Fermina William flinched as her usually timid son-in-law spoke haughtily and disrespectfully toward her.Gregory William, the pushover of the William family, never talked back to her, but today was different—extremely infuriatingly different.“Me? Kiss your feet?” she snorted, echoing Marcus Xu's words.She smashed the wine glass on the table, causing it to shatter.Her temper flared, fueled by the unprecedented behavior of her usually submissive son-in-law. He definitely triggered her. She had already flipped her suite upside down, but the desire to break more things still lingered.“You...” Marcus spoke slowly, a grin hidden beneath his mask.He felt an odd thrill at provoking such a powerful and wealthy woman, knowing that his actions as Gregory William wouldn't affect his true persona—Marcus Xu.“What! Spit it out! Tell me what you know so I can laugh at your ridiculous joke!” Fermina yelled.“Mother-in-law...” he teased, drawing out his words even more. He leaned closer to her un
Exiting the Royal Eleanor Hotel triumphantly, Marcus Xu was thrilled by his success in taming his mother-in-law.“First step done. Wait and see, I’ll become someone who can smack your face,” he muttered to himself, contemplating the rewards that would aid in his revenge against Reyster Sebastian.Lost in his thoughts of victory, Marcus was suddenly approached by a stranger. “Are you alright?” the stranger asked, concern evident in their voice.“Me? I’m fine,” Marcus replied, tilting his head in confusion.“Here, buy something to fill your stomach,” the stranger insisted, offering him two dollars.“Huh? No, I’m–” Marcus began, intending to return the money, but then he realized that he was the one who seemed out of place. With a mask covering his face, barefooted, and wearing only his casual home attire, Marcus felt a pang of embarrassment.“Where did my head go?” he awkwardly muttered, accepting the money gratefully. “Thank you for this; I’ll spend it well,” he said, quickly moving aw
Inside Margarette William’s penthouse, she stirred reluctantly from her sleep. The soft, rhythmic beeping of her alarm clock echoed through the room, pulling her from the depths of her dreams. "Yeah, I heard you," she groaned, addressing her alarm. She reached out to silence the persistent noise; her movements were slow and cumbersome.She shifted uncomfortably, feeling the weight of her burgeoning belly pressing against her. She was in the throes of her third trimester, and every movement seemed to require Herculean effort. "Damn morning," she greeted herself as she glanced at her bulging belly. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, irritation evident at the changes in her appearance each day. Her once svelte figure was now swollen with life, a consequence of her greed-driven pursuit of victory."You have to work harder just because you're a woman," she muttered to herself, a phrase that haunted her daily.Her frown deepened when she heard a knock on her door without even havi
Marcus stood frozen in shock as Margarette suddenly writhed in pain, her face contorted with agony. Panic surged through him, uncertain of how to react to the sudden turn of events."What's happening? Are you okay?" Marcus asked, his voice laced with concern and confusion.But Margarette only responded with a strained gasp of pain, clutching her baby bump, and her breathing was shallow and rapid.Sensing the urgency, Jaucian sprang into action. Without hesitation, he rushed to Margarette's side and swiftly dialed for a doctor."We need help, now!" Jaucian exclaimed urgently into the phone, his voice steady despite the panic in the air.Marcus watched dazedly as Jaucian took charge. Then he flinched when he heard a thud from inside his brother’s room. His concern for Margarette suddenly shifted to his brother.“Good luck giving birth,” he said, releasing her and hurrying to his brother's side.“Fucker,” Margarette groaned, squinting as she watched Marcus leave her. She then yelled, the
On the same morning that Marcus ignited Aurora, Gudofredo, chairman of the William Group, sat at his study table in the heart of his expansive, dimly lit office.Behind him, shelves adorned with awards and accolades loomed, casting eerie shadows across the room.Tension crackled in the atmosphere as Gudofredo's gaze remained fixed intently on the computer screen before him, where the stock value of William Group plummeted relentlessly. Each downward tick sent a shiver down the spines of those present."We can't completely cover up what that bastard did, but we can effectively shift public opinion," Gerald William, the chairman’s second son, began, but his eldest brother cut him off."What's the point of marrying a media company CEO if she can't even assist us with such a problem? This is precisely why women should just stay at home," Michael William sneered, referring to Gerald’s wife."Jesse can’t control something that blindsides us so early in the morning!" Gerald defended."That's
In the hospital, Marcus found himself thrust into the role of the father of the William family’s newborn eldest grandson. It was a surreal twist, akin to being cast as a CEO in a real corporate drama.But for now, he had to project the image of a caring father to those around him."Please fill out this form, sir," the nurse said, casting a hesitant glance at Marcus."What's it for?" Marcus inquired, sensing the nurse's unspoken thoughts."It's still sad about Madam being in a coma, but congratulations on your baby boy, sir," the nurse offered, her words laced with empathy.Marcus managed a smile beneath his mask, touched by the nurse's genuine concern for the baby."Thank you," he replied simply, before focusing on the form in front of him. His hand paused midway through filling it out as a thought occurred to him. "Why do Margarette and Greg both have the same surname?"He realized he had spoken aloud, and a wry smile tugged at his lips as he noticed the nurse's reaction."Why are yo
Inside CEO Joe Sabal's sleek, modern office, tension hangs thick in the air. Joe stands on one side of his polished desk, his brow furrowed with suspicion, as he scrutinizes Marcus Xu, who stands confidently before him."Should I really be wary of him?" Joe ponders silently.He's always been curious about Marcus's ties to the William Group, especially now that associates like Philip and Jaucian are involved with him. Their recent interactions only deepen Joe's intrigue."The two of you really pique my curiosity," he remarks."Curiosity about what?" Marcus responds with an enigmatic smile, meeting Joe's gaze head-on."What exactly were you and Philip up to? Jaucian has been reaching out to me as well, in connection with you," CEO Joe leans forward, his suspicion mounting."Don't tell me..." He hesitates, nerves fluttering as he considers whether uncovering the truth will benefit him. "Are you some hidden heir of the William Group? A secret heir?"Joe watches Marcus closely, noting the
Inside Philip Cheng's office, tension thickened the air like a heavy fog.Marcus, with a steely gaze, sat across from Philip, whose expression was a mask of solemnity.He drummed his fingers impatiently on the armrest of his chair. "Well, Philip? Don't keep me waiting any longer. What do you know about Reyster Sebastian?"Philip's lips tightened into a thin line as he met Marcus's gaze. "He's desperate for credentials and acknowledgment.""As if I didn't know that. I know how to search for information about my enemy too," Marcus scoffed, his patience wearing thin. "I know he has to impress his father, CEO of Jaypark Steel Co., so what tip do you have?"Philip leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Megarev Industrial Co. is on the verge of closing down operations.""So what? Is it Reyster’s fault?" Marcus commented."No. It's the perfect chance to buy the company cheaply. And Jeyster trusted Reyster with the bid to expand their business on hydraulic equipment manufacture. Wh