2023-11-02 01:52:53Ruth grabbed her son's arm with her trembling hands. "Come in, son. The house felt vacant without you."
Tyler nodded and pushed her wheelchair inside. The house's interior was in a worse condition. The paint was chipping off the walls, and most furniture was missing. Did his parents sell everything to meet the expenses? Was their financial ruin so devastating?Ruth took some time to rein in her emotions before she began speaking again."Things fell apart when you were convicted, son. The Coopers were not content with just throwing you into prison. They vented their anger on our family. They usurped your dad's business and ensured he wouldn't be hired elsewhere.""That's not the end of it. The Coopers demanded compensation of two million dollars from us. We gave away all our savings, but it was not enough. We sold our jewelry and furniture. Yet, we could pay back only a small fraction of what we owed them."Tyler clenched his fist as anger bubbled in him. The Coopers had gone too far for their revenge, wrecking the lives of his parents. Their brutality had made his mother a cripple!"Those bastards!" he growled, looking at his helpless, withering mother. Ruth used to be a beautiful, upright woman. She had been reduced to an invalid.Ruth didn't need to explain her miserable appearance. Tyler could only imagine the amount of mental and physical agony she must have gone through. That would break the strongest of people.Tyler remembered about his father's ancestral land. "We inherited land in Denter County from Grandpa. You could have moved there and sold off some agricultural land to pay off the debt."Tyler's suggestion further aggravated his mother's mood. "Your uncle Rollo backstabbed your father. While he was upset about your imprisonment, Rollo made him sign off all inheritance properties to his name."Tyler pursed his lips. Rollo had always been a deceptive fraud. He had lived a spendthrift life until his share of inheritance money was exhausted. Now, he had stolen his elder brother's property!Ruth went on, occasionally sobbing in melancholy. "Since nobody else would hire your dad, he had to take up a menial job in sewer maintenance. It was the only way to support us. The wages are low but enough for two meals daily and to purchase at least some of my medicine."Tyler bit his lip in anguish. It was his fault that the Coopers attacked his parents. "Mom, I am so sorry this happened to you."Fresh, warm tears appeared in Ruth's eyes. "The prospect of you coming back home kept me alive, son. Now that you are back, I am sure things will start looking better. Perhaps your dad can work overtime in the sewer department. We used to manage two meals daily, but now that you are here, we will need three meals. You are young and need to eat well. I don't know if they fed you well in prison..."Tyler wiped his mother's tears with his thumbs and looked into her weary eyes. "Now that I am here, I will take care of everything, Mom. Please stop crying."Ruth shook her head. "Do you mean you'll get a job? But who will hire you, son? You are an ex-convict, and the Coopers have besmirched our family's name beyond repair.""Let me worry about that. I need you to stop crying and take a rest." Tyler hugged his mother tight and reassured her that good things were coming their way."Alright, son," Ruth replied with a pained smile, touching his cheek affectionately. "Go to your room and freshen up. I'll serve you some food."Tyler went to his room and found everything preserved the same way he had left it. Ruth had sold furniture from the living room and the master bedroom, but her son's space was untouched. Even when the woman was impoverished, she didn't agree to auction off his things.Tyler approached his desk and found a picture of Erica Sinclair, his girlfriend. After he was convicted, she promised she'd wait for him. He intended to visit her next and make sure the Coopers hadn't ruined her life as well.Just then, Tyler heard his mother yell from downstairs. He rushed down to the kitchen but she wasn’t there. The main door was ajar.The young man raced outside to find a group of severe-looking men crowding their lawn. The leader's face was twisted in savagery as he dragged Ruth by her hair on the ground. The old woman wailed helplessly while the other goons cackled at her misery."Have you forgotten us, cripple?" the leader barked. "We're from the Hux gang hired by the Cooper family! Where's the monthly installment of ten thousand dollars? Cough it up, or I'll break your arms!"
