Chapter 21 Lion Den

At noon, in the president’s office of the Quine Group. Dahlia was distracted while reading her documents. Her mind was completely occupied by Dustin. She was worried that Trevor would track down Dustin. If that happened, Dustin would be doomed.

“Lyra!” Finally, Dahlia couldn’t hold herself back after imagining all the possible scenarios.

“Ms. Nicholson, how can I help you?” Lyra came in after knocking.

“Help me prepare some gifts. I’m going to the Drey Group,” Dahlia said.

“The Drey Group? Isn’t that Sir Spanner’s place?” Lyra was shocked.

“That’s right. I want to talk to him.” Dahlia nodded.

“Why do you want to talk to him? Is it about Dustin?” Lyra panicked. “Ms. Nicholson, please calm down! Sir Spanner is still angry. Why would you visit him and poke the hornet’s nest?”

“No matter what, I have to try!” Dahlia was adamant.

“Wait! We still have Mr. Nolan! He said he would help. Why don’t we wait some more?” Lyra advised Dahlia.

“We’ve waited for one whole night, and there’s still no news from him. I don’t think he’ll be able to help us. I have to do this myself.” Dahlia shook her head.

“Ms. Nicholson, don’t we have any better way? Why don’t we think about it again?” Lyra was worried.

“Dustin got into trouble because of me. I can’t sit still and do nothing. Go do as I say.”Dahlia waved her hand.

Seeing the determination in Dahlia’s eyes, Lyra couldn’t help sighing. Left with no choice, she had to obey Dahlia’s order. She knew that Dahlia wouldn’t change her mind once she made up her mind.

30 minutes later, they arrived at Drey Group.

“Lyra, you can wait in the car. You don’t have to go in with me.” Dahlia ordered.

“No way. We must help each other out through thick and thin. How can I let you take all the risk by yourself?” Lyra was a loyal person.

“This is dangerous. Just in case, I need you to wait outside. Call the police if I don’t come out in half an hour, got it?” Dahlia looked serious.

“Alright! I will make sure to complete my task!” Lyra nodded vigorously. She knew that she had a great responsibility. It was entirely up to her whether Dahlia could return safely.

“I’ll go in then.” Without saying much, Dahlia opened the door and entered the building.

Unlike ordinary companies, the people in the Drey Group were all buff guys with tattoos. One could tell that they weren’t kind people. After Dahlia reported her identity, a bald guy led her to an office on the top floor.

In the office, the bearded Trevor sat calmly on a sofa with a cigar in his mouth.

“Are you Ms. Nicholson from the Quine Group?” Seeing Dahlia enter his office, Trevor narrowed his eyes. “As expected, you’re gorgeous. No wonder my useless son would get into a fight with other people for you.”

“Sir Spanner, may I ask how your son is doing?”

“He’s fine. He won’t die, but he’s crippled,” Trevor said faintly.

“Crippled?” The look in Dahlia’s eyes wavered. Although Trevor sounded calm, he couldn’t hide the anger in his eyes.

“So, what do you plan to do about this?” Trevor crossed his legs on the table and sat comfortably.

“Sir Spanner, I’m the one who caused everything and am willing to take full responsibility for this. I hope you can be generous and let Dustin go,” Dahlia said solemnly.

“You want to take responsibility? Are you sure you can do that?” Trevor grinned evilly.

“I will hire the best doctors to treat your son. Also, I will bear the corresponding compensation. Just tell me how much you need,” Dahlia continued.

“I don’t need money.”

Suddenly, Trevor put a bottle of alcohol on the table. “If you really want to negotiate with me, finish this bottle of alcohol first.”

“I…”

Dahlia was put in a difficult position. She wasn’t good at drinking. She didn’t know if she could handle it after drinking the whole bottle.

“What’s wrong? You don’t want to drink it? In that case, no deal.” Trevor waved his hand.

“I’ll drink it!”

Dahlia hesitated for a few seconds. Eventually, she picked up the bottle. A bottle of alcohol was nothing compared to Dustin’s life. Hence, she took a deep breath, put the bottle in front of her mouth, and started gulping down the alcohol.

After finishing one–third of the alcohol, she began to cough violently, and her face turned red. Gritting her teeth, she ignored the discomfort and continued drinking. She began to feel dizzy when she finished two–thirds of the bottle.

Panting slightly, she finished the whole bottle.

“Sir Spanner, are you satisfied now?” Staggering, Dahlia grabbed the table.

“Haha, interesting.”

Trevor smiled teasingly. “Since you seem sincere, I’ll give you another chance. Take off your clothes now.”

“What?”

Dahlia frowned. “Sir Spanner, what do you mean?”

“Don’t you understand? I want you to take off your clothes and serve me. I will consider letting you go if you manage to satisfy me. To be completely honest, even though I’ve slept with many women, I’ve never done so with a woman as stunning as you.” Trevor smirked.

Dahlia’s face darkened as soon as she heard that. His son, Edward, was a greedy pervert. She never expected his father to be the same. Indeed, an apple didn’t fall far from the tree!

“Sir Spanner, I can promise you anything else except for this!” Dahlia begged desperately.

“Except for this? Haha…” Trevor threatened evilly, “You should know how powerful I am. You should be honored that I’m willing to talk to you. If I don’t want to talk to you, there will be no use, even if you strip yourself naked and kneel before me. You better think twice! I’ll go take a shower, you better have all your clothes removed when I come back. Otherwise, I’m going to do it myself! By then, I won’t be alone, all my brothers outside will join me!”

Dahlia’s face turned pale when she heard that. She suddenly realized that she had thrown herself into the lion’s den.

Chapter 22 Hunter (Mr.Anderson)

At Peaceful Medical Centre, Dustin and the one-eyed man were drinking when his phone rang suddenly.”Hey, Dustin! Ms. Nicholson is in danger. Hurry up! We need your help!” Lyra shouted.

as soon as the call connected.

“Danger? What’s going on?” Dustin frowned.

“It’s all because of you! Ms. Nicholson was worried about your safety, so she personally approached Sir Spanner to talk to him. She hasn’t come out since then. I think she is in danger!” Lyra sounded urgent.

“What the hell was she thinking? I told her it was none of her business. Why is she looking for trouble?” Dustin’s face darkened.

“Dustin Rhys! Don’t you have any conscience at all? Ms. Nicholson is trying to save you!” Lyra shouted angrily.

“Where is she?”

“The Drey Group!”

“I’ll be there straight away!”Without saying anything more, Dustin hung up and rushed straight there. At the same time, in the Drey Group’s offices.

Dahlia slumped on the couch, feeling lightheaded. Her face was dripping with sweat. She could feel the aftereffects of the alcohol hitting her. Her hands and legs went weak, and she was losing her balance.

Most importantly, her bag and mobile phone were confiscated right when she entered the office. She couldn’t even call anyone for help. What should she do? As she was thinking of a plan, the office door opened, and Trevor strode in wearing a robe.

“Why are you still dressed? Do you want me to take action?” Trevor sized her up. In his eyes, Dahlia was just too alluring. She exuded a unique sort of charm. He was eager to taste her.

“Sir Spanner, you’d better not do anything stupid. I’ve already got everything prepared. My subordinate will call the police if I don’t go out in half an hour. The police are about to arrive!” Dahlia warned.

“What? Are you trying to scare me?” Trevor laughed dryly, “How do you think? managed to put me in this position? I’ll be honest with you. Many of the people in the police station are my men. Do you think they will dare to touch me?”

“What?”

Hearing what he said, Dahlia turned pale. She thought she would be safe since she had a backup plan. Never did she expect Trevor to have no fear at all,

“Come on. Stop struggling. Nobody can save you today. Obey my orders if you don’t want to die!” Trevor began to step closer to Dahlia.

“Don’t come near me!”

