"What is Evan doing here?!" Caitlin Reynolds asked in surprise, as she was previously unaware of his presence in the hall."I hope this mushhead didn't come here to cause us embarrassment, cause that's what he always does" her elder brother Franklin added in scorn."Why is he walking to the stage? Or is he the presid… no, he can't be" their mother, Felicia Reynolds, panicked.Everyone watched as Evan approached the stage, including Lady Eva Reynolds, who became visibly angry and troubled as she saw him coming.What was the ratchet former son-in-law of the Reynolds family heading up there to do?"I hate this scum! What does he think he's doing?" Lincoln fumed from his seat."Can't anyone stop him and throw his silly ass out?!" George Reynolds, Mrs. Brenda Reynolds' husband, added in annoyance.Freda, Justin, and Betty also watched from their seats with a mixture of shock and disbelief.As Evan ascended the stage, Lady Eva swiftly grabbed his elbow, hissing,"Evan! I don't know why you'
What was the pauper going to do? Did he really think he could stand a chance against Justin Smith?"Go on, do your worst, loser! I'd love to see what you can do before I throw your worthless self in jail!" Justin barked, waiting for Evan's next move."Two... one... time's up. At least I warned you"Evan immediately reached into his pocket, and Justin watched with a mocking look as he pulled out his phone.Evan dialed Mr. Johnson's number and he instantly picked up."Hello, in one minute, I want to see the Smith's empire crumble. Skyrocket their debts and liquidate all their assets" Evan commanded with authority, then ended the call.Justin shook his head at how delusional Evan had become. The movies he must have been watching really did a number on his head."You're nothing but a madman. Did you really think that little act of yours could scare me even a little?" Justin scoffed."What do you take me for? A dummy like you?" he added coldly.Evan must have thought this was like in the m
As soon as they stepped outside, their eyes widened in shock and their faces were etched with confusion at what they saw. "Lincoln!" Mrs. Brenda Reynolds screamed as she rushed to her son's side. "Your face is badly swollen, what happened?!" "Did you get into a fight with someone?!" Freda chimed in, her eyes darting around in search of anyone else. "Also, this might not be the right time to ask, but have you seen Justin?!" "Damn, you got knocked out bad" Franklin added, staring at Lincoln's swollen face. Evan had managed to slip away before they could spot him. "T-that scumbag attacked me! When I came out of the hall, he charged at me for no reason" Lincoln said, clutching his ribs in pain. "Evan?" Freda asked in surprise. Why would he attack her brother without any reason? Though she hated Evan, she knew he wasn't the type to start a fight unless provoked. "Yes" Lincoln replied, wincing. "That scoundrel! How dare he do this to my son? I'll make sure he pays for this!
In the scorching afternoon sun, Evan stood outside Dynacorp Industries, preparing to go in.It had been two days since the Reynolds family partnership termination and the Smiths declared bankruptcy.He had come here seeking for answers, as this was the place Mr. Johnson had mentioned when Evan asked the question that had been troubling him for some time.The question was about the murder of his father, who was killed after leaving the very company Evan now stood in front of. His father had visited a friend, the company's CEO, just before his murder.With a calm sigh, Evan managed to walk in.As soon as he entered, he heard someone call out his name in a surprised tone, "Evan, is that you?!"Startled, Evan turned to his right and saw a familiar face, one he recognized instantly. It was Alex Thompson, one of his former college classmates.Alex walked confidently over to where Evan stood, pausing in front of him with a smile. "It's so good to see you! It's been such a long time!""Good t
"Hey! Are you deaf? I said throw him out! Or do you know him?!" Alex ordered for the second time, but the guard refused to move, still visibly shaken at the sight of Evan.At first, Evan was also surprised by the guard's reaction but then recognized him as one of the guards Bella Blaze had sacked back at GigaBank Financial Group. He was the same guard who had tried to restrict Evan's access there and had since found a new job at this company."S-sir, you d-don't understand. H-he's not who you think he is" the guard stammered in fear, trying to reason with Alex.Everyone wondered why the guard was so afraid, especially since the man he was so scared of looked like any other average person in the city."That's weird. Why is the guard so scared of him?" one employee said in confusion."Right. The man looks pretty normal to me. Nothing about him seems frightening at all" another uttered.Irritated by the guard's refusal to carry out his order, Alex fumed at the other guard, pointing angr
Evan's expression remained cold as he looked at Alex in silence. In that moment, Alex knew he was doomed."Could this be why the guard refused to touch the man earlier?" an employee whispered in curiosity."What do you mean?" another employee asked."I'm talking about the first guard. You saw how terrified he was of the man. He even said something about the man not being who the HR Director thinks he is" the first employee reasoned."Yeah, you're right. That makes a lot of sense" another one agreed.Alex heard the employees's murmurs and realized they were right. Evan had also warned him he was doing something he'd regret.The guard must have had a similar terrifying experience with Evan before, which explained why he was so fearful.Everyone watched as Alex was dragged outside and pushed out with force.Mr. Augustus then turned to Evan and said calmly, "Please, come with me to my office"Before they left, he turned to the rest of his employees and looked at them sternly. "What are yo
