An Understated Dominance/ My Mysterious Life Chapter 41-50

Chapter-41 Power of Mr. Rhys(our MC)

Dustin took a step forward and leaped into the air. He moved as fast as lightning.

“Quick! Kill him!” Edward immediately tensed up and yelled when he noticed Dustin make a move.

However, before the armed elites could react, Dustin had already leaped forward. Dustin reached out and kicked one of the armed elites, who flew away like a piece of paper. A hole was pierced through the bulletproof vest on his chest. Even his bones were shattered!

Before he could land, Dustin swerved before another person and kicked him in the neck.

After killing two people in a row, Dustin did not stop and continued his attacks frantically. Anything he touched was destroyed in mere seconds. No one could stand in his way.

These armed elites could not even react to his speed and strength. In a short time, they were defeated by one after another. Their guns couldn’t keep up with his speed. Not even a single shot had been fired. The entire time Dustin had been holding on to Dahlia and attacking with his feet!

Edward was dumbfounded as he watched what unfolded. He looked like he had seen a ghost. These elites were experienced in battles and each one was heavily armed. It should be effortless to defeat Dustin. How come they were the ones on the chopping board? What was happening?

“Is he a martial arts expert? No wonder he’s so full of himself!” Travis narrowed his eyes in surprise. It had not been easy for him to obtain his current position. He was also quite skilled and knowledgeable in martial arts.

All the elites in the army have to be trained in martial arts. With the exception of intelligence agencies, proficiency in martial arts greatly affected the ranking of military personnel. The skills displayed by Dustin easily qualified him to be a highly-ranked officer!

“General, this man is quite powerful, should we retreat?” the adjutant asked in a low voice.

“There’s no need. It’s rare to come up against such an expert. I want to personally fight him!” Travis loosened his muscles. That burly body of his carried the strength of a panther.

“Your turn!” When the last person fell, Dustin’s eyes once again fixed on Edward.

“Uncle Travis! Save me!” Edward stumbled back in fear.

“Nobody would be able to save you today!” Dustin stepped forward and headed toward Edward.

“Your opponent is me!” Travis roared and leaped toward him.

He threw a punch at Dustin. Dustin didn’t even look at him as he severed Travis’s leg without any hesitation. As Edward was calling out for help, Travis landed his fist on Dustin’s back. There was a loud explosion. Dustin was unmoved, but his clothes tore open, revealing his muscular body.

Travis, on the other hand, was taken aback by the impact and spat a mouthful of blood as he stumbled to the ground.

“General!” The adjutant was overcome by worry and he quickly helped Travis up. Travis coughed violently, feeling a surge of blood rising inside. His fist, especially, was trembling uncontrollably, as if it had lost all senses.

“This is not possible!” Travis was shocked as he stared at his trembling arms. His eyes were filled with shock.

Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine Dustin’s body would be so impenetrable. His full strength did not even make a scratch on his opponent, yet he had sustained multiple internal injuries.

Dustin was an absolute beast! Who on earth was this man? Travis raised his head in confusion and doubt. In an instant, he stood there dumbfounded as if struck by lightning because he realized that there was a large tattoo on Dustin’s sturdy body.

It was an animal with a dragon’s head, an ox’s tail, a tiger’s back, a bear’s waist, and a snake’s scales. It was a black beast! The tattoo of the beast was so realistic that, as Dustin breathed, it looked as if it was coming alive. It looked so majestic and ferocious! It was so daunting!

“A Kirin tattoo?” Travis was stunned as if he had suddenly remembered something.

He looked terrified. His surname was Rhys, with a tattoo of a black beast, and he knew the commanding general. Could he be the Rhys family’s Kirin?!

No! That wasn’t possible! Why was the man that stirred up the whole of Chouxe and disappeared for ten years here?

“Are you of Chouxe descent?” Travis asked tentatively, his lips quivering.

“Oh? You finally figured it out?” Dustin slowly turned around with a blank expression. There was no harm in him knowing as he was going to die anyway.

“It really is you. Why are you here?” Travis was so frightened that he broke out in cold sweat. His confidence from before completely dissipated. There was nothing but fear on his face.

No wonder he knew Adam Spanner. It turned out he was the legendary Kirin! Travis was done for! He had angered someone that made even Sergeant Adam uneasy!

“General? What’s wrong?” The adjutant was horrified. He had never seen Travis with such a terrified expression. He could remain calm even on a mountain of corpses on the battlefield. He had always been fearless in the face of danger.

What happened to him now? How could a tough guy like him be trembling from fright?

Who was this man Dustin?

“We’re done for.” Travis fell to the ground with a thud dejectedly. He knew he would die today. The only difference was if he would die in one piece.

“General! I’ve called for backup. They’ll be here soon! Hold on!” the adjutant tried to encourage him.

“There’s no use.” Travis shook his head as if he had been exhausted of all strength.

“General, what’s wrong?” The adjutant started to panic.

Travis trembled as he pointed at Dustin and stammered, “He’s the Kirin of the Rhys family, Logan Rhys!”

The adjutant froze when he heard this name. His face was as pale as ash. They were done for! The dead had come back to life.

Who was Logan Rhys exactly? The hurricane that had stirred up the city of Stonia! The demon that had disturbed the peace of the people! He was also the one behind the tragedy in Osnal ten years ago.

No one had ever expected that a 15–year–old could cause so much destruction. Thus, it was no wonder Travis was horrified to see him. Who would’ve guessed that the man who was standing in front of them was the stuff of legends who had disappeared from the face of the planet ten years ago? THE Logan Rhys!

The adjutant’s legs instantly gave out, causing him to crumple to the ground with a thud. His mind was drawing a complete blank at the moment.

After Dustin gave Travis, who was behind him, a glance, he started walking toward Edward.

*Help me, Uncle Travis! Uncle Travis!” Cradling his broken leg. Edward kept screaming his head off as he wriggled on the floor like a maggot, trying his hardest to evade Dustin.

“I told you, I’ll make sure you won’t even have a corpse left after I kill you!” Dustin declared as he picked up a long whip covered in spikes from the ground, then delivered a swift blow to Edward’s face mercilessly.

“Argh!” Edward cried out in pain. The skin of his face was torn apart down the middle, and blood started spurting out of the wound.

Dustin didn’t hold back and delivered another swift blow to another part of his body. As a crunching sound rang out, Edward’s skin and flesh, along with his clothes, got torn to shreds.

“Gah!” he yelped miserably once more and resumed crying for help. “Hurry, Uncle Travis! Please save me!”

Even though he witnessed all this happening, Travis didn’t move a muscle. It was as if he didn’t hear a thing. all while Dustin showed no mercy, delivering blow after blow onto Edward’s battered frame. Every blow caused blood and flesh to spurt out, and the man kept screeching in excruciating pain.

“S–stop hitting me! I fucked up! I know I really fucked up this time!” Edward begged for mercy profusely as he

knelt on the ground.

However, his cries fell on deaf ears, and Dustin continued to whip him, his eyes devoid of mercy.

*This was for all the pain Dahlia endured up until now. I’ll make sure you pay it back ten, no, a hundredfold!” Dustin exclaimed to himself.

“Good, good! You’d better whip his ass to death!” Chris Instigated from a corner of the room with a mischievous look.

The saying went that the wicked always got what was coming to them. This was proven true by Edward, the amateur evil mastermind, who ended up abused and beaten up by mega supervillain Dustin Rhys.

Just as Dustin was in the middle of exacting his revenge, a long procession of cars suddenly drove toward them and halted right in front of Spanner Villa. A large number of armed elites swarmed out of each car to seal off the entire premise.

The armed elites, who were all clad in black suits and body armor, each carried with them a gun on their backs. All of them looked intimidating. Even if they were just standing there quietly, they still gave off a very menacing feeling. Plus, this was more than a step up compared to Travis’ men last time!

“So… it was Rhys who sent them!” Travis thought and immediately felt a pang of despair after looking at the army of elite forces.

The last trace of hope he had in his heart vanished that very second! At that moment, the door to a Rolls–Royce suddenly opened, and Hunter Anderson got out of the car.

“Mr. Anderson?”

The moment the badly battered and bruised Edward laid his eyes on Hunter, he felt as if his savior had arrived. He immediately perked up and started clawing his limp body toward Hunter, frantically begging him for help.

“Help me, Mr. Anderson! This kid is trying to kill me! Q–quickly, arrest him for me! As long as you help me now, half of the Spanner’s fortune will be yours!” Edward offered without hesitation, fully intent on luring him into saving him with his obscene riches.

After all, wasn’t life more important than all the riches in the world?

The whipping he’d endured had already scared him shitless. He knew very well that if the whipping didn’t cease, he would get beaten to death sooner or later.