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The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 003 Prison Changed Him
As Ruth struggled in vain, one of the henchmen spoke up. "Boss, the bitch hasn't paid the installment for six months. She owes ten grand every month to compensate the Coopers. But every time, she sent us off with old furniture instead. I just checked the house and found only thirty-two dollars in her stash."The leader spat with disdain. "You filthy scum of a woman! Where are you hiding our money?"Ruth wailed in pain and tried to explain herself. "I'm sorry, mister. But my husband's wages are quite low. We don't have enough for three meals a day. Please forgive us...""Do you think this is a joke, wench? Is the Cooper family going to be fooled by your lies?"Ruth joined her hands, crying profusely. "Please, I am telling you the truth… Wait! I'll sell some cutlery to neighbors and try to arrange five hundred dollars. I promise! Please give me fifteen minutes."The leader's eyes were bloodshot in anger. "Five hundred? Have we come here to collect spare change, bitch? Maybe you aren't ta
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 004 Tyler’s Wrath
The words made Tyler stop in his tracks. "What did you say?"Huxley guffawed loudly and pointed a derogatory finger at the young man. "Didn't you know? Your girlfriend Erica is marrying Trent Cooper in the Marian Hotel today. What a joke you are! You should kill yourself!"Tyler furrowed his brows. Was Erica really getting hitched to Trent? That didn't make any sense! Trent tried to rape her, and he sent Tyler to prison under false charges. Why would she agree to marry him? Perhaps Huxley was lying?Tyler could read the gang leader's expressions. He was downright evil, but he wasn't a liar.Huxley saw Tyler was distracted and figured it was his chance to land a successful attack. He lunged at the young man, aiming a punch at his face. However, his fate was already sealed.Pow! Tyler caught Huxley's fist in his right hand without even looking in his direction. Then he turned to stare into the gangster's shocked eyes.Huxley broke into a nervous sweat. Tyler's hand on his fist felt like
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 005 Meeting the Andersons
"Do you know who I am?" the beauty snapped. "I'm Natalie Anderson! How dare you try to scam me? Are you aware of my family's influence? The Mayor, the Chief of Police, and the Chief City Attorney are our family friends! Get lost, or you'll end up in prison for the rest of your life!"The Anderson family was the wealthiest in Sapphire City and owned many businesses, hotels, and shopping malls. They practically bathed in money and, no wonder, had contacts in high places.Tyler narrowed his eyes. The cinematic bubble of running into an angelic beauty had popped for him. Natalie was just a spoiled heiress, and he hated such women with a vengeance.Billionaires who didn't raise their kids right created brats who thought they owned the world. Such ingrates believed their acts had no consequences; they trampled and abused everyone in their paths without mercy or sympathy.A tragic example of such a horrible brat was Trent Cooper, who destroyed his life and tortured his family over a petty inc
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 006 At Death’s Door
Silas' face darkened while Natalie looked like she would explode."What nonsense are you blabbering?" she said in exasperation. "Are you drunk or on drugs? My dad is going to be okay once we get to the hospital in ten minutes! A world-class cardiac surgeon is waiting for us there! Get out of our way before I punch you!"However, her father reacted differently. Silas realized that every word Tyler spoke was accurate. Moreover, the old man had lived a long, disciplined life and could tell when someone was lying. His experience told him Tyler's insights were miraculously genuine. It was a near-death leap of faith to trust the stranger."Young man, what is your name?""Tyler Grant.""How did you know I have two holes in my heart? It is medically classified information."Tyler stood silent and offered no response to the question. He believed there was no cause to reveal details of his abilities to a random billionaire.Realizing the young man wasn't inclined to answer his query, Silas conti
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 007 Saving Erica
Tyler took a step back in surprise. He had been focused on healing and had not expected the heiress to assault him physically. "I'll sue you into oblivion!" She screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You monster!" "It's okay, Nat…" Silas said, stepping down from the car and getting to his feet. His skin looked more youthful, and his breathing had become normal. Natalie watched her recovered father with widened eyes. Did the homeless man really heal him? Were such miracles actually possible? She began to have an existential panic. "Thank you, young man," Silas said, patting Tyler's shoulder. "You possess a special gift, and I am blessed to have met you. I owe you my life." Tyler, still annoyed by Natalie's slap, shook his head at the billionaire. "The healing is temporary. I merely extended your lifespan by a week. You can spend it in the hospital if you must. But even the most talented doctors can't help you." Silas laughed a hearty laugh. "I must thank you, regardless. It g
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 008 Bitter Truths