The phone call ended, and before Mr. Augustus could ask what the problem was, Evan dashed out of his office.He reached the street and quickly hailed a cab to head back to his mansion.During the ride, his mind raced with different thoughts about his matron.Who sent those men to kidnap her, and why? It didn't make any sense.As soon as the cab reached his mansion, Evan hurriedly got out, paid the driver, and quickly headed inside, eager to find Mr. Johnson.Mr. Johnson was already waiting outside the mansion entrance. When Evan saw him, he walked over quickly and said in a firm voice, "I'm glad you're here. We need to act fast.""Yes, young master. I've already alerted the security team. We're ready to move out" Mr. Johnson replied."Good. First, let's head to the study and gather everyone. We need to come up with a plan to find Mrs. Evelyn and get her back safely" Evan said, striding towards the mansion entrance.As they entered the study, the security team was already assembled, th
"So, you were part of this?!" Evan seethed, looking at the guy standing beside the middle-aged man who had spoken earlier.Evan also saw Mrs. Evelyn tied up in the corner, and she screamed, "Evan, my dear, you need to leave while you still can!" "Oh, shut up, woman!" the middle-aged man snapped, his face irritated.Those words provoked Evan deeply, but he forced himself to maintain his composure. He had never tolerated anyone speaking to his matron in that manner."Who are you? And what do you want?" Evan demanded, unfamiliar with the man before him. However, he immediately recognized the guy standing by his side. It was Justin Smith, Freda's boyfriend."I am Christopher Smith, your worst nightmare" the man declared, puffing out his chest with arrogance. "My nephew here told me about the little stunt you pulled at the Reynolds's gala"Evan's eyes flicked to Justin, who looked away in fear, his face pale. "I have no idea what you're talking about" Evan replied in pretense."Don't you
Knowing Patriarch Charles, he never gave easy conditions, and this made Adeline's heart skip a beat as she anxiously wondered what he was about to demand.The rest of the family also watched closely, their curiosity piqued as they eagerly waited for Patriarch Charles to reveal his condition."As you all know, Valtor Corporation is building a new convention center and they're accepting bids for contracts…" Patriarch Charles began, leaving everyone to wonder where he was going with this."Okay… but Grandpa, what does that have to do with you allowing Evan and me to be together?" Adeline asked calmly, raising her eyebrows in confusion.The other members of the Davis family exchanged puzzled glances, equally curious about how Valtor Corporation's contract bids were connected to Adeline's relationship with Evan.A small smile formed at the corner of Patriarch Charles's lips as he finally revealed his condition. "This contract is very important to our family and our company. So, Adeline, if
Evan had tried several times to reach the unknown number that had sent him the text claiming to know who was responsible for his parents death, but there had been no response. He still hadn’t told Mr. Johnson about the message.During this time, Evan’s connection with Adeline grew stronger, and soon they started dating. Eventually, Adeline invited him to her family home to introduce him to her parents.Evan arrived in a cab, simply dressed in dark-washed jeans, a crisp white button-down shirt, paired with a tailored black blazer, and polished dress shoes."There you are! You look great!" Adeline exclaimed, greeting Evan with a warm hug as soon as he stepped out of the cab."Thanks, I did my best" Evan replied with a smile, though he felt a bit nervous."Come on, let’s go in" Adeline said with an excited tone, taking his hand and leading him toward the house.As they walked towards the front door, she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, they'll adore you. Just be yoursel
The muscular leader smirked, taking a step closer to Evan. "I see you want to play hero, huh? Well, let’s see how long that lasts"Evan stood his ground, his pulse steady. "You have no idea who you're dealing with"The leader’s smirk faltered for a moment before he chuckled darkly. "Big words for someone who's outnumbered. But fine, let’s play"Without warning, one of the men charged at Evan with his baton raised, but Evan swiftly grabbed the man's arm and twisted it with a quick, brutal motion that sent the man sprawling to the ground with a pained cry.Adeline gasped, her eyes wide with fear and admiration.The leader’s eyes narrowed. "So, you’ve got some skills in you. But it won’t be enough". With a flick of his wrist, he signaled to the remaining men.The two men rushed forward simultaneously, swinging their batons at the same time. Evan ducked under the swings, then landed a hard blow on the first man's ribs and the man stumbled back, gasping for breath.Evan then took down the