Suddenly, Dahlia grabbed a pair of scissors from the table, wanting to defend herself for the last time.

“Damn it. You ungrateful thing!” Trevor was furious. He struck Dahlia with his fist, and she fell to the ground unconscious. Then he trapped her under his huge body. Forcefully, he tore Dahlia’s clothes open, revealing her fair thighs and slim waist.

Just as he was about to reach out and explore her body, a loud bang rang out, and the door was kicked open. A handsome guy came in with a murderous expression on his face, his bloodthirsty eyes made him look like he was about to devour a person alive.

“Who are you? How dare you interrupt my business?” Trevor stood up, looking frustrated. Dustin did not say anything. He only took off his jacket and covered Dahlia with it.

Half–conscious, Dahlia thought she was surrounded by a familiar scent for one second. A sense of security washed over her.

“Sir Spanner, huh? I’m the one who injured your son. Well, do you have any last words?” Dustin lifted his head and stared at Trevor as though he were a dead man.

“So it was you!” Trevor let out an evil laugh. “You could’ve lived peacefully, yet you chose to walk right through the gateway to hell! How dare you break into my territory alone? You must have a death wish!”

With that, he stretched out his hand and pressed a button under the table. An ear–deafening alarm rang out, Instantly, a commotion broke out, A bunch of men filled the hallways and gathered in front of the office. Soon, the hallway outside the office was crowded with people, Looking ahead, it was dark out there. There were at least hundreds of people!

Additionally, the number of people was still increasing

“Kid, I heard that you’re good at fighting,” Laughing, Trevor uttered, “So what if you can fight ten or 20 people? I have more than 200 men here. Let’s see how you’re going to fight them today,” So what if Dustin was a skilled fighter? He could never beat so many people.

“It seems like you’re prepared,” Glancing at the people, Dustin remained calm. “But nobody can stop me from killing you,”

“You’re surely a bold one! Let’s see what you’ve got! Attack!” Hearing Trevor’s order, all the men started rushing toward Dustin.

“Stop!”

Suddenly, a roar echoed across the room, followed by a few gunshots. Everybody was shocked upon hearing the gunshots, and they automatically spread out. An elderly man with white hair strode over, dressed in a suit. Behind him were a few fierce–looking shooters.

“Mr. Anderson, why are you here?” Seeing Hunter, Trevor immediately smiled and went up to greet him.

Everyone knew that Hunter was the president of the Swinton Group. He was one of the Mighty Three! He could make the whole Swinton shake with a stomp.

“Get lost!”

Ignoring Trevor, Hunter directly walked up to Dustin. Anxious, he asked, “Mr. Rhys, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Why are you here?” Dustin was slightly shocked.

“I heard you’re in danger, so I immediately rushed here. Thank God I’m in time!” Hunter wiped his sweat, looking worried. If anything happened to Dustin in his territory, he would be doomed as well.

“Mr. Anderson, do you know each other?” Trevor’s eyes widened in bewilderment.

“Bastard!” Hunter was furious. He lifted his hand and slapped Trevor hard across the face. “Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you try to fight Mr. Rhys? You must have a death wish!”

“Huh?” Trevor was in a daze. He couldn’t believe it. According to his investigation, Dustin was a nobody with no background. Why did Hunter seem so nervous? Had Dustin been hiding his true identity the entire time?

Chapter 23 Let go of them

“Why are you still standing there? Let them go!”

The corners of Trevor’s eyes twitched, and his face turned pale. If Hunter had asked politely, he wouldn’t be angry. However, Hunter shouted at him as soon as he arrived and even slapped him. He would be too embarrassed to face his men if he let Dustin go just like that.

“Mr. Anderson, this guy crippled my son and barged into my place. How could I stand in front of the public if they know I let him go today?” Trevor retorted in a low voice.

“Your son deserved to be crippled! I will destroy the Drey Group if you don’t let him go today!” Hunter smirked coldly.

“Mr. Anderson, I know you are influential, and I can’t offend you. But don’t forget that I have someone supporting me too!” Trevor shouted fiercely.

“Are you talking about Edwin? Let me tell you. Even if Edwin were here today, you would still have to let Mr. Rhys go!” Hunter gave a chilly smile.

Trevor’s expression instantly darkened as soon as he heard what Hunter said. He didn’t expect Hunter to be so stubborn. Hunter was even disregarding Edwin for two strangers.

“Great! I will tell Sir Hummer what happened today!” Trevor said, somewhat annoyed.

Edwin Hummer was the leader of the three most influential families in the country. He would definitely be able to control Hunter.

Hunter would have to pay for disrespecting him.

“Cut the nonsense, and let them go right away!” Hunter could not bother to say one more word to Trevor. He took out his gun and pointed it at Trevor’s head.

“Let them go!” Seeing that Hunter was serious, Trevor gritted his teeth and gave in. He didn’t want to risk his life for such a small matter.

“Trevor, this is a warning for you. If anything similar happens again, even Edwin can’t help you!” With that, Hunter escorted Dustin and Dahlia out.

None of the 200 men outside dared to move.

“Sir Spanner, are you going to let them go just like that?” Some of his men felt frustrated.

“What else can I do? Do you want to die then?” Trevor retorted.

Hearing that, his men kept quiet.

“Damn it! I won’t let them go just like that!” Trevor continued with a gloomy expression, “Contact Fletcher and ask him to come back right away. That guy must die today!”

“Yes!”

After exiting the Drey Group, Dahlia finally sobered up.

“Ms. Nicholson, are you okay?” Hunter asked caringly.

“Mr. Anderson? Why are you here? Did you save me just now?” Dahlia looked shocked.

“I didn’t do anything. I just tried to help out. Mr. Rhys risked his life and didn’t back down, even when facing 200 men, only to save you. How devoted!” Hunter smiled.

“Really?” Dahlia turned her head and looked at Dustin next to her. She seemed confused.

“Mr. Anderson, didn’t you say that you have some matters to deal with?” Dustin asked abruptly.

“Oh, yes. Look at how forgetful I am. I almost forgot. Go ahead and talk. I’ll make a move first.” Hunter didn’t stay for long. After bidding them goodbye, he left with his men.

“Ms. Nicholson!” Lyra came down from the car. She had been waiting in front of the door, yet Dahlia came out before the police arrived.

“Ms. Nicholson, was that Mr. Anderson who just left?” Lyra asked tentatively.

“That’s right. Thanks to him, we are safe.” Lyra nodded her head.

“Mr. Anderson is not close to us. Why would he help us?” Lyra was shocked.

“Well, I’ve been wondering too.” Dahlia seemed lost in her thoughts. She barely knew Hunter. Why would he help her?

Chapter-24 200 Kill

I know! Mr. Nolan must have helped us out!”

Lyra seemed to have thought of something. Suddenly, she said, “I called him after calling the police just earlier. He must have sent President Anderson here.”

“Chris Nolan?” Dahlia frowned, feeling doubtful.

“That’s right. Mr. Nolan is the only person who would help us and has the power to ask President Anderson for help!” Lyra analyzed, convinced that she was correct.

“Well, that makes sense.” Dahlia agreed. As they were talking, a red Ferrari stopped by the road. The door opened, and Chris, wearing a set of bright clothes, came down hurriedly.

“Dahlia! Are you okay? I came here immediately after receiving the call!” Chris seemed worried.

“Mr. Nolan, thanks for your help. Otherwise, Ms. Nicholson would be in danger.” Lyra hurriedly thanked Chris.

“Help?” Chris was stunned. He almost couldn’t snap back to his senses.

“Yes! Mr. Anderson had already come just now. He came to rescue Ms. Nicholson.” Lyra smiled.

“Huh?” Chris was even more shocked.

“Mr. Nolan, I didn’t expect you to be able to get President Anderson’s help. You are amazing. I’m impressed!” Lyra began to flatter him.

