The Day My Name Bankrupted a City

009

The atmosphere in the room was very intimate.

I hugged her soft, delicate body. My heart was stirring with emotions.

Violet suddenly tickled my earlobe with her lips, and gave a kitten lick. “I didn’t just learn about oral sex," she said with a teasing smile. "Heh, I also know how to striptease, use sex toys, role play, and execute all sorts of S&M techniques. Does Sir want to try them?”

“...”

Those words nearly lit another fire within me.

I angrily slapped her butt. “Stop teasing me. I don’t want to deal with blood.”

She giggled. “It’ll be over in a couple days.” Violet made a bashful smile, but she still obeyed and did not tease me again.

It was deep into the night. After a brief shower, I went back to my bed. Completely exhausted, I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.

The night passed by in silence.

When I opened my eyes, it was already eleven in the morning.

The curtains were open. Warm sunlight shone through the pristine glass. Everything in the room was painted with a layer of shining gold.

I raised my hands and rubbed my sleepy eyes. I felt refreshed, energized. Yesterday was like a rollercoaster. It still felt a bit unreal.

This luxurious room that I was staying in confirmed that everything that happened was true.

I opened the door to the living room and saw Violet sitting on the sofa. She was on the phone. She had changed into a new set of clothes.

She was dressed in a pure white pleated skirt. It outlined the slender curves on her waist. Her fair skin shone in the sunlight, her facial features mesmerizing.

Her outfit was clean-cut, less formal and sharp, more pure and elegant.

“Ok, our corporate framework must be perfected as soon as possible. I want to see results within a week.”

Violet hung up and turned to look at me. She smiled sweetly. “Sir, woke up?”

“Hmm.” As soon as I sat on the sofa, she handed me a cup of warm coffee.

“Sir, there’s something I think you might be interested in.”

After finishing all the coffee in the cup, I nodded. “Speak.”

“The Millers of Razor City, I mean Johnny’s family went completely bankrupt just this morning.” Violet’s voice was steady.

I was shocked.

Johnny often bragged about his family’s assets in school. I had a relatively good idea of how wealthy the Millers were.

Johnny’s grandpa was the head of a contracting agency, which mainly engaged in construction-related jobs. He was able to establish a construction company, a media company, and two bathhouses under his name after years of hard labor and development.

If you combined all their assets, it was in the tens of millions.

Although this kind of financial power was nowhere near the pinnacle of Razor City, it was still considered top class.

But... such a wealthy family actually lost everything in one night?

I glanced at Violet and asked, “Was this your doing?”

Unexpectedly, Violet shook her head. “No, this was the result of several enterprises and wealthy families in Razor City.”

"The biggest families in Razor City are the Jones, Whites, and Andersons," she informed me with a smile. "There's also the Forrest Associates, which is represented by Forrest Smith. All of Razor City's profitable industries and enterprises are controlled by these four powers. They're all connected to the public and the underworld in some way. Their network is massive. They are, however, all in rivalry with one another."

"After last night's incident, those four powers accomplished something unprecedented," she concluded. "They banded together and went after the Millers. The bathhouses were shut down. The Millers' media enterprise was destroyed in a fire late last night. All of the construction company's projects have been canceled. The Millers' bank loans had holes in them which were uncovered. After their offensive, the Millers’ financial supply chain completely broke. The Millers have no hope of coming back. They’re finished.”

Violet paused and chuckled. “The Millers are not only bankrupt, but they’re also deeply in debt. The court has already seized all their properties. Half of the Millers were arrested for fiscal offenses. The rest are now living on the streets.”

“...”

I placed the empty cup on the table. My ears rang. I was shaking.

The most powerful forces in Razor City had joined together to annihilate the Millers.

There was only one reason why they would do something so drastic. Needless to say, I could guess what it was.

“Sir, they’re trying to please you.”

Violet looked at me and said, “The Taylor Group intends to invest in Razor City. This opportunity is something all these four powers desperately desire. After what happened last night, although they don’t know your true identity, they all understand one thing: you are very important. You are the one who they must suck up to.”

I nodded. I was once again reminded of how terrifying the Taylor Group was.

This information quickly took a back seat in my mind however.

After all, apart from Forrest Smith, I had never heard the names of the other powers. I mean, so what if they were trying to please me? I still needed to finish college.

