From Busboy To Iron Lord: The Almighty Rowan Lachlan Returns

Chapter 5

“T-thank you, officer,” Nancy breathed, her voice trembling with relief after Rowan dragged out both men and shoved them into the backseat of his SUV.

The hotel security had recognized him, but Donovan was certain he’d be out in an hour and told them to stay back.

“You have one hour to think my offer through. When I’m out, I will no longer treat you like a friend, but an enemy and I promise I will destroy you.” Donovan laughed, grinning widely as he placed his head on the window.

Rowan said nothing and simply rolled up the windows before returning to stand before Nancy.

He looked down at her battered state, his jaw clenching tightly as he held her gaze, parting his lips to say,

“You may not remember my face, but my name is Rowan Lachlan. Six years ago, I was the busboy for the Williams family.”

For the first half of his sentence, a grateful smile had been forming on Nancy’s lips. But the moment the word ‘busboy’ registered in her mind, the smile shattered.

The woman who had just been willing to drop to her knees to thank her savior was instantly consumed by loathing.

Paa!

Nancy swung before she could stop herself, her palm striking his cheek with everything she had.

The sudden violence stunned even her children.

Reese and Ryan’s eyes widened in fear, and they instinctively gripped their mother’s legs tighter.

“You bastard!” Nancy screamed, tears of pure hatred welling in her eyes.

Rowan didn't flinch. His head barely moved from the impact. He just stood there, slowly clenching and unclenching his jaw.

He deserved that.

Six years ago, he had been a weak, naive busboy. When he woke up in that hotel room and realized he had accidentally slept with the daughter of an elite elite, he was panic stricken.

The Imperial City's aristocratic families cared about their reputations more than human life.

Bedding one of their daughters meant they would literally crucify him. So he reacted the only way a powerless boy could: he ran.

He fled to the only place he knew no one would ever come looking for him—the frozen hellscape of the Ashen Spine.

He had nearly forgotten the exact details of her face over the years of endless war, until he heard her voice on that voicemail.

So he came to repay his debt, only to see the twins and realize the debt was much larger than he thought

Without sparing him another glance, Nancy grabbed her boys, flagged down a passing taxi, and climbed inside.

She rode straight to the Renard estate, her mind racing.

Upon arriving, she left the exhausted boys with the servants, only to be told by the head butler that her grandmother and the core family members were currently at a lavish banquet hall celebrating the "successful signing" of the Locke contract.

Nancy immediately boarded another taxi.

Six years ago, her grandmother, Mirabel Renard, had been absolutely livid with her, mercilessly ousting her from the family.

Every attempt Nancy made to see her over the years had been brutally rejected. But today, she was certain her grandmother would listen.

Mirabel had doted on her for her entire childhood. The only reason she turned callous was because she disappointed her by falling pregnant with a busboy's children.

If Mirabel found out that Leo, the precious grandson she now favored, had tried to literally sell her to Donovan Locke like a cheap prostitute, she would surely be furious.

“Congratulations, Lady Renard! Many families tried to snag this construction deal, but they really can’t compete with your connections, can they?”

“Oh, my grandson Leo tends to be true to his word. It doesn’t really surprise me that he secured it.”

“Once this project with Mr. Locke goes through, the Renard family might just break into the top five most influential families in the Imperial City!”

“Oh, please, don’t flatter this old woman. At my age, I’ve learned not to get excited too quickly.”

“Grandmother!”

At the City Hall, Mirabel was sitting in the VIP corner, soaking up the praises of the city's minor elites, when a familiar, ragged voice rang out.

At the sight of Nancy standing in the doorway, her clothes torn and her hair disheveled, deep wrinkles of disgust settled onto the elderly woman’s face.

Mirabel immediately waved away the sycophants hovering around her and got to her feet.

Nancy hurried forward, her hands twitchy as she nervously pushed her tangled hair back.

“Grandmother, Leo sent me to Donovan Locke at the Grand Meridian Hotel.”

At this, a greedy smile grazed Mirabel’s face.

She beckoned for the remaining guests to step back and give them privacy.

Donovan Locke had explicitly stated that the only way he would sign the construction contract was if Nancy accompanied him to his hotel room.

Seeing Nancy in such a state, Mirabel naturally assumed the deed was done. The contract was secured, and Leo had likely stayed behind to share a celebratory drink with the billionaire.

Lifting her chin proudly, Mirabel raised her voice so the nearby guests could hear.

“Mr. Locke always had a soft spot for you, Nancy. Well? Show everyone the signed document so they know our Renard family isn’t all talk.”

Nancy lowered her eyes, suddenly realizing she had been clutching the unsigned folder the entire time.

Standing here with a document indeed made it look like she had come to add to the mood.

“Grandmother... Donovan Locke didn't sign it. He tried to force himself on me.”

The words were barely out of her mouth when Mirabel's hand shot out.

Paa!

Mirabel slapped her ruthlessly across the face.

“Don’t spout such disgusting nonsense! Mr. Locke is a dignified, prestigious businessman! Why would he do something so heinous?”

“This is just like six years ago when you tried to claim you didn't know you were sleeping with a busboy! Always playing the victim to cover your own incompetence!”

Nancy’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

She slowly raised a trembling hand to her stinging cheek.

While she was stunned, Mirabel snatched the folder from her hands, eagerly flipping it open to check for Donovan’s signature, but her eyes fell fhe next second when she saw the blank spaces.

“Lady Renard, you said the contract was as good as yours. So why is the signature line empty?” a sneer came in front of her.

“No, you have to believe me!” Nancy pleaded desperately and stepped toward Mirabel, ignoring the growing crowd. “He wasn’t open to reasoning! He demanded I sleep with him, and when I refused, he tried to assault me! Leo set the whole thing up!”

Unfortunately, her desperation fell on deaf ears.

Mirabel raised her hand and slapped Nancy a second time, even harder than the first.

“Shut your mouth! I know exactly what’s going on here. You couldn’t even afford to do one simple job for this family when you claimed you’ve learnt your lesson!” Mirabel spat venomously.

As this happened, from the shadows of the banquet hall doors, a tall figure watched Mirabel slap Nancy a third time.

After Nancy left, Rowan made a call for someone to drive his car to the precinct, then he flagged down a taxi and followed after her.

His phone buzzed in his pocket at that moment and he pulled it out, answering coldly. “Is it done?”

“Iron Lord,” his lieutenant's voice answered politely over the encrypted line. “After the Locke Corporation heard what happened to their CEO, their board panicked. We purchased the Grand Meridian Hotel and the entirety of Locke's new construction project for a fraction of the cost. You are now the sole owner.”

Rowan ended the call, pushing open the banquet hall doors completely.

The crowd murmured in confusion as a towering man with striking red hair strode directly toward the Renard family matriarch.

Mostly because he wore something so casual to a party.

Without a word, Rowan reached out and yanked the blank contract right out of Mirabel’s hands.

“Who do you think you are?!” Mirabel shrieked unreasonably, but didn’t move to take it back as she feared his rugged look.

Everyone watched with furrowed brows as the strange man ignored her entirely.

He placed the contract flat on a nearby table, pulled a pen from his back pocket, and signed on it.

He picked it back up and tossed it at Mirabel's feet.

“Donovan Locke no longer owns the new hotel project. I do. And your family will be responsible for delivering the building materials... but only because Nancy Renard is the one overseeing it.”