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The Return Of The Lame Son In Law. 203, Cliffside Adventures
Chapter Two hundred and Three: Cliffside AdventuresThe sun had dipped lower in the sky, casting an orange hue across the landscape. As the group sat waiting for their transportation, restlessness began to set in. It had been hours, and still, there was no sign of help. The air was filled with a mixture of grumbling and impatience, the earlier frustrations creeping back in.“We can’t just sit here all night,” Leo grumbled, pacing back and forth. “We should at least try to find somewhere more comfortable to wait.”Connor nodded in agreement, leaning back against a nearby tree. “Yeah, I’m not sitting on this cold ground for another hour. Let’s go look for a better spot.”“Why don’t we walk together?” Rider suggested, standing up and brushing off his jeans. “There’s gotta be somewhere nearby we can take shelter for a while.”“I’m in,” Adrian chimed in, already on his feet.Micheal, Sandra, Stephany, and the rest of the group slowly began to rise as well, ready to take matters into thei
The Return Of The Lame Son In Law. 204, unwanted attention
Chapter Two hundred and four: Unwanted AttentionAs the group made their way to a more open area, the mood was light. They had found a decent spot where the bus could easily pick them up, and there were large rocks scattered around for them to sit on. The night air was cool but pleasant, and most of them were glad to finally rest after the day's adventures.Chris, who had been silent for most of the trip, pulled out his phone to check his messages. He hadn’t expected anything unusual, but his inbox showed three new video messages. He opened them, realizing they were forwarded by Loretta, and recognized the name: Emily, Mrs. Maxwell’s daughter. Loretta had mentioned Mrs. Maxwell’s request during the gathering, and it seemed she had sent over Emily’s audition tapes for him to evaluate.Chris clicked on the first video. Emily appeared on screen, dressed in a casual outfit, and began her attempt at comedy. She was clearly talented, her expressions well-timed, her delivery smooth. Chri
The Return Of The Lame Son In Law. 205, enough is enough
Chapter Two hundred and five: Enough Is EnoughChris had always been patient. Over the years, he’d grown used to their sneers and taunts, their efforts to drag him down and make him feel small. It was the same story every time they gathered: jokes about him being a live-in son-in-law, about him being beneath them, and about his supposed lack of importance. Normally, Chris let it slide. He knew the truth, and that was all that mattered. But today was different. As he watched Stephany walking away, something inside him snapped. She was leaving with her head down, and he knew it wasn’t just him they were mocking anymore. They had crossed a line. This wasn’t just about them laughing at him; now they were humiliating someone close to him, someone who had always defended him and stood by his side. “Henry,” Chris said, his voice low but firm. “Give me my phone. Stop this now.”But Henry, always eager to push things further, was only encouraged by Chris’s demand. The look in his eyes was
The Return Of The Lame Son In Law. 206; The awakening is the ring
Chapter Two hundred and Twenty six: The Awakening of the Ring As the laughter around him faded, Chris began walking away from the group, his thoughts consumed by the events that had just unfolded. His heart was still pounding from the rush of energy he’d felt when Henry fell. It wasn’t an accident; he knew that much. It had happened the exact moment he wished for it, and that wasn’t a coincidence. Then, something caught his attention. A faint glow emanated from his left hand. Chris stopped in his tracks and glanced down, his eyes widening. The ring on his finger, the one Jack Stone had given him was glowing faintly, a soft light pulsing from its smooth surface. He had forgotten all about the ring, which had seemed so ordinary up until now. For a moment, Chris stood still, staring at the ring. It had been months since Jack Stone handed it to him with a cryptic smile, telling him it was a token that identified him as a shadow cultivator. Jack had spoken of its power in passing,
The Return Of The Lame Son In Law. 107, a familiar face
Chapter Two hundred and seven: A Familiar FaceEmily Connor's niece had been minding her own business, sitting a little distance from the group, when the loud laughter caught her attention. She looked up to see the men—Henry, Leo, and a few others—gathered around Chris’s phone, passing it among themselves. They were teasing Chris, and though she didn’t know what the joke was, the way they were acting made her curious.At first, she didn’t think much of it. She had seen these men act like this before, poking fun at Chris every chance they got. But when she heard Henry laughing about a video of a “beautiful young girl,” her interest piqued. Henry was standing nearest to her, waving Chris’s phone in the air like a prize. Without even thinking, Emily leaned forward slightly, craning her neck to get a glimpse of the screen. She wasn’t trying to be nosy, but something about the way Henry was going on about the girl’s looks made her stomach turn.As the phone came closer to her, Emily’s e
The Return Of The Lame Son In Law. 207; Shelly’s escape
