2023-12-03 17:04:07
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The Peerless Man With a Thousand Gifts 184 The Aftermath
The entire Atelier family sat transfixed in the living room, their eyes glued to the television. They could not believe the breaking news flashing on the screen.The mighty Crane family had fallen like a stack of dominoes! Federal authorities raided Ichabod Crane and found him guilty of a litany of crimes. He lost everything within hours—his state governor position, wealth, lands, properties, and influence. Who had enough power to make such a titan bite the dust? It was like a waking dream."Is it true?" Martha asked Carol with narrowed eyes. "Did Elias really propose marriage to you?"Carol nodded silently. She looked more disturbed than the others because she had barely escaped from becoming a victim to the Crane heir.The morning news also highlighted scandalous revelations about Ichabod Crane's son, Elias. Details of his secret life of debauchery and brutality shocked the world.The young man who used to be the most eligible bachelor in the state, turned out to be the most rotten
The Peerless Man With a Thousand Gifts 185 Demanding Guests
"I wonder who is destroying such well-established billionaires?" Chloe asked with concern. Daphne and she lost great opportunities after Damien and Derek disappeared from existence. At this rate, they would run out of lavish, wealthy men in the city. "It makes me think there is indeed a mysterious man targeting them. Although I also think Carol is being too presumptuous."Carol bit her lip. The only one powerful enough to bring about such drastic results would be Caesar, her savior whose identity was still shrouded in secrecy. He always came to her rescue. Did Caesar realize the danger Elias posed to Carol and take pre-emptive action? That was a plausible explanation.Just then, the doorbell rang, and Josh rushed to open the door."Dad, we have guests!" the brat exclaimed, leading a group of distinguished-looking men into the living room.Ronald Atelier jumped to his feet on recognizing the guests. Mainly because the young man at the center was none other than Sebastian Damone, the CE
The Peerless Man With a Thousand Gifts 186 Martha’s Tantrum
Carol shook her head in disbelief. Her family wasn't even concerned about an engagement and wedding. They had instantly sold her off to have a pre-marital relationship with Sebastian!"Dad, Mom, Josh… I love you all, but I must decline." No longer was she the weak daughter who'd break into tears and give in to her family's demands. Carol was self-dependent and the bread earner. Having announced her final decision, she turned to leave.The Ateliers exchanged glances in panic. They saw the opportunity of a lifetime slipping from their fingers.Martha yelled out dramatically and rushed to the living room's bay window. She pushed it open wide and placed one foot on the ledge. Eyeing Carol with disdain, she began howling hysterically."Did I raise my daughter to be so disobedient? What an unfortunate mother I am! I have no right to live! Let God be my witness! I will jump to my death rather than live with an ungrateful child!"While Josh and Ronald did nothing to dissuade her, Carol's eyes
The Peerless Man With a Thousand Gifts 187 The Chairman Speaks
Victor felt no obligation to respond to Sebastian's enraged question. He leaned back comfortably in the Chairman's seat as if nobody had spoken yet. With furrowed brows, Sebastian turned to Clive Baron for answers."What is going on, Clive? Why is this wastrel on your leader's chair? Is this some sort of prank?"Clive smiled thinly before replying. "This is neither a prank nor a mistake. Mr. Victor Damone is the principal investor of the Springfield Rapids Project and has contributed billions of dollars to launch it. Moreover, it was his venture idea in the first place. He intends to transform Springfield into a world-class business hub and a next-gen metropolitan. The Chairman's seat always belonged to him."Sebastian looked utterly confused. "What? That's ridiculous! Victor is a middle-class, unemployed guy who works as a bodyguard. His family is on the brink of bankruptcy. Are you people out of your minds?"When the young man was again greeted with silence, he addressed the rest of
The Peerless Man With a Thousand Gifts 188 Cute Couple
I'm afraid we are rejecting your proposal," Clive Baron told Sebastian with finality. "Thanks for coming over. If you haven't had lunch yet, we can arrange a specialty meal for you. I hope you have tasted the local pot roast. It's a delicacy!"Sebastian's world was falling apart. He looked like he was going to explode."Twenty-five billion??" he barked. "Victor, have you gone crazy?! Do you even know how many zeroes are in a billion? There is no limit to your lies and fantasy stories, it seems! Not even the richest man in the world could come up with that money at such short notice! Are you the World Bank or possess a dollar mass-printing machine!"Victor offered his cousin a disinterested look. He quietly retrieved a debit card from his pocket. It was pitch-black, lined with gold. He placed it on the table before speaking up."Little cousin. Do you still think I cannot spend twenty billion at will?"Claire eyed the black card with intrigue. Victor had used it during the Sotheby aucti
The Peerless Man With a Thousand Gifts 189 Dire News