“Is that you, Edward Spanner?” Hunter asked as he gazed upon the bloody figure before him. He had to examine him for a bit before recognizing him.

“Yes, it’s me! You must save me on behalf of Sir Hummer, Mr. Andersin!” Edward pleaded as he lay on the ground, clutching Hunter’s pant leg with a deadly grip.

“Fuck off!” Hunter growled in response as he kicked him away and ignored his pleas. Instead of helping him, he quickly walked over to the other side of the car, bent over slightly, and opened the car door to reveal an old man clad in a dated suit. He got out of the car and started walking nonchalantly using a cane.

“Sir Francis, you’d better be more careful…” Hunter cooed and reached his hand out to prop the old man up. Edward was dumbfounded after witnessing him act all respectful and humble like that.

It was known for a fact that the person standing in front of him was the President of the Swinton Group, one of the three major groups in the city.

He was even the type to laugh and joke around with someone of such high standing as Sir Hummer.

So, who exactly was this old man who managed to bring out his humble side? What the hell was going on?!

Then again, he wasn’t the only person who was surprised at this turn of events.

Chris, who was still hiding in a corner, also had a bewildered look on his face.

In his eyes, Hunter Anderson was an influential man whose standing was at the top of Swinton. So, who was this person able to reduce him to the demeanor of a mere servant? What was the identity of this man clad in such a dated suit in front of him?

“Sir! Please help me, sir!” After coming out of a daze, Edward immediately limped over to the old man in the suit and kept bowing his head to him, disregarding the fact that he had no idea who the old man was.

It was obvious to him that this man was way more influential than he thought, judging by the fact that he regarded Hunter Anderson as his grandson.

Heck, he might even be a government official from Stonia for all he knew!

Thus, as long as this mammoth of a man was willing to lend him a hand, he’d be able to reverse his fate and even turn his life around!

Hearing Edward’s plea for help, the suited old man merely shot him a glance before withdrawing his gaze. He then proceeded to tidy his hair and straighten his clothes. After making sure that he looked immaculate and presentable, he started walking toward Dustin.

Then, to the utmost shock and dismay of everyone at the scene, he dropped to his knees on the floor and knelt before Dustin.

“My sincere greetings to you, Mr. Rhys!” he proclaimed.

Chapter-42 In the hospital

Silence ensued.

The atmosphere was so quiet, one could hear a pin drop. Everyone was stunned and dumbfounded the moment the elderly gentleman in the suit knelt down in front of Dustin Rhys.

No one had remotely expected that such an influential man with the power to make Hunter Anderson grovel in front of him would kneel in front of Dustin! It was almost like he was a slave who was greeting his master.

What the hell was going on here?!

“Uh-..” Chris hummed and froze on the spot, his face full of disbelief. He had thought that Dustin was only good at fighting, but who knew that this man turned out to be more powerful and influential than he thought?

Hunter Anderson was already an influential figure in his own right, wasn’t he? So why did he have to grovel and act meekly in front of the older gentleman in the suit?

Surely, the older gentleman in the suit was even more powerful, right? So why on earth was this big shot kneeling in front of Dustin Rhys?! How dare that bastard. This was simply too humiliating!

The scene in front of him clearly showed him how terrifying the man he despised, Dustin Rhys, truly was. “No… that’s impossible! Absolutely impossible!” thought Edward, who was scared shitless at this point.

From the moment he witnessed the older man in the suit kneel, his spirit had been utterly shaken! This instantly shattered his remaining hope for survival. Now, only despair and fear were left in its place.

Who would have thought that his perceived lifeline would turn out to be Dustin’s servant of all people?

Shit, what kind of monster had he gotten himself tangled with this time? He was just way too different from Chris and Edward. At this moment, Travis felt his death looming on the horizon…

He reckoned that it was his fate that he would not be able to leave this place alive today the moment he found out about Dustin’s true identity.

If he put up a fight, he, along with his entire family would be eradicated!

“Dustin, it’s been ten years. I can’t believe I finally found you!” Sir Francis said as he knelt on the ground. Tears streamed down his face profusely, but he didn’t give a shit what other people thought of him at the time.

Dustin, on the other hand, didn’t even flinch at this. Instead, he looked at him indifferently, as if he was a complete stranger.

“Fuck off!” he screamed as he averted his gaze from Sir Francis before walking up to Edward. His intent to kill was at its peak now!

“P–please don’t kill me… Please don’t kill me. Just spare my life, I’ll do anything!” Edward whimpered In fear. pissing himself in the process. Even so, he didn’t stop bowing his head and begging for mercy.

“If I don’t kill you now, I won’t be able to let go of this hatred in my heart!” Dustin growled maniacally as he put one foot forward to stomp on Edward’s chest, which caused the latter’s eyes to widen, and look up at him with resignation and fear.

So much for a peaceful death.

“Mr. Rhys! I’m willing to accept death as my punishment, but please spare the lives of my puny subordinates!”

When Dustin’s gaze landed on Travis, they immediately knew that their time on this earth was up. Without another word, the both of them took out their knives and slit their necks simultaneously.

No one had the privilege of negotiating with Dustin at this point.

After seeing the two corpses fall to the ground, Dustin said nothing as he left the scene immediately with Dahlia in his arms.

Sir Francis let out a long sigh, his expression conflicted. Although he’d already found him, seeing how turbulent his heart was now, he wondered if he’d ever return to normal.

“How should we go about this, Sir Francis?” Hunter asked with his head lowered. Standing before the older man, his status and reputation were like pieces of paper that could be torn into shreds at any time.

“Don’t let the news get out. As for everyone related to this matter, dispose of them all,” Sir Francis replied Indifferently.

The cavalier manner in which he said it made Hunter’s heart quiver in fear. Does he not know the number of people who would have to suffer because of this?

“P–please don’t kill me! I’m friends with Dustin!” hollered Chris, who had been hiding all this time. He ran out

in a panic the moment he saw that the elite forces surrounding him were preparing to burn down the house.

“You’re a friend of Dustin’s?” Sir Francis asked as he looked him up and down.

“That’s right, that’s right! We’re best buds! We even had dinner together before!” Chris nodded profusely, akin to a chicken pecking rice off the ground.

At this point, he’d do anything to stay alive.

“Is that so? Then can I trouble you to ensure that he doesn’t stay out too late?” Sir Francis requested, his tone softer now.

“Yes, of course, I’ll definitely tell him that!” Chris immediately assured him.

“Someone please drive this gentleman.” Sir Francis gestured.

“N–no, no, it’s fine… You don’t have to! I can go back by myself!” Chris replied while waving his hands in the air frantically. How could he still have the nerve to get in someone else’s car when he was already this scared?

Sir Francis didn’t pursue the matter further and merely waved his hands to let his team know to disperse.

“I–I’ll get going then…” Chris murmured before fleeing as if he’d just escaped from prison. He thanked God for his quick wits, which helped him save his skin just now. However, he reckoned that he couldn’t stay in Stonia for much longer. He decided to leave once he’d saved up enough money.

“Sir Francis, I’m convinced that man just now wasn’t very honest with us,” Hunter remarked respectfully.

“It doesn’t matter, he’s just an ant to us, so it doesn’t matter if we kill him or let him live.” Sir Francis said nonchalantly.

It was evident to him that Chris was lying the whole time, but he did not dare take the risk, as he feared that Dustin would not take too kindly if he involved himself in his matters too much.

He certainly didn’t want to make himself an enemy of the Kirin!

Half an hour later, over at the Peaceful Medical Center, Dustin felt his heart shatter as he gazed at the bloody gash on Dahlia’s body. Although the two were divorced, it wasn’t easy to shrug off three whole years of feelings toward one another. Some emotions simply could not be contained, it seemed.

After taking a deep breath, he took off her clothes and began carefully cauterizing the wound for her.

Although his movements were subtle, when touching certain wounds, her unconscious body would still twitch from the pain involuntarily. This prompted him to be more careful in handling her.

Whether it was cleaning up, disinfecting, putting on ointment or badges, he made sure to be extra cautious every step of the way.

Once everything was done, he breathed a sigh of relief, not noticing that a film of sweat had formed on his forehead. Just as he was about to up and leave, a slender hand suddenly reached out to grab his wrist.

“Don’t go… don’t go. Don’t leave me here…” In her unconscious state, Dahlia looked as if she was experiencing a nightmare. Her tightly closed eyes kept rolling from side to side as she kept muttering inaudibly.

Dustin fought to control his rising emotions. “I’m not going anywhere, I’m right here.” He slowly moved to sit next to her, holding her hand with both of his hands.

“D–don’t go. Dustin… Seeming as if her sense of security had returned, her murmurs slowly became softer, and she started to calm down.

However, she held on to his hand for dear life and refused to let go.

