Diego understood that without proof of how Tyler gained access to the mansion, his job as the gatekeeper would be in jeopardy. He knew that Old Ms. Harrington was not one to forgive those who crossed her easily.
A guest's sharp voice broke through the tension. "How did he get that gate card?" She pointed her wine glass at Tyler, her finger accusingly aimed at him, while Tyler's gaze remained locked on Diego with unsettling intensity. Tyler's eyes narrowed in disbelief. He never expected Diego to act this way after everything he had done for him over the past few years. "After all I've done for you, this is how you repay me?" he thought, his voice barely a whisper. Memories of his last humiliation at work still lingered, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He had revealed the cost of Diego's son's treatment, thinking he was helping, only to face backlash. His boss had punished him by deducting a portion of his salary, but Tyler never disclosed this to Diego or anyone else. He brushed off the incident, believing he was above such matters. What bothered Tyler now was Diego's cold shoulder, his metaphorical black eye, exposing him in front of the esteemed guests. "Diego, I never thought you'd be so ungrateful!" Tyler exclaimed, struggling to maintain his composure among the guests. "After all I've done for you and your son, going above and beyond to ensure his treatment, you have the audacity to treat me like this? You begged me for help, telling me you couldn't afford his treatment, that the Harringtons hadn't paid your salary! And yet, you treat me like a nobody in front of everyone?" Old Ms. Harrington interjected, "I never withheld his salary, Tyler." But Tyler pressed on. "I know that, ma'am. But I still paid for his son's treatment out of my own pocket, despite my own financial struggles. And this is how he repays me? With silence and disdain?" Diego's eyes widened, his fingers twisting his uniform as he struggled to find the words to respond. "Umm..." he stuttered, his face reddening with shame. Seeing Diego struggle, Old Ms. Harrington intervened, understanding that he was following her instructions and refusing to betray her trust. "Stop this nonsense, you fallen-from-grace son-in-law!" she exclaimed, cutting off Tyler's words. Suddenly, a voice broke through the heavy confrontation in the villa. It was Mr. Harrington Richard, who managed the family assets and business alongside Old Ms. Harrington. He had been chosen for his responsible heart and serious approach to family matters. "And who does that card belong to?" Mr. Richard, Andrew's father, demanded. The room fell silent, interrupted only by the sound of chairs as the guests, seated four in a row, adjusted their positions to see what would happen next. These guests were adorned in expensive fabrics, and their body spray filled the villa with a heady mix of scents. "I... I found it on the ground," Tyler said confidently. Mr. Richard's expression turned incredulous. "On the ground?" he repeated. "Do you expect us to believe that? And whose name was written on it?" As Diego was about to read the name, Andrew, the family heir, snatched the card away from him. "Diego, why are you so dense? Will it take you all day to pronounce the name?" Andrew yelled impatiently. "Agnes the kitchen keeper!" Andrew exclaimed before his father interjected. "Summon her here, right away!" Mr. Richard commanded, his tone firm and urgent. A few minutes later.... Agnes appeared before the family, feeling a thousand gazes fixed on her as she tried to comprehend what was happening. "Sir, you sent for me?" she said calmly. "What took you so long, Agnes? Did you intentionally delay, or are you simply incompetent?" Mr. Richard bellowed, his impatience evident. "I-I was attending to my duties, sir. I didn't mean to keep you waiting," she explained, maintaining her composure in the face of Mr. Richard's frustration. "And how in the world did this card end up in Tyler's hands?!" Richard thundered, his eyes blazing with fury as he waved the card in Agnes' face. Agnes' eyes widened in shock, her voice trembling as she protested, "I swear on my life, Mr. Harrington, I had nothing to do with his presence here! I didn't let him in, I didn't give him the card... I don't know how he got it!" Richard's face turned red with rage, his voice rising to a crescendo. "Enough of your lies, Agnes! You're the only one who left the mansion a moment ago. You're the only one who could have betrayed our trust!" Agnes' eyes filled with tears as she begged, "Please, Mr. Harrington, believe me! I didn't do it, I swear!" But Richard's expression was unforgiving. "You're finished, Agnes. Your betrayal will cost you your job, and maybe even more..." At this point, Agnes felt it was high time to tell the truth. She could not afford to lose the sum of money she received from the Harringtons, and certainly not the unknown father of her unborn child. Agnes' eyes blazed with indignation. "Tyler, you pickpocketed me! I remember clearly when I wanted to report you at the galvanized steel plant, where you were among those beggars who always littered the floor. Your quick move didn't give me a chance to realize you had taken my card! You stole it from me, and now you're trying to frame me?!" The room fell