Victor smiled in amusement and had a sudden urge to praise Claire. He placed a hand on her cheek as if she were a child. "You are extraordinary in your own way, Claire. You're not corrupt like most other billionaires of the city, and work diligently, and treat your employees well. That much I admire about you."Claire's cheeks turned red immediately. She felt she could squeal in joy. "You have no idea how much that means to me."Victor nodded and retracted his hand. "Help the Triumvirate make arrangements for the expansion. They are men with good intentions but are still middle-aged and belong to the old school of thought. They need your youthful energy in the mix. Besides, there's some trouble brewing from Monolith's side. They may try to derail our plans. And a hidden enemy, the Puppetmaster, is acting from the shadows. A storm is coming, and we must be ready for it."It was the first time Victor revealed a sensitive detail to Claire. He asked himself why. Perhaps, over time, she ha
The Peerless Man With a Thousand Gifts 190 The Time Bomb
Afternoon commuters of Springfield wondered whether a Grand Prix racer was doing his rounds in the city. All they saw was a blitz, a rider blazing past at over 200 miles per hour through the highways and streets without hitting the brakes.Victor reached his ancestral home at the other end of the city in five minutes. He cast the bike aside at the driveway and rushed into the main gate. Over a dozen agents in suits buzzed around, speaking into their radios and cell phones in panic. A sense of urgency had washed over the area.As Victor arrived, they all stood in attention and bowed their heads. It was a rare event for foot soldiers of the NWO to see Caesar in person.Victor ignored them and dashed into his grandfather's home. Edgar was seated on an armchair in his bedroom, overlooking the backyard through a window. As his grandson entered, he offered him a warm smile."Do you remember how you used to practice basketball all by yourself in the backyard?" he asked with melancholy in his
The Peerless Man With a Thousand Gifts 191 Carol On A Date
Victor placed the necklace on the coffin, which immediately turned the red metal layer black. "The nanite has turned into an iron-like substance. But the necklace's effect is temporary. The alloy will revert to its original state within two minutes. Summon the bomb disposal squad and retrieve the explosives from within.""Yes, sir!"Within two minutes, the NWO agents dug into the coffin and found a ticking explosive inside. After they removed it, the nanite reverted to its red form again."Sir, the bomb is now defused and disposed of," Kai said, wiping sweat from his brow. "What should we do about the coffin? It is still immovable unless we get a crane inside the house."Victor unbuttoned his cufflinks and rolled up his sleeves. "I'll take the coffin back to its owner, and I don't need a crane to do it."***Sebastian Damone lounged comfortably on the eighteenth floor of his new high-rise. Falcon Inc. had just purchased the hotel he lived in and renovated the higher floors to make it i
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268 Allies
"What the hell are these changelings?" Kate raged. "Why are the Damonists so desperate to create them with these infernal methods?"Disgust and anger overwhelmed the girl, and her voice changed to the regular low-pitch. Normally, Kate thickened her tone to sound older to throw off any witnesses. Now, with her defenses lowered, she sounded much like a University girl."Does mutilating and killing innocents come easily to them?! They ripped out unborn babies and fetuses from pregnant women! And don't get me started on the brains!"Kate trailed off, unable to handle her own graphic imagination. She had not imagined in her worst dreams that the night would take such a dark turn.Victor nodded. "All I know is that changelings are composed of uterus and brain tissue. I am not sure why they are collecting fetuses. I haven't found the purpose or application yet."Kate fidgeted with and adjusted her mask. It had loosened a bit after her brief struggle with Roadkill. "But why make such horrible
267 Changelings
Victor checked the time on his Cartier watch. It was a Valentine's gift from Eva. He wondered what she'd be doing right now—probably still awake, waiting for her lover. Even though the duo were intimate just a few hours ago, he already missed her warm, slender body., and her naughty smile.Victor had spent all night hunting down criminals—drug peddlers, child traffickers, rapists, and burglars. They were petty offenders but still made Springfield unsafe. He would be back home already if he hadn't followed Kate to the abandoned asylum."First things first, Raven," Victor began. "Why did you call me a monster? What was that uncalled-for outburst all about?"Kate crossed her arms and gave him a quizzical look. Did Roadkill seriously not know? Was the psychopath clueless about his own murderous tendencies?"I will not fall for that," she replied defensively. "You're trying to find whether I have gathered any evidence to incriminate your brutalities. Once you know everything, it will be co
266 Bird Hunting
Kate's grip loosened a bit on her knives. Did the stranger say he was Roadkill? Why was the name so familiar? A moment's reflection brought back her doubts and anxiety.Of course! The poster vigilante, Roadkill! He was so popular among the youth that cosplayers dressed up as him in comic-con. Teen girls loved him so much they got the tattoo 'R' over objectionable parts of their bodies. There were steaks and drinks named after him!Kate ground her teeth in disgust. The Raven used to be Springfield citizens' poster heroine and sole protectress. That ended when Roadkill arrived. However, the female vigilante wasn't really upset that he stole the limelight from her. She was more disturbed by how he did it.Kate went through the newspaper articles, online blogs, and witness reports of cases in which Roadkill was involved. Even though the police department publicly denounced him, they made no attempts to curb his vigilante activities. On the other hand, the Raven was painted as a hobbyist a
