Kate was instantly terrified. She was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong. Previously, she had the guts to yank Linda’s hair and curse her out because she didn’t know her identity yet. Now that she did, she obviously wouldn’t dare. Lucas’s expression turned dark. “What are you doing now? I have already given you the apology you demanded. I won't forgive you if you’re going to continue being so foul-mouthed and keep crossing the line.” Kate was so infuriated that she poked Chris back and chastised, “Are you out of your mind? What are you instigating her with?" After saying this, Karen poked her head out from behind Eva and said to Linda deferentially, “Excuse me, Madam... It was all just a misunderstanding just now. I’m sorry! I’m really sorry! Please be magnanimous and let us off!” Seeing Kate stooping low and submitting to her, Linda immediately raised her head and laughed out loud. But she looked extremely terrifying because of her swollen face and large red lips.
Gregory naturally had a soft spot for his wife and he had to put the meeting on hold. Seeing Linda, he was melted by her tears. He raised her face in order to have a look at his wife’s reddened, swollen face and the disheveled state that she was in and flew into a rage. It wasn’t as simple as a slap on his wife’s face. It was an insult to both him and his family! His prestige would be ruined if he failed to punish the culprit. “Okay, okay, don’t cry. Tell me who exactly had the guts to slap you and lay hands on a member of the Jones family? I’ll make sure they are severely punished for their crimes!" He said with a menacing expression. Gregory claimed. He was very confident because the BS corporation owned by the Jones family was the largest establishment in this area. As a result, they were at the top of the hierarchy and gained authority to control this particular entire business street. Linda had a proud smile on her face. She raised her head and pointed at both Chris an
The crowd was awed by Chris' words. It was unimaginable that he dared to threaten not just a member of the Jones family but its helmsman despite the fact that he had a lower status. “What are you doing?" Stop getting him riled up unless you are trying to get us killed.” Eva said, pulling Chris a bit backwards. “It's alright. I can handle this situation.” Chris said in an assured tone. “Hahahaha! Kid, you’re too arrogant! You’re the first person who has ever dared to speak to Greg in such an uncourteous manner! You must have watched too many movies but you are mistaken as this isn't one but reality.” Gregory burst into laughter. He didn't take Chris' words seriously and considered them empty threats “I'll grant you a death sentence since you are already desperately asking for one!! All of you, discipline that bastard and make sure to break his arm.” Gregory roared furiously. The six burly guards immediately approached Chris and surrounded him. When the people watching from a
Soon, the ringing sound of a phone engulfed the room. Gregory realized it was his cellphone and he hurriedly picked up the call when he saw that the caller was his father “Father….” “Bastard, where the hell are you right now?! What have you done?! Who the hell did yo y offend today?!” George Jones, the patriarch of the Jones family and Gregory's father yelled through the cell phone. “What are you saying, father? I was about to report to you that I'm being brutally bullied here.” “Then just die, you foolish bastard. It is all because of you that our company's stocks are constantly dropping. All our partners are seizing every collaboration with us. At this rate we might eventually declare bankruptcy in the next four hours.” “What are you saying? I don't understand what is going on.” George muttered in confusion. “I made some calls to figure out what was happening and all the clues pointed at you. It seems you have offended someone you shouldn't have crossed. I don't care how
It was a silent drive back home. Even Kate who would usually nitpick on irrelevant matters just for the sake of nagging Chris was very docile. Chris' actions back at the restaurant were a bit of an eye opener for Eva and her parents. They were beginning to have a different perspective about Chris. Before, they were surely convinced that Chris was just a useless son-in-law who would never make any praise worthy achievement because he had always appeared to be simple-minded, non ambitious and he possessed no spectacular quality. As a result, Kate and Bruce never fully acknowledged Chris as their son-in-law because they believed he wasn't a suitable match for Eva. However, they were slowly beginning to rethink their decision after witnessing Chris' dominant behavior at the restaurant. As soon as they arrived back at their residence, Eva immediately went to the bedroom. Chris helped Bruce settle down in the living room. Afterwards, he also climbed the stairs, heading for the bedr
At this point, Eric's mind became even more determined to have Eva removed from the position of vice chairman she was currently holding. He had spent all day berating himself for not seizing the opportunity to take up the task to seek out the collaboration with Pegasus Enterprise. In addition, he couldn't get over the fact that he was responsible for pushing such a huge opportunity to Eva. However, he realized it was pointless to ponder over that issue as doing that wouldn't do him any favors. The results of his next actions were going to become the determining factor of his fate within the Carter family. Therefore, Eric dropped to the ground kneeling before Benjamin without hesitation. Benjamin's eyes widened in surprise as he was caught off guard by Eric's unexpected action. “What is this all about? What are you doing right now?” He questioned with a curious gaze. “Grandpa, I'm asking you to revoke your order to make Eva the vice chairman of the company.” “Nonsense! Have