into a stunned silence as everyone processed Agnes' accusation. Tyler's face went pale, and his confident demeanor crumbled. The guests' gasps turned into screams of shock, their faces pale with disbelief. "Oh my god!" "How could you, Tyler?!" "This is outrageous!" "At the galvanized steel!?" Old Ms. Harrington exclaimed, grabbing Tyler's hand and dragging him to the center of the room. With a dramatic flourish, she clashed a glass cup and fork, silencing the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, I warmly welcome each and every one of you to today's celebration of the greatness that is about to unfold for my beloved granddaughter, Emily. Your presence and effort hold a special place in our hearts!" she said, placing a hand on Tyler's shoulder before continuing. Tyler recognized that all the guests had strong reputations in San Francisco. They were government officials, mafia lords, businessmen, and artists with influence that ordinary people couldn't imagine. However, Tyler remained unconcerned in the presence of these powerful figures. They were only significant in the tiny metropolis of San Francisco, and those who lost their advantage or legitimacy would be belittled. Old Ms. Harrington sat in an elegant chair in the center of the living room. Despite her height of 1.6 meters, she exuded dignity and grandeur. "Bastard, kneel right now!" she commanded. Tyler looked around and inquired, "Why should I do that?" "Three years ago, when you became a son-in-law of the Harrington family, you promised never to go against the family's laws. Not only did you demonstrate a lack of awareness about the galvanized steel rules, but you also broke them and committed murder! Does that promise still stand?" she demanded, her voice unwavering. Tyler straightened his back and exclaimed, "Of course it does!" Old Ms. Harrington's gaze intensified. "On what level? Were you not caught red-handed at the galvanized steel?" Tyler's confidence faltered for a moment before he regained his composure. "No, no, this is a gross misunderstanding! Agnes is just trying to cover her own tracks!" he exclaimed. Agnes interjected, her voice firm and resolute. "There's proof, Tyler! The cameras around the galvanized steel plant caught you lurking around, and the security footage will expose your lies!" Tyler sneered, "Let's go check the security footage. She's just trying to frame me to cover up her own involvement!" Just then, his cell phone vibrated in his pocket, a timely reminder of the secrets he harbored. The room fell silent, all eyes fixed on Tyler as he hesitated, his fate hanging in the balance."I'll take this," Tyler said, his hand delving deeper into his pocket to bring out his phone. Glancing at the caller ID, he noticed it was a familiar number he used to call back then. "It's urgent!" he added, pointing at his phone as he walked away from the guests into a quiet corridor to pick up the call."Father, let me go check the security footage to confirm all this," Andrew said, walking alongside Tyler.In the quiet, cold corridor, the light casting a growing glow all around, Tyler was about to pick up the call when Andrew suddenly pushed him against the wall. "What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to stay away from this mansion and the Harringtons?" Andrew's finger pointed at Tyler's face. "Let me make this clear: if you expose what happened in the past, I'll make sure to bury you alive," he threatened. Releasing Tyler against the wall, Andrew walked away, disappearing into the distance.Tyler watched him go before redialing the number he had missed due to Andrew's bul
Old Ms. Harrington's frustration was evident in her voice. "This doesn't prove anything! What are we achieving here?" she asked, her tone soft yet firm.Andrew shrugged, his expression uncertain. "Some aspects remain unclear, Grandma."Her eyes narrowed as she replied sharply, "If we can't even establish how he gained entry, then all of this is a waste of time. But that man owes me an explanation!" Her anger simmered just beneath the surface, palpable in her words.Andrew paused, gathering his thoughts before speaking again. "Grandmother, why doesn't Emily just divorce Tyler? He's brought nothing but disgrace to our family. I'm embarrassed to be associated with him in public."Old Ms. Harrington's expression hardened. "Divorce is not an option, Andrew. It goes against your grandfather's wishes, and I won't allow it. Your grandfather and Tyler's grandfather had an agreement - our families only marry within our social circle. We cannot betray that trust."Tyler's and Emily's grandfa
As Tyler stumbled out of the mansion, trying to process the betrayal, he barely noticed the sleek black car speeding up the driveway. Before he could react, the car screeched to a halt, and two men in dark suits jumped out. Strong hands grabbed him, dragging him into the back seat.He fought back, but their grip was ironclad. A cloth was forced over his mouth, and the last thing he saw was the mansion's grand entrance fading into the distance.When Tyler awoke, his head throbbed, and he realized he was tied to a chair, his arms bound tightly behind him. A coarse, black cloth covered his eyes, shrouding him in darkness."Who's there?" he demanded, his voice echoing in the silence.A door creaked open, and he heard footsteps approaching. The air grew colder, and he sensed someone standing directly in front of him."Tyler," a familiar, cold voice spoke, dripping with disdain. "I see you're finally awake."Tyler's heart pounded. "Who are you? What do you want?"The man chuckled. "You rea
