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The Ultimate Hidden Tycoon Chapter 30
“Babe, don’t beat yourself up. I know you’ll bounce back in no time.” Madeline still had no idea what was really going on. She looked at Robert and kept trying to comfort him. “Thanks, Madeline,” Robert said with a soft smile. “Having you by my side... it means everything.” “Don’t say stuff like that,” she said, her cheeks flushing pink. But the sweet moment passed quickly. “That bastard Ethan screwed up your project. We can’t let him off that easy.” Her tone turned sharp. Her eyes narrowed. “Damn right,” Robert growled. That punk humiliated him at the wedding. Now he even stole the deal that was supposed to be his? He clenched his fists. If he didn’t teach Ethan a lesson, the kid would think he could walk all over him. And in just two days, Mr. Parker would be gone from Atlantis City. Timing couldn’t be better. “What are you planning to do?” Madeline asked. “I’ll call Mr. Fist Jack.” Robert’s voice turned cold. His eyes were full of hate. He didn’t just
The Ultimate Hidden Tycoon Chapter 31
Madeline let out a cold laugh. Her heart boiled with hate for Katherine.She stared at her phone, her fingers curling so tight they almost cracked the screen.Every smiley face Katherine sent felt like a dull blade, cutting her pride over and over, slow and cruel.She could still remember how Robert lost it.Their relationship nearly took a hit—all because of that damn project!And now this backstabbing little witch had the nerve to text her? To explain herself like nothing happened?What did she think—Madeline was an idiot?Well, joke’s on her. Payback’s coming, and it’s coming fast.Madeline’s eyes narrowed. She switched chats and fired off a message to Robert:“Birthday party’s on. Make sure Fist Jack brings extra guys.”Just imagining what kind of “surprise” Katherine would get on her birthday made her lips curl into a cruel grin.Fist Jack would make sure Katherine got exactly what she deserved.—Meanwhile, on the other end of the chat, Katherine had no clue how vicious Madeline
The Ultimate Hidden Tycoon Chapter 32
The lighting in the suite was deliberately dimmed, flickering candles casting shadows across the room. Katherine didn’t catch the shift in Madeline’s expression.“Come on, let’s sing the birthday song!” one of the guests called out.Everyone gathered around. The cheerful melody echoed through the room, and Katherine’s voice was the clearest of them all—pure, happy, full of sincerity.“Make a wish, Maddy!” someone urged as the song ended.Madeline closed her eyes. Her lips moved silently, like whispering a secret to the dark.A few seconds later, she blew out the candles."Let certain people... finally pay the price," she finished silently in her mind.The cake was sliced. Champagne glasses clinked together with crisp, cheerful notes.The energy in the room rose fast—someone grabbed the mic and started belting out karaoke, others toasted one after another. Laughter and chatter filled every corner. A few curled up on the sofa, snacking and goofing around.Katherine sat next to Madeline,
The Ultimate Hidden Tycoon Chapter 33
This woman is tonight’s target? Ha, Robert really outdid himself this time! What a gift!Jack licked his lips. His boots crushed leftover cake as he stalked toward her.“You look familiar, sweetheart.”“Who… who are you?”Katherine blinked hard, trying to bring him into focus. But the triple images in her eyes made it impossible.The stench of cigar smoke, cologne, and alcohol slammed into her nose, and her stomach churned.“Me?” Jack suddenly grabbed her chin. The sharp edge of his gold watch dug into her skin.“I’m Fist Jack, babe. That name ring a bell?”He leered as his eyes slid shamelessly down her exposed legs.Heat stirred low in his gut.A perfect ten. Straight from heaven.“Fist… Jack? I… I don’t know you...”“Don’t worry.” Jack smirked, rubbing his chin. “You will. Real soon.”“Let’s get out of here. Got a private room waiting, just for us.”He reached for her, rough fingers grazing her collarbone, sliding down her neck—“What the hell are you doing?!”Katherine jolted. A
The Ultimate Hidden Tycoon Chapter 34
