. “Rather than commit suicide, why don’t you
think of a way to take care of this mess?”
“You’re the president of Cardinal Group now. A hundred million
dollars shouldn’t be a lot to you, right?” Florence asked tentatively.
“Yeah, right!” Dahlia humphed, irritated. “I borrowed ten billion and
merely bought a portion of the company’s shares. It’s not time for
dividends yet, so I don’t have any spare cash. Besides, I have a onebillion-dollar loan to pay back, so I’ll be in debt for the next three
years!
“What? Is it that serious?” Florence was shocked. She thought Dahlia
was living a glorious life after being promoted to President and didn’t
know that her daughter was struggling so badly. “Aunt Florence.” Just
then, Julie and her mother, Victoria, walked into the room.

“Julie, you’re here. How did it go? Did you manage to find Terence?”
Florence sprung up expectantly. Things were still salvageable if they
could catch Terrence.
“We couldn’t get ahold of him at all. I’m sure he ran away.” Julie
sighed.
“Who knew that he was a swindler? Curse our rotten luck!” Victoria
spat.
“Julie, Terrence is your boyfriend. How do you propose we solve this
issue?” James demanded.
“What does it have to do with me? I’m not the one who lied to you!”
Julie frowned. “Besides,
we’re victims too! We lost a lot of money as well!”
“Who knows if you guys are working together?” James retorted.
“Hey! What do you mean by that?” Julie sprung up and demanded.
“Enough. We’re a family. It’s not the time to fight right now. We
should be working together to get past this storm.” Florence placated.
“Dahlia, you’re the smartest here. What should we do now?”
“Admit defeat, I guess. Whatever else?” Dahlia grumbled.
“I have an idea.” Suddenly thinking of an idea, Julie whispered.
“Since Terrence lied to us, we can do the same to someone else. As long
as we find another scapegoat, everything will be fine.
“That’s a good idea. My daughter is so smart!” Victoria’s eyes
immediately lit up. Julie was right. Rather than suffering themselves,
why don’t they make someone else suffer? They should just act in their
own interests.
“That is a good idea, but where will we find the scapegoat?” James
rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“A scapegoat?” Florence thought about it for a second, and her eyes
shot to Dustin. Wasn’t there a perfect one right there?

Chapter 541
“What?” Dustin frowned when Florence’s gaze swept toward him.

“Why are you looking at me? Are you telling me to be the scapegoat?
What the F*ck?” he thought.

“Dustin…” Florence forced a smile. She took an apple out of her fruit
basket and handed it to Dustin. “Aren’t you hungry? Here, have an apple.”
“What are you trying to do?” Dustin looked at her warily. It only
raised suspicions more with Florence going out of her way to be kind to
him.
“Well, you heard what we said, didn’t you?” Florence forced out a
sweet, kind smile. “You’ve always been a kind person. I’m sure you can’t
bear to see us lose our money like this, so I hope you can do us a
favor.”
“What favor?” Dustin had his guard up.
“Don’t you know a few rich women? Why don’t you help us sell off
those abandoned buildings?
”
“You’re asking me to scam people for you?” Dustin raised an eyebrow.
“How could you say that?” Florence feigned innocence. “We’re not
deceiving anyone; we’re simply repurposing waste. Those wealthy people
aren’t short on money anyway, so think of it as doing a good deed.”
“She’s right!” Julie nodded. “Dustin, the abandoned buildings in
Eastville might seem worthless now, but they actually have high
potential. We don’t have the financial ability to continue developing
them, but they might have a new chance if those who are rich take over
them.”
“Hold on.” Dustin raised his hand to stop Julie. “Where did you say
the buildings were?”
“Eastville, near the suburbs. Why?” Julie was puzzled.
“The abandoned buildings in Eastville?” After getting confirmation,
Dustin smiled. “You guys got lucky. Those buildings are worth a lot of
money.”

“Worth a lot of money?” The others exchanged confused glances. They
couldn’t understand how that failed investment could be worth any money.
Besides, why would they sell those buildings if they knew they were of
any worth?
“I heard that those buildings are going to be redeveloped soon, so
you guys hit the jackpot this time,” Dustin said with a smile. This was
what Azalea had told him earlier at the cafe. He just didn’t expect
Florence and the others to be lucky enough to get a head start.
“What nonsense are you spouting?” Julie frowned. “Those buildings
have been abandoned for
more than seven years. No one dares to take over it, yet you’re
saying that they’re going to be redeveloped? What a joke!”
“She’s right. If they were worth a lot of money, people would have
fought to snatch them up instead of leaving them there.” Victoria huffed.
“Where did you get that fake news, Dustin? Shut up if you don’t know
anything!” James snapped. It was bad enough that Terrence had
successfully scammed them, but did Dustin think that they were idiots?
How could he lie to them as well?
“I’m not lying. Those buildings will be astonishingly valuable,”
Dustin replied calmly.” There’s a good chance that those properties under
your name will multiply in value tremendously in a few days, so you
shouldn’t sell them off.”
“Nonsense! Multiply by several times? That’s nothing but wishful
thinking!” Julie snapped.
“Even if you’re not going to help, why are you trying to deceive us?”
Florence dropped the act, and her tone turned harsh.
“It’s just friendly advice. If you don’t believe me, forget it.”
Dustin shrugged. He believed that Azalea wouldn’t tell such a lie, so it
was very likely that those buildings were going to shoot up in value
soon. It was just that not many people knew about that yet.
“I’m just telling you to find a scapegoat. Why do you keep talking
nonsense? You’re so useless! “Florence snapped resentfully.

Chapter 542
Florence was sure that Dustin was merely refusing to help them.

Just then, Julie thought of an idea and said, “Dustin, didn’t you say
that those buildings are worth a lot? We’ll sell them to you right now so
that you can make a lot of money. What do you think?”

“That’s right!” Florence echoed. “You should buy them since you seem
so interested. That’ll benefit both of us.”
“This is your opportunity. How could I take it away from you?” Dustin
refused politely.
“It’s alright. We’re a family. We’ll be happy if you make money too.”
Florence coaxed enthusiastically, gleeful to have found a scapegoat.
“She’s right, Dustin. Don’t worry about it. You shouldn’t miss such a
great opportunity.”
“Exactly. Just remember to treat us to a meal when you get rich.”
Everyone smiled so sweetly and acted extremely enthusiastically after
finding such a dumb scapegoat.
“Are you sure you want to sell them to me?” Dustin pressed.
“Of course! We won’t take a single penny from you. We just want you
to return the principal.” Florence frantically nodded.
“Are you sure you won’t regret your decision?” Dustin raised an
eyebrow.
“I swear it on my life!” Florence swore.
“She’s right. We swear it on our lives.” The others echoed.
“Alright, then. I’ll buy them.” Dustin smiled. There’s no reason for
him to refuse free money.
“Are you crazy? Those buildings are worthless! Why would you purchase
them?” Dahlia couldn’t watch this go on anymore. She didn’t expect him to
actually buy them.

“We should let him buy them if that’s what he wants. Why are you
stopping him?” Julie grumbled.
“She’s right. You shouldn’t stop him from earning big money.”
Florence shot her daughter a look, telling her to not stop him from being
their scapegoat, or they would lose all their
money.
“Enough!” Dahlia frowned. “I don’t care if you try to swindle others,
but I won’t allow you to do that to Dustin!”
“We’re not forcing him to buy them; he volunteered.” Julie huffed.

“Don’t buy them, Dustin!” Dahlia warned.
“They’ll be worth a lot of money soon. Just trust me.” Dustin smiled
tiredly.
“They’re obviously trying to scam you. Why won’t you listen to me?”
Dahlia was frustrated at how stubborn he was being.
“Let them be. I have enough money anyway.” Dustin remained
unaffected.
“You!” Furious, she spat. “Fine! Do as you please. I don’t care
anymore!” She walked over to the other bed and sat down angrily, ignoring
him.
“Forget about her, Dustin. Let’s continue our discussion. Oh, right.
James? Hurry up and print out the contract. We should get this over with
today.” Florence tugged on Dustin’s arm, worried he might escape.
“No problem!” With twinkling eyes, James dashed out of the room.
“I’ll prepare a contract too.” Julie quickly followed suit.
The contracts were signed twenty minutes later. Dustin received the
title deeds, while Florence and the others got back their money.
As soon as they received the money, Florence and the others began
cackling and jeering at Dustin, whom they believed was an idiot. They
marveled at the idiot they found.

Chapter 543
“Oh, Dustin. You sure are stupid. How can you treasure such worthless
buildings?” Florence grinned smugly.

At first, she thought she had wasted all her money, but God blessed
them by sending them a scapegoat.

“Thanks, Dustin, or else we’d be doomed.” Florence grinned.
“You’re such a saint, Dustin. I must say, I’m impressed!” James
exclaimed delightedly and gave the other man a thumbs-up.
“Remember to treat us to a meal once you’ve made your fortune.”
Victoria mocked.
They had been unfortunate to be swindled by Terrence, but they found
someone to take the fall. It was their stroke of luck, or they would have
lost all their money.
“I hope you don’t come to regret your decision.” Dustin wore a
meaningful smile.
“Regret?” They exchanged amused glances and laughed even louder.
How could Dustin still not know that something was wrong? An idiot
like him deserved to be scammed.
“Dustin, what on earth are you thinking? You shouldn’t be so reckless
even if you have some money, right?” Dahlia frowned. She was confused as
to why someone who was usually so smart would act so foolishly.
“Everything I say is useless right now, but you’ll understand soon,”
Dustin smiled and said.
No matter how many times he advised them, none of them believed him.
However, when things settled down, it would be obvious who was the
winner.
“Fine! I don’t care anymore!” Dahlia stomped toward the door and
halted. “What are you waiting for? Let’s go back to the company!”
“Can I take a leave of absence? My friend happens to be here, so I
want to visit him,” Dustin asked. Mr. Robinson was here as well, so he
should visit the older man.

“Do whatever you like!” Dahlia humphed and left.
Five minutes later, Dustin stepped into another ward and saw Abigail
feeding her father some soup. The father-daughter duo’s relationship
improved after the latest incident.
“Sir, you’re here.” Abigail lit up when she saw him.
“I happened to be in the area, so I thought I’d drop by. How’s your
dad?” Dustin inquired,
concerned.
“The doctor said he’s healing very well. He should be able to leave
in a few days,” Abigail replied.
“That’s good.” Dustin let out a sigh of relief and sat down next to
the bed. “Let me know if you need anything, Mr. Robinson.”
“Thank you, Mr. Rhys. You visiting me made me happy enough.” Mr.
Robinson smiled. It was rare for someone to care for minor characters
like him.
“This is all my fault. You wouldn’t have gotten hurt if not for me.”
Dustin felt sorry.
“Don’t say that, Mr. Robinson. I’m just sorry that I couldn’t carry
out your request.” Mr. Robinson shook his head.
“Alright, alright. Can you two stop being so sappy? Let’s leave the
past behind us.” Abigail interjected, cutting off their conversation.
The person they should be blaming was Torben Hill. Fortunately,
Dustin had avenged them by teaching that man a lesson.
“Abigail.” While they were talking, a gorgeous young lady and an
elegantly dressed woman walked in. They must be mother and daughter.
Dustin realized that the familiar-looking woman was Ruby Xenos, the
person he met in the bar a few days ago.
“What are you doing here, Ruby?” Abigail lit up, and she quickly went
to welcome the guests.

Chapter 544
“I heard that Mr. Robinson was hurt. Of course, I had to visit.” Ruby
placed her gifts by Mr. Robinson’s bedside and explained. “These are
supplements for you. I wish you a speedy recovery.”

“Thank you.” Abigail nodded her head in gratitude.

“I forgot to introduce you to my mom.” Ruby gestured to the woman
next to her.
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Xenos.” Abigail nodded in greeting.
“Hello.” Mrs. Xenos nodded with a smile.
“You’re here too?” Ruby was surprised to see Dustin. “The Doyle
family didn’t bother you, did they?”
“No.” Dustin shook his head. He couldn’t care less about them anyway.
“Mom, this is the guy who helped me in the bar last time.” Ruby
smiled.
“Really? Well, thank you very much.” Mrs. Xenos smiled politely.
“It was nothing.” Dustin’s gaze suddenly turned serious. “Mrs. Xenos,
may I know if you’ve been feeling dizzy lately?”
“How did you know?” Mrs. Xenos was astonished.
“I could tell since I know a bit of medicine,” Dustin explained.
“I see…” Mrs. Xenos nodded. “You’re right. I have low blood sugar, so
I get dizzy sometimes, but it’s nothing serious.”
“I don’t think so,” Dustin replied in a serious tone. “You have
bloodshot eyes, shortness of breath, stiff limbs, as well as bulging
veins at your temples. If I’m not mistaken, you’re at risk of a cerebral
hemorrhage.”
“Cerebral hemorrhage?” Mrs. Xenos frowned; her expression darkened
instantly. “You should watch what you say, young man. I had a full-body
checkup just recently, and everything was normal. How could there
possibly be a cerebral hemorrhage?”
She didn’t expect such a nice-looking person like him to sprout
nonsense.
“Mrs. Xenos, I advise you to examine your brain. You could die easily
if the condition
worsened.” Dustin advised.
“Nonsense!” Mrs. Xenos humphed. “I’ll let this go since you saved my
daughter. Don’t provoke me anymore!” She was unhappy to be told that she
might die.
‘Mrs. Xenos, your life is at stake here. You should be careful.”
Dustin told her seriously.

CO
“The doctor said he’s healing very well. He should be able to leave
in a few days,” Abigail replied.
“That’s good.” Dustin let out a sigh of relief and sat down next to
the bed. “Let me know if you need anything, Mr. Robinson.”
“Thank you, Mr. Rhys. You visiting me made me happy enough.” Mr.
Robinson smiled. It was rare for someone to care for minor characters
like him.
“This is all my fault. You wouldn’t have gotten hurt if not for me.”
Dustin felt sorry.
“Don’t say that, Mr. Robinson. I’m just sorry that I couldn’t carry
out your request.” Mr. Robinson shook his head.
“Alright, alright. Can you two stop being so sappy? Let’s leave the
past behind us.” Abigail interjected, cutting off their conversation.
The person they should be blaming was Torben Hill. Fortunately,
Dustin had avenged them by teaching that man a lesson.
“Abigail.” While they were talking, a gorgeous young lady and an
elegantly dressed woman walked in. They must be mother and daughter.
Dustin realized that the familiar-looking woman was Ruby Xenos, the
person he met in the bar a few days ago.
“What are you doing here, Ruby?” Abigail lit up, and she quickly went
to welcome the guests.

“I heard that Mr. Robinson was hurt. Of course, I had to visit.” Ruby
placed her gifts by Mr. Robinson’s bedside and explained. “These are
supplements for you. I wish you a speedy recovery.”
“Thank you.” Abigail nodded her head in gratitude.
“I forgot to introduce you to my mom.” Ruby gestured to the woman
next to her.
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Xenos.” Abigail nodded in greeting.
“Hello.” Mrs. Xenos nodded with a smile.
“You’re here too?” Ruby was surprised to see Dustin. “The Doyle
family didn’t bother you, did they?”
“No.” Dustin shook his head. He couldn’t care less about them anyway.
“Mom, this is the guy who helped me in the bar last time.” Ruby
smiled.
“Really? Well, thank you very much.” Mrs. Xenos smiled politely.
“It was nothing.” Dustin’s gaze suddenly turned serious. “Mrs. Xenos,
may I know if you’ve been feeling dizzy lately?”
“How did you know?” Mrs. Xenos was astonished.
“I could tell since I know a bit of medicine,” Dustin explained.
“I see…” Mrs. Xenos nodded. “You’re right. I have low blood sugar, so
I get dizzy sometimes, but it’s nothing serious.”
“I don’t think so,” Dustin replied in a serious tone. “You have
bloodshot eyes, shortness of breath, stiff limbs, as well as bulging
veins at your temples. If I’m not mistaken, you’re at risk of a cerebral
hemorrhage.”
“Cerebral hemorrhage?” Mrs. Xenos frowned; her expression darkened
instantly. “You should watch what you say, young man. I had a full-body
checkup just recently, and everything was normal. How could there
possibly be a cerebral hemorrhage?”
She didn’t expect such a nice-looking person like him to sprout
nonsense.
“Mrs. Xenos, I advise you to examine your brain. You could die easily
if the condition worsened.” Dustin advised.
“Nonsense!” Mrs. Xenos humphed. “I’ll let this go since you saved my
daughter. Don’t provoke me anymore!” She was unhappy to be told that she
might die.
“Mrs. Xenos, your life is at stake here. You should be careful.”
Dustin told her seriously.

“Enough of your nonsense!” Mrs. Xenos turned and walked away briskly.
As a woman who people died to please at every moment, she was furious to
be cursed by someone.
“I’m sorry. My mom’s in a bad mood.” Ruby was embarrassed. She didn’t
expect Dustin and his mother to get into an argument,
“Ruby, we’re going home!” Mrs. Xenos yelled.
“I’ll be off now, Abigail. Take care of your dad.” Ruby left after
bidding them farewell.
“You should stay away from scammers like him from now on, or your
reputation will be ruined!” Mrs. Xenos snapped.
“Mom, he doesn’t seem to be lying. Why don’t you get it checked out
at the hospital?” Ruby advised.
“Do you actually believe him?” Mrs. Xenos glared. “I know my body
best. He’s clearly asking for attention. I’ve met countless people like
him before!”
“But-”
“Enough! Don’t talk about him anymore. It’s disgusting!” Mrs. Xenos
cut off Ruby’s words. Because of her status, people always came up with
different ways to butter up to her; this included people like Dustin.
“The weather is nice today.” Mrs. Xenos lifted her head to look at
the sun and felt slightly faint.
She barely took a step forward when she felt a sharp pain shoot
through her head. The world began to spin, and after a few more steps,
her vision turned dark, and she collapsed to the floor.

Chapter 545
“Mom!” Ruby was shocked when Mrs.
Xenos suddenly fainted. She quickly helped her up and tried to wake her u
p while crying for help. However,
her mother remained completely unresponsive. “Where’s the doctor?” Ruby c
arried Mrs. Xenos on her back and ran back into the hospital.

A bunch of doctors and nurses heard her pleas and quickly came over to pe
rform first aid.

An hour later, at the entrance of the emergency room.
“Ruby!” A suited man ran over, accompanied by several bodyguards.

“Dad! You’re finally here!” Ruby was so relieved to see him. “Mom suddenl
y fainted just now, and they’re still trying to resuscitate her, but the
doctor said that things weren’t looking good and even asked me to
sign a do–not–resuscitate order.”
“Why did she suddenly faint?” George Xenos frowned.
“I don’t know either. She was completely
fine earlier.” Ruby looked nervous as well.

“Hurry! Go to Garrison Hospital and bring Dr. Alden immediately!” George
ordered the bodyguard closest to him.
“Yes, Sir!” His guard quickly pulled out his phone and
began calling someone.

Less than half an hour later, an old man with white hair donning black cl
othes rushed into the hospital with a team of specialists. Every one of
them was a top doctor in Garrison Hospital.
“Mr. Xenos.” The old man greeted.

“Dr. Alden, my wife’s life is in danger. Please save her.” George pleaded
solemnly.
“I will do my best.” Dr. Alden immediately
rushed into the operating room and took over the operation after he showe
d his identity.

Although the doctors at Ansdale South Hospital were good, they still had
a long way to go to reach the level of the doctors at Garrison Hospital.
After several hours passed, Dr. Alden finally emerged from
the operating room.
“Dr. Alden! How’s my wife?” George sprung up.

“Mrs. Xenos had a sudden cerebral hemorrhage. We’ve managed to keep her a
live for now, but things aren’t looking good.” Dr. Alden’s expression was
gloomy.

“Cerebral hemorrhage?” Ruby was surprised to hear that Dustin’s words had
come true.
“Can you treat it?” George frowned.

“It’ll be difficult.” Dr. Alden shook his head and explained. “She is exp
eriencing severe intracranial bleeding caused by an accumulation of blood
clots, which is putting pressure on her nerves and causing her to stay
unconscious. There’s a high likelihood that she’ll fall into a coma.”
“What? A coma?” Ruby paled. She couldn’t accept that her
mother, who had been alive and well just hours ago, was
going to have to stay in bed for the rest of her life.
“Dr. Alden, can’t you operate on her head?” George pressed.
Chapter 545
“Unfortunately
not. Mrs. Xenos is bleeding extensively in a delicate location. We might
accidentally kill her if we operate on her.” Dr. Alden sighed.

“How could this be? Is there no other way?” George’s expression was paine
d.

“I’m sorry. I have done everything in my power. Whether or not she can wa
ke up depends entirely on her,” Dr. Alden said helplessly.

As if someone poured a bucket of ice over him, George froze up. He couldn
’t imagine his wife
staying in a coma for the rest of her life.
“Dad, someone I know might be able to help,” Ruby said suddenly.
“Who is it?” George broke out of his stupor.

“His name is Dustin Rhys. Not too long ago, he predicted that Mom might h
ave a cerebral hemorrhage. We didn’t take it too seriously at first, but
his words came true,” Ruby explained.

“He predicted the cerebral hemorrhage? Is there anyone in this world who
can do that?” Dr. Alden was doubtful. How could anyone detect something l
ike that without the aid of tools?
“It is true! I swear!” Ruby exclaimed anxiously.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s true. Just tell him to come over and do
what he can.” George ordered. He wasn’t going to let
go of this glimmer of hope.

Chapter 546
“Okay!” Without wasting any more time, Ruby took her phone
out to give Dustin a call, and she briefly told him what had happened.

“I’ll be there right away.” Dustin ended the call and rushed over to the
hospital.

By the
time he reached, Ruby’s mother had already been transferred to the VIP wa
rd. Although she was no longer in critical danger, she remained unconscio
us. When Dustin entered
the ward, he noticed that there was quite a small crowd gathered there. M
ost of them were doctors, and some were bodyguards.
“Dustin! You’re here!” Ruby’s face lit up with hope when she saw him.

“Is this the miracle doctor that you mentioned, Ruby?” As George looked D
ustin up and down, he unconsciously frowned. This man was much
younger than he’d thought. How medically skilled could a man in his twent
ies be?
“Don’t judge a book by
its cover, Dad! Dustin might be young, but he’s really good at what he do
es! It only took him a glance and he knew what was wrong with Mom.” Ruby
assured.

“Forgive me for being blunt, Miss Xenos, but maybe it was just a lucky gu
ess,” Dr. Alden said. At Dustin’s age, even if he had been practicing med
icine since the day he was born, he’d only have 20 –
odd years of experience under his belt. If Dr.
Alden himself, who had been
practicing medicine for over 40 years, could not tell what was wrong
with her, how could this young chap?
“Are you sure, young man?” George asked tentatively.
“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t,” Dustin answered plainly.

“Alright then, you’ll be handsomely rewarded if you can heal my wife,” Ge
orge
told him earnestly. “Mr. Xenos, are you really going to let him treat her
?” Dr. Alden asked with furrowed brows. “Mrs. Xenos is not
in a good condition right now. What if anything happens to her?”

“It can’t go any worse than it already is.” George shook his head. What d
ifference would
it make whether his wife remained in a coma for the rest of her life or i
f she were to be dead?
“But-
” Dr. Alden wanted to continue but was promptly cut off by George. “Pleas
e go ahead, young man.”
Dustin nodded and walked
over to Mrs. Xenos‘ bedside before reaching out to check her vitals. A sh
ort while later, he told them, “Mrs. Xenos is suffering from severe intra
cranial hemorrhage which is putting pressure on her nerves. If we don’t g
et that sorted out immediately, she might end up in a permanently vegetat
ive state.”
Everyone was shocked when they
heard what he had to say. Even Dr. Alden, who had doubted his abilities j
ust a while ago, looked astonished. Dustin had simply
done a quick check on Mrs. Xenos‘ vitals and was able to tell them exactl
y what was wrong with
her. Was he really that capable? “Can you heal her, young man?” George wa
s instantly enlivened as he saw a spark of hope. He hadn’t held out much
hope initially, but judging from what Dustin had just said, he could tell
that Dustin really knew what he was doing.

“It wouldn’t be difficult. All that needs to be done is to drain out the
blood and see that she takes
Chapter 546
her medications on time,” Dustin said.

“Draining intracranial blood is no easy feat, young man. Besides, with Mr
s. Xenos‘ condition,

surgery is not an option,” Dr. Alden reminded Dustin. Ultimately, he stil
l refused to believe that
Dustin was better than him.

“Who said anything about surgery? This can easily be done with needling,”
Dustin said matter–of-
factly.

“Needling? Are you kidding me?” Dr. Alden frowned. There was a life on th
e line. This wasn’t a simple task!

“You don’t believe me? Let’s try and see, shall we?” Dustin couldn’t be b
othered to explain any further.

Without saying much more, he took out some silver needles and inserted th
em into Mrs. Xenos‘ pressure points. One right on top of the head, one ne
ar the front hairline, one by each ear, one above each eye, and
finally, one on each side of her nape. After inserting all the needles, D
ustin channeled energy from within him and
directed it toward the needles. The needles vibrated and gave out a soft
buzzing sound. Then, wisps of true energy traveled along the silver needl
es into Mrs. Xenos‘ pressure points.

A brief while later, two streams of black blood trickled out of her nose.
The blood flowed out in steady streams until it gradually turned into fr
esh blood, which was crimson red before it slowly stopped.

“She’ll be fine now.” In one swift motion, Dustin extracted all the needl
es and kept them neatly in his pocket.
“That’s all? You-
” Before Dr. Alden could complete his sentence, Mrs. Xenos groaned softly
, and her eyes fluttered open.

Chapter 547

“S–
she’s awake? Everyone was amazed to see that Mrs. Xenos had come around,
and they stared at her wide–
eyed with disbelief. Nobody had ever thought that this young man would be
able to cure Mrs. Xenos of something that even Dr. Alden found impossibl
e. And he managed to do so with just several needles! The entire process
had been nothing special and was just plain old needling techniques, but
it was exactly because of how simple everything had been that they found
it shocking

“H–
how is this possible?’ Dr. Alden was completely blown away by what he jus
t witnessed. That was cerebral congestion, and she had been diagnosed as
a vegetative patient, for goodness sake! It was such a complicated condit
ion, and he managed to cure her with just several needles? He must be jok
ing!

‘She’s awake! She’s awake! Mom’s awake!” It took Ruby a while to register
that her mother was finally
awake, but when she snapped back to her senses, she jumped with joy. She
had been utterly devastated when she got to know that her mother was in a
vegetative state. It was a miracle that she could come around so soon!

“Honey, how are you feeling?” George forced himself to calm down and quic
kly went up to check on his wife.

“I feel a bit woozy, but apart from that, I’m fine. What’s wrong?” Mrs. X
enos was confused, as she only remembered what happened before she passed
out.

“That’s great! It’s great that you’re feeling fine!” George laughed happi
ly after he was sure that his wife was no longer in any danger.

“You really are a miracle healer, young man! I underestimated you! You ha
ve exceptional medical skills. I’m impressed!” George shook Dustin’s hand
as a sign of respect.

“Don’t mention it. Just remember that reward you promised,” Dustin said w
ithout any arrogance. He had only helped them because he felt that it was
fate that they crossed paths, so it went without saying that he’d ask fo
r payment.
“Hahaha! I like how direct you are, young
man! How much are you asking for? Just state your price,” George said wit
h a chuckle.

“You pay however much you deem fit.” Dustin left it to him to decide how
much he was going to
pay.
So, George generously wrote him a 30–million–
dollar check and handed it to him. “Please have this, young man. This is
a token of my appreciation to you for saving my wife. If you ever run int
o any difficulties, just come to me, and I promise I’ll help you out of i
t!”

“Thanks!” Dustin gave the check a flick and put it away in his pocket.

“What happened?” Mrs. Xenos looked around, still trying to figure out wha
t exactly happened to
her.

“Mom! You nearly lost your life due to intracranial hemorrhage! Dustin wa
s the one that saved you! “Ruby was quick to explain the situation to her
mother.
Chapter 547

“Intracranial hemorrhage?” Mrs. Xenos was obviously shocked to hear that.
Was it possible that he had been telling the truth all along? Had she wr
onged him?

