2024-04-30 18:19:16Lilly frowned at Bruce's utterance. She heaved a tensed sigh and peeked at Justin's eyes. The rage, betrayal, and anger lurking in his eyes wrecked her heart.
Bruce had his lips blaring with a smile. As he watched the couple exchange glances.
"So what's your response?" Bruce asked - gazing into Lilly's plunging blue eyes. "Are you going to have lunch with me and get a new car or you'd stand here with this poor idiot." He said, darting a finger at Justin. "The choice is yours to make."
Justin's emotionless face shrunk into a scowl, part of him wanting to pull Bruce close and headbutt incessantly until his nose bled.
"I'm not interested," Lilly said. She swallowed the lump in her throat - eyes glaring into space.
"Oh. Wrong choice." Bruce grinned. You're going to regret that choice." He sneered.
"I can't disrespect my husband like that by going on a date with his boss.!" Lilly retorted.
Justin's demeanor switched. A smile formed at the corner of his spherical lips. His mind flashed back to the last time he argued with Lilly. She told him, that if he chose to remain poor, then she'd be forced to throw away every fleck of respect and love she had for him. Hearing her mention the word 'respect' in a corroborative tone left him shocked, but elated.
At least, if he's not sure if she still loves him - he can chug on some respect.
Bruce giggled. He ran and placed his hand on Lilly's shoulder. "There's nothing like respect in the corporate world darling." He grinned. "Every woman has a price."
"Well, I don't!"
Lilly shoved his hand off her shoulder and took a step closer to Justin. Justin gave Bruce a triumphant stare. That kind of look appears on a four-year-old's face after they've successfully succeeded in carrying out an act of mischief.
Bruce caught that stare. He tightened his lips and blinked his eyes. He thought of a way to make her take that step again, but this time - towards him. Not Justin.
"But you know your supposed husband earns less than a thousand dollars a month. How possible is it for him to get you a car." Bruce said and a scoff escaped his lips. "Oops, he might just get you a toy car instead."
"It doesn't matter." Lilly shot. "Besides who says he can't get a better job? He can always save up to buy me a car. I don't have to go on a date with a stranger." Lilly added with a smirk.
"She called me a stranger," Bruce muttered airily, dabbing his face with his palms.
"Yes, you are. I love Justin and I'm not going out with you." Lilly spat.
"Really?" Bruce growled. "I guess Clyde wasn't a good woman for Bonnie. You're the perfect and loyal match." He strode close to Justin, his head almost touching Justin's lips.
"You're fired." He declared.
Justin's mouth sulked into a circle and a gust of air evaded it in a split second. He knew Bruce was a contemptuous and petty dude. But the last thing he expected was this measure of pettiness and hatred.
Tucson will have his head for dinner if he hears about this.
"What!" Justin exclaimed. "Sir - you can't fire me just like that. I've been diligent with my work, I'm punctual -"
"Let's say you're not diligent enough to take care of this beautiful woman," Bruce said, cutting Justin off. "If I have to fire you to solidify my chances, then it's a wrap for you here."
"You didn't have to do that," Lilly shot with her heart pounding with rage and a flare of compliance.
"This ain't time for that, young lady," Bruce said and moved a little bit closer to Lilly. "So what's it going to be? A date with me in exchange for a car that's sexy like you, or you're gonna stand here and sympathize with the latest jobless guy in town." Bruce said.
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I Am The Richest Man Alive Chapter Eight - The Lilly-Challenge.
Frigid spurts of adrenaline dashed through Justin's spine. He peeked at Lilly's face intently, as if he could see through her bones. Bruce's mouth was encircled in a sinister smile - anticipating a positive response from Lilly. At the onset, Justin was worried about how he'd heal from the injury and his palm. Or better still how he'd find a means to work with it, through the pain. So Bruce will not notice any laxity and fire him like he had always threatened. But now, Bruce has fired him because of his financial incapability. Or because he wanted to have lunch with his wife. Justin wished he could time travel and choose to stick to his roots. Maybe that approach will depict who's richer now. But at the same time, he's confident that Lilly is never going to accept Bruce's proposal even if he doesn't have a job or cannot afford to buy her a new car. After all, her father is wealthy enough to buy her one, and she can get a pretty good car on her own if she wants to. She doesn't have t
I Am The Richest Man Alive Chapter Nine - Poor Little Boy.