“I’m sorry…” he mumbled as he felt the force behind her fingertips. He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of heartache at this.

In the past, she had never shown him her soft side and always insisted on being a strong, Independent woman.  However, after today, he realized that the icy businesswoman lying in front of him was also a woman who needed someone to care for her.

Chapter-43 Taking care for two days

Two days later, at the Peaceful Medical Center, Dahlia finally woke up.

The first thing she noticed was that she was in a very plain room that contained a table, two chairs, and a hospital bed. She thought everything looked vaguely familiar as if she had been here before.

“You’re up?” Dustin quipped as he appeared at the entrance of the room.

He was carrying a bowl of chicken soup in one hand. Even though it wasn’t the most flavorful dish, the soup looked tantalizing to her as she hadn’t eaten anything for the past two days. So much so that her stomach began to growl non–stop at the sight of it.

“Were you the one who saved me?” she asked first to break the awkward tension between them.

“You were injured and unconscious on the roadside, so I patched you up,” he answered plainly.

“You patched me up?” she repeated with furrowed brows. A split second later, she hastily asked, “Oh, right! How long have I been unconscious? What’s the situation with the Spanners now? Are my parents in danger?”

The sudden barrage of questions made his head spin.

“You were unconscious for two days and two nights. Your family is safe and sound. As for the Spanner residence, it has been engulfed in flames,” he answered each of her questions calmly.

Upon receiving news that her family was safe, she couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. However, it didn’t take her long to ask another question in surprise. “Engulfed in flames? What happened?”

“I don’t know the specifics, but I heard that there was a gas leak, so all 20 to 30 people inside the Spanner residence got burned alive inside,” he said.

“A gas leak? Do you suppose it was a coincidence?” she asked in a confused manner.

“The wicked reap what they sow. The Spanners have done many evil deeds and always sought to harm others. Seeing them fall from grace like this, I suppose this was just karma coming for their ass in a way.” Dustin said.

She nodded in response, feeling a sense of relief on the inside. With the Spanner household destroyed, she surmised she did not have to worry about being their target anymore in the future.

“Alright, stop letting your mind wander. Have some soup first,” he said as he handed her the chicken soup.

“Thanks,” she replied. Since she was hungry, she didn’t refuse his kind gesture and happily started digging. into the soup. She managed to finish the entire bowl shortly after. However, she still felt hungry after finishing her food and considered licking the bowl.

“I’ll get you another bowl,” he said after noticing her expression and served her another bowl of chicken soup.

Without a word, she devoured the second bowl of soup as well. Now that she was having the chicken soup, she soon felt a pleasant warmth in her stomach, which made her feel so content it was hard to describe in words.

Although the two bowls of soup may not look like much, he was the one who cooked them precisely because he was aware that they were very good at speeding up the recovery process.

“Still hungry?” he asked.

At that moment, she couldn’t stop herself from letting out a small burp.

She realized that she might come across as improper to him, so she tried to swallow the air back into her stomach.

“I guess you’ve already had your fill then. Be sure to get lots of rest, and I’ll come back later.”

Before he could leave, she called out to him and said, “Wait! I have something to say to you!”

“What is it?” he said, as he stopped in his tracks and looked back at her.

“It’s about Chris. I’m sorry for accusing you,” she muttered.

After hesitating for a second, she clenched her teeth and continued, “That guy wasn’t a good person to begin with. I can’t believe he managed to trick us out of such a large sum with his silver tongue. If only we had listened to your advice in the beginning.”

“What’s wrong with you today? Did the great Ms. Nicholson just apologize to someone?” he teased.

“What do you mean? Do I seem like such an unreasonable person to you?” she shot back, clearly offended by his remark.

“I’m kidding! So what if I got accused again? It’s not like this is the first time anyway, so forget about it,” he said and shrugged his shoulders.

“Why does it sound so wrong coming from you?” she retorted while wrinkling her brows.

“Alright, let’s just forget about the past, shall we? Now, take off your clothes…” he said casually.

“Huh?” Her expression instantly changed and she subconsciously shielded her chest with her arms. “What are you planning to do to me?” she exclaimed.

“No need to get so worked up, you have injuries, so I’m just helping you change your bandages,” he answered as he lifted up a bottle of ointment in one hand.

“You want to change my bandages for me?” she repeated.

As if she had just realized something, she hurriedly quipped, “Were you the one who changed my bandages for the past two days?”

“Who else?”

“Then, I… You’ve seen everything by now?!” she cried, her eyes wide as saucers.

“So what if I’ve seen everything? It’s not like I haven’t seen them before, so what’s the big deal?” he said easily.

“You get your ass out of here right now!” she screamed in response, her face flushed from the shame and anger.

She couldn’t believe the nerve of this man. How dare he undress and touch her body without her consent.

How despicable!

“I can still scram if you want, but I’d advise you to give it some thought. Although the injuries on your body have healed, the scars are still there. So, if not treated in due time, I’m afraid you won’t be able to get rid of them in the future,” he patiently explained.

She bit her lip and began to feel somewhat conflicted on the inside.

“Fine, since you obviously don’t care about that, I won’t help you anymore. You’d better not regret it when you see yourself covered in scars in the future,” he retorted with his hands across his chest before turning around and beginning to leave.

“Wait!” she hollered, finally heeding his advice. It was simply a woman’s nature to take care of her appearance. Even she wasn’t an exception. The thought of her body being covered in scars was worse than the idea of getting killed!

“What, changed your mind?” he asked as he turned back to face her with an amused look.

“Help me change my bandages, but with your eyes blindfolded!” she ordered, then threw a random piece of clothing that was lying next to her at him, as if to vent her frustrations. However, her whole body froze when she realized what she had thrown at him. It turned out the item of clothing she just threw at him was her underwear!

“You sure have weird tastes. I refuse to use this as a blindfold if you don’t mind,” he remarked as he threw the panties back to her.

“S–shut up!” she stuttered in embarrassment, her face turning pinker by the second. Her pretty face was similar to a ripe peach covered in morning dew now. He was tempted to touch her.

“Fine, I’ll only apply the ointment on your back while you apply the rest on the front yourself,” he finally relented, for fear that she would storm out of the room.

“Hmph!” She pouted. It was only after multiple bouts of hesitation that she finally agreed to his plan. Her injuries needed to be healed, but it wasn’t like she could take care of the scars on her back properly without external assistance.

“I’ve already finished applying the ointment on your back evenly…” he trailed off before continuing in a cold voice.”… Now, on to your butt—”

Chapter-44 Ran out of money

After struggling to get away from him, Dahlia’s face was as red as a tomato. Beads of sweat trailed down her body. Her sultry eyes looked as if they could drill a hole into Dustin’s skull.

Didn’t he just apply some ointment on her? So why was she giving him such an embarrassed look?

“Haven’t you seen enough? Get out!” she screamed as she pulled up the blanket to cover her body.

Her slender waist and upturned hips were a sight to behold indeed.

“Just apply this ointment for three to five days, then your scars will disappear,” he said bluntly. He then put down the ointment before leaving the room sheepishly.

After about ten minutes, Dahlia exited the room fully clothed.

Compared to the woman full of rage and shame a moment ago, the woman in front of him now was her usual, cold self. She pretended as if nothing had happened between them at all.

“Lend me your phone. I have a call to make,” she ordered as she rushed over to him while he was sipping on some chicken soup with her hand outstretched.

He didn’t make a peep as he handed his phone over to her without hesitation.

“What’s your lock screen password?” she asked.

“Your birthday,” he answered without even lifting his head. His answer made her stiffen and a small corner of her lips turned upwards for a short while before disappearing again.

“Hmph!” She pouted, feigning disdain.

After unlocking his phone, the first number she dialed was her family, to update them on her whereabouts.

Following that, she dialed Lyra’s number.

*So good to finally hear from you again, Ms. Nicholson! Where have you been for the past two days? How come there weren’t any updates at all?” Lyra asked anxiously.

“Something came up, so a few things had to be put on hold. How’s the company doing now?” she asked.

“The new company just opened shop and is currently doing well. And with the Harmon family’s backing. everything is in order. However, the Jackson Group managed to get itself into some hot water the past two days, I’m afraid.” Lyra explained.

“What kind of hot water?” she asked, feeling a little uneasy.

“We had a hard time recouping our funds as several partners have not paid back their share of the money yet, so the company was unable to break even. It’s a good thing that you still have that reserve fund of 80 million dollars, just enough to save the company.” Lyra chuckled.

“Reserve funds?” she repeated while her expression twisted into a frown. “I’m afraid that the money is gone,” she admitted.

“Gone? What do you mean gone?” Lyra spluttered.