At the thought of that, she said remorsefully, “I’m truly sorry, young ma
n. I hope you do not take my offensive words to heart.”
“Don’t worry about
it. It’s all in the past,” Dustin said with a shake of his head. Hardly a
nyone would believe it if someone just came up to them and told them that
they were going to suffer from intracranial hemorrhage.

“Thank you, Dustin. Had it not been for you, things would have turned out
horribly.” Ruby had nothing but appreciation for Dustin.

“Don’t mention it. I’ve been paid for my work,” Dustin said with a faint
smile.

“Your medical skills are out of this world, young man. Would you be inter
ested in joining us? We desperately need talented people like you!”

Chapter 548

Dr. Alden did not hesitate to invite Dustin to join them. His medical ski
lls were truly miraculous, to say the least. It was amazing how he could
bring someone from the brink of death back to consciousness with just sev
eral needles. Had
it not been for his ego, Dr. Alden would have asked Dustin to be his ment
or.

“I have no such plans yet. We’ll see when the opportunity arises.” Dustin
rejected him nicely.

Then, without anyone asking, he quickly scribbled down a prescription and
handed it to Ruby.” Remember to make sure that your mother takes her med
ications on time. She’ll have to take them for about a month, and she’ll
be alright.”
“Thank you, Dustin!” Ruby beamed brightly at him

“I have other plans, so I’ll take my leave now.” Dustin did not stay ther
e much longer and left the hospital
soon after. As he left the hospital, Dustin was suddenly reminded that he
had yet to change Natasha’s wound dressing today, so he hailed a cab and
headed straight for the Harmon
estate.
In the Harmons‘ discussion room, Hector was leading a group of the
Harmon family’s key members in a meeting. They had divided opinions over
the marriage arrangement.
“Are you really going to break
off the marriage alliance, Hector? Have you ever considered what
this would mean to the family?” Trent asked with pinched brows.

“I’ve given things serious consideration, Trent. There shall be no marria
ge alliance!” Hector meant

what he said. The main agenda of the meeting today was to discuss the bre
aking off of the

marriage alliance. The Grants had gone too far. He could not sit back and
act like nothing had
happened.
“The Grants are already livid over Jayla’s death. If we tell
them that we’re breaking off the
marriage alliance, they’ll use that as an excuse
to give us trouble, and when that happens, there’s
bound to be massive strife between the two families!” Trent warned.
“The strife
has already begun. From the moment the Grants framed me and messed with m
y

daughter, there was already no alliance. What we need to do now is streng
then our defenses and be prepared,” Hector said coldly.

“Must things really come to this? We’ll be in a terrible predicament if w
e really burn bridges with
the Grants.” Trent’s expression was tense.
“I wish that the family can develop
in peace too, Trent. But with the difficulties we are facing, both intern
ally and externally, people out there will only see it as
an opportunity to take advantage of us if
we do not act firmly. We cannot compromise anymore!” Hector said with a
resolute tone.

If the Harmons backed off once, they’d have to do it again in the future,
and the Grants would only behave even more ruthlessly at that time.

Hector thought that it’d be better for the Harmons to face the Grants hea
d–on while they still had
Chapter 548

the means to do so. And even if they lost, they’d lose with their heads h
eld high.

“Why are you silent, Jacob? Talk some sense into Hector!” Trent signaled
at Jacob frantically to persuade Hector.

“What’s the point? Hector is the head of the family. He has the final say
in every matter.” Jacob seemed to have given up on contributing any thou
ghts.

“Jacob, this is a family meeting. Everyone is free to voice their thought
s. I will consider your suggestions if you come up with any good ideas.”
Hector encouraged.

“Alright, then I’ll tell you what I think.” Jacob cleared his throat befo
re he continued. “Hector, I know that Natasha is reluctant to marry Tyler
, but the consequences of
breaking off the marriage alliance are severe. I think that we should jus
t change our strategy slightly.”

“Oh? Change our strategy? How so?” Hector asked with a lift of his brows.

“It’s simple. There are many eligible young ladies in the Harmon family w
ho are of marriageable age. Since your daughter is unwilling to marry Tyl
er, then we’ll send someone else to marry him. As long as we have a marri
age alliance, it doesn’t matter who marries him,” Jacob said plainly.

“Send someone else?” The rest of the family began whispering among themse
lves when they heard Jacob’s suggestion. It seemed like a decent enough p
roposal. Natasha might not agree to marry Tyler, but there were
other people who would readily agree to the marriage. Tyler was an excell
ent candidate that many women would die to be married to.

“But Jacob, there has been so much conflict between the two families. No
matter who
we send to marry Tyler, we’d be sending her into an extremely risky situa
tion.” Hector was torn as to whether or not he should take Jacob’s sugges
tion.

“Someone has got to take one for the family. Since your daughter is unwil
ling to be the one to do so, we’ll just have to
get someone else,” Jacob said.

“You’re right, but who else would be good enough for Tyler?” Trent ponder
ed for a suitable candidate. They could not just send any other girl to m
arry Tyler. He was General Lionheart, a truly brilliant man. Natasha was
the only one in the entire Harmon
family who was barely good enough for him.

“Me!” Just then, Kate stood up and declared confidently. “Be it looks or
ability, I’m not far off from Natasha. I’m the most suitable candidate to
marry Tyler!”

Chapter 549

“You?” Trent was caught off guard when he saw Kate step forward. He had n
ever thought that his daughter would come forward in the family’s time of
need.

“That sounds good. I think Kate is indeed a suitable candidate. We should
consider letting her take

Natasha’s place for the marriage alliance,” Jacob vouched for Kate.

The rest of the family nodded in agreement when they saw Jacob backing Ka
te up. They were convinced that Kate was just about as good as Natasha, b
oth in looks and abilities. It really wasn’t a bad idea to let her marry
Tyler.

“Kate, this is no laughing matter. You should consider it carefully,” Hec
tor warned sternly.

“Uncle Hector, I’ve given it much thought. Since Natasha is reluctant to
marry Tyler, I’ll do it,” Kate announced boldly.

“Are you really willing to sacrifice yourself for the family?” Hector ask
ed once again.

“Well, someone has got to do it, so it might as well be me. This is my re
sponsibility as a Harmon!” Natasha declared righteously. Although she put
on a dignified and honorable front, she was
actually elated inwardly.
Sacrifice? What a joke! Tyler was powerful, influential, and
had a high social standing. He had a promising future! And on top
of that, he had the looks to match. It would be a dream come true for Kat
e if she were to marry such an excellent man!

Since the beginning, Kate had always been indignant that Natasha would be
the one
to marry Tyler. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever thought that Nat
asha would willingly choose to
break it off.

But now that the opportunity of a lifetime had presented itself to her, K
ate wasn’t about
to let it go. This was her one chance to step into the elite circle. If s
he were to marry Tyler and become the next matriarch of the Grant family,
she’d possess such vast powers!

“You’re Kate’s father, Trent. What do you have to say about this?” Hector
turned to Trent for his opinion before deciding on the matter. From how
he saw it, the Grant household was a dangerous place to be in. He really
could not bring himself to subject his niece to such suffering.

“Well …” Trent frowned, obviously caught in a dilemma. Under normal circu
mstances, it
would have been a great thing to be married to Tyler. But with how things
were currently, where both families had had such a major fallout, he cou
ldn’t say for sure whether it was a good thing.
“Dad! I’ve put my mind to it. Nothing anyone says can change
my mind. Besides, you’re their older brother. You should lead by example!
” Kate gave her father a wink, signaling him to just go with. it. She was
worried that her father might not get what she meant and decided
to turn down the opportunity. After all, chances like these did not come
by often. She did not wish to pass it up.

“Well, since Kate is adamant, I have nothing to say.” Trent shook his hea
d. He was sure that with his daughter’s wits, she was bound to have somet
hing up her sleeves. He did not want to stand in
her way.

“What do the rest of you think?” Hector turned to face the rest of the
family to get their say on the

Chapter 549
matter.
“Kate is doing this for the family! We should support her!”
“That’s right! There’s no better alternative anyway!”

The crowd was quick to voice their approval. It didn’t matter to them who
married Tyler. All they were concerned about was the success of the marr
iage alliance to protect the interest of the
family.

“I have everyone’s support, Uncle Hector. Surely you can’t say no?” Kate
asked cautiously.

“Sure, I can agree to it. But the question now is, will Tyler agree to it
?” Hector suddenly came in from a different perspective. It served no pur
pose for them to be so worked up
over the prospect of Kate replacing Natasha because the final decision re
sted with Tyler.

“Uncle Hector, I’m not lacking in the looks department, and I’m much more
talented than Natasha. I’m certain Tyler will not reject me.” Kate had a
ll the confidence in the world.
“Why don’t we ask him to find out?”

Chapter 550

Jacob stood up and enunciated each word slowly. “I will go to the Grants
with Kate to talk about the marriage arrangement in detail.”

“Thank you for backing me up, Uncle Jacob!” Kate was overjoyed.

“I’ll leave the task to you then, Jacob.” Hector nodded at him.

“Wait for our good news, everyone!” Jacob looked around the room and nodd
ed at his brothers before leaving with Kate in tow. Hector seemed deep in
thought as he watched them leave.

Over in Natasha’s room, she laid on her bed with her eyes closed as Dusti
n sat beside her, meticulously applying an ointment to her wound. The wou
nd on Natasha’s face wasn’t severe, and after applying some of Dustin’s s
pecial ointment, it was clearly much better than it had been
before.
“Sis! I have good news!” Ruth barged into the room excitedly.

“Oh? What’s the good news?” Natasha asked with her eyes still closed, enj
oying the attentive
treatment Dustin was giving her.
“Uncle Jacob suggested that someone else take your
place for the marriage alliance during the meeting earlier on, and Kate s
tood up and volunteered herself! She said that she would take your place
and marry Tyler. Everyone agreed!” Ruth announced with joy.

“Kate offered to marry Tyler?” Natasha sat up in surprise when she heard
what Ruth said. “Are you
sure that you heard right, Ruth?”

“Of course! I heard it loud and clear!” Ruth nodded with certainty. “Uncl
e Jacob and Kate have
already left for the Grants
to discuss the matter. As long as Tyler agrees to it, we’ll have nothing
left to worry about!”

“That’s great! Kate has always been after wealth and status, anyway. She’
d be the best candidate to marry Tyler!” Natasha was glad.

“That’s right! You won’t need to suffer; Kate will get what she wants; an
d both families will be at

peace with each other. We’ll be getting the best of both worlds!” Ruth sm
iled brightly.

“Ladies, it’s too early to be happy just yet. I’m afraid things might not
be so easy.” Dustin put a damper on the situation.

“What do you mean? Isn’t it a good thing that my sister will not have to
marry Tyler?” Ruth asked curiously.

“Of course it is, but the question is, would Tyler agree to it?” Dustin p
roceeded to explain his view on the situation. “I’ve only met Tyler once,
but I can tell straight off the bat that he’s an arrogant and conceited
person. And people like him rarely accept changes once they’ve made up th
eir
mind.”
The Harmon sisters frowned when they heard that.
“So what you’re
saying is that Tyler will not agree to the swap?” Natasha probed.

Chapter 550

“He will most likely refuse the notion.” Dustin put his ointment away and
handed Natasha a glass of water before stating nonchalantly, “Things wou
ld have worked out fine if he had been the one who came up with the idea
of swapping, but he would never accept it if others were the ones to sugg
est it and mess with his marriage.”

“No way, he can’t be so stubborn, can he?” Ruth could not seem to believe
it.

“This isn’t about being stubborn. It’s the sense of superiority that he w
as born with. Simply put, he’s the only person who’s allowed to be in cha
rge, and no one else is allowed to challenge that,” Dustin expounded.

“You say it like it’s already set in stone. Well, what if Kate succeeds?”
Ruth challenged.

“Of course, it’s best if she succeeds, but all I’m saying is that you sho
uldn’t bear high hopes.” Dustin wasn’t entirely sure either.

“Ruth, go wait in the meeting room. Inform me as soon as you get any news
,” Natasha instructed.
“Alright.” Ruth nodded and left.

Around dusk, Jacob and Kate finally returned to the Harmon estate. They d
idn’t look too pleased.

“How’d it go, Jacob? Did Tyler agree to it?” Trent immediately stood up a
nd asked Jacob the
moment he saw the two of them coming in through the doors.

“Like hell, he agreed!” Jacob was riled up. “Tyler Grant is as stubborn a
s a mule! No matter what I said or what offers I made him, he simply refu
sed to agree! He insists on marrying Natasha, and that’s the end of the d
iscussion. He even threatened us, saying that if Natasha did not appear
as his bride on the
day of the wedding, he’d bring his troops in and annihilate all of us Har
mons!” A commotion broke out in a split second.

Chapter 551

“What? He threatened to send his troops?” Everyone was startled by the ne
ws Jacob brought. They had all thought that things would run smoothly. As
long as Tyler agreed to their proposal, the marriage alliance would stil
l be on. Who’d have thought that this was how things turned out?

“I just don’t get it. What am I lacking compared to Natasha? Why would Ty
ler refuse to marry me?” Kate hissed through gritted teeth, livid. As a w
oman, she had lowered herself so much by going to

the Grants
to offer her hand in marriage. Not only had Tyler not appreciated the ges
ture and thrown her out, but he also did not even spare her a glance once
the entire time! It was pure
humiliation!
“So Tyler
rejected the swap, and Natasha refuses to marry him. Now what?” Someone a
sked.
“I say we go head–
on against them!” Kate exclaimed in frustration. “Since Tyler isn’t showi
ng us any respect, I don’t see why we should honor them either!”

“Watch your words, Kate!” Trent immediately stopped her from continuing.
They never knew who might be listening in on them, so they had to practic
e caution with every word they said.

“You’re the leader of the family, Hector. You decide!” Jacob took his sea
t huffily and downed an

entire cup of tea. He had been thoroughly put to shame at the Grants earl
ier on and needed something to calm his nerves.

“Since the suggestion for the swap has been rejected, we’ll have to find
other means of getting out of the wedding alliance,” Hector said gravely.

“Here’s my plan. I’ll have my 50th birthday celebration in advance, and h
old it on the same day as the wedding. I’ll organize a huge banquet
and invite everyone we know.”

“A celebration for your 50th birthday?” Nobody seemed to understand what
Hector had in mind. How would it help to have his birthday celebration in
advance?

“What you’re suggesting, Hector, is to pressure the Grants into backing o
ff with the celebration?” Trent seemed to catch on very quickly.

“Precisely.” Hector nodded. “Since Tyler insists on forcing Natasha into
the marriage, I’ll hold a huge celebration on the same day, and invite al
l the rich and famous that we know. I’m sure the Grants would dare not ac
t rashly in the presence of all the elites.”

“You make a good point there …” Trent considered as he rubbed his chin. “
We have always made sure to stay in others‘ good books and made many valu
able connections. It’s time we showed the Grants who we have behind us. I
t might make them stop and rethink their choices before acting recklessly
.”
“Hector, your
suggestion is only a temporary solution. At the end of the day, the root
of the problem still exists. What will we do if Tyler really sends his tr
oops?” Jacob went straight to the point. The Grants were so powerful
because
they had strong military backgrounds. That was the only reason why nobody
dared to mess with them, and the sole reason why the Harmons feared
them

“I’ve considered that too, so I’ve contacted Sir Moran in hopes that he’d
be able to help us,” Hector said. Sir Moran was a regional deputy chief
who was immensely powerful, and based on military

Chapter 551
ranks, he was considered Tyler’s superior.
“Will Sir Moran agree to help us?” Jacob had his doubts.

“Jayla had put Sir Moran’s daughter in trouble before. Though she might b
e dead
now, the hatred he has for them will not vanish just like that. We will m
ake use of this and have him help us out,”
Hector explained.

“If you really do get Sir Moran on our side, then there’s still hope for
us!” Trent looked hopeful.

“I’ll try my best to persuade Sir Moran before the birthday banquet!” Hec
tor announced resolutely. Sir Moran’s powers were their only hope of gett
ing through the mess with the Grants.

“Why would you need to go to anyone else for help when I’m here, Uncle He
ctor?” A deep voice boomed in the meeting room. Soon after, a well–
built man in a military uniform walked in with his head held high, and
trailing behind him were two adjutants.

“Dylan?” The crowd was pleasantly surprised to see the man because he was
none other than Dylan Harmon, Jacob’s son!
Dylan was stationed at the country’s borders year–
round and would only be home once a year. Nobody had expected him to be b
ack so soon!

Chapter 552
“Why are you back so soon, Son? Weren’t
you warding off enemies at the borders?” Jacob quickly went up
to his son joyfully once he snapped out
of the initial shock of seeing Dylan.

“Everything’s peaceful over at the borders now, so I took a few days off
to come back for a bit.” Dylan chuckled.

“Good, that’s good… It’s great to see you back! I haven’t seen you in a y
ear! You look even more ripped now!” Jacob patted Dylan on the back delig
htedly. He was pleased with his son’s achievements. Out of all the member
s of the younger generation in the Harmons, Dylan was the most accomplish
ed of all.
“I’ve got good news, Dad. I’ve been promoted! I’m now a high–
ranking commander in the Dark Panther Cavalry. I’ve got over a thousand m
en working under me!” Dylan announced proudly.
“What? A high–ranking commander?” An excited chatter broke
out among the crowd, who were all delightfully surprised to hear that. Th
ere were also some who were envious of his progress.
As a high–
ranking commander, he was just one step away from becoming a deputy gener
al, and Dylan wasn’t even 30 years old yet! To achieve what he had
now, especially at such a young age, Dylan had a bright future ahead!

“Hahaha! Great! That’s amazing!” Jacob laughed heartily. “My son is amazi
ng! He’s been promoted again in just a year! I’m proud of you, Son!”

“Like father, like son!” Trent exclaimed enviously. “You’ll be as great a
s Tyler Grant, if not better than him in the future, Dylan!”

“The Harmon family has produced yet another amazing talent!” Hector was p
leased too. Dylan wasn’t far off from becoming a general if he was
already a high–ranking commander before the age of 30.

“Congratulations, Dylan! You’ve attained the greatest heights out of all
of us! Don’t forget about me when you make it big one day!” Kate sucked u
p to Dylan.

“What are you saying, Kate? We’re family! If you ever need anything, just
let me know!” Dylan reassured with a pat on his chest.
“Hahaha! You’re the best!” Kate giggled.

“Right, Dad, you were talking about the Grants. What about them?” Dylan c
hanged the topic.

“Well, this is how things are right now…” Jacob briefed Dylan about every
thing that went on in the family.

After Dylan heard what had happened, he laughed. “Dad, Uncle Hector, don’
t you worry! With me here, Tyler won’t dare to step out of line.”
“You may be a high–
ranking commander, Dylan, but Tyler is a general. I’m afraid…” Jacob left
his sentence hanging. It was true that his son was capable and brilliant
, but he was still lower in power compared to Tyler.

“Dad! Don’t forget that I’m from the Dark Panther Cavalry! Even deputy ge
nerals have to treat me with respect!” Dylan boasted conceitedly.

The Dark Panther Cavalry differed from ordinary units. They were the best
of the best, and all the high–
ranking commanders from the Dark Panther Cavalry were elites. If they wer
e to be

transferred to other units, they could easily be promoted to deputy gener
als. That was the prestige of the Dark Panther Cavalry.

“Dylan, Tyler is not just a deputy general. He’s been given the title of
General Lionheart, and he’s an official of the third rank!” Jacob reminde
d him.
“So what if he’s a third–
ranking official?” Dylan scoffed condescendingly. “My general is the Scar
let Warrior, who is well–
known across the whole of Dragonmarsh! And she’s a first–
ranking official!”
“What? The Scarlet Warrior?” Everyone was astonished.

The Scarlet Warrior was one of the two aces of the Spanner family. She wa
s on par with Adam Spanner, the God of War, and was also the only female
general in Dragonmarsh, earning her the title of Goddess of War. Her achi
evements were extraordinary, and she was skilled in both civil and milita
ry strategies, which was why she had such high military standing. Almost
everyone in Dragonmarsh knew her.

“My son! I never knew that your general was the Scarlet Warrior! That’s a
wesome!” Jacob was both surprised and elated. It was an honor not only fo
r Dylan himself but even for the whole Harmon family to have him fight al
ongside the Scarlet Warrior.

“Well, Dad, do you still reckon that Tyler would act recklessly now?” Dyl
an asked with his chin lifted high. Though he did not exactly hold a high
military
position himself, he had the Scarlet Warrior backing him up. With such st
rong connections, who would dare mess with him?

“Hahaha! Even Tyler has to give way to the Scarlet Warrior! He’s no match
for her!” Jacob laughed triumphantly.
“That’s great! There’s hope for us!” The rest of the family cheered.

What a turn of events! With Dylan’s return, the Harmons finally had hopes
of turning the tables. The Grants were in for a shock on the day of the
birthday banquet!

Chapter 553

Over the next few days, the Harmons began sending out invitations and bus
ied themselves with preparations for Hector’s 50th birthday celebration.
As one of the Fabulous Five, the Harmons were a large family with lots of
connections, and the leader of the family, Hector, was widely revered. H
ence, when news got out that Hector was celebrating his birthday, it sent
almost half the city into an excited frenzy. Countless celebrities, weal
thy elites, and influential figures were eager to attend the event.

Bright and early in the Harmon estate five days later, the entire househo
ld bustled with activity. It was truly a grand affair, as not only was it
Hector’s birthday celebration, but it was also the day that Tyler was co
ming for Natasha. The Harmons needed all the support they could get to pr
essure Tyler into backing off.

Back in her room, Natasha studied her face in the mirror, admiring how fa
ir and supple her skin was now. She was pleasantly surprised by how well
the wound healed. She had steered clear of mirrors for quite a while afte
r her face was wounded, as she dreaded seeing the state her face was in.

But now, there was absolutely no trace of the ghastly wound, and it did n
ot even leave behind a scar. In fact, her skin seemed to glow under Dusti
n’s careful nursing. It was apparent that Dustin’s ointment was not only
capable of healing wounds, but it also had beautifying effects.

“Who’d have thought that your ointment was so effective, Dear? There’s no
t even the slightest hint of a scar!” Natasha caressed her face in awe.
“I told you that there wouldn’t be a
scar, didn’t I? Do you trust me now?” Dustin smiled.

“This is brilliant! Immortunol can restore a person’s beauty, and this oi
ntment can heal wounds without leaving a scar. If we put both of them tog
ether, they’d be a hit!” A superb idea hit Natasha then and there, and he
r eyes lit up. “Can you produce this ointment in large volumes, Dear? Wit
h advertising done right, I’m certain this will be our next bestseller!”

“You’ve got such a sharp mind! But I’m afraid I’m going to have to let yo
u
down this time.” Dustin shook his head with an amused smile. “The ingredi
ents used for this ointment are too precious. Some of them are worth thei
r weight in gold, so it’d be tough to manufacture them in bulk. I only ma
ke them for my own use.”

“What a shame.” Natasha was disappointed at the missed opportunity to hau
l in yet another fortune. As a self–
made businesswoman, it was almost instinctive for her to identify and
seize every opportunity to generate income and profit.

“Of course, if you think that it’s got potential, I can change up the for
mula a bit,” Dustin suggested. “I can swap out the rare herbs for other m
ore common ingredients, and it’ll bring down the cost by
several folds. However, the effects will be affected
“How so? Will it still be
able to heal wounds without leaving scars and rejuvenate the skin?” Natas
ha probed.
“Of course, it will, but it’ll take a longer
time for wounds to heal,” Dustin answered.
“That wouldn’t be a problem as long as it could
work.” Natasha’s eyes lit up again.

Chapter 553

“Alright, I’ll pass you the formula in a few days then.” Dustin smiled.
“We’ve
got a deal! As usual, we’ll split the profit in half!” Natasha beamed at
him. She was glad to have found yet another source of income, and
she was confident that as long as they advertised it well, this ointment
would generate no less income for them than the Immortunol had.

“Sis…” Just then, Ruth came in through the door. “Dad wants to meet you i
n the meeting room.”
“Okay.” Natasha nodded and was about to bring Dustin along with her.
“Sis, Dad said that he wants to meet you alone,” Ruth said.
“Alone?” Natasha raised a brow.

“Maybe it’s something private,” Dustin said as he shot her a smile. “Run
along; I’ll wait for you in the banquet hall.”

“Okay. I’ll be back soon.” Natasha then quickly left with Ruth. Dustin st
retched lazily before he left for the banquet hall.

Chapter 554

It was the day of Hector’s 50th birthday celebration, and many elites and
prominent figures showed up for the event. Though the banquet had yet to
commence, there was already quite a crowd in the banquet hall, and more
guests arrived as time went on.

“Dustin? What are you doing here?” Dustin heard a woman ask from behind h
im. He turned around to see several familiar faces that he had met once,
quite some time ago. They were Adriana, Zoey, Gordon, Zeke, and several o
thers. These were Natasha’s classmates from her school days.

The first time he met them, Adriana had some troubles due to her contract
and was harassed by a manager working for the Langfords. He had helped h
er out of the situation and beaten up the manager. After Luis Langford re
turned to Stonia, Dustin had never met these people again, so it was quit
e a surprise to meet them again.

“Hey! I asked you a question! Why are you not answering me? How rude!” Zo
ey was displeased by
his reaction, or rather, the lack of it.

“Of course, I’m here to celebrate Mr. Harmon’s birthday. Why else would I
be here?” Dustin stated calmly. Apart from Adriana, this bunch of people
had not left a good impression on him.

“Hah! I see you’re still hounding Natasha! Don’t you know where you stand
?” Zeke ridiculed.

“I’ve got a piece of advice for you, Dustin. Natasha is the heiress of a
wealthy family. She’s way out

of your league, so you better take a good look in the mirror before you c
ome badgering her,” Gordon said meanly.

They saw Dustin as nothing more than a typical boy toy who had no means o
f providing for
himself and only knew how to sweet–
talk women, so they deemed him unfit for their sophisticated circle.

“You should stop looking down on others. How do you know that she’s out o
f my league?” Dustin
asked.

“Hah! You’re just a country doctor with no social standing, a prominent b
ackground, or any skills. How could you ever be good enough
for Natasha?” Gordon questioned condescendingly.

“How ignorant.” With a shake of his head, Dustin turned to leave. He coul
d not be bothered to exchange words with such close–
minded people. To begin with, it wasn’t like they were chummy, so he saw
no need to engage in a conversation with them.

“You stand right there!” Zoey blocked his way and frowned as she reproach
ed him. “What’s up with your attitude, Dustin? Had Gordon not spoken to M
r. Langford on your behalf back when you beat up their
manager, they’d most likely have maimed you so badly
that you’d be crippled now! Gordon saved you! But not only are you unappr
eciative of
his kindness, you even give him such an attitude? Do you have any
manners?”
“Exactly! You’ve got Gordon to thank for helping you out!
Do you think you’d still be alive had it not been for him?” Zeke echoed.

When Gordon heard what they had to say about him, he straightened up and
puffed up his chest proudly.
“He saved me?”
Dustin found them ridiculous. “You lot must be deluded. I did teach the m
an a
lesson; there’s no mistaking that. But I definitely did
not need any saving from Gordon. Besides, he isn’t capable of doing so ei
ther.”

“What?” Gordon’s expression darkened when he heard Dustin’s words. “Who d
o you think you are? And who are you to say whether or not
I’m capable of doing anything?”

“Well, am I wrong? If you were capable of saving me, then why didn’t you
do anything when you were beaten up?” Dustin refuted.
“You-
” Gordon was silenced. It was still embarrassing for him to recall how th
e Langford manager had busted his head with a bottle.
“Stop spouting nonsense,
Rhys!” Zeke glared at him and raised his voice. “They had the numbers, an
d we were at a disadvantage; that was the only reason why we endured it.
We made them pay for it after!”

“That’s right! Only a brute would act hastily. Gordon’s a gentleman, it’s
only a given that he wouldn’t lower his standards to that of a brute’s!”
Zoey parroted.

“Better to be a brute than a chicken.” Dustin didn’t hold back. “You took
everything they did to you without so much as a protest; how dare you bra
g and talk smack to me now?”
They all flushed in embarrassment at Dustin’s words.

Chapter 555
“Y–
you, you … What did you just say?! Where are your manners, you uncultured
swine? How vulgar!” Zoey was upset by Dustin’s words. Although
Dustin calmly spoke, his words hit right where they hurt.

