Chapter-51 New owner
“Are you kidding me? Five million dollars for Deluxe VIP?” Astonishment was written all over James’ face.
“Exactly! This is daylight robbery!” Florence flew into a rage to cover up her embarrassment. She was lucky she drew her card back in time, or she would have maxed out on her card.
“These are rules set by our proprietor. If that’s too much for you, you can opt for the regular VIP.”
“And— how much would the regular VIP cost?” Florence probed.
“A deposit of one million dollars will make you a regular VIP.” the waiter informed them.
“One million? That’s not much better!” Florence frowned. “We’re just here for a meal. It won’t cost so much. Can’t you just let us in? I’ll make sure you get handsomely tipped!” Had she known that Hillview Restaurant charged such exorbitant prices, she would never have chosen to go there in the first place!
“I’m sorry, but we only serve VIPs.” The waiter put on a professional smile.
“Hey! Why are you so inflexible? Get me your manager! I’ll talk to him personally!” Florence could no longer hold in her temper.
“I’m sorry, but our manager is currently serving three other distinguished guests. I’m afraid he doesn’t have the time.” The waiter’s smile was slowly fading away.
“You!” Florence was exasperated.
“Mom, forget it. Why don’t we just go somewhere else?” James prompted. As lovely as Hillview Restaurant was, it was way too pricey.
“We’re already here! We’ll make a joke of ourselves if we leave now!” Florence glared at him.
“Allow me, Mrs. Nicholson.” Matt smiled as he stepped forward, gracefully producing a gold card and handing it to the waiter. “I am a Gold VIP, so I get 20% off on all my spending here.”
“Gold VIP?” That gave Florence quite a shock. “How much did that cost you?”
“Not too much, just ten million dollars.” Matt smiled.
“Ten million?” Florence and James’ eyes widened. Was he joking? Ten million dollars, not too much? They had thought that they were pretty well off, but it seemed like they were nothing compared to Matt!
“Please step inside, honored guests!” In a flash, the waiter’s attitude changed and became exceedingly welcoming after verifying that the card was valid.
“Shall we?” Matt gestured courteously for them to go first.
“Hmph! Bootlicker! My friend Matt here is a Gold VIP! See that?” James strutted in pompously after giving the waiter a dirty look. Feeling very pleased, Florence sashayed in with her chest puffed up and head held high. Just then, Dustin emerged from one of the private rooms. He had been on his way to the men’s room when he bumped into them.
“Rhys? What are you doing here?” James scowled at the sight of him. He was still very much hung up on being slapped a while back.
“If you can be here, then so can I,” Dustin answered coldly.
“Hah! What makes you think we’re on the same level? We are Gold VIPs here,” James declared snobbishly.
“That’s right! This place is exclusively for VIPS, requiring a deposit of one million dollars for even the most basic VIP. Can you afford that?” Florence remarked condescendingly.
“Indeed, I do not have a million dollars,” Dustin admitted. It was true that he did not have much. But it would not be hard for him to get the money.
“Then what are you doing here if you do not have the money? Get out! Do not lower the standards here!” James * expression was one of contempt.
“Exactly! Go look at yourself in the mirror! Who are you to appear in such a posh restaurant?” Florence sniggered.
“Oi! You there! Come here and get this guy out! He’s ruining our appetite!” James waved a waiter over to kick Dustin out of the restaurant.
“I’m sorry, he is one of our guests too.” The waiter smiled apologetically.
“So what? We are Gold VIPs! Is he more distinguished than us? I am telling you to get rid of this person! This is an order!” James barked.
“Um…” The waiter looked uneasy.
“What? Are you going to disregard a Gold VIP? With such a service, you better watch out. I have quite a mind to lodge a complaint against you!” Florence threatened.
“My apologies, but we do not have such rules here.” The waiter had his hands tied.
“Hmph! If you can’t make the call, get your manager here!”
“That’s right! Get the manager here! I’d like to see if he prioritizes this miserable man over his Gold VIPs!” Florence and James pressed unforgivingly. They were making a big show out of having a Gold VIP card. Even the other diners were throwing them dirty looks.
Under their persistent demands, the waiter dared not say more and rushed off to get the manager.
“Mom, what are the both of you doing?” Dahlia called out as she arrived. She was surprised to see Dustin. Why are you here?”
“I’m here for a meal, of course. Why else?” Dustin shrugged.
“This is quite a pricey place for a meal,” Dahlia reminded him.
“Oh, so you think I can’t afford to have a meal here too?” Dustin raised a brow.
“I didn’t mean that…” Just as Dahlia was about to explain herself, the waiter rushed back with the manager.
“I’m the manager here. Is anything the matter?”
“So you’re the manager? Great! There’s a man who sneaked in. I’m ordering you to get him out of here immediately!” James was swollen with arrogance.
“Sir, you must be mistaken. We have very strict security here. No one is able to sneak in,” the manager explained.
“And I’m telling you, there is! I’m warning you, We are Gold VIPs! If you do not want trouble, you best do as I “say!”
“That’s right! He’s affecting me and seriously ruining my appetite. I don’t care what you say, just get him out of here!” Florence and James were throwing their weight around, not bothering to play nice.
“Could you please let me know who you are referring to?” the manager inquired.
“It’s him!” James pointed at Dustin.
The manager’s expression clouded over when he saw that. “Excuse me, sir, please do not try to play the fool!”
“What? You’re defying me? We are Gold VIPs!” James glowered. He sounded like a broken tape recorder.
The manager simply scoffed at that. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a Gold VIP. Even if you were the President of Stonia himself, it wouldn’t matter. Because this man here is the owner of Hillview Restaurant!” The whole room fell into a breathless silence.
Chapter-52 Real Face of Matt
“What? He’s the owner?!” James was stunned by the twist in events. He couldn’t believe his ears.
“You must be joking! How could he be the owner of this restaurant?” Florence exclaimed in disbelief.
“Why would it be impossible? I have never seen such arrogant and snobbish patrons as the two of you. How dare you try to make a scene here?” The restaurant manager replied in disgust. Earlier, he had seen Duane, the preceding owner, handing over ownership of Hillview Hotel to Dustin in the private booth.
“This can’t be! Dustin is as poor as a church mouse. Where did he get the money to buy a restaurant?” Astonishment was written all over James’s face.
“That’s none of your business. The only thing you need to know now is that the restaurant belongs to me. I have the authority to kick you out instead,” Dustin answered calmly.
At this, the expressions on both their faces turned black with anger and humiliation. They had planned on upstaging Dustin by shoving their privilege as a Gold VIP into his face. Who would have thought that he was the owner of Hillview Hotel? What a disgrace!
“Mr. Rhys, should we remove these troublemakers from the restaurant?” The manager spoke up.
“No need for that. We should provide good service to our customers. Furthermore, they are still our privileged customers. Send them a bottle of red wine on the house,” Dustin replied.
“Very well, sir.” The manager nodded.
“What a showoff. Frankly, he only knows how to leech off women!”
“That’s right! He thinks that he is such a big shot when in fact, he is just a freeloader!”
Florence and James grumbled, cursing under their breath. They were not happy about how things turned out.
“Thanks for the offer. However, I would have to decline your gift,” Matt cut in suddenly. With a winsome smile on his face, he caught the attention of the other women around with his charm and attractive features.
Florence took this opportunity to boast. “Dustin! For your information, Matt is an overseas graduate. Not only is he from an elite family, but he is also extremely talented. He is better than you by leaps and bounds!”
“Precisely! With your measly net worth, you don’t even deserve to be his slave!” James chimed in.
The humiliation they faced just now was instantly forgotten with the support of Matt. What was the big deal? Dustin was only the owner of a restaurant. Moreover, it was not from his labor. In comparison to Matt’s noble background, he was nothing!
“Florence, you are too kind. I was just lucky.” Matt brushed her praises off lightly. However, there was a cocky smile on his face.
“Look at that! See how courteous and gentlemanly he is. Between you and him, it’s like night and day!” Florence declared, gushing over Matt
By now, Dustin was done. Turning to leave, he replied calmly, “Please enjoy your time here. Excuse me as I have other obligations.”
“Wait a minute!” Dahlia caught up to him. “Is this restaurant really yours? Where did you get so much money from?”
“I don’t have any money. The restaurant’s a gift from a friend,” Dustin answered.