The corners of Chris’ mouth twitched. He seemed confused. Hunter Anderson was a big shot, and Chris was in no position to ask for his help. Actually, Chris didn’t even have the right to meet him, much less ask for his help. Although he wasn’t sure what happened, Dahlia and Lyra had misunderstood him. Since things had already played out, he decided to continue with the flow.

In any case, he wouldn’t lose out on anything.

“Ahem, well… I was just trying. I didn’t expect Mr. Anderson to be so kind.” Chris fixed his tie and accepted the praise. Hearing that, Dustin couldn’t help laughing. This guy was so thick–skinned. Wasn’t he afraid the ladies would find out the truth?

“Dustin! How dare you laugh?” Lyra cried, annoyed. “Look at Mr. Nolan. He solved everything easily, but what about you? You only know how to be violent, and you nearly put Ms. Nicholson in danger!”

“Why did he only show up now if he is so amazing?” Dustin responded calmly.”Although he was late, he got Mr. Anderson’s help. Otherwise, do you think you can walk out of Sir Spanner’s territory alive?” Lyra replied angrily.

“You’re the only one who thinks that way. I don’t think Chris saved me,” Dustin responded calmly.

“Hey! Why are you so ungrateful? Mr. Nolan saved you. Not only did you not thank him, but you’re also sprouting nonsense here. How shameless!” Lyra was displeased.

“Forget it, he doesn’t know how to appreciate others’ help. Let’s not lower our standards and argue with him.” Chris feigned generosity.

“Did you see that? This is what we call grace!” Lyra glared at Dustin.

“Dustin, Mr. Nolan saved us, after all. I think it won’t hurt for you to thank him.” Dahlia seemed dissatisfied too.

“Go ahead and thank him if you want. It’s none of my business.” Dustin couldn’t care less.

“Why are you acting this way?” Dahlia frowned minutely. He didn’t even thank Chris for saving them earlier. How could he be so petty?

a

“I’m always like that. This isn’t the first time you’ve met me.”Then, Dustin continued relentlessly, “Also, please don’t be a busybody and barge into Trevor’s territory next time. You are so dumb!”

“I’m dumb? I did it to save you!” Dahlia was getting angry.

“Save me? Who asked you to save me?” Dustin raised his voice. “How are we even related? Do I need your help? Stop being a busybody. You almost killed yourself, yet you’re trying to act tough. You asked for it.”

Hearing his words, Dahlia was stunned. She couldn’t believe Dustin would say such a thing.

“Is this what you wanted to tell me?” Dahlia was dumbfounded and rooted to the ground in disbelief. Looking at Dustin’s cold expression, she thought he felt unfamiliar. She could feel grief and sadness. washing over her as a result.

“That’s right! That’s what I wanted to tell you! Please keep in mind not to meddle in my business. My life and death have nothing to do with you. We are no longer related. Do you get it?” Dustin scolded her fiercely.

His cruel words froze Dahlia. She didn’t expect Dustin would complain and blame her instead of thanking her for her kindness. When had they become enemies?

“Hey, Dustin Rhys! Are you even human?” Standing on the side, Lyra couldn’t take it anymore. She scolded, “How can you say that to Ms. Nicholson? She was trying to help you! How can you be so ungrateful?”

“What do you want me to say? Am I supposed to praise her for being brave and barging into Trevor’s place?” Dustin asked coldly.

“You are such an ungrateful guy!” Lyra was pissed off.

“That’s enough! Stop it! From now on, I will never meddle in your business. Whether you’re alive or dead, it has nothing to do with me!”

Finally, Dahlia could no longer hold herself back. With that, she left angrily. Nobody noticed the usually tough lady had started to tear up.

“Dustin Rhys! You’d better remember what you said today! Don’t come and ask for our help next time!” Lyra glared at him and caught up with Dahlia.

“What an idiot,” Chris uttered, following after them. This was a chance for him to swoop in. He couldn’t let this chance go.

“Silly woman…” Confusion filled Dustin’s eyes as he stared at Dahlia leaving. He had purposely said that to protect her. Trevor would have taken advantage of her if Dustin hadn’t arrived on time earlier. He didn’t want anything similar to happen again, so he had to cut ties with her heartlessly!

“Finally, it’s time to take action.” Dustin took a deep breath, turned around, and stared at Drey Group’s building. He hadn’t left earlier because he was afraid. He simply hadn’t wanted to put Dahlla in danger. Now that Dahlia was safe, he had no worries anymore.

Revenge was a dish that must be served cold. Unfortunately, Dustin was an impatient guy. He had to take revenge today!

With that thought in mind, Dustin strode into the Drey Group without hesitation. Under the people’s shocked gazes, he locked the main door. Soon, cries and howls rang out from the building.

The whole process took about 20 minutes.

20 minutes later…

With a loud bang, the office door on the top floor was smashed by one of the bodyguards ‘dead bodies.

Dustin stepped on the corpse as he entered the room, covered in blood. He looked like a devil from hell. The whole place was covered in gore. It was terrifying! In the office, Trevor’s bodyguards were shocked. They were dumbfounded, and chills started creeping up their bodies.

Dustin was like a monster; they didn’t expect him to be so strong. He had killed everybody from the first floor to the top floor!

He had killed almost 200 men all by himself! Was he even human?

“Who–Who are you?” Panicking, Trevor stumbled backward. When he saw Dustin coming back, he smiled smugly, assuming that Dustin must have a death wish. Soon, he realized he was wrong.

He was completely wrong! Dustin didn’t have a death wish. He was on a killing spree!

Chapter-25 New Pawn

As soon as Dustin entered the building, he gradually worked his way up and killed everybody he came across. None of his opponents could stand up to him at all, each fell in mere seconds.

“You want to take revenge on me, but you don’t know who I am?” Dustin began to close in on Trevor. The look in his eyes was exceptionally cold.

“Damn it! Don’t come near me, or I’ll kill you!” Trevor suddenly took out a gun from his drawer. However, Dustin immediately rushed forward and grabbed the muzzle before Trevor could lift his hand. Then, he grabbed the gun. A metallic groan rang out. Trevor was shocked to realize that the muzzle of his gun had been twisted by Dustin. The gun was made of iron! How could he manipulate the gun like it was mud?

“Mr. Rhys, it’s a misunderstanding. I swear I won’t bother you anymore if you leave now.” Trevor started breaking out in a cold sweat. He decided to give in. Dustin’s power was beyond the level of ordinary people. It was no wonder a big shot like Hunter would be so respectful toward Dustin.

“You won’t bother me, but I want to bother you.” Dustin suddenly grabbed Trevor’s shoulder and pulled him violently. With a crack, Trevor’s arm was broken.

“Argh!” Trevor cried out.

“How dare you touch my woman?” Dustin remained expressionless. He struck again and broke Trevor’s other arm.

Trevor couldn’t help sweating. His face turned pale while the other people in the room shivered in fear. None of them dared to go near Dustin.

“Fuck! Do you know who my supporter is? It’s Edwin Hummer! The leader of Swinton’s Mighty Three! If you kill me today, Sir Hummer will tear you into pieces!” In the face of death, Trevor threatened Dustin fiercely. He tried to scare Dustin away by invoking his patron.

“Are these your last words?” Amused, Dustin frowned and threw him to the ground. “If you have nothing else to say, you can die now.”

“No! Don’t kill me! Please don’t kill me! I have power, influence, and money. No matter what you want, I can give it to you as long as you don’t kill me,” Trevor spat blood and collapsed to the ground, pleading ferociously, He was terrified,

“Power and influence? Now that you say that, it reminds me of something.” Dustin scanned his surroundings and looked at a corner. A man in a bright outfit was standing there. “You must be his henchman, seeing that you are by his side,”

Afraid, the man nodded his head without answering,

“Good. Kill him, and all his assets will belong to you,” With that, Dustin kicked the knife next to his feet toward the man,

The man looked at the knife. After hesitating for a moment, his eyes became fierce,

“No…”

Before Trevor could say anything more, the man had already picked up the knife and stabbed his chest violently. Blood instantly gushed out of Trevor’s body,

Trevor’s eyes widened, and he collapsed to the ground. Even after he died, he had no idea who he had offended.