"Great!" Bruce exclaimed. "You made the choice eventually."Justin's eyes glinted with rage and disappointment. He bit his lip nervously as he watched Bruce hold Lilly's hand. "Lilly, how could you - " Justin stuttered. Until the first streak of tear fell from his eyes, Justin didn't notice how heartbroken he was. "How could you do this to me?" He wailed. Lilly smacked her lip, as a flare of guilt flashed through her mind. She had seen him cry and feel broken in the past. But now he wasn't just broken and teary, he looked like he had been ripped off his heart. And he might die of a heart attack real soon. "I'm sorry, Justin." Lilly muttered, touching his shoulder. "I know I said I loved you. Believe me, I do. But at this point, I'm helpless too." "So you're going to humiliate me and go out with another man just because of a car?" Justin cried, his voice stuck somewhere between rage and remorse. "Not just a car Justin. It's my dream car. A Rangerover." Lilly said. Her tone went a
I Am The Richest Man Alive Chapter Ten - Favours.
"Dad, I need a favor." There was a huge puff of breath from the other end. "Son, have you forgotten the deal?" The baritone voice asked. "You have just three favors to ask. And that's all, else you must come and take over the company. I wonder w -" "Dad, I just want a single favor." Justin impeded. "After this one, I will never disturb you again." "Fine, let's hear it." "Dad, I'm aware that you're one of the major shareholders of Rover Autos Corporation and you're close friends with Adrian Martell, the CEO," Justin said. "Yes, I am. And how does that add up to the favor you're asking? " "Dad, your position as the major shareholder means you have the power to order the withdrawal of a sold car right?" Justin asked. Silence. "Dad! Can you hear me?" "I can hear you, Justin. What car do you want to withdraw and why do you even want to do that?" "Dad I will tell you the whole story later, but I just need you to do this for me, right now. Please." Justin pleaded. "Alright, son.
I Am The Richest Man Alive Chapter Eleven - Another Favour.
"Dad, I want another favor," Justin said, clasping his phone to his ears. "I guess you're finally coming back to take your inheritance. When you exhaust your number of favors." "Dad, I'm not coming to inherit anything. I just need you to do this one last favor for me." Justin said, chafing his hand on a chimney. While the contorted siren of a cop car blared faintly into his ears. "You asked me for a favor some days ago. I wonder what you're up to this time.""It's the second favor I'm asking of you. Are you going to grant it or not?" "Let's hear it." "I need some money. Something close to a hundred and fifty thousand dollars." A soft chuckle echoed from the other end. "I knew you weren't going to grant my request." Justin whimpered, rolling his eyes in disappointment. "I thought you were going to ask for an island or even a penthouse." His father said. "I guess you're going on some cheap shopping spree or something." "Dad, I don't need a penthouse. And you don't have to know
I Am The Richest Man Alive Chapter Twelve - Love And Trouble.
Lilly moved closer to the car with her eyebrows raised in astonishment. Her lips formed an oval shape as she switched her gaze from Justin to the car and then back to her amused folks. "What is going on?" Lilly asked, with her hands hemmed across her chest. "I heard your new car was taken away," Justin said with a flare of sarcasm in his tone. "So I thought to get my beautiful wife a brand new car," Justin added. "Wow!" Lilly exclaimed. She was a bit speechless as she glanced at the car. "He brought her a brand new Urus?" Diana's boyfriend mumbled as he walked towards Diana and plopped his hands on her shoulder. "This is unbelievable," Tucson whispered. Justin paid no attention to the murmurs. "It's all yours baby!" He screamed, stretching the car keys to Lilly. Lilly grasped the car keys. A grin arched across her mouth as she saw the metallic 'Lamborghini' inscription on the car key. She fluttered into Justin's arms and hugged him tightly like she was going to crush his backb
I Am The Richest Man Alive Chapter Thirteen - Loan Shark.
Lilly slammed the door of the car with a loud bang, she strolled towards the loan shark like she was going to get into a physical altercation with him. "You're not going to take the car away," Lilly yelled. The loan shark gave Lilly a cold, calculating gaze. "You have a sexy angry face." He muttered. Justin's face changed into a scowl when he heard the compliment. He seemed to find it disrespectful that the loan shark complimented his wife that way. "But you have to stay out of this," the loan shark added. He gestured for his men to take the car key from Lilly. "Give them the car keys young lady." The loan shark ordered. Lilly didn't listen. She constricted her hands on the keys as her heart thumped rapidly as two men approached her. She drifted to the side, but they didn't stop coming closer. Lilly took fearful steps backward and the men trudged towards her at the same pace. "Don't touch my wife," Justin yelled. He stormed close to the men going after Lilly. One of them lande
I Am The Richest Man Alive Chapter Fourteen - Divorce.