“A friend? Don’t tell me it’s Natasha?” Dahlia continued with a frown on her face.
“You don’t need to know who it is. Instead, spend that energy on catching up with Matt over some wine. Isn’t he your beloved senior?” Dustin huffed before striding away.
“You…” Dahlia clicked her tongue in annoyance. She was only treating Matt to a meal. Furthermore, her brother and mother were present. Why was he being such a prick? Where was his gentlemanliness?
Returning to the private booth, Dustin seemed a little down. He couldn’t help but feel frustrated when he saw Dahlia and Matt standing side by side. Matt had the looks and the background. To top it off, they almost got together as a couple before this. It was easy to be suspicious of their relationship. Above all, Dahlia was extremely guarded. He couldn’t guess what was going through her mind at all.
“Mr. Rhys, what’s wrong? Your face has been downcast since you returned. Is something on your mind?” Natasha said, lightly teasing him.
“It’s nothing. I met up with some acquaintances outside.” Dustin forced a smile..
“Acquaintance? Is it Dahlia?” Natasha’s ears pricked up.
“You’re right. It is her. Besides, there’s another guy named Matt Laney,” Dustin replied honestly.
“Matt Laney?” Natasha shot him a mischievous smile. “Mr. Rhys, you should stay away from this person!”
“Do you know him?” Dustin was a little surprised.
“Not personally, but I’ve heard of him.” Natasha took a sip of red wine and laughed. “Matt is notorious among the rich ladies. He is famous for being a real playboy. Not only does he have the looks and the personality, but he is also extremely generous with his money. Who wouldn’t like him?”
“What, are you also interested in him?” Dustin asked hesitantly.
“Of course not! He is not my type and is only good at leeching off women. Besides, with you around, who else would I be interested in anyway?” Natasha winked at him playfully.
Seeing that Dustin was ignoring her advances, she continued with a charming smile. “To be fair, Matt is from a family of aristocrats. However, his family’s Influence went down the drain recently, making him a broke aristocrat. Being brought up with a golden spoon, he had to find unscrupulous ways to maintain his lifestyle. Thus, he is now making a living off the support of rich older women. Many women have been blinded by his lies and lost all their wealth. His modus operandi is to use the wealth of his previous victim to gain the trust of his current target, and the cycle continues. Furthermore, he is meticulous in his deception. Many of his victims are still being strung along by his charms. If he has his sights set on your ex–wife, you must be very careful. In the end, she may not only lose her wealth, but her life may even be in danger!”
When Dustin heard about this, he frowned. “Who would have known that he is just a swindler!”
“Anyway, you should have your guard up when dealing with people like him,” Natasha concluded.
“Thanks for the tip.” Dustin nodded thoughtfully.
“Mr. Rhys, you seem to be concerned about Dahlia. Could it be that you still have feelings for her?” The expression on Natasha’s face was a little dejected.
“No. Even though she is my ex–wife, I don’t wish for her to be hurt in any way.” Dustin shook his head.
“I hope that is true!” With a smirk, Natasha declared in a bossy tone, “Regardless, even if you still have feelings for Dahlia, I don’t mind having a fair fight with her. Once I have my eyes set on you, no one else can come between us!”
With that, she pompously stuck her nose in the air.
Chapter-53 Druged (wine)
Seated by the window, Florence and James were still cursing Dustin.
“Who would have guessed that an incompetent like Dustin could be the owner? What has our world come to?” James complained loudly.
“He is nothing but a leech! If it weren’t for Ms. Harmon’s recommendation, he would never have this opportunity!” Florence snarled.
James had a look of pure jealousy on his face. “That’s right! Once she loses interest in him, Dustin will be discarded like rubbish. Let’s see how arrogant he can be!”
“Nothing will come out of being a freeloader like Dustin. Conversely, Matt is the epitome of a real man. Not only is he young and talented, he is also an intellectual!” Florence praised Matt effusively.
“What a pity. Matt, if you hadn’t gone overseas for your studies, you would have been my brother–in–law by now!” James tried to butter Matt up.
“Absolutely! Just so you know, after you left for your studies, Dahlia has been pining after you for a long time!” Florence chimed in as well.
“Mom! Where did you get this idea?” Dahlia frowned in annoyance.
“I’m telling the truth! If it weren’t for Matt going overseas, you would never have married Dustin!” Florence said stubbornly.
Before Dahlia could retort, Matt cut in, “Alright, alright. Let bygones be bygones. We should have our meal before it gets cold. The food here is delicious.”
Florence and James shut up and tucked in voraciously.
“James and I are going down to get some groceries. The both of you can take your time.” In the middle of the meal, Florence stopped eating and gave James a knowing look.
“Oh, yes! I’ll accompany Mom.” James understood his assignment, and they left the table quickly. Clearly, they were trying to give Dahlia and Matt some private time.
After Florence and James left, Matt spoke up, “Dahlia, I am very sorry for leaving you without any warning. It’s all my fault. Please give me a chance to redeem myself.”
“It’s all in the past now. You don’t have to be concerned,” Dahlia answered nonchalantly. She had moved on from Matt long ago, so she couldn’t care less.
“That’s great. You have grown more mature since the last time we met.” Matt shot her a charming smile.
“Please excuse me, I need to go to the washroom.” Dahlia patted her lips gently and left the table as well. Staring at her shapely figure, Matt gave an evil smirk. He took out a small packet of white powder, poured it into Dahlia’s wine, and swirled the glass.
Coincidentally, the restaurant’s manager witnessed everything Matt had done. Without further delay, he quickly went to Dustin’s booth and divulged Matt’s evil plan.
“He spiked her drink? Are you sure?” Dustin’s brows furrowed together when he heard this.
“Yes, I’m positive. I personally witnessed it!” the manager affirmed.
“Who would have expected that he revealed his true colors so quickly?” Natasha narrowed her eyes.
Duane spoke up. “Dustin, you should not let this slide. Do you need me to teach him a lesson?”
“No, I will handle this myself.” Dustin got up and left the booth immediately.
At that moment, Dahlia had returned from the washroom. Matt passed her the glass of wine. “Dahlia, this is a token of my apology. Cheers!” Matt lifted his glass with a smile.
“Alright. After this drink, I need to go home as tomorrow will be a busy day at the office,” Dahlia said with resignation.
“Sure, let’s make a move after this.” Matt did not pressure her further and downed his drink.
Just as Dahlia was about to take a sip, Dustin’s voice stopped her.
“I would not drink that if I were you.”
“What?”
Dahlia looked over her shoulder and saw Dustin walking toward her. “What do you mean?”
“Your drink has been drugged. You would be in danger if you had drunk it because it renders you defenseless,” Dustin warned.
“Drugged?” Dahlia frowned and turned to Matt, whose expression stiffened for a split second. However, he composed himself immediately.
“Dustin, you must be sorely mistaken,” Matt said coolly.
“You would know best whether I am mistaken,” Dustin retorted coldly.
“Dahlia, do you really think that I’m such a malicious person?” Matt asked with a disarming smile.
Dahlia was taken aback by the sudden question. After some deliberation, she asked, “Dustin, do you have any evidence to support your claim?”
“The restaurant’s manager saw what happened. He could be my witness,” Dustin answered.
“That’s right! It was clear as day. He spiked your wine with some powder!” the manager pointed an accusing finger at Matt.
“Everyone knows that both of you are in cahoots with each other. It would be impossible for me to deny it.” Matt shook his head, acting aggrieved.
“Dustin, do you have stronger evidence for your claims? Do not judge someone based on unfounded accusations!” Dahlia had a serious look on her face. Based on her knowledge of Matt, he wasn’t someone who would do such a thing.
“I already have a witness backing me up. What evidence do you need? Would you rather believe him over me?” Dustin frowned, anger building up within him.
“I…” Dahlia didn’t know what to say. Matt was from the noble Laney family. As an aristocrat, it was unthinkable that he would carry out such a vile act. However, Dustin seemed so sure of himself. He wouldn’t lie either. At that moment, she didn’t know who to side with.
“Dahlia, Dustin seems to have some prejudice against me. That’s fine, I can prove my innocence. Didn’t he claim that I drugged your drink? Let’s exchange drinks,” Matt said. He took Dahlia’s wine glass and downed the contents.