“S–Sir, I’ve killed him.”

“Trevor is pretty influential in East City. Now that he’s dead, do you think you can handle the situation?” Dustin asked calmly.

Since the man had chosen his path, Dustin wanted to train him.

“Don’t worry, Sir. I’m sure I can handle it!” the man said confidently.

“Oh? You sound confident.” Dustin frowned. Slightly surprised, he said, “Let me ask you. What position do you hold in the Drey Group?”

The man didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he pointed at Trevor, who was lying in a pool of blood. “He’s my father.”

“He is my father.”

Dustin was shocked. He didn’t expect the two of them to be related. “I heard Trevor has a son called Edward. Who are you then?”

“My name is Mason. I’m Trevor’s illegitimate son.” The man bowed his head as he explained, “Trevor forced himself on my mother and got her pregnant. In order to save his image, he kept my existence in the dark and made me his foster son instead.”

“So, you hate him?” Dustin asked.

“Yes!” Mason gritted his teeth and seethed angrily, “He abandoned my mother and me, leaving us impoverished all those years ago. Now, he’s only using me as a pawn to assist Edward. I can’t let them trample over me again. I must get back what’s mine!”

“Good.” Dustin nodded in approval. “Since you’re ambitious, I will help you. If you do as I say, I will not only help you climb the ladder but also help you rule over Swinton.”

“Thank you!” Delighted, Mason immediately knelt on the ground to show his gratitude. As wise as Mason was, he could tell that Dustin was an extraordinary man. After all, the latter had taken down the entire Drey Group all by himself, so his capability was unfathomable. Working by Dustin’s side would no doubt make Mason’s future bright.

“You can call me Mr. Rhys. If you need anything next time, feel free to give me a call. All I ask is your loyalty,” Dustin reminded him.

“I swear to be loyal to you until the day I die, Mr. Rhys!” Mason nodded, determined.

“You know what to do from here, right?”

“Yes. Whatever happened today is on me. You have no involvement at all,” Mason replied shrewdly.

“You’re smart.” Dustin smiled. The pawn he found had some potential. Suddenly, the phone on the table vibrated. Only after getting Dustin’s permission did Mason answer the call.

“Hey, what’s up? Do you need 50 million dollars? I heard that you guys haven’t repaid the bank loan. You’re going bankrupt soon, yet you’re still asking me for money? Are you trying to use me? Whatever, I don’t have time for your problem. Get lost.” After saying that, Mason hung up the phone without hesitation.

“What was that about?” Dustin asked.

“It’s nothing. This guy named David Nolan was asking for a loan. 50 million dollars in one go.”

“David?” Dustin raised an eyebrow. “He has a son named Chris, right?”

“I think so. How did you know?” Mason got curious.

“Forget it. Go on and tell me more.”

“Well, I would’ve agreed to lend him the money if it were in the past since that’s the kind of business my company runs. However, I recently learned that Nolan Pharmaceuticals has been investigated for selling fake drugs, though the news has yet to be disclosed to the public. How can I possibly lend money to a business on the verge of bankruptcy? What would I do if they ran off with the money?”

“That’s right. It looks like you’re experienced in handling a business. It shouldn’t be a problem for you to take over Trevor’s business.” Dustin gave a nod of approval.

“Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Rhys,” Mason answered respectfully.

“Alright. Clean up the mess here. I’m leaving now. We’ll get in touch again if needed.” Without wasting time, Dustin changed into a clean set of clothes and left the Drey Group.

It was his first time going on a killing spree in ten years. His emotions were stable, almost peaceful. This was a piece of cake compared to what he’d been through a decade ago.

“Honk! Honk!”

Just as Dustin wanted to hail a taxi home, a yellow sports car rushed over at him with the sound of a roaring engine. When it seemed like it was going to run into Dustin, the car firmly skidded to a stop. Then, the car window rolled down and revealed a gorgeous face. It was a girl with a ponytail, appearing to be around 18 years old. She was youthful and beautiful.

“Hey, Rhys, get in!” She waved at him.

“Who are you?” Dustin asked, completely baffled.

“Damn, did you forget me already? We met yesterday!” The girl huffed annoyingly. In her own opinion, her natural beauty attracted attention wherever she went.

Chapter 26 Infected by aphrodisiac

She was the type to make men fall in love with her at first sight. Thus, she was shocked to learn that Dustin had forgotten about her after just one night. Was her presence so insignificant?

“Um… you do look familiar. I think I’ve seen you somewhere.” Dustin tried to dig through his memories.

“Yesterday, at the hospital. You treated my grandfather. Do you remember now?” The girl uttered through gritted teeth.

“Oh! You’re Natasha’s sister, Roth. Am I right?”

“Who the hell are you calling Roth? My name is Ruth! Ruth Harmon!” Ruth nearly exploded out of exasperation. She wanted to step on the gas pedal and run Dustin over with her car. All this time, she’d never been treated this way. How insulting!

“I’m sorry. Ms. Ruth, are you looking for me for some reason?” Dustin quickly changed the topic.

“Of course! Why would I be here otherwise?” Ruth rolled her eyes and ordered, “Hurry up and get in the car. Natasha has fallen sick and is demanding to see you.”

“Hmm? What happened to her?”

“How would I know? You’re the doctor. You should go and find out. Now, get in!” Ruth ordered in an unfriendly tone.

Helplessly, Dustin got into the car and then left under the jealous gaze of the passersby.

After half an hour, the car finally pulled over in front of a luxurious building called Java Joys. The place boasted a large backyard, which not only had hot springs but also a garden and a swimming pool. Meanwhile, the main entrance was guarded by security 24/7.

“Follow me.” Upon getting out of the car, Ruth led the way, and they hurriedly made it to a bedroom. At this moment, inside the private bathroom was Natasha, who was dressed in a business suit while she soaked in a bathtub full of ice cubes.

Her face was flushed, her gaze blurry, and her breathing was labored. As her chest rose and fell, it caused ripples in the water.

“Ms. Harmon, what happened to you?” Dustin walked over and was stunned the moment he noticed that she wasn’t wearing anything under her suit. While it wasn’t obvious at first, certain parts of her skin became visible when the fabric was slowly soaked with water. Like any other man, Dustin found it hard to resist when a stunning woman like Natasha was in this state.

“Mr. Rhys, you’re here…” Natasha opened her hazy eyes and spoke with difficulty, “My body feels so hot. I’m so thirsty and in pain… It feels like my chest is on fire. Quick, help me find out what’s wrong…” As she spoke, she put out her wrist.

With an observant look, Dustin was fast to find out the issue. “Ms. Harmon, if I’m not mistaken, it looks like you’ve been drugged. And with a potent aphrodisiac at that.”

“Bullshit! Who would drug my sister?” Ruth scolded.

“What do I do now, Mr. Rhys?” asked Natasha lethargically.

“Although it’s a special case, it can be treated. But we must move you to a bed. It won’t be easy to treat you in this bathtub.” Dustin signaled for her to get up.

Natasha nodded, struggling to get up. However, as soon as she took a step out of the bathtub, she slipped and collapsed into Dustin’s arms. Subconsciously, Dustin’s reflex kicked in, and his hands shot out to hold her, and they just so happened to touch her chest. Natasha felt as though she had been hit by a bolt of lightning. At that moment, both of them froze in place.

Dustin’s mind was blank, but Natasha’s expression was agitated. Her eyelashes fluttered, and her breathing hitched. The fire inside her had only gotten bigger.