“I trusted the wrong person. I was fooled by Chris,” she answered honestly, without trying to conceal the truth. She then gave Lyra a quick rundown of the events that transpired. Upon reaching the end of her story. Lyra exploded in a fit of rage. “That bastard Chris is certainly a piece of work! How dare he cheat us of our money when we put all our trust in him! Let’s get him arrested right away!”

“There’s no point. He’s probably fled the country by now,” she mumbled as she let out a soft sigh.

“What should we do now, Ms. Nicholson? The company has no liquidity, so it’ll be hard to run operations normally.”

“I’ll think of something…” she trailed off in reply.

“Oh right, don’t we still have the Harmons? Since we’re their partner, the Harmons can definitely help us if only you give them a call,” Lyra suggested hurriedly.

“The Harmons?” she asked with wrinkled brows. She would’ve thought of doing that had she not learned about Natasha before this, but it was impossible to ask her for help now.

Dahlia had her pride as a woman too, so she absolutely refused to bow down to Natasha Harmon!

“I’ll take care of this, so you go busy yourself with other matters now,” she directed. After exchanging a few more words with her secretary, she hung up the phone.

“What’s this about the company being in hot water?” Dustin looked up and asked.

“Drive me to Eastern River Bank. I have something to do there,” she ordered without giving him an explanation.

“Your wish,” he said with a nod before finishing his soup in one gulp. He then drove the both of them in his car to Eastern River Bank. Upon her arrival at the bank, Dahlia was quickly ushered into a private office. As for Dustin, he was instructed to wait outside.

“Oh? Isn’t this Ms. Nicholson from the Jackson Group? What brings you here to my office today?”

Sitting inside the office was a balding man with a fat head and big ears. He perked up the moment he laid his beady eyes on her.

“Mr. Chansey, my company has encountered some problems with our capital turnover, so we need a loan from you with the same interest rate as before,” she explained concisely.

“A loan? How much?” he asked while stroking his chin. His lecherous eyes looked her up and down.

*80 million dollars,” she answered without flinching.

“Heh, you are aware that this isn’t a small sum of money, right?” he shot back with a pained expression.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve worked together, Mr. Chansey. You should know where my company stands by now,” she retorted.

“I’m afraid it’s no longer a matter of credibility, but my mood, Ms. Nicholson,” he said slowly.

“What do you mean by that?” she asked, puzzled.

“We’re both smart, so I’ll say it outright. I’ve taken a liking to you for quite some time now, Ms. Nicholson, so I’m proposing that if you sleep with me for one night, be it 80 million or 300 million dollars, I’ll make sure to lend all of it to you!” he said, leering.

“Do you have any idea what you just proposed, Mr. Chansey?” she shot back, her brows furrowed.

“I said what I said. I’m well aware that your company is in a crisis right now and that you need money fast. So, I don’t suppose your company could get through these tough times without my funds, right?” he said amusedly.

“Are you threatening me right now?” she asked as her expression darkened.

“No need to phrase it like that, think of it as a mutual exchange. You want my money, and I want you for one night. If you manage to satisfy me, I’ll lend you the money. Isn’t this a mutually beneficial situation for everyone?” he explained while stretching his hands outward.

“You’re absolutely shameless!” she snapped. She didn’t want to give him any more of her time, so she got up to leave.

“You’d better stay right where you are!” he bellowed before continuing. “The minute you step out of my office, I’ll make sure to blacklist you! Then, good luck finding another bank in Estonia that’s willing to lend you your funds! Thus, you’d better listen to me if you know what’s good for you!”

“I refuse to make such a dirty deal with you even though I’m short on cash! Furthermore—just the sight of your pig face makes me want to vomit!” she spat coldly.

“What the fuck did you just say to me?!”

As though she managed to hit a nerve, he instantly got out of his seat and started yelling. “For a married woman, you sure are great at acting like a virgin! You should be glad that I laid eyes on you! So, how dare you turn me down like that! Believe it or not, I can make you go bankrupt with one call!”

“You? Bankrupt me? I’d like to see you try,” she snorted.

She was not in the least bit afraid.

“Fine! Since you’re so fucking sure of yourself, don’t blame me if I use a few tricks up my sleeves! When the time comes, I’ll have you sucking on my toes!” he bellowed.

“Go to hell!” she yelled. She was so pissed she flung a cup of hot coffee directly onto his stupid face.

It was so hot it made him screech like a bitch and his face soon turned bright red.

Now he really looked like an actual pig roasting on a stick.

Chapter-45 What a loser?

“Bitch, I’ll fucking kill you!” Mr. Chansey screamed as he touched his scalded face. He was so furious he started pouncing on Dahlia.

Her quick reflexes allowed her to deliver a swift but deadly kick to Mr. Chansey’s crotch.

“Argh!” he cried out in pain immediately and started rolling on the floor with his hands over his bruised member, his face turning a darker shade of purple by the second.

“You disgust me!” she spat before turning around to leave the room.

This caused her to bump into Dustin, who had been eavesdropping by the door the whole time. “What are you doing here?” she asked angrily.

“Nothing, I was just making sure you were doing okay in there,” he replied while shrugging his shoulders.

His eyes instantly perked up at the sight of Mr. Chansey, who was writhing in pain on the floor. It was a good thing that she’d managed to mess him up because if he’d stepped in, he’d surely make sure that Mr. Chansey won’t be using his hands ever again for the remainder of his life.

“We’re done here. Let’s go,” she snapped without any explanation, then started strutting out of the room in her high heels. She was in a sour mood.

“You fucking stop right where you are now!” Mr. Chansey suddenly bellowed with a fierce expression before continuing. “Running away like a coward after beating someone up? What do you take me for?!”

Under his orders, several security guards immediately started forming a human barricade in front of the main door to prevent the two of them from leaving.

“You bitch! How dare you kick me? I’ll make sure you never see the light of day again!” he yelled as he stormed up to her with a hand raised, ready to strike her.

Dustin intercepted his blow without much effort.

“Who do you think you are? How dare you meddle in my affairs? You’d better get away from me if you know what’s good for you!” Mr. Chansey hissed.

“You’d better apologize to her now before I rip your mouth open!” Dustin threatened with an icy expression.

“Like hell, I will!” Mr. Chansey spat, his rage growing by the second. He swung his fist at Dustin, but Dustin managed to dodge it and delivered a heavy slap to his face instead. This caused Mr. Chansey’s humongous frame to stumble several feet. The blow had disfigured his face, and when he opened his mouth, some of his teeth fell out.

Everyone at the scene was dumbfounded that Mr. Chansey was sent flying. No one had expected Dustin to be So vicious.

To think that he had slapped Mr. Chansey In front of everyone. Did he have no idea that this man was the manager of Eastern River Bank?

An influential man with power, money, and a vast network! To offend such a person was simply asking for trouble!

“H–how…dare you hit me?” Upon noticing the few loose teeth in his palm, Mr. Chansey’s face twisted into a scowl.

“So what if I just beat you up? Do I have to make an appointment first?” Dustin said indifferently.

“Do you even fucking know who my backers are, you little shit? It’s the Spanners! The nerve of you to even lay a finger on me, do you want to die so badly?!” Mr. Chansey screeched before pulling out his phone to call for backup.

“Hmm?” Dahlia frowned slightly before making a call herself. 15 minutes later, Florence brought a team of security personnel and made her entrance in the flashiest fashion imaginable.

Standing beside her was a handsome man in a clean suit. The man seemed graceful and elegant and had an aristocratic air to him.

“Matt Laney?” Dahlia gasped, her eyes wide as she stared at him in shock. He used to be her upperclassman in school and had even tried to court her for a short while in the past. But when he’d left the country, the two stopped seeing each other for a long time. She hadn’t expected him to return so soon, much less with her mother.

“Dahlia! How are you? You’re not hurt, right?” Florence asked worriedly the moment she entered through the door. She was scared that her daughter had gotten hurt.

“I’m fine, Mom. There’s no need to worry,” Dahlia replied as she shook her head slightly.

“Long time no see, Dahlia,” Matt greeted first, as polite as ever.

“Yeah, long time no see,” Dahlia responded with a small nod.

Although she was still somewhat taken aback by his sudden appearance, she decided to regard him as a school friend for now.

“I heard that you came across some trouble lately, so that’s why I rushed all the way here with your mom. So if there’s anything you need our help with, just let me know,” he said with a grin. His words were calm but full of confidence.

“I know, right? Nothing is impossible with Matt around!”

“I don’t suppose you caught wind of the incident where our family got arrested. Thanks to Matt, we managed to get out safe and sound,”

“Not only that, but he also caught that bastard Chris and recovered all the money we were cheated out of!”

“Just look at him. He should be the first person that comes to mind when you think of a capable man!” Florence yammered on, praising him every other sentence.