265 The Raven
Kate jumped from rooftop to rooftop undetected in the darkness, her beastly green eyes glowing in the night. She was light as a feather and agile like a feline. She used parkour moves, advanced gymnastics, and physical resilience to traverse buildings.Kate was trying to put some distance between herself and the crime scene she had recently visited. Less than ten minutes later, she found a group of drunkards harassing an innocent lady. The latter was returning from shopping and somehow missed the curfew time.The villainous group ambushed her in an alley and surrounded her. After robbing the lady of her belongings, they went too far. Inebriated and stoned, they attempted to tear off her clothes and rape her.Luckily, Kate heard her cries and jumped down from the building for a rescue. She offered no warning to the perpetrators. Her powerful chops, jabs, and slams floored them in a minute. The end result was that the men needed hospitalization to survive.After making an anonymous call
264 Eva’s Perfect Life 3 (18+ Warning)
Clearly unsettled, Eva tried to get up from the bed. But she failed because her legs and arms were bound. The young woman had been stripped and made to wear a hospital gown.What was going on? Didn’t she lose consciousness in the restaurant? Where the hell did they bring her? Or was she asleep, having a nightmare?Eva heard a few voices talking but couldn’t recognize them.“The fresh specimen has a bun in the oven, sir…”“What? Is the woman pregnant? Now, that sounds like good news. We can have both her grey matter and her uterus. Jackpot!”Eva’s heart froze in horror. What nonsense were the strangers blabbering? Then, the realization hit her. She had been abducted!“Where am I?” Eva called out to the voices. “What’s going on here? Answer me! I am the Mayor’s executive assistant! You guys are in a lot of trouble! The military police will barge in at any moment and gun you down!”Eva heard footsteps. Moments later, three smiling faces loomed over her. “Ah, the specimen is awake,” a mid
263 Eva’s Perfect Life 2
Eva stopped eating her food and stared at the young man. He looked innocent, probably fresh out of high school, a college freshman. Was he a fan of Victor Cromwell?“How did you know it was me?” she asked apprehensively.“Please don’t be alarmed, ma’am,” he replied, joining his hands. “I am George. I am actually a big admirer of Mr. Victor Cromwell and the wonderful work he has been doing for Springfield. You’re always by his side in meetings, conferences, and photo ops. Therefore, it isn’t irregular for commoners like us to recognize you.”Eva was still unconvinced. “You are a fan of Victor’s work? Are you okay with military rule? Most of the city appears to be against it.”“Yes, of course they are against it!” George exclaimed. “Governments rise and fall all the time. Governance styles also change. Springfield is becoming a military-industrial complex, and people must get with the times.”Eva nodded, reassured that the boy was a modern arts student, an idealist. Why else would he tr
262 Eva's Perfect Life
Eva Atelier stepped out of the shower, looking resplendent. She wore only a white bathrobe and smelled of lavender and honey. The beauty just had a long, warm, and luxurious shower. However, the timing could have been better since it was past midnight.Victor had gone out after an hour-long lovemaking session, leaving her yearning for a thorough cleansing. Perhaps he would return soon, and they could go at it again. She was already horny thinking about her man.Victor usually disappeared every night and returned before dawn. Eva never asked him about his whereabouts. She assumed he was meeting important people and hatching plans for Springfield's betterment. The girl equated herself with a superhero's girlfriend, never disturbing his high-stakes, clandestine nightlife.It had been a month since Eva started living with Victor at the Mayor's mansion. It was now public knowledge that the two were dating. The media picked up the news on the first day and played it until the entire city kn
261 The Dark City Arc Begins
Haley B stumbled out of a high-end liquor store with a vodka bottle in her hand. She was clearly inebriated. The young, beautiful celebrity had fallen off the wagon and had been drinking every day since Victor died.Haley B had postponed all her movie and concert schedules indefinitely and wasn't accepting any more offers. All she wanted to do was bury her sorrows in alcohol. When her media team tried to convince her otherwise, she fired them.At the moment, with a liquor bottle in hand, and wearing a loose hoodie and track pants, Haley was in disguise. If the paparazzi found her intoxicated, she would be on national news, and the internet would break. Not that she cared much about her celebrity status anymore.Haley looked around at the pedestrians and drunkard crowds. Nobody gave her a second look. People probably thought she was a homeless woman.Her Mercedes stood outside with a chauffeur and two guards. Haley eyed them from a distance with blurry vision. Indeed, she had had a lot
260 Note To Readers
Dear Readers, Thanks for staying with the story this far. You're all awesome. I have tested your patience with slow updates and such tests will be less frequent in the future. About the story: The Invasion Arc ends with the last chapter. It will be followed by the Dark City Arc, that will introduce new characters and spring many more twists. Victor Damone is now Victor Cromwell, the legal heir of a royal family. However, escaping his past won't be as easy as he thought. Let's see how the Peerless Man deals with the upcoming dangers. Stay tuned!
