2025-07-11 21:20:09He shook hands with two, nodded to a third, and took a seat where only billionaires belonged.
As Evan calmly took his seat, the event host approached the microphone again, his tone now laced with admiration. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, “before we continue, I believe it’s time we clarify the true purpose of tonight’s summit.” He turned slightly, gesturing toward Evan. “This year’s East Atlantic Business & Tech Summit was not just a gathering of innovation, but a celebration. A symbolic event, backed by the largest silent investment this summit has ever received.” The crowd leaned forward. “Funded entirely by Lancaster Holdings… and personally approved by its new majority shareholder.” He let the silence simmer, then declared, “This entire summit was built as an avenue to reintroduce the rightful heir of a trillion-dollar legacy to the world… Mr. Evan Lancaster.” There was a short pause. “The OrionTech merger, while impressive on paper, was never the real headline. That deal was orchestrated by Lancaster Holdings’ investment arm specifically to commemorate his return.” The room erupted. Applause burst across the ballroom. Journalists stood. Executives clapped. Even Clara’s father who had just arrived late at the back of the room, froze. Flashbulbs exploded as Evan simply sat there with cold eyes. The host continued. “Tonight isn’t about start-ups or tech forecasts. It’s about a name. About the rightful return of a name that shaped our financial history. And that name… is Lancaster.” Thunderous applause shook the floor. "Shit! Shit! shit! This is terrible " Marcus cursed silently. " Clara? What are we going to do now?” Marcus asked. But she didn’t hear him. Unable to bear the truth, her knees buckled and she fainted. Flat out. In front of everyone. Gasps filled the room. A few people stood. Phones shot up. Camera fired like gunfire. “Clara!” Marcus froze in shock. “Clara?!” Medics stationed at the rear rushed forward into motion. Within seconds, she was surrounded. One of them checked her pulse. Another was already pulling out a small oxygen mask. “She’s fainted from shock,” one muttered. “Get her to the recovery suite. Let’s move.” They lifted her gently onto a portable stretcher, moving fast as reporters craned their necks and onlookers whispered furiously. Marcus stumbled after them. “Wait—I’m with her—I’m her—!” No one listened. The doors closed behind them. Evan didn’t move. Didn’t so much as glance her way. He remained seated on stage, his legs crossed casually. The applause continued as if nothing had happened. Because to him? Nothing had. The host returned to the mic, momentarily shaken but quickly regaining composure. “Well… I suppose that’s one way to express surprise,” he said dryly, drawing a ripple of polite laughter from the crowd. He straightened his jacket and turned once again to Evan. “Mr. Lancaster, shall we proceed with your welcome toast?” Evan smiled faintly from where he sat, legs crossed and entirely at ease. He didn’t bother to rise. He simply gave the host a subtle go-ahead wave with two fingers. The host understood instantly. “Everyone,” he said, beaming now, “let’s enjoy the night!!” The lights shifted to a golden hue. Soft jazz began to play from the live orchestra tucked in the corner. Waiters poured fresh champagne. Platters of gourmet dishes rolled out. A drone camera zipped overhead, capturing the glamor, the elegance, the historical significance of the moment. People stood. Toasted. Enjoying it all The show went on, glittering and alive, with Evan Lancaster now at the center of it all. The next morning, sunlight filtered lazily through the tall glass windows of the Hilton mansion. The curtains were drawn halfway, poured sunlight across the white sheets where Clara lay still. Her eyes were open, with her chest rising and falling with uneasy breaths. She was awake. But her mind was still replaying last night on a infinite loop. The summit. The gasps. Evan walking in. The suit. The applause. The announcement. And then... Her sudden collapse. Her body trembled involuntarily as she sat up, clutching the edge of the bed as if the whole room might suddenly spin again. No. That didn’t happen. There’s no way. She forced herself to believe. She scrambled for her phone on the bedstand. 8:42 AM. Clara unlocked it with shaking fingers and typed his name into the search bar. "Evan Blake Lancaster" Enter. The results hit her like a slap. > Evan Lancaster Shocks Business World — Revealed as True Heir of Lancaster Holdings "From obscurity to trillion-dollar throne: Youngest major shareholder in U.S. history stuns business summit attendees…" "Evan Lancaster — 29-year-old billionaire and controlling heir of Lancaster Holdings makes first public appearance at EA Business & Tech Summit." Photos accompanied the stories. With Evan in that suit, face stoic, giving his cold nod of acknowledgment. Him seated beside CEOs. Him shaking hands with foreign diplomats. Him on the cover of Business Pulse Weekly already. Her breath caught in her throat. She clicked on another headline: "From a nobody to Kingmaker — Clara Hilton’s Ex Emerges as Business Royalty" Her fingers trembled. She nearly dropped the phone. The comments under that article made her heart cave in: “Imagine dumping a future billionaire because he was broke for a minute. Couldn’t be me.” “She fumbled the galaxy for glitter.” “Clara who?” “That’s why you don’t play with people’s beginnings.” Clara's palms grew clammy. Her chest tightened. A wave of disbelief crashed through her. She swallowed hard and tapped on his official profile. A verified account with millions of followers. His latest post was a simple black screen with four words in gold letters: " The Lancasters are back " 48 million likes. The comments were filled with congratulations, power quotes, and fire emojis. Clara stared, lips trembling. Just last month, she told him he’d never make it. That he was a nobody. That love doesn’t pay bills. Now? He had a private jet, multiple estate homes, a security team, and boardroom power. And she had... regret. For the first time in her perfectly crafted life, Clara Hilton felt small. Irrelevant and pained.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
54