“You’re right! A country bumpkin will always be a country bumpkin! He’s g
ot no manners at all!” Zeke was livid. With his privileged background and
high educational status, he had never been insulted in such a manner, mu
ch less by someone who he considered much lower in status than him.

“The way I behave depends on the person I’m talking to. Do you expect me
to treat you with respect when you’re blatantly belittling me?” Dustin as
ked coldly.

“You!” Zoey clenched her jaws and found that she was at a loss for words.

“Come on, we’re all Natasha’s friends. Let’s not make things ugly over a
small matter.” Adriana quickly tried to smooth things over and ease the t
ension when she saw that things were starting to
escalate. It was Mr. Harmon’s 50th birthday celebration today. There was
no doubt they’d be creating trouble for the
Harmons if they were to have a row there.

“Forget it. Let’s just ignore the loser. We don’t want to stoop down to h
is level.” Gordon swiftly collected himself and shot Dustin a scornful lo
ok.
“You’re right. It’s wasted effort debating
with uncultured people.” Zoey shot Dustin a side–eye.
“Hah! He’s just a boy toy with a glib tongue. What else is he capable
of?” Zeke insulted.

“Chicken.” Dustin spat before finding a seat by the side and proceeded pr
omptly to ignore them.

“You!” They were so irked that they almost lost their cool again. They ha
d started out intending to disgrace Dustin in order to make him stay away
from Natasha and to flaunt their superiority, but in the end, they faile
d miserably. Not only did they not gain an upper hand over Dustin, he eve
n put them to shame. It was frustrating indeed!
Just as they were
still indignant over the unpleasant exchange, a commotion broke out by th
e entrance. They looked up to see a hunky man clad in military uniform, w
ith
two adjutants following behind him. Following close beside him was a char
ming woman with a shapely figure.
“Hey, who’s the army man? He looks so cool!” Zoey’s eyes lit up.

“If I’m not mistaken, he should be Mr. Jacob’s son, Dylan Harmon!” Gordon
answered.
“Dylan Harmon? What a nice
name!” Zoey’s eyes remained glued to Dylan.
“As far as I know, Dylan’s a high–
ranking commander in an elite unit. He’s just one step away from becoming
a general. He has a mighty bright future ahead!” Gordon exclaimed enviou
sly.

Dylan’s return had been quite the talk of the town recently. Countless
scions of prominent families tried their best to curry favor
with him due to his high military position and also because he was from t
he Dark Panther Cavalry.
“He is hot, comes from a wealthy family, and to top it all
off, he is crazy talented. Where do you find a man like this?
I think I’m in love!” Zoey swooned over Dylan with hearts
coming out of her eyes. He was powerful, rich, and, most importantly, han
dsome. Was he not the embodiment of the

Chapter 555
man of her dreams?

“Zoey, I don’t mean to discourage you, but people like Dylan are bound to
have crazy high standards. They won’t fall for the regular girl,” Gordon
reminded her.

“Nothing is for sure. I have the advantage of having Natasha on my side.
Who knows? Things might just work out?” Zoey wasn’t the least bit discour
aged by Gordon’s reminder. She wasn’t about to let such an exceptional ma
n slip past her fingers now that he had appeared in front of
her.

“Hey Gordon, who’s the lady beside Dylan Harmon? She’s beautiful and very
elegant, I must say!” As opposed to Zoey, Zeke had his eyes on the lady.

“She’s Dylan’s cousin and Mr. Trent’s daughter, Kate Harmon,” Gordon intr
oduced.

“Kate Harmon? That’s a sweet name!” Zeke rubbed his chin and asked cheeki
ly, “Say, do you think I stand a chance, Gordon?”

Chapter 556
“You have just
about as much chance of winning her over as I have with Natasha,” Gordon
told him bluntly. Kate was as
beautiful as Natasha, so it would not be easy to court her.

Zeke laughed. He
said excitedly, “Then we’ll both have to work harder!”

“The Harmon family has such perfect genes! Every one of them looks gorgeo
us. If I marry Dylan, I’m sure we’ll have such beautiful babies!” Zoey ex
claimed giddily. Her words left the rest of them speechless. She had not
even so much as spoken a word with him, and she was already thinking abou
t having his babies?

“Hey! It looks like they’re coming our way! Could he have noticed my beau
ty so soon? Oh no! Is my makeup in perfect condition?” Zoey was
overjoyed to see Dylan walking in their direction
and immediately whipped out her compact mirror to touch up her makeup. Go
rdon and Zeke swiftly sucked in their stomach and puffed up their chests,
trying to look like distinguished gentlemen. “Dylan, that guy in white i
s Dustin Rhys, Natasha’s good–for–
nothing boyfriend. Had it not been for him, our family would not be in su
ch trouble. Besides, my brother
Quentin’s death was also because of him!” Kate caught sight of Dustin sip
ping on his tea the moment she came in through the door. A cold glint of
hatred flashed in her eyes.

“Why is Natasha still hanging around such a pain in the neck? Has she bee
n blinded by him?” Dylan was annoyed by his presence.
“It’s too bad I’m a woman, or
I’ll make sure to teach him a good lesson!” Kate egged on.
“Leave the dirty
job to me, Kate. I’ll make sure he learns a lesson he’ll never forget!” A
wicked smile spread across Dylan’s face as he took a glass of wine from
a nearby waiter and discreetly added some unknown powder to it.

“What did you put in the wine, Dylan?” Kate was quick to notice Dylan’s a
ctions as she stood right beside him.

“Nothing much, just a potent laxative.” Dylan smirked. “As soon as he dri
nks this, he will lose control over his bowels and shit himself within mi
nutes. I like to see if he’ll still have the balls to stick around the
Harmon family after that.”

“You have such a brilliant idea!” Kate’s eyes sparkled. Dustin wouldn’t b
e able to face anyone after wetting and soiling
himself in front of an audience. What Dylan was about to pull would absol
utely crush Dustin!

“Just wait and see, Kate. I’ll get you your revenge.” Dylan winked at her
before approaching Dustin with his men.

“He’s coming, he’s coming! He’s really coming our way!” Zoey was so excit
ed she was on the verge of losing her composure when she saw Dylan approa
ching. Without waiting any longer, she stood up to greet him. “Mr. Harmon
…” The rest of her sentence was left stuck in her throat as Dylan walked
past her without sparing her a glance and stopped in front of Dustin.
“What?” They were all left
frozen in place awkwardly, as they had all assumed that Dylan was heading
toward them, when in fact, he had been heading toward Dustin.
Chapter 556

“You’re Dustin Rhys?” Dylan looked down his nose at Dustin arrogantly. “I
’ve heard that you’re quite close with my cousin, Natasha, and that you’v
e helped her out of some tough situations. As a token of my appreciation,
I’d like to share a drink with you.”

With that, Dylan handed him the glass of wine he was holding. That left Z
oey and the rest of them gaping in awe. It was beyond their expectation t
hat someone like Dylan, who held a high military position and had a promi
sing future, would offer Dustin a drink. Who was Dustin to deserve such a
show of respect?

As Zoey, Gordon, and the rest looked on with envy, Dustin glanced at the
glass of wine and spat icily, “I’m not drinking that. Get lost.” A deathl
y silence fell over the crowd.

Chapter 557

“I’m not drinking that. Get lost.” Dustin’s words were short and sweet, b
ut he brought a deathly

hush over the hall.

All eyes were on Dylan the moment he entered. There were numerous people
present who would do anything to gain his favor, so when they witnessed D
ylan offering Dustin a drink, the onlookers, including Zoey, Gordon, and
Zeke, were astonished. Jealous, even. It was definitely something worth b
ragging about to have someone like Dylan offer you a drink. However, they
had never expected Dustin to actually turn him down and even arrogantly
dismiss him. What was the meaning of that? Was Dustin really so full of h
imself?

“What did you just say?” Not only were the onlookers surprised, but even
Dylan couldn’t believe his ears. He was a Harmon, a high–
ranking commander in the Dark Panther Cavalry, and a future general! No m
atter where he went, people would fawn over him and go out of their way t
o please him. Just a smile from him could make someone’s day, so shouldn’
t regular people feel honored

that he’d offer them a drink? How dare this rascal turn down the wine he
had offered?

“Didn’t you hear me? I said, get lost,” Dustin repeated himself in the sa
me cold manner.
“How dare you?”
“You insolent bastard!”
“You’ve crossed the line!”

The crowd was in an uproar. All those who were trying to get into Dylan’s
good books stood up for him, hurling profanities at Dustin. People who w
eren’t in the know might have thought they held some deep–
seated grudge against Dustin.

“Is that scoundrel out of his damn mind? How dare he speak so rudely to a
commander?” Zoey was
bewildered. She had never imagined that Dustin would be so
daring as to behave with such insolence toward Dylan. He obviously
held no regard for Dylan’s status and position.

“Hah! He’s going to get what he deserves for being so arrogant! I’d like
to see how Dylan is going to deal with him!” Zeke gloated gleefully at Du
stin’s impending misfortune.
“What an idiot!” Gordon shook his head with a smile on his face.

Adriana remained quiet, worry creeping into her eyes. Dustin had left qui
te a good impression on

her, and she could tell he was a responsible and courageous man. However,
she had to admit that
he had acted too rashly.

“You bastard! How dare you disrespect my superior? I’ll shoot you in the
head!” An adjutant roared furiously, it had taken him a brief moment to r
eact.
“I don’t believe you will,” Dustin calmly replied.
“You!” The
adjutant choked on his words. Had they been at the borders, he’d already
have shot Dustin many times over, but with so many civilian onlookers, he
dared not act impulsively.

“Do you know who I am, punk? How dare you speak to me like that?” Dylan a
sked icily, a menacing glint in his eyes. He was not going to let this sc
oundrel, who had just humiliated him in public, off so easily.

Chapter 557

“So what if I do? My answer remains the same. I’m not drinking that, so b
uzz off.” Dustin wasn’t
intimidated by him.

Dylan was so infuriated that he burst out laughing. “I see you want to do
this the hard way, you bastard! There has never been anyone who’s disgra
ced me in such a manner before. Let me make it clear, if you don’t finish
this glass of wine, there’s no way you’re walking out that door!” Dylan’
s
words were clearly a threat.

“Hey, it’s an honor to have Mr. Harmon offer you a drink! If you know wha
t’s good for you, just take
it, man!”
“That’s right! Drink up, or you’ll be sorry!”
Many of the onlookers chimed in, taking Dylan’s side.

“Dustin, my cousin has quite a nasty temper. You better drink up, or he’l
l be sure to kick up a fuss,
“Kate egged him
on with a mocking expression. She was dying for things to get out of hand
so that Natasha and Dylan would be at opposite ends, and she’d be able t
o reap the greatest benefit
out of the fiasco, which was having Dylan on her side.

Chapter 558

“Whoever wants the drink can have it, but it’s not going to be me.” Dusti
n remained unfazed by the comments and derogatory remarks hurled his way.

“Well, that’s not up to you!” Dylan’s expression turned cold. “Boys, make
him drink it!”

‘Yes, sir!” The two adjutants immediately went up to Dustin, ready to for
ce the drink down his throat

“Buzz off.” With two backhanded slaps, Dustin sent the two adjutants spra
wling on the ground, blood streaming from their noses and their teeth bro
ken. They scrambled to get back up but failed miserably.

“Holy shit! The guy’s getting violent!” The onlookers were startled and e
nraged by what they saw. Assaulting military personnel was a major offens
e, and when the situation called for it, they were authorized to use thei
r guns.

“You’ve got a death wish, you bastard!” Dylan finally had it when he saw
the two adjutants being slapped. He swiftly threw a punch at Dustin’s fac
e. As a high–
ranking commander of the Dark Panther Cavalry, it went without saying tha
t he was skilled
in martial arts. Currently, he was an entry level divine martial artist,
considered one of the best among his peers.

Dustin did not duck or sidestep Dylan’s punch. Instead, he grabbed Dylan’
s incoming fist with his bare hand. A dull thud resonated as Dylan’s fist
made contact with Dustin’s palm. Dylan was utterly shocked, struggling t
o comprehend how Dustin could
achieve such a feat. Though he had yet to exert his full force, he was a
divine–level martial artist! Just a light punch
from him was enough to send a regular person flying. He was certain that
Dustin was also a skilled martial artist.
“I see you’re well–
versed in martial arts too. No wonder you’re so arrogant. I suppose I’ll
have to show you what I’m capable of today.” Dylan declared, removing his
coat. He was ready
to go all out. Though Dustin had managed to catch his punch, Dylan still
had the confidence that he’d be able to pulverize him.
“I’ve been putting up with you for Natasha’s sake. I do not wish
to hurt you, but if you insist on taking advantage of my kindness, I’m af
raid I’ll not be so polite anymore,” Dustin said coldly.

“Hurt me? Hahaha! What a joke!” Dylan looked at Dustin contemptuously. “D
o you think that you can act so arrogantly just because you think you kno
w some martial arts? Just so you know, I could easily kill you with just
a flick of my finger!”
“Is that so? By all means, go ahead.” Dustin remained unfazed.

“Very well, I’ll teach you a lesson today that there are always people ou
t there who are better than you!”
Just as Dylan channeled his true energy and
was about to attack, a loud voice boomed throughout the hall.
“Hold it right there!” Hector marched in with several others behind
him. “What’s going on here? It’s my birthday
celebration today, and you’re at each other’s throats?” Hector’s burning
gaze swept across the hall. Anyone who met his eyes immediately lowered t
heir heads, paying respect to the leader of the Harmon family.

Chapter 558

“Uncle Hector, this guy started it!‘ Dylan pointed an accusing finger at
Dustin. “I offered him a drink as a gesture of appreciation, but not only
did he refuse it, he even went so far as to insult me! I couldn’t stand
it, so I thought I’d teach him a lesson!”
“Is that true?” Hector’s eyes narrowed.
“I can vouch for
Dylan, Uncle Hector. Dustin was so proud and rude, and he had completely
no respect for the Harmon family,” Kate piped up.

“That’s right, we can attest to that too! The rascal had no regard for pr
opriety, and he really crossed the line!” The onlookers stood up for Dyla
n. From what they saw, Dustin was clearly the one who picked the fight.

“Hang on, there must be some confusion. I don’t believe Dustin would do s
omething like that!” Natasha defended Dustin.
“Natasha, with
so many eyewitnesses here, are you really going to stand up for him?” Kat
e scoffed.
“Do you have anything to say about
this, Dustin?” Hector turned his attention to him.
“It’s true that I refused the drink Dylan
offered me.” Hector frowned when he heard
that. Even Natasha was caught off guard.

“See, Uncle Hector? You heard it from him. He admitted it himself!” Dylan
smirked, shooting Dustin a taunting look.
But what Dustin said
next left the smirk frozen on his face. “And that’s because he spiked the
drinK…

Chapter 559

“He spiked the wine?” Everyone looked at Dylan in shock. If that was the
case, then it would make sense for Dustin to refuse the drink.

“You What nonsense!” Dylan had a sinking feeling, but he forced himself t
o appear composed as he roared, “Do you know who I am? Why would I spike
your drink? You’re dragging my
reputation through the mud!” He had no idea how Dustin could tell that th
e wine had been spiked, but there was no way he was going to admit to doi
ng it.

“That’s right! My cousin offered you a drink, and you not only turned him
down, but you even accused him of such dirty tricks? You truly are cunni
ng!” Kate feigned anger.
“Hah! I think someone’s just here to cause trouble!”
“What a heinous crime to slander a military officer!”
“We should just kick him out! He’s despicable!”

In a clamor of voices, the crowd accused and scolded Dustin. With their p
reconceived notions, they clearly believed Dylan more than they did Dusti
n.

“Dustin, do you have any proof for claiming that Dylan spiked the wine?”
Hector asked.
“Exactly! Don’t go around making accusations without any
proof!” Some of the Harmons were indignant.

“You want proof? It’s simple.” Dustin picked up the glass of wine and pla
ced it in front of Dylan. Since you claim that you didn’t spike it, why d
on’t you drink this to prove there’s nothing wrong with the wine?”
Dylan’s face fell. He would make a mess of himself if he drank that.
“Why should he? Just because you say so? Who do you think you
are?” Kate defended Dylan.
“That’s right! Who do you think you are? And what right do
you have to make me drink it?” Dylan challenged.
“Oh, so you dare not drink it then?” Dustin sniggered.
“If the wine hasn’t been spiked, Dylan, then what’s
the harm in drinking it?” Natasha had a slight smile on her face. She cou
ld tell from his reaction that Dylan had indeed spiked the
wine, but Dustin saw through his tricks at once, and that was what gave
rise to the conflict between them.
“We
believe in you, Mr. Harmon! It’s just a glass of wine. Drink it and show
him!”

“That’s right! Prove it to him that you have done no such thing! Put him
to shame!”
“Yes, Dylan, drink it! We’re all rooting for you!”
The crowd began
cheering Dylan on, acting like they were all that righteous.

The corners of Dylan’s lips twitched as he sweated profusely. With so man
y
eyes on him, he’d raise suspicion if he refused to drink the wine, but if
he did, he’d lose control over his bowels and make a
fool of himself. He’d be in such a terrible mess. Caught in a dilemma, he
had no way out of the predicament. He had only intended to teach Dustin
a lesson. Who’d have guessed he’d put

Chapter 559
himself in such a difficult position?

“Alright, alright! Let’s not cause a scene here!” Noticing that something
wasn’t right, Trent called out to the crowd to defuse the situation. “To
day’s a special day. Let’s not spoil it over some petty issues! Please be
seated, everyone. The banquet will start shortly!”

The crowd quietened down upon hearing his words. Most of them who had the
ir wits around could already guess the truth behind
the whole debacle. However, out of respect for the Harmon family, they ke
pt quiet and feigned ignorance.
“Consider yourself lucky, you bastard! I’m only letting you
off the hook for Uncle Hector’s sake, as it’s his birthday celebration to
day!” Dylan spat menacingly before he turned and took his seat. He thanke
d his lucky stars
that his Uncle Trent came out at the right moment to smooth things over,
sparing him from an embarrassing situation. But despite
the circumstances, he still had to gain an upper hand over Dustin.
The disturbance was finally brought to a halt
by Trent’s interference. However, Natasha was left disgruntled. “Dad, Dyl
an was obviously the one who started it. Are you just going to let it sli
de?”
“We have more important matters to deal with
today. We cannot afford to mess
up now,” Hector said gravely as he shook his head. Of course, he
could tell what had transpired, but at this point, they were banking on D
ylan’s position to put pressure on Tyler, so he could not tell Dylan off
even if he was at fault. At the moment, it was crucial for
the family to stand united.

Chapter 560

“That’s it?”

Natasha was extremely displeased. Naturally, she wasn’t willing to swallo
w her anger when her man was being mistreated.

“Natasha, let’s look at the big picture. Why don’t you sit down?” Hector
gave her a look. Then, he led the others to sit at the
tables allocated for the Harmons. The ten tables at
the very front of the ballroom were designated for the core members of th
e Harmon family as well as the other bigwigs in the family. The regular g
uests were relegated to the back.

“Darling, I’m sorry for the injustice. I’ll definitely find an opportunit
y for a payback!” Natasha said through gritted teeth.

“It’s nothing but a petty issue. Don’t worry about me. Go and keep your f
ather company.” Dustin smiled lightly. Her saying that was already good e
nough for him.
“What, you don’t want to sit with me?” Natasha raised an eyebrow.
“No, guests shouldn’t sit
with the stars of the evening. I’ll just sit here. Not to mention, sittin
g too close to Dylan might invite trouble.” Dustin shook his head.

The front seats drew too much attention; he didn’t like being noticed by
so many people.

“Alright.” Natasha didn’t push him further after he expressed his opinion
. After greeting a few of her classmates, she returned to her seat.

After she left, Gordon suddenly said out of the blue, “Dustin, if I were
you, I’d apologize to
Dylan right now. You can’t afford to get on the bad side of a golden chil
d like him!”

“Really? I guess…” Dustin couldn’t be bothered to entertain the nonsense
and gave a half–assed reply.
“Hmph! You’ll find out soon enough!” Gordon chuckled coldly and said
nothing more. In his eyes, with that arrogant attitude, Dustin was bound
to face consequences sooner or later.
Time slowly ticked by, and more guests arrived
to join the celebration. The entire ballroom was alive with chatter.

“Hey, isn’t that Mr. Reynolds from the Goldmore Group? I heard he’s worth
billions and is also the top player in the mining industry!”
“Oh? Even the emerald tycoon, Mr. Dane is here?”

“Look, I think that’s Mr. Gills from the Royal Pavilion, also known as
the all–powerful lord of the underworld!”

“As expected of the Harmons. I didn’t expect so many bigshots to show up.
This is really impressive!”
Seeing these local celebrities enter the
ballroom, Zoey and the others were bubbling with excitement. They never g
ot to see such an extravagant display in their everyday lives. Looking ac
ross the room, they were met with the presence of prominent figures in th
eir society, whether it was the filthy rich or the magnates in their resp
ective fields.

Any one of them could cause a huge ripple in the outside world. Yet, they
had all gathered there.
Truly, this was an assembly of the elite and the powerful!

‘Not bad. It seems like our family still holds some influence,” Trend sai
d from the front–
row seats, observing the lively ballroom with a wide grin.

“Why, of course! When our family throws a birthday party, I can’t think o
f anyone who wouldn’t respect us enough to not attend,” Jacob said proudl
y. As one of the Fabulous Five, certain connotations and pride came with
it.

“Trent, Jacob, don’t celebrate just yet. With just these people, I’m afra
id we won’t be able to keep Tyler in check,” Hector said indifferently.

“Uncle Hector, don’t worry. With me here, Tyler wouldn’t dare act out of
line!” Dylan said haughtily. That’s right! My son
holds a high position and has the support of the Scarlet Warrior. Even Ty
ler will have to show him some respect!” Jacob laughed. When it came to h
is son, he had unconditional trust in him.

At that moment, a butler leaned close and whispered, “Mr. Hector, I just
received word that the Grants have begun to make their move.”

“Are they finally coming?” Hector sucked in a deep breath. “Since we can’
t hide, then let’s meet them head–on. We will stick to the plan!”

Chapter 561

Meanwhile, at the Grants‘ mansion, Tyler sat in the study, quietly poring
over
war strategy books. He gave each and every word on the page his undivided
attention.

Suddenly, there was a series of knocks on the door.

“What is it?” Tyler asked without turning his head.

“Mr. Grant, the big day has arrived, We should head out,” an elderly voic
e said from outside the door

Tyler set the book down and got to his feet. After straightening his clot
hes, he opened the door and walked out. An aged servant stood outside the
door, waiting for him with his head bowed.
“How are the Harmons reacting?” Tyler asked with an indifferent look.

“The Harmons haven’t started preparing for the wedding yet. Instead, they
’re throwing a birthday party,” the man replied.

“Birthday party?” Tyler’s mouth twitched. “Is that supposed to put pressu
re on me? How amusing.”

“Mr. Grant, should we fetch the bride another day?” the man asked tentati
vely.

“Since the engagement is today, it can’t be changed. We’ll follow the sch
edule as planned,” Tyler said coolly. “Also, find me a coffin and bring i
t straight to the Harmons‘ home.”

“A coffin?” The man was momentarily taken aback. “Mr. Grant, what do you
want to do with that?”

Weren’t they going to pick up the bride? What did the coffin have to do w
ith it?
“The wedding carriage is to escort the bride, while the coffin
is for bodies. If the Harmon family agrees to the marriage, I’ll naturall
y use the carriage. If they don’t, then I’ll make them lay in the coffin,
” Tyler said apathetically.
Upon hearing that, the man couldn’t help but shudder. He
knew that his master was always a man of his word. If the Harmon family d
idn’t know what was good for them, they might end up completely destroyed
!

“Why are you still standing there? Go do as I say.” Tyler gave him a side
long glance.
“Yes.” Not daring to hesitate, the man immediately left.

“Hmph, you want to play games with me? Well, let’s see whether you can ho
ld off my army.” Tyler laughed coldly. He didn’t mind the Harmons playing
tricks, but in the face of absolute power, any wile would be for naught.

At that moment, the Harmon estate was still bustling with excitement. Loo
king across the room, distinguished guests filled the seats. It was
a gathering
of the exalted; the wealthy and powerful exchanged toasts and chatted amo
ng themselves. Meanwhile, Dustin sat quietly in a corner, looking like an
outsider.
In contrast, Gordon, who was sitting at the
other table, wouldn’t stop greeting people.
“Well, if it isn’t Mr. Bolls! What a pleasure to see you!”

“Oh, Ms. Pickens, you’re here too. My father talks a lot about you.”

“Hahaha, Mr. Solinsky, what a surprise to run into you here. It must be f
ate. Let’s grab a meal together sometime.”

Gordon stood, chatting and laughing with all the guests, showcasing his e
xtensive network.

“Gordon, was that Mr. Bolls, the famous jewel tycoon?” Zeke couldn’t help
but ask, curious.

“That’s right. Mr. Bolls has a net worth of several billions of dollars,
and
he owns half the jewels in Millsburg. He’s a true titan in the industry!”
Gordon grinned.

“No way! Gordon, you’re really impressive. How did you get to know people
of such high caliber?” Zoey asked with a look of admiration.
Billionaires weren’t the kind of people you could meet just anywhere.

“Heh, not just Mr. Bolls, but Ms. Pickens is also no average Joe. She con
trols a substantial amount of mineral resources–
you could say she’s made of money! Also, there’s Mr. Solinsky. He’s the s
on of an extremely wealthy man, he’s got a bright future ahead of him and
a lot of power!” Gordon introduced each of them giddily, his face glowin
g with pride.

“Gordon, who would’ve thought you’d been hiding this all along? I have to
admit, it’s amazing!” Zeke gave him a thumbs–up.

“Exactly! You’re probably the most spectacular one out of all of us!” Zoe
y said, buttering him up. As she spoke, she even snuck a glance at Dustin
and continued cynically, “Hey, Dustin, did you see that? This is the dif
ference between you and Gordon. Not only is he rich, but he’s also well-
connected. You’ll never reach his level in your entire lifetime!”

Chapter 562

“She’s right!” Zeke added. “Rhys, here’s a word of advice. You’d better l
eave Natasha as soon as possible, or you’d just be humiliating yourself!”

Dustin wasn’t bothered enough to entertain them. He simply minded his own
business, sipping at his drink. Yet, his lofty attitude pissed them off
even more.

“Hpmh, weren’t you acting all cool earlier? Has the cat got your tongue?
That’s all you’re good for,” Zoey said with a cold laugh. To her, it was
obvious that Dustin was feeling ashamed of himself.
“Let it go. Let him keep some of his dignity, or
you’ll back him into a corner,” Gordon teased with a smile. Dustin was ju
st a brute who knew a move or two, he really didn’t think too highly of h
im.
At that moment, Zoey seemed to
have noticed something. She pointed at the door and asked, “Hey, who’s th
at? He’s really good–looking and even has a certain air about him.”

The others turned their heads to look, and their gazes fell upon a handso
me man walking inside, holding a folding fan. A faint smile adorned his f
ace, and he carried an
air of grace, each movement looked effortlessly elegant.

“Damn! Isn’t that Patrick Hill, the son of the Hill family? Who would’ve
thought that he’d show up too?” Zeke couldn’t help but gape at the sight
of the man.
“Patrick Hill? Isn’t that one of
the renowned Ten Princes of the South Province?” Zoey’s eyes widened.

“Yes, that’s him!” Zeke nodded. “That’s the top aristocrat of Millsburg!
His status is even higher than Dylan’s!”

“Hahaha, this is great. Who would’ve thought we’d have the chance to see
Mr. Hill here? We’ve really hit the jackpot today!” Zoey’s face lit up wi
th excitement.

The Hill family was one of the Tremendous Three. Their power and influenc
e could overshadow the entire Harmony family from
every aspect. Naturally, the son of the Hill family would be of honorable
status!

“Guys, to tell you the truth, I’m pretty friendly with Patrick,” Gordon p
iped up out of the blue.

“What? You actually know Mr. Hill?!” Zoey and the others‘ expressions cha
nged.

“Of course. We even had a meal and played golf together,” Gordon replied
proudly.

Last year, he had indeed bumped into Patrick at a golf course. However, t
heir interaction had been limited to exchanging greetings, and that was t
he extent of it.