Meanwhile, Tyler, unaware of the storm brewing against him, made his way home. He took a shortcut through a secluded alleyway, his mind preoccupied with the day's events. As he turned the corner, three men stepped out of the shadows, blocking his path."Tyler, right?" the leader of the group said, cracking his knuckles. "We've got a message for you from the Harringtons."Tyler's eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. "I don't want any trouble," he said, trying to stay calm."Too late for that," the leader sneered. "You crossed the wrong family."Before Tyler could react, one of the men swung a bat towards him. Tyler ducked just in time, but the second man lunged at him, catching him off guard. A fierce struggle ensued, with Tyler fighting back with everything he had.However, Tyler dodged the incoming punches from the leader, who was covered in tattoos, with ease. He leaped onto the alleyway's railing effortlessly and then kicked one of the attackers in the face."Damn! This as
Old Ms. Harrington turned to Andrew and said, "I'm sorry, Andrew. I know I was the one who put you in this mess!" Her voice was firm as she embraced Andrew in a tight hug. "I won't allow that to happen to you anymore!" Andrew nodded his head, tears welling up. "Grandmother, I'm also sorry for the shame I brought to today's celebration. I was just trying to protect myself from the man who was bullying me, saying I had to pay up for the drug money I owed him, even after I said I wasn't into drugs anymore! After that, he tried to kill me!" "I know, Andrew. You can't kill anyone; it was just self-defense, wasn't it?" Old Ms. Harrington asked, her voice gentle but strong. A devilish smile played on Andrew's face. "Yes, Grandma. I can't kill anyone," he said, lifting his head. Old Ms. Harrington held Andrew's face in her hands, looking deeply into his eyes. "How was the agreement between you and Mr. Blackwell? I hope the government has pardoned our family!" she asked, her voice full
"Please continue enjoying yourselves while I have a little conversation with my family," Old Ms. Harrington said, her voice calm yet authoritative. "And I apologize for any discomfort I may have caused." She smiled warmly, her eyes sweeping over the guests, who responded with nods and encouraging smiles.As she made her way toward the private sitting room, her children and grandchildren followed her immediately, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. Old Ms. Harrington’s composed demeanor reassured the guests, and they resumed their mingling, the hum of conversation and clinking of glasses filling the air once more.Old Ms. Harrington paused at the doorway, turning back to give one last, reassuring smile before disappearing into the room, her family trailing behind. The grand chandelier cast a warm glow over the gathering, and the soft music playing in the background created an elegant ambiance.Inside the private sitting room, Old Ms. Harrington took a deep breath, ready
Andrew cut off Old Ms. Harrington with a smirk. “Haha! Drunk? Emily, don’t take this the wrong way, but you share some of the blame. You never let Tyler get close to you in the four years you were married. Even if you’re beautiful, it doesn’t matter if he can’t be with you. No wonder Tyler spent the night with Agnes!”Emily’s mother couldn’t stay silent any longer. “Andrew, that’s unfair. Emily’s status is far above Tyler’s. If she had been intimate with that disgraced son-in-law, it would have been an insult to her. It would have tainted her.”Andrew scoffed. “You’re just trying to keep her pure so she can marry a wealthy man after you find a way to get rid of Tyler, aren’t you?”Ms. Jenner said, "You...""Any word from you again, and you're going out!" Old Ms. Harrington hollered. "Even if Emily is like that, he has no reason to have an affair! What does he take our family for? I can't wait for that beast to arrive here!"After saying old Ms Harrington reach to her stroked poodles
As Tyler and Nicholson arrived back at the villa, the atmosphere grew tense. The grand estate loomed ahead, its elegant facade belying the turmoil within. The car came to a halt, and before Tyler could gather his thoughts, two mafia members swiftly moved in. They grabbed him roughly by the arms, holding him tightly as they yanked him out of the car. The forceful grip sent a jolt of pain through Tyler's shoulders, but he bit back any signs of discomfort.The men dragged Tyler across the gravel driveway, his feet barely touching the ground. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline surging as he struggled against their iron grip. His mind raced, searching for a way to escape, but the mafia members' firm hold left him little room to maneuver.At that moment, the door to the villa opened, and Old Ms. Harrington emerged, followed closely by the rest of the family, coming from the private room. Their expressions ranged from curiosity to contempt as they took in the sight before them. Old