Without a warning, Natasha parted her lips and raised her head, surging upward to kiss Dustin.

“Hey! What are you guys doing in broad daylight? Aren’t you embarrassed?” Ruth, who was at the door, let out a scream at this sight. She covered her face with her hand, but her curious eyes couldn’t help peeking through her fingers, and she watched the two of them kiss intimately.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Dustin instantly came to his senses and rushed to push Natasha away. His face was etched with awkwardness. Everything happened so quickly that he hadn’t had time to think.

It’s okay. It was my fault. The drug might have been too strong, as I really couldn’t control myself,” Natasha replied coyly. While speaking, she cast a glare at Ruth, silently cursing her sister for ruining the rare opportunity for her to get a man.

“Ruth could’ve just left. Why did she have to scream? I’m cutting her allowance this month!” thought Natasha.

“Ruth, help your sister to lie on the bed,” instructed Dustin.

“Hmph! Of course, I will. Did you think you could take advantage of her again?” With a roll of her eyes, Ruth went to hold the grumpy Natasha and walked her to the bed.

“Ms. Harmon, please remove your shirt and lie on your front,” Dustin added.

“What? You pervert, what are you trying to do!” Ruth’s anger immediately flared.

“Don’t get me wrong. I have to use a needling method to extract the toxins from your sister’s body. Otherwise, she’d get worse over time, to the point where she’d lose control,” Dustin patiently explained.

“Are you serious? You’re not trying to scare me, are you?” Ruth looked skeptical.

“Why would I lie to you about this?” Dustin was in disbelief.

“Fine. I will trust you for once. But you have to look away. Don’t peek!” warned Ruth.

“Okay.” Without saying much, Dustin turned around.

“Natasha put on your bra. You can’t let him do anything to you,” Ruth said as she handed Natasha her bra.

“Ah… How considerate of you, Ruth.” Natasha’s voice sounded strained.

“Don’t mention it. Come, let me help you.” Smugly, Ruth quickly helped Natasha. Then, the latter gave her a look and said, “I think you can head out now. Don’t disturb Mr. Rhys from treating me.”

“No way! What if he tries to lay his hands on you? I must watch him closely!” Ruth rejected her instantly. Natasha’s eye twitched, feeling helpless with her upright sister. Why was the girl so dense? She had to teach her a lesson later,

“Hey, Rhys, you can look now.” After getting Ruth’s permission, Dustin turned around at last. Natasha was lying obediently on her front, her smooth and fair back exposed. Her ass, waist, and neck nearly formed a line of perfect curves. At first glance, she looked like an exquisite piece of artwork.

“What are you waiting for? Get to work!” Ruth yelled from the side, staring at him firmly. Dustin regained his composure and took out his needles, sitting by the bedside to start treating Natasha.

Even though the aphrodisiac was potent, it wasn’t difficult to treat once it was discovered. The only problem was that Natasha’s body was too alluring. Added to her charmingly flustered expression, his heart couldn’t help skipping a beat.

Fortunately, Dustin possessed excellent concentration. He only focused on the important parts to resist her allure.

Around 15 minutes later, Dustin breathed a long sigh and removed the needles from Natasha’s back. “Ms. Harmon, your body is free of toxins now. You can flush out the remaining drugs by drinking more water.”

“Thank you for your help, Mr. Rhys.” Natasha smiled shyly. On her flawless face was a lingering seductiveness. It was like sweet wine–so intoxicating.

“Natasha, hurry up and put on your shirt!” Ruth immediately wrapped her sister up tightly, fearing that she would be taken advantage of.

“Ms. Harmon, the aphrodisiac you’re drugged with is very similar to the one your grandfather was poisoned with. Based on my judgment, it must have been the same culprit,” Dustin suddenly said.

“No wonder I felt something amiss.” Natasha nodded thoughtfully.

“It can’t go on like this. To avoid similar incidents like this, we must find out the person behind this as soon as possible,” Dustin advised.

Chapter-27 Grandfather(Ex-wife’s)

“Do you have a plan in mind, Mr. Rhys?” Natasha asked.

“I need to get a clear understanding of the situation first. I hope you don’t mind if I ask you some questions.” Dustin cleared his throat before continuing, “Where did you go today, and did you meet anyone there?”

“I met Edwin today. We talked about work, and he asked about us being in a partnership, but I rejected his offer,” Natasha answered truthfully. “I see. Did you drink anything he offered you?”

“Of course not. That man has been eyeing my family business for ages. I’d never let my guard down around him.”

“Then it really is strange how you got drugged, sis,” Ruth piped up.

“Truly.” Natasha rolled her eyes.

“When you two met, did you smell or touch anything in particular?” Dustin then asked.

“Now that you mention it…” Something suddenly dawned on Natasha. “When I stepped into the place, I did smell something particular. I didn’t pay much attention because I thought it was just perfume. But then, after a while, I started feeling dizzy. My body felt oddly warm too. Good thing I left soon after that. Who knows what could’ve happened if I had stayed longer?”

“It seems like that fragrance really is the problem,” Dustin concluded.

“What’s next, Mr. Rhys?”

“There was ambergris residue found on your skin earlier. It must’ve been the main ingredient in the fragrance that was used to drug you.”

“So what? We still need to track down the person who made that drug,” Ruth huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“Ambergris is a rare substance, so our target pool is quite limited. We can look at recent buyers and narrow down our search from there,” Dustin replied.

“Good plan. I’ll have someone get to it right away!” Natasha agreed. With her family’s influence, this sort of thing could be settled in a jiffy.

“I trust my work here is done, Ms. Harmon. I’ll take my leave now.” Dustin made a move to stand up.

“One more thing!” Natasha suddenly stopped him.

“Why don’t you join us for dinner?”

“Thank you, but I… already have plans tonight.”

Natasha gave him a curious look. “It can’t be with your ex–wife, can it, Mr. Rhys? Don’t you find me attractive? Hm?” With that, she arched her body to show off her curves. Dustin froze up. “U–uh…”

“Hahaha, alright, I’ll stop teasing you,” Natasha giggled, “I won’t make you cancel your plans. But before you go, here is a token of my appreciation.”

She made a quick gesture, and a servant came over with an elegant–looking box.

“I hope you can make good use of these wines, Mr. Rhys. I’ve had them in store for quite some time.” Natasha beamed, handing him the box.

“You have my thanks, Ms. Harmon.” Dustin gladly accepted it. He deserved some compensation for work done, and a gift from Natasha Harmon herself wouldn’t be just some lousy trinket.

“See Mr. Rhys out, Ruth,” Natasha called.

“Okay,” Ruth’s tone was tinged with reluctance, but she still brought Dustin out to his Lamborghini, Suddenly, his phone rang. It was a phone call from Henry Nicholson, Dahlia’s grandfather,

“Hey Dustin, are you up for lunch today?”

“Thank you, but I already have plans today, sir.”

“You still need to eat, don’t you? Dahlia should’ve cut you some slack. I’ll make sure to tell her about this!” The old man grunted.

“It’s just some personal business, sir, nothing to do with Ms. Nicholson.”

“Alright, enough defending her. I know how you are, and I’m sure this is because of her. Don’t you worry; I’ll make sure to confront her about this. We’re family, and family needs to spend time together.”

“Uh… sure, I guess,” Dustin reluctantly agreed.

In the three years after marrying into this family, only this old man treated Dustin as his own. That was why he respected and cared for him deeply. But they wouldn’t see each other for a long time after that. So let this meal be the final goodbye for both of them…

Dustin drove over to the Nicholsons’ home at noon. The villa was in a secluded neighborhood, with flowers and hedges decorating the front yard. Dahlia was right outside. Dustin tried to avoid her but was still spotted.

“Stop right there! I need to talk to you!”