This simple action wiped away every doubt from Dahlia’s mind. If he did drug her drink, he wouldn’t have drunk it himself.
“Dustin, I don’t remember doing anything to offend you. Why are you hellbent on insulting me like this? If you have a grudge against me, I sincerely apologize,” Matt said personably, tilting his head.
With his charm and courteous words, Dahlia was convinced that Matt was every inch a gentleman.
“Dustin, what do you have to say for yourself?” Dahlia turned to Dustin, her eyes boring into him.
“If I’m not mistaken, he must have taken the antidote prior to this.” Dustin was adamant.
“Nonsense!” Dahlia’s expression was dark. “Dustin, you are going too far! Matt has proven his innocence. Why are you still being so difficult?”
“I’m telling the truth.”
“Well, I just think that you are making up stories!” There was a hint of anger in Dahlia’s voice.
Evidently, Dustin felt hostility toward Matt. However, that was no reason to drag Matt’s name through the mud. It would be wrong to do so!
“If you still don’t believe me, then check his pockets. There must be some evidence of white powder on him!” Dustin tried turning Matt’s pockets inside out to prove his point, but this was the last straw for Dahlia.
“That’s enough!” Dahlia splashed the rest of the wine on Dustin’s face. “Have you not done enough damage for one day? Why are you as stubborn as a mule? Being a gentleman, can you not be so petty? If you are jealous of Matt, upgrade yourself and compete on the same level. Don’t use despicable tricks or baseless arguments to ruin his reputation. Your actions will only make me think that you are pathetic!” Dustin was dumbstruck by Dahlia’s words.
Chapter-54 Natasha’s sister kidnaped
Dustin was stunned by Dahlia’s hurtful words and furious outburst. Drops of wine rolled down his cheeks and to the ground. He was in a miserable state. Apparently, it was wishful thinking that their relationship had improved. In actual fact, there was nothing left between them.
“What? So you thought that I was falsely accusing him?” Dustin’s brows were deeply furrowed as he stared at Dahlia. “Am I that despicable of a person in your eyes?”
“Yes!” Dahlia blurted out. She felt a tinge of regret immediately. Yet, she could not take her words back now. She had too much pride for that.
“Finally! You have spoken what you truly thought of me.” Dustin had a disappointed look on his face as he put on a wry smile.
“I have overstepped my boundaries. Who knew that after so many years, you still have feelings for Matt.”
“What nonsense are you spouting?” Dahlia frowned as well.
“Am I wrong? You said that you would not contact him anymore. Having said that, here you are having wine with Matt. Aren’t you being too hypocritical?”
“…” Dahlia was about to explain herself when Dustin interrupted her.
“Maybe you aren’t even worried about Matt drugging your drink. In actuality, you hoped that he would do so as this would give both of you a legitimate excuse to get together again. Am I correct?”
It was Dahlia’s turn to be stunned by Dustin’s words. Her face was a mix of disbelief, disappointment, and regret. Never would she have thought that Dustin would say such words. Did he genuinely think so lowly of her? Regardless of the past three years of marriage, there wasn’t a shred of trust left between them.
“Dustin! I’m utterly disappointed in you!” Dahlia gritted her teeth. As she walked away, she struggled to control her emotions.
Dustin stood rooted to the ground. He could feel the anger and hurt washing over him. At this moment, Matt came over. The charming smile that had been on his face just now was replaced by a smirk.
“Dustin, everything you said was correct. I spiked Dahlia’s drink and drank her wine to get rid of the evidence. I already took the antidote in advance,” Matt whispered into his ear coldly.
“Nevertheless, it doesn’t matter anyway. Who would believe you now? Dahlia’s smitten with me, and she will support me. There’s nothing you say that would change the outcome. What? Are you burning with anger and frustration right now? Sadly, your hands are tied. Besides, I have to thank you for strengthening our relationship with this incident. I believe that she will fall in love with me before long and willingly go to bed with me. However, don’t worry. Once I’m tired of her, I’ll return her to you soon enough.” With this, Matt threw his head back and cackled maliciously.
His true colors were finally revealed. Compared to his gentlemanly disposition earlier, this side of him was cruel and sinister like a venomous snake!
Burning with anger, Dustin cracked his knuckles to prevent himself from punching Matt in the face as he left. Dahlia was obviously still in love with Matt. Even if his intentions were good, Dahlia had no need for his help. Since his actions would only be seen as a hindrance, there was nothing he could do. Although Dustin could convince himself logically, he couldn’t help but be aggravated by their relationship.
“Mr. Rhys, what’s happened?” At that moment, Natasha and Duane walked out of their booth.
“Forget it. I was just poking my nose where it didn’t belong.” Dustin said mockingly.
“Matt is notorious for sowing discord and stirring up trouble. Don’t be affected by him,” Duane continued.
“The main problem is not with Matt but with Dahlia.” Dustin shook his head. It would be useless to change her mind if she continued to be obstinate.
“Dustin, don’t be hung up over a woman! It’s no big deal, women are easy to find,” Duane said confidently. “As long as you are rich, women will flock to you. So, shall we get down to business?”
“What business?” Dustin asked with a tilt of his head.
“Of course, it’s about the Gemiphen!” Duane smirked. “I’ve personally tried the miracle pill. A single pill could be worth a fortune! Since you are in need of herbs, why don’t we work together? I’ll deal with the rest of the business if you give me the prescription. Once I make a profit, we will split it evenly. What do you think?”
“I’m not changing my mind. I don’t mind helping you out, but you have to give me some rare herbs in exchange for the prescription. Otherwise, it’s a no.” Dustin shook his head again.
“Dustin, it will be some time before I get my hands on the herbs you want. Can’t you be more flexible?” Duane pleaded.
“Let’s talk about this after you have them in your possession.” Dustin was immovable. Duane frowned when he heard the resolve in Dustin’s tone. This young man was as stubborn as a mule.
Initially, he wanted to start a mutual partnership with Dustin. However, it wasn’t going as smoothly as he thought. It seemed like he needed to pull out some of the tricks up his sleeve.
“Ms. Harmon! There’s bad news!” A bodyguard dressed in a suit ran into the restaurant hurriedly.
“Yes? What is it?” Natasha asked, surprised.
“It’s Ms. Ruth! She has been kidnapped!” the bodyguard reported.
“What did you say?” Natasha’s expression turned dark. “Didn’t I instruct you to protect her at all costs? How could this happen?”
“We were keeping an eye on her in secret. However, Ms. Ruth managed to escape and went to a private party. By the time we arrived, she was nowhere to be found!”
“Do you know who is behind this?” Natasha frowned.
“It could be Sir Hummer. The kidnappers left a ransom note instructing Mr. Rhys and you to meet at Hummer Villa.”
“Edwin?” Natasha gritted her teeth in anger. How dare he endanger a member of her family? He had gone too far with the repeated provocations and needed to be taught a lesson.
Contact the Harmon family. I need some strong fighters as backup! Since Edwin seeks a light, I shall give it to him!”
The next morning, they met at Java Joys.
When Dustin entered the cafe, he noticed a burly man standing beside Natasha. His bulky muscles rippled under his clothes, and his knuckles were covered with calluses. This man was obviously an experienced fighter.
“Mr. Rhys, sorry to bother you. I owe you one.” Natasha walked up to Dustin.
“It’s all right, I don’t mind helping out a friend in need. Besides, they had even specified my name in the note. I have no other choice.” Dustin smiled wryly.
Edwin’s men had left a ransom note which had his name on it. He was to go with Natasha to save Ruth.
“Mr. Rhys, let me introduce you to Stephan Chapman, one of the best fighters from the Harmon family.” Natasha pointed toward the man standing in silence.
“Mr. Chapman, a pleasure to meet you.” Dustin nodded in acknowledgment.
“You’re Dustin?” Stephan sized him up. “Was it you who took Liam and Noah Asher down?”
“In a way, yes.” Dustin nodded again.
“What do you mean, in a way? Don’t give such a vague answer. Did you use some shady tricks to win against them?” Stephan stared at him suspiciously.
“Well, as long as it gets the job done,” Dustin said nonchalantly.
“As martial artists, we should win fair and square. What’s the use of winning when you have to resort to despicable tricks?” Stephan scoffed. He deemed people like Dustin, who don’t belong to any martial arts group, as inferior to him.