The next morning Eva got out of bed earlier than she normally did. She happily got dressed, preparing herself for work. She was in a cheerful mood as today was the first day she would be resuming as the vice chairman of the family company. She realized that breakfast had already been made and had been served at the table. Even her parents, Bruce and Kate were already seated at the table waiting for her arrival before they began eating. “We have been waiting for you to come down. I made breakfast. You need to have enough stamina on your first day as the Vice Chairman.” Chris said, greeting Eva with a bright smile on his face. Eva was stunned and was touched by the gesture. She wasn't expecting to have breakfast at home since she was leaving for work earlier than she normally did. She had already prepared her mind to catch a burger on her way to work. However, it seems that Chris was thinking about her wellbeing all along and so he must have also woken up earlier to make her br
It only took thirty minutes to arrive at Cross Corporation. Eva proudly headed straight to the office that was meant for the vice chairman accompanied by Chris. As soon as they both walked into the room they were dismayed to find Eric comfortable seated at the desk when the room was expected to be empty. A frown immediately appeared on Eva's face and she was totally infuriated by the sight before her. “What is the meaning of this, Eric?” She immediately queried “I don't understand what you are talking about.” Eric replied with a taunting grin on his face. “Don't play games with me now. I'm not in the mood and I also don't have the time to tolerate your pranks right now because I've got some important work to handle.” Eva growled. She was growing impatient with Eric’s antics. “Well, I don't think I'm disrupting you from doing your work.” Eric replied as he kept teasing Eva because he was enjoying the frustrated expression on her face. Eva instantly became even more frustra
As Chris drove toward the Carter family’s new residence, the tension in the car was palpable. Chris’s jaw was set, his thoughts churning. He knew where they lived—it wasn’t hard to find—but confronting them so directly was a calculated risk.When he arrived, the mansion loomed in quiet grandeur, its façade belying the chaos within. Benjamin Carter himself opened the door, his expression shifting from surprise to unease as he recognized Chris.“You…,” Benjamin began cautiously, surprised to see Chris alone at their house. The last time Chris paid a visit to the Carter ended up becoming a tragic incident for the Carters. “What brings you here?”Chris didn’t respond, brushing past him into the house. Benjamin, caught off guard, quickly closed the door and followed him into the living room.Elliot lingered near the entrance, his posture relaxed but vigilant. Benjamin was surprised to see Elliot as well. “Mr…Mr Brown….” He stuttered, casting him a wary glance, noticing the subtle differen
Chris knew that his peaceful life with Eva would surely be disrupted. He could put Eva and her loved ones in a lot of danger. Moreover, leaving now, with Eva dealing with the Carter situation, felt equally impossible as he didn't want to leave her unprotected.“Sir?” Ethan’s voice broke through his thoughts. “What are your orders?”Chris hesitated, his voice betraying the conflict he felt. “Stay on this and keep me updated. I need to think.”“Understood, sir,” Ethan said, his tone respectful. “And for what it’s worth, I know how much sir, James means to you. We’ll do everything we can to bring him back.”Chris ended the call and sat in silence for a long moment. The thought of James—strong, unyielding James—being captured felt like a punch to the gut. But the thought of leaving Eva behind, especially now, felt just as wrong. He was at a crossroads, and no matter which path he chose, the stakes were unbearably high.---Eva, meanwhile, sat at her desk, trying to focus on the tasks in
Chris kept his focus on the road, but his thoughts repeatedly drifted to Eva seated beside him. Her gaze was distant, her fingers nervously fiddling with the strap of her handbag. He could tell the morning's encounter with the Carters was weighing heavily on her.After a few moments of silence, Chris spoke, his voice calm and steady. “Eva, I know it’s a lot to process, but you don’t have to keep it all bottled up. Talk to me.”Eva sighed and shifted in her seat. “It’s just… they showed up out of nowhere. Again. It’s exhausting, Chris. I keep wondering why now, why after all these years?”Chris glanced at her briefly before returning his eyes to the road. “People like the Carters often realize the value of what they’ve lost only when it’s too late. But you don’t owe them anything, Eva. Not an explanation, not a second chance—nothing.”Eva shook her head, frustration creeping into her tone. “It’s not that simple. They’re still my family, even if they’ve hurt me. And now with them grovel