“What is it?” Dustin asked. Their backs were to each other as they spoke.

“I haven’t told Granddad about our divorce because of his condition.”

“Do you think we can keep him from finding out?”

“I’ll find a chance to tell him after, just not today.”

“Alright. Anything else?”

“Nope.” Dahlia turned and went inside the house without another word.

They never once looked at each other, acting like complete strangers. Dustin took a deep breath and went in as well, wine in hand. The living room was filled with people, including most of the Nicholsons. Only John, Dahlia’s father, was absent, still outside on his trip. Yet someone was sitting in his usual seat this time, an outsider too–Chris Nolan.

“How rude to have us elders wait on him like this,” Florence jeered, her expression mean.

“Shh, Mom. He might get upset and hurt you!” James chirped loudly. He hadn’t let go of what had happened yesterday. The bruises were still visible on his face.

“Alright, now that everyone’s here, let’s have dinner.” Henry Nicholson announced, beaming at Dustin. “Come and sit beside me, kid.”

“Sure.” Dustin smiled in return and helped the old man to his seat. James scowled, his eyes burning with jealousy. “Kiss–ass!”

He had never understood why his grandfather doted on Dustin. James was the old man’s grandson by blood!

“Come, let us all drink!” Henry toasted.

“Granddad, look at this.” James pulled up a decorated box of wine. “Chris brought this beautiful wine over, a fine Grand Cru from La Romanee Conti. We should all toast with this!”

“La Romanee Conti? That’s a really expensive vintner, no?”

“Yes, it is. It was 100 thousand dollars a bottle!” Chris boasted.

“What? 100 thousand dollars a bottle?!” everyone exclaimed in shock. The sky–high price had been way beyond their expectations. The Harmons were pretty well–off, but even they hadn’t had a chance to try something this expensive.

“Why’d you spend all that money on this, Chris? It’s too much, no?” Florence questioned, though pride laced her tone. After all, Chris was her first choice for a son–in–law.

“100 something thousand isn’t much. I have another barrel of this at home, so please, you all enjoy,” Chris grinned like a cat that ate the canary. The pride was evident on his face, however.

“Mr. Nolan, you’re really generous.”

“Yeah, we’re really in for a treat tonight!”

The family began praising Chris for his wine, feeding his ego further.

“Hey, boy, look at how sincere James is. His wine costs 100 thousand dollars. But what about yours, hm? You bought them from the dollar store, didn’t you? Cheapskate!” Florence sneered and even kicked James in the calf.

“Why don’t we have a look?” James proposed with a conspiring smile. He swiftly opened Dustin’s box of wine.

Chapter 28 $2 million worth a bottle of wine

The wines were quickly unboxed for everyone’s viewing pleasure.

“Teh, and here I thought they were decent quality. Looks like these are just craft brews, worth no more than two thousand dollars, I bet.” James had a look of disdain on his face. “How could these compare to Grand Crus?”

“Craft brews have long lost their value on the market. We don’t even give our servants. these!” someone exclaimed,

Craft brews weren’t actually that terrible in terms of quality, but they were nothing compared to Grand Crus.

“What a cheapskate!” Florence scoffed,

“How are craft brews cheap when they’ve been on the rise in the country? Is your taste. in fine wine only limited to those brewed overseas?” Dustin casually responded.

“How is it not cheap when they cost only a couple thousand? Chris’ wines cost more than 100 thousand dollars.” James rolled his eyes.

“Wines don’t have to be expensive to be good. Plus, you don’t know how much exactly my wines cost.”

“Are you still trying to make a comeback?” James sneered.

Florence scowled. “Hmph! So damn stubborn, that one.”

“I’m not going to waste any more of my time trying to explain to people who won’t listen to reason,” Dustin said. He really didn’t want to waste his breath any longer.

“That’s enough. What matters most is the flavor, not the cost. I prefer whites over reds. anyway.” Henry finally interrupted, popped open one of the craft brews, and poured himself a glass.

“Wait, why is it so yellow? Shouldn’t craft brews be pale white?”

“It’s murky too! It isn’t fake, is it?”

“My goodness, bringing fake wine to dinner! What kind of person would do that?”

The people started whispering to each other upon seeing the yellow liquid in the old man’s glass.

“Now you’ve really done it! How dare you mock us all with this sham of a gift?!”

Florence cried, slamming the table with one hand.

“What if something happens to us after drinking it?!”

“I never expected him to be so evil! Is he trying to poison us all or what?”

A commotion broke out at the table in an instant. Cheap wine was already embarrassing enough, but fake wine? That was a conspiracy waiting to happen! Not even the old man knew how to calm the situation down now. He never drank much craft brews, but even he knew it was supposed to be a pale, nearly transparent color. Yet the wine Dustin had brought was not only yellow; it even seemed opaque. It didn’t look like anything good.

“This is how fine–aged craft brews usually turn out to look like,” Dustin explained.

“Bullshit!” James cried. “Do you think we’re idiots? No wine looks like this! It’s piss, that’s all it is!”

“Yeah! Why do you continue to lie through your teeth?” Florence huffed.

Chris shook his head with faux empathy. “Oh, Dustin. You should’ve told me if you couldn’t bring anything to the table. I could’ve given you a bottle or two for show. Why would you want to drag us down like this?”

His words seemed kind, but in truth, he was leaping for joy internally. Dustin truly was no match for him. His victory over this family nearly felt effortless.

“I don’t care if you trust me or not. All I can say is this wine is genuine and as good as they come,” Dustin reaffirmed.

“Whoa, what a crowd!”

Suddenly, a man appeared in the doorway, still dressed in his business suit, holding several gifts.

“Dad? You’re back from your trip already?” James gasped. It was John Nicholson, Dahlia’s father.

“Well, the deal was a success, so I came home, Carly.” John smiled. The wines on the table caught his attention. “Oh, is that La Romanee? It’s a recent brew I think, but it must cost at least 100 thousand dollars a bottle, am I right?”

“Good on you, Dad! You’re right!” James beamed.

“Dear, Chris brought this over for dinner. Isn’t he sweet?” Florence spoke up, then she turned to glare at Dustin. “Unlike some people who tried to poison all of us with fake wine!”

“Fake wine?” John exclaimed.

“Yeah, look!” James showed his father the glass of yellow liquid. “Dustin brought this over for dinner. If we hadn’t noticed in time, God knows what would’ve happened to us if we drank it.”

John took a close whiff of the wine, then tossed the entire glass down in one go. “Dad, what are you doing? Don’t drink that! You’ll kill yourself!” James yelled.

Yet John seemed to be reveling in the taste of the wine. “A smooth, creamy body, followed by a heady finish, this isn’t fake. This is a priceless aged craft brew!” “What?!” Everyone gasped.

“You must be kidding, right, Dad? This can’t be aged wine!” James’ eyes were wide as dinner plates.

“Look at how yellowish it looks, though. It must be fake!” Florence accused.

“You guys must not have seen brews like this before. Aged craft brews get this color, and it only darkens the longer it’s been aging. Every wine connoisseur knows this.”

The looks on everyone’s faces quickly changed. Their accusations had just been dampened significantly, not by just anyone but by John Nicholson himself, a well-known wine enthusiast. His judgment couldn’t be wrong.

“I was blessed to be able to try such a fine wine years ago with a government official, but this brew right here must be finer than the one I had that body and finish tell me it must’ve been aged for at least 50 years!” John smacked his lips, still enjoying the brew’s aftertaste. ?

“How much would it cost on the market?” James asked curiously.

“It’s priceless. You couldn’t find a willing seller even if you offered a city’s worth. But if we judge based on recent wine auction values, it should cost at least two million dollars,”

“Two million?!” Everyone gasped. They’ve never even heard of wine that costs this much! Chris’ Grand Cru was nothing compared to that!