Chapter Two hundred and Seven: Shelly's EscapeAs the night settled over the group, the tension in the air became palpable. The group of students and friends had managed to distract themselves for a while by taking daring leaps into the warm waters and enjoying the night breeze. But as the minutes dragged into hours, the reality of being stuck in the woods without proper transportation began to weigh heavily on everyone.Phones buzzed with messages to worried parents and guardians, each one more frantic than the last. Shelly, the American president’s daughter, sat quietly apart from the group, scrolling through her phone, frowning slightly at the messages her father’s staff had been sending her. She knew this would be a big deal for her father, who never liked the idea of her being in a situation that wasn’t entirely under his control.It wasn’t long before the sound of distant rotor blades echoed through the sky. At first, some of the students dismissed it as part of their growin
The Return Of The Lame Son In Law. 209, Chris to the rescue
Chapter Two hundred and nine: Chris to the RescueThe night grew darker, and the tension among the group increased. Complaints were coming from every corner. Some were murmuring about how they shouldn't have had to deal with such inconveniences, while others busied themselves calling their parents, hoping they could pull some strings to send them helicopters or private cars. Chris, who had been standing quietly on the sidelines, listening to everyone’s complaints, felt an itch to solve the problem himself. He wasn’t one to enjoy seeing people frustrated, especially when it was something he could fix. He stared at the bus, which sat motionless on the road, its engine refusing to roar back to life. His mind began to wander, thinking back to the many high-profile meetings he had attended as part of his work with MTD. One particular partnership came to mind—the one with BMW.MTD’s collaboration with BMW had given Chris the chance to learn a lot more about vehicles than he had ever expec
The Return Of The Lame Son In Law. 210; Tough decision
Chapter Two hundred and Ten: Chris’s DecisionThe sound of another helicopter filled the evening air, slicing through the growing darkness. It appeared out of nowhere, lights flashing as it hovered closer to the group. The arrival brought a new wave of excitement and hope as many assumed this might be their ticket out of the woods. After all, the group was getting increasingly anxious, and the earlier helicopter’s departure had left some feeling left behind. As the helicopter touched down on a nearby clearing, a familiar face emerged—Adrian. He stepped out, followed by his sister Carla, who waved to everyone. The pair had managed to get their father to send a helicopter, but there was one issue: the seats were limited. The pilot could only take two more passengers besides himself and the guards who had accompanied Adrian and Carla.After greeting everyone, Adrian walked over to Chris, a sincere expression on his face. "Chris," Adrian began, lowering his voice slightly so that on
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360; The Breaking Point
Chapter 360: The Breaking Point It’s the next day after Chris presented himself to the world in his full glory, the media has carried the news both far and near and the Preston’s were still in shock of the revelation. The Preston boardroom was unusually quiet that morning. Sunlight filtered through the tall glass windows, casting golden stripes across the dark mahogany table. The chairs were all filled—executives, advisors, partners from subsidiaries. But one seat at the head of the table remained empty. Stephany’s seat. Eleanor sat in her usual place, fingers steepled, a slight crease in her brow. She glanced at her watch again. Still no word. Still no daughter. Still no leadership. It had been two days since the gala. Two days since the world discovered that Chris Brown—the quiet son-in-law they mocked—was actually the president of MTD and the force behind Sterling Heritage. Two days since Stephany had vanished. “She’s taking time to think,” Eleanor said qui
359: Stephany’s Spiral
Chapter 359: Stephany’s Spiral Stephnay stepped our. And Chris followed her. The air outside the ballroom was colder than it should’ve been. Stephany’s heels clicked furiously against the marble as she stormed down the corridor, the silk of her gown swishing violently behind her. Her breath came in shallow bursts, not from exertion, but from the ache building in her chest, from the burn in her throat she couldn’t swallow. Everyone had lied to her. Everyone. Her father… who paraded around like he was the reason for the deal, when he was nothing more than a shadow. Her mother… who, for all her sharpness, had encouraged her to chase a stranger, unaware he was already sleeping in her daughter’s bed. Sandra… her friend, her confidante, who had stood by and said nothing while Stephany wept and doubted and begged. And Chris. Chris. The man she insulted. Defended. Hated. Loved. The man who, it turned out, had been ten steps ahead of her the entire time. She pushed
358; after the lights
Chapter 359: After the Lights The ballroom lights dimmed slowly, the last echoes of applause fading into the glittering hush of evening elegance. The crowd had dispersed into small clusters some lingering around the champagne bar, others whispering in stunned awe near the media walls. The air was thick with disbelief, admiration… and a new respect that hadn’t been there before. Chris Brown stepped off the stage like a man who had just laid his past to rest. His face was composed. His shoulders straight. But inside? A storm raged. He didn’t look for her in the crowd. He didn’t need to. He felt her. Stephany. And she was coming. Each step she took echoed like a countdown. He turned slowly to face her, meeting her eyes across the polished marble floor, under chandeliers that suddenly seemed too bright. Her heels clicked to a stop three feet in front of him. She didn’t speak at first. Didn’t blink. She just looked at him like she was seeing a ghost. No… like she was seei
357 the speech