“Ethan?”Katherine’s heart skipped a beat.But almost immediately, she shook her head. “No. I can’t drag him into this.”This wasn’t just some bar fight.This was Fist Jack.If Ethan came charging in alone, he’d get torn apart.“Seriously, Kat?” Madeline snapped, eyes flashing. “You’re still worried about him at a time like this?”“If he really cares about you, he’ll come. And if he’s as badass as he says, he’ll find a way out!”Madeline’s voice dripped with venom, her crimson-painted nails tracing lightly across Katherine’s trembling hand. “Or… maybe you’re just scared to see him run away like a coward?”“I said no, Maddy. This has nothing to do with him.”Katherine snapped, jerking her head up—but the motion made her vision spin.“Well, if you won’t call him, I will.”She made a fake smile.“I couldn’t see my best friend in danger.”Before Katherine could stop her, Madeline snatched her phone and dialed Ethan’s number.Ethan’s voice came through cold and sharp from the speaker: “
The Ultimate Hidden Tycoon Chapter 35
"Let. Her. Go."Three words.The temperature in the room dropped like someone had opened a freezer.Ethan.Madeline’s eyes snapped wide open. She stared at the figure standing at the doorway like she was seeing a ghost.This loser… he actually came?“You her boyfriend or something?” Fist Jack’s voice was lazy, tinged with disbelief.He slowly lowered the half-smoked cigar between his fingers. Smoke coiled around his scarred face as he squinted at the uninvited guest.White dress shirt, rain-damp black hair, not a familiar face.Definitely not anyone important.The dozen or so tattooed thugs behind him straightened, all eyes locked on Ethan like a pack of hyenas catching the scent of fresh blood.Ethan didn’t even look at them.His eyes only saw one person—Katherine.She was curled in the corner, a red handprint blazing across her cheek, her long hair a tangled mess.The hem of her dress was ripped, exposing her pale thigh beneath the torn fabric.“Did you hit her?”His voice was soft.
The Ultimate Hidden Tycoon Chapter 36
“Now… are you ready to kneel and apologize?”Ethan’s voice echoed through the room like a cold blade drawn in silence.Dead quiet.No one moved. Their pupils dilated in disbelief, locked on the scene in front of them.Fist Jack—the Fist Jack—was lying on the ground like a dead dog, blood pouring down his forehead. And the man who dropped him? Just some guy in a rain-soaked shirt.Katherine was the first to snap out of it, eyes full of panic as she stared at Ethan.“B-Boss?!”The tattooed thugs around them all sucked in a breath at the same time.They’d seen Fist Jack pummel pro fighters into the ER… but one hit? One hit and he was bleeding?The goons swarmed. One helped Fist Jack up. The others reached for weapons. Switchblades snapped open, glinting in the low light.“What the fuck are you waiting for?!”Fist Jack roared, face twisted in rage and pain. “If he walks outta here alive, you’re all going into the Hudson tonight—feet first!”“Kill him!”A bald brute lunged first, smashing
The Ultimate Hidden Tycoon Chapter 37
Ethan slowly raised his combat boot, aiming it dead at Fist Jack’s last good hand. His eyes burned with cold, unfiltered murder."Don’t you f***ing dare!"Fist Jack finally lost his nerve, his voice breaking into a shrill roar. "Do you even know who my boss is?!"Ethan paused, his foot freezing midair. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips."Yeah? Try me."“Mr. Vulture!”Fist Jack bellowed, eyes bloodshot with desperation.“You dumb bastard! You’ve got no idea what kind of fire you just lit? I’m Brick Vultures!”“You really think you can act tough in this town and not pay the price?!”The moment that name left his mouth, the whole room seemed to freeze.Mr. Vulture.The leader of the Brick Vultures.The man who owned Atlantis City’s underworld like it was his backyard.Just the whisper of his name could silence a room, shake the ground, even make entire gangs vanish overnight. Rumor had it, last month a rival boss merely insulted him—next day, his body was found bloated a
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Chapter 57