Dahlia could only muster a strained smile upon hearing all of that. “Thanks,” she mumbled.

“It’s no biggie. No need to make me sound so great,” Matt grinned.

“What are you doing here, Rhys?” Florence quizzed as she shifted her gaze to see Dustin standing next to her. She looked somewhat disgusted upon seeing him.

“Mom, it was Dustin who saved me,” Dahlia explained.

“He was the one who saved you? Hmph, it was more likely that he hurt you instead!” Florence’s expression and gaze turned cold as she said, “If it wasn’t for this man who offended Mr. Woods, our family could’ve avoided all that undeserved misfortune in the first place!”

“Mom, this whole thing started because of me. It has nothing to do with Dustin,” Dahlia corrected.

“I can’t believe you’re still taking his side even now. You will regret it sooner or later!” Florence exclaimed, almost losing her cool.

If not for Matt standing beside her, she would have flung all sorts of expletives at her already.

“Hey, hey, hey… Where did you guys come from again? Do I look like I’m invisible to you all?”

At this time, Mr. Chansey, who was standing in a corner, finally lost his cool.

“Who are you?” Matt asked while glancing at him from the corner of his eye. “I’m the manager of this bank!” Mr. Chansey barked as he shot him a glare. “I demand that these two people pay the price for offending me today!”

“Do you know who fucking I am? How dare you speak to me like that?” Matt spat in response as his expression grew cold.

“I don’t care who the hell you are! As long as your nose is in my business, I’ll make sure you never see the light of day too!” Mr. Chansey threatened viciously.

As soon as he finished saying that, two black cars drove up to the entrance of Eastern River Bank.

Immediately after, an army of buff thugs rushed into the building, their leader being an intimidating man who wore a trench coat and held a cigar in his hand. The way he walked made him look mighty imposing.

“Heh… My backer has finally arrived. None of you will be able to escape today!” Mr. Chansey guffawed wickedly.

It wasn’t like he had any connections or a good background, so how dare he act so cocky?

“Holy shit! Isn’t that Sir Zims? What is he doing here?” someone whispered. “Sir Zims? The new chairman of the Drey Group?” another piped up.

“It’s him! I heard that he was the one who was ruthless enough to kill Sir Spanner in order to climb to the top!” one exclaimed.

“That guy’s dead meat. I can’t believe he got involved with Sir Zims,” another gossiped. 

Whispers erupted from the crowd after everyone got a look at the man in the trench coat. Some even gave Dustin a few sympathetic looks afterward.

Sir Zims’ infamous name could be heard everywhere these days, up to the point where the mere mention of his name was enough to make anyone turn pale.

“Hmm?” Dustin hummed. He couldn’t help but get an odd feeling in his stomach upon looking at the imposing man in front of him.

And that was because he just realized that Mr. Chansey’s supposed backer was his own newly acquired follower, Mason Zims.

Chapter-46 change of voice tone

“Who dares to stir up trouble on my turf? Do they have a death wish?” Mason Zims bellowed as he strutted with a cigar in his mouth. Everywhere he went, the crowd dispersed as they were all afraid of provoking him.

Even Dahlia’s expression turned grave upon laying eyes on him. Although Trevor Spanner was dead, Mason Zims managed to inherit all of his power and was glowing in his element. With Edwin Hummer behind his back too, not many had the privilege of offending him.

sitively

“You escape through the side door. I’ll cover for you!” Dahlia ordered as she stepped forward to shield Dustin. She was an influential figure herself, so even if Mason was batshit crazy, she knew he didn’t have the balls to do anything to her. It was a different story for Dustin though, for he wasn’t an influential figure or anything. So, if he were unfortunate enough to fall into Zim’s clutches, he would end up dead or disabled, at the very least! “You want him to escape? Where to? As long as Sir Zims is here, even if Jesus came down from Heaven today. He won’t be able to save you! Your death is imminent!” Mr. Chansey huffed before cockily strutting up to Mason. “You’ve finally arrived, Sir Zims! Just take a look at my face. Look how it got beat up!” Mr. Chansey lamented.

“What happened here?” Mason asked with an eyebrow raised.

“The story is, this woman approached me for a loan just now. But when I noticed that she had bad credit, I refused to lend her any money. Who knew she’d be so shameless as to start seducing me on top of toying with other men? And just because I didn’t want to give in to her mind games, she beat me up! Can you believe this?” Mr. Chansey lied through his teeth, spewing out bullshit the whole time.

“Oh, she’s a wild one, I see? Did you mention my name?” Mason snapped. He didn’t look like he came here to make friends.

“Of course I did! But they didn’t bat an eye at the mention of your name and even boldly proclaimed that they’d just fight you if you showed up!” Mr. Chansey instigated.

“Good–no, excellent! If I don’t flex my muscles once in a while, people will start thinking I’ve lost my touch!” Mason guffawed wickedly. He had just taken control of the Drey Group and was worried he’d have no opportunity to push his weight around.

It was about time a few people who weren’t afraid of death came up to him today!

“What a load of crap!” Dahlia exploded after holding herself back for so long. She took a few steps forward and started explaining. “Sir Zims, I was the one who approached him to take out a loan, but not only did he deny me a loan, he even tried to make things difficult for me! All those accusations about seducing him and toying with other men were totally made up and untrue, to say the least. He was lying the whole thing–

But before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by a wave from Mason’s hand. “What makes you think that I care about the truth? I don’t give a shit about who was right or wrong. The fact of the matter was that you picked a fight with someone on my turf, which meant that you were indirectly disrespecting me as well! So, for everyone who disrespects me, whether it be Tom, Dick, or Harry, I’ll have them kneel in front of me to beg for forgiveness.”

Dahlia couldn’t help but frown upon hearing that. She didn’t expect him to be so unreasonable.

“Heh, didn’t you hear what he just said? Hurry up and kneel on the ground and beg for your life to be spared!” Mr. Chansey snickered. He was well aware of Mason’s character, which was why he dared to act so cocky and reckless now.

“Tell me…Who was the man who hit you just now? Let’s see if he can escape with his hands intact today!” Mason twirled a knife in his hand. He vowed to make an example of someone today, no matter what!

“Sir Zims, he was the little shit who beat me up!” Mr. Chansey stretched out a finger and pointed. As Mason chewed on a cigar hanging from his mouth, he raised his chin and turned his head around to see who it was. However, the moment his gaze met Dustin’s, it was as if his whole body was struck by lightning and he became frozen on the spot!

The steel knife in his hand also fell to the ground and clattered on the floor.

“Oh, my God, why him of all people?!” Mason thought nervously. His body stiffened upon gazing at Dustin’s familiar face. Cold sweat immediately broke out on his face. He was so scared his legs started to buckle.

Even after all this time, that image of Dustin wiping out an entire building by himself was still as fresh in his mind as ever. It still gave him nightmares to this day. He became even more frightened after hearing about Travis Spanner’s disappearance and the destruction of Spanner Villa two days ago.

That was because he knew very well that it was all Dustin’s doing. Somehow, Dustin had managed to make Travis Spanner, a general of the western warzone, disappear without a trace in just one night.

That just solidified how terrifying the man standing in front of him was!

“Fucking pig! Why’d he have to get me in this mess!” he grumbled to himself.

“Weren’t you barking like a rabid dog just now, you little shit? Why aren’t you saying anything now that Sir Zims is here?” Mr. Chansey, who still didn’t get the memo, continued taunting Dustin as if he had nine lives.” Let’s see if you dare slap me again. I’ll see to it that you die a horrible death today!” The moment he finished speaking, Mason saw a chance to redeem himself and rushed forward to slap the living daylights out of Chansey!

The sound of a crunch came, followed by a staggering Mr. Chansey, who looked like he was about to collapse any second. A red handmark could clearly be seen on his face.

“Sir Zims? A–aren’t you beating up the wrong person right now?” Mr. Chansey mumbled as he used his hands to cover his somewhat shocked expression.

“Me, beating up the wrong guy? But you’re the guy I’m supposed to beat up!” Mason roared furiously, and without skipping a beat, he lifted a hand to slap Chansey a few more times before throwing him onto the ground.

As if that did not quell his rage, he started to punch and kick Chansey again, cussing him out as he went.

“You fat pig! I feel like throwing up whenever I see you! Why would such a stunning woman like Ms. Nicholson seduce you? Do you even know what you look like?! How fucking dare you spread my name so casually like that! How dare you make a fool out of me, I’ll see to it that you stay dead!”

The more he cursed, the fiercer he became and the more blows he delivered.

At this point, Mr. Chansey had been beaten up to the extent of crying like a little bitch, screaming for his parents, while he cradled his head and begged for mercy at the same time.

“What the hell is going on here?” someone whispered from the crowd.