"You freaking what?" Erica's eyes widened, and then she burst out laughing, "Prison has indeed driven you nuts!" The entire Sinclair household and the Cooper entourage joined in the laughter, mocking Tyler. Erica pointed at him with condescension. "Look at you! You are worse off than ever! Your family is bankrupt if you don't know already! Do you want me to live in your moldy haunted house?" "You're an ex-convict if you haven't forgotten already! Nobody will give you a job, not even to scrub floors! Only an idiot woman would love a gutter scum like you!" Tyler gritted his teeth and took a step forward. "It's not my fault that Trent ruined my life! He put me in prison for defending you! He stole my father's business! Doesn't that bother you? Didn't you think twice before betraying your lover?" Erica's face twisted in disdain. “Stop blabbering nonsense! Lover? You are delusional! I dated you back then because you had a bright future, and your dad owned a growing business." "Now, my
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 009 Unfinished Business
At that moment, Tyler’s phone rang. "Who is it? I am busy!" "Tyler, it's me, Britta. I have information about your father's business. Come to GlobeMall." After the call disconnected, the young man shot Trent a last murderous look, making the latter cower in fear. "We will continue this later." Tyler turned around and left the way he came. It was time to focus on more important things. Erica had been holding her breath while watching the scene unfold. She exhaled and murmured to herself, "That is impossible. How did Tyler punch away a car as if it were nothing?" Trent scampered to his feet and looked around, feeling utterly humiliated. Everyone had been witness to his display of cowardice and unmanliness. They had heard his feminine yelps and shrill shrieks. Erica came to the Cooper's scion's rescue. "Trent! Are you alright?" When the young man did not reply, she came up with an explanation. "I think I saw a detonator in Tyler's hand. He must have planted a bomb in your limousine
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 010 Restricted Club
Abe sighed. “Ricardo knows nothing about business. He squandered the profits lavishly on parties and women. In one year, we were bankrupt. Ricardo sold GlobeMall to a billionaire and became a salaried caretaker of this establishment instead. He continues to incur losses, and I think the mini-mall will be shut down sooner than later.”Tyler gritted his teeth. “Ricardo stole the place from my father and ran it into the ground! Tell me. Where can I find him?”Abe pointed to the third-floor arena. “Mr. Ricardo built an exclusive club up there. It’s frequented by many billionaire heirs. The club’s income is quite handsome, but he wastes all the profits on his extravagant lifestyle anyway.”Tyler nodded and turned to leave. “Alright. I will talk to him.”Abe held back the young man anxiously. “I know Mr. Ricardo wronged your father. But don’t go around offending him. He has over a dozen ferocious security guards around him at all times. Moreover, he has connections with the Cooper family. Th
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255 The Rose Trail
Tyler needed larger numbers for the Gilded Men to actually act as a shield for Sapphire City, especially now that the world center was being developed right there in Sterling Hill."How's the world center coming along?"Dune, the third lieutenant in charge of city expansion, replied. "My Lord… Lady Yara Mathews is coordinating the World Center project. Representatives from all major countries have already arrived. I'll share a day-to-day update on your phone.""What about their safety?""We've allocated one cultivator to every delegate as a bodyguard. However, our numbers are spread too thin."Tyler sighed. As expected, his organization needed to grow faster to maintain the city's security. What if there's an insurgence of cultivators? He was anxious since his encounter with Amelia."Alright. You may return to Emperor's Cove and coordinate the other cultivators."The four exchanged glances. "But, my lord," Gemini spoke up. "We are your protective detail."Tyler laughed aloud. "Do you
254 The First Disciple
The very next day, Tyler launched the ambitious cultivator program with Derek's help. The latter recruited potential candidates from all over the world through his military contacts.These were talented young people with good family backgrounds and martial arts experience. They were inducted into the cultivator program after rigorous tests of intelligence, personality, and latent abilities.As far as the artificial cultivation tools were concerned, Derek Sentinel was the first test subject. The Mayfair Sapphire itself was turned into a locket that he wore around the neck.Derek was also the first one to learn the art of cultivation. He went on a wilderness retreat to the Salvatore estates with Tyler."Okay, now let's put the training to the test. Make a fist and punch me.""I wouldn't dare attack you, sir," the Indigo Captain replied grimly. "May I hit a tree or a boulder instead?"Tyler shook his head. "I know you can smash trees and boulders with raw strength. However, cultivation i
253 Invention
Half an hour later, Tyler and Derek reached the automobile showroom that the former owned. It was previously called Carlisle Motors but was renamed Maya Motors.Maya, a bright little girl, was its General Manager. She had vehemently opposed the showroom being renamed after her."Sir, it is your property!" the girl had protested. "I cannot have my name on the company title!""Well, you have no choice in the matter," Tyler had replied stubbornly. "You handle all the responsibilities anyway. Moreover, my privacy will be threatened if I use my name on the properties."Maya greeted the duo at the showroom's entrance. "Welcome, sir.""How's our secret project going?" Tyler asked.The female manager looked enthusiastic. "It is running fabulously, sir! We have already manufactured over five hundred units! Would you like a tour?""Most definitely. Actually, I brought Derek to see our operations, and unveil my plan."Maya escorted them to the showroom's VIP elevator. Once the doors closed, she
252 Forgiveness