“N–no way!” Florence refused to believe it. “Are you sure about this, John? How could Dustin be able to afford this?”

“Yeah! He can’t even afford a nice pair of pants, not to mention something this expensive!” James cried. His argument brought forth the table’s resounding agreement.

“He has a point. How could that vagrant have that much money?”

“Hmm… where did you get this brew, Dustin?” John asked gently.

“A friend gave it to me,” he answered truthfully.

“Gave it to you?” Florence scowled. “How could someone like you have friends rich enough to buy a drink like that? Even if they did, why would they give it to you in the first place? I bet you stole it from them!’

“Yeah, he must’ve stolen it!” James nodded vigorously, finding a new accusation to slap Dustin with. He refused to believe Dustin could afford this sort of quality wine, whether or not it was given to him by a friend.

“Why did you have to steal this of all things, Dustin? Do you know how many years you’ll have to spend in prison for theft?” Chris huffed, appearing to be considerate. How could that pauper have gotten a hold of something not even he could?

“Whether you believe me or not doesn’t matter to me. I didn’t steal it, and that’s enough for me,” Dustin droned. First, they called his wine cheap. Then, after revealing it wasn’t, they find another accusation of him having stolen it. Next, they would just say he blackmailed Natasha into giving it to him. That’s why there was no use explaining to them further.

“Hah, see? Where’s your excuse now? I knew you stole this!” Florence screeched.

“You thief! I can’t believe you stole this just to look good in front of us!” James gasped, playing along.

“Whatever. I got this wine for Granddad and Granddad only, so you guys don’t have to drink and if you don’t want to!” Dustin rolled his eyes. He had had enough of this crap.

“Enough, all of you! I trust Dustin with my whole heart, and I know he didn’t steal this wine, so stop it!” Henry finally ground out.

“But Granddad…

“Be quiet! Eat your food!” the old man ordered once again. Only then did everyone shut up?

Even Florence and James, who still didn’t believe he could have lawfully gotten his hands on the craft brew. Dinner finally began. Even though everyone had their turn at smearing Dustin’s name, they still gladly took their share of the craft brew. Even those who didn’t drink alcohol tried a few sips.

After all, this brew cost over two million dollars on the market, a precious delicacy they had never had the luck to try before. Why pass on the opportunity? Dustin could only snort at how stubborn this family of people was.

Dinner soon came to an end.

Chapter 29 collecting money in the name of investment

Chris rapped on the table, calling for everyone’s attention.

“Everyone, I would like to share some good news with you all. Nolan Pharmaceuticals. has been looking to increase its share pool, so we are currently welcoming new investors. Is anyone here interested?”

“New investors?” Everyone’s attention was immediately captured. Nolan Pharmaceuticals was an industry–leading corporation with very limited shares available. That was why Chris’ announcement came as a shock to everyone at the table.

“Hasn’t the company been doing alright, Mr. Nolan? Why the sudden invitation?” Dahlia asked curiously.

“Of course, it has been. We’ve just been planning to list our company publicly, that’s why. As everyone knows, our company is not short on talent or the capability to overcome competition. This share listing is just so we have some funds to give our employees a good bonus this season.” Chris smiled. “We haven’t officially announced this to the public yet, and the spots are limited. If anyone here is interested, we can save some spots for you.

That sure got everyone on board. Nolan Pharmaceuticals could easily bag them all hefty profits!

“Count me in, Mr. Nolan. I have five million to spare!” James called out eagerly.

“Eight million on me!” Florence followed.

Chris beamed. “Alright, two spots for you guys.

“Hey, I want a share too! You’ve got yourself another three million!”

“Five… five million for me–that’s all my life savings!”

The family started shouting over each other, worried they wouldn’t be able to get at share. It was a perfect example of herd mentality.

“What about you, Dahlia? How many shares would you like to get?” Chris turned to Dahlia. “I can give you extra from the pot, given our relationship.”

“I…” Dahlia gave it some thought.

She had learned a lot on her way up to where she was today. Naturally, she knew not to make decisions based on personal sentiment.

“Don’t you trust me, Dahlia? I’m offering you a share because you’re important to me. You can say no if you want to–there are loads of other people waiting to get their share.” Chris huffed lightly.

“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that I’ll be joining as a shareholder in a company with the Harmons very soon, so I’m being extra careful with how I’m spending my funds, just in case,” she explained.

“How much do you have in hand right now?” Chris asked.

“Not much. So million tops.”

“That’s more than enough! To be frank with you, you don’t need that much to work with the Harmons. Why don’t you consider investing in my company instead? We pay out really solid dividends each year.”

“He’s right, Dahlia. This is a once–in–a–lifetime opportunity!” Florence cried.

“What are you waiting for, sis? You can trust Mr. Nolan. He’s already helped you out so many times!” James added.

“If you believe in me, Dahlia, then invest in my company. But if you don’t, it’s fine too,” Chris finally relented.

“L… Alright then.”

After some hesitation, Dahlia finally nodded. She was only doing this to pay back the favor she owed Chris, and he had insisted so much that it would be disrespectful to reject his offer. This investment wasn’t a bad idea either. Just like that, Dahlia’s So million dollars were all promised to Nolan Pharmaceuticals.

“What about you, Dustin? Wanna buy a share?” Chris suddenly asked with a smirk he didn’t bother hiding.

“Oh, and by the way, one million is the minimum investment amount. You can have a go at earning big if you have that much as a starter.”

“Thanks, but no thanks.”

“Heh, I see… Are you not interested? Or… don’t you have that much to spare? How about this: For Dahlia’s sake, I’ll let you have a ten–million share if you can fork out a hundred thousand dollars at least.” Chris grinned.

Dustin replied nonchalantly, “No, thank you. I have no interest in a company that’s on the verge of packing it up.”

That brought Chris’ mood to a shocked standstill.

“What did you say?”

Chris froze, thinking he had misheard him.

“I said I’m not interested in a business that’s about to go bankrupt,” Dustin repeated.

“Bankrupt?”

Everyone was too stunned to react to his words.

“How dare you! That’s nonsense!”

Chris was shocked, but he quickly denied it. “Nolan Pharmaceuticals is raking in profits. every day and is at its prime. How could we go bankrupt? Stop fear–mongering!”

“Only you know whether this is fear–mongering or not. Anyways, I’ve received news that Nolan Pharmaceuticals will be investigated due to the sale of counterfeit illicit drugs. It’s just a matter of time before they go bankrupt.” Dustin’s words were very shocking.

“Counterfeit drugs? Investigated?” Now, everyone was even more puzzled.

Their gaze turned to Chris.

“Nonsense! All of it is nonsense!”

“Dustin, stop spreading these rumors. Nolan Pharmaceuticals is a law–abiding. company. How could it go under investigation? I can sue you for defamation!” Chris threatened.

His words may appear firm, but he was in turmoil on the inside. Nolan Pharmaceuticals was indeed under investigation and would go bankrupt soon. He intended to list the company as a publicly traded company to raise capital so he could run off with a fortune.

However, the news had been suppressed. How did Dustin know without it being leaked?

“Dustin, what nonsense are you spewing? How can a company be as successful as Nolan? Pharmaceuticals go bankrupt?” Florence reprimanded.

“That’s right! Everyone knows that Nolan Pharmaceuticals has good assets and is at the peak of success. Stop spreading lies!” James also piped in. It was obvious they doubted him. After all, the Nolan family had a long history in Swinton. They also maintained a good reputation, so it did not seem possible to have issues.

“It’s the truth. Nolan Pharmaceuticals is about to go under, and the so–called ‘capital increase and share expansion’ is nothing than a money–grabbing scam.”

Chris even contacted Mason to borrow money. The investigation of the company and its bankruptcy were obviously true.

