"Capital Grand Manor?"The words hung in the air like a lead balloon. For a moment, the room was silent, stunned by the sheer audacity of the claim. Then, the silence shattered."Are you insane?" Sophie Sutton shrieked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Do you even know what you are saying? Capital Grand Manor belongs to the War God, Tyler Jennings! It's the most exclusive property in the entire province, worth over thirty billion dollars!""The cheapest villa on Moonview Mountain costs three hundred million," Eugene Sutton scoffed, shaking his head in disgust. "And the Manor at the peak? That's priceless. Do you think these properties are cabbages you can just pick up at the market?"The relatives looked at Jack Brooks as if he were a lunatic. It was one thing to be a thief; it was another to be a delusional liar. To claim ownership of the War God's estate? That was a lie so big it was insulting to their intelligence.Winter Lacy let out a short, cold sigh. Sh

"Open a company?"The words hung in the air for a second, then shattered under the weight of scornful laughter."Ha! He's blowing smoke again! It never ends with this guy!" Sophie Sutton clutched her stomach, laughing so hard she nearly doubled over. She turned to her father, Eugene Sutton, tears of mirth in her eyes."Dad, I can't take it anymore. Let's go. Listening to him spout nonsense is lowering my IQ."Eugene Sutton nodded, wiping a tear from his eye. He looked at his brother, George Sutton, with a mix of pity and warning."Second Brother, I don't care how your son-in-law wants to humiliate himself. But remember my words: if he damages the interests of the Sutton Family one more time, I will petition the Old Master to strip Tia of her CEO position and cut off your branch's dividends!"Eugene sneered at Jack. "Hmph! Opening a pharmaceutical company? If a convict like him can afford to open a company, then I'm the richest man in the world! Keep dre

The atmosphere on the street seemed to curdle, thick with a tension that made the air difficult to breathe. Harry Lewis stood frozen, his eyes wide and unblinking, fixed on the scene unfolding before him with a kind of paralyzed horror. It was a tableau that defied every law of physics and society he had ever bothered to learn. The cognitive dissonance was so violent it felt as though a sledgehammer had been taken to the foundation of his worldview."Mr. Zane... President Zane..." Harry Lewis stammered, the words tumbling out as a breathless whisper, barely audible over the rush of blood in his ears.He watched, his mind reeling, as the titan of Northriver finance, a man who could bankrupt companies with a signature and shift the city's economy with a frown, bent his spine. It wasn't a polite nod. It wasn't a courteous bow. Xavier Zane was bent at a perfect ninety-degree angle, a posture of absolute, abject submission.How could this be possible? Harry Lewis's thought

"It's just my normal state. Is that so strange?"Jack Brooks looked at Ruby Jordan with genuine confusion. Her jaw was unhinged, her large, bright eyes staring at his shorts as if she were witnessing a biological miracle or a terrifying monster."Okay..." Ruby gulped, a shiver running down her spine that had nothing to do with the air conditioning.Her mind was a tempest of conflicting emotions. Shock, curiosity, and a sudden, visceral realization of the logistics involved.Conquering this guy... might be more difficult than I thought, Ruby mused, her face flushing a deep crimson. If he actually pushed me down... I might not be able to walk for three days. It would be a structural hazard.She quickly shook her head to clear the lewd thoughts, retreating to a safe distance on the sprawling sofa.Jack didn't seem to notice her internal crisis. He sat down heavily, the playful atmosphere vanishing instantly. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out

"Ah! I... I was sleeping! I forgot I wasn't at home! I'm going to die of shame!"Ruby Jordan let out a strangled squeak, realizing the extent of her wardrobe malfunction. Her face turned a shade of crimson so deep it looked like she might combust. She spun around and bolted back into the guest room, slamming the door shut with a resounding bang.Jack Brooks stood in the hallway, shaking his head with a faint smile."No wonder she has grown so... unrestrained," he mused, glancing at the closed door. "Sleeping without restrictions really does allow for natural development."After Ruby finished changing into her street clothes—and double-checking that all her undergarments were securely in place—the two of them left Capital Grand Manor.The drive down Moonview Mountain was filled with an awkward, heavy silence. Ruby stared out the window, refusing to make eye contact, her ears still burning pink.However, as they passed the sprawling industrial