Seth's eyebrow quirked up. "Is that a promise?"Elaine stood confidently. "Sure, but let's be real, you're probably just a little bit well-off. You're not some mega-rich tycoon."Seth was not really interested in her that way.Her grandfather was a city magistrate, after all. There was no way he would let his granddaughter get involved with Seth in any scandalous way.He just wanted to have a little fun with her, so he asked, "Ever heard of Crystal Skin Cream?"Elaine perked up. "Yeah. It's like the hottest thing in Longford Kingdom. Everyone in school is using it.""I'm the brains behind Crystal Skin Cream."Elaine laughed. "Seth, you've gotten even better at telling tall tales."It was clear she did not buy it for a second.Seth just shrugged. "I could show you around the company if you want."Elaine gave him a knowing look. "If you're trying to woo me, just be upfront about it. No need for the runaround. If you're serious, maybe I'll consider dating you."Seth did not fee
Her amazement quickly turned to self-doubt, though. She glanced at Seth. "We should get going. This place... isn't meant for us."Starnight Group was the dream destination for job seekers, Elaine included. It was like a castle in the sky, something to be admired from afar with a mix of longing and respect.Seth strode ahead. "Come on. If you don't, you'll kick yourself later.""Wait, you..." Elaine hesitated, her foot stamping the ground in frustration before she hurried after him."Good morning, Mr. Yeager."The guards at the door, looking sharp in their suits, lowered their heads respectfully as he passed.When Elaine caught up, she had a puzzled look on her face as she whispered to Seth, "What's the deal? Have you got the security in on some kind of act?"Seth's response was a mix of laughter and disbelief. "Exactly."Realization dawned on Elaine, and she teased him, "Got it. I'll think about the girlfriend thing, okay?"Seth was baffled, his expression a mix of question m
Rewind to three days earlier, truckloads of Crystal Skin Cream and Tiger Pills had been shipped off to over 50 elite countries by every means possible.The paperwork had been polished, the ads were in the can… All that was left was for Seth to snap his fingers and the whole world would get a taste of what Longford was all about.Once Seth's word was law, the gears started turning.Out of the blue, netizens across the globe got hit with this ad blitz that was nothing short of bonkers.The ads were laying it on thick—pop one pill and you would be as buff as a tiger.There was also something like 'How about a product that'll make your lady both swoon and scowl?'Well, that was the gift. Sure, at first, folks rolled their eyes. It was too much hype to take seriously.When they were bombarded left and right, though, there were bound to be a few guys down on their luck. They were willing to take a gamble and slap down an order.Even with a price tag that was enough to make their wa
After delegating tasks left and right, Seth's thoughts turned to business at home. "How's Tiger Pills doing on our turf?" he inquired.One of the executives piped up, "Not too shabby, but it's not the blockbuster hit the pills are abroad. Profits are modest in comparison."Overseas, those pills were dirt cheap to make but sold for a small fortune. Back home, the production cost was a bit higher, and the selling price was not nearly as impressive.The ads were toned down too, and they were marketed as simple health supplements. Thanks to the glowing reputation of Crystal Skin Cream, though, the pills were still flying off the shelves.Seth gave a satisfied nod. His work here was nearly done. The company would keep chugging along without him.Once he patched up the last of the leaks left by the Thousand Rivers crew, he would be off to Carbodia. There, he planned to round up the troublemakers once and for all.Just after two, Seth ducked out of the office early and headed to Elaine'
"Babe, why'd you take so long? I've been waiting forever."Elaine walked up and looped her arm through Seth's, giving him a playful wink.Seth murmured just for her to hear, "You know, me showing up like this doesn't come cheap."Elaine shot back, "What do you want from me? I'm broke...""Guess you'll owe me big time, then." Elaine paused for a second before she caught on, her cheeks turning pink. "You're terrible."To anyone watching, their quick banter seemed like a couple teasing each other.Alex was fuming. He quickly stood up and confronted Elaine with clenched teeth. "Elaine, would you really rather fake it with some guy than be with me?"Elaine huffed. "Who said anything about faking? He's my boyfriend, for real."With that, she clung to Seth's arm even tighter.Alex bellowed, "I don't buy it! You're tricking me!"Elaine was totally fed up and nursing a serious headache. This guy was like a stray dog with a bad case of fleas. He just would not leave her alone.In a
Alex was a sport about his loss and made the transfer on the spot.Elaine's phone pinged with the deposit alert in under a minute. She then burst into cheers, hopping around like crazy. "Woohoo, a cool 100 grand! I'm rich now!"Seth grabbed Elaine's hand. "Come on, you'll be treating me today."Elaine beamed. "Sure thing, honey."They strolled off into the distance, all smiles and laughter.Alex, who had been down in the dumps, suddenly wore a chilling smirk. "He's just like the rumors say, surrounded by ladies. It's time to put my plan into action!"After grabbing a bite with Elaine, she was all about dragging Seth to a movie.By the time they got out, it was midnight.She had been buzzing with excitement the whole day, absolutely glowing.Elaine and Seth were wandering the streets under the starry night sky. Elaine buzzed around Seth with the energy of a playful puppy, her voice bubbling with excitement. "I'm on cloud nine! I've hit the jackpot!"Her family had money, sure,
"My parents skipped town, leaving a mountain of gambling debt behind. They left me and my little ten-year-old sister to fend for ourselves. The debt collectors have been knocking on our door every day. "I had no choice but to quit school and work three jobs just to keep up with the payments."Seth, with his keen senses, could tell when someone weaker than him was lying. The girl was speaking the truth."How much of the debt is left?" he inquired."Over 700,000," she murmured, her gaze downcast. Her rough hands were nervously twisting her shirt hem. She looked no older than 19, but her hands told the story of a much harder life.Her young shoulders were poised to carry a weight that would crush most adults.Seth let out a sigh. He could easily wipe her debt clean, but that was not his plan. Handouts were not his style. He believed in empowering people to stand on their own. Besides, he could see her pride. She would not just take charity.He decided to keep an eye on her for a b
Wendy had never felt Seth's anger like this before. Even through the phone, it scared her.She did not waste a second after getting the hint from Seth and got right to work.Once he hung up, Seth took care of Elaine's wounds.She was lucky. It was just the shockwave that got her, so her injuries were nothing serious.She came to a few minutes later but looked totally lost. "What happened? I heard..."Seth filled her in, his face dark with a rage he had never felt before.Whoever was behind this, Seth was going to make them pay.Elaine's eyes filled with tears after hearing it all. "That poor woman! She has a little sister. What's going to happen to her..."Seth said in a low voice, "Don't worry. I've got people on it. They'll take care of everything."Just then, Elaine turned on the TV. There it was—the explosion, all over the news."Breaking news from our station. The explosion in the neighborhood was no accident. It was a deliberate act of terror. The reason behind this hei