“That makes sense.” Dustin had no interest in arguing further.
“To be honest, I have defeated Liam and Noah in a match before this!” Stephan boasted. “Don’t be too proud of yourself even if you win against them! They are weaklings compared to me. Once we have a match, you will know that many martial artists are stronger than you!”
Hearing Stephan’s speech, Dustin was lost for words. They were practically strangers. Why was he lecturing him like a child? Who was the one looking down on the other anyway?
“Alright, now that you have made each other’s acquaintance, we will be working together after this. Once we arrive at Hummer Villa, we may need each other’s help,” Natasha cut in.
“I’m sure we won’t need to. With me around, it would be easy to take Edwin down,” Stephan said confidently.
“Mr. Chapman, it’s good to be optimistic, but it’s better not to underestimate the enemy. When will Tilda arrive?” Natasha changed the topic.
Tilda Snider was one of her aunts and was famous for her deadly strikes. She was currently the head of security for the Harmon family. Compared to Stephan, she was on a different level. In this fight against Edwin, she was the key to victory.
“Tilda is on her way. She will be arriving shortly,” Stephan answered.
“Great. Since she is on her way, let’s make a move as well”
On her command, Natasha’s car led the way as the group drove in a file toward Hummer Villa. Hummer Villa was situated at the top of a hill which was part of the Hummers” private land. As the cars drove up the hill, Edwin’s men kept surveillance on them in the hidden shadows of the surrounding trees.
When they arrived at the villa, everyone got down and entered the back garden. With a pair of scissors in hand, Edwin was busy arranging a vase of flowers in a gazebo. Behind him, Fletcher Lawson and a group of muscular men were standing guard, staring daggers at them.
“Ms. Harmon, you’ve finally arrived? Have a seat,” Edwin said with a smile, pointing to a chair. He acted as if “they were here for a chat.
“Sir Hummer, I’ve heard that you are holding my sister hostage. Is that true?” Natasha sat down and asked with a poker face.
“To be honest, I only knew about your sister this morning. My men did it at their discretion, so I have reprimanded them,” Edwin continued with a charming smile.
“Is that so? Well, why don’t you let my sister go?” Natasha pressed further.
“Let her go? That would be impossible.” Edwin shook his head. “Ms. Harmon, your sister made a mess at my party, destroyed my antiques, and beat up some of my underlings. If I let her go without repercussions, my reputation in Swinton would be ruined!”
“Then what do you want in return?” Natasha’s eyes narrowed.
“It’s very simple. Repay me double for my loss.” Edwin’s smile was plastered on his face. “I’ve calculated the damage your sister caused and everything amounts to ten billion dollars. As compensation, I want you to hand over half of your business in Swinton.”
“Half of the business? Are you joking?” Natasha raised her voice.
“Ms. Harmon, you are only giving up a small part of your assets. Moreover, your business activities are mainly in Milling. You won’t be affected much by what I’m asking for,” Edwin advised.
“What if I refuse?” Natasha retorted.
“It’s only right to pay back what you owe. If you refuse, I can’t guarantee that your sister will be safe from harm.” Edwin gave her a chilling smile.
“Are you threatening me?” Natasha returned his gaze stonily.
“I’m just giving you a warning. Of course, we can resolve this dispute with a death match. However, the entirety of our assets must be at stake,” Edwin said with a smirk.
“A death match?” Natasha mulled over his offer. It was an unsaid rule in the business world. A death match was used to settle the unresolved conflict between warring families in order to prevent unwanted death and bloodshed. There would be three rounds of battle royale in which the opposing families would send out their representatives to fight on their behalf them. There were no rules and everything was fair game.
“Challenge accepted!” Before Natasha could answer, Stephan spoke up. “Isn’t it just a fight? We will take you on! Show me some real competition!” Edwin snickered maliciously at Stephan’s words. This was what he had hoped would happen!
Chapter-55 A Death Match
“Mr. Chapman, what are you doing? Why did you interrupt?” Natasha frowned in annoyance. She hadn’t even made her decision, but Stephan had accepted the challenge without consulting her. He was overstepping his boundaries!
“Ms. Harmon, there’s nothing to be afraid of! I’m sure I can handle anything they throw at me,” Stephan said confidently. He was utterly unaware of his mistake.
“What if we lost the death match? Have you thought about the consequences?” Natasha narrowed her eyes.
“You must be joking! It’s impossible that they will defeat me. Just watch, I’ll put on an amazing performance later!” Stephan patted his chest assuredly.
“Ms. Harmon, there are only two choices. You can either pay the ransom with half of your business, or you bet on the deathmatch with all your assets at stake.” Edwin repeated his conditions.
“I will accept the death match. However, let my sister go first,” Natasha said coldly. Even though she knew that she was walking into Edwin’s trap, there was nothing else she could do. Thankfully, she had come prepared.
“Of course.” Edwin gestured to his men, and they brought Ruth out, bound up tightly with ropes. Thankfully, despite the ordeal, she seemed none the worse for wear.
“Ruth, are you injured?” Natasha quickly cut the ropes away.
“Sis! Thank God you are here. This time, it’s not my fault. I fell into Edwin’s trap!” Ruth whined.
“It’s alright, go and have a rest. I’ll handle this.” Natasha nodded.
“Ms. Harmon, now that I have released your sister, isn’t it time to sign the agreement for our death match?” Edwin already had a document prepared, and a servant brought it to Natasha.
The document was both a signed consent and agreement stating the terms and conditions of the match. The loser had to comply with all the conditions of the bet, which everyone would witness.
“Since you insist on a death match, I’ll take up the challenge!” Natasha signed her name on the document without hesitation.
“Alright! I admire your decisiveness!” Edwin smirked triumphantly as if he had already won.
“I’ll be your first opponent!” Stephan stepped forward confidently. He taunted Edwin’s men on the opposing side. “Who wants to fight me? I’ll send you all to hell!”
“Wolverine, you are up.” Edwin pointed toward a hulking, muscular man with tanned skin who stepped forward as well.
“Mr. Chapman, you must be careful of the Wolverine. He is a Muay Thai fighter and notorious among the underground fighting rings in Swinton!” One of Natasha’s bodyguards whispered to Stephan.
“A Muay Thai fighter? Defeating him would be child’s play!” Stephan scoffed. Stephan and Wolverine stood in the ring, facing each other off.
Wolverine was obviously used to combat. He stretched his limbs, cracked his knuckles, and struck a stance. His muscles were contracted tensely as he was poised to strike.
On the other hand, Stephan folded his hands behind him and seemed to be at ease.
“I’ll let you have the first move.” Stephan motioned to his opponent.
Wolverine did not hold back. He leaped high into the air and threw a flying kick at Stephan. At this level, his strength could even cause a metal pole to bend.
“Child’s play!” Stephan avoided the attack easily and landed a punch to Wolverine’s chest. Wolverine lost his balance and retreated a few steps, panting heavily.
Stephan did not give him a chance to catch his breath, landing several heavy blows on Wolverine’s arms, abdomen, and legs. After a few minutes, it was clear that Stephan had the upper hand. Wolverine did all he could to fight back, but he could not recover from his injuries. Finally, Stephan landed the final blow, and Wolverine fainted on impact.
The first round went to Stephan! Seeing the outcome, relief appeared on the faces of Natasha’s men.
“Who would have expected that Mr. Chapman was so strong? It’s no wonder he is the key fighter of the Harmon family!”
“With Mr. Chapman on our side, we will definitely be victorious!” The audience was whispering in excitement. They were all in awe of Stephan’s fighting ability. Even though he was a little brash, he did have the ability to back it up.
“Who else wants to fight against me?” Stephan sized up the rest of Edwin’s men.
“This explains why Natasha agreed to the match so quickly. She brought in outside help.” Edwin scratched his chin in surprise.
“Have you all gone dumb? Come up to fight me!” Stephan taunted.
“Mr. Lawson, you are up next to prevent any further surprises.” Edwin turned to an older man, Fletcher Lawson.
“No problem.” Fletcher nodded and stepped into the ring with his head held high.
“Old man! With your thin and fragile limbs, how can you ever dream of defeating me? Give up now and you shall live!” Stephan laughed scornfully.
“Don’t overestimate yourself!” Fletcher replied with a poker face and attacked Stephan immediately. His agile movements were as quick as lightning.
