***THREE HOURS EARLIERAfter El Boba let George go, he jumped into his Bugatti and sped off like he was being chased. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that the veins on the back of his palms bulged.His swollen face burned with pain. Every bump on the road made him wince."Damn it!" he roared, slamming his fist against the steering wheel."How did this happen to me?"His breathing became heavier as the humiliating scene at the jewelry store replayed itself inside his mind.He saw himself kneeling before El Boba. He remembered begging like a coward. He remembered licking El Boba's shoes while dozens of people watched.His face twisted in anger."No... This can't be real. I am George Anderson. The heir of the Anderson family. And I knelt before an underground thug and licked his shoes like a dog!"He punched the steering wheel again.“And I practically begged Johnson on my knees. That pauper!” His teeth ground together. “I can’t believe I have knelt before that street ra

Johnson slowly opened his eyes. Everything around him looked blurry. He blinked several times, trying to clear his vision. A sharp pain immediately shot through his head. "Ugh..." He groaned softly. His entire body ached terribly. Every muscle felt sore. Even breathing deeply caused pain around his ribs. Johnson slowly turned his head from one side to another. He noticed several medical personnel moving around the room without stopping. Some were arranging medical equipment. Others were checking monitors and preparing medicine. As his vision gradually became clear, he finally recognized the luxurious room. A faint smile appeared on his lips. "So... I'm back at the McArthur Mansion." He whispered weakly. He continued looking around. His eyes suddenly landed on a familiar figure. Samuel Briggs was pacing back and forth across the room. The usually calm and composed emissary looked nothing like himself. His face was pale. His forehead was covered with worry. His hands were fol

Johnson kept looking at the files spread across the table. His eyes moved from one proposal to another until they stopped on the file labeled Clifford Group.A faint smile slowly appeared on his face."The world is really a small egg," he murmured to himself. Bethany sent thugs after me, and now her company is sitting on my table, asking for my approval."He leaned back on the sofa and chuckled quietly."Life is indeed full of surprises."For a few moments, he remained lost in thought. Then his stomach suddenly growled.Johnson placed a hand on his stomach and smiled."I almost forgot I haven't eaten."He picked up his phone to check the time. It was already a few minutes past twelve noon.Just as he was about to place the phone back on the table, it began to ring. He looked at the screen.The caller's name made a small smile appear on his face.It was Emily; his crush back in the university. The same Emily he had met at the restaurant a few weeks back with Brian and Vanessa.Johnson

The sharp female voice coming from behind made both Johnson and Emily turn around immediately.Johnson frowned when he saw who it was. It was Bethany.She was standing beside George Anderson, both dressed elegantly as though they had stepped out of a fashion magazine. Bethany's expensive handbag rested on her shoulder while George wore a proud smile that never seemed to leave his face.It seemed a good cosmetic doctor had done an incredible job to make his face return to normal.Johnson glared at Bethany for a few seconds. This was the first time he was seeing her after she sent thugs to beat him up.Seeing her, he regretted why he had not told Samuel Briggs and Ava that she was the one who had sent the thugs after him. If he had did, she would not be standing here today.The moment Bethany saw Johnson sitting with Emily, she pointed at them and laughed."George, look over there."George followed the direction of her finger. His eyes rested on Emily before a smile slowly appeared on h

Everyone inside the restaurant turned toward the direction of the voice. For a moment, nobody spoke. Their eyes slowly settled on Johnson.A strange silence filled the restaurant. Several customers blinked in disbelief.One man asked incredulously, "Did that poor fellow just say Clifford Group will not get the contract?"Even George stared at Johnson for several seconds. He frowned like he was looking at an annoyed crazy man.He rubbed his ears dramatically then looked at Johnson again,"Wait. Did I hear you correctly?" He narrowed his eyes. "What did you say?"Johnson repeated himself without hesitation, his voice even calmer than before. "I said Clifford Group will not get the contract with McArthur Conglomerate"The restaurant became silent once again.Bethany looked at Johnson as though he had gone completely mad. If anyone in this restaurant knew Johnson well, it was she.How dare a lowlife like Johnson say something he knew nothing about so confidently?George on the other hand