Just as Hudson was about to respond, he turned his head and looked at Ivory instead.“What do you think?”“Huh?” Ivory froze, completely thrown off. “I… I…”She had no idea what to say. The Sandoval family was offering the deal to Hudson, yet he was asking her to decide. Should she agree? Should she refuse? What answer did he expect from her?Vicente hadn’t seen that coming either. After a stunned pause, he looked at Ivory with nervous anticipation, silently begging her to say yes.Caught between hesitation and pressure, Ivory met Hudson’s eyes, just one look, and she understood. He was giving her the favor, letting her be the one who made the Sandoval family indebted.So she nodded with a small smile. “Let’s do it.”Vicente nearly sagged with relief. He clenched his fists in excitement. “Then… starting today, Mr. Brown will be the Honorary Protector of the Sandoval family, correct?”Hudson gave a simple “Mm.”Before Vicente could say more, Hudson stood and added, “I still have things

The man standing across the room was none other than Enzo.It had been a while since Hudson last saw him, and he almost didn’t recognize the guy. Back then, Enzo was sharp, confident, and full of energy, a young man who carried himself like someone born to succeed. He had that effortless charisma that drew people in the moment he walked through a door.But now? He looked like a shell of his former self. His skin was pale, his eyes empty, and his entire presence seemed to fade into the background. Standing among the crowd in the Huntington Hills manor, he looked no different from an average man, ordinary and unremarkable.When Enzo noticed Hudson looking his way, panic flickered in his eyes. He quickly lowered his head, his fists tightening so hard that his nails dug into his palms.A lot had gone wrong for Enzo, and for the entire Miller family, these past few months. He’d been through hell, both physically and mentally. More than once, the thought of ending it all had crossed his min

For people who were too proud to admit their mistakes, Hudson always preferred letting the truth speak for itself. Alvin had already been a perfect example earlier, if you weren’t convinced, then you would be convinced.Before Arthur could say anything else, Hudson turned to Kino, who had been quietly watching from the side. “Do you have any alcohol here?” he asked. “The stronger, the better.”“Yes, Mr. Brown. Just a moment,” Kino answered quickly, sending someone to retrieve it.Soon, one of his workers returned with a bottle of premium high-proof liquor, something that cost thousands on the California market.Hudson rolled the medicinal plant between his fingers and said, “Everyone seems convinced this is Nine Serpent Goldroot. If that’s the case, then you should all know that the real thing reacts with alcohol. Just like iodine with starch, it turns blue. It’s a common way to check the authenticity and quality of this herb.”Several people nodded. Using liquor as a test was indeed

Arthur’s cold, dismissive tone made Enzo clench his teeth without meaning to. If I could go to him, do you think I’d still be here begging you? he cursed silently.Even though frustration burned inside him, he could clearly see the anger boiling on Arthur’s face. The old man had just been humiliated by Hudson back in the hall, of course he hated him now.That thought sparked an idea.Enzo knew he had no chance of dealing with Hudson himself. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t use someone else to do it for him. If he could provoke Arthur enough, maybe the old man would turn his anger toward Hudson. Let them tear each other apart.Once that plan settled in his mind, Enzo instantly softened his expression.“Master Arthur,” he said with a flattering smile, “I honestly think that kid’s medical skills aren’t even close to yours. Real medicine is about hands-on experience, not big talk. I still trust your abilities more than anyone else.”Arthur paused, pulling his gaze away from Hudson and g

Seeing that Hudson still wasn’t saying anything, Kino grew even more anxious. His nerves were stretched tight, and he couldn’t stop himself from glancing at Dr. Wensley.Dr. Wensley could only shake his head helplessly. He also had no idea what Hudson was doing now.His mind was still spinning from everything he'd seen earlier. He already knew Hudson was unbelievably skilled in medicine, but he never expected him to also be deeply knowledgeable in feng shui. And not just basic feng shui, this was the kind of mastery people spent their entire lives failing to achieve.Even though Dr. Wensley had never studied feng shui deeply, he knew enough to understand how complicated and mysterious it was. You could master basic medical skills within a few years, but feng shui? Some people couldn’t even get started at ten.Yet Hudson, still so young, was standing here casually pointing out a feng shui trap that experts failed to notice for twenty years. And he didn’t just see it; he explained how i