“You are just asking for trouble!” Stephan sneered and rushed toward Fletcher as well.
When they met in the middle of the ring, there was a deafening explosion as both punches landed on their targets. However, after the debris settled, Fletcher was the only person still standing. Not a hair on his head was harmed.
On the other hand, Stephan was lying helplessly on the ground. His arm was obviously broken, and he was bleeding profusely. Fletcher’s immense power had struck Stephan’s body, Incapacitating him.
Fletcher was not done yet. He went up to Stephan and landed two more blows on his chest. Stephan gave a loud cry of pain as his body was flung against a tree. On Impact, blood spurted out from his mouth.
“How could this be?” Natasha’s men were all dismayed at the sudden turn of events. No one expected Stephan to be defeated so quickly. Fletcher had Stephan Injured and bleeding within three turns. Their difference in powers was just too significant.
“That’s terrible! How can this old man be so strong? Even Mr. Chapman couldn’t defeat him!” Ruth exclaimed worriedly.
Stephan was one of the Harmon family’s best fighters. It was unthinkable that he couldn’t even withstand three attacks from an opponent!
Chapter-56 Enter the arena(Mc)
“Who are you?” Stephan’s face was frozen in terror, his body slumped on the ground. There was no hint of arrogance left in his trembling voice. He was soundly beaten after just three attacks. This proved the disparity in their abilities.
How could there be Someone with such devastating powers remaining unknown in a small place like Swinton?
“I’ll be honest with you. I’m Fletcher Lawson, Liam, and Noah were my apprentices!” Fletcher said coldly.
“What? You are Mr. Lawson of Klesbridge?” Stephan was dumbfounded at this revelation. His reputation as a martial artist preceded him. Fletcher was not only one of the most prominent fighters in Klesbridge, but he was also a master of poison! There were many tricks that he could use to make someone drop dead without a trace. His mere presence. was enough to make one’s blood run cold.
“You seem to have heard of me!” Fletcher sneered.
When Fletcher revealed his identity, Stephan’s face had turned as pale as a sheet. If he knew that Fletcher was involved, he would definitely not have accepted this task. Fletcher wasn’t someone you would want to have as an enemy. Crossing him would only be inviting death.
“Who will fight in the last round?” Edwin asked loudly.
Natasha’s men looked at each other in silence. If Mr. Chapman couldn’t even land a blow, the rest of them would be easily annihilated. No one dared to volunteer as it meant signing one’s own death warrant.
“Sis, what shall we do? Are we going to lose?” Ruth was fraught with anxiety. Who could be on par and fight against such overwhelming power?
“Punk! Are you game to fight a match against me?” Fletcher directed his gaze at Dustin, his gaze was brimming with hatred and anger.
“Why not?” Dustin gave a careless smile.
As he was about to step into the ring, Ruth pulled him back. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I’m going to accept his challenge,” Dustin answered.
“Accept his challenge? Do you know how to fight?” Ruth asked suspiciously.
“A little.” Dustin nodded.
“And you dare to accept his challenge when you’re bad at fighting? Are you attempting suicide?” Ruth exclaimed in frustration, “Do you know who that is? Fletcher Lawson is a formidable opponent. Being foolhardy will only bring about your destruction!”
“Don’t worry, I can handle it.” Dustin smiled. Although Ruth’s words were sharp, she had good intentions.
“Bullshit!” Ruth glared at him. “What’s the use of you going up to fight when Mr. Chapman couldn’t even defend himself?”
Stung by Ruth’s indirect insult, Stephan chimed in sarcastically, “Don’t overestimate yourself, punk! If you can’t even defeat me, it is impossible for you to fight against Mr. Lawson!”
“Your defeat doesn’t mean I have absolutely no chance,” Dustin said calmly.
“Youngsters like you will be the death of me! Do you think so highly of your abilities?” Stephan was annoyed by his impudence.
“Well, just wait and see.” Dustin didn’t explain further.
“Dustin, are you really sure?” Natasha spoke up suddenly.
“I think I’ll be fine.” Dustin nodded.
“Alright, give it a go but admit defeat if you have to. Your life is of utmost importance,” Natasha smiled as she gave her permission.
“Sis, are you joking? Are you really going to send Dustin to his death?” Ruth couldn’t believe her ears.
“Ms. Harmon! The entirety of your assets are on the line. If this punk loses, you will lose everything!” Stephan was anxious as well.
“I believe in Dustin,” Natasha said with finality. She had full confidence in him.
“Enough with the small talk! I’m going to send you to hell!” Fletcher shouted impatiently. He was dying to get his hands on Dustin and cut him up into tiny pieces.
Dustin ignored Fletcher’s taunts and walked up to him silently. Since Edwin had specifically asked for him to be here, it was obvious that he wanted revenge. If so, Dustin had no qualms about giving him what he wanted.
“This is awful! He is going to die!” Ruth stomped her foot in frustration.
“Ms. Harmon has been taken in by this punk’s overconfidence. What a pity!” Stephan shook his head, sighing. Clearly, he did not expect Dustin to return in one piece.
“Punk! Was it you who killed my apprentices?” Fletcher glared at Dustin with hostility.
“To be accurate, both of them committed suicide,” Dustin answered carelessly.
Noah killed himself because he refused to provide Dustin with information. On the other hand, Dustin hadn’t even touched a hair on Liam’s head. Liam had been the one who attacked him. However, he died from the overpowering recoil. It was only right to say that they killed themselves.
“You still dare to deny it at this last moment of your life? Today, I am going to exact revenge for the death of my apprentices!” Fletcher’s face twisted with hatred.
“Sure, this depends on your abilities.”, Dustin was unaffected by Fletcher’s threats.
“Arrogant punk! I’m going to wipe you from the face of the earth!” Fletcher roared. He concentrated the force in his feet and sprinted toward Dustin with a burst of sudden energy. His movements were as fast as lightning.
“That’s crazy!” Stephan exclaimed in awe. Fletcher had not even revealed his full strength when he was fighting against Stephan before!
“Go to hell!” Fletcher summoned his energy and unleashed a powerful punch in Dustin’s face. The vibrations from the attack formed a torrent of energy that swirled around them and sent debris flying around! Everyone took a few steps back to avoid getting injured in the aftermath.
arm
Just when everyone thought that the outcome was decided, Dustin made his move. He stretched out his air slowly and gave Fletcher a firm, tight slap on the cheek. The impact on Fletcher’s face created a loud cracking noise.
At that moment, Fletcher seemed like he was hit by a moving train! His body was flung several yards away like a dirty rag and crashed into a wall, creating a deep crater.
There was absolute silence as everyone was dumbfounded at the extraordinary turn of events.
Chapter-57 Spy in the group
The crowd gaped as Fletcher hung limply on the wall. They never imagined that the mighty Fletcher Lawson, who had just trounced Stephan Chapman, had been defeated with an effortless slap.
“What the fuck was going on?”
“H–How could this be?” Stephan’s eyes were wide with disbelief that someone as powerful as Fletcher, the strongest fighter in Klesbrige, had been defeated with a single blow.
Was this kid a monster?
“No way! Dustin actually won?” Ruth couldn’t believe it either. At first, she’d been so certain that Dustin would lose. Instead, he had won the match in a breeze. With just one slap, he sent Fletcher flying. His strength was unheard of!
“Fletcher… lost?” Edwin was shaken and astonished. He was very familiar with Fletcher’s strength. Even in Swinton, there was hardly anyone who could be his opponent. Yet somehow, someone as impregnable as him hadn’t been able to withstand a single blow from Dustin.
Unbelievable! Had Fletcher underestimated his opponent, or was it a fluke? Or maybe… it had been Dustin’s true strength.
“It seems that I underestimated you,” said Natasha, smirking. Her face wore surprise, delight, and also a hint of pride. She knew Dustin was powerful but never expected it to be to this extent. She hit the jackpot this time!
“I think I’ve won.” Dustin dusted off his hands and nonchalantly walked off the arena.
At this moment, everyone looked at Dustin as though he was a monster. Especially so for Stephan, who gazed mockingly but now looked at Dustin in awe. It was obvious how strong Dustin was if he could subdue Fletcher so effortlessly.
“Dustin, didn’t you say that you barely know martial arts? How are you so powerful?” Ruth asked tentatively.