Evan's smile faltered for a moment, and he looked around the room carefully before leaning in closer to Adeline. "Remember, I told you I have my ways, I know a few people here" he said, trying to sound nonchalant."You did say that, but I know there's more to it. So please, tell me" Adeline insisted, sensing that Evan was hiding something.She noticed how much he had changed, not just in his appearance, but in personality. He had become bolder and more confident, traits the old Evan didn't really have. There had to be something he was keeping from her.Even the way the head waiter of the restaurant welcomed him into the platinum room so respectfully gave her a signal.Evan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Fine... I'll tell you. But you have to promise not to tell anyone else"Adeline's curiosity was piqued. "I promise. Now spill it"Evan glanced around the room again, ensuring no one was listening. "I... I have a connection. Someone who owes me
"I'm sorry, but I have to ask you all to leave" the waiter said calmly, gesturing toward the exit.Freda, Mr. Robert, and her family were stunned, and the patrons' eyes widened in shock."What?!" Freda exclaimed, raising her eyebrows in confusion."I don't understand! What do you mean?!" Mrs. Brenda chimed in, her expression filled with panic.They all looked to Mr. Robert, hoping he could stand up for them in that moment."And why are you asking us to leave?" Mr. Robert demanded, as Freda quickly linked her arm with his.The head waiter remained calm as he answered, "I'm afraid it's a security protocol. We've had some concerns about the room's capacity, and we need to rebalance the guest list"Mr. Robert's eyes narrowed. "Security protocol? At 8 PM on a Tuesday? I don't think so. What's really going on here?""Exactly, what's really going on?!" Mrs. Brenda's panic turned to annoyance. Seeing Mr. Robert speak up, gave her a confidence boost."This is ridiculous! We're not going anywhe
"Go on. Say it, tell your new sugar daddy who he is" Evan taunted."He's… irrelevant," Freda blurted out, not wanting to reveal who Justin was to Mr. Robert. "And as for you, you have the nerve to talk, huh?!""It seems to me you've forgotten how miserable you are. I don't know how a pauper like you even managed to get a reservation here. You can't even afford the lowest menu!" she added in disdain, diverting the attention back to Evan."Exactly! I'm so glad my daughter no longer has anything to do with your horrible self" Mrs. Brenda chimed in, her face contorted with scorn."You know what, Mother? I'm sure Adeline was the one who got their reservation here. And I'm sure she'll be the one paying for his meal" Freda mocked.Lincoln instantly laughed out loud. "You're right, Freda. We all know Evan can't even afford a bottle of water. I don't know why Adeline's wasting her time here with him"Hearing all this, a patron whispered, "Wow! He must really have no shame, coming here with a g
The evening of the dinner Evan had invited Adeline to had arrived, and the sun was beginning to setEvan got ready, wearing a navy blue dress shirt and pants that looked simple yet appropriate for the occasion.Mr. Johnson had offered to arrange a ride to take Evan to the restaurant, but he declined, preferring to take a cab instead.When he arrived there, he got out of the cab, paid the driver, and waited for Adeline. Shortly after, she also arrived in a cab, and Evan greeted her with a warm smile."You look stunning, Adeline! I'm so glad you could make it"Adeline blushed and chuckled, "Thank you. You look really good as well""But I have to say, I'm intrigued by this dinner invitation. How did you manage to get a reservation here? I've heard Chez La Vie is nearly impossible to get into" she added in curiosity.Evan, not wanting to reveal too much, smiled. "Well, let's just say I have my connections. I know a few people at the restaurant"Adeline raised an eyebrow, still a bit skept
Evan decided it was the right time to reveal the truth about his new identity and fortune to Mrs. Evelyn, sharing everything with her.He chose not to inform Mr. Johnson about the new text message, preferring to keep it to himself for the time being.To ensure Mrs. Evelyn's safety, Evan arranged for her to move to one of his family's private houses outside Metropolis Central.…Four Weeks Later."I can't believe this. Our company's earnings are drastically declining" Lady Eva Reynolds lamented as she arrived at their villa with her eldest son, Kenneth Reynolds, Franklin's father. They had just returned from their company meeting."The worst part is that some of our investors are demanding we achieve a 40% revenue growth compared to last month's figures, or they'll withdraw their investments. How on earth do they expect us to achieve that?" Mr. Kenneth Reynolds voiced out in frustration."I'm not even sure we can achieve a 10% revenue increase with the way things are right now" he add
"So, you were part of this?!" Evan seethed, looking at the guy standing beside the middle-aged man who had spoken earlier.Evan also saw Mrs. Evelyn tied up in the corner, and she screamed, "Evan, my dear, you need to leave while you still can!" "Oh, shut up, woman!" the middle-aged man snapped, his face irritated.Those words provoked Evan deeply, but he forced himself to maintain his composure. He had never tolerated anyone speaking to his matron in that manner."Who are you? And what do you want?" Evan demanded, unfamiliar with the man before him. However, he immediately recognized the guy standing by his side. It was Justin Smith, Freda's boyfriend."I am Christopher Smith, your worst nightmare" the man declared, puffing out his chest with arrogance. "My nephew here told me about the little stunt you pulled at the Reynolds's gala"Evan's eyes flicked to Justin, who looked away in fear, his face pale. "I have no idea what you're talking about" Evan replied in pretense."Don't you