For a second, something shifted. Alateriel’s voice—usually like untouched snow—cracked with the barest hint of emotion. Bitterness. Like a glacier starting to split.Ethan didn’t respond. The only sound in the room was the faint graze of his thumb tracing the edge of the phone, over and over.“I’ve looked for you, Ethan… for seven years,” she whispered, her voice softening—melting like the first drip of spring snow.He let out a sharp, bitter laugh. “Is that so?”“Ethan… I’ll be in Atlantis tomorrow. Can we meet? Just once?”Her voice was barely a whisper, a feather falling through silence.Ethan’s response cut like glass.“Miss Alateriel, you’re the crown jewel of the Dunphy dynasty now. Me? I’m just the washed-up heir of a forgotten family. I’d hate to taint your vision with my presence.”His words carried a cruel edge—sarcasm, self-loathing, and something darker buried underneath.He didn’t want to revisit the past. Not anymore.“Ethan, did you hear about—”“No need.”He cut her off, tone laced
Chapter 56
The dim room was still—until Katherine's text tone pierced through the silence.Ethan glanced down at the screen. The glow lit up his face, and as he swiped to unlock, his brows instinctively furrowed.“Ethan, did you hear? Alateriel is coming to Atlantis City!”Alateriel?Ethan’s thumb froze mid-air. A dull throb pulsed at his temples.What the hell is going on today? Why is everyone suddenly bringing up that name?He rubbed the bridge of his nose, then typed back:“I heard. You seem really excited about her?”The reply came almost instantly:“Of course! Alateriel Dunphy is basically the capital’s goddess! I’m heading to the airport to see her in person!”“So much has happened lately… I need something fun to look forward to.”Ethan stared at that exclamation mark—somehow, he could see Katherine smiling through the screen.He hesitated, then hit Call.“Ethan?”Her soft voice drifted through, along with the faint rustle of magazine pages in the background.“You’re really that eager to
Chapter 55
“Vulture was able to operate without fear,” Robert’s voice was low, every word dripping with weight, “because he had The Black Jack backing him.”“What? The Black Jack?!”Madeline’s eyes went wide in disbelief. She looked like she’d just seen a ghost.Everyone knew the truth—The Black Jack ruled this city.In this town, it wasn’t Vulture who was the true power player. He was just a pawn in a much bigger game. The Black Jack? That was the shadow ruler pulling the strings, the one who controlled the city’s heartbeat.The power The Black Jack wielded was untouchable.In business, politics, the military—The Black Jack had influence everywhere.If you crossed him? It was worse than death itself.“Robert, you can’t be telling me that The Black Jack is involved in this too, right?” Madeline swallowed hard, panic creeping into her voice.“It’s hard to say,” Robert muttered as he stood up and walked to the window, pulling the curtains shut with a snap. In the dim light, the veins on his forehea
Chapter 54
Elijah—the man who ran The Black Jack syndicate in Atlantis City—stirred his coffee slowly.The silver spoon tapping gently against the fine bone china cup with a crisp, delicate clink.Sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, landing on his manicured hands. The gleam on his nails was cold, sharp—like polished steel under a surgeon’s scalpel.Across from him, the old man known only as The Night Owl sat as calm as a still lake. His thin, wrinkled fingers methodically dropped sugar cubes into his black tea, each movement steady, almost ritualistic.“Mr. Elijah, about the shipment from Colombia—”But The Night Owl was cut off mid-sentence.A massive bodyguard—easily pushing six-foot-six—strode up, leaned down, and whispered urgently into Elijah’s ear. His breath brushed warm against Elijah’s skin.“What?”Elijah’s voice cracked through the quiet like a whip. “Vulture’s dead?”The spoon slipped from his fingers, clattering onto the saucer with a metallic clang. Black coffee
Chapter 53
“What did you just say?”Noah’s smile froze. For a second, he thought he must’ve misheard.“I said, I have zero interest in a company that's about to go bankrupt,” Ethan repeated calmly.“Bankrupt?”The word hung in the air like a thunderclap. Everyone froze, struggling to process what they just heard.“You’re full of it!”Noah jolted upright, his voice rising in panic. “Hudson Pharmaceuticals is raking in money! We’re thriving! Why the hell would we go bankrupt? Quit fear-mongering!”Ethan leaned back, voice cool and steady. “Whether I’m fear-mongering or not, you know better than anyone. I just got word—Hudson Pharmaceuticals has been completely shut down for selling counterfeit meds. It’s only a matter of time before the bankruptcy paperwork hits.”“Fake meds? Shut down?”Everyone turned, stunned, their eyes locking onto Noah.“Bullshit! That’s complete bullshit!” Noah snapped. “Ethan, you better shut your damn mouth. Hudson runs a clean business! We play by the rules! One more word
