Mrs. Otis wasn’t done yet. Huffing with self-importance, she pulled out her phone from her glittery clutch and jabbed at the screen with one finger. “I’m calling Delores. She needs to know where her former son-in-law is slithering around these days. Afterall she also needs to be cautious, as you never had anything to lose in the society, but she does and there is no chance I would let you ruin her reputation like this, just because she recognised your truth and kicked you out of her mansion.”Nathan paused, one brow raised, but said nothing as she continued her tirade.“Hello? Delores, darling! You won’t believe who I just ran into—no, no, not at the country club, at a jewelry boutique, if you can believe it! That boy—what was his name—Nathan! Yes, that Nathan. The one who used to follow your daughter around like a lost dog. Yeah yeah, the one who was worse than a housekeeper and was no better than a freeloader.”She chuckled nastily. “He is here, dressed like some billionaire, prete

The sharp crack of the CEO’s slap echoed through the opulent jewelry showroom, silencing every whisper and footstep, approaching in Nathan’s direction.The manager’s head jerked sideways, his eyes widened with disbelief, one hand instinctively flying to his reddening cheek, as he started to rub it in circles, trying to soothe the burning sensation..Mrs. Otis gasped, clearly stunned. She stepped forward in outrage, her bracelets jingling as she raised her voice. “Why on earth are you slapping such a capable employee? He was protecting your merchandise! You should be rewarding him!Do you even know how difficult it is to differentiate between a genuine customer and a thief, especially when thieves like him who comes all prepared with the money of the people who had mercy on them on past, using it and dressed in cloud nine, they enter in the store that they are capable to fool everyone, if not me, the poor manager didn't have the clue about it, as your idiot salesperson was showing him t

Nathan’s jaw clenched as Lucas yanked at his collar, his voice rising above the hum of the party. “You think you can walk in here, ruin my gift, and just dance around like an idiot, pretending nothing happened? That was a hundred thousand dollars, you parasite! Do you even know how many zeros it comes with? I bet you don't, you bloody leech!”The crowd began to gather, curious heads turning as Lucas's shrill voice echoed near the lakeside venue adorned with archways of fresh flowers and strings of soft, golden fairy lights. Balloons shimmered in the moonlight, bobbing gently with the evening breeze. Laughter and clinking glasses fell silent as the confrontation intensified.“I said pay me back,” Lucas hissed, tightening his grip. “Or I’ll beat you until your teeth rattle—”Nathan had enough. Without warning, he gripped Lucas's wrists, twisted them off his collar with swift precision, and pushed him hard. Lucas was completely unprepared for this attack as he had never imagined Nathan

Ethan stood frozen, while the murmurs of the people around him sounded distant to his ears. He stared at Nathan, still trying to figure him out, but Nathan’s calm expression only irritated him further. The consequences were real, and the damage couldn't be reversed now. Nathan Cole had just bought shares of CrossTech right in front of his face. And that too, without needing any boardroom speeches or backdoor deals! He had defeated him casually, in the middle of a party and with a smirk on his face. His throat tightened, but his face was burning with humiliation and anger. He clenched his jaw and turned around without a word.Nobody even thought to stop him as he stormed towards the gates, ignoring the luxurious surroundings. Ethan pushed open the front doors and marched toward his car. The valet barely had time to get the keys out before Ethan snatched them away and yanked open the driver’s side door.He slammed it shut so hard the sound echoed across the driveway, turning heads

The deafening slap echoed louder than the final bid. But it wasn’t Sophia who had raised her hand at Lucas. It was Mr. Reed.Almost twenty minutes earlier, he had been in a meeting at the office, trying to secure a new foreign investor before they heard about the scandal their company was involved in. The negotiations weren't going very well, and on top of that, Mr. Reed’s mood was spoiled even more when his secretary burst in, pale-faced and panicked, trying to inform him of his son’s bidding war against Nathan. Without another word, Mr. Reed had stormed out, coat trailing behind him like a dark cloud of rage.Now, he stood in the auction hall, towering over his son. His eyes were blazing, and his hand still hung in the air from the heavy-handed blow he’d just delivered across Lucas’s cheek.“Completely useless!” Mr. Reed roared. “You are a waste of time and a disgrace to this family! I don't know where I went wrong in raising you.”Lucas sat frozen, cheek burning, unable to look