The Rise of the Humiliated Son-in-Law

The First Task

Mona stood with a fiery demeanor, her face flushed with anger. She wore a striking red evening gown, with sparkling diamond accessories adorning her neck and ears. The diamonds, whose authenticity was now in question by Gaston, seemed to symbolize her pride. In front of Wagner's office, the atmosphere felt increasingly tense, as if a storm was about to erupt.

Gaston wore a cynical smile, as if relishing Mona's discomfort. With his deep knowledge of jewelry, he felt empowered to belittle her. "I told you, this was made with such detail. It would indeed be hard to distinguish," he said mockingly.

Mona, unable to hold back, retorted, "You must be talking nonsense!" Her voice was filled with emotion, expressing just how offended she was by Gaston's accusations.

Amid the tension, Damian, who stood between them, tried to take control of the situation. "Mona, enough!" he shouted, his voice firm. "You've said enough and are disrespecting the Master!"

Mona refused to back down, "Damian, did you hear him bragging this whole time? How can you still think he’s impressive? His words haven’t made any sense!"

Gaston, with a wide grin, said, "I can even tell you have digestive issues, based on the past few days."

Mona was taken aback, stumbling over her words, "You–"

Damian interrupted, "Mona, be quiet!" His threat silenced her momentarily. "The more you talk, the more embarrassing it gets! You should realize it’s not right to insult the Master!"

Mona felt cornered, her anger boiling over. "Why are you siding with this bum?" she asked, her voice filled with disappointment.

Damian could only remain silent. He knew that Gaston had saved him from a dangerous situation, but he couldn't reveal his predicament. The fear of secrets being exposed held him back. He recalled how powerful Gaston was and how he needed to keep this secret from Mona, who could easily become a suspect.

Gaston, noticing the escalating tension, said, "Mr. Wagner, if you still have business with your girlfriend, I should probably take my leave." His words were calm, but there was a challenging undertone to them.

Mona, unwilling to back down, replied, "You should have just left a long time ago!" She felt cornered, and Gaston's presence only fueled her anger.

Damian, trying to calm the situation, said, "Master, I’ve been waiting for you to arrive. Please understand this incident and don’t leave!" He glanced at Mona, who looked displeased with Gaston's presence.

"Mona, you should go home!" Damian said, his voice now softer but firm.

"What?" Mona was taken aback. "Damian, I went through all this trouble to meet you this morning, and now you want me to leave?"

"My business is more important than dealing with your childishness!" Damian replied, his tone growing louder.

Mona still fought to be heard. "Honey, I’m upset because he insulted me."

"I trust the words of the man you mocked more than I trust you. Got it?" Damian glared at her.

Mona was stunned, unable to respond. "Now you need to leave!" Damian insisted. "I don’t have time to deal with you!"

Gaston remained where he was, his eyes focused on the wrecked bicycle in the corner of the street. A mix of annoyance and frustration welled up inside him. He felt not only the loss of his beloved bike but also the pressure of the ongoing situation. On the other hand, Mona, still angry, was urged by her guard, Damian, to get into the car.

Mona stomped her feet in frustration, showing just how upset she was. However, when she faced Damian, her anger slightly faded. She shot a cynical glare at Gaston, as if hoping to hurt him with her look.

After Mona left, Damian approached Gaston. Noticing the disappointment on his face, Damian knew how important that bike was to him. "Come on, Master, let’s go to my office," he said, trying to divert Gaston's attention from the wrecked bicycle.

Gaston continued to stare at the bike, unsure if his powers could fix it. "Don’t worry, Master," Damian continued, "I’ll have someone take your bike to the shop and get it fixed."

"Can you get this fixed before noon?" Gaston asked, his tone full of hope. "I’m afraid my wife will be mad if she finds out I damaged this bike."

Damian thought for a moment. "How about I buy you a new bike?" he offered, trying to provide a solution.

"I don’t want that," Gaston replied firmly. "I would appreciate it more if you could help me get this bike back to its original condition."

"Alright, Master," Damian said. "I’ll make sure it will be restored." He then called one of his subordinates.

Damian's subordinate arrived promptly, and Damian instructed them to handle everything related to Gaston's bike. "Understood," replied his subordinate before leaving to carry out the orders.

After that, Damian invited Gaston to his office in the Wagner Group building. As they walked, Gaston felt the luxury of the building: a spacious lobby with sparkling crystal chandeliers, employees and staff bustling about in professional attire. They took the elevator to the upper floors, and many employees were surprised to see Damian bringing a scruffy-looking man like Gaston into his office.

They couldn't see Gaston's face, which was covered by a mask, but the whispers among them revealed their curiosity. "Why is the boss bringing a guy like that to the office?"

Once they arrived in Damian's office, the atmosphere became calmer. Damian sat in a plush chair behind his desk and gestured for Gaston to take a seat in front of him. He then called for an office boy to bring two cups of coffee.

After a moment, the office boy returned with the coffee and placed it on the desk. "Please help yourself," Damian said, and Gaston nodded before taking a sip of the served coffee.

Gaston then asked directly, "What do you need from me?"

Damian pulled a photo from his desk drawer and showed it to Gaston. "There are a lot of people in this photo," he said. "They are all the subordinates who work for me."

Gaston examined the photo closely. "I heard one of my subordinates has betrayed me," Damian continued. "But since he’s been very careful, I can’t track him down."

Gaston nodded, understanding the situation. "I figured with your wealth and power, it would be easy for you to find out who the traitor is."

"It's not that simple," Damian replied, his tone serious. "This business is vast, and there are many players involved. One mistake can be fatal. I operate on a global scale, which creates a lot of enemies. I have to be very careful."

Gaston fully grasped what Damian meant. He felt challenged to help. "What do I need to do?" he asked.

Damian was ready to assist with Gaston's plan. "Get them all together in one place; I’ll handle the rest," Gaston replied firmly.

Damian nodded, planning the necessary steps. "I’ll reach out to people and arrange that meeting. We need a safe and discreet location."

Gaston smiled, feeling hopeful about finding the traitor. "Just make sure they come without suspicion."

"Don't worry, Master," Damian reassured him. "I’ll take care of everything. I’ll gather them."