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CHAPTER NINETEEN. THE FALL OF ARROGANCE
Author: Tobiey Lanzy
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

The room was filled with a mix of stunned silence and nervous shuffling. The staff exchanged bewildered glances, still grappling with the day's events.

Mr. Damon turned to Oliver with a smile. "Mr. Oliver, before I go, I'd like to invite you to my birthday celebration this weekend. It's a good chance to celebrate our successful deal."

He reached into his briefcase and handed Oliver an elegant invitation card.

With that, Mr. Damon concluded, “I think my business here is done.” He gave a satisfied nod and a final smile before leaving the room.

As Mr. Damon left, the room became thick with tension. The staffs stood in uneasy silence, their eyes shifting nervously toward Oliver.

The waiter’s face was a mask of disbelief, her eyes wide and mouth slightly open. The security guard's face turned pale, and his hands fidgeted nervously.

They never imagined such a sudden and dramatic power shift.

The waiter, who had been so confident moments ago, was now a picture of panic. Pale and trembling,
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    Oliver woke up feeling refreshed. It was the weekend, and the break was much-needed after the previous day’s chaos. He stretched his arms, letting the sunlight gently wake him up, and then headed downstairs.In the study room, his mother was busy with some paperwork. She looked up when he entered, a warm smile spreading across her face. “Good morning, Oliver. How are you feeling today?”“I’m good, Mom,” Oliver replied, smiling back at her.“Glad to hear that,” she said, her eyes showing genuine concern. “You needed some rest after all the craziness yesterday.”“Son, after what happened yesterday,” his mother said, “I think it would be a good idea for you to tour our companies and start taking over as CEO. Later today, Simon can show you around, and by Monday, you could meet the team and get started. When you’re fully ready, I’ll step down as president of the Howard conglomerate.”Oliver grinned. “Thanks, Mom. I really appreciate your confidence in me.”“But I won’t be free today,” he

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    Oliver accepting the challenge only inflated his ego further. The player, now dripping with confidence, began mocking Oliver in dramatic styles.He dribbled in exaggerated circles around Oliver, his movements smooth and taunting. Each time he tossed the ball lightly over Oliver’s head, the crowd erupted in laughter, their jeers fueling the player’s showboating.With a smirk, he fake-passed the ball to Oliver, only to snatch it back at the last second. “Oops, my bad!” he laughed loudly, his voice echoing with mockery. “Didn’t think you could catch it anyway!”He flexed his muscles, struck dramatic poses, and pointed mockingly at Oliver. “Hey everyone, check out the next Michael Jordan over here!” he shouted, his tone dripping with sarcasm. The crowd's laughter and cheers intensified, feeding his already inflated ego and making the atmosphere electric with anticipation.Meanwhile, the player’s friends were encouraging him on. “Yeah, show him who’s boss!” one of them yelled.“He’s a joke!

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    "Doesn’t he know Mr. Hawkins?" a tall man in the back commented. "This CEO doesn’t tolerate disrespect, even in small things like parking. His job's probably over before it even started."Some people chuckled softly at the thought, while others exchanged worried glances."Bold for a newbie, huh?" someone remarked, shaking their head. "He doesn’t know who he’s messing with."Amidst the chatter, Oliver’s mind was racing. He felt a storm brewing inside him, the anger and frustration bubbling just below the surface. This public humiliation—the insults, the crowd gawking at him like some sort of spectacle—it was infuriating. He knew he had the power to retaliate, to put this man in his place. But he also knew that violence wasn’t the answer. Not here, not now. Oliver’s chest rose and fell with each steadying breath as he controlled his emotions, eyes hardening with resolve.Finally, he addressed the CEO. “Mr. Hawkins,” Oliver began, his voice steady but tinged with the simmering fire be

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    CHAPTER 113. THE MAN WITH A BIG EGO.

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    CHAPTER 112. SILENCING ALL CRITICS.

    Gasps filled the room. The weight of the revelation hit everyone like a tidal wave. Vanessa’s jaw dropped as she stared at the price in disbelief, her hands trembling slightly. Anita’s eyes widened, and a look of awe replaced her earlier skepticism. There was a murmur of shock and admiration as everyone absorbed what they had just witnessed."Four hundred thousand dollars?" someone whispered, stunned."That’s insane," another added. "I didn’t even know you could get a custom Patek like that."Nathan, on the other hand, was left speechless. The blood drained from his face as if all his confidence had evaporated in an instant. His once smug expression faltered, replaced by sheer disbelief. His gift—while appreciated—was a far cry from what Oliver had just unveiled. The room buzzed with whispers as people began comparing Nathan’s painting to Oliver’s gift."It’s not even close," someone muttered, loud enough for Nathan to hear. "Oliver’s on a whole different level.""Yeah, Nathan’s gif

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    CHAPTER 111. REVEALING THE TRUTH.