The sudden turn of events left the crowd stunned. No one had expected the tables to turn so drastically. Wasn’t Mason, who arrived like a hurricane minutes before, supposed to be on Mr. Chansey’s side? So why was he beating up his own teammate instead? Who was on whose side now actually?

“Um…” Dahlia trailed off as her eyes widened. She was speechless at Mason’s sudden shift in attitude.

“Just a second ago, he paraded around like a cocky motherfucker, acting so domineering and unreasonable but

now he was pretending as if he had a halo on his head, and was putting on a righteous front.

More importantly, she could obviously make out that there was a trace of fear on his face.

However, that was the part that got her stumped. Could one still be fearful of anything or anyone after assassinating someone so powerful as Sir Spanner?

Looking around the room, her gaze eventually landed on Dustin.

Come to think of it, Mason’s sudden shift in attitude seemed to have something to do with his encounter with Dustin.

Was it possible that Mason was terrified of Dustin?

Chapter-47 Take Credit (without doing)

“No! That’s impossible!” Dahlia thought.

She denied the notion as soon as it emerged. Apart from his good looks, Dustin was just an average man. There was nothing special about him.

Mason, on the other hand, had not only taken over Sir Spanner’s position and had authority over the Drey Group, but he also had hundreds of henchmen at his beck and call. Why would he be intimidated by a small fry like Dustin?

She must be delusional.

Mason’s kicks and punches rained down on Mr. Chansey unceasingly, causing him to spit blood.

He saw no other way to it than to give Mr. Chansey a good beating for fear that Dustin would do him out of wrath.

“I’m sorry, Sir Zims, I was wrong! Please stop, I’m begging you, please stop!” Mr. Chansey cried out between wails.

Mason only stopped after he sneaked a glance at Dustin and saw that his countenance was much calmer than before. He counted himself lucky that there was a scapegoat. He would have been in a bad spot otherwise.

“A fat lot of use apologizing to me! If Ms. Nicholson does not forgive you, you will not see tomorrow!” Mason scolded harshly.

“I’m terribly sorry, Ms. Nicholson! I was wrong, it was all my fault. This will never happen again. Please forgive me!” Mr. Chansey was on his knees as he begged for forgiveness. Long gone was his unbridled arrogance.

“That’s enough. Don’t ever let me see you again!” Dahlia uttered frostily.

“Yes, I’ll get lost right this instant!” He nodded incessantly and dashed for the exit. He did not even stop to retrieve his shoe that fell off on his way out.

“My apologies, Ms. Nicholson. The blame is on me. He offended you because I have not disciplined him well. I will reflect on my mistakes.” Mason smiled apologetically. He was a smart cookie. Knowing that Dustin always maintained a low profile, he did not blow his cover.

“How fair and just you are, Sir Zims. I’m impressed.” Dahlia gave a slight smile.

“Oh no, I’m only doing what’s right,” Mason replied with a guilty conscience.

“Hmph, at least you know where you stand!” Matt announced haughtily. “Had Dahlia been harmed in the slightest today, I would not have let you off the hook!”

“No, I wouldn’t dare,” Mason continued with the same apologetic smile. He had no idea who Matt was, but seeing that he was with Mr. Rhys, Mason was sure he wasn’t someone to be trifled with.

“Take your men with you and scram. Such eyesores!” Matt said condescendingly. Mason dared not retort. He peeked at Dustin for a brief moment before taking his leave. In no time, all his lackeys dispersed.

“Once again, Matt saves the day!” Florence’s eyes lit up as she smiled excitedly. “Dahlia, did you see that? Wasn’t Sir Zims cocky earlier on? But once he saw Matt, he got so scared that he was just short of peeing his pants! And that’s how powerful the Laneys are!”

As soon as she said that, the realization dawned on the crowd.

“No wonder Sir Zims was terrified. We have a big shot here!”

“I wonder who that attractive man is. It’s amazing how he scared SirZims off like that!”

“He’s handsome and he’s powerful. How does one even resist a man like that?” A few ladies in the crowd fawned over how charming Matt was.

“The Laneys are, after all, a powerful family of the nobility. I think we have a say on what goes on around here. Dealing with a mere thug is no big deal.” Matt smiled, feigning modesty.

“It’s no big deal to you, but it would definitely not be an easy feat for some people.” Florence then looked at

Dustin out of the corner of her eye and said cynically. “Hey Rhys, Matt here just saved your life. Are you not going to thank him?”

“Why should I thank him?” Dustin could not seem to fathom it.

“Why? Well, had Matt not dealt with Sir Zims, do you think you could get out of this unscathed?” Florence asked as she crossed her arms.

“First things first, I did not need his help. Secondly, he had nothing to do with me getting away,” Dustin said.

“Hmph! How stubborn!” Florence then continued, full of disdain, “Matt just saved you, and not only are you unappreciative, but you’re also boasting so shamelessly. Have you no conscience?”

“Precisely! What’s wrong with him? That is so rude of him!”

“He’s not even thanking the person who saved him! Should have left him to fend for himself!” A few girls crowded around and were outraged by the injustice toward Matt. From the way they saw it, Dustin was plain ungrateful.

“Forget it, it’s just a small matter. Let’s not make a fuss.” Matt said with a wave of his hand, trying to look magnanimous.

“Oh, Matt, you’re just too kind! Ungrateful bastards like this one here deserve to suffer!” Florence was indignant.

“I simply saved him for Dahlia’s sake,” Matt smiled slightly and turned to look at Dustin. “Speaking of which, I should be the one thanking you. Thank you for taking care of Dahlia in my stead for the past three years.”

Matt appeared to be thanking Dustin, but his words seemed to carry a different meaning. From what he said, he had staked his claim on Dahlia, making her his.

“Well, if you’re thanking me, why don’t you kneel before me? That’s not too much to ask for, is it?” Dustin challenged.

Matt was at a loss for words. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “I was just playing nice. Does he really think I’m easy?” he thought to himself.

“Hey Rhys, I’m warning you, you better watch your mouth!” Florence was furious.

Dahlia remained silent, but her brows furrowed too. She thought that Dustin had crossed the line too. After all, Matt had helped him out of a dire situation. Even if he wasn’t grateful, he should at least be polite.

“Dustin, you were able to win her hand back then because I went abroad. But now that I’m back, you will not have the chance anymore.” Matt lowered his voice as he approached Dustin.

“Is that so? I beg to differ.” Dustin shrugged.

“You should know where you stand. You and I, we’re in totally different leagues.” Matt straightened out his suit and looked down his nose at Dustin with scorn. “Can you even begin to comprehend how vastly different we are in social standing? Everything that you dare not even dream of having is within my grasp. And that is

the difference between us!” He spoke in such low tones that his words were only audible to both of them.

“I do not know where you got your inflated ego from, but if there’s one thing you should know, it’s that you do not mess with me.” There was no trace of emotion on Dustin’s face.

Matt sniggered meanly. “Very well, we shall see then.” He reached out to pat Dustin on the shoulder when he paused midway, reconsidering his decision and retracting his hand slowly as though the act would soil his hand. The simple gesture itself was packed with a ton of humiliation.

“Alright, alright. Let’s not waste time conversing with the likes of him. How about I treat you to a good meal at Hillview Hotel to celebrate your return?” Florence suggested with a smile.

“I would be honored.” Matt turned around and his innocent facade was back in place again, a smile plastered on his face.

“Come on, let’s go then.” Without another word, Florence led Dahlia away. Dahlia turned to speak to Dustin but failed to find the right words to say.

Chapter-48 Disrespect

Natasha was enjoying her coffee with Duane at Java Joys.

“Do you still remember our bet, Natasha? Three days are up, and I’m still fit as a fiddle. Isn’t it time for you to make good on your promise?” Duane asked with a smile as he sipped on his coffee.

“Why are you so impatient, Uncle Duane? We’ve got half a day left before time is up.” Natasha said collectedly.

“Hah! You can’t really be buying what that little swindler said, can you?” Duane found it ridiculous. “I’ve been practicing martial arts for years. How would I not know my own physical condition? Look at me! Does it look like there’s anything wrong with me?”

“I don’t know if you look like anything, but I trust Dustin’s judgment.” Natasha smiled.

“Hmph! I wonder how that little swindler brainwashed you. Why do you trust him so much?” Duane wondered aloud.

“Who knows? Maybe this is just how things were meant to be.” The corners of Natasha’s lips tugged upward as she thought of Dustin. “Anyway, half a day is left before time is up. If you’re still fine before the sun sets, I’ll make good on my promise!”

“Fine! Half a day it is, then! When the time is up, I’ll show you what a liar that little swindler truly is!” With that, Duane left with his bodyguards in town.