Lilly's lips emitted a sigh. She wiped a streak of sweat off her face. She felt a lot of emotions, yet clueless about which one to express first. She felt guilty that Justin succumbed to her pressure. And had to go and lend money to buy her a car. Then again she imagined how broken and disappointed she'd be if the car was taken away. Again she recalled the awkward way her last encounter with Bruce ended. She thought she wasn't going to see him again. Despite what transpired, Bruce came in and saved the day. His act of kindness may have earned him a spot in her heart. "I'm sorry," Bruce said, wrapping his hand around Lilly's neck. At first, he thought she'd shove his hand away. Instead, she pulled him into a warm embrace. Tucson cleared his throat as he and his wife approached Lilly and Bruce. The duo disentangled from the hug. Lilly's cheek melted in a sheepish smile. She's nervous about how she'll introduce Bruce to her family. "Don't you think the handsome man deserves to be int
I Am The Richest Man Alive Chapter Fifteen - Last Favour.
Justin's laughter erupted like a dam, breaking, echoing off the walls in a manic crescendo. The laughter vanished off Justin's lips when he saw the sincerity in Lilly's demeanor. "Lilly! Are you kidding right now?" Justin asked, nudging his head closer to her. "Are you leaving me for this bastard, you're really - " "You meant to say, rich bastard?" Bruce impeded, his eyes glinting with a cynical smirk. "Shut up. You bastard." He slammed his cuffed hands on the table, the metal cuffs clanking against the wood, ready to pull Bruce in for a fight. "You're the reason why I was here in the first place you animal!" Bruce curled his lips in a sinister smile. "You're here because you couldn't pay your debt." Bruce smirked. "Justin!" Lilly called and Justin sat down. "Sign the papers, please." The welled-up tears in Justin's eyes cascaded. "You want me to sign these papers? Lilly, I love you. I can't imagine a world without you." Justin cried. "But I don't love you! What part of that d
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Chapter 557: The Price of Loyalty
The days following his confrontation with Mark felt like an endless storm to Justin. The stench of betrayal hung over him like a cloud, darker and heavier than any he had ever known. It was not just Mark's actions that wounded him; it was the realization that even those he trusted most were capable of turning against him. His empire, his family, the people he had built everything for, none of them were safe.In the quieter times when Justin wasn't surrounded by the unrelenting demands of his empire, the loneliness of the entire thing settled on him,In the silence of his penthouse, the cold glass walls offer no comfort. He knew this day would come. But it's still painful. The idea that someone he trusted, people who have stood by him for many years, can decide to betray him.It cuts deeper than any opponent that he had ever faced. But he didn't have the leisure to brood over it. The fight with Ethan was far from over, and Mark was just one casualty in this war. The loss of loyalty
Chapter 556: Reckoning
The room was silent when Justin re-entered. His expression was cold and disbelieving. There was no need for an explanation to the group still seated around the table for what had happened. The tension hung in the air. Every person in the room knew, it seemed, instinctively that a bomb had just gone off.And the consequences will cause serious damage. Mark sat at the head of the table. His fingers tapped the polished wood nervously. His usual confident demeanor was gone. It was replaced by a feeling of discomfort radiating from him. Justin could see it in the way his eyes avoided his gaze. But there had been more-something darker, something deeper. Silently, Justin walked toward the tabletop; his footsteps rang harsh in the otherwise silent room. Mark's eyes flicked up, catching everything else for the briefest instant before quickly looking down.“Everyone out,” Justin said, his voice harsh, commanding. There was no space for dissent.The team, sensing the heaviness of the moment,
Chapter 555: The Enemy Within
Justin sat in his office, staring at the files Mark had delivered earlier. The quiet hum of the city outside his window was a stark contrast to the storm raging inside him. A leak found in his own company—what he thought was kept safe—had just turned into a full-blown leak. People close to him are betraying him. And he didn't know who it was.In his head, Mark's words played on repeat, but it was the stabbing betrayal that hurt the most. He had single-handedly built this company as anything by steel-back-end deals, through a relentless strategy, and with the will to establish iron-clad grounds for its existence. And now, someone within his entire circle began tearing it all apart and selling to the highest bidder. A slap against the face, and Justin wasn't certain how to take it. He instantly picked the phone, dialing Mark's number. It rang once and twice, and right then came Mark's voice.“Justin?”“Where are we with the leak?” Justin’s voice was clipped, every word laced with an
Chapter 554: The Forgotten Foe
Upon waking, Justin felt gnawing uneasiness. He had won relatively hard and long, but as he walked in the office that morning, something was not right; the air felt heavy, the tension intense and indiscernible. Somehow, Justin couldn't seem to shake an inner feeling that someone was still perhaps watching, waiting for just the right moment to make his move.“Good morning, Mr. Drogonuv,” Mark’s voice broke through the silence as Justin walked into his office. The assistant’s usual upbeat tone was tinged with something more serious. “We need to talk.”Justin raised his eyebrows but waved his hand for Mark to continue. "what happened?" Mark's expression was tense, and Justin immediately felt a sense of urgency in the room.“It’s about the company’s recent movements. "I notice a few discrepancies in our financial reports. At first, I thought it was simply an oversight, but I now doubt it," Justin's heartbeat sped up. “What kind of irregularities?”“A few transactions that don’t add up.
