Chapter 5

Dallas was a third-tier city.

In actual fact, it fell short of even being a third-tier city.

Many people leave the place as soon as they had money, heading toward the more prosperous and developed capital cities or first-tier cities.

To Jae Gray, however, Dallas was the place he had dreamed of countless times in the past years because this place was so special.

After all, someone whom he would never forget in his entire life was there, and that person was the girl named Hazel Young. More accurately speaking, he had to marry her to pay what he owed to her on that day.

After he left, he promised to himself to come back to her and give the world she wantsed.

Soon, The Young family became a prominent family in rock city. Now that two of Hazels uncles planned to marry her into a homeless man so that her credibility on the compane and of course on the family will go down. Now she were the most outstanding employee of the company. Worried with that her uncles decided to down her and the favor will go for them.

After marrying her into a homeless and without background man, this will end her and all of that will greeted her as an endless ridicule and disdain.

Even her parents, will never be able to get a few cents from the Young family business.

It wasn't until later did Hazel's family learned that William Young had demanded that he marry her to a homeless guy.

As such, Hazel was merely a tool they were using her to gain the favor of the head of the Young family's wealth to get in his hands. A greedy man.

Nonetheless, Hazel's family would endured the infinite derision and mockery just as what William Young plotted.

***

"It's been a years, and I'm finally back!" Jae couldn't help exclaiming as he stared at the heavy traffic in front of him. "Hazel, on the past few years, I was treated with and helped me when I'm alone. But now I'm back today, two years later! I'll definitely make up for all I owed you in the past years by a hundredfold! From today onward, I'll make certain that no one will ever dare to scorn you! I want this world to praise you!"

The events of this chapter carried more weight than they first appeared to. Jae's emotional return to Dallas and the promise he made to repay Hazel for saving him years earlier.

Jae did not need to announce his intentions to everyone around him. He had learned long ago that the most dangerous people were often the ones who spoke the least. Behind his calm expression, he was constantly measuring the room, noticing who was watching, who was lying, and who might become a threat to Hazel. Hazel, meanwhile, was beginning to understand that the quiet man beside her was far more complicated than the family had assumed.

For Hazel, the situation was equally difficult. She had spent years proving that she could contribute to the Young family through discipline, intelligence, and hard work. Yet the people who should have supported her repeatedly treated her success as something that needed to be controlled. She could not simply walk away from the family without consequences, and she could not ignore the responsibilities she had accepted. That was why Jae's presence mattered even when he said very little.

The setting around them also reminded them how quickly fortunes could change. Dallas was filled with wealthy families, ambitious businessmen, influential officials, and people who measured one another by reputation. Beyond Texas, connections stretched toward Houston, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and other major American cities. A single business deal could change a family's standing, while a single mistake could destroy years of work.

As the day moved forward, the people involved made their choices. Some acted out of greed, some from fear, and others from loyalty. Jae continued to keep his true strength hidden, not because he lacked confidence, but because revealing everything too soon would place Hazel in greater danger. Hazel could not yet see the full picture, but she could feel that the life she had known was changing.

For now, they could only take the next step. Whatever waited beyond it, Jae had already made one decision that would not change: Hazel would not face it alone.