“What the hell, Gordon? You’re amazing! You actually hit it off with Mr.
Hill?” Zeke said with envy.

“It’s Gordon, after all! He’s friends with everyone and can even get alon
g with the most influential people!” Zoey said with a look of excitement.

Hearing the two of them praise him, Gordon felt as if he was walking on a
ir. He loved being the center of attention.

“Look, Mr. Hill is making his way over!” Zoey pointed at him joyfully. “G
ordon, is he here to see you?”

“Well, only Gordon here knows Mr. Hill. Who else could it be? Let’s get r
eady to greet him,” Zeke said, getting excited himself.

“He’s actually heading over here?” Gordon paused briefly, taken aback. Al
though they had met each other before, they weren’t particularly close.
Could his moment of glory before this have
refreshed Patrick’s memory and kindled the desire to befriend him? The th
ought filled Gordon with joy. He quickly adjusted his tie and approached
Patrick with a bright smile.
“Mr. Hill, it’s been a while,” he greeted, extending his hand.
“Huh?” Patrick raised an eyebrow. “Who are you?”

That single sentence turned Gordon to stone on the spot, his smile freezi
ng on his face.

Zoey and the others were also stunned and confused. Didn’t he say that th
ey were friends? What was going on?

Without waiting for a response, Patrick simply brushed past Gordon. Clear
ly, he had no interest in entertaining them.

To everyone’s surprise, astonishment, and bewilderment, he approached Dus
tin and extended his hand with a smile. “Dustin, we meet again. I’m reall
y sorry about what happened before. I hope you can let it go.”

Chapter 563
“What?”

Gordon and the others were dumbfounded by how politely and courteously Pa
trick had spoken to Dustin. Their eyes were round with disbelief.

The son of the Hill family–
one of the Ten Princes of South Province, dubbed the top aristocrat-
had actually greeted that jerk with a smile?
How was that even possible?!

“No way. Dustin knows Mr. Hill?” The smile on Zoey’s face turned to ice.
She had initially thought

that Patrick had walked over for Gordon, never in her wildest dreams woul
d she have thought that he was there for Dustin. Not to mention, from the
way they were acting, it seemed like they were
close.
“How the hell did that punk climb
his way up to become friends with Mr. Hill?!” Shock aside, Zeke was more
jealous than anything. What right did a loser have to hit it off with the
top aristocrat?

“How could this be?” Gordon was rooted to the spot, astonishment written
on his face. It was one thing to
be ignored by Patrick, but he couldn’t come to terms with how the person
he had to suck up to was so polite to Dustin.

Wasn’t Dustin just a country doctor? How did he get acquainted with a big
shot of this caliber?

“It seems like there’s more to Natasha’s boyfriend than meets the eye,” A
driana muttered to

herself as she observed everything from a distance. Curiosity sparked in
her eyes.
“Mr. Hill, it’s in the past. Further, it had nothing
to do with you,” Dustin answered lightly.

The Hill family had already personally apologized for beating Edmund up,
and Torben had also already paid the price. It would
do no one any good to keep dredging things up.

“Dustin, you’re truly magnanimous. My grandfather greatly admires stand–
up men like you. If you have time, I’d love to host you at my home.” Patr
ick extended the invite with a smile.

“Sure. When I have time, I’ll definitely pay Sir Hill a visit,” Dustin re
plied, nodding lightly. He deeply respected the Hill family patriarch, Pa
ul, not just for his power but also for his sense of justice, his willing
ness to help the needy, and his ability to separate kindness and hatred

“Mr. Hill, it’s an honor to have you here, especially since you came from
afar!” At that moment, Kate approached them. With a slight smile, she co
ntinued, “You’re an honored guest, so it’s only fitting that you occupy t
he seat of honor. Please follow me.”

“No, thank you. I’ll sit here.” Patrick politely declined with a smile be
fore taking a seat next to
Dustin.

Seeing this, Kate’s smile stiffened slightly, but she quickly regained he
r composure. “Of course, Mr. Hill. Please feel free to let me know if you
need anything at
any time.” She didn’t push him. After giving him a final smile, she turne
d around and returned to her
seat. Before she walked away, however, she gave Dustin an inscrutable gla
nce.

“Just who is Dustin? How can he get on so well with Mr. Hill?” Zoey’s exp
ression turned strange as she watched the two men chatting
and smiling at the next table.
Chapter 563

“Hmph, what’s so impressive about that!” Zeke said, his voice dripping wi
th jealousy. “To me, he’s just riding on Natasha’s coattails. Otherwise,
why would Mr. Hill hold him in such high regard?”

“You’re right!” Gordon nodded in agreement. “Mr. Hill is on a different l
evel. If it wasn’t out of respect for the daughter of the Harmon family,
would he give a loser like Dustin the time of day?”

“So that’s what it is…” Zoey suddenly had an epiphany. Disdain colored he
r face as she said, “I actually thought he was kind of impressive, but in
the end, he’s just relying on his rich girlfriend to climb up. Men like
him will always struggle to reach the higher circles.”

The three of them took turns belittling Dustin. The way they saw it, it m
ust be because Natasha was close friends with Patrick, and as the gigolo,
Dustin was merely riding on her coattails.
All of a sudden, their moods improved.

Time slowly ticked by, and the party finally kicked off. After all the gu
ests took their seats,

Hector, the birthday celebrant, raised his glass and stood. In a booming
voice, he said, “Welcome,

dear friends, to my birthday celebration. I’m extremely honored. I hope y
ou’ll enjoy the food and drink to your heart’s content!”

Chapter 564

“Now, I’d like to propose a toast! Hector raised his glass, swept his gaz
e over all the quests, and

downed his drink.

In response, everyone stood and raised their glass to toast in return.
After some small talk, it was time for the gift–giving segment.

“Mr. Harmon, here are some golden horses that I forged with my own hands.
I wish you nothing.
but success in life!”
“Mr. Harmon, this
crystal necklace once belonged to an ancient king. I hope you like it.”

“Mr. Harmon, this painting is an authentic masterpiece by Pikasso. It’s t
ruly a priceless treasure. That being said, I wish you the best of health
and a lifetime full of smiles ahead!”
One by
one, the guests stepped up with their gifts in hand, offering their heart
felt birthday. wishes. There were numerous rich and respected
people among them, and this gift–
giving segment was also a subtle display of comparison and competition.

The one with the rarest and most expensive gift got to show off. They cou
ld display their power and foster closer connections with the Harmons. Th
us, each gift, consisting of precious treasures or rare items, was carefu
lly chosen. Not to mention, a lot of them couldn’t be bought with money
alone.

Thank you, everyone, for your kind thoughts.” Hector smiled, responding t
o all the people who had presented him with a gift.

As the room was filled with a joyous atmosphere, a loud voice suddenly ra
ng out, “The Grant family has arrived!”

Instantly, all eyes turned toward the entrance. Under everyone’s gaze, a
tall, handsome man strutted in with huge strides with a servant in tow. H
is face was cold, and his gaze was razor-
sharp. He gave off a terrifying aura–
his entire body was radiating with an intense desire to kill.
All the guests shuddered, not daring to face him directly.
“Tyler Grant? It’s actually Tyler Grant?!”

“Oh my god! Who would’ve thought that the Harmons were so respected? Even
General Lionheart, Tyler Grant, personally showed up to celebrate!”

When the guests caught sight of the newcomer, they instantly burst into c
hatter.

Who in the South Province didn’t know Tyler’s name? He was widely regarde
d as a legendary figure. He hadn’t even hit thirty yet, but he was alread
y fraternizing with the high–
ranking officials and commanded a massive army.

In the entire South Province, he was the best of the best. No one could c
ome close to him, leaving any other genius
in his shadow. For someone like him, no matter where he went, everyone ki
ssed the ground he walked on!

“As expected of the number one prodigy of the South Province and the top
of the Ten Princes! He’s so handsome!” Zoey’s eyes sparkled, and her hear
t began to flutter.

In front of Tyler, Dylan and Patrick weren’t even worth mentioning! The m
an before them was the true prince!

“He’s finally here.” Natasha narrowed her eyes slightly as her pretty fac
e turned serious. She knew that this matter had to end today.

“Tyler, now that you’re here, please take a seat.” Hector stood up to wel
come him, smiling as though nothing had happened.

“No need,” Tyler responded with indifference. “I came here today not to c
elebrate your birthday but to claim my bride. I want to marry Natasha Ham
on!”

As he spoke, he made a few gestures with his hands. With that, eight peop
le carried a large red carriage into the room.

Chapter 565
“What’s going on?”

The crowd glanced at each other and broke out in
whispers at the sight of the wedding carriage being brought in. Wasn’t it
Hector’s 50th
birthday? It seemed like Tyler was deliberately stirring up trouble.

“Tyler, what’s the meaning of this?” Hector’s smile gradually disappeared
. He didn’t expect Tyler to cut straight to the chase right after his arr
ival. He was truly relentless.
“In accordance with our marriage contract, I’m picking up my bride
today,” Tyler stated calmly. “Marriage contract? Bride?”
“It can’t be. Tyler and Natasha are engaged?”
“They’re both talented and good–looking,
so it’s not surprising for them to be betrothed. However, this manner of
retrieving the bride seems rather abrupt.”

The crowd was buzzing in surprise, confusion, jealousy, and curiosity. Pi
cking up the bride at a birthday party was an unprecedented move.

Hector stayed calm and composed. “Tyler, we’ll discuss the details of the
marriage agreement later on. It’s my birthday celebration today, so I wo
uld appreciate a little consideration.”

“That won’t do, and nobody can change my mind.” Tyler refused immediately
without hesitation. ” Since I’ve come today, I must take her away. Natas
ha, please get on.”

As soon as he said that, the crowd was in an uproar. Nobody had anticipat
ed Tyler to be that domineering. He was not only inconsiderate, he was al
so kidnapping the bride. This hardly resembled a conventional bride pick–
up; it was a forced marriage!
“Aren’t you going too far, Tyler?” Hector’s expression turned cold.
“Marriage has always been a matter of mutual consent. Aren’t you afraid o
f public ridicule by resorting to force?”

“I have always acted without concern for others‘ opinions. Today, whether
through invitation or coercion, I will marry her!” Tyler raised his voic
e.
“What if my daughter won’t get married?” Hector frowned slightly.

“She won’t get married?” Tyler’s lips twitched, and he snapped his finger
s. Very soon, a large, black coffin was carried in by eight people. With
a loud thud, they placed it down so that it was in line with the carriage
and also pointed at Hector. Tyler stood in the middle, the coffin on his
left. and the
carriage on his right. The difference in colors was striking.

“These are my presents.” With an expressionless face, he declared, “You h
ave two choices. Either

Natasha gets on the carriage, or you’re going to lay down in this coffin
on your own.”
“The audacity!”
“How dare you!”
“Tyler Grant, you’re crossing the line!”

The Harmons protested in righteous indignation at the sight. Gifting a co
ffin at a birthday party

was a blatant insult and provocation.
“Damn it! He’s too much! He’s totally disrespecting the Harmons!”

“Though he may be domineering, he undeniably can afford to act that way.
It seems like trouble is looming for the Harmons!”
Although
many were upset with his behavior, nobody dared to voice it out openly. T
hat was because no one dared to make an enemy out of the Grants.

“Tyler, are you truly intending to have a fall out with us Harmons in the
presence of all my esteemed guests?” Hector frowned.

“I told you. You have two choices. Either Natasha marries me, or you die.
” Tyler stood with his hands behind his back, a look of arrogance on his
face, showing complete disregard for the crowd. “What insolence!”

Chapter 566

At that moment, Dylan suddenly shot up as he slammed the table. He bellow
ed, “Tyler Grant, don’t think you can act as you please just because you
have some talent. We’re not easy targets!”

“Who are you? Do you have the right to talk to me?” Tyler gave him a cold
glance.

“Hmph! Listen up!” Dylan straightened his chest and held his head up high
. “My name is Dylan
Harmon
I’m currently a high–
ranking commander of the Dark Panther Cavalry. I’ve fought over a dozen
wars and slain hundreds of men!”

“A mere commander is challenging me? Where did you get your courage? You’
re not even a deputy general. Tyler spoke indifferently.

“Even though I’m only a commander, Scarlet Spanner is my general! I don’t
believe you’d dare challenge the Goddess of War!” Dylan responded arroga
ntly.

“Scarlet Spanner? Tyler frowned slightly, finally betraying a hint of emo
tion. As Dragonmarsh’s first Goddess of War, Scarlet had not only achieve
d incredible feats, she came from an influential background and possessed
unparalleled martial skills. He indeed considered himself inferior to he
r. However, that was only for now. He was confident of surpassing her wit
hin ten years.

“What? Are you afraid?” Dylan was pleased. “Are your legs weak just by he
aring her name? Let me tell you. Don’t think you can look down on people
just because of your little achievements. Just so you know, the world is
a big place, and there are many people better than you out there!” As soo
n as he said that, the Harmons clapped in agreement.
“Nicely said!”

“So what if he’s General Lionheart? He still needs to bow down to the God
dess of War!”
“Ha! You must feel ashamed now after acting so outrageously, huh?”

Seeing Tyler being humiliated, the Harmons were filled with renewed spiri
ts, coming out of their
distress.

“He’s indeed my son. He managed to put Tyler in his place with a few word
s.” Standing
in the front rows, Jacob had a proud look on his face. As his son stood i
n the limelight, he also basked in the
glory.

“That’s right. Without Dylan here today, nobody would have been able to g
o up against Tyler.”
Trent flashed a wide smile.

A few other older Harmon family members were also filled with awe. “With
a son like him, the
Harmons would be elevated to a higher standing!”

For a moment, Dylan became the center of attention, incomparable to anyon
e else. Everyone present thought highly of him.

“Hey! What are you still standing there for? Take your men and leave imme
diately! Don’t disrupt the party!” Dylan stepped forward and gestured wit
h his chin, a
look of arrogance on his face. A talented genius? General Lionheart? In t
he end, he still ended up stepping all over Tyler.
Chapter 566
Suddenly, Tyler dissolved
into laughter. “Do you think you can scare me by using Scarlet’s name?”

“What? Aren’t you going to show deference to the Goddess of War?” Dylan r
ebuked sharply.

“Scarlet Spanner is different from you. You’re nothing but her dog! What
makes you think you can show off here?” Tyler sneered.
“Y–you, you dare humiliate me?” Dylan’s expression darkened.

“So what if I do? Get lost before I slice your head off!” Tyler exclaimed
.

Dylan erupted in fury. “You’re seeking death!” He stepped lightly, launch
ing a powerful punch as he shot forward. He knew Tyler was a formidable o
pponent and had exerted all his strength into the punch. He planned on st
riking first and ending the fight with a single blow.

“Dylan, no!” Hector’s expression shifted as he tried to stop him, but it
was too late.
“What a
fool.” In the face of Dylan’s attack, Tyler only looked at him in contemp
t. With a simple
point of the finger, he struck Dylan’s chest.
A muffled explosion was heard as Dylan flew a good 30 feet
back before crashing on the floor. It

was as if he was hit by a truck. For a moment, he turned pale and spat ou
t blood.

Chapter 567
“What?”

The crowd was shocked as they took in Dylan’s seriously injured figure la
ying on the ground. Nobody expected Tyler to defeat a high–
ranking commander of the Dark Panther Cavalry with just a finger. He was
too powerful. The concerning thing was that Dylan had Scarlet backing him
. When Tyler injured Dylan in public, it was akin to slapping Scarlet. Th
e crowd wondered if he was just tyrannically arrogant or fearlessly confi
dent

“How dare you injure one of us! Do you really think we are easy targets?”
After recovering from the shock, the Harmons shot up in anger. They coul
d no longer tolerate being bullied to such an
extent

Tyler Grant! I am a commander of the Dark Panther Cavalry. If you hurt me
, Scarlet will never forgive your Dylan struggled to stand up, feeling sh
ock and anger.

Gifted with extraordinary talents and sharp perceptions since he was a ch
ild, he had trained into a divine–
level martial artist at a young age. Armed with the abilities he was prou
d of, he never expected to turn out that weak against Tyler.

It appears like you haven’t figured out where you stand.” Tyler looked at
him in contempt. “I’d naturally give deference to Scarlet if she were he
re. But what are you? You’re just a worthless piece of trash hiding
behind someone else’s power. How dare you threaten me? Not to mention, th
e Dark Panther Cavalry has two hundred thousand troops, and over a hundre
d of them are high-
ranking commanders. With Scarlet’s position, she probably doesn’t even
know who you are. What makes you think you can flaunt your power here?”

Dylan’s expression shifted with his words. He couldn’t believe Tyler saw
through him. He was indeed a high–
ranking commander of the Dark Panther Cavalry. However, he wasn’t even qu
alified to meet Scarlet on a typical day. As part of the Dark Panther Cav
alry, he had gotten used to using Scarlet’s name to boast. No matter wher
e he went, he could act as he pleased. However, he hadn’t anticipated enc
ountering such a difficult person like Tyler today. He couldn’t win again
st him in a fight and failed to intimidate him. For a moment, he was at a
loss.

“Why are you silent? Have I hit the mark? What useless trash.” Tyler shoo
k his head in disdain.
“C–
cut the crap! I’m her trusted aide!” Dylan yelled as he hid his cowardice
. He could only continue
the act for now.

“Trusted aide?” The corner of Tyler’s lips curved up into a smile. “Alrig
ht, I’ll give you a chance. I’ll let the Harmons go if you can get Scarle
t to come here.”

“She’s stationed at the border. How can she just come here at will?” Dyla
n yelled.

“She doesn’t have to show up, then. Give her a call. If the line connects
, I’ll consider it a win.” Tyler settled on a compromise.

“I..” Dylan’s expression froze. With his status, he couldn’t even interac
t with Scarlet, let alone have her personal contact information

“Dylan, stop holding back! Just give her a call. I’d like to see if Tyler
would still dare stir up trouble,
Jacob said in discontent.

“That’s right, show him the power of Dragonmarsh’s Goddess of War!” The H
armons started
clamoring.

They knew asking her to appear would be difficult, but making a call woul
d be easy. After all, Dylan was a high–
ranking commander. He would definitely be taken seriously.
“Fine! I’ll make the call!” Realizing that he couldn’t
avoid it, Dylan immediately took out his phone and started his act of nee
ding help.
“Don’t try to tell me that Scarlet is too
busy and can’t answer your call,” Tyler interrupted him
coldly.

Dylan turned red as he was caught off guard by his words. He was indeed
about to make an excuse to deceive him. After being exposed, he stood the
re dumbfounded.
“What’s the matter? It’s not connecting?” Tyler grew impatient:

“The Goddess of War is extremely busy with work, so it’s expected for her
to not pick up. I’ll try again later,” Dylan bit the bullet.
“Stop acting! Get lost!”

Chapter 568

Tyler stomped on the ground heavily, causing a violent surge of energy to
strike Dylan Dylan staggered backward from the impact, spitting out anot
her mouthful of blood. “You” He gritted his teeth, not daring to utter an
other sound. He knew he had been completely defeated

“Tyler, you are too much!” Jacob erupted in fury at the sight of his son
injured once again

“Cut the crap! Make a choice–
The carriage or the coffin?” With his hands behind his back, Tyler
gave off an imposing air.

“Tyler Grant! Do you think you can suppress the entire Harmon family alon
e? You’re absolutely
crazy!” Jacob retorted angrily.

“Who said I’m alone?” Tyler raised his hand and snapped his fingers. “Com
e in.” On
his orders, the sound of synchronized marching could be heard by the door
. As they approached, the noise grew louder. Even the liquids on the tabl
e rippled slightly.
To everyone’s astonishment, following the sound was a group of black–
clad, masked, and fully armed guards striding in with confidence. The gua
rds were tall and muscular with sharp gazes and carried a strong presence
. They looked like they had gone through numerous bloodshed, a

clear indication of them being seasoned fighters. Their presence subdued
the crowd, and the number of dark barrels especially left them feeling te
rrified.

“Huh?” The Harmons‘ expression shifted at the sight. Nobody expected Tyle
r to deploy a group of armed guards as backup on the day to pick up his b
ride. It was a terrifying sight to behold!

“Whoever is unhappy can step forward.” Tyler scanned his surroundings, lo
oking at the crowd in arrogance and contempt. Anyone that
met his gaze dropped their heads unwittingly. Who would dare step out whe
n the armed guards have appeared? They would be seeking their own demise.

Hector frowned slightly, upset. The thing he feared the most had happened
at last.

“This guy is truly outrageous!” Jacob and the rest of the Harmons gritted
their teeth, but there was nothing they could do. Today seemed like the
day the Harmons would face their greatest calamity.
“Oh my God, that’s how
General Lionheart is? He’s too much for deploying the armed guards for a
small disagreement.”

“Looking at the current situation, it seems like the Harmons are in for a
rough time today.”

“Either submit or be suppressed. I wonder what the Harmons would choose.*

The guests whispered and discussed among themselves. They truly hadn’t an
ticipated a birthday celebration to turn into a forced marriage scene.

“Natasha Harmon, nobody can help you today. You are destined to be my wom
an. Let’s go.” Tyler walked up, his gaze threatening. When he moved, the
armed guards followed. His menacing demeanor made the Harmons turn
pale as they trembled in fear.
Just when everyone thought Natasha would be
taken by force, a tall figure blocked Tyler’s path, standing right before
him with a cutting gaze.
“Have you asked me before taking her away?”

Chapter 569

“Have you asked me for permission before taking her away?” Dustin stood i
n front of Tyler, blocking his path. He had a frosty expression as he sto
od unyielding.

“Huh?” The guests were dumbfounded and in shock. They could not believe s
omeone would dare to challenge Tyler This person must’ve had nerves of st
eel.

Zoey’s eyes widened in surprise. “What’s Dustin doing up front? Doesn’t h
e value his life?” Even if they disregarded Tyler’s background, the armed
guards behind him were terrifying enough.

Zeke sneered. “Hmph, he must have a death wish to challenge General Lionh
eart!” Tyler commanded the armed guards with an air of dominance. With ju
st a single command, he could
have Dustin shot into oblivion
“Fool! He thinks he
can show off in front of Tyler just because he’s friends with Patrick. Wh
at a joke.” Gordon looked like he was looking at a corpse. While Patrick
held a high social standing, he had no official position. He was absolute
ly incomparable to Tyler.

“This is spelling trouble.” Adrianna frowned slightly. Even though she ad
mired Dustin’s courage in standing up for the woman he loved, it was too
dangerous in this situation.

You dare stop me?” With his hands still behind his back, Tyler sized him
up. His chilling gaze fixed on him, like that of a predator locking onto
his prey.

“Why not? Natasha has every right to refuse to marry you. I won’t allow y
ou to force her to marry you in public,” Dustin stated calmly.

“You won’t agree?” Tyler raised an eyebrow. “So what? Do you really think
you can stop me?”

“You can try. But I strongly advise against it. Otherwise, I’ll beat the
shit out of you,” Dustin spat,
word for word.
“What?” The guests erupted in an uproar at his words.
“Damn! Is this kid insane? He’s incredibly daring.”
“He’s too brave for his own good!”

“He’s openly challenging General Lionheart! He must have a death wish.”

The guests broke out into a discussion, with Dustin appearing like an idi
ot to them. Even the Harmons were pressured into silence at Tyler’s appea
rance. Where did this insignificant kid get the courage to act so boldly
in front of such an influential figure?

“Hmph! What an idiot!” Dylan sneered. He wasn’t a match for Tyler, let al
one that loser Dustin

“He has commendable courage. Sadly, he won’t be living for long.” Kate re
joiced in his misfortune. She had always disliked Dustin, especially cons
idering her brother’s death had something to do with him. That was why sh
e desperately wished for a tragedy to befall him.

“Hector, you didn’t plan this, did you? What can an insignificant brat li
ke him accomplish?” Trent was frustrated. Dustin was only making things w
orse by challenging Tyler.
Hector’s brows were locked in a frown as he
remained silent. The time was not right, and he had to keep waiting.

Chapter 569

Natasha, on the other hand, sat beside him in worry, at a loss for words.

In the face of his boastful statement, Tyler let out a chuckle. “Do you k
now what you just said?”

“No matter what I said, I’ve given you a warning. So stop whatever you’re
planning. Don’t make me hit you.” Dustin’s expression was unwavering.
“You’ve got balls.” Tyler nodded.
“I admire your bravery. Sadly, you’re not qualified to play the hero in f
ront of me. I’ll give you three seconds. Get lost! Or die!”

The armed guards behind him raised their guns at his words, rows of gun b
arrels aimed directly at every part of Dustin. They would immediately sho
ot their target into oblivion upon their general’s
orders.
“Hold it!”
“Stop right there!”

Chapter 570
Seeing that Tyler was serious, Natasha and Patrick stood
up and stopped him.

“Tyler, speak and behave as you wish, but he is my friend. You better not
act recklessly.” Patrick stepped forward and stood shoulder to
shoulder with Dustin, clearly taking his side. His actions shocked many.
It finally dawned on them why Dustin acted without restraint–
he had someone backing him.

“Patrick, no
one can stop me from killing my target, not even you.” Tyler’s expression
remained cold, not showing any sign of yielding. A rich playboy
was nothing in his eyes.

“There’s no reason to go that far. You should forgive sometimes.” Patrick
frowned slightly.
Tyler spat out, “Get lost. My bullets don’t discriminate.”
“You-
” Patrick’s expression darkened. Even though they were both sons of afflu
ent families, he could never compare
to Tyler in terms of status and authority. If Tyler decided to use force,
he would be powerless to stop him.

“Mr. Grant, why are you so angry? Can’t things be discussed nicely at a t
able?” At that moment, a middle–
aged man dressed in luxurious clothing walked in with his head held high.

“Hey, isn’t that Roderick, Big Bucks Brooks? I can’t believe he’s here.”

The crowd gasped silently in shock. As the person who controlled the econ
omy in Millsburg, Roderick was undoubtedly the wealthiest man there! His
words carried immense weight in the business world, and he commanded deep
respect from everyone.

As he walked in, he naturally took a spot beside Dustin, clearly expressi
ng his stance.
“What? Are you going against me too?” Tyler gave him the side eye.

Roderick responded calmly, “I wouldn’t dare. I simply hope Mr. Grant coul
d mitigate the
circumstances.”
“And if I don’t?”

“I may need to reconsider my annual donation of one billion for your mili
tary spending.” Roderick
flashed a smile.
“Ha! A lowly businessman is threatening me? Beat it, or I’ll kill you
too!” Tyler’s face grew cold. He was getting impatient. What was going on
today? Why were all these mediocre people bravely acting up against him?

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from General Lionheart. You sure are mig
hty!” Suddenly, a commanding voice was heard by the door.
Everyone turned their attention toward the sound and saw a middle–
aged man in an army uniform

adorned with stars, indicating his high rank. He strode confidently with
a group of armed guards following behind him.

“The hell? That’s Sir Moran! What brings such an influential figure here?
”

The crowd buzzed with excitement at his appearance, curious and astonishe
d expressions filling
their faces.
Chapter 570
Sir Moran was a
lieutenant general. He controlled nearly half of the army in the Southern
Province. In terms of official rank, he stood half a notch higher than T
yler, who was only a major general. He sat at the top of the Southern Pro
vince!
The unexpected presence of a high–
ranking official left everyone wondering, as it was a rare sight to witne
ss him gracing any event.

“Keith Moran?” Tyler frowned slightly, seemingly surprised. He didn’t exp
ect the Harmons to have the influence
to bring forth Southern Province’s regional deputy chief.

“He’s finally here!” Hector couldn’t conceal his joy as the tension in hi
s forehead gradually eased. Hector had bided his time in silence, waiting
for the opportune moment. He had reached out to Keith a few days
ago, uncertain if he would stand up for the Harmons. Seeing him arrive, H
ector was relieved. With Keith Moran as the regional deputy chief in atte
ndance, Tyler wouldn’t be able to act as he pleased.
This was Hector’s trump card!

Chapter 5/1
Chapter 571

“Hahaha! Sir Moran is here! The Harmons are saved!”

“With Sir
Moran present, I doubt Tyler would continue his reckless behavior!”