When Tyler reached the Grant house on Maude Street, he found Derek Sentinel standing guard outside. On seeing him, the man rushed forward and knelt on one knee."Sir, I took Tracy out shopping and distracted her. She knows nothing about what happened earlier. Amelia is still your girlfriend, in her opinion. Now Tracy is resting."Tyler nodded and began to walk past the kneeling Indigo Captain. "Sir, please, may I have a word with you?" the latter begged."Go ahead.""I am very ashamed, sir, for failing you and Tracy! I am prepared to break up with her and go into exile for penance. Moreover, I will accept any other punishment you think I deserve. Death is also welcome."Tyler shook his head. "Enough of that. The danger has been averted. Stand."Derek rose to his feet, but his face still hung in shame. "Please forgive me, sir, and punish me for my tardiness."His young master waved a dismissive hand. "There is nothing to forgive, Derek. A sly woman tricked you, and I know Tracy is stub
251 Adultery
"What are you doing?" Tyler demanded, preparing for a fight. He detected no bloodlust, but the confrontation was unexpected.The beauty glanced at his face up close. "I'm doing what I came here to do, Tyler Grant. To take what is owed to me. Have you forgotten our promise?""What are you talking about? Our promise? I've never met you before!"Amelia disregarded his shock. Her hand moved to his face, and her soft fingers touched his rugged cheek. Something in Tyler allowed it. What was wrong with him suddenly? Why were his defenses down?"Listen, lady. I don't have the time—"Then, abruptly, the memory flooded into his mind. A blast from the past. He was probably younger than ten years.It was Christmas, and the boy wanted to purchase food from Mama's Bakery. Because of his disheveled appearance and lack of money, the obese guard turned him away with humiliation.Tyler was about to leave when a little ran outside the bakery, calling to him. She offered him a chocolate pastry.The boy d
250 Amelia
On hearing the lovesick words, Tracy's cheeks immediately turned red in embarrassment. "Oh… I'm so sorry…"Naturally, lovers separated by distance and time were forced to sacrifice their sexual urges. They would look for a chance to jump each other's bones during a reunion. Tracy was old enough to know that."Stupid, stupid me!" she blurted, evidently flustered. "You lovebirds need private time!" Before leaving, Tracy whispered to her brother, "Good choice, bro. You knocked it out of the park. Amelia is a keeper. Don't let her escape."Tyler pursed his lips. "Don't worry. I won't let her escape so easily," was the rather morbid reply.Once Tracy exited the bakery, Tyler sat across the table and gave the stranger a piercing gaze."Who are you?" he asked bluntly. "What do you want from me?""And what was that lover's farce about? I don't know any Amelia! I've never heard or seen you before."In response, the exotic beauty stood to her full height gracefully. She was in a black, trendy
249 The Stranger
Tyler met Derek Sentinel at the junction of Bakery Alley in West Sapphire. As soon as the young man saw her sister's boyfriend, he grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into an electric pole."You swore to protect my sister! Why did you leave her alone?! Where were you when she was taken?"The wind was knocked out of Derek. He took the punishment without complaints and instead lowered his face in shame.Earlier, the Indigo Captain had received a call from Tyler demanding he come to Bakery Alley immediately. Apparently, Tracy's life was in danger, and it was because of his stupidity."Did the cat get your tongue?!""Sir…" Derek groaned. "I was with Tracy when the stranger arrived and invited her to this location. Your sister insisted it was a private meeting between women; therefore, men weren't allowed. She wouldn't listen to me at all!""You know how stubborn your sister is. Moreover, the stranger claimed she was your close acquaintance. My hands were tied."Tyler let the man go bu
248 The New World Order
The conference room echoed with tunes. The perplexed dignitaries whipped out their devices and began answering the calls and reading the messages."What?! The child trafficking group was wiped out?""I don't believe this! The bombs were found, and the terrorists surrendered?""The hijacked plane was returned?""The workers in the collapsed mine were rescued?" "The hostages are back home?""The humanitarian supplies were recovered?"Apparently, all the problems the elite members had stated had already been solved! They looked at each other in utter disbelief, trying to understand what was going on.It was time for Yara to speak up. "Respected dignitaries! Let me illuminate you about what happened! Lord Tristan fixed your problems while you were on your way from your nations! This is how capable he is.""What? Impossible!""That's inconceivable!""Is Lord Tristan really that powerful?""His scale of operations is even grander than Lord Butch!"The grateful members turned towards Tyler
247 The Elite Conference
The dignitaries in the conference room came from all over the world—Europe, China, Russia, India, Japan, and so on. They were CEOs of multinationals, government officials, and even from international agencies.As soon as Yara announced Tyler's new alias—Tristan Salvatore, the room became flooded with gossip and whispers. The members exchanged surprised glances and even voiced their confusion."Miss Mathews!" the representative from China began. "With due respect. We accepted your invitation because we were promised an audience with Lord Butch Salvatore. We've met him before, and he is a much older man."The others nodded in agreement. "We do not recognize Lord Tristan, regardless of him being related to the man we seek.""Moreover, we usually meet in the Salvatore Estate. Why are we at Emperor's Cove in Sapphire City?"Yara offered the group a professional smile and stepped forward. "I regret to inform you that the Lord Salvatore you knew passed away a few months back. His unfortunate