Chapter 52
And Lewis Parker, of all people, in that photo?Yeah right. Had to be fake.Sarah let out a cold laugh. “You? Know Lewis freaking Parker? Come on. A guy like you probably can’t even spell sommelier.”She crossed her arms, chin raised in disdain. “Let’s be real—you probably stole that wine.”“Exactly!” Luke jumped in, eyes lighting up like he just cracked the case. “No way you could afford something like that. You swiped it, didn’t you?”Noah’s face lit up with smug satisfaction, like a cat who’d cornered a mouse.“That makes perfect sense,” he sneered. “Of all the things to steal, you went and grabbed a $3.4 million bottle? You realize if the owner presses charges, you’re looking at ten years minimum behind bars?”In Noah’s mind, this was checkmate. No way someone like Ethan could ever own something that valuable.Ethan didn’t flinch. He just set his napkin down, the soft rustle of fabric against wood loud in the sudden tension.First, they said his wine was cheap.Then they claimed it
Chapter 51
“Bullshit!”Luke slammed his hand on the table, rattling the silverware. “What the hell does a broke loser like you know about fine wine? Noah could’ve brought any bottle and—”“It’s a 1985 Romanée-Conti,” Ethan interrupted coolly, tapping the bottle with a knuckle. “Market price? Around eighty grand. But…”His lips curled into a slow, knowing smile.“It’s nowhere near the value of what I brought.”The room went dead silent for a beat—then erupted in disbelief.“Ha! Hahahaha!” Sarah doubled over with a shrill, mocking laugh. “You’re saying Noah’s wine is worth less than whatever crap you brought in that discount crate? You must’ve lost your damn mind!”Luke joined in, pounding the table in hysterics. “Kid, if you’re gonna lie, at least try to make it believable! Do you even know what a Romanée-Conti is? You brought two label-less bottles like some back-alley bargain bin junk and want to compare that to Noah’s?”Noah leaned back in his chair, swirling his glass with a smirk. “Kat, your
Chapter 50
Katherine froze, caught off guard by Ethan speaking up first.She instinctively glanced at Noah—who was already watching Ethan like a bored king eyeing a peasant, his lips curled in mocking amusement.“Introduce me?” Noah set his teacup down with exaggerated grace, voice soaked in sarcasm. “Kat, your boyfriend doesn’t even know who I am?”Katherine bit her lip, about to respond—But Sarah couldn’t hold it in any longer.“Noah is the heir to the Hudson Group! His family’s worth billions! A guy like you—unemployed and broke—you probably haven’t even heard of Hudson, have you?”Ethan smiled faintly, but his eyes cooled.Hudson Group?The same Hudson known for shady pharma deals and lawsuits? The one circling the drain financially?Of course.He gave Noah a neutral glance. The guy was fussing with his cufflinks, flashing that overpriced Patek under the chandelier like it meant something.“Oh,” Ethan said, voice flat as a blade. “Hudson Group, huh? Heard of it.”Like he was just checking a bo
Chapter 49
Ethan pulled two bottles of vintage wine from the trunk, the dark glass gleaming blood-red under the sunlight.A gift, of sorts.Lewis Parker had all but shoved them into his hands a few days ago—1982 Lafite, six figures a bottle. Might as well make good use of them.He gave the bottles a quick toss in his hand, then followed Katherine up the path to the front door of the Blair family estate.In front of the villa, Katherine’s fingers were clamped tight around the strap of her handbag. She glanced sideways at him, eyes full of quiet tension.“Ethan… just a heads-up. My family might not be exactly... welcoming.”Ethan gave a half-smile, completely unbothered. He reached out and gently patted her shoulder.The simple touch eased some of the tension from her posture.She took a breath and punched in the door code.Beep.The gate clicked open.“Kat! Finally, you show up!”A sharp, high-pitched voice exploded before they’d even stepped inside.A middle-aged woman stormed toward them, floral