“This is the moment,” Evan continued.“If Romano Group is going to crumble, it starts with the shareholders. They’re the spine, the leverage, and the gatekeepers. We’re about to offer them something they can’t ignore.”Naomi raised an eyebrow. “And what’s the offer, exactly?”“Double market price,” Evan said. “If they vote to dissolve their shares and let Levon Group acquire control, they walk away rich—risk-free. Clean money. No one asks questions.”James leaned back in his chair, tapping a pen against the table. “And if they refuse?”Evan smiled faintly. “We have leverage. It's either they agree or go down with Victor Romano. Simple.”" I'll prepare the necessities" Harland said and begin making the right calls.By mid-morning, Evan and his team were inside a discreet conference suite downtown. The room was private and fortified. A dozen Romano Group shareholders were seated, professional faces polished by decades in finance, but nervous nonetheless.Evan opened the meeting, “Thank
53
Meanwhile at Evan's mansion that morning.The press conference played silently on the penthouse screen.Victor Romano stood calm. Speaking and gathering public trust.Evan watched without blinking.“…economic terrorism,” Victor said on-screen, his voice muted but his meaning unmistakable.Naomi scoffed. “Predictable.”Harland folded his arms. “He’s not talking to us. He’s talking to regulators.”James leaned forward. " He needed to stop the bleeding which is why he did this.”Evan finally picked up the remote and paused the screen on Victor’s face.“He’s afraid,” Evan said“He wouldn’t overplay language like that unless he felt cornered,” Evan continued. “Calling this terrorism⁰ invites government scrutiny.”Naomi nodded slowly. “Which cuts both ways.”Evan turned to her. “Leak nothing. Respond to nothing. Let analysts do the work for us.”Harland’s eyes narrowed. “You want silence?”Evan smiled and looked back at Victor’s frozen image.“Fear makes men careless.”By evening, the narra
52
This team was already waiting in his office at Lancaster headquarters.Evan took his seat without announcement.Around him were people he trusted.Harland stood behind him.He always did.The others were already seated.Mara Kylie sat straight-backed, hands folded with deliberate stillness. She was one of his father's best strategists and she had served him so well.James Harpy lounged in his chair, spinning a pen between his fingers. He was the most valued hacker in the world.Naomi didn’t look up when Evan entered. The projection hovering above the table reflected in her glasses as she worked on her computer, preparing herself for the mission to come.Elias Roe closed the door last, sealing the room with a soft click.“The chip is real,” he said flatly.Evan didn’t react.James tapped his tablet, projecting a web of data into the air between them. Revealing accounts, shell corporations all looping through jurisdictions designed to vanish money.“Romano Group is his spine.” Julian
51
“You said you knew my enemies,” Evan said. “Then start talking.”The man tilted his head slightly, smiling. “ I liked what you did with Marcus Garry but sadly that isn't enough to stop them.”" The Ten." Evan’s jaw tightened as he said this.“Yes,” the man continued. “ and they would never stop coming after you. Your very existence threatens their wealth"Evan glanced back at the burnt car, then at him unsure what he meant by that." Why are you trying to say?" Evan asked." I'm saying your wealth is tied to each and every one of them in a way and that scares them" the man said , looking at Evan.He had a nose mask on, covering half his face.Evan exhaled gently.curiosisty flickered across his face as he examined the situation.He turned to him. “And you? Where do you fit into all this?" The hooded man hesitated for the first time then let out a chuckle.“ I'm only trying to benefit from this chaos they've created if I'm being honest " he said then exhaled loudly." That explosion w
50
Evan studied the man in front of him for a long moment.Not with anger or disgust but with something far heavier.Regret.Regret of what might have happened if the Ten had had their way.He used his hands to brush his hair back with a sigh.“Go,” he said quietly.The driver blinked. “S–Sir?”“ Leave,” Evan repeated, “Before I change my mind.”Everyone froze in shock at his word.The man stared, unable to believe what he’d heard. He had expected Evan to lock him up or maybe punish him but not this.His knees trembled as he slowly stood, wiping his face with trembling hands. He took a step toward the door in disbelief.Two guards immediately blocked his path.Fear surged across the man’s face. He turned back, panic flooding his eyes.Evan lifted a hand.“Let him go.”The guards hesitated but slowly stepped aside.Overwhelmed by gratitude, the man bowed clumsily in tears, choking on words he couldn’t form, then stumbled out of the room. His footsteps echoed down the hall before dissolv
49
“Miss Hart,” the masked man said quietly. “I apologize for the haste.”Vanessa blinked, startled. “W-What? Who are you?”He didn’t answer.Instead, he gently but firmly took her by the arm.“There is a matter that requires your presence. Immediately. Something of your interests”Vanessa tried to pull back. “Excuse me? I’m in the middle of a conversa—”“Now,” he said in a way that seems to calm her. Some guests seem to notice. “Mr. Lancaster,” the masked guest said, facing Evan. Evan frowned slightly. “Do I know you?”The man didn’t answer. Instead, he pressed a small black business card into Evan’s hand. Then he vanished into the crowd.Vanessa flushed with embarrassment, shooting Siena a glare as she was taken away.Siena watched the scene, stunned. “Who was that?”Evan watched the man with suspicion.“I don’t know,” he murmured. “But that wasn’t security. And no one at this gala wears a mask.”Evan glanced down at the card.It was plain white with a single line of embossed word
You may also like
Savvy Son-in-law
VKBoy229.2K viewsRising from the Ashes
Only For You2.3M viewsThe Billionaire's Revenge
Hare Ra82.0K viewsThe Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives
Kaiser Ken94.1K viewsThe Return of the God level Son in Law
Maemae685 viewsThe Nobody She Never Knew Is God
FLO310 viewsVan Gogh, Don't Cut Off Your Ear! Your Top Trader Is Here
William Tsang336 viewsThe Rise Of The Orphan Billionare
Son Of Neal3.5K views