Chapter 553: A New Horizon
The dust has settled. But the war was not truly over. Ethan's fall from grace was swift and unyielding. But Justin knows the road ahead isn't without challenges. As the remnants of Ethan's empire collapsed, Justin is forced to face the reality that his tireless victories have come at a terrible cost.The meeting room is quiet. It was the silence that came only after a fight. Board members who were once concerned about Justin's methods, Now they looked at him with a different respect. They understood the stakes, the price paid for survival in this ruthless world.But for Justin, respect is not as important as the weight of his decision. He sat at the head of the table, looking around at the face he was leaning on. Mark stood on the side. His normally confident demeanor was now marked with a delicate caution. Ava sat across from him. Her eyes narrowed as she examined the information in front of her. “Ethan's downfall has left a void in the market,” Justin said in a low but firm tone,
Chapter 552: The Final Blow
The days that followed the media explosion were chaotic. Ethan’s empire, once a towering structure of influence and wealth, was now a crumbling shell. He had endured the tumult of the tragedy caused by the scandal of Samuel Dayton, more than anything that Justin had ever expected. It had spread so far and caused investors to back out. But Justin was well aware that it was not yet over. He was indeed cornered, but that did not mean he was out of the game.One evening, Justin sat in his office, the dim light from his desk lamp lighting up long shadows on the wall. His thoughts are sharp and organized. With no room for complacency at this moment. It is time to end it all. Ethan has been a thorn in his flesh for far too long. And Justin knows the only way to truly destroy him is to take away everything that matters to him.As he searched through the documents on the table Mark walked in with a solemn expression. “we have a situation. Ethan is trying to play his last card. Word is that
Chapter 551: The Unseen Hand
The days that followed Justin’s decisive actions were filled with calculated moves and whispered strategy. Every step he took was a deliberate play in a game where only one could win. Ethan, however, wasn’t just a rival; he was a shadow, a figure always lurking, always ready to strike when least expected. But Justin had learned how to deal with shadows. And this time, he wasn’t afraid of them.Glassy, chilly and eerie, stillness filled the morning air. Just as Justin finished his very first cup of coffee, his phone bleeped with an alert from Ava. His fingers hovered over the screen as the text message loaded:"We’ve got a problem. One of Ethan’s shell companies just made a huge transfer—directly into the account of a prominent politician."A chill ran through Justin’s veins. The realization struck him like a fist to the gut. This wasn’t just a financial maneuver; this was a move that could bring everything crashing down. Ethan had gone from playing the corporate game to playing polit
Chapter 550: The Counterattack Begins
The morning after the war had been declared, Justin was already on the offensive. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy—Ethan wouldn’t sit back and let him take control without retaliating. But Justin had learned long ago that the best defense was a good offense. And if Ethan thought he could break him, he was gravely mistaken.The day started with a call from Ava. She was his eyes and ears in the media world, and if there was anyone who could keep the pressure on Ethan, it was her."Everything’s set," Ava said, her voice crisp and focused. "We’ve got the story ready to drop. I’ve coordinated with the biggest outlets. By this afternoon, Ethan’s going to be on the defensive."Justin reclined, swaying to the beat, tapping his fingers back and forth on his desk."Make sure we control the narrative. We can’t afford any loose ends. I want Ethan’s involvement in every shady deal and backdoor negotiation to be on full display.""Understood. I’ll make sure his reputation takes the hit it deserve
Chapter 549: The Cold War Escalates
The next day, Justin awoke sooner than his usual time, as his mind was already treading the mental paths of what had transpired. Lilly's disloyalty hurt him, but quickly the pain began to replace itself by a cold resolve. He was this way because he was relentless- because he flatly refused to bow down. And that wouldn’t change now.He walked into his office, his haven where he had made multitudes of decisions concerning the fate of his empire. The walls were not comforting at all today; they were lined with dark mahogany, closing in on him. There was a scent of coffee-heavenly, fresh, and inviting, but equally intent on leaving him in the throes of angers light and storm inside his chest. Mark stood by the window, his frame silhouetted against the golden light of these early hours. Definitely, he has been with Justin for years, unwavering in his loyalty. But today, even Mark could sense the shift in the atmosphere. The tension was thick, heavy. Justin hadn’t said much since his co