“It might just be that he’s too weak,” Dustin answered.
“Really? But he was the one who defeated Mr. Chapman!” Ruth exclaimed.
“Um…” Stephan’s face twitched as they touched a sore spot.
“Sir Hummer, we’ve already won three matches out of five. What else do you have to say?” demanded Natasha, her focus on other matters.
“I admit defeat. I have nothing to say.” Though Edwin seemed upset, he appeared resigned.
“Well then, until we meet again!” Natasha smiled. With that, she left with a group of people trailing after her.
“Sir Hummer, are we supposed to let them go like this?” his subordinate asked unhappily.
“As if. Do you think they can leave so easily after entering my territory?” Edwin sneered. “I still have a present waiting for them.”
Sometime later, the sun began setting behind the mountains. Natasha and her convoy were traveling through
a fork in the road when a large bus came barreling toward them.
The bus driver hit the brake and drifted to a horizontal stop, blocking the entire road. A bunch of assassins covered in black immediately swarmed out from both sides of the woods, quickly encircling the convoy of cars.
“It’s an ambush! Protect Ms. Harmon!” The Harmon family bodyguards reacted instantly and formed a ring around Natasha’s car to protect her.
“Kill them!”
The assassins were fearless as they cut through flesh and knocked down cars. “Edwin Hummer is such a despicable man! How dare he ambush us!” Ruth was shaken but furious.
“The corporate world is a battlefield. The moment a fight breaks out, things are bound to get messy.” Natasha responded calmly, this not being her first rodeo.
Ruth humphed angrily. “He better pray that he never falls into my hands, or he’ll regret it!”
The sound of the battle was getting more heated outside the car as numbers from both parties dwindled.
Fortunately, despite winning in numbers, the assassins were still no match to the Harmon family’s men in terms of skills. Soon, they began losing the bloody battle, and many who hadn’t been killed chose to flee. The battle finally ended when the last assassin fell to the ground with a thud.
More than half of Natasha’s men had been killed, but she and her sister were unharmed.
Dustin got out of the car and studied the bodies of the assassins. He realized that each of them had a snake-shaped tattoo on their body.
Ruth humphed furiously. “Thank God our men are strong, or we’d be dead today thanks to Edwin Hummer!” Natasha then ordered her men, “Do a quick clean-up–and let’s leave.”
They were still close to Edwin’s territory and she couldn’t be sure if he still had anything else up his sleeve, so it was best they leave as soon as possible.
As her men cleared the place, two MPVs with foreign license plates headed toward them and blocked their path.
“No way. Don’t tell me there’s more?” asked Ruth, annoyed. She watched intently as the car door opened and a dozen men dressed for battle got out of the car.
Leading them was a beautiful lady in her 30s. Besides her good looks, she also had a voluptuous figure that flaunted her curves as she walked, an air of authority following her wherever she went.
“Tilda?” Ruth exclaimed excitedly and rushed forward to greet her. Everyone was relieved to see that backup had arrived.
“What happened?” Tilda Snider frowned when she saw the bodies littering the ground.
“They’re Edwin Hummer’s men! They tried to ambush us!” Ruth grumbled.
“He ambushed you? There’s no way this is a coincidence. No outsider knows about the route you are taking. so how could he have planted these people here in advance?”
“You’re right! How did he know we were going to take this route?” Ruth was puzzled.
“Tilda, do you mean to say there’s a mole among our people?” Natasha was quick to react.
“That’s right!” Tilda’s expression was grave. “I have reason to believe someone has been selling us out!”
“Tilda, everyone here are people I trust. I doubt any of them would betray me,” countered Natasha, shaking her head.
“People you trust?” Tilda studied the crowd before her gaze landed on Dustin. “I see some unfamiliar faces “that don’t belong to the Harmon family!”
“Oh, he’s my friend,” explained Natasha.
“Friend? Humph! Friends are the least trustworthy people. I reckon that he’s the spy! Someone get rid of him at once!” Tilda commanded.
Two subordinates standing behind her immediately pulled out their knives, ready to fight.
Chapter-58 Spy Killed
Dustin narrowed his eyes at the sight of the swinging blades. They had chosen to accuse him of being a traitor without even trying to get the full picture.
“Tilda, there must be a misunderstanding. There’s no way Dustin is the spy!” Natasha objected.
“We’ll know whether it’s a misunderstanding after doing an investigation,” Tilda shouted icily. “Tie him up! Kill him if he tries to resist!”
“Kill me?” Dustin frowned. “You’re making such extreme decisions when the investigations haven’t even begun. Aren’t you going a bit too far?”
Tilda humphed. “For the good of the Harmon family, I can do anything!”
“How can you be sure that I’m the spy?” Dustin retorted.
“I don’t need to be sure. You are the spy if I say so!” Tilda responded domineeringly.
Seeing how unreasonable Tilda was being. Dustin’s expression hardened. He had been trying to reason things out peacefully the entire time, yet Tilda accused him of being the mole without any proof.
She had gone too far!
“Tilda, there’s no solid evidence yet. Don’t you dare mess around!” Natasha uttered, voice rising.
“I’m your head of security, which makes me responsible for your safety. This man is obviously treacherous and evil!” shouted Tilda.
“Tilda, there must be some misunderstanding. Dustin saved my life. Without him, we wouldn’t have been able to leave the Hummer Villa,” explained Ruth from the side.
“Hmph! He’s just acting. He’s fooled all of you!” Tilda retorted.
“But-” Tilda cut Ruth off sharply before she could say another word. “No buts! When it comes to your safety, it’s better to kill wrongly than be sorry afterward!”
“I don’t understand. We have nothing against each other, so why are you being so aggressive towards me?” Dustin questioned.
“Stop acting! You may have fooled them, but you can’t fool me! You better yield if you don’t want to die!” Tilda snapped.
“And if I refuse?” questioned Dustin..
“Then I’ll have no choice but to force you!” Tilda glanced at her subordinate.
“Kneel!” Two men immediately brought their blades to Dustin’s neck.
“Don’t make me fight you,” Dustin warned hostilely.
“So what? What are you going to do about it? Get onto your knees. Now!” One of the men roared before sweeping a foot toward Dustin’s knee.
Dustin didn’t even budge. Instead, the man was pushed back two steps from the force.
“You fucker…” Embarrassed, the man was about to give another blow when Dustin suddenly shot out his hand and slammed it down on the man’s crown. With a loud noise, the man’s head burst apart, and he died on the spot.
“What?” Everyone exclaimed, their expressions changing after seeing the scene unfold before them. No one expected Dustin to be such a ruthless man, killing without a word. He didn’t give a damn about the Harmon family.
“Fuck you!” Furious, the other man slashed his blade at Dustin.
“He is the spy! Kill him!” Tilda immediately ordered, ruthless.
At her command, the rest of the men immediately charged toward Dustin with blades in their hands.
The look in Dustin’s eyes hardened, and he charged into the awaiting mob and began wiping them out. Within seconds, all of Tilda’s subordinates were lying on the ground, motionless. With clean and decisive moves, he managed to kill all of them with a single blow!
“You bastard! How dare you kill the Harmon family’s best men? You’re done for!” Going ballistic, Tilda pulled out a sword from her waist and lunged at Dustin with incredible speed.
With a blank expression on his face, Dustin tilted his head sideways to avoid Tilda’s attack, and in a flash, gave the woman a punch in the abdomen.
Tilda screamed in pain as her body soared through the air and landed heavily on one of the MPVs. Instead of standing down, Dustin darted forward, grabbed Tilda by the neck, and lifted her.
The woman gasped as breathing became difficult, and she felt her strength draining away. Like a sitting duck, She was now completely at Dustin’s mercy.
“Dustin, please let her go! She’s family!” Ruth cried.
“Mr. Rhys, You can kill anyone but Tilda, or the consequences will be dire!” Stephan was terrified as well
“I’m Natasha’s elder as well as the backbone of the Harmon family. To kill me is to make yourself the number one enemy of the Harmon family!” Tilda taunted with a vicious humph.
As soon as she said that, Dustin put more pressure, and a crisp crack sounded as Tilda’s head went slack; the woman was now dead.
Tilda’s countenance was frozen in a myriad of emotions. Shock, dismay, even disbelief! She never expected Dustin to be unreasonable enough to kill her without caring about the Harmon family.