Keith’s appearance uplifted the Harmons‘ spirits, and they felt inexplica
bly happy, finally feeling at ease after
their previous feelings of repression. So what if Tyler was General Lionh
eart? He was only a major general. Sir Moran, as a lieutenant general and
the one who controlled
the army, held greater authority than Tyler. Even a talented genius like
Tyler had to show deference in the presence of Sir Moran.

Trent flashed a wide smile. “Hector, I can’t believe you actually got Sir
Moran to come. That’s
amazing!”

“Trent, you got it all wrong. Sir Moran’s appearance should have somethin
g to do with my son’s identity,” Jacob said proudly.

Kate chimed in, “That makes sense. Dylan is a part of the Dark Panther Ca
valry and is backed by the Goddess of War. With such a bright future, Sir
Moran must have recognized his talent.”
Trent chuckled with realization. “Oh, that’s
right… Dylan is our true talented genius.”

Considering the Harmons‘ standing, it wasn’t easy to have Keith confront
Tyler. However, things were different if they factored in
Scarlet, the Goddess of War’s connection.

“Ha! Let’s see if Tyler will continue to act as he pleases!” Dylan revele
d in the praises, accepting the credit without
hesitation. Hector didn’t correct
them either. As long as they could resolve the situation, it didn’t matte
r who invited Keith.

“I believe this is just a birthday celebration. Why have you brought so m
any guards, General Lionheart?” Keith’s tone was frosty as he questioned
Tyler, walking up
to him slowly. The guards from both sides faced off against each other, c
reating a tense atmosphere.

“Sir Moran, this matter has nothing to do with you. I hope you won’t inte
rfere,” Tyler was indifferent. Despite Keith’s higher
rank, he remained fearless.

“Millsburg falls under my jurisdiction. Its safety is my responsibility.
If you stir up trouble here, it’s only natural for me to step in,” Keith
declared with conviction.

“You’re just a local general while I was bestowed my title by the royal f
amily. Do you have authority over me?” Tyler retorted coldly.

“It doesn’t matter who commits the crime. As long as they do so, I will n
ot stand idly by!” Keith confidently confronted him.
“Ha! I’m afraid the number of people you brought with you is not
enough to stop my army,” Tyler
said, maintaining his advantage.

“If Sir Mason’s forces are insufficient, what if I join in?” At that mome
nt, they heard an elderly yet commanding voice. It wasn’t loud, yet it re
verberated through the entire place.

Following the voice, an elderly man with a white beard and matching eyebr
ows strolled in leisurely. He exuded a strong presence and had a piercing
gaze, evoking an overwhelming air with his every move. Though unintentio
nal, it was intimidating. As he walked through the doors, a

Chapter 571

palpable weight seemed to descend upon the crowd, like rocks pressing dow
n on their chests. It was hard to even breathe.
“T–that… Isn’t that Sir Paul Hill?”
“Oh my God! It really is him! What’s he doing here?”

Everyone present erupted in a frenzy at his appearance. He was the patria
rch of the Hill family, a highly skilled grandmaster, and a master of Bal
erno martial arts. He
commanded immense respect and admiration in the marital world. In the ent
ire seven provinces in Balerno, 100 thousand
martial artists followed his command. He was a true leader, revered by co
untless
followers.
“What’s
going on? Sir Hill is actually here?” The Harmon family members looked at
each other in genuine surprise. Paul was a reserved man with an air of m
ystery surrounding him. He rarely made appearances for anyone, and their
families weren’t acquainted. Why would a martial arts master like him ste
p up for the Harmon family?
“Hector, did you invite Sir Hill?” Trent was dumbfounded.
Hector shook his head. “No.”

Chapter 572

“Who could it be then?” The Harmons were shocked once again. Who had the
power to bring forth

Sir Hill?

Hector shook his head again. Paul’s appearance was indeed unexpected.

“Tyler Grant, do you think I can’t stop your army?” Paul stood unwavering
like a tall mountain, his presence overwhelming. Even the guards behind
Tyler began trembling as they held their guns. Not everyone could handle
the imposing presence of a grandmaster.

“Hmm?” At that moment, Tyler, who had been indifferent the whole time, fi
nally furrowed his
brow.

Of course, Paul could stop his army. A martial artist at the level of a g
randmaster had transcended the limits of human capabilities. He had the p
ower to single–
handedly take on tens of thousands of men. Tyler’s army was naturally not
enough to stop him. The important thing was that Paul not only had excep
tional skills, but he also had an extremely high standing in the martial
world. A hundred thousand martial artists in Balerno would never dare to
defy any of his orders.

“Sir Hill, this is my personal grievance with the Harmons. I hope you wil
l stay out of it.” Tyler remained unyielding.
“I love meddling in
people’s affairs and will help out if I witness injustice. And since I’ve
come across one today, naturally, I won’t sit idly by,” Paul responded c
almly.

Tyler narrowed his eyes. “Is it worth becoming an enemy of the Grants for
the Harmons?” Both families were part of the Tremendous Three, and each
family had their own strengths. While they weren’t afraid of the other, T
yler was unwilling to sour their relationship with the Hills.
“I owe a favor, and I must repay it today. The grievances
between your families can be dealt with next time. For now, you will not
stir up trouble,” Paul warned him.

“And if I refuse to back down?” Tyler countered. He had gone this far, an
d it would be like a slap to
his face if he backed down so easily now.

“You refuse to back down? Then let’s see if your army can withstand my
power.” As Paul spoke, he forcefully stomped on the ground. The impact ca
used a resounding explosion, leaving a crater in its wake, and the entire
banquet hall shook violently.

At the same time, a violent surge of energy rushed toward Tyler’s armed g
uards like an avalanche. The black–
clad, armed guards staggered backward like they were struck by lightning.
Their faces turned pale and they broke out in cold sweat. They couldn’t
even hold their guns steady.
The crowd was left
utterly speechless at the terrifying sight. That was a grandmaster’s
ability! With just one foot, he nearly defeated a hundred armed guards.

Tyler’s brow furrowed. He didn’t expect Paul to truly strike. Wasn’t the
crazy old man afraid of instigating a war between the two families?

“Hahaha… Sir Hill is truly domineering. No wonder he’s a martial arts mas
ter!”

“With the support of both Sir Moran and Sir Hill, I doubt Tyler would act
recklessly!”
“If you think about it, only those two could hold Tyler back.”

Chapt

Pauls’s single stomp increased the Harmons‘ confidence. It didn’t matter
if he was Tyler Grant,

General Lionheart, or the great legend. He was no longer a threat to the
Harmons.

Chapter 573

“Are you going to back down or not?” Paul stood proudly and imposingly.

“Tyler, that’s enough.” Keith stepped forward as well, standing next to P
aul. He alone might not be able to hold Tyler back, but with Paul’s power
in the martial world, it should be enough to make Tyler wary. He believe
d that Tyler would be smart enough to back down.

“Looks like Tyler is about to be forced to submit.”

“Who can stand against two highly influential figures when they come toge
ther?”

“I didn’t know the Harmons held such influence. They were actually able t
o force Tyler into a
tough spot.”

Taking in the sight of both parties at the height of their confrontation,
the crowd couldn’t help but murmur among themselves. Tyler was an undeni
ably outstanding individual with a formidable background. No one dared to
confront him, even when he publicly stirred up trouble at the Harmons‘ b
irthday celebration. However, no matter how excellent or talented he was,
he still had to show deference in the face of both Keith’s and Paul’s su
periority.

“Seems like both of you have made up your minds to go against me. However
, I’m afraid it won’t be that easy to make me back down.” Tyler’s express
ion gradually grew colder. To be able to climb up
to where he was now, he naturally had his connections.

“Wise individuals know how to adapt to their circumstances. Going against
the tide is not a wise
move,” Keith commented casually.

“So we’re resorting to displays of power now, huh? Fine, I’m curious to s
ee who holds the highest

authority here,” Tyler said, taking out his phone and sending a message.

After a moment, the sound of orderly marching outside could be heard outs
ide the door. The sound grew louder as they approached nearer. The resona
ting sound struck fear in people’s hearts. Following the noise, the Harmo
n family’s butler rushed in, shouting anxiously, “Mr. Harmon, things are
looking bad! An army is forcing their way in.”
“An army?” Hector frowned. “Whose army is it?”
A clear voice resounded, “That would be me!” A burly, middle–
aged man in a general’s uniform

strode in confidently. Keith’s expression shifted slightly at the sight o
f the man. Even Paul, who stood beside him, was surprised.
“It can’t be. Even Regional Chief Roger Leinonen is here?”
“This situation has gone out of hand! It really is Sir Leinonen!”
“Oh my goodness, what’s going on today? This is such an epic clash!”

Roger Leinonen was the regional chief of one of the provinces. As a secon
d–
ranked military official, he sat in the highest position in local law enf
orcement. Except for the viceroy who controlled the entire military and g
overnment, no one else could compare to him in the whole of Southern Prov
ince. He held true power. Even Keith had to show him deference. After
all, one was the regional chief, while the other was the regional deputy
chief. The word “deputy” made
all the difference in terms of power and influence.

Chapter 573

“This is spelling trouble. I can’t believe Tyler was able to invite Sir L
einonen.”

“What now? All our previous plans have gone to waste with his arrival!”

The Harmons were shocked and broke out in cold sweat upon Roger’s arrival
. Each and every one of them looked anxious. Tyler alone was already a fo
rmidable opponent. With Sir Leinonen

backing him, they were unstoppable. Trouble was brewing for the Harmons.

“Sir Moran, General Lionheart is the pillar of our nation. Are you really
going to confront him today?” Roger targeted Keith upon his arrival, his
sharp tone establishing his authority.

Keith frowned without uttering a word. He never got along with Roger. Unf
ortunately, Roger held a higher position than he did.

“Sir Paul, you are highly respected, and I admire you greatly. I hope you
will let this matter go on my behalf.” Roger turned his attention to Pau
l, appearing polite. After all, he didn’t wish to sever ties with a marti
al arts master unless absolutely necessary.
Paul narrowed his eyes. “Sir Leinonen, are you here to back Tyler?”

“I’m good friends with General Lionheart. Naturally, I’m going to offer h
im my full support,” Roger responded bluntly.

Chapter 574

Paul responded calmly, “It’s two against two. We’re not exactly at a disa
dvantage.”

“Sir Paul, I’m afraid it’s two against one. You should ask Sir Moran if h
e’s still willing to open this

can of worms,” Roger spoke profoundly.

“Hmm?” Paul turned to Keith and realized he seemed upset. It appeared lik
e he had decided to back out with his silence. Keith was able to go up ag
ainst Tyler alone, but with Roger backing him, it was a different story.
After all, he wasn’t too acquainted with the Harmons. There was no need t
o jeopardize his career over this.

The Harmons feel dejected by Keith’s silence. Once he backed out, it woul
d be hard for the Harmons to escape the situation unscathed.

“Mr. Harmon, I was indeed taken by surprise by your planning. Sadly, it i
sn’t enough. So, what is your decision?” Tyler looked up slightly, his ga
ze directed at Hector.

With Roger’s army, Paul alone wouldn’t be able to save the Harmons. Hecto
r furrowed his brow, his expression solemn. Was he to give in to the Gran
ts?

As the situation grew increasingly dire, Trent stood up to mediate. “Gene
ral Lionheart, we can discuss this. There’s no need to escalate things th
is far.” The Harmons had used up their trump cards. They could only give
in if they didn’t wish to receive their wrath.
“Of course, but I have a condition,” Tyler said calmly.
Trent responded, “What condition?”

“I want this brat’s life!” Tyler exclaimed unexpectedly, pointing a finge
r at Dustin. A plebeian who dared challenge the authority
of the Grants should pay a price. He was going to set an example
today.

Trent froze, shifting his gaze toward Hector, who was beside him. Hector
was silent. No one knew what he was thinking.

“Tyler Grant! Don’t go too far!” Natasha finally reached her breaking poi
nt.

“You should take responsibility for your actions. You were the ones who m
ade the decision,” Tyler said indifferently.
“You-” Natasha’s expression grew increasingly cold.

“Seems like this Dustin guy is done for.” Zoey, who was among the crowd,
sighed.

Zeke sneered. “Hmph! This is the consequence for daring to challenge Gene
ral Lionheart.”

“If you think about it, he brought this upon himself.” Gordon was silentl
y happy about it.
“Tyler Grant, I’m afraid
you’re still not worthy of taking my life.” Dustin remained calm.

“What? Do you think anyone else can save you today?” Tyler uttered coldly
.

As soon as he spoke, a guard rushed in anxiously. He reported, “Sir Leino
nen, there’s trouble! A group of guards have barged in!”

“Don’t you see that I am here with General Lionheart? Why are you so pani
cked?” Roger’s

Chapter 574

expression hardened. “Even if the emperor himself were here, it wouldn’t
change a thing, let alone a small group of guards! Drive them out!”
The guard’s expression turned grave. “W–
we can’t. They are the viceroy’s personal guards.”
“So what if they are the viceroy’s personal guards? I-
” Roger was halfway through his tirade when he froze. His words were stuc
k in his throat.

The viceroy and his personal guards? It couldn’t be… The viceroy was here
? Before Roger could fully comprehend the situation, he saw someone walk
through the door. It was a well–dressed, middle–
aged man. The man had a handsome face and a dignified posture. Even when
he was calm, he carried an air of authority, and every move of his was im
posing.
“Lord… Lord Xenos?” Roger’s expression turned for the worst
immediately at the sight of the man

Chapter 575
“Lord Xenos! It’s Lord Xenos!”

“Damn, even Lord Xenos has shown up! The world is turning upside down!”

“Who was able to bring forth Lord Xenos?”

The crowd broke out into a frenzy at the sight of the distinguished man.
Lord Xenos was no ordinary man; he was the viceroy! The influential figur
e who held control over the entire military and government of Southern pr
ovince! He was an official of the first rank and a true authority figure!
A single action of his could shake up Millsburg in its entirety. Sir Lei
nonen and General Lionheart were mere shadows compared to him.
“Why is Lord Xenos here? Did Tyler invite him?”
“It’s over. It’s all over… There’s no one to save us now!”

“He’s the most powerful official in all of Southern province. Who else ca
n compare to him?”
The Harmons were shaken, their faces
filled with fear and despair. Given their status, it was evident that the
y weren’t the ones to invite the viceroy. So there was only one possibili
ty–he was on Tyler’s side.

At that moment, not only were the Harmons shaken, but Tyler was also surp
rised and puzzled. He
wasn’t exactly acquainted with the viceroy.
“It’s him?” When Dustin saw him arrive, he finally
revealed a flicker of emotion. It wasn’t the

person’s title that stirred him, but it was because he recognized him. It
was none other than
Ruby’s father–
George Xenos. When he first met him at the hospital a few days ago, he wa
sn’t
aware of his identity. He didn’t expect him to be the viceroy
who controlled the entire Southern
province.

“Oh, Lord Xenos, what brings you here?” After a momentary daze, Roger app
roached and greeted
him with a smile. Lord Xenos was, after all, his direct superior.

“Roger, I heard you were planning to drive away my men. Is that true?” Ge
orge asked nonchalantly.

“It’s a misunderstanding … It’s all just a misunderstanding!” Roger smile
d apologetically. “I would
welcome them with open arms. I would never dare to drive them away.”

“Is that so?” George surveyed his surroundings. “Then why have you brough
t so many of your men
here?”

“Uh…” Roger froze, unsure of how to respond. He couldn’t possibly admit t
hat he was helping the
Grants tyrannize the Harmons, could he?
Tyler intervened, “Lord Xenos, what brings you to this place?”
“What, do I need to report my movements to you?” George countered.
Tyler lowered his head slightly. “Not at all. I’m
just curious, that’s all.”

“I heard Mr. Hector is celebrating his birthday today. I’m here to wish h
im a happy birthday.” George’s voice was loud and clear.

Chapter 575

“Wish him a happy birthday?” All eyes turned to Hector at George’s words.
The Harmons were acquainted with Lord Xenos?
Trent’s voice began to quiver as he asked, “H–
Hector, did you really invite Lord Xenos?”

“I…” Hector found himself at a loss for words. If he had indeed invited L
ord Xenos, he wouldn’t
have feared
the Grants. However, Lord Xenos seemed unmistakably on their side from hi
s statement. Hector couldn’t figure out who could possibly have the influ
ence to bring forth Lord
Xenos‘ presence.

“Roger, you must be here to send your wishes too, I reckon?” George sudde
nly asked.

“Huh?” Roger was momentarily stunned before nodding. “Yes, that’s right…
I’m here to send my wishes!” He wouldn’t dare continue acting rashly with
Lord Xenos backing the Harmons. He could only use the pretext to act as
if nothing had happened.

“How about you?” George turned his attention to Tyler, his tone slightly
imposing.

“I’m here to send my wishes and pick up my bride,” Tyler answered bluntly
.
“Pick up your bride? Who is she?”

Tyler answered, “Mr. Hector’s daughter and I have long been engaged. Toda
y is the day of our marriage according to the marriage contract.”

Chapter 576
“Oh? Is that so?” George glanced at Hector.

Hector spoke truthfully, “They were indeed engaged in the past. But there
were
some problems recently that warranted further discussion regarding the en
gagement.”

“Problems should be solved round the table. Why be so hostile?” George ex
pressed his
dissatisfaction.

“I’m open to discussion, but the Harmons are not respecting me,” Tyler re
sponded.

“Marriage should be based on mutual consent. It’s criminal behavior for y
ou to force my hand in marriage by publicly deploying
your army!” Natasha suddenly cried out.

“She’s right,” George agreed. “A marriage should be between two willing p
arties. If one party is unwilling, you shouldn’t force it.”

Tyler frowned slightly at his words. It appeared as if George was adamant
about standing with the
Harmons.

“Lord Xenos, what did the Harmons promise you? I’m willing to pay tenfold
,” Tyler unexpectedly said to George.

“How dare you!” George’s expression darkened, and he bellowed, “Tyler Gra
nt! Is this how you see the viceroy? A corrupt official?”

“No, no. Not at all… Tyler misspoke. Please forgive him!” Roger attempted
to defuse the situation immediately.

“You are too young to know how the world works and are too impulsive and
aggressive. Take
your men with you, and get out of here!” George bellowed. He had thought
of saving Tyler the embarrassment but didn’t expect him to not know his p
lace.

“Tyler, let it go. We can talk about matters at a later time.” Roger gave
Tyler a meaningful look. Both of them were nothing in front of the vicer
oy. Typer might be talented with a bright future ahead, but he wasn’t str
ong enough to challenge George at this time.
Tyler narrowed his
eyes. “Lord Xenos, are you really going to support the Harmons?”

“That’s right! I’m definitely supporting them! If anyone has a problem wi
th it, feel free to talk to me.” George’s tone was domineering.

The Harmons were ecstatic upon hearing his declaration, while Tyler’s exp
ression turned unusually resentful. He couldn’t understand the reason Geo
rge would publicly challenge the Grants in favor of the Harmons. Even tho
ugh he was upset, he could only give in for now. George was a first–
ranked official and controlled the army, Tyler couldn’t afford to offend
him. However, he was confident he would overshadow George in under five y
ears.

“Lord Xenos, since you have a higher rank, I’ll concede for now. However,
the world is a small place, and things don’t always go as you want. We’l
l meet again!” With a scoff, Tyler strutted out of the place with his ent
ourage. He promised there would come a day when he would crush George ben
eath his feet.

“Lord Xenos, the younger generation can be impulsive at times. I hope you
won’t take it to heart. I

Chapter Sire

shall take my leave as well.” With a nod of acknowledgment, Roger followe
d Tyler out the door. He had to admit they hit a brick wall today.

“Lord Xenos is amazing. He was able to drive Tyler away with just a few w
ords.”

“Of course! He’s the viceroy entrusted with a region. It’s not merely an
empty title.”
“I envy the Harmons. They actually have Lord Xenos backing them.”

The discussion among the guests grew increasingly heated with Tyler’s dep
arture. Nobody expected a mere birthday celebration to bring forth that m
any influential figures. The contest between the two families was akin to
an epic clash

“Lord Xenos, Sir Paul, Sir Moran, thank you for your help. We will foreve
r be grateful.” Hector walked up to them and shook their hands. Without t
heir appearance, disaster would’ve befallen
the Harmons.

George smiled. “You’re welcome, Mr. Harmon. The main reason I came was to
return a favor.” As he spoke, he stole a glance at Dustin.

“Return a favor?” Hector was puzzled, Lord Xenos was not only an extremel
y influential figure, but he also held the highest authority and answered
to no one. Who could Lord Xenos owe a favor to among the Harmons?

Paul chuckled as he stroked his beard. “What a coincidence; I’m also here
to return a favor, just like you, Lord Xenos.”

“Huh?” Hector widened his eyes, growing even more confused. One was the v
iceroy, while the other was a renowned martial arts master. Who exactly
could have both influential figures owe
them a favor at the same time?
“Congratulations, Mr. Harmon. With such an outstanding son–in–
law, the Harmons are destined for a prosperous future.” George gave him a
meaningful smile.
“Son–in–
law?” It didn’t make sense to Hector. Both of his daughters were not yet
married, so which
son–in–law did he mean?
Hector was hit by a sudden realization. Could it be Dustin?

Chapter 577

Hector was astonished at the thought. He turned his head and looked towar
d Dustin, finding him calm and collected. It appeared as if he were an ou
tsider in the situation. However, that was exactly what made him indiscer
nible.

Upon deep reflection, Hector realized that the Harmons‘ situation had tak
en a turn for the better when Dustin started challenging Tyler. Was this
young man in front of him really the person who turned
the tide? It would be frightening if that were the case!

“Mr. Hector, I’m needed elsewhere, so I’ll be taking my leave first.” Geo
rge left after saying his goodbyes. He didn’t expose Dustin’s identity as
he was worried about making things complicated for him. Some things were
better left untold.

“Guess there’s no more fighting. I’ll be leaving too.” Paul gave Dustin a
knowing look before
leaving with his head held high.

“Mr. Hector, see you next time.” Sir Moran shook his hand and left as wel
l.

As the influential figures departed, the ballroom livened up even more. N
ot only did the guests discuss among themselves, but even the Harmons wer
e making their own speculations.
“Dad, I
can’t believe you’re influential enough to be able to invite Sir Paul and
Lord Xenos over. You’re amazing!” Natasha walked up with a huge smile on
her face. With two influential figures backing them, she was sure Tyler
wouldn’t dare force her hand in marriage any longer. She
considered herself to have broken free from him.

“Hector, it seems you have more tricks hidden up your sleeves. I’m impres
sed!” Trent and a few of his people went up to Hector as well. Each of th
em looked proud, their faces brimming with excitement. With Lord Xenos an
d Sir Paul backing them, the Harmons would be unstoppable.

“Trent, it wasn’t me. I don’t have that kind of influence.” Hector remain
ed modest and shook his
head.
“Then who could it be if
it wasn’t you?” Trent was puzzled and confused.

“I’m wondering the same thing…” Hector rubbed his chin and glanced at Dus
tin once again. He asked meaningfully, “Dustin, do you know who could hav
e invited them?”

Before Dustin could respond, a clear and loud voice interjected, “Uncle H
ector, there’s no need to speculate any longer, as that would be me!” The
crowd turned their heads in the direction of the voice and saw Dylan walk
ing over proudly.

“Dylan, are you acquainted with Lord Xenos and Sir Paul?” Trent was pleas
antly surprised.

“Although I don’t know them personally, they appeared because of me.” Dyl
an was confident.
“Oh? Why do you say so?” Trent was taken aback.

“I’m associated with the Dark Panther Cavalry, and I have the backing of
the Goddess of War. It’s likely that they recognized my potential and tal
ent and decided to help out.” Dylan’s head was held high.

“That’s right! Dylan is the Scarlet Warrior’s trusted aide. It’s natural
for Lord Xenos to take a liking
to him,” Kate chimed in.

Chapter 572
“So that’s why… No wonder Lord Xenos was that enthusiastic.”
“Dylan truly is exceptional to have gained
the favor of the two influential figures.”

“Dylan, I didn’t know you had such powerful connections. You’re amazing!”

At that moment, the crowd showered him with praises, hailing him as their
savior.
Jacob laughed heartily and was filled
with pride. “My son is so talented!” He was clued in
on Sir Moran’s appearance. However, he didn’t expect his son to be so ski
lled that he would garner Lord
Xenos and Sir Paul’s attention.

“I think there’s more to this. Dylan’s status is not enough to impress th
e viceroy,” Natasha said after thoughtful consideration. She noticed Geor
ge never even glanced at Dylan throughout the entire ordeal.
“Hmph! You’re just jealous!”
212

Chapter 578
Chapter 578

Kate snorted. “You sure are jealous of Dylan, even when you are talentles
s. How petty is that? If you are unhappy about Dylan, tell me, who else i
s better than him?”

Kate’s remark caught Natasha off guard. Dylan was indeed the best among o
ther family members in their generation because of his government ranks.

“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue? Is it that hard to admit that Dy
lan’s better than you?”
Kate sneered at her.

“Natasha, you dodged a bullet today, all thanks to me! You’d better show
some gratitude,” Dylan chimed in, much to Natasha’s dismay. He and Kate s
eemed to be working together to bring her
down.
“All thanks to you? How?” Dustin
did not like it when they laughed at Natasha. “Lord Xenos is a viceroy, a
nd you’re just a colonel. You’re nowhere near his level, so why did you t
hink he showed
up for you?”
“Are you claiming that he showed up for you?” Dylan scoffed.

“You guessed right. He came here because of me.” Dustin nodded, much to e
veryone’s surprise.
But the surprise soon turned into dismissive laughter.
“Hahaha! Have you lost your mind? Why would you even say that?”
“Dustin Rhys, who do you think you are? What do you have to
invite the viceroy?”
“Hmph! You seemed to have forgotten
your place after tasting a little bit of power!”

The members of the Harmon family looked at him disdainfully as though he
was a complete fool. How dare a country doctor and a kept man make such a
n outrageous claim?
“Dustin, do you really
know Lord Xenos?” Natasha was quite dumbstruck.

“I saved Mrs. Xenos‘ life a few days ago. He owed me a favor,” he confess
ed.
“He owed you a favor? Hah! You really flatter yourself! With Lord
Xenos‘ rank, he can call on any reputable doctor he wants from the milita
ry. Why does he need the help of a country doctor who’s more form than su
bstance?” Dylan sneered at Dustin.
“Exactly! Dustin, you’re too presumptuous. The audacity to name–
drop Lord Xenos so casually! You have no shame at all!” Kate smirked.

“Believe it or not, that’s the truth.” Dustin dropped another bombshell,
“I cured Mrs. Xenos‘ illness
and saved Sir Paul from death!”

Upon hearing this statement, the people around him burst into even louder
laughter, staring at
Dustin as if he were a complete clown.

“Are you seriously telling me that Sir Paul came here because of you?” Dy
lan snickered.
“Absolutely.” Dustin nodded matter–of–factly.

Dylan threw his head back as he laughed. “Oh, Dustin, I never thought you
could be so thick- skinned! That was eye–opening!”

Chapter 578

“Natasha, I never thought you’d fall for an incompetent man who bluffs,”
Kate made a cynical jab, jumping on the opportunity to insult her cousin.
“That was embarrassing! I felt second–
hand embarrassment just watching!” Zoey shook her head
from the crowd.

Zeke, with a derisive look on his face, added, “To be honest, I kind of a
dmire his ability to lie with a straight face.”
Gordon snickered. “Well, a thick–
skinned man is practically invincible.”
No one believed that a loser like Dustin, who
had neither authority nor influence, was somehow acquainted with a big sh
ot like Paul Hill.
“What’s so funny?” Dustin asked nonchalantly.

“What’s not funny about the entire thing? Sir Paul is a legendary figure
in the martial arts field and a grandmaster. It’s rather ridiculous to bo
ast about saving his life, don’t you think?”

Without a word, Dustin slammed an ornate silver badge onto the table. Eng
raved on it was the Hill family’s last name–a Consultant Badge!

When the crowd took a good look at the badge, they collectively gasped as
their smiles froze. “I thought you guys love to laugh at others. Why are
n’t you laughing now?”

Chapter 579

“I thought you guys love to laugh at others. Why aren’t you laughing now?
” After Dustin displayed his Consultant Badge, he openly confronted those
who had looked down upon him.