Chapter 358: The Speech The ballroom, moments before electric with noise, now pulsed with stunned silence. The man everyone had ignored, mocked, and dismissed… stood before them. No longer in the shadows. No longer “just a son-in-law.” Chris Brown. The President of MTD Enterprises.If not because Sandra herself introduced him, no one would believe he was the owner of Sterling, the one calling the shots. The man who had, without the Preston name, without favors or inheritance, built a corporate empire that now stood at the helm of Preston Holdings’ salvation. He stepped up to the stage, his black tux catching the soft gold light of the chandeliers above. Calm, composed, magnetic. He didn’t need a grand entrance. He was the moment. The microphone felt cool in his hand as he brought it close. “Good evening,” he began, his voice smooth, quiet, but undeniably strong. The crowd leaned in. “I’ll keep this brief,” he continued. “I know the wine is flowing, and so
356; president on a bike
Chapter 356: The President on a Bike The Grand New York Ballroom shimmered with opulence. Glittering chandeliers hung like frozen stars above the gold-accented floor. Guests milled about in tuxedos and flowing gowns, laughter and polite applause filling the space as media crews tried to capture every angle. Business moguls, celebrities, and dignitaries gathered, sipping champagne and posing for press photos beneath the towering banners that read: “The New Preston Empire – Gala of Legacy and Innovation.” Charles Preston stood front and center, basking in the glow of attention. His tailored white suit gleamed under the lights, and he wore a practiced smile that hadn’t wavered since the event began. Every reporter, every business associate—he greeted them all with open arms and exaggerated humility. “I just did what any visionary would do,” Charles said during an interview, brushing invisible lint off his shoulder. “The expansion was necessary. And thanks to our trusted par
355; a night of glass And gold
Chapter 355: A night of glass and gold. Add her mother pushes her to welcome him The Grand New York Ballroom shimmered like a crown jewel in the heart of Manhattan. Crystal chandeliers dripped light onto mirrored floors, casting glittering illusions across a sea of tuxedos and couture gowns. The air was thick with cologne, champagne, and the sharp undercurrent of ambition. It was a night carved out for legends. And Charles Preston was ready to claim it. "Smile, Mr. Preston!" "Over here, Charles!" "The face behind Preston’s comeback!" Charles grinned wide, adjusting his cufflinks as camera flashes burst in succession. Reporters flanked the red carpet, microphones stretched forward like spears as he paused just long enough for the spotlight to settle comfortably on him. “Yes,” he said with polished ease, “we’re very proud of the progress Preston Holdings has made this year. Tonight is about celebrating that growth—and the vision that brought us here.”
354: Behind the Velvet curtain
Chapter 354: Behind the Velvet Curtain The night shimmered like a stage awaiting its lead actor. Inside the Grand Ballroom at the Empire Crown Hotel, chandeliers sparkled above a sea of elegantly dressed guests. Velvet drapes framed tall windows, and gold, edged mirrors gave the illusion of endless luxury. A symphony quartet played in the background, their music crisp, purposeful like the gala itself. This wasn't just a party. It was war with lace gloves and champagne. And behind the scenes, the generals were preparing. Connor Shaw, head of the Metropolitan Police and Chris’s long, time ally, stood in the back service corridor of the hotel, earpiece in, tablet in hand. His eyes weren’t on the stage. They were on security feeds. “I want eyes on every major entrance,” he said into the comms. “Check for duplicates of the guest list, especially near the back elevators. Nothing gets past us tonight.” He wasn’t here in uniform. He was dressed in a black tailored suit
353; The interruption
Chapter 353: The Interruption The city glowed with twilight as the sun bowed behind glass towers and flashing billboards, preparing to hand the stage over to a night of prestige, power, and unveiling. The Preston Expansion Gala was just hours away, and every detail had been scrutinized to perfection—down to the shimmer of champagne and the alignment of name cards. But Chris never made it to the venue. Not yet. He had left the penthouse in his tailored suit, calm and resolved, his presence a storm wrapped in elegance. The drive his most trusted escort had been instructed to take the back route, avoiding media hotspots. It was supposed to be quiet. Controlled. But power always attracts chaos. And Chris never saw it coming. As the car approached an underpass just twenty minutes from the gala hall, a black SUV swerved from nowhere, cutting them off. Before the driver could react, another vehicle blocked them from behind. Then darkness. Metal clashed. Tires screeched. Doors fl
352: the call of blood
Chapter 352: The Call of Blood The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of Chris's penthouse office, casting elongated shadows across the polished marble floor. He stood by the window, gazing out at the city skyline, his reflection a ghostly overlay against the bustling world beyond. The news had broken earlier that day: the elusive president of MTD was also the owner of Sterling Heritage and would be making a public appearance at the Preston gala. His phone buzzed on the desk behind him, a persistent vibration that refused to be ignored. Chris turned slowly, his eyes narrowing as he saw the caller ID: "Grandpa Brown." A sigh escaped his lips, heavy with the weight of unspoken words and unresolved tensions. He picked up the phone, the device cool against his palm, and answered with a measured tone. "Grandpa." The voice on the other end was sharp, tinged with a mix of frustration and disbelief. "Christopher, care to explain why I had to find out from the p