Benjamin quickly intervened, his tone desperate. “Please, Eva, don’t let his foolish words ruin this. I’m truly sorry for everything. I know I failed you, and I failed Bruce. We should have stood by you instead of casting you out. Please, give us a chance to make things right.”“I don't think everyone agrees with the motive of apologizing for your wrongdoings so I can't believe that your apologies are sincere.” Bruce remarked.Benjamin turned to Eric, his expression hardening. “Eric,” he said, his voice stern. “You owe them an apology.”Eric's usually confident demeanor was gone, replaced by a nervous energy that made him look small and uncertain. Benjamin turned to him, his expression hardening.Eric’s eyes darted between Eva, Kate, and Bruce. “I—”“Now,” Benjamin commanded.Eric swallowed hard, his gaze finally landing on Eva. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.Eva’s eyes narrowed. “Sorry? For what, exactly?”“For everything,” Eric said, his voice shaking. “For
Benjamin hesitated, taking in the luxurious yet understated decor that surrounded them. This was Chris’s doing—he could see it in every detail. The man had built a fortress, a sanctuary for Eva and her family.They were foolish to not have recognized his talent and worth all these years that had him living amongst them.“I came to apologize,” Benjamin said, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside him. “To you, to your family. And... to make things right.”Kate let out a bitter laugh. “Make things right? That’s rich, coming from you. Do you think showing up here with an apology is enough to undo everything you’ve done?”“I don’t,” Benjamin admitted, his gaze dropping to the floor. “But I had to try. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I need you to hear me out.”Eva folded her arms, studying him with a cold, calculating gaze. “Then speak.”Benjamin could see that it was impossible to get through Eva judging by the cold stare in her eyes. He stepped forward. “Bruc
As the night deepened, Eric and the two representatives sat in their car, the weight of their desperation growing heavier with each passing moment. They had hoped that Eva would still come out of the building as they didn't want to admit that she could be living in such an expensive mansion.However, it finally dawned upon them that Eva wasn't coming out after waiting for several hours. Eric felt bitter as it pained him to see that Eva was living the life of luxury….. the kind he always dreamed about.The Carter's drove back home in subtle silence and even though nothing was said the other representative could feel Eric burning rage but the main problem was thinking about how Benjamin would react when he heard the news of their discovery.****The Morning sunlight streamed through the windows of the luxurious mansion, casting a golden glow over the spacious interiors. Eva had just finished her breakfast and was preparing to leave for work when she noticed something unusual. From the l
Eva returned home that evening, her mind clouded with thoughts of the Carters' audacious behavior earlier that day. The memory of Eric's arrogant tone and his entitlement grated on her nerves, but she was determined not to let it ruin her evening. She stepped into the warm, inviting ambiance of the mansion, finding Chris seated in the living room, a glass of wine in hand and an air of calm about him.“Welcome back,” Chris greeted, his voice soft as he looked up at her. His sharp eyes immediately noted the tension in her posture. “Rough day?”Eva exhaled and sat down beside him, kicking off her heels. “You could say that,” she replied, leaning back against the plush cushions. “The Carters were at Cross Corporation again today.”Chris’s hand tightened slightly around his glass, though he kept his expression neutral. “What did they want this time?”“They were begging for a meeting,” Eva said, shaking her head. “I refused to see them, but they didn’t leave. They waited in the reception ar
As the Carters waited in the reception area of Cross Corporation, the tension in the air was palpable. Time seemed to crawl as they sat in near silence, the occasional murmur of distant phone calls and the soft hum of the building’s air conditioning system providing little comfort. Eric, his hands clenched into tight fists, could hardly sit still. The humiliation of being here—forced to beg for forgiveness from Eva, a woman who had once been part of their family, yet now was their greatest obstacle—was eating away at him. Every minute that ticked by felt like an eternity. The receptionist, efficient and unfazed by their presence, had told them that Eva was unavailable. That alone was enough to set Eric’s nerves on edge. Alan, the other representative accompanying him, tried to keep the peace, suggesting they wait patiently. “This is our only shot, Eric,” he said quietly. “We can't afford to make things worse.” But Eric was past the point of patience. The weight of their family's ru
The incident at the Carter residence had left a trail of rumors and whispers that had quickly spread through the high society of Brooklyn. Every elite family, once rivals or allies of the Carters, now speculated about the cause of the downfall. But no one dared to point fingers at the one responsible, especially not at Chris, the lowly son-in-law. After all, who would ever suspect a man living under another family’s roof? Yet, beneath the surface, Chris was the mastermind behind the fall of two once-proud families—the Ambroses and the Carters.Days had passed since the fall of the Carter family, and their reputation, once untouchable, was now a shadow of its former self. Their vast wealth had been seized by the banks, leaving them with nothing more than a dilapidated Victorian house to call home. Benjamin, the patriarch of the Carter family, sat in the small living room of their new residence, surrounded by his relatives. The room was filled with heavy silence, as each person seemed l