Once they were out the door and got into their car, one of Duane’s trusted bodyguards couldn’t resist asking, “I don’t get it, sir. Ms. Harmon is such an exceptional lady. Why would she fall for that little swindler?”

“She never plays by the book. When you find an opportunity, look into Rhys’ background.” Duane instructed.

“Yes, sir!”

The bodyguard started the car after answering him. As the car drove on, Duane leaned back to relax. Not a moment later, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He dismissed it initially, but as time went on, the pain became increasingly acute and unbearable.

It felt like a knife was stabbed into his chest and twisted around continuously. As tough as he was, the pain caused him to gasp.

“It can’t be! Could it be that the little swindler was telling the truth all along?” he wondered. Duane clutched at his chest as he broke out in perspiration.

“What’s wrong, sir?” His bodyguard was quick to notice his discomfort.

“Quick! Send me back to Java Joys immediately!” Finally, Duane could bear it no longer. He ordered his bodyguard to turn back. Flooring it the entire way, they were back at Java Joys in a flash.

“Uncle Duane, what’s wrong? Do you need to use the washroom?” Natasha raised her brows at the sight of Duane, who was drenched in sweat.

“Who said anything about using the washroom? Can’t you see that he’s in pain?” His bodyguard huffed.

“Hmm? And who are you to run your mouth here?” The bodyguard immediately lowered his head as Natasha shot a glare in his direction. In a split second, his blood ran cold.

“Natasha! My chest hurts! Get that little swindler here to help me, pronto!” Duane said with agony written all over his face.

“Uncle Duane, it seems to me that Dustin was right. He said you’d get an attack within three days, and he wasn’t lying. Doesn’t seem appropriate that you’re still addressing him as a little swindler, does it?” Natasha remarked impassively.

“Fine, fine! He isn’t a swindler, I was wrong to call him that. Now can you get him here?” Duane gritted his teeth.

“Uncle Duane, you’re the one asking him for a favor. It’s not nice to make him come here, don’t you think?” Natasha commented with a vague smile.

“You!” Duane was on the verge of rage, but in the end he chose to restrain himself. “Where is Dustin? I’ll go to him

“Hang on, let me give him a call to see where he is.” Natasha smiled as she dug around for her phone to make the call. Once she got Dustin’s location, she announced, “Peaceful Medical Centre.”

“Move it! Get to Peaceful Medical Centre right away!” Duane dared not dally any longer. He rushed to the medical center. What should have been a 30–minute journey took them only 15. They ran multiple red lights along the way.

“So you are here, you rascal!” Duane made his way in covered in sweat. He spotted Dustin, who was reading, the moment he entered. “Damn it! I’m suffering in such agony, and here you are, happily reading?” Duane cursed internally.

“Uncle Duane, why are you here?” Dustin was taken aback for a brief moment, but he quickly came around. From the looks of it, he must have suffered an attack.

“Tell me! I’ve been well all along. Why am I suddenly experiencing pain in my chest? Have you got something to do with this, you brat?” Duane questioned through clenched jaws. He had little faith in Dustin, to begin with. And now, he was really suffering within three days, just as Dustin had predicted. It was only natural that he would suspect that Dustin was behind everything.

“Uncle Duane, what are you implying? Are you saying that I did this to you?” Dustin’s brows knitted together. showing his displeasure.

“Forget it! I don’t care who did it! Just get over here and treat me!” Duane said impatiently. The pain in his chest was getting unbearable. Every second that passed was pure torture to him. His priority was to get relief.

“Why the hell are you still standing there? Get your ass here right this instant! If my boss’ condition gets any worse, I’ll make you regret the day you were born!” Duane’s bodyguard, who was by his side, threatened.

Dustin’s expression froze over when he heard those words. They were the ones who needed his help, but this was the kind of attitude they came with. Who did they think they were?

“If this is the attitude I’m getting, then you’d better find someone else to heal you. I’m not the person to help you,” Dustin declared flatly.

“What did you just say?” Duane stopped for a moment before his expression turned malicious. “You bastard! I only came here because of Natashal Don’t be so full of yourself!”

“Is that so?” Dustin scoffed. “Truth be told, I’m only addressing you as Uncle Duane out of respect toward Ms. Harmon. If not for her, you are nothing to me. Also, it would do you good to figure out how things stand right now. You are the one who came to me, asking for help. Not the other way around! Now, please get the hell out

Chapter-49 At last lost his arrogance

Dustin’s words took everyone by surprise. No one had expected him to be so audacious as to disregard them.

“You brat! Are you even hearing yourself?” Duane’s jaws were tightly clenched and his expression was slightly distorted from the anguish. He was a person of prestige in South City, much less in a small place like Swinton. And now, this little scoundrel dared speak to him like that?

How impudent!

“I know very well what I’m saying. You, however, do not seem to fathom the severity of the situation at hand. I am the only one who can help with your condition,” Dustin spelled out coldly.

“You rascal! Don’t go around thinking that you’re some miracle worker just because you’ve got some medical tricks up your sleeves! You better know what’s best for you before I lose my temper!” Duane bellowed.

“That’s right! I’ll break your face if you don’t cure my boss!” Duane’s bodyguard threatened.

“You’ll break my face? I’d like to see you try.” Dustin sneered.

“I guess this one wouldn’t be afraid until death stares him in the face!” The bodyguard was angered. He took a step forward and threw a punch at Dustin’s face. His fist was on the target, and it came on fast. It was evident that he was a skilled fighter.

Before the punch made contact with his face, Dustin grunted and gave the bodyguard such a strong slap that it sent him sprawling backward.

The bodyguard did not even have the chance to make a sound as he passed out on the spot, face disfigured.

Duane’s face fell. It never occurred to him that Dustin was proficient in martial arts too.

“What’s the matter?” Natasha came strolling in at her own pace, looking haughty and carrying an air of authority. Even without knowing what was going on, she instinctively stood by Dustin.

“Natasha! This insolent rascal not only refused to heal me, he even beat my man up! Tell me, what do you think? this should be handled?” Duane asked with hostility.

“Uncle Duane, I believe Dustin would not have attacked your man without being provoked. That being the case, your man brought it upon himself!” Natasha responded firmly.

Duane’s brows furrowed. “So, you’re adamant about taking his side?”

“Of course!” Natasha lifted her chin. “Dustin is my friend. If you have any problem with him, you may come to me.”

“Hmph! You’re turning against me for an outsider? Have you considered how you’re going to tell your parents about this?” Duane roared.

“That’s not something you should worry about, Uncle Duane. I’ll deal with them myself.”Natasha then continued stonily, “But you, Uncle Duane, look like you’re in serious pain. I think you’d better seek help. Don’t wait till it gets any worse.”

“You! Very well! Let’s go!” After giving them a spiteful glare, Duane left in a huff. Natasha’s reaction was not what he expected. But considering her status, he had no intention of crossing her, so he had no choice but to walk away.

“Will you be in any sort of trouble for helping me out?” Dustin asked. Though he was not intimidated by Duane. he was still grateful to Natasha.

“Trouble?” Natasha chuckled. “Well, they used to call me Black Widow. Venomous and deadly, apparently. What’s this trivial matter got on me?”

“Well, isn’t that phenomenal?” Dustin raised a brow.

“But of course! Are you interested in finding out?”

“Finding out? How?” Natasha chuckled yet again. With a sultry grin, she leaned into Dustin and whispered into his ear. “Come over to my room tonight. I’ll show you.”

And then, she pulled away, biting her lower lip. That was no mistaking it for anything but seduction. Dustin kept quiet and pretended not to hear her. His eyelid twitched. This woman was really something. seducing him in broad daylight.

Meanwhile, Duane’s chest was hurting so much that he rushed to the hospital as quickly as he could.

“Quick! Get a doctor!”

Following Duane’s bodyguard’s rude barks, a group of doctors rushed to the emergency ward to tend to him. However, after going through a series of tests, the doctors came to the astonishing conclusion that there was absolutely nothing wrong with Duane. He was perfectly fine.

“Sir, are you sure that you are experiencing pain in your chest?” a doctor asked. “Why the fuck would I be lying about it?” Duane replied none too kindly. “Fuck it! I’m so close to spasming from the damned pain! Why would I be lying?” he thought.

“Well, the thing is, we are unable to diagnose the issue. Why don’t you get a consultation from another hospital?”

“You bunch of worthless morons!” Duane left after spewing profanities. Without a moment to waste, he hurried to two other renowned hospitals. Still, their conclusions were the same: He was perfectly healthy and nothing was wrong with him.

“How could this be?” Duane grabbed at his chest, pale–faced with sweat running down his face. The worst part was that the pain was intensifying as time went on. It was as though he would never see the end of it. He had been practicing martial arts for many, many years, and he believed himself to be tough and resilient. But the excruciating pain he was going through was simply intolerable. He thought that he might lose his mind if it carried on any longer.