    Despite her defense, Oliver wasn’t satisfied. He couldn't shake off the overwhelming sense of betrayal—not from the people around him but from the circumstances that had conspired to humiliate him. His insistence on proving himself only spurred Nathan's amusement further.Nathan burst into mocking laughter, his voice echoing through the room. "Oh, this is just too rich," he sneered. "Mistakenly picked the wrong one? C'mon, Oliver, don’t kid yourself. If it walks like a fraud, talks like a fraud, well... it’s probably a fraud."Oliver’s frustration was mounting. He grabbed his phone, dialing his mother’s number again, the cold sweat on his forehead betraying his rising desperation. When the call didn’t go through, his grip tightened, and he cursed under his breath. Nathan’s taunts grew more relentless. "You’re a joke, man," he said, his tone dripping with condescension. "Trying to pull this off like you’re some big shot, and now look at you—sweating bullets over a fake watch. You m

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    Another girl in the corner whispered, "It’s embarrassing. I thought Oliver had more class than this."Nathan circled around Oliver, his voice dripping with mockery."You wanted to make me look like a fool, huh? Well, how’s it feel now? Must hurt, doesn’t it? Standing there, trying to defend a cheap knockoff while I’ve got a real, genuine gift." He leaned in closer, his grin menacing. "Face it, Oliver. You’re nothing but a fraud, and everyone here sees it now."Oliver stood there, his composure cracking. "I know it's not fake," he repeated, his voice quieter now, almost as if he were convincing himself as much as everyone else. "There’s been a mistake… it has to be."But the more he protested, the more Nathan’s smirk grew. "Mistake?" Nathan scoffed. "The only mistake here is you thinking you could come in here and show me up. But now everyone knows the truth, Oliver. You're just a guy trying to punch above his weight, and you fell flat on your face."Anita, who had been quiet througho

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    CHAPTER 109. FRAUD IN THE SPOTLIGHT

    "He started it! Two can play this game, right? If Oliver's so sure, why doesn’t he show the receipt for his fancy watch? Or better yet, let’s check the authenticity right now!"The room grew quiet as Nathan’s challenge hung in the air. Oliver, calm as ever, didn’t flinch. He merely replied, "Show the receipt for your painting first, Nathan. After that, I’ll be happy to provide mine."A murmur went through the crowd as people exchanged curious glances. The tension was thick, almost tangible, as they awaited Nathan’s response. But before Nathan could come up with an excuse, someone else from the party chimed in. "Why don’t we just check online? Patek Philippe has an official site where you can validate their products using the serial number. Let’s see if it’s genuine."Anita, standing close to Oliver, felt a knot form in her stomach. Her fingers twitched with anxiety. She knew Oliver had money and could easily afford a watch like that, but the idea of him being humiliated in front of e

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    CHAPTER 108. UNMASKING DECEIT

    Nathan's eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, a flicker of fear crossed his face. But he quickly masked it with more arrogance, his voice rising in desperation. “You're talking nonsense. You're just bitter because you can't afford anything like this, and now you're trying to ruin the night. You're just some arrogant narcissist.”Anita, sensing that the tension was about to boil over, stepped between them. "Come on, this isn’t necessary," she pleaded, her hands out in front of her. “It’s a party. Let’s not ruin it over this.”But Oliver was resolute. “If Nathan’s so sure about the authenticity of his gift,” he said, locking eyes with Nathan, “then I’d like to prove that the painting is not original.”The room fell silent at Oliver’s bold challenge. Nathan’s expression faltered again, but he quickly masked his unease with more bravado."Prove it?" Nathan scoffed, though his voice had lost some of its earlier confidence. “You’re just trying to make me look bad. You’re the one ruinin

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    CHAPTER 107 TRIUMPH IN VANITY

    He glanced at Anita once more, hoping that the grand gesture would make her fall for him. But Anita remained stoic, her expression unreadable, though her eyes flickered with something more calculating than impressed.Meanwhile, Oliver, who had been observing silently, maintained his calm demeanor, though a subtle smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. Nathan might have thought he’d outshone everyone, but Oliver had seen enough of such displays to know where this was headed. He knew arrogance often led to a downfall. He just had to wait.Meanwhile, Nathan was in his element, soaking up the admiration from the room. He grinned from ear to ear, loving every second of the attention. Vanessa couldn’t stop gushing about the gift, her voice high with excitement.“You never cease to amaze me, Nathan,” she said, her eyes still wide with disbelief. “This is... I don’t even know how to thank you! This is the most expensive gift I’ve ever received!”Nathan, feeling on top of the world, brushed