Dylan, Kate, and Natasha’s friends gaped at the sight of the silver Consu
ltant Badge on the table. They were smiling no more. After all, a Consult
ant Badge from the Hill family was a rare treasure coveted by many. With
that badge in hand, one would have the backing of the Hill family, which
also came with the perks of accessing and utilizing the family resources.
It was not an understatement to describe the badge as priceless!

However, it raised another question–
how did the badge end up in Dustin’s possession? Was he telling the truth
when he said that he had saved Sir Paul’s life? At the thought, everyone
looked at
Dustin differently.
“T–that’s impossible! Why would you have the Consultant
Badge from the Hill family?” Kate was still reeling from the shock, even
though she was rather doubtful.

“I explained it clearly to you earlier, and I don’t want to repeat myself
,” Dustin brushed her off coldly. He wouldn’t have displayed the badge if
Dylan and Kate hadn’t harrassed Natasha.

“Kate Harmon, what do you say? Is there anything wrong with my boyfriend
now?” Natasha couldn’t resist taking a jab at Kate after she regained her
confidence. She finally had the chance to relieve her frustration from b
eing ridiculed and bullied just now.

“Hmph! Don’t get ahead of yourselves! The Consultant Badge means nothing!
” Kate’s face
scrunched up into a scowl.

“Exactly!” Dylan chimed in, “How did you get your hands on the Consultant
Badge of the Hill family with your social standing? I bet the
badge is a fake!”

“A fake?” Everyone exchanged cautious glances. It was public knowledge th
at the badge represented the Hill family. Whoever faked it would be court
ing death.

“Dylan, that’s ridiculous!” Natasha glared at him. “The Hill family crest
is clearly engraved on the badge. Everyone sees it clearly. How can this
be a fake?”
“Can’t you fake a family
crest?” Dylan boastfully assumed, “It’s just a silver badge. I can get a
duplicate with ten thousand dollars. What’s so special about it?”

“That’s a load of bull. No one would fake the Consultant Badge of the Hil
l family!” Natasha argued.

“Dustin Rhys was bold enough to face Tyler Grant. Faking a badge is child
’s play for him.” Dylan
chuckled
“Nonsense! And what proof do you have?” Natasha roared at him.

“Do you want proof? Fine.” Dylan grinned and picked up the badge from the
table. He gave it a

squeeze with his hand, and the silver badge cracked as it contorted into
the shape of a silver bar.

Dustin frowned at Dylan’s act, while Natasha yelled, aghast, “Hey, what a
re you doing?”

Ignoring the two, Dylan showed off the crushed silver badge. “Everyone kn
ows that the Hill family Consultant Badge is made of special bulletproof,
waterproof, and fireproof materials. But look at this thing. It falls ap
art like jelly when you squeeze it. How can this be authentic?“

Chapter 580

“That’s right! The Hill family’s Consultant Badge is as hard as steel. On
ly a counterfeit would be that brittle! Kate supported Dylan’s claim, and
everyone else nodded in realization.

“So, it’s a fake after all. That gave me a good shock.”

“This guy knows no shame! I can’t believe he created a counterfeit badge
just for show. He’s too
much!”

“Hmph! It’s fortunate that Sir Dylan was smart enough to see through him.
Otherwise, we’d all have been fooled!”
Most of the crowd started berating Dustin. They
trusted a wealthy son more than a lowly commoner. It was ironic how a suc
cessful person could blabber nonsense, and it would be
taken as the absolute truth. While that same person, before becoming
successful, could tell the absolute truth, and his words would be treated
as garbage.

Dustin spoke to Dylan coldly, “Dylan Harmon, have you thought of the cons
equences of destroying the Consultant Badge and distorting the truth in p
ublic?”
“The consequences? Ha! You’re the
one tricking people with counterfeit items. I’m just doing what is right,
” Dylan countered righteously.

“That’s right! We’ve been kind enough to not hold you accountable. How da
re you start a fuss with
us?” Kate snorted.

“Hey, don’t push it, you two!” Natasha was getting angry. Naturally, she
had complete trust in Dylan. That was why she was certain Dylan was disto
rting the truth earlier and slandering Dustin
on purpose.
“Alright, that’s enough. We’re all family. It’s not a good look to
be fighting here.” Trent intervened at the right time. It would be an emb
arrassment to the Harmons if their children broke out into a fight in fro
nt of their esteemed guests.

“I’m going to put this matter aside on behalf of my uncle, Dustin.” Dylan
walked up to Dustin and passed him the ruined Consultant Badge. He mocke
d him, saying, “Here, take your fake badge
back.”
“You know very well if it’s fake or not.” Dustin was indifferent.

Dylan chuckled and whispered in his ear, “Does it even matter? My words c
arry weight here. It’s a fake if I say so. It doesn’t matter if
you feel wronged, F*cking keep it in. The world revolves around power and
position, brat. A loser like you will only be worthy of being trampled b
y me. Remember, you’re just an ant. Act like one. There are people you ca
n’t afford to offend, so suck it up!” Near the end, Dylan gave up the pre
tense as his lips gradually widened into a winner’s smile. “My, my … You’
re not about to cry, are you? Please don’t cry, or I’ll be laughing my as
s off.”
Dustin narrowed his eyes. “People like you truly deserve a beating.”

“What? Are you angry? Come on, I’m right here. Why don’t you hit me? Do y
ou dare?” Dylan said provokingly.

“I’m just going to dirty my hands if I hit you. But not to worry. I’ll ma
ke you pay,” Dustin said

Chapter 580
nonchalantly.

“You’re going to make me pay? Oh, I’m looking forward to it. What are you
planning on doing?” Dylan chuckled teasingly.

Instead of responding directly, Dustin patted Dylan’s shoulder. He said c
almly, “You’ll find out
soon enough.”

Dylan sneered. “Alright! I’ll be waiting. I’m curious to see what tricks
you have up your sleeves.”
“Dylan, there’s no need to waste your breath on him. Let’s go back to
our seats.” Kate glanced at Dustin, her expression full of disdain.

“Kate, someone is threatening me. I’m so scared… Hahahaha!” Dylan first p
ut on a terrified, shaking act before dissolving into a loud cackle. Howe
ver, his laughter suddenly ceased, and he froze; his expression betrayed
his pain. He
crumpled to the floor, blood spurting out of his mouth, and his body conv
ulsed as his eyes rolled back in his head

Chapter 581

“Dylan!” The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned. Nobody expected
Dylan to collapse and spurt blood when he
was still laughing a second ago.

“Get him to the hospital, quickly!” Hector made a prompt decision and ord
ered someone to carry

Dylan out

“Hey, brat! Did you do this?” Jacob was about to leave when he thought of
something and turned back, his expression menacing.

“What does it have to do with me? It’s his old injuries that resurfaced.
If you’re looking for someone to blame, you should blame Tyler since he a
ttacked him earlier.” Dustin shrugged.
“You-
Jacob was exasperated. However, he couldn’t start a scene without eviden
ce.

“Jacob. You should go now. It’s more important to save Dylan,” Hector rem
inded him.

“Let’s go!” Jacob glared at Dustin and left angrily, not wanting to waste
any more time. Trent and Kate followed behind them. As the Harmons‘ most
talented genius, Dylan’s safety would affect their future. He was alread
y considered equal in standing to Hector, the family patriarch.

“Dear, what did you do to him?” Natasha got closer to Dustin and asked in
a lowered voice. Something unusual clearly occurred for Dylan to suddenl
y collapse and spurt blood.
“What could I do? It
was mainly because of Tyler,” Dustin said seriously.

“Do you really expect me to believe that?” Natasha rolled her eyes. “Nobo
dy can hear us, so you’d
better tell me the truth.”

“Alright, I just aggravated his injuries and made it worse.” Dustin smile
d. Dylan had sustained internal injuries from Tyler’s attack earlier. And
when Dustin
patted Dylan’s shoulder, he channeled another bout of violent true energy
into his body. His unstable condition flared up
instantly.

“Will he die?” Natasha asked cautiously. Even though she didn’t get along
with Dylan, he was still her uncle’s only son. As they were related by b
lood, she didn’t wish for him to lose his life.

“Don’t worry. He won’t die, but he’ll be suffering for a while. Perhaps,
he might even have complications from it,” Dustin said
meaningfully. In essence, Dylan would grow weak and constantly struggle w
ith illnesses.

“As long as he doesn’t die, it doesn’t matter. Serves him right!” Natasha
was indignant. She was still upset about
the time he spiked the wine. Since he was terrorizing others again, natur
ally, he should be taught a lesson.
“What are you two
whispering about?” Hector, who was standing not far away, suddenly interj
ected.

“Nothing.” Natasha grinned and changed the subject. “Dad, if it weren’t f
or Dustin, we would have
been in big trouble!”

“Not bad. Seems like we’re indebted to you again.” Hector nodded, looking
impressed. He believed Dustin despite the skepticism from others. And th
at was because of what George said before he
left.

“Not at all, Mr. Harmon. I didn’t do much,” Dustin responded politely.

“Dad, are you not going to do anything as a show of appreciation?” Natash
a was slightly upset.

“What do you suggest? How about I give him your hand in marriage?” Hector
joked.
“Huh?”

Chapter 582

While Dustin froze, Natasha blushed. “This… this is too sudden. I’m not p
repared for it!” She followed that up by asking, “Have you chosen a date?
When are we getting married?”

“Hey, you thought I was for real? You should be embarrassed!” Hector glar
ed at her.

Natasha pouted. “You said it yourself. Why are you yelling at me instead?
”

“Alright, it’s time to get serious.” Hector’s smile gradually disappeared
. “Even though we overcame the situation for now, this matter is far from
over. With Tyler’s personality, he will not take this sitting down.”

“Will Tyler still act recklessly with Lord Xenos and $ir Paul behind us?”
Natasha raised an
eyebrow.

“Tyler might not confront us directly, but he will definitely act behind
the scenes.” Hector was solemn as he continued, “Lord Xenos and Sir Paul
have also repaid their favor. They won’t help us a second time. We can on
ly face him ourselves now.”
“Does that mean trouble will continue brewing
for us?” Natasha looked pensive.

“There will be trouble, but the most important thing is Dustin’s safety.”
Hector turned his attention toward Dustin and warned him, “Tyler is an u
nsympathetic and prideful man. Whether it was your involvement in Jayla’s
death or your public confrontation with him, they were all unforgivable
acts for him. You will be in danger going forward.”
“Thank you for the warning, Uncle
Hector. I will take note.” Dustin nodded. He knew Tyler would come after
him to get revenge. But as long as Natasha was safe, there was nothing he
feared.

“During this period, I’ll deploy team one of our shadow guards to protect
you. That should lessen some of your troubles.” Hector declared.

“Team one? They’re your personal bodyguards, aren’t they?” Natasha was as
tonished. The Harmons had
six shadow guard teams. Team one was the most skilled, with a divine–
level
martial artist leading them. They were considered the Harmon family’s tru
mp card. However, since team one’s responsibility was specifically to ove
rsee the patriarch’s safety, they weren’t deployed
easily.

Hector responded, “I don’t need them for now. Let them protect Dustin.”
“Uncle Harmon, actually, I don’t
need protecting,” Dustin tried to decline.

“There are times when we slip up. With team one protecting you, they will
act as an extra precaution to ensure your safety. Consider this our sinc
ere gift to you. Don’t refuse it.” Hector was
serious.

Natasha nodded in agreement. “My dad is right. Your safety comes first.”
“Alright…” Since Hector had put
it that way, there was no reason for Dustin to refuse any longer.
Even though he
wasn’t afraid of Tyler, it would affect him slightly if Tyler decided to
assassinate him. At least he could avoid unnecessary trouble with the sha
dow guards keeping watch on him.

Chapter 58

In the meantime, inside the Grant family mansion, Roger was seated on the
sofa, appearing pensive. “Tyler, The Harmons have Lord Xenos backing the
m now. It won’t be easy to target them.”

“Even though we can’t touch them publicly, no one said anything about act
ing in the dark.” Tyler stood with his hands behind his back. His gaze wa
s unusually cold as he stared at a bird perched. on a tree outside the wi
ndow.
? What
“Oh? What are your plans?” Roger was curious.

“I have a few friends in the martial arts world. I’m going to get them to
act and create chaos within the Harmon family!” Tyler spat out coldly.

“But, that’s Paul’s territory … ” Roger was at a loss for words. Paul was
highly influential as a
martial arts master.

“Hmph! He’s just an old man nearing death. While his words hold a certain
weight, it won’t be enough to stop me!” Tyler had a look of arrogance.

“It seems like you have everything arranged. Is there anything I can help
you with?” Roger asked cautiously.

“Just keep an eye on George’s movements for me. As long as he doesn’t ent
er the picture, I will play with the Harmons as I please!” Tyler clenched
his fist. ·

“No problem. Leave it to me,” Roger vouched as he patted his chest. He wa
sn’t brave enough to challenge Lord Xenos. However, it would be nothing i
f he just had to monitor his movements.

After sending Roger off, Tyler suddenly turned around and faced a corner.
“That Dustin brat irritated me today. I asked you to kill
him the last time, but I
changed my mind. I want him to go. through a living hell!”
“Right away!” A shadow disappeared from the corner.

Chapter 583

The next morning, at Nicholson Corp. Dustin reported to work as usual. As
Chief Security Officer, his work was relatively easy. He would punch in
in the morning and patrol the area with a few officers, and he would have
free time after that. He could do anything he wanted since no one was th
ere to keep watch on him

Dustin had just sat down in his office when someone knocked on his door.
He looked up and found that it was the Vice Chairman, Hank Hoffman.

“Mr. Rhys, are you free? Can I have a word with you?” Hank walked in
the door with a smile.

Remaining in his seat, Dustin greeted him. “Mr. Hoffman, how can I help y
ou?”

“Mr. Rhys, I had my friend bring back this aged Narcissus Tea from Mount
Woui. I hope you like it.
Hank took out a delicate gift box and placed it on his table.

Dustin raised an eyebrow. “Aged Narcissus Tea? This must be pretty expens
ive.”
“It’s nothing, just over a million dollars.” Hank smiled

Dustin declined his gift. “Mr. Hoffman, this is too valuable. I can’t aff
ord to take it, you should keep it for yourself.”

“It’s okay if you don’t like to drink tea. I have another present prepare
d. Still smiling, he took out a check from his pocket and said, “Here are
three million dollars. Consider it a kind gesture of mine. I hope you ac
cept it.”

“Mr. Hoffman, you’re giving me gifts and money. What exactly is the meani
ng of this?” Dustin questioned him straightforwardly.

Hank chuckled. “I’d like to be friends with you, Mr. Rhys.” He flashed Du
stin a meaningful smile. “I know you are close to Dahlia, but you won’t h
ave a future if you continue working for her. She’s just a lady. She won’
t be able to accomplish great things.”
Dustin’s expression remained unchanged. “So?”

“So, I hope you can help me out. I’ll treat you well. The gifts I’ve give
n you
today are just the start of many. There’ll be more benefits for you going
forward.” Hank started revealing his true
intentions.

“Mr. Hoffman, I don’t think it’s appropriate for you to ask me to betray
Ms. Nicholson,” Dustin
responded calmly.

“Mr. Rhys, the world revolves around gains. Dahlia pays you only a measly
salary. Why would you still be loyal to her?”

Seeing his lack of reaction, Hank continued to persuade him. “As long as
you agree to my terms, I’ll make sure you end up as Vice Chairman when I
become the Chairman!” The only reason Hank gave him such a lucrative offe
r was due to his identity as the Flame Dragon gang leader. He knew that w
ith Dustin backing Dahlia, it would be difficult to remove her from her p
osition. That was why he needed to get Dustin
on his side to achieve his goals.

“Mr. Hoffman, you sure have confidence in me. Sadly, I’m not interested i
n your terms.” Dustin gave him an ambiguous smile.

Chapter 586
“What are you interested in, then? I’ll try my best to fulfill it as
long as it’s within my means.
Hank responded hastily.

“Nothing. I just want you to obediently stay as Vice Chairman and not pus
h the boundaries.” Dustin’s smile gradually disappeared.
“What?” Hank furrowed his brows. “What do you mean, Mr. Rhys?”

Dustin responded coldly, “You don’t get it? Let me make it clearer. Going
forward, Dahlia will always remain the Chairman of this company. Anyone
who wishes to dispose of her will answer to me, understood?”

Hank’s expression darkened. “Mr. Rhys, does that mean this is out of disc
ussion?”

“I’m not interested in discussing anything with you. Now, get out. I’m go
ing to take a nap.” Dustin waved his hand in annoyance.

“Fine, I hope you don’t come to regret it!” Hank let out an audible scoff
and left the room after
packing up. He could only seek other methods since he
was unsuccessful in bribing Dustin.

“He wants to bribe me with a few million dollars? Does he think I’m poor?
” Dustin was annoyed. He was a billionaire. That small amount of money wa
s insignificant to him.
Suddenly, Dustin’s phone rang.

Chapter 584

Dustin answered the call and instantly heard Julie’s voice blaring throug
h the speakers, “Dustin, Dahlia got into a traffic
accident! Come and help us out, quick!”

“An accident?” Startled, Dustin probed for more information. “What happen
ed? Is she hurt?”

“It’s a long story. I’ll send you our location. Come here right now!” Jul
ie urged.

“Okay!” Without wasting any time,, Dustin ended the call and rushed out t
he door.

Over at Dahlia’s side, a Maserati and a Bentley had run into each other o
n the streets. Both cars were heavily damaged, and there
were shards of car glass scattered around the point of collision.

After the collision, several young men and women came out of the Bentley,
and at the forefront of the group was a young lady with hair that was dy
ed a bright red, and clad in luxurious branded goods from head to toe.

After she got out of her car, she immediately went up to Dahlia’s car and
began banging on the window, yelling rudely, “Hey! Can’t you F*cking dri
ve? Get out of the goddamn car right now!”
“Get out!”
“Yeah, get the hell out, woman!”
The rest of them, who were together with the red–
haired lady, also began kicking and banging on
Dahlia’s car threateningly.

“Stop it!” Julie opened the car door and got out, shouting at them, “Why
are you behaving like
such hooligans? You were the ones who made an illegal U–
turn and broke the law! You are fully responsible for the accident!”
“Full responsibility, my ass!” The red–haired lady gave Julie a
hard slap across the face. “Quit running your mouth here! You ran into my
car, so pay up!”
“Y–
you hit me? Have you any idea who I am?” Julie was shocked and enraged as
she cupped her stinging cheek in her hand.

“Whoa! You’re trying to challenge me, aren’t you? Very well, tell me, who
are you?” The red–haired lady sniggered.

“You’d be terrified!” Julie said haughtily, “She’s Dahlia Nicholson, chai
rperson of Nicholson Corp!
And I am her cousin–cum–secretary!”
“Nicholson Corp.?” The red–
haired lady made a face when she heard that. “What trash is that? I’ve
never even heard of it before!”

“That’s only because you’re ignorant! I’m warning you, if you do not wish
things
to blow out of hand, you better pay up and apologize or you’ll be sorry!”
Julie threatened her meanly.

“F*cking hell! How dare you threaten me, you B*tch?” With a nasty glare,
the red–
haired lady struck Julie across the face once again. The resounding smack
sent Julie staggering backward and falling flat on the ground, breaking
a tooth in the process.

Chapter 584
“Y–you–
you! How dare you strike me again? You’re going to regret this!” Fuming,
Julie scrambled up to her feet before launching herself at the red–
haired lady, ready to get down and dirty.

“You insolent fool!” She smirked as she sent a punch straight to Julie’s
guts. With a horrifying shriek, Julie fell to her knees and everything sh
e had left in her stomach came rushing out.

“Stop this!” Seeing that things were about to get ugly, Dahlia swiftly we
nt
forward to help Julie up before she turned around and shouted at the red–
haired lady, “Who gave you the right to hit others?
”

“I do as I please! What, are you not happy? Why don’t I give you a good b
eating too, huh?” She shot Dahlia a glare.

“You’re going too far!” Dahlia was infuriated. She didn’t expect these pe
ople to be so rude and aggressive. They were clearly the ones who were in
the wrong, and yet they showed no remorse and even resorted to physicall
y assaulting others. They were way too arrogant!

Chapter 585

“Oh, I’m going too far now, am I? Well, so what if I am? What are you goi
ng to do about it?” The red-
haired lady stood with arms akimbo as she glared daggers at Dahlia.

“I’ve called the cops! You better not act rashly!” Dahlia warned. She had
Julie make several calls. as soon as they had the accident.

“The cops?” The red–
haired girl laughed obnoxiously as her friends behind her watched on. unk
indly, obviously having no regard for the authorities. “Do you think that
I’d be daunted by mere cops? I’ll have you know, I can kill you right th
is instant and chuck you into the ocean as fish
food, and no one will be able to do anything about it!” She laughed nasti
ly.

“Surely you can’t be above the law!” Dahlia shook her head with a frown,
her brows furrowed.

“The law? Haha! I am the F*cking law! Now, pay me ten million dollars, or
I’ll show you what I’m capable of!” The red–haired lady threatened.

“Ten million dollars? That’s daylight robbery!” Julie was aggravated. Eve
n if she had bought that car in cash, it’d only amount to slightly over t
wo million
at best, so if they were to pay for the repair cost, several hundred thou
sand would be more than enough.

For her to demand ten million dollars as compensation was pure extortion,
and most importantly, she was the one who was in the wrong, so why shoul
d they be the ones paying her?
“Cut the crap!” The red–
haired lady shot them a glare. “You have only two options. One, you pay m
e; or two, I break your legs!”
“You! That’s just robbery!” Julie was exasperated.

“So what if I am?” She delivered a kick to Julie which sent her sprawling
to the ground once again. “Keep running your mouth and see if I’ll kill
you!”

“Stop it!” Dahlia stepped between them, hiding Julie behind her. “You lay
another finger on her and you’ll pay dearly for it!” she roared.
The red–
haired lady raised her hand and slapped Dahlia hard on the face. “Who do
you think you are to speak to me like that?”

“You!” Dahlia held her red and swollen face in her hand, her expression l
ivid. These people were downright barbaric!
“I’ll say this one last time, pay up, or you’ll be sorry!”
“We did nothing wrong! Why should we pay?” Dahlia argued.

“You’re not paying? Then I guess I’ll just slash your face up!” With a vi
cious smile, the red–
haired lady continued, “It’d be a pity for you to lose your pretty little
face! I’d like to see if you’d dare to show up in public again after I’m
done with you.”
“Don’t you dare!” Dahlia’s expression froze.
“Try me!” With a wave of her hand, the red–
haired lady called out to her friends, “Guys, hold her
still!”

“On it!” Her friends came forward with mean smiles on their faces as they
pinned Dahlia to the

Chapté 595
hood of the car.
“I must say, you’ve got a perfect face!” The red–
haired lady took out a pocket knife and began gently grazing it on
Dahlia’s face. “But I do not
like seeing things perfect, so I guess I’ll just have to ruin it!” And th
en she raised her hand and brought it down to Dahlia’s face quickly.

But before the knife came in contact with Dahlia’s face, a loud clang was
heard as a silver needle flew through the air, accurately hitting the kn
ife’s blade. A sharp pain shot through the red-
haired lady’s hand, and the pocket knife she had in her hand clattered t
o the ground.

“Who’s there? Who did that?” She whipped her head around quickly with a d
ark expression.

“What gave you the guts to assault others in broad daylight?” A handsome
man walked out from behind the car.
“Dustin?” Dahlia and Julie were both elated to
see him. It was as though he was their savior, as they had yet to see him
lose in a fight. When Dustin noticed Dahlia’s swollen cheeks, his
expression darkened and his gaze became sharp.

“Where did you come from? And why are you sticking your nose in other peo
ple’s business?” the red–haired lady asked hostilely.

“You wretched B*tch! That man is the head of security for our company! Yo
u’re in deep trouble today!” Julie shouted haughtily now that Dustin was
there.
“Hah! And here I was wondering who this rascal was. So it turns
out that he’s nothing but a security guard?” The red–
haired lady scoffed contemptuously.
“Looks like
someone is trying to be the hero here to save the day now? Take a look in
the mirror! If

you know what’s good for you, you better get lost, or I’ll beat the crap
out of you too!“

Chapter 586
The young men and women, who were with the red–
haired lady, began clamoring, disregarding

Dustin’s presence.

“Get down on your knees and apologize, or I’ll break your arms and legs!”
Dustin demanded coldly.

“My! cocky, aren’t you?” One of the men walked up to Dustin and poked him
in the chest rudely, taunting him as he did so, “Do you know
who we are, loser? How dare you act so arrogantly with
us? I’ll-”

Before he could finish his sentence, he was struck with full force across
the face. A loud slap

could be heard as he was sent flying through the air, crashing through a
car window head–
first. The top half of his body went right through the window and into th
e car, whereas the other half of
his body dangled outside of the car.

“How dare you slap my friend? Do you have a death wish?” The lady with th
e red hair was

infuriated by Dustin’s actions. In one swift motion, she launched herself
toward Dustin at an

unbelievable speed. When she got near, she threw a punch at Dustin with a
ll her might, making a
whooshing sound. She was obviously a trained martial artist.

Then, without even the slightest change in expression, Dustin grabbed her
fist and gave it a firm tug. A loud cracking sound
was heard, and her arm was instantly fractured. Shocked by what had

happened, she stood there, frozen in place. It wasn’t until the pain hit
her that she finally let out a blood–
curdling shriek. But midway through her shriek, she was cut off by a hand
grabbing at her
throat.

“Since your parents didn’t raise you right, I’ll educate you on some mann
ers today.” Without

saying anything else, Dustin went ahead and gave her two hard slaps on th
e face. The lady with the red hair saw stars, and her nose bled from the
impact.
“Y–
you hit me? Do you even know who I am? I’m Maggie Doyle from the prestigi
ous Doyle family!
“The red–haired lady glared fiercely at Dustin.
“The Doyle family?” Julie, who
had been gloating over Maggie’s misfortune, immediately paled.
The Doyle family was one of the Fabulous Five and had
deep roots in Millsburg. They also had

strong connections, making them incredibly powerful. With the level of in
fluence the Doyle family possessed, Julie knew that none of them could af
ford to offend her.

“What?” Dahlia frowned slightly as her expression turned grave. No wonder
she was acting so arrogantly! It was because she had the Doyle family ba
cking her up! That made things difficult.

“We’re sorry, Miss Doyle! This is all just a misunderstanding. Please don
’t be mad; we’ll pay you for your loss!” Julie immediately apologized to
Maggie respectfully once she wrapped her head around the piece of informa
tion.

After she was done apologizing, she shouted at Dustin, “Hey Dustin! What
are you doing? Let go of Miss Doyle right this instant!”

“Hahaha! So you’re scared now? I told you that you were going to regret i
t!” Maggie smirked sinisterly. “And you bastard, weren’t you all high and
mighty just a while ago? Where’s your arrogant attitude now? You crossed
a line when you placed your hands on me! You better get down

Chapter of

on your knees and apologize to us. And break your arms yourself, or I’ll
see to it that you die such a horrible death that you regret the day you
were born!”

“Quick, Dustin! Get on your knees and apologize! I do not want to be impl
icated!” Julie urged.
“Down on your knees!”
“Get down!”
“Go on, down on your knees!”

Maggie’s friends yelled at Dustin. They were already used to seeing such
situations because, no matter who it was, as long as they found out Maggi
e’s identity, they would bend to her will. And that was a show of true po
wer.

“On my knees, was it? Very well.” Dustin nodded. Then he grabbed a hold o
f Maggie, slamming her to the ground. With a dull thud, Maggie
fell heavily to her knees. Instantly, her knees were a
bloody mess of flesh, blood, and bones.
Everyone fell silent.

Chapter 587
“Ahhh!” Maggie, who had her kneecaps fractured, let out an ear–
piercing scream. She fell flat on the ground and rolled around in pain.

“What?” Everyone was shocked by what they saw. None of them had expected
Dustin to hurt Maggie, even after she revealed her identity. He truly sho
wed her no mercy.

But she was the daughter of the great Doyle family! No matter where she w
ent, people always tried their best to please her, and nobody dared cross
her. It was beyond everyone’s comprehension that Dustin would actually b
reak her kneecaps! It was insane!
“Are you
out of your flipping mind, Dustin? Do you know what you’ve done?” After t
he initial shock wore off, Julie leaped to her feet, her face white as a
sheet.
“You! How dare you hurt Miss Doyle? You’re done for! All of you!”

