The Live-In Son-in-Law Is the Supreme Tycoon

Chapter 1: Part 1 The Gold Digger in Designer Shoes

Morning sunlight streamed through the towering glass dome of Imperial Galleria, casting ribbons of gold across polished marble floors that reflected every designer logo and luxury display.

The mall was less a place to shop than a monument to wealth, where tailored suits, diamond watches, and exclusive handbags announced social status before a single word was spoken.

People came here to be seen, and very few ever managed to pass through unnoticed.

Jack Foreman preferred it that way.

Dressed in a charcoal hoodie, faded blue jeans, and spotless white sneakers, he moved through the crowd with the quiet confidence of someone who had nothing to prove.

His clothes were ordinary, almost forgettable, yet there was an unmistakable composure in the way he carried himself.

He never rushed, never lingered over price tags, and never behaved as though he needed to impress anyone. Instead, he selected what he needed, thanked every sales associate with genuine warmth, and continued on his way.

As expected, no one gave him a second glance.

That anonymity suited him perfectly.

For years, the business world had chased shadows, desperate to uncover the face behind Greenwood Holdings, the trillion-dollar empire that quietly controlled industries, banks, energy, logistics, and technology across continents.

Governments negotiated with their executives, while billionaires competed fiercely for invitations into their private boardrooms.

Yet the man who owned it all was standing in line at a checkout counter with nothing more than a basket of groceries.

Jack found ordinary life fascinating because it was one of the few places where people still spoke without carefully rehearsed smiles or hidden agendas.

Away from boardrooms, shareholders, and private jets, he could observe humanity in its most natural form, or at least, that was what he believed.

The cashier scanned the final item before offering him a polite smile. "That will be four thousand, eight hundred and seventy dollars, sir."

Jack casually reached into his back pocket. His hand found nothing.

A slight crease appeared between his brows as he checked again, then searched his front pockets before patting the inside of his jacket. Each attempt ended the same way.

His wallet was nowhere to be found. For the first time that morning, he frowned. "My wallet..."

He searched again, this time more slowly, almost as though repeating the motion might somehow change reality. After another futile attempt, he let out a quiet sigh. "It seems I left it at home."

The cashier blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"I forgot my wallet," he said politely.

He answered with complete honesty, but honesty wasn't something people expected inside Imperial Galleria.

The cashier's gaze drifted toward the expensive merchandise piled beside the register before returning to Jack's inexpensive hoodie.

The pleasant professionalism on her face gradually faded, replaced by guarded suspicion. "I'm afraid we don't offer credit, sir."

"I understand," he said, maintaining composure.

"I'll still need payment before I can complete the purchase," she continued.

"Of course," he said, looking around.

Jack offered an apologetic smile. "If you wouldn't mind holding these for a little while, I'll come back as soon as I retrieve my wallet."

The cashier hesitated.

Store policy immediately came to mind. Customers who abandoned expensive purchases rarely returned, no matter what promises they made.

Meanwhile, the line behind Jack continued to grow. Someone clicked their tongue in annoyance, while another customer muttered loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear. "If you don't have money, why shop here?"

A woman folded her arms with obvious disapproval. "They're getting bolder these days."

Before long, whispers drifted through the boutique like smoke, growing louder as more people joined in. "He doesn't look rich."

"I knew something felt off."

"He's probably trying to scam them."

One customer quietly lifted a phone and pointed the camera toward Jack. The recording had already begun.

Jack noticed immediately, but he offered no reaction.

Without warning, what should have been a simple mistake had become a public spectacle, and every curious stranger seemed eager to watch it unfold.

The cashier cleared her throat, sounding noticeably less sympathetic than before. "Sir... if you're unable to pay, I'll have to call security."

"I understand."

His calm response was almost unsettling.

He showed no anger, no panic, and not even a trace of embarrassment. Instead, he accepted the situation with quiet dignity, as though forgotten wallets were simply one of life's occasional inconveniences.

The cashier reached beneath the counter and pressed the silent alarm.

Only a few moments passed before two uniformed security guards entered the boutique and made their way toward the register. Around them, shoppers instinctively stepped aside, creating a clear path while watching with barely concealed excitement.

Conflict, after all, had become its own form of entertainment.

Jack looked at the approaching guards and almost smiled.

The irony wasn't lost on him.

Entire governments negotiated carefully before making demands of him, yet today he was about to be escorted out of a luxury boutique because he had forgotten his wallet at home.

Life certainly had an unusual sense of humor. One of the guards stopped a few feet away. "Sir."

Jack turned politely. "Yes?"

"We've received a complaint."

"I expected as much," he said as he pulled his hands from his pockets.

The older guard studied him carefully. Unlike everyone else in the boutique, he didn't see panic or desperation on the young man's face.

Instead, he saw an unusual calmness that didn't quite fit the situation. "Can you pay for the merchandise?"

"Not at the moment." He didn't try to explain further.

"I'm afraid we'll have to ask you to leave the items behind."

Jack nodded without the slightest hesitation. "That's perfectly reasonable."

His willingness surprised the guard.

Most people argued, complained, or searched desperately for excuses. Jack did none of those things. He accepted the decision with quiet grace, never raising his voice or trying to shift the blame onto anyone else.

Before another word could be exchanged, a burst of elegant laughter echoed from the entrance of the luxury boutique.

Almost every head turned instinctively.

Five impeccably dressed women walked inside together, followed closely by shopping assistants carrying bags from nearly every luxury brand in the mall.

Their arrival changed the atmosphere almost instantly. At the center of the group was Diana Sterling.

She wore a cream-colored designer dress beneath a tailored camel coat, while her dark hair rested gracefully over one shoulder.

Diamond earrings caught the sunlight each time she moved, understated enough to suggest old money rather than flashy wealth. Every confident step reinforced the impression that she belonged exactly where she was.

People recognized her immediately.

She was the daughter of Richard Sterling, the future heiress to Sterling Group, and one of the city's most sought-after women.

Her friends continued chatting until they noticed the crowd gathered around the register. "What happened?" one of them asked.

Another leaned forward with obvious curiosity before spotting the security guards. "Oh..."

A smirk spread across her face. "It looks like someone got caught pretending to be rich."

Diana's gaze drifted toward the checkout counter. She took in the abandoned shopping bags, the security guards, and finally the casually dressed man standing calmly in the middle of the commotion.

Her expression cooled slightly. "So this is today's entertainment."

One of her friends looked Jack over before smiling mischievously. "He's handsome."

Another laughed. "That almost makes the performance believable."

Jack glanced toward the newcomers without the slightest interest in their attention. What he needed wasn't sympathy or admiration; he simply needed a practical solution before the situation became even more inconvenient.

The guards had already begun gathering the unpaid merchandise.

He took a polite step forward. "Excuse me."

The conversation among the women came to an immediate halt as every pair of eyes turned toward him.

Jack met Diana's gaze directly, his expression calm and completely sincere.

"I realize this is an unusual request, but would you be willing to pay for these on my behalf? I'll reimburse you immediately once I retrieve my wallet."

For a brief moment, the entire boutique fell unnaturally quiet. The request seemed to hang in the air, leaving everyone frozen in disbelief.

Then one of Diana's friends burst into laughter.

Another quickly joined her.

Within seconds, the entire group was laughing openly, and the surrounding shoppers soon followed. Amusement rippled through the boutique until it sounded as though everyone had become part of the same cruel joke.

Diana slowly folded her arms, a faint smile forming at the corner of her lips. "So..."

She took a measured step closer, her heels clicking softly against the polished marble floor. "Out of everyone here..."

Her eyes locked onto Jack's without wavering. "You chose to ask me?"