Chapter 1

The moment the call went through, the atmosphere at the counter and the other shops around us seemed to freeze.

Layla Lark, my future daughter-in-law, turned completely pale. She grabbed my sleeve tightly and asked in a quivering voice, “Leto, did Apollo…?”

I could understand Layla’s reaction.

After all, she had suddenly heard her future mother-in-law getting a two-million-dollar tab on the eve of her engagement party. Any woman would immediately think that her fiance had cheated.

As I watched the shop attendant’s malicious glee and the blatant disdain in her eyes, I figured out what she was thinking. She thought she was watching the legit fiancee catching the mistress.

However, I did not hang up. I just calmly recited the jewelry shop’s address.

Before hanging up, I turned around to fix Layla a gentle but firm stare while I spoke clearly for everyone around us to hear. “Calm down, Layla. This has nothing to do with Apollo. I’ll handle it for you. I trust my son. If he cheated on you, I’ll break his legs.”

Those words calmed her down instantly. Layla immediately teared up, but the fear of being betrayed had yet to disappear fully. With trembling hands, she took out her phone and called Apollo.

Three seconds later, she heard a voice telling her that the call could not go through for the time being.

Layla’s face turned paler.

At the same time, a woman in a uniform strode over. Her nametag stated that she was Mandy Williams, the shop owner.

“What are you doing, Ma’am?” Mandy had a perfectly professional smile on, and she spoke gently, though I could detect a hint of reproach in it. “This is just a minor thing. Why did you call the police? You’re about to become a family. You just need to resolve the misunderstanding.”

While she spoke, she subtly stood between me and Layla as her gaze landed on the dazed Layla.

“Calm down, Miss Lark. Men are busy sometimes, and they have no control over their own bodies. If your husband isn’t answering his phone, he might be feeling guilty of something. Why don’t you pay first? Then, you can go back home and ask him about it. If he’s really cheating on you, your mother-in-law will surely side with you.”

She had a way with words and kept hinting at Layla that this was a family matter. She was trying to turn this business scam into a family conflict.

The whispers around us were not loud, but they stabbed into me like thorns.

“Did you hear that? That girl is her future daughter-in-law…”

“Heh. Rich families are full of complicated problems. The son might be keeping a lover.”

Those words made Layla even paler.

When Mandy saw this, her smile widened, since she thought that she had caught our weakness.

I sneered.

This was why they dared to do this. She was betting on the fact that someone like me would suffer this insolence in silence for the sake of my dignity.

Unfortunately for her, she was wrong.

I earned my dignity bit by bit in the business world. I did not need to maintain it through concessions.

“Miss Williams.” I did not speak loudly, but I did make her freeze.

As I faced her gaze, I continued calmly, “One, my future in-laws are enjoying tea right now in Soul District. So, where exactly did that ‘in-law’ come from? Two, that two-million-dollar receipt doesn’t contain my signature, wasn’t verified by phone, and never requested me to show any ID before it was issued to me. Yet, you dared to bill it to me just because some random stranger claimed herself to be my future in-law?”

I looked around and pointed at the brilliant diamonds in the glass cabinets.

“I’m sure that your security system is top notch. Your security cameras cover every part of your shop. But you’re telling me that your management is worse than the wet market downstairs? Even the shop owners there would ask if you want an extra onion as a gift! How could you be so lax when you sell jewelry here?”

My voice remained low, but the mockery in my voice was clear.

The rich ladies watching could not help but snicker, and they started siding with us.

“She’s right. That’s two million dollars. How could the shop owner just issue it to someone else just because some random person said so?”

“This shop’s management is scary. No one would dare buy jewelry here anymore.”

Mandy’s face turned as red as a tomato in the next second. Since I tore off her mask, she flew into a rage and raised her voice. “Ma’am, don’t be unreasonable! We already verified things, and there were no problems! If you don’t settle the bill today, you’re not leaving!”

Ooh, that was a blatant threat.

However, I was not scared. Instead, I smiled.

Taking out my phone, I adjusted the angle, pointed the camera at her enraged face, and started recording a video as I stared at her calmly. “Sure. Please repeat what you just said right into the camera and to all the other customers. Tell us clearly that you’re going to illegally keep me here before the police arrive.”

Mandy’s rage was instantly put out, like I had poured ice water on her.

When she saw my phone, she acted as if she was looking at a cannon. She opened her mouth but could not say anything.

As for Layla, who stood behind me and watched my actions, her panic faded and turned into great pride.

Right then, her phone rang, and the caller ID showed that it was from my son, Apollo Stane.