“That’s right! The Doyles aren’t ever going to let you go! This is no lon
ger about the money!”

Maggie’s friends clamored in fury. As scions of wealthy families, they we
re all used
to bullying others; never the other way around. This rascal had bit off m
ore than he could chew!

You arrogant, overbearing bullies. I’m just teaching you a lesson for bul
lying those weaker than you. If you’re not happy with it, come at me anyt
ime,” Dustin
said indifferently. This was not the first time he had crossed a Doyle. H
e had beaten Duncan Doyle up not too long ago, and it didn’t make much of
a difference to him anymore to offend Maggie, who was also a Doyle.
“You’re a gutsy one, bastard! We’re not done with you!”

And with that, Maggie’s friends quickly helped her up and ran away. If ev
en Maggie, who came from a family with a strong martial arts background,
could not go against Dustin, they’d be done for if they challenged him.
“You–you–you! You’re a nutjob! You’ve put
all of us in trouble now by messing
with Miss Doyle!” Julie was terrified. Now that Maggie was in such a stat
e, the Doyles were certainly not going to back off. And not only was Dust
in going to be in trouble, but Julie would also be implicated. Influentia
l and wealthy families like the Doyles were impossible to reason with onc
e they decided
to seek revenge.

“Dustin! You were too impulsive!” Dahlia’s brows were tightly knitted, an
d her expression was dark. She had yet to make a name for herself in Mill
sburg, and things
would only be more difficult for her now that they had offended such a po
werful family as the Doyles.

“Don’t you worry. I’m not afraid of their retaliation.” Dustin was unboth
ered by their reactions.

“Hah! You say that now! The Doyles are such an influential and wealthy fa
mily! How can you
afford to get on their bad side?” Julie screamed at him.

“It’s true, I can’t. But some people can. I know some people in Millburg
who can easily deal with this,” Dustin said calmly.

“You mean Natasha Harmon, don’t you?” Dahlia asked huffily, her words lac
ed with sarcasm. Well, if you have her help, things might just work out f
ine. After all, you’re such lovebirds, aren’t you?”

Chacte 587

“What are you thinking, Dahlia? Do I look like such a boy toy who gets a
woman to protect me?” Dustin rolled his eyes.
“Yes.”
“Yes!”
Both Dahlia and Julie exclaimed in unison.

Dustin was left speechless. Why did everyone think that he was a boy toy?
When, in fact, he had

worked hard and honestly for all his accomplishments? Maybe he really sho
uldn’t have kept such
a low profile all this time.

Just then, Julie’s phone rang. She picked it up, and soon after, her face
fell.
“What? You’ve found Terrence? Where is he? Sure. We’ll be there right awa
y!”
“What is it?” Dahlia asked.

Chapter 588

“Mom just called me to say that someone spotted Terrence having a meal at
Saffron Restaurant.

She’s heading over with Aunt Florence and wants us to come along to catch
the swindler too!”

Julie told Dahlia.

“Terrence Stone? How dare that cheat show his face in public again?” Dahl
ia was furious. He had nearly made her family go bankrupt because of the
issue with the abandoned building. In the end, it was Dustin who took one
for the family and bought it over. Hence, she had nothing good to say ab
out Terrence.
“Stop being
idle, Dustin! Go, get a car! We need to make Terrence give back all the m
oney he ripped us off!” Julie said resentfully.

“I’ve bought over the abandoned building, so neither of you made any loss
es. Why are you both so worked up?” Dustin couldn’t comprehend their ange
r.

“Hey! What do you mean? A con man like Terrence needs to be taught a less
on! We should act for
justice!” Julie declared righteously.

“Is that so?” Dustin smiled. He knew very well what was going on in Julie
’s head. Her declaration of justice was bullshit. She was just peeved tha
t she was scammed, so she wanted to get some
form of compensation from Terrence.
Taking a different car, the three of them hurried off to
Saffron Restaurant.

Saffron Restaurant was a nice eatery with a good ambiance, excellent serv
ice, and exquisite food,
so it was only to be expected that
a place like that would charge exorbitant prices.

Over in a private room at Saffron Restaurant, Terrence, who had dressed u
p flashily, was having a meal with the wrong kind of people.

“I’ve got good news for you, Terrence.” After having one too many drinks,
a man with a rounded

face said, “I’ve heard from some official sources that the abandoned cons
truction site will be
developed as a key project. Its value is rapidly increasing now!”

“What did you say? Key project?” Terrence was stunned by what he heard. “
You’re not joking, are you, Richie? That place’s trash! Why would anyone
invest money in developing it?”

“It’s true!” The man with the rounded face said, “My father works with th
e relevant department, and the information has been confirmed! There’s no
mistaking that!”

“Didn’t you buy that plot of land where the abandoned construction is, Te
rrence?” Someone asked.

“That’s right! I recall that too! I could not understand why Terrence wou
ld buy that piece of land back then! In hindsight, I guess you already kn
ew about it then, didn’t you?”

“You’re something else, Terrence! How could you predict where the develop
ments would be? Do you have some sort of insider information?”

“Congratulations, Terrence! You’ve struck gold this time around! Don’t fo
rget about us when you make it big!”

Chapter 588
Terrence’s friend flattered him and tried to court his favor.

Terrence, however, sat frozen where he was for a long time. Never had he
dreamed that the abandoned construction site that nobody wanted anything
to do with would suddenly transform into such a valuable piece of land ov
ernight!

“What’s wrong, Terrence? Are you feeling alright?” Terrence’s friend aske
d.

“Hahaha! He must be having problems coming to terms with the fact that he
’s going to be filthy rich!” Someone jested.
“Ri–
Richie, how much does that abandoned building cost now?” Terrence asked t
entatively.
“At least two billion!” Richie said.

“Two billion?” Terrence felt like he’d been struck by lightning, and he b
lanched.
Under everyone’s
disbelieving gaze, Terrence gave himself two slaps on the face. “I–
I’m the greatest idiot!” How could he have just sold off a plot of land w
orth two billion dollars? Was there anyone out there more dumb than him?

Just as everyone wondered what was wrong with Terrence, the door of the p
rivate room was kicked open with a loud bang. Then, Florence, Victoria, a
nd a few others barged in through the door. And they were fuming.
“Terrence Stone! There you are!”

“Give me back my money! Give me all the money that you’ve swindled off me
!”

Chapter 589

“You swindler! Give me back my money!” Florence began shouting aggressive
ly the moment she entered. She had even gotten several stout and burly wo
men to come along with her to back her

up.

“Why are you here?” A sudden feeling of guilt came over Terrence, and his
expression changed. He had not expected them to barge in while he was ha
ving a meal.

“How are we going to catch the swindler if we didn’t come here personally
?” Victoria shot him a glare.

“That’s right! How dare you enjoy dining in such a luxurious place after
cheating us of our money? You’re utterly shameless!” Florence demanded
with her hands on her hips.

“Who are these shrews, Terrence? Should we throw them out?” Terrence’s fr
iends asked meanly. Terrence was about to be the wealthiest one among the
m, so they were all dying to suck up to him.

“No, that won’t be necessary. I know them.” An idea came to Terrence, and
he quickly told his friends, “You guys
head on back for now. I’ve got some personal matters to deal with. I’ll b
uy you all a meal some other day.” And with that, he urged his friends to
leave the private room.
“I don’t give a damn about what
tricks you have up your sleeves, Terrence. Give me my money now!
“Victoria was not about to back off any time soon.

“Victoria, let’s sit down and talk, shall we? Don’t get all worked up.” W
ith a smile on his face, he poured everyone a cup of tea.

“Cut the crap, you swindler!” Not wishing to waste her time on him, Victo
ria knocked the cup of
tea over.

“I don’t think I follow, Victoria. When have I swindled you?” Terrence pr
etended not to understand
what she was going on about.

“Oh, so you’re still trying to deny what you’ve done?” Victoria shot dagg
ers at him with her eyes.

“You’re playing the fool with us, are you? Here, I’ll help jog your memor
y. A week ago, you swindled us into purchasing the plot of land where the
abandoned building was, for a total of a hundred million dollars. Do you
remember now?” Florence’s piercing gaze bore into Terrence. That piece o
f
land had nearly caused her to go bankrupt, and she still had recurring ni
ghtmares
about it.

“You’re both mistaken!” Terrence sighed and acted like he had been wronge
d. “About that piece of land, that was all because of my friend. I’m a vi
ctim just like you! I’d been cheated out of my
money too!”

“That’s rubbish! Do you think we’d buy that?” Victoria had a skeptical ex
pression.
“She’s right! Why did you disappear
for the past few days if you’re a victim too? We couldn’t find you, nor c
ould we contact you. I’m sure that you’ve conspired against us together w
ith your friend! “Florence shouted.

“I didn’t! I really am a victim too!” With the most miserable look he cou
ld manage, Terrence said, “I haven’t shown myself for the past
few days because I was too ashamed to face you! Besides, I’ve

Chapter 588
Terrence’s friend flattered him and tried to court his favor.

Terrence, however, sat frozen where he was for a long time. Never had he
dreamed that the abandoned construction site that nobody wanted anything
to do with would suddenly transform into such a valuable piece of land ov
ernight!

“What’s wrong, Terrence? Are you feeling alright?” Terrence’s friend aske
d.

“Hahaha! He must be having problems coming to terms with the fact that he
’s going to be filthy rich!” Someone jested.
“Ri–Richie, how much
does that abandoned building cost now?” Terrence asked tentatively.
“At least two billion!” Richie said.

“Two billion?” Terrence felt like he’d been struck by lightning, and he b
lanched.

Under everyone’s disbelieving gaze, Terrence gave himself two slaps on th
e face. “I–
I’m the greatest idiot!” How could he have just sold off a plot of land w
orth two billion dollars? Was there anyone out there more dumb than him?

Just as everyone wondered what was wrong with Terrence, the door of the p
rivate room was kicked open with a loud bang. Then, Florence, Victoria, a
nd a few others barged in through the door. And they were fuming.
“Terrence Stone! There you are!”

“Give me back my money! Give me all the money that you’ve swindled off me
!”

“You swindler! Give me back my money!” Florence began shouting aggressive
ly the moment she entered. She had even
gotten several stout and burly women to come along with her to back her

up.

“Why are you here?” A sudden feeling of guilt came over Terrence, and his
expression changed. He had not expected them to barge in while he was
having a meal.

“How are we going to catch the swindler if we didn’t come here personally
?” Victoria shot him a
glare.

“That’s right! How dare you enjoy dining in such a luxurious place after
cheating us of our money? You’re utterly shameless!” Florence demanded wi
th her hands on her hips.

“Who are these shrews, Terrence? Should we throw them out?” Terrence’s fr
iends asked meanly.

Terrence was about to be the wealthiest one among them, so they were all
dying to suck up to him.
“No, that won’t be necessary. I know them.” An idea came to
Terrence, and he quickly told his friends, “You guys head on back for now
. I’ve got some personal matters to deal with. I’ll buy you all a meal so
me other day.” And with that, he urged his friends to leave the private r
oom.

“I don’t give a damn about what tricks you have up your sleeves, Terrence
. Give me my money now!
“Victoria was not about to back off any time soon.

“Victoria, let’s sit down and talk, shall we? Don’t get all worked up.” W
ith a smile on his face, he poured everyone a cup of tea.
“Cut the crap, you swindler!” Not
wishing to waste her time on him, Victoria knocked the cup of
tea over.

“I don’t think I follow, Victoria. When have I swindled you?” Terrence pr
etended not to understand
what she was going on about.
“Oh, so you’re still trying to deny what
you’ve done?” Victoria shot daggers at him with her eyes.
“You’re playing the fool with us, are you? Here, I’ll help
jog your memory. A week ago, you swindled us into purchasing the plot of
land where the abandoned building was, for a total of a hundred million d
ollars. Do you remember now?” Florence’s
piercing gaze bore into Terrence. That piece of land had nearly caused he
r to go bankrupt, and she still had recurring nightmares
about it.
“You’re both
mistaken!” Terrence sighed and acted like he had been wronged. “About
that piece of land, that was all because
of my friend. I’m a victim just like you! I’d been cheated out of my mone
y too!”

“That’s rubbish! Do you think we’d buy that?” Victoria had a skeptical ex
pression.
“She’s right! Why did you disappear
for the past few days if you’re a victim too? We couldn’t find you, nor c
ould we contact you. I’m sure that you’ve conspired against us together
with your friend!
“Florence shouted.

“I didn’t! I really am a victim too!” With the most miserable look he cou
ld manage, Terrence said, “I haven’t shown myself for the past few days b
ecause I was too ashamed to face you! Besides, I’ve

Chapter 580

been trying to locate my friend to get him to pay back the money that he
ripped off of you! I’ve been doing that for you!”
“You claim to be so righteous, but
where’s our money?” Florence demanded. She wasn’t going to believe his bi
g talk anymore. If he did not return their money, everything he said was
as good as
trash.

“My friend has disappeared without a trace. I suspect that he has long si
nce fled to another city.” Terrence sighed deeply.

“Hah! I knew you were going to say that!” Florence smiled sardonically.

“Although my friend has run off with your money, I’ll take full responsib
ility for the money you’ve lost!” He declared righteously with a resolute
demeanor.

Everyone was taken aback by his words, and they all had an astonished exp
ression on their faces. It was beyond their expectation that he would tak
e responsibility for the matter, as they thought that he would deny every
thing.

“So, what you’re saying is that you’ll pay us our money?” Victoria asked
tentatively.
“Of course!” Terrence nodded earnestly. “I may be a victim too, but
at the end of the day, all of you were implicated only because of me, so
I’ll pay you what you lost in full!”

“Well…” Florence and Victoria exchanged a sheepish glance. For a moment,
neither of them knew
how to react.

Chapter 590

Florence and Victoria came for Terrence to get their money back. In fact,
they were prepared to resort to
violence to get things done, ready to teach him a lesson the moment Terre
nce tried to

pull anything funny. However, they had not foreseen that he would readily
admit his mistakes and even humbly tell them that he would pay them for t
heir loss. For a moment, both of them were unsure if he really was a swin
dler. Could it be possible that Terrence was indeed innocent?

“If you truly are a victim too, Terrence, where would you get the money t
o pay us back?” Florence
was doubtful.

“Indeed, I do not have the money right now, but I can borrow some from pe
ople around me.” Terrence sighed before he continued, “I’ve got some conn
ections here in Millsburg, and I have plenty of friends. Did you see thos
e people who were here with me earlier on? I invited them here for a meal
so that I could borrow some money from them to pay you your loss.”

Florence and Victoria were moved by his words. They were impressed by his
resolution to pay them their money and even went as far as to borrow mon
ey from others. From the looks of things,
they had misunderstood him. “Have you gotten any money from them
yet, Terrence?” Victoria mellowed down and asked cautiously.
“I have, and it’s just enough to cover your loss.” Terrence nodded.

“Well, we’re not in a rush to get the money back. You can take your time.
It’s good to see that
you’re fine.” Victoria smiled sheepishly.

“Yes, that’s right! We were too impulsive and misunderstood you. Please d
on’t take it to heart.”
Florence quickly added.

“Oh, it’s all my fault. I’m the one who’s brought you trouble. A man shou
ld make right what he’s done wrong. I’ll transfer you the money now.” Ter
rence took out his phone and was about to make
the transaction.
“Hey! We’re all family! What’s
the rush?” Florence smiled radiantly at him. “My bank account
number is 622700030…”
“Wait a minute!” Terrence suddenly stopped midway
through typing in his password and pretended as if he had just thought of
something. I can give you your money back, but the ownership of the plot
of land with the abandoned construction should be transferred back to me
.”
“Why would you want that? It’s basically worthless, Victoria asked.

“It’s not about how much it’s worth. Since I’m borrowing money from my fr
iends, it only makes

sense that I give them something as collateral, and I think that piece
of land will work just fine.”
Terrence explained earnestly.

“I see…” Victoria nodded and continued, “But the ownership of that piece
of land is no longer with
us.”
“It’s not with you?” Terrence’s eyes widened. “Did you sell it?”

“That’s right!” Victoria grinned gleefully. “We sold that piece of land t
o a gullible person.”

“Who was it? Who was the one that bought it?” Terrence leaped out of his
seat anxiously. Damn it!

Chapter 589

been trying to locate my friend to get him to pay back the money that he
ripped off of you! I’ve been doing that for you!”

“You claim to be so righteous, but where’s our money?” Florence demanded.
She wasn’t going to believe his big talk anymore. If he did not return t
heir money, everything he said was as good as
trash.

“My friend has disappeared without a trace. I suspect that he has long si
nce fled to another city.” Terrence sighed deeply.

“Hah! I knew you were going to say that!” Florence smiled sardonically.

“Although my friend has run off with your money, I’ll take full responsib
ility for the money you’ve
lost!” He declared righteously with a resolute demeanor.

Everyone was taken aback by his words, and they all had an astonished exp
ression on their faces. It was beyond their expectation that he would tak
e responsibility for the matter, as they thought that he would deny every
thing.
“So, what you’re saying is that you’ll pay us our
money?” Victoria asked tentatively.

“Of course!” Terrence nodded earnestly. “I may be a victim too, but at th
e end of the day, all of you

were implicated only because of me, so I’ll pay you what you lost in full
!”

Well. Florence and Victoria exchanged a sheepish glance. For a moment, ne
ither of them knew
how to react.

Chapter 591
“Speak of the devil! The simpleton
is here!” Florence had barely finished her sentence when a group of three
came in through the doors of Saffron Restaurant. It was none other than
Dustin, Dahlia, and Julie.

“Terrence Stone!” Julie’s eyes swept the place once she entered. She quic
kly spotted Terrence in the private room and stormed over angrily.

“Julie, hear me out!” Terrence was just about to explain himself with an
awkward smile on his face when, without any prior warning, Julie slapped
him across the face. Caught
off guard, he cupped his cheek with his hand, unable to react.

“Why are you being so aggressive, Julie?” Victoria reprimanded her immedi
ately.

“Why are you defending him, Mom? Did he not deserve that?” Beside herself
with anger, Julie saw nothing wrong with her actions. He deserved that s
lap very much for cheating her money and taking advantage of her feelings
for him.

“You’re mistaken! Terrence isn’t a swindler!” Victoria swiftly pulled Jul
ie aside.

“He’s not a swindler? Well, if he isn’t a swindler, are you implying that
I’m the liar? Has something gotten into you, Mom? Why are you defending
him? Julie’s fury was unabated.

“Don’t jump to conclusions. Listen to me, I’ll tell you everything…” With
out any room for hesitation, Victoria explained to Julie in detail everyt
hing that Terrence had told them earlier. She made the whole thing sound
so reasonable and made Terrence out
to be the most considerate person, convincing Julie with her genuine
and sincere words. When paired with Terrence’s miserable expression, Juli
e could not help but be convinced.

“What? So Terrence is innocent? I was wrong in hitting him, then?” Julie
was convinced by the story that Victoria told her and quickly realized th
at she was wrong.

“Exactly! You acted too impulsively. Quick, apologize to Terrence!” Victo
ria instructed her.
“I’m
sorry, Terrence; I didn’t mean to do that. Does it still hurt? Here, I’ll
rub the pain away.” Julie’s attitude took a 180–
degree turn, and she apologized gently.

“Don’t worry about it. I was the one who did not tell you the full story,
that’s why you thought I
was a swindler.” Terrence forced a smile.

“You should have told me earlier how things were We can always face probl
ems together. It hurts

me to see you in such turmoil,” Julie said emotionally as she clasped Ter
rence’s hand in her own.
Dustin was left speechless when he saw how lovey–
dovey they were acting. Were these people dimwits? How could they be fool
ed by Terrence with just a few words? Too ashamed to meet them? Went arou
nd borrowing money from others just to pay them back? How could anyone bu
y such garbage?
Dustin thought, “No wonder they were swindled.”

How else would Terrence be able to trick them if it weren’t for them bein
g such foolish people? At the thought of that, Dustin took a
glance at Dahlia beside him and noticed that she had a doubtful and wary
expression. It seemed like she did not believe a single word Terrence sai
d.

“Alright, alright. Now that we have got everything straight, we’re all st
ill family,” Victoria said. Joyfully. She was pleased with Terrence as a
person. He was a promising young man who was very considerate. She deemed
him a good catch for her daughter.

“Ah, right. Terrence suddenly turned to Dustin. “Dustin, I heard from Vic
toria that they sold the abandoned construction site to you. Is that true
?”

“It is What about it?” Dustin did nothing to hide the fact that he’d boug
ht the land.

“That’s great.” Terrence heaved a sigh of relief. Then, with a smile on h
is face, he said, “I don’t like taking advantage of others. Since I was t
he one who brought this problem upon all of you, I can’t continue to let
you bear the loss. I’ll purchase the piece of land from you at the origin
al price that you bought it for.”

“You’ll purchase it?” Julie’s face fell when she heard that. In a hushed
tone, she whispered, ” Terrence, have you lost your mind? It wasn’t easy
selling off that trashy piece of land! Why are you even buying it back? W
hy would you bring such loss upon yourself?”
“You shouldn’t say that, Julie!” Terrence put on a righteous facade.
“Dustin is my friend. Since something as bad as this has happened, we can
not take advantage of him! We must be righteous and hold fast to our prin
ciples!”
“But-” Julie was about to retort, but Terrence
waved her off. “Say no more. A real man must stand up for his actions. We
should not lose our principles just for a little benefit!”

With Terrence’s little righteous speech, almost everyone looked at him wi
th admiration. Especially Julie, who looked at him like he had a halo ove
r his head.

Chapter 592

That was the mannerism of a true gentleman! At that moment, Terrence appe
ared heroic.

“You’re in luck, Dustin! What are you waiting for? Why aren’t you thankin
g Terrence? He decided to buy that rubbish off your hands!” Julie announc
ed proudly.

“There’s no need for that. We’re all friends. I can’t bear to see you suf
fer such a loss. Just give me the ownership of that piece of land, and we
’ve got a deal,” Terrence said with an amiable smile.
“When did I agree to the deal?” Dustin asked.

“What?” Terrence thought that he had heard Dustin wrong. He never thought
that he would be rejected. Julie and the rest of them were astonished to
o. Unable to comprehend what was going on in Dustin’s head, they assumed
that he had lost his marbles. After all, who would turn down money and ch
oose to hold on to a piece of trash?

“Dustin, did you not hear what I said? The abandoned construction site is
worth nothing, and you have no use for it! Why don’t you just sell it to
me?” Terrence tried to talk some sense into Dustin.
“Why do you want it if it’s worth nothing?” Dustin countered.

“I’m doing this for your sake, of course!” Terrence said with all earnest
ness. “The reason all this happened was because of me. I trusted someone
who I should not have trusted, but I should not have pulled you all into
it. Therefore, I shall bear full responsibility for this at all costs!”

“Oh, how nice.” Dustin smiled faintly. “I thank you for your thoughtful g
esture, but no thanks. I’m
not selling it.”
“Why not?” Terrence could not believe his ears.
“Because we’re friends. Just as you do not wish to take advantage
of me, I refuse to do the same!”
“That’s all right; I do not mind bearing the loss.”
“But I do. So, forget about it.”

“No! We cannot forget about it! If you think that my offer isn’t enough,
I can add a bit more to the original price that you bought it for!”

“This is not about money. It’s about principles. You said it yourself, we
must be righteous and stay
true to our principles.”

“You!” Terrence was a hair’s breadth away from losing his composure. Damn
it! Why was the idiot so stubborn? He had said everything he could to co
nvince him to sell the piece of land, but nothing seemed to
work. Exasperated, Terrence was left speechless.

“Alright, it’s getting late. I have some things to handle back at the com
pany, so I’ll be taking my leave with Dahlia now. You guys carry on.” Dus
tin could not be bothered to converse with them any longer, so he exchang
ed a look with Dahlia, and they got out of the restaurant as fast as they
could.

“Hey, Dustin! You…” Refusing to let Dustin go just like that, Terrence wa
s about to give
chase but was held back by Julie. “Terrence, you cannot be too kind. Sinc
e that idiot turned you down, let’s not push it. Why would you give him m
oney when he doesn’t even appreciate it?”

Chapter 592

“Exactly! We all saw how sincere you were. He was the one who rejected yo
ur kindness. Don’t be too hard on yourself,” Victoria echoed. In her eyes
, Terrence was every bit of the perfect son–in-
law. His only drawback was that he was too righteous, which made him an
easy target for others.
to take advantage of.

“If you’re still feeling bad about it, Terrence, why don’t you use the mo
ney and buy me some branded handbags?” Julie asked coquettishly.

“Handbags? F*ck you and your handbags!” Terrence finally flipped and shov
ed her aside. “Do you know that I’ve just lost two billion dollars?”

“Two billion dollars? What do you mean?” Shocked, Julie could not make he
ads or tails of
Terrence’s words.

“Truth be told, the land with the abandoned construction has been officia
lly listed as the prime location for a key development. Its value has now
gone up to two billion dollars! I’d given you wealth beyond measure when
I sold you that plot of land. But look what you’ve done! You gave Dustin
Rhys the perfect opportunity to get filthy rich! I can’t believe how stu
pid you all are!” Terrence roared frustratedly, growling almost. He was s
o close to ripping his hair out of vexation.
“Key development?”
“Two billion?”
“Immeasurable wealth?”
“Quick! Go after him!”

After a momentary stun, it finally dawned on Julie and the rest of them h
ow big of a loss they had made. Without a moment to spare, they immediate
ly rushed out of the restaurant. But Dustin was no longer anywhere to be
seen.

Chapter 593

On the way back, Dustin could tell that Dahlia had questions for him but
was battling herself against questioning him. He smiled to himself at her
curiosity and
decided to give her an opening. “Shoot away if you’ve got any questions.
There’s no need to hold them in.”

“I do not understand why you turned down Terrence’s offer to purchase the
site of the abandoned building!” Dahlia blurted out.

“Everyone knows that it’s worthless now, so there’s no point holding onto
it. You would have been better off selling it and recovering your loss!”
Though she had promised and was determined to
not concern herself with Dustin’s
business anymore, she still could not help but feel bad that he

had missed out on a good opportunity to make up for the loss he had made.

“Well, why would Terrence want to buy that piece of land when everyone kn
ows that it’s
worthless?” Dustin asked.

“Didn’t he just say that he doesn’t want to take advantage of you because
you’re friends?” Dahlia
retorted.

“Haha! Do you really think that Terrence would be so kind?” Dustin smiled
meaningfully. “If he is
as righteous and
responsible as he claims to be, he would not have disappeared without a t
race for
the past few days.

“Well…” Dahlia’s brows knitted together as she fell deep into thought. It
was true that she had her

doubts about Terrence’s integrity. But after seeing how sincere he appear
ed, even offering to buy back the abandoned construction site, she wavere
d and started to believe his words.

“Let me tell you the truth. The reason Terrence offered to buy the plot o
f land was not because of

his conscience or his righteousness. It was only because he knew that its
value had skyrocketed.
Dustin chuckled.

“Skyrocket? The abandoned construction site has been sitting there for al
most a decade, and

nobody wanted anything to do with it. How could it possibly increase in v
alue?” Dahlia wondered
aloud.

“Nothing is impossible, Dahlia. Haven’t I told you that that plot of land
has officially been listed as

an area for a key development? Terrence must have received some news abou
t it that caused him

to change his mind. Do you really think that he’d be so kind?” Dustin had
a faint smile on his face.
“How much is that piece of land worth now?” Dahlia asked tentatively.

“Two billion dollars at least. And that’s a conservative estimation.” Dus
tin dropped a bombshell.

“Two billion?” Dahlia’s eyes went as wide as saucers. It was bewildering
to think that a piece of land could go from absolutely worthless to worth
two billion dollars overnight. She had toiled hard for years on end, and
in the end, she had not even made as much as Dustin did in a single day.
His uncanny luck was infuriating, to say the least.
All of a sudden, Dustin’s phone rang. He
pulled it out to see that the call was from Florence. He paused and gave
it some thought before answering the call and putting it on speaker mode.

“Hey Dustin, where are you? There’s something I’d like to talk to you abo
ut.” An unbelievably kind

599

and gentle voice came through the speakers. Dahlia felt her skin crawl at
how cloyingly sweet her mother sounded. When has she ever been so soft–
spoken?

“We’re on the way back to the office, Florence. Is anything the matter? Y
ou can just tell me through the phone,” Dustin said.