“Sir, even the hospitals can’t help. What do we do now?” Seeing Duane in so much pain, his bodyguards were

at a loss.

“Could it be possible that the rascal is the only one who can help me?” Recalling Dustin’s words, Duane gritted his teeth. Ultimately, he had no choice but to give in. “Head to Peaceful Medical Centre. Get that rascal to help.”

Duane’s men dared not question his decision. They immediately sent him back to Peaceful Medical Centre. This time around, they lost all the contempt and arrogance they had before.

“Well, if it isn’t Uncle Duane? What’s got you coming back so soon?” Natasha, who had been biding her time, rose to greet him with a smile.

“Natasha, I acted rashly and said some rubbish earlier on. Please don’t take it to heart. Can you please get Dustin to help me?” Duane tried to put on a smile.

“Uncle Duane, there’s no use telling me that. It’d be better for you to say it to Dustin.” Natasha gestured at Dustin behind her. He was reading leisurely, taking no heed of the few men who had just entered. Duane cleared his throat before starting, “Hey, Rhys, I’m really sorry. I was in such agony that I was rash with my words and offended you. Please do not mind me. I’m really sorry, I apologize.”

Duane chose to yield to him. Seeing that Dustin was ignoring him, he offered, “Hey, if you help me, you can have your pick out of my collection of treasured herbs.” Dustin finally lifted his head when he heard that.

Chapter-50 Hillview Hotel

Dustin had no interest in wealth or riches. But at the moment, he had a pressing need for rare herbs. The old drunkard’s condition had gotten worse day by day. He might not even make it through the year. He needed to gather five types of rare herbs to be able to treat him.

“I am extremely fussy when it comes to herbs. Your collection might not necessarily be useful to me,” Dustin voiced out.

“I can get you whatever herb you need!” Duane is guaranteed immediately.

“Do you have the Gozoraberry?” Dustin queried.

“Uh… no.” Duane shook his head.

“Flower of Crimson Gem?”

“I don’t have that either.”

“What about Cherusia?”

“Rhys, I’ve never even heard of these herbs you are naming.” Duane’s expression turned bitter.

“How about aged Panax root and ancient Heliotrope? I’m sure you’ve heard of those.” Dustin’s eyes narrowed.

“Yes, I’ve heard of those! I know those herbs!” Duane nodded. Those two herbs cost a king’s ransom, but at least he’s heard of them.

“And do you have them?” Dustin asked.

“I’m not sure about the ancient Heliotrope, but I can get you the aged Panax root. But it’ll take a few days.” Duane answered.

“Fine, then come back when you have them,” Dustin said with a wave of his hand.

“Oh, come on, Rhys! My chest is aching so badly! I can’t stand it anymore! Please help me first! I promise I’ll send the Panax root in a few days!” Duane lost his cool Dustin kept quiet and turned to look at Natasha beside him. He did not trust Duane. What if he went back on his word once Dustin cured him?

“Natasha, please, persuade him. You know I never go back on my word. I always make good on my promises!”

Duane begged. “Of course, Uncle Duane. I know that you never go back on a promise. But I think we can do better than just at Panax root,” Natasha bargained.

“What else do you need? I’ll try my best to get it.” Duane quickly got the picture. It was obvious that Natasha was trying to raise the price now that they were in control. But he was in no position to haggle.

“Uncle Duane, I heard that you’ve got quite a number of properties in Swinton. Hillview Hotel, especially, is doing exceptionally well. Why don’t you give it to Dustin as a gift?” A vague smile crept up on Natasha’s face.

“What?” Duane’s lips twitched. Damn it! Hillview Hotel was his golden goose! If he were to sell it, he could easily get up to a billion dollars for it! This woman was demanding quite a lot!

“Are you unwilling to part with It?” Natasha raised a brow.

“Of course not! As long as Rhys will save me, a hotel means nothing to me!” Duane forced a smile. He had no other alternative than to comply with their demands.

“Dustin, seeing how Uncle Duane is being so nice, why don’t you help him this time?” Natasha turned to him and winked.

“Alright, then.” Dustin nodded. He then pulled out a black pill and tossed it to Duane. “You’ll be fine after eating this.”

“What’s this?”

The pill looked too much like a turd. A frown formed on Duane’s face. Did he lose close to a billion dollars just for this?

“If you do not believe me, you can opt not to eat it.” Dustin did not pressure him to consume the pill. “Of course I do!” Steeling himself, Duane swallowed the pill. He had to try it to know if it worked.

The pill dissolved very quickly, and soon Duane felt a warm feeling spreading over his body. As the warmth spread out, the pain in his chest began to dissipate. In mere minutes, the sharp, agonizing pain miraculously disappeared altogether.

“It actually worked?” Duane was pleasantly surprised. He patted himself all over to make sure that he was really alright. Finally, he heaved a long breath of relief.

“So, Uncle Duane, what do you think of Dustin’s medical skills? Are you impressed?” Natasha asked with a smirk, evidently proud. After all, this was the man she had taken a liking to.

“Who knew that a single pill could work such wonders?” Duane’s eyes lit up as he said. “Rhys, may I know what this pill is? Can I have a few more? I’ll pay for it. Just name your price!”

I

*This is Gemiphen. It’s a confidential prescription. And because the ingredients are too valuable, the pill that you just had was my only one,” Dustin replied, aloof.

“That’s okay, just sell me the prescription then.” Duane was not one to give up easily. He was a tycoon in the medical industry. He knew how immensely precious such miraculous medicines are. If he could manufacture them in bulk, he would have struck gold!

“I told you, the prescription is confidential. There’s no way I’m selling it.”Dustin stopped himself before he continued, “Of course, if you could find me another rare herb, I can give you the prescription for the Gemiphen. No charges.”

“Well…” Duane appeared reluctant. It was hard enough to get him the aged Panax root. How much harder would it be to get the ancient Heliotrope? As for the Gozoraberry, the flower of Crimson Gem, and the Cherusia, he had never even heard of them, much less know where to get them.

“There’s no rush, Uncle Duane. We can continue discussing this after we get the Panax root.” Natasha smiled as she rubbed her stomach. “I’m suddenly feeling quite hungry, Uncle Duane. Why don’t we go for a meal at Hillview Restaurant? You can also transfer the ownership of the hotel to Dustin while we’re there.”

Duane’s eyelid twitched. This was one impatient lady! Though it pained him to do so, there was nothing else Duane could do other than agree. After all, he had made a promise, and he couldn’t very well go back on it. So, after some small talk, they made their way to Hillview Hotel.

Hillview Hotel was situated in an excellent location, right by Lake Vestine. It was famous for its rooftop restaurant, which was Hillview Restaurant. Because of its geographical advantage, it had an extraordinary view overlooking half of Swinton. The night view was particularly breathtaking. With exemplary service and exquisite food, it was no wonder that Hillview Restaurant was patronized by many of the rich and famous.

Furthermore, they only served VIPs, so regular folk were not allowed to set foot there.

Once they reached Hillview Restaurant, the three got a private room to themselves and ordered some of the signature dishes. They soon began to dig in.

Meanwhile, a Mercedes–Benz SUV stopped in front of the main entrance to Hillview Hotel. The car door opened and Florence stepped out of the car.

“Matt, Hillview Restaurant is a wonderful place. Since you’ve helped us out so much, I’ll treat you to a nice dinner today. Dahlia will be here soon. She’s on her way. Let’s head in without her.” Florence led Matt and James into the hotel, but when they reached the highest floor, they were stopped by a waiter.

“I’m sorry, I’m afraid you can’t come in.”

“What? We’re not allowed to enter?” James glared at the waiter, displeased. “Do you know who we are? How dare you stop me?”

“You’re running a business here! Aren’t you supposed to serve guests? What do you mean we can’t go in? Who are you to look down on us?” Florence asked mistily.

They had anticipated having a good meal there, but they ended up being denied entry. Peeved was an understatement.

“My apologies, but we only serve VIPS,” the waiter answered respectfully.

“What’s so great about a VIP? We’ll just apply to be a VIP then!” Florence scoffed.

“May I please know if you’re applying for a regular VIP or a Deluxe VIP?” the waiter asked with a smile.

“Of course, we’re going for the Deluxe VIP! Do we look like we can’t afford it?” James asked arrogantly as he lifted his chin.

“Yes, we only go for the best!” Florence whipped out her card.

Matt was watching them. She couldn’t afford to embarrass herself in his presence.

“Sure. You’ll have to put in a deposit of five million dollars for the Deluxe VIP.” The waiter was still smiling.

“What? Five million?”

Both Florence and James were bewildered when they heard what the waiter said. Florence, who had her card in her hand, immediately withdrew her hand.