*****At this moment, the man who had brought his cell phone earlier to check the Social Media was staring down at it with such intensity that his eyes looked ready to pop out of his skull.His mouth hung slightly open, his expression hovering somewhere between awe, terror, and the spiritual awakening of someone who had just realized his lottery ticket matched every number.It genuinely looked as though he had just seen a pig sprout wings and file for airport clearance.Instinctively, everyone guessed whatever he had discovered had to be connected to the chaos unfolding around them.Yet none of the people outside… the defectors, Sarah’s colleagues, or even Sarah herself, had the audacity to ask. After all, they had just finished stomping on Sky Group’s dignity like it was a welcome mat.Asking one of them a question now would require a level of shamelessness even they couldn’t quite reach.Fortunately…“Brother Jake,” one of the other loyal employees called, her voice tight wi

*****On the western side of Riverton City stood an estate whose territory stretched so vast that it resembled a miniature kingdom rather than a residential compound.It featured a range of elegant architectural designs, meticulously maintained landscapes, private lakes, and security systems so advanced that they rivaled military installations, all clearly marking its boundaries.This was Greystone Family’s estate, one of the five five-rank families of Riverton City… a power whose influence could tilt the city and reshape political alliances.Yet at this moment…The atmosphere inside the estate was suffocating, heavy, and oppressive.It felt as though the air itself carried weight, pressing down on every chest, making even breathing an effort.Servants walked quietly, their footsteps cautious, sensing the tension like animals before a storm.Inside the largest hall…On the elevated platform, seated facing the front was the elderly Patriarch.At this moment, the man who had r

*****Most faces in the hall remained confused, some stunned, and only a handful showed dawning comprehension.And seeing them, a flicker of disappointment crossed the elder’s expression, but still, he continued.“Fine,” he said, raising one hand slightly. “Let us assume that was some elaborate scheme none of us has uncovered yet.”His tone shifted, sounding sharper now.“What about the Blackwoods?”That single question detonated in the hall.Brows jumped, eyes widened, and murmurs almost started…But he cut them off before anyone could speak.“At least,” he continued, “everyone knows the Harrison Family has historical dealings with Sky Group. So as shocking as their decision was… it wasn’t completely unimaginable.”He paused again, and this time…The silence felt heavier.“But…” he said quietly, almost every breath in the hall becoming strained.“Why would a first-rank family… one of the five strongest, most powerful, and most influential families in Riverton City, not o

*****Every gaze instantly snapped toward Dominic like arrows upon the Patriarch’s words, while Dominic himself jolted violently, appearing as if struck.He looked up at his father, shock and disbelief flooding his features, but before he could utter a single word…“You will not only abort that mission,” the Patriarch continued, his voice firm now, leaving absolutely no room for argument, “but you will also publicly apologize.”The statement alone was shocking enough, but the Patriarch wasn’t finished.“And added to that,” he added, almost casually, “you shall convert your organization into a security force and present it to her as compensation.”Silence.For several seconds that seemed to stretch into eternity, Dominic just stared at his father as if the man had suddenly begun speaking an alien language, time itself seeming frozen.‘Stop my revenge?’‘Publicly apologize?’‘Convert my cartel into a security force?’‘Hand it over to her?’Different questions echoed in his m

*****It wasn’t only the Greystone family who decided to curry Grace’s favor right now.In another grand estate across the city, the fifth first-rank family had also convened an urgent meeting; their elders, heirs, and patriarch gathered around a polished table.But here, voices overlapped each other, unlike the Greystone estate, speculation collided with theories, and more than one elder nearly argued themselves hoarse trying to deduce the Harrison and Blackwood families’ sudden action.But unfortunately for them, time was a luxury they didn’t possess, and opportunity, in their world, was like a startled deer… hesitate for even a moment, and it vanished forever.And so, likewise abandoning their pride, logic, and even basic investigative diligence, they ultimately reached the same conclusion as the Greystone’s patriarch: curry Grace’s favor first and figure out the reason later.To them, survival mattered more than pride, and preserving their name mattered more than understandi