“Bullshit! I just wanted to do everyone a favor because we’re close. It’s fine if you

choose not to accept my offer, but how dare you slander me? What intentions do you have?” Chris cried out.

“Mr. Rhys, it’s fine if you’re not able to help us. But why cause trouble when Chris just wants to help us? You’re really devious!”

“That’s right! This fellow must be slandering Chris because he’s jealous!”

“Dustin, you’re so despicable!”

Everyone started to chime in, one after another. Dustin was poor, while Chris had power and money. Between the two, they were more inclined to believe Chris.

Dustin couldn’t help but frown as he watched the commotion. He did not expect his kind intentions to be returned with such a negative reaction. This proved that no one would believe a man without money or power.

“Dustin, do you have proof that Nolan Pharmaceuticals is going bankrupt?” Dahlia suddenly asked. She had invested eight million worth of funds. Naturally, she had to be caution

“I don’t have evidence. But what I said was the truth. You can check if you don’t believe me. You should be able to trace the information,” Dustin replied coldly.

Dahlia’s expression darkened at his words. Did this mean he was just making it up? She even had high expectations for him. It turned out he was just making false accusations. This must be the result of his jealousy turning into hatred.

“Everyone, since Dustin claimed I’m a swindler, just forget the matter about the shares, lest I rip off everyone.”

Seeing that the timing was right, Chris deliberately put on an act as if he had been wronged.

Chapter 30 Breakin News

Chris’ words made everyone nervous. How could they let this opportunity to make a fortune slip away so easily?

“Chris, ignore this fellow. He’s obviously jealous of you. But we’re not, we all believe you!” Florence immediately took a stand.

“That’s right! Chris, you promised us about the stocks. You can’t just forget about it.” Everyone agreed right away. As they spoke, they turned and glared at Dustin.

“Dustin Rhys, don’t stop us from making a fortune! Otherwise, I won’t let you off so easily!”

“Yeah! Get lost if you wish to continue on with this nonsense!”

The crowd chattered and chimed in one after another. From their perspective, Dustin was slandering Chris and preventing them from making money. He had such malicious intentions!

“Do all of you really trust Chris? Hasn’t anyone ever doubted if he was lying?” Dustin asked with a frown.

“That’s none of your business! We’ll do what we want!” James glared at him.

“That’s right! Even if we were cheated, it would be on our own terms! It has nothing to do with you! You’re really such a busybody!” Florence looked at him with disgust. Dustin smirked at these words. He appeared to be making a fool of himself or being disdainful.

“Since you all love to give away your money. Forget I ever said anything.” He shook his head. It was hard to advise these stiff–necked people. These people were so blinded by money that they had no hope. He would just be embarrassing himself if he tried to warn them any further. He even looked forward to their reactions after finding out they had been scammed.

“If you have nothing nice to say, you should shut up! You’re such a letdown!” Florence spat out. She would have gotten rid of him if not for Henry’s sake.

“Alright, this is just a misunderstanding. Dustin must’ve been misled by some news.” Henry tried to smooth things over.

“Yeah! It’s all just a misunderstanding.”

John smiled and tried to change the topic. “Oh, Dahlia, you were saying you’re starting a company with the Harmon family. How’s it going?”

“I’ve become partners with the Harmon family and signed the contract. Our new company will be officially launched in two days. We’ll be having an opening ceremony at that time. Feel free to join if you have the time,” Dahlia offered with a smile.

It was her goal to work with the Harmon family.

“Is that so? That’s awesome. I’ll be sure to attend!” John answered happily.

“Dahlia, I didn’t expect you to partner with the Harmon family. We’ll be able to gain a stronger foothold in Swinton in the future.” Henry was very relieved.

“Chris helped out a lot in this matter. If he hadn’t pulled some strings, we would never even be eligible to partner with the Harmon family.” Dahlia spoke as she turned to face

Henry.

“Dad, not only that, today when Trevor tried to cause Dahlia trouble, Chris called for Mr. Anderson, who helped her out of the situation!” James added.

“Is that so? Then I’ll have to thank you, Chris!” James raised his glass and gave Chris a toast.

“It’s nothing. I was just helping out.” Chris raised his glass in response.

“You must be very influential to be able to ask for Mr. Anderson. But some people who don’t know any better even tried to accuse the Nolan family of going bankrupt. What a joke?” James commented in a condescending tone.

Dustin sipped his wine quietly, acting as if he did not hear a thing. Although he knew the truth, he couldn’t be bothered to reveal it, because they wouldn’t believe him. The truth would prevail when the Nolan family went bankrupt. As they continued to drink, the atmosphere at the table loosened up more.

Compared to Dustin, who had been left out, Chris was the center of attention. They surrounded him and greeted him warmly, laughing heartily. However, no one in the Nicholson family realized they were sinking into a mire of their own making.

The following morning at the Hummer Villa. As the richest man in Swinton, Edwin was drinking tea leisurely with an old man.

“Mr. Lawson, it’s too bad that the lady was so cautious and left before the drug could take effect. Otherwise, I will definitely have subdued her!” Edwin lamented.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Hummer. She doesn’t have the antidote for the drug I gave her. She will definitely come begging if she doesn’t want to die. You can have your way with her then,” Fletcher joked.

“Is that so? That’s perfect!” Edwin’s eyes lit up. He had been longing for a thorny rose like Natasha for a long time. The thought of toying with such an exquisite woman in bed made his heart race.

“Sir Hummer…”

Suddenly, a bodyguard came and whispered something in Edwin’s ear.

“What? Trevor is dead?”

Edwin’s face darkened and he demanded, “Who did it? Who dared touch my men?” Trevor was his right–hand man and did his dirty deeds. His sudden death was quite a loss to Edwin.

“It was rumored to be his adopted son, Mason. That man was in a hurry to take over his position, so he killed Trevor.”

“Mason?”

Edwin narrowed his eyes, and thought, “That bastard is so cruel. He wouldn’t even. spare his adoptive father?”

“Mr. Hummer, I think there’s something fishy about this matter.” Fetcher had a suspicion.

“Huh? Did you think of something?” Edwin raised his eyebrows.

“Trevor called me yesterday, asking me to get rid of someone related to Hunter Anderson. I planned to ask him about it today, I didn’t expect him to pass so soon. Fetcher stroked his beard.

“So you think that person killed Trevor?” Edwin quickly understood what he was implying.

“That’s possible!” Fletcher nodded.

“If that person is related to Hunter, this matter is not as simple as it seems.” Edwin rubbed his chin, deep in thought. He had devoted all of his attention to the Harmon family, so if he were to provoke Hunter and both families joined forces, even he would be in deep trouble.

“Sir Hummer, I have an idea if you’re afraid of causing trouble.”

“Please, go on.”

“Doesn’t Trevor have an older brother, Travis? I heard he is serving in a warzone in the West. Besides, he is also a lieutenant who commands thousands of men. We could just inform him of the news of Trevor’s death, and let him do the rest. Then, we can sit back and watch the show!” Fletcher smiled sinisterly.

“That’s a great idea!”

Edwin’s eyes lit up. make use of him!

“With a reckless man like Travis leading the way, I can definitely

At the same time, be in the office of the Jackson Group.

Just as Dahlia took a seat, Lyra knocked on her door and entered.

“Ms. Nicholson! Something bad has happened!”

“What is it?” Dahlia felt her chest tighten.

“I heard there was a massacre at the Drey Group and Trevor was murdered!” Lyra’s words shocked her.

“What? Travis was murdered?” Dahlia was dumbfounded. He was Sir Spanner! The King of the Underground in East City, who did business with both lawful and unlawful people. How could he just die? Besides, they had just seen each other yesterday.

“I’m not too sure of the details, but news on this has been released.” At this point, Lyra asked in a hushed voice, “Ms. Nicolson, do you think this has anything to do with Dustin?”

“Dustin?”