“Wha-“Everyone stood motionless, frozen in shock as they stared at the limp body on the ground before exchanging looks of dismay and disbelief with one another.
This was Tilda Snider they were talking about! Natasha Harmon’s elder and the most important elder in the Harmon family! And she was gone just like that?
Dustin must be mad!
“Rhys! Are you crazy? Did you kill Tilda? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Ruth demanded with wide eyes, dismayed.
“She was going to kill me first, so of course, I had to kill her first. Was I supposed to just stand there and let her kill me?” Dustin snorted.
“You-” Ruth was so furious that words caught in her throat.
“Mr. Rhys, you’re in trouble now!” Stephan shook his head sympathetically.
“Dustin Rhys! You killed our family’s pillar! Wait ’til the Harmon family hears about this!” a bald guard yelled furiously. “This bastard must be out of his mind! Killing Tilda is like launching an attack on the entire Harmon family!” he thought.
“Ms. Harmon, what do you think?” Dustin turned his attention to Natasha. He wanted to take this opportunity to understand what Natasha was thinking about.
“Mr. Rhys was defending himself. I see nothing wrong with that.” Natasha quickly regained her composure. Dustin was relieved to hear her reply and decided that Natasha was a friend worth making.
“Ms. Harmon, I was not killing carelessly. Take a look at her body,” said Dustin, and he yanked at Tilda’s shirt. On her wrist, there was a tattoo shaped like a snake.
“Huh? Isn’t this the same symbol as the ones on those assassins? Why would Tilda have one too?” Stephan was dumbfounded. On the other hand, Ruth had a look of horror as she cried, “No way! Tilda was the spy?”
Chapter-59 Venomous snake bite
“That can’t be. Tilda was the mole?”
Everyone was shocked at Ruth’s words. However, the crowd’s expressions hardened when the assassins’ clothing were peeled off, revealing the same tattoo on their bodies.
This was obviously not a coincidence.
“You can’t prove anything with just a tattoo, can you?” objected the bald guard.
“Maybe it would have been less persuasive if there was only one tattoo, but what if everyone had the same tattoo?” Dustin walked up to Tilda’s deceased men and yanked off all their clothing.
“Soon, everyone realized that each of the men wore the same tattoo as well. This made things so much more apparent. It was safe to say that they’d found the traitor!
“No wonder Tilda immediately started kicking up a fuss the moment she arrived. She was the traitor all along!” Stephan was disgruntled. As one of the Harmon family’s men himself, he hated nothing more than betrayal like this.
“But why? The Harmon family has always trusted her so why did Tilda betray us?” Ruth asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.
“Nowadays, not many can resist the temptation of money and power. That’s why betrayals happen easily. Without Mr. Rhys’ keen observation, we would’ve been in danger!” Stephan shivered, thinking about what could have happened. After all, having a mole was like a ticking bomb. No one could tell when they might get stabbed in the back.
“What should we do now, sis?” asked Ruth, at a loss.
“There’s definitely more of them hiding among us. I must let Father know immediately so he can start digging into it.” Natasha announced with a grave expression. Having a traitor was no small matter. It was much more serious than being attacked by outsiders.
After all, a small leak will sink a great ship. The effects might be devastating if this matter was neglected!
“You’re right! We must get to the bottom of this! Traitors are nothing but an abomination!” Ruth nodded her head repeatedly.
“Ms. Harmon, I don’t believe Tilda would be a careless person, so there should be a couple more of them hiding among our ranks right now.” Dustin began surveying the crowd with eyes like a hawk before his gaze landed on the bald guard.
“Why are you looking at me? Do you think I’m the mole?” The guard narrowed his eyes.
“We’ll know for sure when you take off your clothes,” Dustin replied nonchalantly.
“Why should I? Who are you to order me around?” The guard began to lose his cool.
“Do as Mr. Rhys says. Take off your clothes.” Natasha commanded.
“Ms. Harmon, I’ve worked for you for so many years. Don’t tell me you’re suspecting me,” the guard said incredulously.
“Strip!” Natasha commanded.
“Fine! Since none of you believe me, I’ll just have to prove my innocence!” snapped the petulant guard, looking as though he had been wronged.
However, when he moved to remove his clothes, his face suddenly twisted into a sneer. He flung out his hand and two black objects flew out of his sleeve and hurled toward Dustin and Natasha.
No one around them reacted in the time since everything happened so quickly.
Swiftly, Dustin reached out and effortlessly grabbed the object coming toward him with his fingers. Upon closer inspection, the object turned out to be a poisonous black snake the width of his finger.
“Ms. Harmon!” someone began shouting.
Without anyone realizing it, the second snake had bitten Natasha on the thigh.
“Grab that traitor!” Pissed, Natasha crushed the snake with a harsh stomp.
“Get him!” The rest of her men rushed toward the guard and instantly subdued him.
“I’ve always treated you well, so why did you betray me?” Natasha trudged toward him with a cold glare, a murderous aura surrounding her.
“Ms. Harmon, you must know that a man would do anything to become rich. What they offered me was too tempting to resist. You can’t blame me for accepting!” the guard sneered.
“Who instructed you to do this? Who’s the mastermind behind this?” Natasha grilled.
“Ms. Harmon, I’ll die alone if I keep my mouth shut. If I answer, my whole family will be doomed!” the guard retorted.
Natasha was about to say something when a wave of nausea hit her. Suddenly, her body went lax, and she fell backward, but before she hit the ground, Dustin managed to grab her waist. He pulled up her shirt and discovered that the area where the snake had bitten her was turning purplish black. What a venomous bite the snake had!
“Give me the antidote!” Dustin slammed his foot onto the guard’s head, scowling.
“Only if you let me go. Or else, Ms. Harmon will be going down with me!” the guard responded with a sardonic sneer.
“Are you threatening me?” asked Dustin with narrowed eyes.
“I know you’re an incredible doctor, Rhys! But this venom was created by an expert and cannot be cured without the antidote!”
“You bastard! I’ll kill you if you don’t give us the antidote!” Furious, Ruth charged forward and began beating the guard up.
“Go ahead! Once I’m dead, Ms. Harmon will be following me, too!” Ruth instantly halted her attack.
“Don’t say I never warned you. She’s been poisoned by a powerful venom. She’ll be dead within half an hour.” the guard stated menacingly.
“Give me the antidote and I promise to let you live,” vowed Dustin with a cold expression.
“Why should I believe you?” The guard frowned.
“You don’t have a choice. If she dies, I’ll make your life a living hell!” Dustin glowered.
The guard hesitated and pondered for a moment before suddenly asking. “If I tell you the cure, will you let me go?”
“I’m a man of my word,” answered Dustin.
“Alright. I’ll trust you this time!” The guard gritted his teeth. “Actually, there isn’t an antidote for this venom. The only way for her to live is if someone sucked out the venom using their mouth. However, the person who does it will most likely lose their life. So, it depends on whether you have the guts to do it.” The guard sniggered.
“Thanks for the advice,” Dustin nodded. Immediately, he slammed his foot onto the guard’s chest, crushing the man’s ribs and causing his internal organs to burst out with a splat.
Blood burst from the guard’s mouth as his eyes widened in disbelief. “Y–You said you wouldn’t kill me.”
“Sorry. I changed my mind,” Dustin answered nonchalantly.
“Y–you have no honor…” Before the guard could say anything else, he suffocated and died.
“So what?” Dustin asked the dead body.
Everyone was dumbfounded by his cavalier attitude. Suddenly, they realized that this innocuous person might be quite the barbarian after all.
Chapter-60 At the Hospital
After killing the traitor, Dustin carried the weakened Natasha to the car.
The area where the snake had bitten her had turned black and purple, and as the venom spread through her body, her entire leg turned numb.
“How troublesome.” Dustin inspected the wound, his expression turning grave. He could have treated her easily if this was any regular snake venom. However, this venom was particularly potent. Since Dustin lacked his medicinal herbs and acupuncture needles, he had nothing at his disposal but his skills. It would be difficult for him to treat the wound.
It seemed the only option left was to suck the venom out.
“Roth Harmon, give me a hand!” Dustin hollered.
“I’m Ruth! Ruth Harmon!” Ruth corrected him, quickly getting into the car. She asked, “What do you need me to do?”
“Take off your sister’s pants,” he directed.