Clearing her throat, Florence asked awkwardly, “Well, here’s the thing. I
’d like to buy back the abandoned construction site. Would that be
possible?”

“Why would you want to spend your money on something so worthless? You’ll
clearly be making a
loss. A hint of humor could be heard in Dustin’s tone.
“So be it. As your ex–mother–in–law, I cannot watch
you suffer the loss and do nothing about it.
Better me than you to take the loss.”

“It’s not a big deal for me. I’ve still got some disposable income. I’ll
survive.”

“That wouldn’t do! I’m a person who stands firm in and upholds my moral v
alues! I’ve been losing sleep over selling it to you at a high price. I f
eel like I’ve cheated you out of your money. I feel so bad for that, so I
have a mind to buy it back to atone for my mistake.”
“That really won’t be necessary. After all, you mortgaged your house
to get the money. If you lose that, you won’t even have a roof over your
head! That’d be terrible!”

chapter 594

“That’s alright, I can move into a smaller house. You, youngsters, are wa
y too stressed out these days. As an elder, it’s only right for me to hel
p you out however I can.”

“I’m not stressed out. Life is as breezy as it can get for me.”

Dustin and Florence bantered back and forth through the phone, neither of
them coming clean with the truth. Since Florence took him as an idiot, D
ustin gladly went along with the act and pretended to not know any better
.

It was Dahlia, however, who found the conversation unbearable. She now fu
lly believed what Dustin had told her. Her mother would not be so nice to
Dustin otherwise. What she said about atoning for her wrongdoings and re
lieving Dustin of his burdens was all bullshit!

Florence had been grinning from ear to ear when she managed to scam Dusti
n into buying that piece of land! Now that she knew she had made a loss b
y selling it, she chose to put on a righteous and upright facade to buy i
t back instead of being honest with Dustin. She was despicable and
greedy!

“Hey! Why are you so stubborn? I’m only doing this for your good, so hurr
y up and sell
me that piece of land!” As the conversation progressed, Florence began to
lose her patience. Had it not been for the money, she would never have w
asted so much effort coaxing him gently, and would immediately start shou
ting and cursing at him instead.

“Florence, why are you in such a hurry to purchase the abandoned construc
tion site?” Dustin pressed. This was Florence’s last chance to come clean
. If she told him
the truth, he would willingly let her have a share of the profit.

“Have I not made myself clear yet? I can’t bear to see you lose money! I’
d rather bear the burden myself!” Florence stubbornly refused to spill th
e truth.

“That’s enough, Mom!” Dahlia finally could take it no more. “Are you stil
l going to keep on cheating people out of their money?”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? When have I cheated others of their m
oney?” Florence raised
her voice.

“Dustin already knows the truth. That piece of land is worth at least two
billion dollars! You’ll never be able to buy it back at the original pri
ce!” Dahlia exclaimed.

“What?” All was quiet for a while before Florence said sheepishly, “Oh, s
o you already knew? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“Florence, I’ve
already reminded you repeatedly since a week ago! It was
you who refused to
believe me,” Dustin retorted calmly.

“Oh, look how forgetful I am. I think my age is catching up on me!” Flore
nce exclaimed regretfully. “Dustin, I was wrong. I’ll listen to all your
advice from now on. Can you please sell the piece of land to me?”

“Had you shown just the slightest bit of honesty earlier on and did not i
ntend to trick me out of my money, I’d have readily shared a part of what
I profited from it with you. But your actions have
7/2

truly disappointed me, so I will not be selling it to you,” Dustin told h
er truthfully.

“You’re not selling it?” Florence’s voice raised an octave when she heard
what Dustin said. “That belongs to me! What right have you got to not se
ll it to me?“

“The ownership of the land belongs to me. I can handle it however I pleas
e,” Dustin said matter–of-
factly.

“I don’t care! You better give me back what belongs to me, or I’ll make y
ou regret it!” Florence threatened menacingly. Just a few minutes ago, sh
e had spoken so gently and kindly, but now her
true colors showed
“Behaving like this won’t get you anything,” Dustin said.
“You–
you bastard! You vile, shameless scumbag! I’ll sue you! I’ll sue you for
swindling me of my money! You-
” Florence spewed a torrent of curses through the phone with no care in t
he world.
But she was cut off when Dahlia ended the call. How
aggravating! She was the
one who bore bad intentions, and she had the gall to berate Dustin? Utter
ly unreasonable! As Florence’s daughter,
Dahlia felt ashamed of her actions,

Chapter 595

James was happily engrossed in a game of Taxus Poker at an illegal casino
that evening. Beside him sat a young lady with short hair who was dresse
d in revealing attire. Judging from the casino

chips on the table, it looked like they had been winning a lot.

“I have a pair of Queens. Show your hand!” A man with a hooked nose who s
at opposite James
revealed his hand

“You dare challenge me with just à pair of Queens? Keep your eyes open, b
uddy. I’ve got Three of a Kind James grinned, flipping his cards over to
show a pair of sixes. Since there was a six in one

of the five community cards, they made a set of three sixes, also known a
s three of a kind.

The rules of Taxus Poker are simple. There were five community cards, and
each player was dealt two hole cards. These can then be combined in any
way to form the best five–card hand. The
highest–
ranking hand is a Royal Flush, followed by Four of a Kind, Full House, Fl
ush, Three of a
Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and finally, a High Card.

*James, you’ve won again! You’re amazing!” The lady with short hair cheer
ed excitedly, admiration evident in her eyes.

Hahaha! Well, luck isn’t the only factor in a game of Taxus Poker. It’s a
matter of skill too. I can

see through all his tricks! There’s no way I’d lose to him!” James bragge
d gleefully.

“I say, based on your chips, you’ve probably won at least a million dolla
rs, haven’t you, James?”
The young lady asked as her eyes shone brightly.

“More or less. Here, this is for you.” James pressed a chip worth 20 thou
sand dollars into her hand
with a chuckle.

“Thank you, James!” The young lady flashed him a radiant smile before pla
nting a kiss on his
cheek

“Come on, let’s go enjoy ourselves!” James reached out to hook an arm aro
und the lady’s neck. He was happy with how much he’d won and was ready to
leave to enjoy the rest of the night.

“You have a winning streak tonight, James. Why don’t you play some more w
hile you’re winning?

It’s a good opportunity for you to make some more money while Lady Luck i
s on your side!” The young lady did not seem to want to leave yet.

“Oi, rascal! Are you running off after winning just so little? What a los
er! Would you dare play another game with me?” The man with the hooked no
se who sat opposite James taunted.

“This is a golden opportunity, James. Think of all the money you can win
off of him. You shouldn’t miss the chance!” The young lady persuaded him
in a hushed whisper.

“You’ve got a point there.” James nodded and looked at the man with a smi
rk. “It looks like you enjoy losing money. I’ll see to it that you walk o
ut without a single cent today! Deal the cards!” With a wave of his hand,
another round commenced.
Half an hour later.

“Oops, a Straight. I think I’ve won again.” The man opposite James showed
his hand, revealing a set of Straight.

Change pok

“Damn it! I lost again!” Losing his temper, James threw the pair of Kings
in his hand on the table. With beads of sweat on his forehead and red, b
loodshot eyes, he looked irritated.
Just half
an hour ago, he had been basking in the joy of winning continuously, maki
ng himself more than a million dollars without breaking a sweat. But now,
it seemed as though Lady Luck had frowned on him, and he had lost everyt
hing that he had won earlier in the evening. What
terrible luck!

“Again!” Unwilling to accept defeat, James gestured for the dealer to sta
rt a new round.
“You’re out of chips, James.” The young lady reminded him.

“What?” James looked down at the table to see that he had indeed run out
of chips.

“Hahaha! Is that all you’ve got? What a cheapo!” The man with the hooked
nose ridiculed James, Get lost then if you haven’t got any more money. Qu
it making an embarrassment of yourself here!”
“The F*ck did
you just say?” James slammed his hands on the table as he bolted straight
up in his seat, fury written on his face.

“What? Did I say anything wrong? Don’t act like you’re a big shot if you
don’t have the money, loser! ” Then, with a contemptuous expression, he c
alled out to the young lady, “Hey, hot stuff, what are you doing with a l
oser like that? Why don’t you join me instead? I’ll make sure you have th
e best of
everything!”
“You-
!” James was so vexed that he ground his teeth together. But there was no
thing much he
could do.

“James, I heard that they allow players to borrow money from them here. D
o you want to give it a try?” The young lady asked.

“Let’s do it! I’ll win back everything I lost tonight!” James roared. He
could never look past the other man’s taunts. Especially not in front of
a woman he fancied.
“Sure. I’ll get it done immediately.” With a quick nod, the young
lady got up and left. Not long later, she came back with two million doll
ars worth of chips and a promissory note.

Chapter 596

Without even looking at what was typed out on the promissory note, James
proceeded to sign it and immediately joined the next round of the game. B
ut in less than 15 minutes, he lost all two billion dollars worth of chip
s again.

“We’re out of chips again, James‘ Should we borrow more? The young lady a
sked once again.

“Yes! Get as much as you can! James growled. At that moment, he had compl
etely lost control of his senses, his actions only driven by the relentle
ss desire to win back what he lost and make the man with the hooked nose
regret what he said.

Two hours later, James was drenched in sweat and panting uncontrollably,
his eyes were bloodshot. His expression was somewhat horrifying

“Sorry man, Three of a Kind and One Pair. That makes a Full House. You’ve
lost again. “The man opposite him showed his hand and smiled meanly.

“Go! Borrow some more! I refuse to believe that I’ll keep losing today! J
ames shouted.

“You’ve already lost too much, James. They refuse to lend you anymore,” T
he young lady answered

“They’re not lending me anymore? Why not? Do they think that I can’t affo
rd to pay them back? I’ll have you know that my sister is the
chairperson of Nicholson Corp.! She has assets worth over a hundred billi
on dollars! James declared proudly,

“Hey, buddy, my boss would like to speak with you.” Out of nowhere, a cal
loused hand rested on
James‘ shoulder from behind.
“Who the hell is touching me? James whipped
around immediately. Just as he was about to start acting aggressively, he
froze. Behind him stood several insanely buff men who were wearing suits
and looked like they were henchmen, staring at him.
“What do you want?” James put on a calm facade.

“You borrowed quite a huge sum of money throughout the night. My boss wou
ld like to talk to you about your payment. Come with us.” As the leader o
f the group of henchmen spoke, he inconspicuously flashed the gun fastene
d to his belt. James‘ eyes widened. As he dared not go against their wish
es, he had no choice but to follow them upstairs to the VIP room

Over in the VIP room, there was a paunchy man with a cigar perched on his
lips and one ankle resting lazily over a knee.

“He’s here, Mr. Doyle.” Two henchmen pushed James into the room and locke
d the door from outside. James gulped dryly when he
saw the room full of menacing and fierce henchmen. His anxiety was unconc
ealable.

“Do you know who I am?” The paunchy man asked before taking a long swig o
f his cigar and slowly exhaling, releasing a puff of smoke.
“You look very familiar, Sir. Have we met? James asked cautiously.
“I’m Doyle. Duncan Doyle,” The man said.

“Duncan Doyle? From the prestigious Doyle family?” James was astonished.

“It’s good that you know me. Now, let’s talk about my money. So, you borr
owed a total of 38 million dollars tonight. How are you going to pay it b
ack?” As Duncan spoke, he slapped a thick stack of promissory
notes on the table. Every piece of it had James‘ signature on it.

“38 million? That much?” James could not believe his ears and quickly fli
pped through the notes to check. By then, he was already thoroughly drenc
hed in sweat. “M–
Mr. Doyle, these notes prove that I’ve only borrowed 30 million. Where di
d the extra 8 million come from?” James asked
miserably.

“Why would I be lending out money if not for the interest?” Duncan asked
frostily.
“B–but isn’t the interest too high?” James asked warily.

“Cut the crap! You either pay me what you owe or I’ll chop your limbs off
!” Duncan glared at him.
“N–
no, don’t! I’ll pay!” James was flustered by the situation he was in. “Ca
n you please give me a few more days to pay up, Mr. Doyle? I promise I’ll
pay you in full.”

“No! You are to pay me tonight. Where am I going to find you if you escap
e?” Duncan demanded.

“But how am I supposed to produce this much money in one night?” James co
wered in fear.

“Didn’t you say that your sister is the chairperson of Nicholson Corp.? S
everal million dollars are
considered peanuts to her!” Duncan smirked sinisterly.

“What?” James froze up for a while before he continued sheepishly, “Mr. D
oyle, knowing my
sister, she will most likely refuse to pay my debts.

She usually helped him out of most of the trouble he got himself into, bu
t
once they had anything to do with gambling or drugs, it was the end of th
e discussion.
“Don’t worry. I’ll help you.” Duncan smiled venomously.

“Help me? How will you help me?” James was taken aback by Duncan’s offer
to help. But Duncan did not give him a straightforward reply. Instead, he
simply gestured to his henchmen and took an axe that they handed him. As
James watched on with terror in his eyes, Duncan swung the axe
down in the direction of his wrist.

Chapter 597
In the president’s office at Nicholson Corp, Dahlia took a sip of
coffee and continued immersing. herself in work. Although Hank didn’t sho
w it, he was facing all sorts of obstacles in private. He pushed every ma
tter to her, regardless of whether it was big or small, which caused her
to be so busy that she had to work overtime every day till midnight.

“Ms. Nicholson….” Right then, a young female assistant knocked on the doo
r all of a sudden.

“What is it?” Dahlia looked up at her. Because Julie wasn’t a very reliab
le secretary, she hired another assistant, Kelly Porch, to share the work
load.
“Ms. Nicholson, someone sent you a
parcel and asked me to pass it to you directly. The person mentioned that
it’s a surprise,” Kelly said, holding a gift box.

“Okay, put it on the desk.” Dahlia nodded, then a thought struck her. “Ke
lly, it’s getting late. You
should head home first. You don’t have to wait for me.”
“Okay, Ms. Nicholson.” Kelly turned around and left.

Dahlia rubbed her eyes and finally finished her work. She turned her gaze
to the gift box and decided
to open it. However, the moment she opened it, she was so frightened
that her face went deathly pale. What lay inside the gift box was a blood
y hand! It was very obvious that the hand had just been cut
off not long ago because the blood had not clotted yet. It was a very sho
cking sight.

While she was still in shock, her phone suddenly rang. When she answered
it, she immediately heard Duncan’s voice. “Ms. Nicholson, you must have a
lready received my gift.”
“Who are you?” Dahlia’s expression went cold.

“Who I am is not important. What’s important is that your brother owes me
38 million dollars, and you have to repay his debt,” Duncan said plainly
.
“Why should I believe you?” Dahlia frowned.
“You don’t believe me? Then listen for yourself.” Duncan said.

“Dahlia! Save me! Hurry up and save me! They cut my hand off!” James shou
ted, his voice full of fear and misery.

“James! What’s going on? Why would you owe someone money?” Dahlia hurried
ly demanded.

“Dahlia! This isn’t the time to ask these questions. Hurry up and come he
re with the money, or I’m going to die!” James sobbed over the phone.

“Ms. Nicholson, did you hear that? Bring me the money in exchange for him
. Otherwise, I don’t know what other extreme things I’ll do to your broth
er.” Duncan threatened.

“Don’t do anything! You just want money, don’t you? I’ll give it to you!”
said Dahlia in panic.
“Okay, then
I’ll be awaiting your grand arrival,” Duncan said with a laugh.

After hanging up, Dahlia dared not waste another second and, without hesi
tation, immediately rushed to the casino. She couldn’t just sit around an
d do nothing when her brother was in danger. While driving, she called Du
stin, but he didn’t pick up. She had no choice but to send him a text

along with the address

20 minutes later, Dahlia arrived at the underground casino. After she tol
d someone her name, at gangster led her
to a VIP room on the second floor. A bunch of violent–looking
gangsters were standing around inside the room.

James was kneeling on the floor and trembling, his face streaked with tea
rs and snot. Someone. had simply bandaged the stub of his arm where his h
and should be, temporarily stopping the bleeding “Sis‘ You’re finally her
e!” When James saw Dahlia walk in, he immediately
wept tears of joy as if he saw his savior

“How dare you! Who taught you to gamble?” Dahlia slapped James across the
face. She knew that her brother liked to gamble. She had always warned h
im against it in all sorts of ways and had even given him a beating befor
e. She had thought that he would have changed his ways, but who would hav
e thought that he would get himself into more serious trouble now.

“Ms. Nicholson, I won’t meddle with you disciplining your brother, but yo
u must give me the money first,” Duncan said with a cigar between his lip
s.

“It’s you?” The moment Dahlia saw him, she immediately remembered somethi
ng. She quickly realized that she had
seen Duncan before. Previously, when she was eating at a restaurant, he h
ad led a gang of people to look for trouble with Dustin but had gotten be
aten up instead.

“That’s right. It’s me. Now, can you give me the money?” Duncan said with
a mirthless smile.

“This is a bank check for 38 million dollars, not a penny less.” Dahlia p
laced a check on the table.

“I don’t want a check. I want the payment in cash,” Duncan said with a sh
ake of his head.

Chapter 598

“Cash?” Dahlia frowned and said, “Where will I get so much cash at such
short notice?

“That’s for you to figure out. We only accept cash here,” Duncan said cas
ually.

“You’re just making things difficult for me on purpose!” Dahlia’s express
ion was icy. She would probably need a truck to transport 38 million doll
ars worth of cash.
“Ms. Nicholson, mind your words, Does your brother still want to keep
his other hand?” Duncan swept his gaze toward James.

“You!” Dahlia gritted her teeth and managed to control herself. “Can you
give me two days? I’ll bring you the cash as fast as I can.”

“I wouldn’t say no, but you have to have a few drinks with me first.” Dun
can stood up slowly and took two glasses out from the drinks cabinet. He
filled them with whisky and handed one to Dahlia. “Drink this, and I’ll c
onsider giving you two days.”

“What?” Looking at the glass full of whisky, Dahlia couldn’t help but fro
wn slightly. Duncan obviously didn’t have good intentions. She didn’t kno
w if she could still leave that place after she
drank it.

“You refuse? Then you’re just disrespecting me.” Duncan’s smile disappear
ed slowly as he said, It’s only right for one to repay their debt if they
owe money. If they can’t, then I have no choice but to cut their limbs o
ff. Guys, chop James‘ other hand off!”

“Yes, sir!” Two gangsters laughed evilly and immediately pressed James ag
ainst the floor.

“No! Don’t chop my hand off!” James was scared out of his wits as he begg
ed for mercy. “Dahlia! Save me! Save me, quick! I’m your brother! I don’t
want to become handicapped. I’m begging you. Hurry up and drink the whis
ky!”
“Chop it off!” Duncan shouted.

“Wait!” Just as the ax was about to strike, Dahlia shouted hastily, “I’ll
drink!”
“Haha, that’s more like it … Drink up,” Duncan said with a sly smile.

Dahlia took a deep breath, picked up the glass, and downed the whiskey in
one go. Even though. she knew that something was wrong with it, she had
no choice but to drink it because her brother’s life was in Duncan’s hand
s. Now, she could only pray that she would hold up.

“Nice! You really are an impressive woman. Come on, let’s have another dr
ink!” Duncan filled her glass again. Dahlia frowned deeply, and she hesit
ated for a moment. But she still finished the glass of whisky. After down
ing two glasses, she felt lightheaded quickly and felt herself burning

up.

“Shit!” Dahlia thought. Knowing something was off, she tried to fight the
feeling and force herself out the door. However, before
she could take more than two steps, her vision went black, and she
fainted on the floor.

“Hehe… I’ll see how you try to run away from me,” Duncan said while strok
ing his chin, his expression perverted.

Chappe SNE

“Mr. Doyle, wasn’t our deal just about money? How could you break your pr
omise?” As he

witnessed his sister get drugged, James immediately panicked. Even a fool
would know what was going to happen next.

“What’s the matter? You want to avenge your sister?” Duncan laughed wicke
dly. “Sure, if you chop off your other hand, then I’ll let your sister go
. How does that sound?”

“I.. James‘ expression stiffened, and he immediately hung his head. His g
aze flitted around as he dared not look at Dahlia, who was lying out cold
on the floor.
“A coward, just as I thought. Get lost!” Duncan shouted, and
he kicked James to the floor.

“Okay, okay, okay. I’ll get lost right away.” James looked as if he had j
ust been spared a gruesome death. He dared not hesitate and scrambled out
of the room instantly. His pathetic behavior made the whole gang laugh l
oudly.

“Okay, you guys get out too. Don’t disturb me.” Duncan waved his hand and
dismissed his lackeys from the room. Then,
a thought struck him, and he fished out Dahlia’s phone. He called Dustin
and said, “Hey, Rhys! Do you know who I am? That’s right, it’s me, Duncan
Doyle! Your woman is in my bed right now. I’ll show her a good time toni
ght.”

The moment he finished speaking, a loud bang sounded as someone kicked th
e door open. Then, a figure with a cold expression came into sight. “You’
ll show who a good time?”

Chapter 599
Dustin stepped through the door, his gaze terrifyingly cold.

From the moment he saw Dahlia’s text, he knew something was wrong, so he
rushed here as fast as he.could

“W–what are you doing here?!” Duncan’s eyes widened, and he
staggered backward in fear.

“Didn’t you call me to ask me to come over? Well, now I’m here. What are
you going to do?” Dustin began approaching him.
“Someone, come quick!” Duncan screamed.

However, strangely enough, no one outside responded. It was as though tho
se men stationed outside had disappeared into thin air.
“Where the F*ck are you all? Hello?!” Duncan continued hollering
But no matter how much he yelled, there was no response.

“I warned you before not to cross me again. Or else, you’ll die a miserab
le death. What, did you think I was bullshitting you?” Dustin was getting
closer and closer.
“Rhys, you’re on my territory. I’m warning you to
not come any closer, or you won’t step out of this place ever again!” Dun
can shouted, putting on a fierce front.
“Tell me, how do you want to die?” Dustin asked coldly.
“Take another step, and I’ll blow your brains
out!” At that moment, Duncan suddenly took a gun from the drawer and poin
ted it right at Dustin’s head. Now that Duncan had a weapon with him, he
believed that he had the upper hand.

“Really? You can try.” Dustin continued to approach Duncan without a hint
of fear.

“You’re F*cking asking for it!” Duncan pulled the trigger without a secon
d thought.

“Bang!” There was the sound of a shot being fired. Yet, Dustin was still
standing in the same spot and did not move a single inch.
He was completely unharmed from head to toe.
“I missed?” Duncan frowned. He pulled the trigger two more
times. Yet, it was the same as before. However, Dustin still looked unruf
fled and unhurt in the slightest.

“F*ck, I refuse to believe that I can’t kill you!” Duncan clenched his ja
w and began to shoot madly until there were no more bullets left.

“Bang, bang, bang!” After a series of gunshots, Dustin was still standing
in the same spot. His body was uninjured; heck, even his clothes weren’t
damaged.

“Is this guy a ghost?” Duncan was so scared that cold sweat began to pour
from his temples.

At this distance, there was no way Duncan would miss, even if he closed h
is eyes. Yet, he’d fired over a dozen bullets, but he didn’t so much as l
eave a scratch on Dustin. It was absolutely insane.

“Were you trying to kill me with these things?” Dustin slowly opened his
fist to reveal a handful of

misshapen bullets in his palm.
“H–
how did you do that?” Duncan’s expression turned into one of horror.
Could it be that
his opponent had caught all the bullets that he’d shot earlier with his b
are hand? Was he even F*cking human?!

“Do you want to know? I’ll tell you once you’re dead With that, Dustin ki
cked Duncan in the
stomach

Duncan flew backward like a bullet leaving the barrel. He slammed into th
e wall harshly, leaving a spider crack on the wall. Blood spurted from hi
s nose and mouth on impact.
“1-
1 am a member of the Doyle family, one of the fabulous five! If you dare
lay a hand on me, my family will never forgive you!” Duncan threatened, h
is face twisting into a ferocious snarl.

Dustin hummed before giving him another kick in the chest. There was the
sound of bones cracking, and Duncan once again coughed up a mouthful of b
lood. His entire rib cage collapsed on
itself.
“D–
don’t kill me! I’m begging you not to kill me! I know I was wrong! I’ll n
ever do it again! I swear, I won’t annoy you ever again!” Duncan begged i
n between fits of coughing up blood.
This time, he was truly afraid.

“Any last words?” Dustin slowly raised his foot. This time, he lifted it
right over Duncan’s head.

“Wait! Someone intentionally wanted to make you suffer today. It has noth
ing to do with me. I’m just the runner!”
“Who was it?” Dustin asked coolly.

Chapter 600

“If you promise not to kill me, I’ll tell you the truth.” Duncan said, at
tempting to negotiate terms.

“No thanks. You can just go die.” As
soon as Dustin finished speaking, he stomped his foot hard on Duncan’s he
ad

“No-
” Duncan tried to wail before his head exploded into pieces. And just lik
e that, he was dead.
“Mr Rhys, the people outside have been taken care of ”

At that moment, two masked martial artists dressed in black garments walk
ed in. They were elite. shadow guards.

“Excellent. Clean this place up, and send the body straight to the Doyle
home,” Dustin ordered.
The two exchanged glances, but in the end, they still nodded. “Yes.”

Dustin said nothing more. He carried the unconscious Dahlia and briskly w
alked out of the
underground casino.

The moment he stepped out the doors, he noticed a suspicious figure lurki
ng in a corner. It was none other than James, who had managed to escape e
arlier.
“Come out!” Dustin threw a glance over his shoulder.

“Oh, it’s just you. You scared me.” James couldn’t help but let out a bre
ath of relief when he saw

Dustin’s face. At the same time, he began to criticize him. “Hey, Rhys, w
hy didn’t you come earlier? Don’t you know how much danger my sister was
in just now? Also, if you weren’t so slow

to come to the rescue, my hand wouldn’t have been chopped off. How are yo
u going to compensate

me? I’m telling you, without at least eighteen million dollars, I won’t-”

Before he could finish his sentence, Dustin had already raised his hand a
nd slapped him hard
across the face.

James stumbled backward from the impact, almost falling over. His cheek b
egan to swell rapidly.
“Are–
are you crazy? What did you hit me for?!” James cupped his stinging cheek
, his entire body
radiating shock and fury.
“That was for your insolent remarks!”

With a cold face, Dustin raised his hand and gave him another slap. “This
one is for your lack of
repentance!”
Slap! “This one is for your cowardice!”
Slap! “And this one is for throwing Dahlia under the bus!”

Each slap made a loud ringing sound as it landed on James‘ face. He was s
macked so hard that his head began to spin, and blood began to drip from
his nose and mouth.
His face was so swollen that he now looked like a pig.
“Stop!” Suddenly, an SUV pulled over to the side of the
road, and Florence immediately jumped off the car and dashed over.
Chank Sp

“Mom, you’re finally here!” When James saw his mother, he immediately ran
into her arms, crying. He wailed. “That bastard Dustin is crazy! Look at
what he did to my face!”
“Rhys, why did you hit my son?!” Florence flew into a rage.
“Why don’t you ask him what he did?” Dustin shouted back.

“No matter what, you can’t hit my son!” Florence screamed, glaring at Dus
tin.

“That’s right! Hitting people is wrong! Not to mention, why did you have
to beat him so terribly?”
Julie added.

“Terribly? He should be grateful that I didn’t slaughter him!” Dustin roa
red with a frigid look.

If James hadn’t gotten into trouble in the first place, Dahlia wouldn’t h
ave gotten dragged down.
with him.

Even more despicably, that bastard had abandoned his sister and ran for h
is life alone!

“James, what in the world happened? Tell me everything, and I’ll make sur
e to do right by you!”
Florence demanded, her face darkening.

“Mom, this is all because of Dustin!” James pointed his finger at Dustin,
gettin

 

g his side of the story out first. “He colluded with the owner of
the casino to punish me and put me in a crushing gambling debt. Then, he
even lied to Dahlia to get her here, drugged her, and was going to do som
ething to her. I couldn’t bear to watch her get hurt, so I risked my safe
ty and tried to stop him. Humiliated, that asshole blew his top and beat
me into a pulp. Look at my face–look at what he
did to me!”

As soon as James finished speaking, Dustin’s face instantly turned stormy

Chapter List