Chapter 5: The Future Husband

Instantly, everyone present was shocked to hear that Lucas was Angeline's guest.

Bella’s face contorted in disbelief. "What? He's your friend? Why on earth are you hanging out with a low-class peasant?"

"Why not? He's an employee at our company. Technically, he helps us make money. Why shouldn't I be friends with him?" Angeline shot back.

"He’s just a temp worker. It's inappropriate for a member of the Jordan Family to associate with someone like him," Bella sneered, glaring at Lucas.

Angeline’s voice turned icy. "He’s more than just a friend."

Bella frowned. "Don't tell me you two are dating?"

Angeline didn't answer. She simply grabbed Lucas's hand and pulled him inside the house.

The main hall was already packed. Various members of the Jordan extended family were mingling and chatting.

The moment Angeline and Lucas stepped inside, the room fell dead silent. All eyes locked onto the new arrivals.

Who did Angeline bring? Is that her new driver?

That guy looks poor. Why would she bring him in here?

Angeline is so kind-hearted. She actually brought a homeless man to help the maids wash dishes and mop the floor.

A woman in a plunging white dress walked over to Angeline. It was Sabrina.

"Angeline! Why did you drag a beggar in here?" Sabrina asked, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

"He's not a beggar, Sabrina. This is Lucas, a contract employee at Liquid Corp," Angeline clarified.

"He’s her boyfriend," Bella announced as she walked in behind them. "Hard to believe, right? The woman everyone calls the most beautiful in our family is dating a lowlife," Bella continued, letting out a mocking laugh.

Angeline’s face flushed red. It was a blatant insult.

"Hahaha... This is ridiculous, Angeline. While all of Grandma's grandchildren have partners from prestigious backgrounds, you chose a temp worker," Sabrina chuckled.

Jeremy, Angeline's cousin and the current Vice President of Liquid Corp, marched over. His face was thunderous.

"What is the meaning of this, Angeline?! Are you trying to humiliate the Jordan Family?" Jeremy demanded, his voice shaking with rage. "Look at him. He’s disgusting. One glance and anyone can tell he's dead broke."

Angeline looped her arm tightly around Lucas's. "You can't control who you fall in love with. Besides, what's wrong with marrying a contract employee? He can still work his way up to the top."

Lucas was taken aback. Suddenly, everything clicked. He finally understood why Angeline had dragged him to her family estate.

She basically dragged me into a warzone!

"Tch! Bullshit! Someone like him will never succeed. He’ll just be a parasite draining our family dry," Jeremy sneered, his eyes wide with fury. "Besides, Grandma has already chosen Maximus Benedict to be your husband."

"No! I love Lucas, and we are going to get married soon," Angeline stubbornly refused.

Jeremy was livid. If Angeline didn't marry Max, the Benedict Family would pull their investment. It meant their company would collapse. Furious, Jeremy raised his hand to slap Angeline across the face.

But in a flash, Lucas intercepted his wrist.

"If you lay a single finger on Angeline, I will cripple you," Lucas threatened.

The room gasped. A lowly temp worker had the guts to threaten Jeremy?

Lucas twisted Jeremy's arm, forcing a cry of pain from the man.

Angeline panicked slightly. She appreciated him defending her, but he was taking it too far. "Honey, let him go! If you break his arm, he won't be able to work," Angeline said, forcing her voice to sound sweet and gentle.

Just then, an elderly woman with jet-black, rigorously dyed hair stepped into the center of the room.

Seeing their grandmother, Jeremy immediately tattled on Lucas for assaulting him and exposed Angeline's relationship with the man.

Their grandmother, Lisa, boiled with anger at the news of Angeline's impoverished boyfriend.

"Angeline! You ungrateful wretch! How dare you rub dirt on my face?!" Lisa snarled.

Angeline squeezed Lucas's arm even tighter, desperately trying to hide her nerves.

"I love him, Grandma. Didn't you say I needed to get married soon to bring good fortune to the family?" Angeline countered.

A middle-aged man stomped over. It was Ryan Jordan, Angeline's father.

"You've lived a life of luxury since you were born. We gave you everything, and Grandma even made you a Director. And this humiliating stunt is how you repay us? You ungrateful child!"

Ryan then whipped his head toward Lucas, glaring daggers as he pointed a finger right in his face. "Leave my daughter at once! You are completely unworthy of her. You aren't even worthy of the dirt on her shoes!"

Angeline stepped forward, trying to shield Lucas with her own body.

"Angeline!" Lisa barked, now sitting on the main sofa. Her expression was dead serious. When she used that tone, there were only two options: obey her every command or be disowned from the family.

"I have arranged your marriage to Maximus Benedict. Marrying him will fix everything. He will pull our company out of this crisis. So do not argue with me!"

"Grandma, he's a notorious womanizer. There's no way I'm marrying him," Angeline protested.

"I don't care how many women he sleeps with, and neither should you. The only thing you need to care about is his wealth. He has promised to invest three million dollars into our company. And here is the best part, he is going to help us secure an investment from a mega-corporation based in the capital, Golden Star Corp," Lisa declared, her eyes gleaming with ambition.

"Golden Star Corp?" Lucas blurted out spontaneously.

Golden Star Corp was far from foreign to Lucas. It was the very empire he had built from scratch during his five-year reign as the Mafia King. Under his absolute control, the company had exploded in growth and now boasted a staggering valuation of three hundred billion dollars. Since he had returned to his hometown to care for his mother, he had left his right-hand man, Jack Will, in charge of the empire.

Lisa nodded. "Golden Star Corp just announced that they are expanding their investments into Everdale Province, with Verdansk City as their primary target."

A subtle smile formed on Lucas's lips. Brimming with absolute confidence, he asked, "What if Angeline secures that investment from Golden Star Corp herself? What does she get in return?"

Securing an investment from Golden Star Corp was no easy feat. Every major corporation in the province would be clawing at each other's throats for a piece of the pie. Furthermore, Liquid Corp was currently unstable, making their chances incredibly slim. Even with Max's help, it wasn't guaranteed, let alone with a lowly temp worker?

The question sent the room into an uproar. Everyone assumed Lucas was just talking out of his ass. Sneers and scoffs echoed through the hall. They thought he was utterly delusional.

"If Angeline somehow pulls that off, I will promote her to Vice President, make her the head of the project, and increase her shares in the company," Lisa answered dismissively, humoring the fool.

"And will you cancel her arranged marriage to Max and let her choose her own husband?" Lucas negotiated.

"Of course!"

Lisa was absolutely certain Angeline would fail. She had nothing to lose by making the bet.

Lucas turned to Angeline, a wide, confident grin spreading across his face. "Take the deal. I'll help you secure that investment.”