“Hey! What are you trying to do? You better not play around!” Ruth sounded like she was speaking to a pervert.
“Your sister has been poisoned with a potent venom. I have to suck it out,” Dustin explained.
“What?” Ruth was stunned for a moment before an odd expression took over her face. “B–but the wound is on her thigh! You aren’t trying to take advantage of her, are you?”
“What are you even thinking about right now? Her life is on the line!” Dustin snapped. “Haven’t you heard that gender doesn’t matter when treating patients?”
“Oh, right.” Ruth stood there stunned.
“Why are you still standing there? Take off her pants!” Dustin rushed.
“Oh, right.” Ruth quickly pulled off Natasha’s pants, exposing the snake bite.
Dustin cleared his mind and got to work. Although it went against proper etiquette, saving Natasha’s life came first. Dustin began sucking out the venom. A moment later, he spat out a mouthful of dark blood and returned his mouth to the wound without hesitation.
Slowly, Natasha regained consciousness.
“What are you doing?” Natasha had a confused expression on her face as she gazed at him passionately.
“Sucking out the snake venom,” Dustin said, keeping his tone calm.
“Are you done?” Natasha asked softly.
“Almost,” he answered truthfully. Natasha bit her lip as she frowned, her every gesture alluring. Dustin gulped and lowered his head again.
Dustin finally stopped after some time when the wound had lost its dark purplish bruising. “Is it over?” Natasha asked with a resentful look.
Dustin cleared his throat and answered awkwardly, “Um, you should be in the clear for now, but there’s still some leftover venom in your body. It’ll be safer if you visit the hospital.” He moved to get up, wanting to leave the car. As he stood up, his vision darkened as he fell into Natasha’s arms, unconscious.
“Dustin! What’s wrong? Don’t scare me!” Natasha’s expression changed.
“Sis. the traitor said that anyone who sucks out the venom will die instead! Is Dustin going to die?” Ruth cried, astonished.
“What are you talking about, you idiot? Hurry! Let’s get him to the hospital!” Natasha ordered.
“Okay!”Ruth did not hesitate and gave the order. The convoy pulled out of the parking spot immediately.
Unbeknownst to them, shortly after they had left, several cars descended the mountain and swarmed the area where their convoy had been.
A car door opened, and Edwin Hummer stepped out. Upon seeing the corpses of Tilda and her men, his jaw cracked.
“How could this be?” Edwin exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief.
It was worth noting that Tilda had been planted in the Harmon family to turn the tide during crucial moments like this. But instead, she had gotten caught up in the mess herself. It was a double whammy!
“This is bad!” Edwin frowned, displeased. Besides the mission failing, he had also lost a valuable line on his enemies. If he did not give the higher–ups a satisfactory answer soon, he could kiss his position goodbye!
That evening. Dustin finally woke up after hours of sleeping and found that he was in a hospital room. A shocked voice rang out the moment his eyes opened.
“Huh? You aren’t dead, Rhys?”
Dustin’s gaze followed the source of the voice and landed on Ruth sitting beside him with a dazed expression as she looked at him.
“What? Disappointed to see me alive?” Dustin snapped.
“Ahem. Um, I’m just surprised.” Ruth grinned bashfully.
“”Where’s your sister?” Dustin asked, changing the topic.
“Oh, she went to get your medicine.” Ruth examined him and said, “I heard that the venom is something called the Deadly Slither. It’s extremely poisonous and can kill a person quickly! It’s a miracle that you’re still alive!”
“You’re right. The venom is potent. It even managed to knock me out for a few hours. No wonder it’s one of the world’s top ten most poisonous venoms,” Dustin marveled.
“Why does that sound weird?” Ruth was puzzled. Before Ruth could come out of her daze, two people entered the hospital room.
One was Natasha, while the other was a curvaceous lady dressed exquisitely. The two women resembled each other. Not only were they both very well–dressed, but they both had a powerful air to them.
“Dustin, you’re finally awake! How are you feeling?” Natasha’s face lit up as she rushed toward him.
“I’m feeling better now that I’ve gotten some sleep.” Dustin smiled.
“Here, take this. It’s a secret medicine I got you. Take it with some water, and you’ll be fine in no time.”
Natasha pushed a small white bottle into his hand and poured him a glass of warm water.
“Secret medicine? What is it?” Dustin asked curiously.
“Don’t underestimate it. It’s the result of three years of dedicated research and experiments by Dr. Rowan Cross. It can treat all kinds of venom,” Natasha urged.
“Rowan Cross?” Dustin was surprised.
“You know him?” asked Natasha, with a raised eyebrow.
“I’ve met him once.” Dustin did not deny it. He had met Rowan a few years before when Rowan’s enemies were hunting him down and Dustin had saved the poor man. The antidote had been Dustin’s gift to him.
“It’s always been difficult getting ahold of Dr. Cross’ whereabouts and even harder to see him in person. You should take it before anything happens,” Natasha urged.
“There’s no need. My body’s already free of venom. You can take it back.” Dustin declined politely.
“It was difficult getting my hands on this baby. Why would I ever return it? Just keep it even if you’re fine now. It’ll come in handy in emergencies,” Natasha insisted, stuffing the bottle into Dustin’s pocket.
Dustin accepted it. After all, she did it out of kindness.
“Oh, right. There’s something else I should mention. I think I saw Dahlia Nicholson at the hospital entrance,” Natasha said abruptly.
“Huh? What’s she doing here?” Dustin was puzzled.
“I heard her grandfather is critically ill and receiving emergency treatment.”
“Critically ill?” Dustin immediately became worried. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Or Dahlia wouldn’t be downstairs right now,” Natasha replied.
“I’ll take a look.” Dustin got up and left the room.
Henry Nicholson had treated Dustin like his own, so there was no way he would do nothing while the old man was ill.
“Natasha, you wasted one of the Harmon family’s favors just for him?” The woman beside her finally spoke. She was Natasha’s mother, Jessica Ballard.
“I’ll pay Dr. Cross back myself. It has nothing to do with you,” Natasha replied indifferently.
“Do you like that kid?” Jessica frowned.
“So what if I do?” Natasha raised her chin defiantly.
“You should remember that the two of you will never end up together. He’s just a nobody while you’re the daughter of a wealthy family and the heiress to the Harmon family. Your statuses are worlds apart!” Jessica reminded.
“I don’t care,” Natasha responded coolly.
“But I do!” Jessica’s tone was firm. “You can make up your mind about anything except your marriage! Don’t forget that you’re already engaged to Tyler!”
“Sorry. I’m not interested in Tyler Grant at all” Natasha quipped.
“You have no say in this matter! You are the eldest daughter of the Harmon family. With wealth and power comes responsibility!” Jessica chided.
“Responsibility?” Natasha scoffed. “Do you mean using marriage to climb the ranks?”
“This is for your own good and the entire family’s! Tyler is an impressive person. He’s already a Major General despite his young age. He has a bright future ahead of him. He’s the perfect choice for marriage!” Jessica lectured.
“If you like him so much, you marry him then! I have no intention of doing so,” Natasha retorted bluntly.
“Why are you so stubborn? If you don’t marry into his family, you will never become the head of the Harmon family! Why don’t you understand this?”
“It doesn’t matter since I was never interested in becoming the head of the family, to begin with,” Natasha replied matter–of–factly.
“Is your entire future worth sacrificing just for that kid?” Jessica spat.
“Of course! I don’t think Tyler is better than him anyway!”
“You have that much faith in him?” Jessica’s expression hardened.
“That’s right!” Natasha announced proudly.
Jessica paused when she heard her daughter’s answer. Resolute, she inhaled before declaring with a cold voice. “Fine! Since you’re not going to give up, I’ll give you one chance. If that punk can pass three tests, I’ll never bring up the topic of your marriage to the Reeves family again!”
“What kind of tests?” asked Natasha with a raised brow.
“First, he must defeat Edwin Hummer to prove his strength!” Jessica demanded.
“Edwin has Boulderthom to back him up! It’s it a bit unreasonable to ask Dustin to defeat him?” Natasha frowned.
Jessica snorted. “If he can’t even defeat Edwin Hummer, why should I accept him into our family? What right does he have to fight Tyler? Well, I’m giving you both a chance. If he fails, you better return to Millsburg and get married!” Jessica turned and left the room.
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