I enjoyed a nice lunch at a restaurant in the hotel. Violet had planned to start arranging the courses I needed to study today. But, I managed to delay it for a couple days on the grounds that I needed to settle some matters at my school.

I also rejected Violet’s offer of takinging me to college in her car.

Such a luxury car accompanied by bodyguards would definitely cause a big commotion. It did not really fit with me. For the time being, I wanted to remain low-key.

I left the hotel and took a taxi. Soon, I arrived at Razor University.

I was a senior, about to graduate. I only had a few courses left, but I still had to take some core papers. They were unavoidable.

For example, I had an afternoon course in Human Resource Management.

The name of the teacher who taught this course was Fae Summers. Her beauty was recognized by all the men in my college, but she was infamous for being extremely strict.

If you skipped even a single class of hers, she would fail you.

I arrived at the classroom ten minutes before the class started. The classroom was already filled with people.

Moon was in the back row. He hurriedly waved his hand, seeing me. “Gael, over here!”

Sitting next to him were his girlfriend Eden Garcia and several other female students.

When Eden and the girls saw me, a sliver of disdain crept up in their eyes. Several people started whispering, and they burst out laughing.

I frowned, but I was already used to this sight, this gaze, this disdain, so I did not let it get to me.

I walked over to Moon and sat beside him. He pulled on my sleeve and whispered, “Tell me, Gael. What happened? Did you and Dawn really break up?”

“Mm.” I nodded.

Moon asked, “Was she the one who brought it up?”

“Why even ask? He’s piss broke. It’s already a miracle that he even managed to date Dawn. How could he be the one who broke up with Dawn?”

Before I could speak, Eden’s sharp voice interjected.

She looked at me with contempt and said to Moon, “You don’t know? Dawn went out with Johnny. When she left, Dawn borrowed a box of condoms from me. She never came back to her dorm last night. Tsk, gone for the whole night! Just imagine how many times those two fucked!”

Moon’s face fell, and he glared at Eden. “Stop talking crap.”

“Heh, it’s the truth.”

Eden smirked. With a condescending tone, she spit, “No offense, Gael Taylor, but you’re a broke-ass loser. You relied on your good looks and grades to pursue a beautiful woman like Dawn. So what if you succeeded? In the end, you’re just her dog." Her friends laughed, and some sent me looks of pity.

"Can you afford to give her the life that she wants? In this day and age, you ain't shit without money! That’s just the truth. While you were working your ass off making money, your girlfriend was moaning in someone else’s bed!” She knocked on the table as if she had made some enlightening point.

“Can you shut the fuck up? You talk too much,” grumbled Moon, a frown spread across his face. He was annoyed but he had always had a soft spot for his lover.

“What? Am I not allowed to say it how it is? This broke ass bum isn’t qualified to fall in love.” Eden stared at me. “He still hasn’t paid you that 100 dollars he borrowed from you, right? 100 dollars! I could’ve bought two lipsticks with that money!”

Moon flared up. He hit the table. “Didn’t I already buy your fucking lipstick?!”

I hurriedly stopped Moon, signaling for him not to get angry.

In our four years of college, Moon and I had become very good friends. Whenever I was in trouble, he always came up roaring, ready to fight everyone.

In the past, when I was met with financial hardship, not even having enough money to eat, Moon would help me without hesitation.

I did not want to cause a fuss with Eden. Eden was a snobbish, greedy, materialistic person. She and her group of snobs would get off on hating the poor, whom they had a crazy superiority complex over. I’ve seen too much of them, and even been on the receiving end of their spite far too many times to count.

There was no need to get riled up because of her.

Plus, heh. I had enough money to suffocate her.

I smiled, a light, relaxed expression on my face.

Moon turned to me. “Sorry, bro. That was embarrassing," he sighed, throwing curses under his breath.

“It’s alright.” I chuckled in response and then transferred a hundred dollars using my phone.

This was the money I owed him. I naturally had to pay off my debts.

Moon’s face showed a look of surprise. He solemnly said, “What are you doing? I gave you that money. You think I want it back? What kind of person do you take me for?” He slapped my head upside down.

Smiling, I playfully punched him on the chest. “It’s only right for me to pay off my debts. Stop being so dramatic.”