Argus's eyes narrowed. "What are you getting at?"Miles smiled slightly. "All in good time. For now, why don't we all sit down and enjoy the meal? We can discuss the details afterward."Marcus, sensing an opportunity to defuse the tension, quickly chimed in. "Yes, excellent idea! The food's getting cold, and I'm sure we could all use a moment to... collect ourselves."Rachael, who had been watching the exchange with growing concern, stepped forward. "I think that's a wonderful suggestion. Shall we?" She gestured toward the dining room.As the group began to move, Connie caught up with Miles. "That was... intense," she whispered. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"Miles gave her a reassuring smile. "More than sure. Just watch."They filed into the dining room, the air still thick with unresolved tension. As they took their seats, Marcus cleared his throat."Before we begin, I'd like to propose a toast," he said, raising his glass. "To new friendships, unexpected outcomes, and..
Miles shrugged. "The satisfaction of a job well done. And perhaps a small consulting fee."The room was quiet as everyone processed this information.Marcus was the first to break the silence. "It's... it's brilliant. Everyone wins. The land is developed responsibly, both families benefit, and the community prospers."Argus, his earlier anger replaced by a mixture of respect and wariness, nodded slowly. "It could work. But the details would need to be ironed out.""Of course," Miles agreed. "I'm sure your lawyers and the Autumn family's representatives can work out the specifics."As the reality of the situation sank in, the atmosphere in the room began to shift. The tension that had dominated the evening started to dissipate, replaced by a cautious optimism.Rachael beamed at Miles. "You planned this all along, didn't you?"Miles simply smiled in response.As the dessert was served, the conversation turned to the potential benefits of the partnership, the challenges they might face,
Inside, Miles collapsed onto the couch, the room spinning around him. He wasn't sure how much time had passed when he heard the front door open and close."Miles? Are you here?" Lola's voice called out, a sharp edge to her tone.Miles groaned, forcing himself to sit up. "In the living room," he called back, his voice hoarse.Lola appeared in the doorway, her eyes narrowing as she took in his disheveled appearance. Without a word, she turned and headed upstairs, her footsteps heavy on the stairs."Lola, wait," Miles called after her, but she didn't respond.He heard the bedroom door slam shut, and he winced. Fumbling for his phone, he squinted at the bright screen, trying to focus on the banking app. With clumsy fingers, he navigated to the transfer page and, after a moment's hesitation, typed in "90,000,000" in the amount field.As he hit send, a notification popped up on his screen. A new contact: "Rachael ".Miles frowned, trying to remember when he had added that. The events of the
Upon entering the supermarket, Miles was greeted by the automatic doors swinging open, ushering in a cool breeze and the comforting sounds of bustling activity. He rapidly looked over the aisles, observing the organized shelves and the busy customers. "Hey Miles! Ethan James exclaimed with a wide grin, "I wasn't anticipating your visit today." "Why are you here?" Miles gave Ethan a pat on the shoulder. "Just wanted to stop in and check on how things are progressing." And I must admit, I'm impressed." Ethan's eyes sparked with excitement. "Is that so? I have been putting in effort to put into place some new tactics. "Come, let me give you a tour." While strolling in the store, Ethan excitedly identified different enhancements. "We've changed the arrangement to enhance the movement of people," he said, pointing towards the spacious pathways. "And over here, we've introduced a local produce section. It's been a hit with the customers."Miles nodded approvingly. "I can see that. The
Miles couldn't resist smiling. He shifted his focus to the cluster of youthful men causing chaos. Their disappointment was evident as their efforts to create a disturbance failed. Miles nonchalantly walked over to them. "Sorry, sirs." Earlier, I couldn't avoid hearing about your worries. I'm wondering, have you made any recent purchases here yourselves?" The young men exchanged uneasy glances. One of them spoke up, "Well, no, but we heard—"Miles interrupted him in a kind manner. "I understand." As someone who is heavily involved in running this store, I can guarantee our dedication to providing quality products and ensuring customer satisfaction. Actually, we are aiming to enhance and broaden our services more extensively. But don't just take my word for it - why not give us a chance? I believe you will be happily shocked. The young men shifted uneasily, evidently caught off guard by the direct confrontation. Miles continued, saying, "I'll tell you something," as he reached into
Miles sighed, sinking back into his chair. "It's... complicated, Ethan. But I'll explain. You're aware of the November 10th ball, right?"Ethan nodded slowly. "The city's founding celebration? Of course. It's all anyone's been talking about lately.""Exactly," Miles said. "And do you know who hosts this ball?""The four biggest families in the city," Ethan recited. "The Autumns, The Lyons, The Bravos, and The Chariots."Miles leaned back, a grim smile on his face. "Precisely. And I believe the Chariots are behind this incident at our supermarket."Ethan's jaw dropped. "But... why? How can you be so sure?"Miles stood up again, his voice low and intense. "Because, Ethan, I think they know my secret. And they're gathering information on me before the ball.""Your secret?" Ethan echoed, confusion evident in his voice. "Miles, what are you talking about?"Miles waved his hand dismissively. "That's not important right now. What matters is that the Chariots are making moves against us, and
Miles' mind raced, piecing together the puzzle. "The Autumn birthday banquet... the gamble... Eren lost a significant amount of money to me that night.""That's right," Muddy whimpered. "He was furious. This whole scheme, disrupting your supermarket, it was all about revenge."Miles paced the room, his anger building. "So the heir to the Chariot family decides to play petty games because he couldn't handle losing a bet? Pathetic."Muddy saw an opportunity and seized it. "Mr. Autumn, please, I'm just a pawn in all this. I was following orders. Have mercy!"Miles paused his pacing and faced Muddy, his emotions impossible to decipher. Silently, he made his way to a warehouse nook and grabbed a metal rod. Muddy's eyes opened wide in fear. "Please, no!" I shared all information with you! I am willing to do whatever it takes! Miles slowly advanced, holding a pipe. Muddy, you are correct. You did inform us about everything. And with that, I'll keep this brief. With a sudden movement, Mile
Following the end of the call, Miles promptly dialed a different number. The phone rang multiple times before a rough voice picked up. "Hello Director Chen, Miles Autumn speaking." I hope I'm not disturbing any important matters. "Miles, how may I assist you?" The director was cautious yet friendly in his tone. "I'm having some trouble at my supermarket. Repeated disturbances, possible organized crime involvement. I was hoping you could send someone to investigate."A silence could be heard from the other side. Could this be related to the Chariot family in any way? Miles' hold on the phone grew stronger. "What is the reason for your inquiry?" "Just a hunch. We've been hearing whispers, Miles. Be careful who you're picking fights with.""I appreciate the concern, Director," Miles said smoothly. "But I can handle the Chariots. What I need is for these disturbances to stop. Can you help me or not?"Another pause. "Alright, Miles. I'll send someone over. But don't make me regret thi