The Domination Of Young Master Luke

Chapter 4 - One Of His Own Assets

“Stop, you idiots!” a man shouted angrily from a short distance away.

Everyone turned toward the voice at the same time. The man was staring straight at Luke’s direction, his brows drawn tight.

He was tall, probably in his early fifties, with streaks of gray in his hair. His neatly pressed gray suit, polished black shoes, and confident posture gave off the unmistakable air of someone used to being in charge.

This was Bernard Bautista, the president of ENDX Corporation. One of the most well-known and respected businessmen in the world.

“Is that… Mr. Bautista?” one employee whispered.

“Oh my God. He’s still handsome even at his age,” another woman said softly, clearly starstruck.

“Am I dreaming or is that really him?” someone muttered, rubbing their eyes in disbelief.

No one could believe what they were seeing. A few people tried to take photos, but two of Bernard’s four bodyguards immediately stopped them.

Luke felt a flicker of relief when he saw Bernard.

He used to admire the man. That was before his grandfather told him Bernard was technically just a manager under their family, and that ENDX Corporation was part of their holdings. The revelation had taken the shine off his idol, though he still respected him.

As Bernard approached, the two guards snapped to attention. “Good morning, Sir!” they said in unison.

Both of them were tense, eyes fixed on Bernard’s stern expression. Was he angry that they had let a homeless-looking guy linger at the front of the building?

Bernard ignored them completely and walked straight toward Luke. A tall woman followed closely behind him. Her makeup was light and natural. Up close, she was striking.

Her smooth, fair skin paired well with her red blouse tucked neatly into a black pencil skirt. She looked more like a model than an executive. This was Pauline Lee, Executive Manager of ENDX Corporation’s Quezon branch.

“Young Master Luke, it’s my pleasure to finally meet you,” Bernard said, bowing his head slightly.

There was clear dissatisfaction in his voice, especially when it came to how Luke had been treated.

Jaws dropped. Not a single person blinked.

No one expected Bernard Bautista, a man held in such high regard, to greet someone who looked like a vagrant with this much respect.

‘This cannot be real,’ one of the guards thought, frozen in place. The other felt his jaw stiffen as shock set in.

“Thank you, Mr. Bernard,” Luke said with a small laugh, scratching his head. “But just call me Luke.”

He was uncomfortable with the title ‘young master’. It had been a long time since he lived with his family, and he was no longer used to that kind of address.

Bernard understood immediately, though his expression showed clear disagreement.

“I understand your request, but please forgive me. Calling you by your first name alone would be a great disrespect to your family,” Bernard said, his head still slightly lowered. “If you allow it, I will call you Mr. Cruise instead. I hope you understand.”

He did not even dare to look Luke in the eye as he spoke.

What on earth was going on?

“Is this really happening?” one employee whispered.

“This doesn’t make sense. Who is that guy? Why is Mr. Bautista treating him like this?” another asked, stunned.

The same questions ran through everyone’s minds. Some felt awkward remembering how they had dismissed Luke earlier, assuming he was unstable or poor. They never imagined he was someone important.

The two guards stood rigid, barely breathing. They looked like statues.

“Y-young master? Mr. Cruise?” one of them repeated weakly.

The man they had stopped and mocked earlier turned out to outrank Bernard himself. Worse, they had almost used force on him.

Their legs trembled as they realized how close they had come to ruining their own lives. Even thinking about it made their blood run cold.

Bernard shot them a sharp look, filled with disappointment. They straightened even more, if that was possible.

He turned to Pauline. “Ms. Lee, I am extremely disappointed in how this branch is being managed. Why do I have employees like this?”

Pauline cleared her throat and bowed her head. “I’m very sorry, Mr. Bautista. I didn’t expect—”

Bernard raised a hand, cutting her off. He had no interest in excuses.

He turned back to the two guards, whose knees were now visibly shaking.

“Do you have parents?”

His voice was calm, but it sent chills down their spines. Both nodded quickly, not knowing why would Bernard asked that out of nowhere.

“Then didn’t they teach you how to treat people properly, whether they are rich or poor?” Bernard asked. “Aren’t you from ordinary families yourselves?”

His tone remained even, but his clenched teeth gave away his anger.

Where did these two get the nerve to even think about laying a hand on a Cruise family heir? Were they tired of living?

The guards exchanged glances, speechless. They did not know how to answer.

Even without being taught, they knew they were wrong. They had simply grown arrogant, enjoying the small authority their position gave them.

They liked looking down on others.

One of them dropped to his knees. “Please forgive us, Mr. Bautista. We didn’t mean it. We promise it won’t happen again.”

Bernard let out a cold smile. In his mind, the decision was already made. It really would not happen again. He had long planned to remove arrogant employees, and these two would be the first.

The second guard knelt as well. “Mr. Bautista, please. If we had known he was someone important—”

“You fools,” Bernard interrupted the guard. “It does not matter whether Mr. Cruise is important or not. Your mistake was judging him based on how he dressed. You looked at the cover and assumed you knew the whole book. That is the real problem.”

He looked like a lion ready to tear prey apart.

The onlookers went quiet. His words hit close to home. Almost all of them had judged Luke the same way.

Luke, on the other hand, nodded slightly. Bernard had already said everything that needed to be said.

“Go to the finance department and collect your final pay,” Bernard continued. “From today onward, I never want to see your faces again. No company in this country will hire you, ever. Do you understand?”

Fear spread through the crowd. Even those just watching felt uneasy.

Was Bernard really this powerful?

Despite their fate, the two guards were still lucky. Given Bernard’s influence, he could have made them disappear without a trace.

They wasted no time and left immediately.

Luke felt a trace of pity for them, but he knew this was their karma.

The employees slowly dispersed, afraid of being dragged into the mess.

“Mr. Cruise, I sincerely apologize for what happened,” Bernard said. “I assure you that any employee like them will be removed, regardless of position.”

“It’s fine,” Luke replied. “Let’s continue our discussion in the office.”

“Of course, Mr. Cruise,” Bernard said with a faint smile. For the first time, he felt some relief. He was finally able to properly serve the Cruise family heir.

Bernard walked ahead, with Pauline following behind. She could not help but feel ashamed.

‘Mr. Bautista is right. I’m not fit for this position,’ she thought, glancing at Luke.

They entered the president’s office. Bernard immediately offered Luke the president’s chair.

Luke frowned.

He was only here to discuss about his training. Sitting in the president’s seat felt inappropriate. Bernard was still the president, after all. Being Duncan’s grandson did not mean Bernard had to go this far. Luke would have been fine on the sofa.

Bernard smiled, clearly wanting to explain something. He turned to Pauline. “Ms. Lee, please wait outside. Mr. Cruise and I need to discuss something important.”

“S-sure,” Pauline said, bowing slightly before leaving.

“You see, Mr. Cruise,” Bernard said, “Lord Duncan instructed me that once you set foot in this company, ownership would be transferred to you. After all, you are the true owner. This company is one of your personal assets.”

Luke froze. The words did not sink in right away.

ENDX Corporation was his?

Why had his grandfather not mentioned this earlier? He thought it was just part of the family business. When did it become one of his personal assets?

Bernard noticed the confusion on Luke’s face and chuckled softly. “Please, Mr. Cruise. Have a seat first.”

Still stunned, Luke moved on instinct and sat in the president’s chair.

“I’ll explain everything to you,” Bernard said with a broad smile.